trust

Hope and Disappointment – VOTD.01.23.18

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

Last time we looked at the later life of John the Prophet. In Matthew 11:2-6, John is arrested and thrown in prison, which seems really strange to those who believe the successful Christian life is all mountaintop vistas with sugar-gum trees. I mean, here’s John, the one who correctly understands himself to be the frontrunner of Jesus the Messiah. He has been faithful. In fact, even Jesus would say that there is not a greater man born than John…Then he’s thrown in prison…Then he’s executed.

One of the take-aways from the history of the Israelites is that the relationship between Hope and Disappointment. Same in the New Testament and church history: If we don’t want to be disappointed, forget about hope. Disappointment is always rooted in hope deferred or crushed. (Prov 13:12). We can’t be disappointed if we didn’t first hope that something in the first place. And none of us are exempt. Every one of us has had a plan, a dream, a vision of what we want to happen in our lives that doesn’t work out the way we had hoped at some level.

When that happens, disappointment is natural, certainly not sinful. But disappointment can be the tip of a mean-spirited iceberg if we let it. When our shattered dreams and plans erode our confidence… Our confidence in ourselves, our confidence in our ability to hear God correctly, and even in our God, Himself.

“So do not throw away your confidence, for you are destined for a great reward! You need to reveal God’s will and then you receive the promise in full (Heb 10:36,37) God is working a plan in each of our lives, and that plan is a good plan, but it will almost always play out differently than we think it will…maybe differently than we think it should.

So, here are some things we need to do if we were going to thrive (or at least survive) in the sometimes slower-than-we’d-like revelation God’s good, right plan playing out…even in ways that are also sometimes confusing and don’t seem to make sense [and, at times, if we’re really honest, disappoint us]. (more…)

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When Jesus Doesn’t Meet our Expectations – VOTD.01.22.18

Now, while John the Baptizer was in prison, he heard about what Christ was doing among the people, so he sent his disciples to ask him this question: “Are you really the one prophesied would come, or should we still wait for another?” “Give John this report,” Jesus said: “‘The blind see again, the crippled walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised back to life, and the poor and broken now hear of the hope of salvation!’ And tell John that the blessing of heaven comes upon those who never lose their faith in me—no matter what happens!” Matt 11:2-6

Today, we know that Jesus was and is the Messiah. Jesus knew that, and John the Prophet knew that, too. However, after John had been imprisoned for many weary months, be began wondering whether Jesus was in fact the promised Messiah after all. Clearly Jesus’ activities didn’t align with John’s idea of what the Messiah’s ministry would be like. And so John sent messengers to Jesus to find out who He was, or perhaps to cajole Jesus into revealing who He was.

Now before we get into this, I want to point out that when John’s faith was under siege…he went to Jesus to get answers. He didn’t wallow in his doubt while he languished in a very unpleasant prison. He went straight to Jesus.

So often, when believers have doubts, we don’t go to Jesus for answers. We get stuck with our questions and our doubts because we don’t take them to Jesus for answers. We may go to friends and Christian books and counselors (and these things are good), but we don’t go to Jesus and examine our doubts in light of Who He is and the revelation we already have of Him.

But moving on, it’s critical to understand how Jesus answered the question about his Messiah-ship. He didn’t just tell the messengers, “Sure I’m the Messiah; John knows that.” Instead He put on a demonstration. In Luke’s account, we read:

“Before He answered (the messengers), Jesus turned to the crowd and healed many of their incurable diseases. His miracle power freed many from their suffering. He restored the gift of sight to the blind, and he drove out demonic spirits from those who were tormented. Only then did Jesus answer the question posed by John’s disciples. ‘Now go back and tell John what you have just seen…’” (7:21,22).

The prophetic message of John was one of repentance; he may have been expecting Jesus to continue on that foundation he had laid. But the message of Jesus was demonstration and declaration of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. (more…)

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Wisdom: Trustworthiness Brings Trust – VOTD.12.05.17

Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful (trustworthy) over a few things; I will make You ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Matthew 25:21

We ended last time asking the question: What do being trustworthy and wisdom have to do with each other? Just this: Wisdom recognizes trust for the incredible value it bestows upon us. Fools can blow off trust, and then wonder why no one believes them—even when they are sincere.

