The Names of God - Saving Strength of His Anointed

 Saving Strength of His Anointed

The LORD is their strength, And he is the saving strength of his anointed. Psalm 28:8 (KJV)

What does it mean to be God’s anointed? If you take the definition of the word, it would imply those on whom God has poured or rubbed oil. Since this is not the case, where God literally rubbed or poured oil, there has to be another explanation. Acts 2:17 says, “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, …” The Holy Spirit is referred to as oil many times in scripture. Using this understanding, God’s anointed would be every person.

This makes sense if you read the whole psalm of David. He starts out talking about “they” in several different ways. “Them that go down into the pit” (vs. 1), “workers of iniquity” (vs. 3), and “they regard not the works of the Lord” (vs. 5). Then, in verse 6, David turns inward. “He heard by supplications” (vs. 6) and “my strength … my heart … my song” (vs. 7).

Then, David makes the statement used for today’s name for God: The Lord is their strength, and He is the saving strength of His anointed. To whom is David referring? It has to be those he mentioned earlier. I believe what David is trying to communicate is that God is the hope of every person. Each of us are alive because God gave us breath, just as He did Adam when He “breathed into him (Adam) the breath of life” in the Garden. From Adam until now, God has been the Saving Strength of His Anointed. 

Each of us is the anointed of God. The life you have in you is the Spirit of God. He is the force which animates these clay suits we call a body. We are not our body, but instead the spirit who lived inside. Our spirit is the part which connects with the Spirit of God. It’s the part of us which is recreated (2 Corinthians 5:17) when we are born again. This is the moment God becomes The Saving Strength of His Anointed. If you have never experienced this aspect of God, today is the day. Call out to Him. He has not changed, and will never change. He stands ready to act on your behalf to save you from whatever you may be facing. There is no pit too deep for His reach. There is no distant land to which you may have fled that God cannot find you. There is no offense too great which He cannot forgive. There is no wall you can construct which He cannot pull down.

If you need a rescue, God is waiting. All you have to do is ask.

The Names of God - I am the LORD Your God Who Leads You by the Way That You Should Go

 I am the LORD Your God Who Leads You by the Way That You Should Go

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17 (NKJV)

From the time of man’s original sin in the Garden of Eden, God made a plan to redeem His creation and bring mankind back into an intimate relationship with Himself. We were created to “walk with Him in the cool of the day.” This was God’s plan at the start. Due to disobedience, man became disconnected with God, unable to fellowship with Him as “friend with friend.”

In spite of this “fall”, God set into motion a plan to undo the mistake of Adam by sending another “Adam” to gain forgiveness and pay the price for sin, which is death. When you read the Bible to see the measures taken by God to accomplish all which was needed to restore us back into right relationship, you see a majestic, orchestrated plan which spanned millennia.

One of the key pieces to this master plan was the nation of Israel, God’s Chosen People. Through Israel, God would bring a Savior, a Messiah, which would be the hope of Israel, and the rest of mankind.

While speaking through the prophet, Isaiah, God revealed another view of His nature and character by referring to Himself as “The Lord Your God Who Leads You by the Way That You Should Go.” For me, this demonstrates just how long-suffering and gracious God is to us. He has the ability to force us into a mold of His creation, and make us do exactly as He requires. He chose not to dictate our future and, instead, gives us a choice.

He promised He would “lead” us by the way we should go, but we would have to choose to take that path. He leads us by revealing the place of peace which, if we remain in it, will result in a life of fellowship with God, and the fulfillment of our God-given dreams. There is no better place.

There are some who believe in the strict interpretation of the word “predestined” found in scripture. These folks would have you think that every action you take, good or bad, is part of the “path” which you were born to fulfill. You have no choice in the matter.

I do believe we are predestined, but not to this degree. The word predestined simply means, “pre-horizoned,” which implies a beginning, but not necessarily an ending. Each of us are born into a specific time, location, and familial setting. Each one factors into the person we are, and the choices afforded us as we begin life. It does not, however, determine how we will live our life. That is dependent on our choices.

God’s “destiny” for every person born is to become conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. However, that path is different for each one of us because we all start from different places. A female born into an Islamic family has a vastly different path than a male born into an affluent family. Race, ethnicity, economics, culture, and religion all play important roles in how we discover the truth about who God is, and the redemption available to us through Jesus Christ.

This is the path which will lead us to God, and He leads us down this path. We must choose to follow that leading. He accomplishes this by using people like you and me to share the Good News that God loves us, cares for us, and wants the best for each one of us. It is critical that we have a right understanding of who God is so that we can correctly and effectively communicate the abundant grace and mercy being extended to us, so others will be drawn to Him instead of repelled away from Him.

Take time to learn of the nature and character of God so you can enjoy the relationship available in Him, and so you can share this with others. Both of you will be better because of it.

