Don't give up! Your Surrounded!

Do you ever feel like your surrounded? I love the scenes in the movies when the good guys get surrounded and some how they come out on top. You maybe thinking well, life is not like a movie. True! But let me encourage you a minute to not give up even when you are surrounded.

Psalm 56 is a cool one to me when looking at the back-story. David is surrounded by his sworn enemies the Philistines at Gath. He knows sorrow, terror,
turmoil, doubt, and fear. However, he knows someone greater than all this too - he knows Jehovah! He gets out and gets through giv
ing God all the credit.

Listen to a little of his thoughts:1 O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me.My foes attack me all day long.2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. 3 But when I am afraid,I will put my trust in you.4 I praise God for what he has promised.I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?

There are two kinds of trials that come in our lives primarily. One is a trial of correction. These are trials that hit our lives because of needed discipline and direction in our lives. We don't like these times, but when honest we know we deserve these times. Then there are trials of perfection.

Trials of perfection come in our lives when God desires for us to grow in specific ways that only come through adversity. We don't like these either while going through them. But we are encouraged to approach these times with joy (James 1:2). Why joy? Because once we come through the pain process we gain His glory plan.

Think about it this way. This week in the 8th grade class I work with we will test some solar ovens the students have made. We will place them in the sun and test if there is an increase in temperature. The way we test them is one of the happiest days in our life. We do this by placing inside it one graham cracker, one piece of chocolate, and one marshmallow. We do not how long it will take to heat these up. We will take 30 minutes; some will be perfectly melted, some lukewarm, and some needs more time. But all will be a sweet treat.


We do not know how long our trails of perfection will last in our lives. We have no idea the temperature necessary to gain the desired result. But we can have joy because we know that the result will be sweet. So don't give up! You are surrounded.

Playing Games?

I love how people try to figure out our God. They play this game with him. You know it is based on weights and balances. It goes like this – if I am more righteous than unrighteous then God will do things for me. So, if I am godly then I will not have any troubles at all. This leads them to believe that when someone then has troubles in their life they must not be godly.

I think all this sounds great. It is naive but it sounds really great. Let me clear up some thinking for myself. God is not a game player. He cannot be mocked. He has a system by which he processes our life spiritually. And many times the greatest spiritual growth in our lives comes through times of great difficulties. So, then troubles in someone’s life is not necessarily an indication of unrighteousness.

Listen to the Psalm of David #37. The LORD rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble. (Psalm 37: 39). Did you see it too? Jehovah is rescuing the godly as a fortress when they have troubles. So, the godly have trouble. The good news for the godly in trouble is that Jehovah is the fortress of salvation for us.

Embrace your rescue today!

Frustrating but Stand for Truth

As a believer we many times have the frustrating task of communicating truth. I say frustrating because we understand our arguments based on the Bible. This being our world view, if you will, appears rationale, intelligent, and practical. We get surprised when we are called the opposite. 

Providing one example of this is the discussion of the sanctity of life. The Bible teaches us that all life is precious. Science has come so far as showing the neurological process of the brain activity is in effect days after conception. Yes, even before a lady knows she is pregnant the child has thought process in operation. We, therefore, make a sensible and strong suggestion that life must then begin at conception. To all of us this makes sense medically, scientifically, and Biblically.

Here is your exercise in frustration if you so choose to accept it; attempt making this argument on a college campus. Bring up the subject in the halls of government. Be warned and prepared, you will be called out. Your statements will be labeled out dated, abusive, irrational, dangerous, and wrong for women. You will be accused of trying to tell other people what to do based on your morals. All but a rational argument will follow.

Here's hope. Be of good cheer. Keep standing for the ones who can't defend themselves. Keep strong in the battle at the point of the most dangerous place in American history-the womb.

Why hope? He is coming. And when Jesus arrives "He will judge...the nation's with His truth." (Psalm 96:13). Jesus will settle all arguments based on His truth - He Word!

