For the last several days, the phrase “incline your ear to the Lord” has been circulating in my heart and mind. The Scripture says a lot about inclining our ears and inclining our hearts to God. For example, Proverbs 2:1-5 says, “My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.” And, Proverbs 4:20 says, “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.”
The term “incline” here means, to pay close attention to, to mark well, to regard, and to heed or obey. God is telling us to keep an ear tuned to Him at all times. He says that whenever we realize that He is saying something to us, we should pay close attention to it, find out what He is trying to communicate to us, and treat His words and instructions like something important and precious. We are encouraged to take a heart posture of readiness to move and obey, the instant that we hear the Lord speak.
Without getting off track from today’s point, let me say that we “hear God speak” in many ways. Many times we discern the voice of God as a sense of peace, or a lack of peace in our hearts about a situation, decision, or person in our lives. For example, if I notice that a specific member of our congregation keeps coming to mind, I will take time to pray for them, and many times contact them to see what is going on. I recognize in that instance that God may be trying to get my attention. Sometimes, a Scripture stands out to me, or I sense the Lord impressing a certain thought on my heart–this too is often the voice of the Holy Spirit. I am writing this article today, because this particular phrase from Scripture kept coming to mind, appearing in my reading, and coming up in some teachings that I was listening to. After a few days of that, being the brilliant light that I am, I figure out that God has a message for me, and for you as well, so I pay attention and follow up.
Sometimes we get frustrated with ourselves, or with God, because we just can’t figure out how to apply a verse like this in “real life.” Hopefully, by now, most of us have developed that habit of having a daily time in God’s Word and prayer. But when we leave that special time, how do we keep our ear inclined to the Lord? How do we live a busy life in a busy world, and still hear God?
It isn’t as hard as you might think. Actually, you probably do this all the time already. You probably have your ear inclined to something a lot of the time and you don’t even realize it. Here are a couple of examples:
I grew up driving air-cooled Volkswagen Beatles. That air-cooled engine ran REALLY hot by design, so you had to keep good oil in it, and you had to run it at some pretty high RPM’s by American standards, or you would blow it up. Driving those cars in the mountains of Colorado was an art, and I learned early to keep my ear tuned to that engine. Any new noise was noted, processed, and tracked down. During those years, I was also flying hang gliders. There is no airspeed indicator on a hang glider; instead you learn to sense your airspeed by the sound of the air going over the wing and the feel of the glider. Especially on launch and landing, it is essential that you do not stall, but keep the wing moving at a proper speed through the air. Again, you learned to keep an ear tuned to the machine while you were making important decisions and thinking about other things.
In all of that, I became a listener. When I am going down the road, I may be having a conversation with someone, or listening to a podcast, or thinking about the route or my destination, but at the same time my ear is always inclined to the machine. If a new sound appears, I tend to hear it immediately.
Sometimes someone will drive up to where I am standing, or I will get in their car, and I will immediately notice an odd sound coming from the engine or transmission. A belt is squealing, a pulley is whining, a bearing or bushing is rumbling, the valves sound like an old Singer sewing machine because the car is 2 quarts low on oil, etc. I will usually, ask something like, “Wow! What is that?” Many times the startled driver looks at me with a blank expression and says. “What?” They haven’t had their ear inclined to their car at all, and they have not heard the noise. This noise, that is often warning them that something is about to break, has just become background noise to them–part of the clutter of life.
My Mom always had her ear inclined toward the kids. She could have the vacuum cleaner running and the TV on, and if we were fighting in a room on the other end of the house, she heard us. And, if it got too quiet, she would stop what she was doing and ask what we were up to. It was amazing!
So in our busy days, as we are going along, we can train ourselves to have a listening ear–an ear inclined to the Lord. We can be doing other things, but there is always a part of us that is attentive, watching, waiting for God to speak. I will say it again; this is a learned behavior! A Discipline. At first you will need to train yourself to listen for the nudges of the Spirit, but over time, it will become second-nature. This is much easier to do once you begin to treasure input from God. When you are convinced that He is only, and always, good, and that He has the best in store for you, it is easy to keep your ear inclined to the Lord.