The Names of God - God, Which Hath Not Turned Away My Prayer

 God, Which Hath Not Turned Away My Prayer

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his mercy from me. 

Psalm 66:20 (KJV)

It has been said that God does not hear any prayer from a sinner except the prayer of repentance. This would go against everything that I have come to know about our Creator. How could He not hear? If He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, or when a deer is born in the wilderness, He hears the prayer of a “sinner”.

This argument is disingenuous to me. Many Christians I’ve known over the years still refer to themselves as “sinners”, yet they profess to be saved. These same people also claim that God hears their prayers. You can’t have it both ways, in my opinion. Either God hears every prayer, or He hears none at all.

This line from Psalm 66 was written by someone who had experienced grace long before the new birth experience was ever provided through Jesus and His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father. The psalmist received answers to the cries made to God, and knew it was only by God’s mercy that he was still alive.

By uniting answered prayer and mercy in the same statement shows true humility. The false humility demonstrated by many professing Christians is actually rooted in pride. This psalmist realized it was God who chose to hear and chose to show mercy. I believe if more of us would approach prayer with this attitude we would see more accomplished by our prayers.

I realize in this format of brief comments on such topics which have been the subject of doctoral theses and countless volumes of books like prayer, you cannot fully cover every nuance. However, if you can get the first premise established in your mind, the rest might come a little easier. God is good, and His mercy endures forever! He will always hear our cries. Give Him a chance to hear yours. I think you’ll be surprised by the outcome. He is truly the God Which Hath Not Turned Away My Prayer. For that, I am eternally grateful

Desire

 Desire

Humans do nothing outside of desire. Even when being asked, directed, or ordered to do something, we respond out of our desire to either please the one asking, respect the authority of the one directing, or avoid the pain or consequence of disobeying the order. When I was in high school, my friend and I use to have conversations like the following:

“There are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.”

“Actually, that is not accurate. You don’t have to pay taxes. You could choose, instead, to be imprisoned for lack of payment.”

“And it you believe in the second-coming of Christ, you may not actually see death.”

“So, is there anything absolutely mandatory which we have to do regardless of any desire?”

“Yes. You must be conceived; otherwise, you never existed.”

“And, you must face judgement.”

Outside of these two things, everything we do is driven by desire. Even as a small child, although unaware of the conscious thought, we cry because we are hungry, sleepy, messy, etc. Once we become aware or our existence, we begin to develop our desire to the point of planning or scheming ways to obtain the thing desired.

As we mature, we become capable of controlling our desire-driven behavior by making conscious choices. The goals behind these choices are determined by our mindset regarding our moral standard, economic goals, relationships, etc. The unhealthy side of this results in choices driven by desires fueled by vices, fear, lack of self-control, low self-esteem, etc.

The difference humans have over many of the other animals is the ability to reason. This word is even a misnomer. Reason is defined as, “think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic.” Much of human behavior is illogical due to desire. It causes us to make short-sighted decisions or spur of the moment choices. Most of these are harmless, but some result in life-changing moments.

The most important activity we can engage in is the process of taking notice of our desires. Whether you want to or not, you will move in the direction of your desires. However, you have the ability inside you to choose your desires; or at least choose the ones you respond to. We also have the ability to change our thinking when we realize our current desire-driven habits are taking us in an unacceptable direction. Steven Covey described these moments of becoming self-aware as a “paradigm shift.” Some call it “having an epiphany.” Regardless of the label, when these “ta da” moments come, they become an intersection in our life-journey. We have to make a choice which, by default, will eliminate other possible courses for our journey.

It takes courage to choose, but even not choosing is a choice. It means you will continue on the current path. Don’t live your life on autopilot. Make intentional choices. Live life on purpose. Enjoy the journey.

The Names of God - God Who Has Fed Me All My Life Long To This Day

 God Who Has Fed Me All My Life Long To This Day

And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Genesis 48:15-16 (NKJV)

It is very difficult to offer someone a drink of water when your canteen is empty. You may want to help quench the thirst of another, but unless you have water to give, your deep yearning to help will be moot. The verse cited above is part of the record when Jacob (Israel) blessed his sons. Joseph came in and brought his sons with him.

Before Israel began the blessing, he stated the basis, or reservoir he is drawing from to bless his family. First, he declares the Godly heritage he received from his forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. He then testified to the faithfulness of God in his life, where Jacob mentioned one of the names he uses for God: The God who has fed me all my life long to this day. What a powerful reality to know God has been with you your whole life.

Looking back on the life of Jacob, there were certainly times where it would seem God was nowhere nearby. But in the eyes of Jacob, whom God renamed as Israel, God was the one feeding him every day of his life. Israel had something to give when it came time to bless. He was not attempting to pour water from a dry canteen. Israel had an abundant supply which had sustained him every day of his life.

