Of Waffles, Drills, and IPads

I'm hurting. Badly. Since early December, I've been battling a painfully sore hip that's being caused by either a muscular condition or degenerative arthritis, depending on which health care professional is to be believed. At any rate, the pain seems to spread just about anywhere it darn well pleases, leaving me irritable, frustrated, and at certain times incredibly angry.

Yet it's been good for me. The apostle Paul wrote that he delighted in his weaknesses, because when he was weak, then he was strong in the Lord. I'm beginning to understand on a much smaller scale what Paul meant. Suffering through the sort of pain that limits my ability to lift anything heavier than a jug of milk is not only humbling, it has opened the door for God to show Himself perfect and mighty in my life. Let me explain.

This affliction has drawn me to my knees. As strange as this will undoubtedly sound to my skeptic friends and relative(s), the pain has been an answer to my prayers. I began to feel last year as if I had lost my "edge" in my personal relationship with God. I was doing the work of the ministry, but not growing at all in my walk with Jesus. I felt stagnant, alone, and depressed by the depravity of the world around me in these last days. Not willing to give up, I asked God to do whatever it takes to get my attention. Well, He got it. I have no choice but to seek God more earnestly in prayer. And as I have returned to my first love, as I have delighted in the Lord, other things have begun to fall into place.

He has humbled me through my finances. Pam and I each had to replace our cars early this year. The only way to do it was for each of us to "give up" our own weekly spending money. I'm lucky to have a quarter in my pocket. But God has used it to teach me how fortunate I am. I have more empathy for those who have nothing at all. It has prompted me to pray and work harder to reach the lost people of our community. And it's working.

But here's the really good stuff. The delightful stuff. Psalms 37:4 says, "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Are you ready for this? In the last month, people have been blessing my socks off out of the blue! A friend surprised me with a brand new restaurant-quality Belgian waffle maker, along with blueberries and waffle mix. Another friend bought me a brand new high-quality drill. Yet another couple knocked on my door and handed me a brand new IPad with a $25 ITunes gift card. I certainly didn't ask for any of those things, or even hint around that I wanted them. Yet each of them was a "desire" of my heart. That's over a thousand dollars worth of stuff just handed to me for no other reason than the fact that God put it on someone's heart. I didn't even think to ask God for any of those things. I was too busy seeking His face.

Now. Can healing be far away? I daresay I'm willing to wait on God.

It's Hip to Be Christian

As I've studied the story of the birth of Jesus this past month, I've come to realize that roadblocks are really opportunities when we place them in God's hands. Can you imagine Mary asking Joseph, "Bethlehem? Really? I have to travel all that way on the back of a mule for a stupid census when I'm about to have a baby?" Okay, maybe she didn't word it that way. But it certainly wasn't a convenient time for her to make a long trip that likely took at least three days on foot. However, what seemed like a roadblock was God's plan to fulfill the ancient prophecy written centuries before Christ's birth, "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah5:2)

What about the shepherds? They were lonely nomads with no family, no resources, and no real future other than what they knew... shepherding day after day from one bland field to another. It was a terribly lonely existence, but they were resigned to that fact. Then one night, their roadblock became an opportunity. An angel gave them news of great joy, and they became witnesses to the greatest event in history.

Joseph, a descendant of King David, was chosen for the task before he was born. Mary, a virgin, was chosen for destiny. As the Lord promised Jeremiah, he promises us that before we were in the womb, he set us apart. He has a plan to prosper, and not to harm us.

God will always take what's seemingly tragic and turn it around for the good, according to His promise in Romans 8:28. So this morning, when I received a seemingly gloomy report at the Doctor's office, I suddenly gained a better sense of focus than I've had in quite some time. I see an opportunity for Christ to be glorified. My right hip has been hurting badly, and x-rays confirmed what I suspected. Arthritis. The cartilage is gone. It's bone-on-bone. One slightly embarrassing steroid shot later I was on my way. Next visit: The orthopedic surgeon.

What an opportunity. First of all, it's a chance to re-focus and re-prioritize. God's promise is for those "who love him and are called according to his purpose." He is not, and never has been happiness for hire for those who wear the label of Christian. He expects us to be in covenant relationship with Him, honoring Him with our lives, our time, and our resources. This is an opportunity to strengthen my relationship with Jesus. Secondly, it's an incredible opportunity for Christ to be glorified big time. I'm standing on His promise that I can and will be healed. I will not waver from His promise. And when He heals me, I'll be a LOUD testifying witness for Him. No hiding His light under a bushel.

Six simple words were spoken over me prophetically this summer by a Pastor I trust and admire. He said, "No running. No excuses. Just results." Now, I would add this: No roadblocks either. Just opportunity.

Where Was God When I Needed Him?

This is good stuff.

We had a guest speaker at church on Wednesday, a man I highly respect. He told a true story of taking a missionary team to Kenya, and how everyone they touched in a prayer service was healed of their sickness. When they came back to America, the same team of believers didn't have the same results. Very few if any were being healed. He said to me, "Pastor Tim, I don't have a theology for that."

I do. Right or wrong, this is what I believe: Those people in Kenya just don't know any better. They don't know that you can only believe what you see. They don't know that you have to pray "just right." They don't know that you have to end your prayers with, "In Jesus Name" or they just disappear on their way to heaven. They don't know that you have to wear the right clothes, belong to the right denomination, graduate from catechism classes or tithe regularly to be blessed of God. How silly of them.

Now. I'll remove the tongue from my cheek and say this... we've been spoiled in America by our own freedoms and selfishness. As Christians we don't mean to treat God as a cosmic slot machine or his Son as a Genie in a Bottle, but in many ways that's what your prayers and mine have boiled down to. In Kenya, they understand honor. They understand faith. Stay with me, here. Read these incredible verses from Luke chapter 8 and you'll see what I mean.

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

“Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher any more.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed."

Two very different people, two very different circumstances, with one thing in common: their faith. Neither one of them had to come to the altar crying, be slain in the spirit, pray at the top of their lungs, dance, scream, or shout. All of those things can happen, and all have their place. But I'll go as far as to say this: Jesus didn't heal them.

Their faith in Jesus healed them. They believed Him. They honored Him.

And so many people in our United States, wearing the label of Christian, dishonor God by shacking up together outside the confines of marriage, approving of the homosexual lifestyle that God calls "abominable," abusing their bodies with tobacco, drugs, alcohol and yes - even food. With mouths like sewers, they curse their neighbor and then ask God for his blessings. They post "F" this on Facebook, then write a request for prayers when things aren't going so well. Where's the honor? Where's the respect for our Creator? Our Savior?

The Bible says the prayers of the righteous avail much. The people in Kenya and other third world countries where revival is happening get it. They understand it. God is moving among those people in an exciting, miraculous way.

We look at the situation in Africa and shake our heads sadly. But I ask you America, which of the people are the truly blessed?