Do you thirst for God?

Listen to these words from Psalm 42:

¹ As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

Or Psalm 63:

¹ You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.

Saint Augustine said this, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”

These words shine a spotlight directly on the need we all have to have our thirst quenched by God. The general activities of our life can make us dry. The stress and anxiety we face can make us dry. Adding “everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1) to the mix and our soul can seem pretty parched.

There is no one who has not faced these realities and no one who will ever be immune to them. That is why we need God so much. That is why we need to be thirsty for Him. We need Him to quench our thirst and renew our souls.

Apart from this, we are doomed to life in that “dry and parched land.” And it doesn’t need to be that way. Even in the midst of running from God and worshipping other gods, the Israelites were told, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Our pursuit of God begins with our thirst for Him. The question isn’t primarily one of mechanics but one of deep soul thirst. Are we thirsty for God?

A.W. Tozer offers this wonderful prayer that illustrates this desire:

O God, I have tasted thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. Oh God, the Truine God, I want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made thirsty still (Whitney, pg. 23).

Are you dry? If so, can you identify what has made you dry? Are you thirsty? What are you doing to have your thirst quenched?

Passing the Right Test

Imagine going to the ER with a tremendous pain in your stomach, thinking it could be an appendix, gall bladder, heart attack, kidney stone or some other terrible problem. Now imagine the doctor coming into the room calmly with one of those little hammer-like tools they use to check your reflexes and all he does is tap your knees and elbows. While you a writhing in pain he is checking reflexes! How crazy is that!

While it is important for you to have good reflexes that is clearly NOT the right test to pass at that moment. You need to take the right test.

Unfortunately sometimes we measure our spiritual health with similarly ridiculous tests:

• In the same way that perfect attendance in school doesn't guarantee that the person is a good student or even well educated, perfect attendance in church doesn't guarantee spiritual maturity.
• Even though people can go to a prestigious university and get a great degree that doesn't necessarily mean they will be the best employee to hire. In the same way, someone can grow up in a good, Godly home or go to a great church, but still be very far from God.
• There are a lot of people who pass the written test perfectly, but who turn out to be the worst drivers on the road. In the same way, people can know all the right answers about scripture and theology, but never put them into practice in their lives.

You get the point . . .

We need to pass the right test and the right test for measuring spiritual growth and maturity is a heart test, a test that measures the gracious love of God in our hearts.

Everyone who receives Christ does so only by grace, through faith. They accept the gift of Jesus' salvation, which forgives them of their sin, makes them alive spiritually and right with God. It also fills and keeps filling up their lives with the love of God. And as the love of God fills their hearts it naturally is poured out to others around them.

In other words, having received grace, they become gracious. Having received forgiveness, they become forgiving. Having received love, they become loving.

That means the right test for spiritual growth and maturity isn't an IQ test - measuring what you know - but an EKG - measuring what is happening in your heart.

That is the right test, the test you really need to pass.

I would love to hear your reaction and thoughts to this. How do you make sense of this in your life?

Standing on Shoulders

I ran across a prayer recently that was used by Christians originally over 1900 years ago! These early Christians, some suffering under persecution and trial, prayed this prayer fervently. They expected God to act and because of their work and God's power we are here today generations upon generations later. We stand on their shoulders as a result of their faithful life and ministry. Some day younger generations of Christians will stand on our shoulders because of our faithfulness. Here is their prayer:

"We give you thanks Holy Father, for your holy name which you have caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which you have made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory forever.

You, almighty Master, created all things for your name's sake, and gave food and drink to men to enjoy, that they might give you thanks; but to us you have graciously given spiritual food and drink, and eternal life through your servant Jesus. Above all we give thanks because you are mighty; to you be the glory forever.

Remember your church, Lord, to deliver it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love; and gather it, the one that has been sanctified, from the four winds into your kingdom, which you have prepared for it; for yours is the glory forever.

May grace come, and may this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him come; if anyone is not, let him repent. Maranatha! Amen." (from the Didache, 2^nd Century)

More and more, I am keenly aware of the shoulders I stand on. That challenges me to think of those who will stand on my shoulders some day as I remain faithful to our Lord.

Whose shoulders do you stand on? Who is or will stand on your shoulders?