This is God’s desire for each of us. We are not orphans, left to try and find a way to survive. We are sons and daughters with an eternal heritage from which to draw; one born of grace and mercy, created out of a bottomless ocean of love. From this beginning, we can move forward through our life knowing we have unlimited supply to give away and never risk running low.

Israel could boldly declare a blessing over his son and grandsons because he had complete faith in his God because he knew first-hand the blessings and care he had received “all my life long to this day.” This same confidence is available to everyone. It starts with a correct view of who God is, and a correct understanding of His character.

If the god you serve doesn’t give you the confidence to bless others, please look again. Once you encounter “The God Who Has Fed Me All My Life Long To This Day” your life become a tree yielding fruit to nurture others, shelter from storms, and a blessing to others. This God wants to make sure you not only survive, but that you thrive to the point of helping others find their path into a life of being blessed, and being a blessing.

The Names of God - The Builder of All Things

 The Builder of All Things

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

Hebrews 3:1-6 (ESV)

Outside of The Church itself, the most important thing built on the earth is the human soul. Many places in scripture refer to people as houses to be built. The first exposure man had to “God’s House” was the tabernacle which Moses was instructed to build for the nation of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness, getting reacquainted with a God who loved them and chose them as His own. He had plans which involved them, but they had become distant from the very God who loved them so.

In an attempt to woo them back to Himself, God gave Moses The Law to show Israel how they should live in order to be in fellowship with the Creator. God also gave the design for a “house” in which He would come and fellowship with mankind via the high priest.

The New Testament describes The Law as a schoolmaster, given to show us the need for grace. Once Israel saw the standard God required, and their inability to keep The Law, they had to cry out for mercy. God met them there.

Once God showed His plan to reestablish the fellowship lost in The Garden, He continued working to establish a “house” which would remain forever. This was accomplished when Jesus came to earth; the Son of God became the Son of Man, the supreme sacrifice. “The Builder of All Things” was busy constructing a “house,” The Church, which was founded on Christ and His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the Father. This foundation is unshakable and will remain forever.

All of this “building” was done so that each one of us could be built into the image of Jesus. That is God’s desire for each and every person who has ever lived. So much so that God has predestined each of us to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. He is the Master Builder, able to take any willing person exactly right where they are, exactly as they are, and from the first moment of turning toward God, they begin the journey of restoration into the fullness of why they were created. This is the essence of grace.

When you come to accept the offer God has made to everyone, one of taking what we have so He can give us all He has, we have started the journey of restoration, healing, being established, and becoming the “house” of God’s creation. God is the master at “flipping houses.” Let him work His plan in your life by simply turning over the deed to your soul so He can build you into a magnificent structure which will become a haven for others to find peace, rest, and hope for a new future.

Birth and Death

 Birth and Death

It’s been said that a baby changes everything. They are correct. At least, that was my experience. All three times. Everything changed. With a baby, there is time to prepare for change. Sometimes the news that you’re expecting is a shock, but you still have 9 months or so to get ready.

I also think a death changes everything. That has also been my experience. Unlike a baby, deaths are rarely expected. Even when one is on their “death bed,” you still never know when the actual end will arrive.

We humans take many steps to both prevent pregnancy and to conceive. Babies should be planned; at the very least, wanted. But humans also take extreme measure to prolong life. We exercise, diet, have procedures done, and a lot of other things so we will live as long a possible.

The real question for the rest of us is how we will respond. When babies are “accidents” do we treat them differently? It’s not their fault. They had no choice in the matter. They are literally a product of conception. (Please don’t hate me for using that phrase. I’m aware of the connotations.) They arrive hoping to meet a loving family which will allow them to grow into the potential given them at that moment of conception. It’s all about choices.

The news of death is never welcomed. Even when we say, “they are better off now,” speaking of heaven, suffering, etc., but they are still going to be missed. Who will step up to fill the void? Who will console the ones left behind? If you are the one left behind, how will you respond? Will your life also end because theirs did, or will you find a way to live your life in spite of the loss?

The extreme ends of response to these events can be similar. With a new baby, we can become selfish and not want to “lose our freedom” by being burdened with care for the newborn (which is almost constant). With a death we can become selfish by refusing to live without the loved one. Or, we can choose to be selfless. With the newborn, we can give ourselves over to caring for the child; to ensure that every need they have is met; to allow them to grow into all they can be. In the case of death, we can be selfless by choosing to live; to be a comfort to others affected by the death; to pursue the purpose which lives inside of you; to dream again.

“The Dash” is a poem about living life between birth and death – dates on the tombstone, separated by a dash – which is all the time we have. For the rest of us who were here before birth, and remain after death, have to determine how life outside of the “dash” of others will look. 

Before the dash we grieve if conception is delayed or worse yet, is impossible. We still live life. 

After the dash we grieve the life lived, but then have to find a way to make life work without the loved one.

Both are based on decisions. Hard decisions, but ones we have to make. Live or die. Pursue or quit. It will make all the difference.