Let me wrap this up with one final verse, Isaiah 55:3 says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you-- The sure mercies of David.” Isn’t that awesome?
As New Testament believers, we can couple this verse with John 10:10 and say, “When I incline my ear and come to Him, I will walk in an everlasting covenant with Him, experience His sure mercies, and receive life and life more abundantly from Him.” That’s just good stuff.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
God Is Big - Really Big!
God is big–Really Big!
Two weeks ago, we started our first winter course at the RMCM School of Ministry. Each of these courses is designed to equip believers to carry the love, life, and power, of God out into their world. Our current course is called “Praying With Power.” We are talking about the kind of prayer that releases on earth what Jesus has already provided for us through the cross. We believe that God wants to bring His will to pass on earth in the form of miracles (setting people free from the destructive power of sin in all its forms) and in the form of His dreams and purposes for lives of people. You could say we are studying prayer that addresses our problems, and prayer that brings our dreams into fulfillment.
In order for us to pray with confidence, there are a few of things that we need to get straight in our thinking and believing. These principles must become more than just classroom ideas to us; they must become personal revelation from God.
One of those ideas is simply that God is good and He has a good plan for our lives–“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV.
Another important truth is that we are not praying to try to get God to do something new. The New Testament is filled with scriptures that tell us that through the work of Jesus on the cross, God has already made provision for every kind of problem that human beings can experience. God is already completely in favor of us receiving what He purchased for us with the blood of Jesus. He needs no convincing. But we do need to pray the kind of prayer that partners with God and releases that provision on earth. In many cases, the Lord leads us into prayers that incubate His plans and purposes here on earth, and then birth those purposes. The key here is that Christians pray out of a sense of fullness, a sense of confidence and excitement, about what God has already done in Christ, not a sense of lack driven by the needs that we have or see.
Finally, we pray knowing that God is MUCH bigger than our biggest problem and MUCH bigger than our biggest dream. Sometimes we get so consumed with our problems, or with the feeling that the dream in our heart is just too big, too outrageous, and too impossible. We must remember that God is infinite. Did you get that? Infinite! I read this statement the other day from an author named Mark Batterson, and it has stuck with me. He wrote, “To the infinite, all finites are the same size.” That means that to God, cancer and the common cold are the same size problem to solve. Needing a sandwich and needing a million dollars for your business are the same size. You get the idea. God is bigger than your biggest need and your biggest dream.
One final thought. So often, our doubt is not about God, but about ourselves, or about God’s view of us–His willingness toward us. To address that issue would require an article of its own, but let me say this: Just as God is bigger than our problems, His love, mercy, and grace toward us, is also bigger than our mistakes. He loves you; He has a great plan for you, and has wrought a great deliverance for you. Plunge into Him. Let Him reveal Himself and His plans to you. Think big, dream big, pray big, and live big!
God is big–Really Big!
Two weeks ago, we started our first winter course at the RMCM School of Ministry. Each of these courses is designed to equip believers to carry the love, life, and power, of God out into their world. Our current course is called “Praying With Power.” We are talking about the kind of prayer that releases on earth what Jesus has already provided for us through the cross. We believe that God wants to bring His will to pass on earth in the form of miracles (setting people free from the destructive power of sin in all its forms) and in the form of His dreams and purposes for lives of people. You could say we are studying prayer that addresses our problems, and prayer that brings our dreams into fulfillment.
In order for us to pray with confidence, there are a few of things that we need to get straight in our thinking and believing. These principles must become more than just classroom ideas to us; they must become personal revelation from God.
One of those ideas is simply that God is good and He has a good plan for our lives–“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV.
Another important truth is that we are not praying to try to get God to do something new. The New Testament is filled with scriptures that tell us that through the work of Jesus on the cross, God has already made provision for every kind of problem that human beings can experience. God is already completely in favor of us receiving what He purchased for us with the blood of Jesus. He needs no convincing. But we do need to pray the kind of prayer that partners with God and releases that provision on earth. In many cases, the Lord leads us into prayers that incubate His plans and purposes here on earth, and then birth those purposes. The key here is that Christians pray out of a sense of fullness, a sense of confidence and excitement, about what God has already done in Christ, not a sense of lack driven by the needs that we have or see.