Actually Being Changed by Jesus

Last week I attended a conference in Dallas where a group called Gungor led worship. One of their songs entitled You Make Beautiful Things goes like this:

You Make Beautiful Things

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

As I thought about those powerful lyrics it hit me that there would be almost no way a hymn writer 40 years ago or more would ever write a song with those kind of words. They simply didn't think or speak in those terms. That's not right or wrong, but just the way it is.

But is the notion of pain and brokenness something new? Of course not! It may have looked different, but it was still there. This brings me to the issue I want to raise for us:

It seems to me, based on my experience at least, that often people in older generations experienced just as much pain, shame and brokenness. They simply stuffed it and hid it from others. They didn't want to "air their dirty laundry." Yet keeping all of that stuff tucked "in the closet" didn't make the problem go away and certainly didn't give them true spiritual victory.

On the other hand, I often see people in younger generations transparently wear their pain, shame and brokenness on their sleeves, talking about it to whomever will listen sometimes, including indiscriminant followers on Twitter and Facebook. In essence, they are very comfortable sharing their stuff, but they aren't necessarily interested in being made well, gaining spiritual victory over it. In fact, many of them can't see past the garbage at all and assume they are stuck.

To me both approaches are wrong and mutually destructive. One keeps you locked up and hidden away and the other keeps you stuck wallowing in the garbage. Neither brings true freedom in Christ or the spiritual victory Jesus promises us.

So what are we to do? How can we stop hiding on the one hand and stop wallowing on the other in order to actually be changed by Jesus?

A Christian Response to bin Laden's Death

You have to be living under a rock not to know that U.S. Special Forces raided a compound where Osama bin Laden was hiding out in Pakistan, killing him. Upon hearing the announcement, major celebrations erupted in various locations, especially in New York and Washington. I briefly watched some of the comments made by people in the crowd and their comments and reactions, as well as many other news reports, etc. They have caused me to reflect as a Christian about this issue.

As a Christian, do I believe that there are times when war is justified and useful for an ultimate good? Yes. In self defense or in order to take up the cause of a defenseless innocent person or persons there are times when violence is the only remaining option. Though it should be avoided at all costs, there are times when it simply cannot be avoided and in those times it is justified.

However, I must take very seriously the words of Jesus, not just when they are convenient to my patriotic or self-interested leanings, but especially when they are a challenge to them. In those times my true commitment to Jesus and His teachings are measured. Am I faithful to Him at all times or only when He seems to agree with me?

At any rate, here are Jesus' words:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny" - Matthew 5:21-26

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:43-44

I'm not sure I would call Bin Laden's death a murder. It was part of an ongoing war. However, as Christians we need to be careful about celebrating the death of anyone - even someone as evil as he was. I would be much more comfortable if we did what we felt we had to do to protect ourselves and other innocent persons from present and future harm and then stopped there without any fanfare or bragging.

In other words, as a Christian I don't think I should ever celebrate the death of another person even if his/her death was justified and necessary to hinder greater evil. There should always be a part of me that wishes there could be another way and hopes that next time there will be.

What do you think?

Two VERY Different People

Here is an interesting and insightful article I ran across today and I wanted to pass it on. Tell me what you think . . .

The Man Who Defeated Adolf Hitler

By Eric Metaxas

This week, billions of Christians around the world will celebrate Easter. But Wednesday was a special day too.

Wednesday -- April 20th -- was Hitler's birthday! Have you forgotten? The Fuehrer would have been 122 years young today! Aren't you celebrating? As I explain in my book "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy," during Hitler's 12-year reign, people across Germany twisted themselves into veritable pretzels to praise the Fuhrer on his birthday! It was a day of national celebration.

How things change! Today Hitler's name is synonymous with evil. What a spectacular reversal of fortune.

Hitler's last birthday -- his 56th -- was already a harbinger of things to come. Ten days later he would commit suicide, so the mood in the bunker on his last "Geburtstag" was not exactly festive. He was a shattered man, hiding like a rat beneath the shattered city that was to have been the capital of his new Germany. His die-hard bunker-mates held a small celebration for him, but Herr Hitler had to be sedated before he could make an appearance. Can anyone dream up a more depressing birthday party? What's the German word for "bummer"?

Contrast Hitler's bleak ending with that of another German of that era, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Bonhoeffer was a brilliant young pastor and a theologian, whose deep faith in God led him to get involved in the plot to kill Hitler. When Hitler learned of Bonhoeffer's involvement he flew into a typically violent rage. As one of his final acts of revenge -- just three weeks before he committed suicide -- Hitler condemned the young pastor to death. Bonhoeffer was hanged on April 9, 1945 at Flossenburg Concentration camp.

