Damaged Connections

I once read something to the following effect: The most impactful books are not the ones that tell us what we don’t know, but the ones that articulate that which we do know but didn’t know that we did.

A friend was sharing with me yesterday a concept from her pastor’s sermon. He said that hope crushed damages our connection to God, not our relationship or faith, but connection. I find that subtle distinction stunningly profound–and true experientially. Years of unfulfilled prayer, that is according to the published will of God so not in question, and situational results that are disappointing despite our best and most biblically-based efforts can lead to a feeling of disconnect. Anyone else identify?

There can be many layers to this: intense feelings of failure (coulda’, shoulda’, woulda’, if only I had . . .), guilt, frustration, dissatisfaction. As we talked, it occurred to me that underlying those feelings is pride. Oh that again. We set impossible standards for ourselves sometimes, especially in human relationships–as if it all depends on us. It doesn’t; we are not in full control. And even if we were, do I think I always know what is best, what is right?

So we come back to the original sin, wanting to be as God. Oops. It’s more subtle for us, of course, we seek to control through rationalizing it’s our “responsibility.” But in the end, are we not wanting to play God, to have others act in ways we know are right and good for them? I’m not saying we have no responsibility in relationship to others, merely that it doesn’t all depend on us–that our child, spouse, employee, friend isn’t living and thriving as we think they should, can.

So maybe it’s time to swallow my pride, again, and realize, again, that God loves my loved ones more than I do. My friend experienced great grace from God shortly after that sermon: the Holy Spirit simply covered her with it. There is grace enough, no matter how inadequate we feel our “job success” has been. There is grace enough. Grace enough for hopes crushed, grace enough for failed expectations,  grace enough to repair damaged connections.

 

 

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How Can This Be?

I read the following this morning on another website:

“The Barna Group, a leading Christian pollster, conducted the survey to which I referred and defined the Christian worldview like this;

‘For the purposes of the survey, a “biblical worldview” was defined as believing that absolute moral truth exists; the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; Satan is considered to be a real being or force, not merely symbolic; a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works; Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today. In the research, anyone who held all of those beliefs was said to have a biblical worldview.’

Less than 10% of professing Christians meet these qualifications (emphasis added). Personally, I would have added the need to be born again and a belief that the Lord will come again to establish His Kingdom on Earth to the definition, something that would have further reduced the percentage.

In summary, its reasonable to say that there are very few Christians in the US today who hold to a biblical worldview. Most of us live lives that for the most part are indistinguishable from our unbelieving counterparts.” (Jack Kelly)

Christian World View Defined

Really? Less than 10%? Does it mean nothing to claim to be Christian anymore? I knew the stats were not good, but this is incomprehensible to me. The very things that define a Christian worldview are the very foundations of the faith. Do professing Christians who do not believe the above think we can define Christianity by our own terms? Apparently. Apparently we are willing to believe every wind of doctrine, especially if it better suits our fleshly indulgences.

No wonder there is such animus against Kim Davis, the KY county clerk who was jailed for refusing to issue gay marriage licenses. We live in a culture of moral relativism, self-seeking, self-improvement, self-enlightenment, self-indulgence, unwillingness to judge another’s behavior as wrong.

It is hard not to be influenced. For all of us. Even those of us with a Christian worldview. This is why it is so important to associate and remain in close contact with those who are like-minded. None of us is immune to counter-Christian compromises, especially under the guise of “tolerance,” which is a very different thing from compassion and agape love. We need to be around people who will call us out on wrong thinking, and for whom we do the same.

Given, of course, is a familiarity with Scripture–our standard for right thinking–and our willingness to be obedient to it. Oh that. Keep holding to the truth, my friend, regardless of what the world around us values.

September 2015, It Could Be An Interesting Month

Current significant conditions and events relative to the Nation of Israel:

• Renewed missile attacks from Gaza on Israel’s southern communities during the first weekend of this August
• The deployment of the Iron Dome in the north to try and protect Israelis from expected incoming Hezbollah rockets
• The tsunami of cash that will flow into Iran, then through Iran to terrorists around the globe, as a result of the “Nuclear Deal” John Kerry has negotiated that includes the lifting of sanctions against Iran
• The fragile coalition Prime Minister Netanyahu has pieced together for his government that seems to lack unity of vision and strength of resolve
• The strained relationship between Israel and the US as our leaders have taken this nation to the dark side of Biblical prophecy because we no longer bless the descendants of Abraham by standing solidly with them against their enemies
• The fourth blood moon on September 28 considered by rabbis to be an omen for Israel that will also be a super moon seen over Jerusalem
• The alarming rise of worldwide anti-Semitism
• The end of the Jewish Shemitah Year on September 13 and the beginning of the Jubilee Year on September 28—both very significant in Biblical prophecy.

http://www.annegrahamlotz.org

Fall Feasts, with implications for the Second Coming: http://www.pray4zion.org/Thelast3FallFeastsoftheLord2015.html

Will Jesus fulfill the prophetic significance of these feasts on the actual days–as He has the first four of the seven required Feasts of the Lord? This year? Next year? The year after? We don’t know. Many do not believe He is “tied” to these dates. Many Messianic believers do. God already has appointed the Day and the Hour of His Son’s Return. We await with joy and trembling, for it cannot be long now. The moral decay and evil that abound worldwide are too overwhelming for God to remain restrained much longer. Maranatha!

Bread Crumbs

But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” (Mark 7:27-28, NKJV)

Remember the childhood game where we would follow a trail of bread crumbs to a treasure at the end? Sometimes it takes so little for us to hope for something better. In the case of the Syrophoenician woman, a gentile, pagan, a woman outside the promise and hope of a Messiah, even a bread crumb would be enough to heal her daughter. What faith.

Jesus’ response is not as harsh as it sounds. The Greek word for dog used here actually means little dogs, as the above translation reads. In other words, household pets. Notice also He says to let the children (of Israel) be fed first, implying leftovers. And we all know how many leftovers there were at the feeding of the masses! With Jesus there is always enough. Even a crumb can be the source of healing for a dry and thirsty soul. Notice too that this woman was not Jewish, in that she had no right or claim to the promises of Israel. Yet. Israels’ theological “crumbs” would soon be offered through the gospel to you and me, gentiles too. How great was this woman’s faith, and her desperation for her daughter’s healing. She persisted in debate with the Lord of her hope. That persistence paid off.

The Apostle Paul prays for us to be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:19). We are already full. We don’t need to settle for crumbs. But this story makes me smile, fills me with hope. Hope that even a crumb in the hands of Jesus, will be enough to deliver my loved ones. You?

Pray For Jerusalem

Dear Readers, I received a link to Anne Graham Lotz’s prayer this morning. We live in dangerous times and this month has several significant occurrences in relation to Israel. Please join us in prayer for God’s Beloved.

http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/911-recall-to-pray-for-jerusalem/