Whining, Teflon Shields, and Extreme Justice (new blog post)

David is having a tough time in Psalm 109.  People are attacking him and his character, and are lying about him.  Here is a part of what he says in that song:

"3 With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer."

I've had to read that one a few times this morning.  Does ol' King David have A.D..D. or what?  He's going on about how he is under attack, he's acting rightly and they are being jerks, and then, out of nowhere, he throws in "...but I am a man of prayer."

So?  What does that have to do with anything?  It's so out of left field I've had to let it soak for a bit today.  What he's saying is that he hates being under attack.  These people are destroying him with their words, and it hurts.  In the middle of all of this, he is a man of prayer.  It's not a "giving up" kind of statement.  He's not saying "They are attacking me, but I can't fight back.  I would, but I'm a man of prayer." (say it in a whiny voice for better effect.)  No, it's not that.


He's not saying that because he's a man of prayer, that their words are powerless on him.  As you read the Psalm, it's breaking him and making him angry.  Prayer isn't some magical Teflon shield that protects you from other people.  He feels the hurt, the pain, the fear, the insecurity.  It's not super protection.


He is a fighter, a warrior.  He is one of the greatest soldiers in the nation's history.  He's a mighty king, a veteran of battles.  That is why He prays.  He knows the only way to win this battle, to come back in this defeat, to recover from this severe pain, is to turn to the one strong enough to save him.  He is a man of prayer.  He's saying, they are attacking, and are very good at what they are doing.  BUT, I am a man of prayer, and I will do what I am good at.  I will run to God.  That is my victory.  


If you look at the rest of the Psalm, that is exactly what He does.  He prays about the whole situation, and begs God to get involved.  He prays for evil people to come into his accusers lives and destroy them.  He prays for God's justice.  He prays for God to move.  He prays.


In the end, He wins.  History shows David overcomes the people trying to tear him down.  He wins.


Because he prays.


Isn't it too bad that whole "I am a man of prayer" thing doesn't work today?  Yeah......too bad.....

Help for Joplin, MO

If you want to help with the incredible devestation in Joplin, there is an AMAZING church called Mystery Church that is located in downtown Joplin.  They are incredible, and LOVE their community.  Pray for them, for their pastor Steev Inge, his family, and the community today.  You can go to their website and help out financially if you are able. 

http://www.mysterychurch.com/cms/

Why Won't God Show Up on Cue? (new blog post)

Psalm 30 says:

1 I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.
3 You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.
4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
7 Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
8 To you, Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?  Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever. 

I'll be honest, I'm only 50% with this Psalm today.  The part in verse 7 where David says "when you hid your face, I was dismayed."  Yeah.  I'm a bit "dismayed" today.  Some close friends are going through an incredibly tough time, and a ton of prayers are going up in their name.  But the bad news seems to multiply on itself in this situation.  

I'm frustrated.  


I want things to be better for them.  Happier.  More peaceful


I want God to ride in on the white horse and save the day.  Save the day, today.  Right now.


But it's not happening.


And I'm impatient.  Even as I write this, I hear Him lovingly telling me He has it.  I want the government to come to the rescue.  They aren't.  I want to be able to save my friends.  I can't.  My friends want to fix it all.  They can't.


Just Him.


So I can only pray "Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help."  Be our help today.


Please.

8th Grade Graduation 2011

Here is the video from our 8th Grade Graduation night.

8th Grade Graduation 2011

FOR SALE: 1 Slightly Used Chariot, and 50 Running Men (new blog post)

All of my life I've been a "planner".  I'm one of those people who have a plan, a back up plan, a contingency plan behind that, and a level four emergency plan.  I have tended to think in terms of five and ten years out at a time, and honestly, it's usually helped me out a ton.  I like having plans, because it has brought me a sense of comfort, security, and direction.

People around me have applauded my plans.  They have told me since I was little that I was wise, that I was a leader, that the plans I had were gifts God had given me.  And for whatever reason, God chose to be really kind to me and bless me in those plans.

But as I've gotten older, He has changed in how He is dealing with those ideas.  At first, He simply asked me to pray before I made any plans.  Then, a while later in life, He told me that I needed to hear his plans for me.  You know the verse out of Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you....etc."  But recently, he has asked me to let go of plans all together, and trust Him.  I'm not sure how to explain it.  I still have teaching plans for the youth group.  I'm still making schedules a year in advance for the ministries.  I am working on ideas for where, and when, we will go this summer as a family.  That isn't what God is after.

He's after the plans that "move" me somewhere else.  The plans that further my own position, renown, fame, authority, etc.  The plans that make me better known, more liked, more famous.  I realize fully that many people don't even deal with this idea.  But planners like me do.  It's the dark side of the whole planning thing.  It borders on scheming.  I found it in the Bible today too.

2 Samuel 15 is talking about David's son, Absalom.  Here is what it says:

"1 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him."  


What's the big deal, right?  Well, this chapter shows how Absalom has decided that he wants to be king.  So, he begins making plans on how to win people over.  He's really, really good at it.  The whole chariot and fifty men running thing is a play to show his authority and power.  Now, let's be clear about something;


he has no power.


He is a prince.  His dad is king.  But he is engineering things to set himself up for a power grab. 


And it works.  


He takes over the kingdom in the next chapter.  His plans work.


But they were bad plans.  This is what God is working on me for.  Am I willing to let go of the "climb the ladder" plans in life?  Am I willing to be whoever God wants me to be, in whatever area of the world, doing whatever He wants me to, today?  Can I be happy in that?  Can I find real joy in my position as His son, and that be enough?


Well, yeah, I can.  But it hurts.  And it's hard to do.  And I don't always like it.


But that is where I am at.  


That's God's plan.


What about you?  What plans are you working out, what "dreams" are you chasing, that are about you and not about God?  Are they in the way?  Are you having a hard time hearing God's voice over the buzz you're creating about yourself?

80's Piano Music Changed My Life (new blog post)

Growing up, there was this folk singer named Keith Green.  He played piano, and sang worship music.  What is amazing is, even though he recorded in the 1980's, if he was alive and recording that same music today, it'd be a hit.  It wasn't rock, it wasn't super difficult musically, but it was beautiful and you knew that he loved Jesus in a way that you didn't yet.  His music made me want to know and love Jesus more in a way that few other people have affected me.



One of his songs was "Create in Me a Clean Heart".  It comes from the Psalms, and today, in my reading, I hit it.  It goes like this in Psalm 51:

"10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

I automatically start singing it as soon as I read it.  I have sung those verses/lyrics hundreds of times in my life, because they really are my prayer.   I want to encourage you to think them over today.  What do these verses mean to you?  How would it change your day if God answered this prayer for you?

1 By Youth Pics from Indy (new post and pics)

1 By Youth 2011 Here are the photo's from 1 by Youth in Indy.  Check them out and see what all went down.  It was a great day!