But when we treat the trust of others as a fragile gift… When we recognize that in trusting us people in our lives make themselves vulnerable and that in trusting us they have given us the power to harm them… We begin to recognize just how important maintaining a reputation of trustworthiness is.

When we are trustworthy, people can rely on us. We can be counted on to do what we say we will do. If we make commitments, we follow through on them. Being trustworthy doesn’t mean we will never let others down… we would have to be perfect to pull that off. But it does mean that we take the trust placed in us seriously and have a reputation of living up to it. So trustworthiness is both an attitude and a pattern of behavior that honors the trust placed in us. (more…)

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Wisdom Brings Trustworthiness – VOTD.12.04.17

“Of all my house, Moses is the one I trust.”  Numbers 12:7 (That’s God speaking.)

Trustworthy: Truthful, dependable, ethical, faithful and authentic. All these words combine to describe what a trustworthy person is like.

Most of us spend a lot of time trying to figure out whether God is trustworthy. When we face uncertain times, we wonder where God is; when prayers go unanswered, we question if He’s listening, if He cares.

But today’s verse changes the game appreciably. Perhaps the important question isn’t whether we can trust God… Maybe for those of us who want to live a life that is saturated in Jesus, a better question is: Can God trust any of us? Can God trust you? Can God trust me?

Of course, this is not a question God is trying to figure out. He already knows the answer. Yet, according to Jesus, our relationship with God depends a lot on whether God can trust us. The character representing God in His Parable of the talents says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful (trustworthy) over a few things; I will make You ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” (Matt 25:21)

The irony of all this, is that the way in which we become trustworthy to God is by trusting Him… that’s one of the key points of the parable. Unconditional trust in God is the only way we can become people who God can trust. Because it is only if all that we have—all that we are—has been relinquished into God’s hands that anyone can be trusted with those things. (more…)

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Blameless and Pure – VOTD.06.20.17

Do everything without complaining… so that you may become blameless and pure children of God. Philippians 2:14,15

When we speak of Biblical Contentment, we’re not talking about stoic, “grin and bear it” resignation. Nor are we speaking of sticking our heads in the sand and pretending all is well when it’s not. We are talking about TRUST in a good God who wants the best for His children.

But what can we do to be more contented believers?

TRUST: Discontentment often manifests itself in the form of complaining. Often when we find ourselves complaining (either verbally or in our hearts) we are really showing a lack of trust in God. A better use of our emotional energy would be to pray, “Lord, give me a trusting spirit that believes that You are Lord of this situation.” We may need to pray that prayer a whole lot. But God is faithful to answer it!

THANK: Thankfulness is the result of contentment. You and I simply can’t be thankful and discontent. Intentionally, ponder what it is that we have to be thankful for. Write out a list if that would be helpful. Become obsessed with thanking God. Pray for God to fill us with an attitude of gratitude.

MODEL: Consider and/or write down some ways that we can model contentment to those around us…To our workmates, our family, our churchmates… and then act upon them. The world and even the Body of Christ is full of people who are not content. Talk about the meaning of contentment. Ask those complainers (ask ourselves!) what it is that would make them happy. (A lot of times, they don’t know; or when they stop to think about it, what would make them happy is so far outside of reality that they recognize it’s silly.)  Brainstorm ways to show contentment. (more…)

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VOTD.03.14.16 Trust Me

Trust in Me. John 14:1

I felt a wave of pain as a mom told me her family had been removed from the church they had attended and worked in for many years. She had no idea why. There had been no trouble up until a month their expulsion, and even then she and her husband had tried to determine what the problem was, but got evasive answers like “Why don’t you tell us…”

As a family who had had their trust betrayed, they felt unique. Unfortunately, they aren’t. I know of many others in similar situations. Some were the pastoral family. Some were congregants. All felt their trust was betrayed. All were concerned (more…)

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