As for me I will saturate myself in His Word so to be ready to give evidence of the hope I have in Him. How about you?

Discoveries from my Grief

One of my children had so little fear when they were little that it concerned us as parents. Fear can be so healthy in one’s life to keep one out of serious trouble. So, a little fear is a good thing. However, too much fear can stifle us, slow us, and even stop us. These fears, while they are real, must be dealt with quickly, passionately, and with great precision.

Recently I found this quote about fear while I was processing through some huge stuff in my life. It made me realize how closely grief is to fear. C.S. Lewis in A Grief Observed wrote, “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning…”

Grief is near to fear and a close relative of desperation.  In fact, these all may be psychologically linked inside our little brains. All three can cripple you. All three can cause you to withdraw. All three can be deadly.

Dealing with these triplets spiritually is rather simple. But simple is never easy. Simple is in fact deep, complicated, and time consuming. Simple is not fast, it’s just the right path to take. The simple answer is to pray.  Listen to David from Psalm 34 offer us his pattern. And think about the fact that at this moment in his life he knew real and great fear.

You want to be free from your fear? Psalm 34: 4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.

Do you feel overwhelmed? Psalm 34: 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

Do you feel like Jehovah is not listening, not paying attention? Psalm 34: 15 The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.

Have heart o you of the broken heart Jehovah is near, He is here, and He heals! Psalm 34: 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Rage or Restraint

Sometimes it amazes me that Christians have a way of creating and causing trouble for one another. Some people have been so troubled by this that it cause them to stop fellowshipping altogether. This kind of trouble goes contrary to the unity that Christ called for in the church. But the fact is it happens; and unfortunately it stymies’ many churches and Christians.

If you find yourself in this situation you could handle this in several ways that produce what we call flesh results. A flesh result may make you feel better at the time, however, long run it ruins fellowship and never really solves anything. Sure, we can stomp our feet, scream at someone, or worse return the injustice by starting rumors with our antagonist as the star. For a few moments we feel justified, but what have we solved?

David repeatedly found himself in these situations. This may even be the cost of leadership in his life. He felt the pain and offered these thoughts in Psalm 4 to Jehovah and shared them with us. (How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?  Psalm 4:2) I am so glad he shared. It seems that he handled this particular situation through a spirit filled approach of prayer, restraint, and worship.

Troubles will come our way and sometimes from places and people that surprise. How will you respond? Let’s walk the pathway of royalty after all the Bible identifies us this way. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 1:9).

So, here’s my pathway:

Spirit filled Prayer (Psalm 4:3)

3 You can be sure of this:

The LORD set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him.

Spirit practiced Restraint (Psalm 4:4)

4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.

Spirit infused Worship (Psalm 4:5)

5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD.

You need a shield

We don’t think much of shields now. Maybe we should. I must confess that when the thought of shields arise in my mind the thought goes to protecting my computer. Recently, because of cold weather inside a 100 year old house shields took on the form of barriers to keep the cold out of my doors and windows. What are the shields you have in place in your life?

Shields have a tendency in a physical sense to be one sided. Just consider any adventure scene in a movie with fierce warriors charging forward to the battle. Their shields were used to protect the front of their bodies. These shields are limited in covering potential. As long as the warrior is charging forward there is protection and power in the shield.

Trouble is we can get attacked by trouble from all sides. When the day of trouble comes it’s a great reality to know that Jehovah is “a shield around me.” As a worshiper of Jesus I am in a position to be surrounded by his protection, provisions, and power.

Thank you Lord for surrounding us with your shield – yourself!

Thank you Lord for your rescue when no one thought you would come through for us.

Thank you Lord for answering our cries – you are our GLORY!   

Psalm 3

A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

1 O LORD, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.

2 So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!”

Interlude (Selah)

3 But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

4 I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.

Interlude (Selah)

5 I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me.

6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.

7 Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my God!

Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!

8 Victory comes from you, O LORD. May you bless your people.

Interlude (Selah)