Then Moses said to the LORD, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” The LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? “Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” Ex. 4:10-12
Have you ever been gripped by fear. I mean "can't move, can't breath, I'm just going to run the other way kind of fear"? Now I love horror movies but I absolutely hate haunted houses. Years ago I went to the "Nightmare on 6th Street" haunted house... and I will admit I screamed like a little girl. I thought I was going to hurt someone trying to get out of that house. I could not stand not knowing what was next around the dark corners of that house. To this day I will not go to a haunted house! No, my man card still works-don't judge me!
I bring up that story because I think fear whether it happens in a haunted house or everyday life, ultimately comes down to one thing...control. Fear will ALWAYS KEEP YOU WHERE YOU ARE. Its the safe play! It requires you to stay instead of jump. In this chapter God shows Moses some amazing signs, and yet his only response is God find someone else to do what you need done-I cant do it! The reason Moses was afraid was because he was looking at the wrong things- He was looking past his experiences with God and only focusing on his limitations.
You see fear causes you to see what your not instead of seeing whose you are! Fear causes you to hide behind your limitations instead of relying on God's reputation. Do you and I have faith enough in who He is to believe that He can use us even at our greatest point of weakness. Not only do I believe God can use us like that, I would say that it's the only time God can use us! "For when I am weak ,then I am strong...my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12)
Will you jump today into radical obedience when everything in you says to stay? What's keeping you where you are?
Not Ashamed...Bill
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Shameful Concessions
"Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality." 1 Samuel 15:9
Compromise: to make a shameful concession.
As I read about Saul this morning I can't help but think about a man with amazing abilities & potential but who refused to listen and abandon himself completely to the LORD. Instead he chose to waste it all on his own selfish desires! The most dangerous moment in our lives will be the day we stop surrendering, yielding, caring and concerning ourselves with the condition & temperature of our hearts! Saul had everything... the looks, the physique, the strength, the power and the fame...he had it all, and because of that it cost him everything! You see the problem with Saul was that he allowed his heart to lead his life instead of his God.
You see God was looking for a man who would abandon his heart, his life and his soul to Him, so that He could exalt him and use him for His glory. But Saul gave into one compromise after another. These concessions led him to a place he never intended to be! You see here's the problem with compromise and concessions...they never end! Just ask Tiger Woods about that! That's not a dig on Tiger, God knows but for the grace of God in my life I could be in his shoes! I'm only saying that at some point just like Saul, Tiger Woods started believing his own headlines, he thought he was untouchable and it cost him everything!
So how do you know if you're dangerously close to shameful concessions? Here are a few warning signs in 1 Samuel 15...
- We're willing to settle for good things instead of godly things! (v3,9)
- We care more about the approval of men than we do about the praise of God! (v12,17)
- We start focusing on the areas of our lives we've GIVEN to God, instead of those areas we haven't! (v13 20, 22)
Again the issue for Saul, the issue for me, and the issue for you will always be this...Does God have all of US? Am I completely abandoned to His will, His desires, and to His word? “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,..." 1 Samuel 15:22
Not Ashamed...Bill
Compromise: to make a shameful concession.
As I read about Saul this morning I can't help but think about a man with amazing abilities & potential but who refused to listen and abandon himself completely to the LORD. Instead he chose to waste it all on his own selfish desires! The most dangerous moment in our lives will be the day we stop surrendering, yielding, caring and concerning ourselves with the condition & temperature of our hearts! Saul had everything... the looks, the physique, the strength, the power and the fame...he had it all, and because of that it cost him everything! You see the problem with Saul was that he allowed his heart to lead his life instead of his God.
You see God was looking for a man who would abandon his heart, his life and his soul to Him, so that He could exalt him and use him for His glory. But Saul gave into one compromise after another. These concessions led him to a place he never intended to be! You see here's the problem with compromise and concessions...they never end! Just ask Tiger Woods about that! That's not a dig on Tiger, God knows but for the grace of God in my life I could be in his shoes! I'm only saying that at some point just like Saul, Tiger Woods started believing his own headlines, he thought he was untouchable and it cost him everything!
So how do you know if you're dangerously close to shameful concessions? Here are a few warning signs in 1 Samuel 15...
- We're willing to settle for good things instead of godly things! (v3,9)
- We care more about the approval of men than we do about the praise of God! (v12,17)
- We start focusing on the areas of our lives we've GIVEN to God, instead of those areas we haven't! (v13 20, 22)
Again the issue for Saul, the issue for me, and the issue for you will always be this...Does God have all of US? Am I completely abandoned to His will, His desires, and to His word? “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,..." 1 Samuel 15:22
Not Ashamed...Bill
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Abandoned: Emptied of Self!