But by all accounts, Bonhoeffer went to his death with the peace of God, with no regrets. How can that be?

He was 39 years old, widely reckoned a theological genius. He had already written two of the classic books of the 20th century, "The Cost of Discipleship" and "Life Together." He was engaged to be married to a wonderful young woman. He had such a terrifically bright future! Bonhoeffer even had an opportunity to escape his fate.

In my book I tell the story of how he had fled to America, but then decided to return to Germany, to face the horrors that lay ahead with his people. Why did he return when he didn't have to? And why didn't he have any regrets for doing so, even after he knew he would pay the ultimate price? Just before he died, Bonhoeffer told a fellow prisoner, "This is the end. But for me, the beginning of life."

How is it that one man slunk to his death defeated and is today despised by the whole world, while another man went to his death with God's peace, and is today everywhere hailed as a hero, as one of the few Germans with the courage to see what was happening and to speak against it and act against it, even at the cost of his own life?

There's much to say by way of an answer, but since the Easter season is upon us, let's start there.

Bonhoeffer believed the Easter story. He actually believed the extraordinary story of God's coming to Earth and dying and then rising from the dead to defeat death forever. He believed that because this was true, he need never fear death. All he needed to worry about was doing the right thing and trusting God with the results. And that he did.

Because Bonhoeffer believed these things he had the courage to do what almost no one else around him could do. He stood up for the Jews of Europe and today he is celebrated and cherished, while Hitler, who condemned him to death and who only believed in himself, is reviled as a monster.

That day in the bunker 66 years ago today, as the drugged-up Fuehrer celebrated his last birthday, he was alive and Bonhoeffer had been dead for eleven days.

But on that day -- April 20, 1945 -- who was happy and who was at peace, Hitler or Bonhoeffer? For that matter, which of them is happy and at peace today? It's something chilling to think about, the contrast between these two Germans, between these two lives and these two deaths. But at this time of year especially, it's appropriate that perhaps we do think about it.

But at this time of year, when Passover and Easter are being celebrated it's especially appropriate that we do think about it. Do those of us who say we believe in God really believe it? Because if we do, it will affect how we behave today, this week, this month... If we believe in the word of God, as Bonhoeffer did, it will give us the courage do the right thing wherever we are. Like Bonhoeffer, we will do the right thing and trust God with the consequences. Faith and courage go together.

Bonhoeffer's faith gave him the courage to stand against the greatest evil of the 20th century. And today we celebrate him and revile the inhuman tyrant he stood against.

So this Easter season, dare to think about what you really believe. What you believe about your faith will affect how you behave today and how people regard you years from today. That's a fact.

Let the life of Bonhoeffer, lived in faith and without fear, be a source of encouragement to you, so that your life in turn may be a source of encouragement to others in years to come.

Eric Metaxas is the author of "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy" (Thomas Nelson) and "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About God (But Were Afraid to Ask): THE JESUS EDITION" published by Regal Books. For more information, visit www.ericmetaxas.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/04/20/man-defeated-adolf-hitler/#ixzz1KBi6DL4Y

Losing "Friends"

I was reading something this morning from Craig Gross and Steven Luff who were talking about breaking free from sinful patterns that have defined and captured our lives, specifically in this case, pornography. However, it can apply to all kinds of sin - substance abuse, sexual sins, being a workaholic, pride, greed, envy, bitterness, etc. They said this:

As many men can attest, going sober can be an otherworldly experience. If you are going sober, you really may feel as if you are losing a friend (and in essence you are - you're losing the worst friend you ever had, a friend who lies to you, cheats on you, and steals from you). Ultimately it's like an abusive relationship where an individual systematically isolates you, twists the truth you once knew and understood, and keeps you under his control by telling you that the world you once knew doesn't understand you but that he does.

So what's it going to be like walking away from this "friend"? It's going to be scary, it's going to take a lot of courage, and most of all, it's going to take a lot of faith in God that all the promises he offers you in Scripture really do exist, even if you can't quite see them (as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight"). (Pure Eyes, pg. 146)

Now that is a friend we want to be rid of . . . Unfortunately, I have kept "friends" like that around far too long. Have you?

Why do we hold on so often to this "friend" who is destroying us and making us into people we don't want to be?

What prevents us from moving forward and trusting in God and His promises for us?