13“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 1 Chronicles 29:13-14
As I read 1 Chronicles 29, I am struck by the brokenness of a man who missed it as a father. From David's life we know that he excelled as king but failed miserably at home. Did he screw up as king? You bet! Did he fail in his personal life? Absolutely. But was he a failure? NO! Because even as flawed as David was, he was still considered a man after Gods'own heart. David always turned back to God! He always fought to abandon himself to God. He always came back to the place where God was at the center of his life!
The funny thing about leading others whether its in the home or marketplace is this, until your willing to give of your OWN TREASURES those who follow you won't either! Leadership must cost you before it costs others! David in v2 says "with all of my ability I have provided for the house of the Lord..." What David was saying is this, God all that I am I pour out...all that I own I give freely...I will gladly spend all that I am for your glory God!
A couple of things to meditate on from this chapter as it relates to living a life that is abandoned to God. Ask yourself a few questions: Do I give comfortably or sacrificially?(v9) (not just money but time) Are there any holes or blind spots in my life and is there someone I am accountability to personally? (v17) What am I holding back from God? (v16) (Am I giving God what I want or what he desires?)
Jesus may you teach me & and lead me to give sacrificially not comfortably. Jesus will you show me every blind spot, every sin that is trying to take root in my life so that I may confess it and be cleansed. Jesus, may I live to give myself away today so that others may come to know your name!
Not Ashamed...Bill
As I read 1 Chronicles 29, I am struck by the brokenness of a man who missed it as a father. From David's life we know that he excelled as king but failed miserably at home. Did he screw up as king? You bet! Did he fail in his personal life? Absolutely. But was he a failure? NO! Because even as flawed as David was, he was still considered a man after Gods'own heart. David always turned back to God! He always fought to abandon himself to God. He always came back to the place where God was at the center of his life!
The funny thing about leading others whether its in the home or marketplace is this, until your willing to give of your OWN TREASURES those who follow you won't either! Leadership must cost you before it costs others! David in v2 says "with all of my ability I have provided for the house of the Lord..." What David was saying is this, God all that I am I pour out...all that I own I give freely...I will gladly spend all that I am for your glory God!
A couple of things to meditate on from this chapter as it relates to living a life that is abandoned to God. Ask yourself a few questions: Do I give comfortably or sacrificially?(v9) (not just money but time) Are there any holes or blind spots in my life and is there someone I am accountability to personally? (v17) What am I holding back from God? (v16) (Am I giving God what I want or what he desires?)
Jesus may you teach me & and lead me to give sacrificially not comfortably. Jesus will you show me every blind spot, every sin that is trying to take root in my life so that I may confess it and be cleansed. Jesus, may I live to give myself away today so that others may come to know your name!
Not Ashamed...Bill
Monday, January 4, 2010
Abandoned...
Abandoned: unrestrained or uncontrolled; to give up the control; to yield
This year as I begin to think about what God is calling me to I feel a real sense that He is calling me back to meditate and focus my life on what it means to truly surrender all that I am to Him. I think the longer I walk with Him and the more He reveals himself to me-the more that is required of me! This absolutely scares me because it means I have to let go of more and more of my life. This is my greatest struggle. Unfortunately I'm so good at trusting God in the safe areas of my life. I don't want to be safe, I want to be dangerous for the kingdom of God. I refuse to allow my life to be marginalized this year and the only way for that to happen is for me to ABANDON ALL THAT I AM TO ALL THAT HE IS!
I have been reflecting on my 16 years as a Christ follower and I've seen some amazing things! I've seen the hand of God and His mighty power at work in and through my life in ways I could have never imagined. I've seen GOD deliver me from the those who sought my life in Bangladesh. I've seen the impossible become a reality through prayer and fasting as God healed a close and dear friend from cancer. I've seen a man on his death bed rise up and walk away to the praise of the glory of God. I have seen a village of Hindus and Muslims miraculously broken by Gods Spirit and bow and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. He has used me in numerous ways to lead people to Christ and then to disciple them to do the same! I have seen God do a lot in 13 years of following Him...but I want to see more! I want to KNOW HIM MORE. I want to LOVE HIM MORE, I want to be consumed by Him. So as I begin this journey with God this year my simple prayer is that God would allow me to see what it means to be completely abandoned to HIM. An uncontrolled, unrestrained relentless pursuit of Jesus Christ!
Not Ashamed...Bill
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