Finally, we pray knowing that God is MUCH bigger than our biggest problem and MUCH bigger than our biggest dream. Sometimes we get so consumed with our problems, or with the feeling that the dream in our heart is just too big, too outrageous, and too impossible. We must remember that God is infinite. Did you get that? Infinite! I read this statement the other day from an author named Mark Batterson, and it has stuck with me. He wrote, “To the infinite, all finites are the same size.” That means that to God, cancer and the common cold are the same size problem to solve. Needing a sandwich and needing a million dollars for your business are the same size. You get the idea. God is bigger than your biggest need and your biggest dream.
One final thought. So often, our doubt is not about God, but about ourselves, or about God’s view of us–His willingness toward us. To address that issue would require an article of its own, but let me say this: Just as God is bigger than our problems, His love, mercy, and grace toward us, is also bigger than our mistakes. He loves you; He has a great plan for you, and has wrought a great deliverance for you. Plunge into Him. Let Him reveal Himself and His plans to you. Think big, dream big, pray big, and live big!
God is big–Really Big!
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Don't Eat Your Seed!
DON’T EAT YOUR SEED!
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)
The passage above is yet another one of my favorite portions of Scripture. In it, God communicates His dedication to our well-being, and gives us some very practical instruction about how to apply His principles to our lives in a way that will produce abundant blessing and equip us to live generously. He then underscores that instruction with a promise to release a flow of His grace through our lives that will cause the already powerful principle of seedtime and harvest to produce in an even greater way.
It seems that recently we have been involved in a lot of discussions about finances. The last three years have been very difficult, to say the least, here in our area. I know that many of you have been challenged to believe God for provision to a greater degree than ever before. We have been praying for people’s jobs, praying over the ability to pay mortgages, helping people with food, clothing, shelter, even giving away free oil changes. I can look right across the road from our property and see a sign that says “4.8 Acres For Sale. Bank Owned.”
A couple of local businessmen purchased that land and began to develop it right about the same time we started trying to acquire the church property. They had big dreams and, to my knowledge, didn’t go about their plans in a foolish manner. But the sudden halt of work and commerce in the area took them out. It really breaks my heart to think about it.
One thing Karen and I have been reminded of as we pray through our own set of financial challenges right now, is the Biblical instruction to plant financial seed. I believe that the passage from 2 Corinthians means that every time God brings increase into our lives, whether from work, a gift, or a windfall, some of that increase is seed and some of it is bread. One of the worst things you can do when facing financial hardship, is to allow yourself to begin to eat your seed. We eat our seed anytime that we choose to use that portion of our income that either belongs to God, (I believe that is the tithe) or that He has asked us to give into His kingdom, (an offering over and above the tithe) to pay our bills or spend on ourselves.
In times of shortage, we are all tempted to eat our seed. We tell ourselves it’s just temporary, we say, “just this time.” But the eating of seed eliminates a future harvest in finances just as surely as it does in a field of corn or wheat.
The only reason to eat seed is because we have become convinced that God is unable or unwilling to provide both seed and bread. Yet, that is exactly what He has promised to do. Most of the time, we don’t ask Him what portion of our income is seed, and what is bread; we just compare income with bills and pay the bills first. Instead, we need to pray over income, follow instructions carefully, sow our seed first, and adjust our lifestyles to fit the bread we have to eat. As time goes on, we will experience the increase that comes from grace coupled with wise sowing and reaping–more seed, more bread, more provision for ourselves and others, and more thanksgiving going to God (2 Corinthians 9:11-15).
I want to strongly encourage you, whatever your financial standing at this time, NEVER allow yourself to start eating your seed. Oh, and by the way, this same principle applies to every area of life. Time, money, relationships, career, the list is endless. You are blessed today to be a blessing to someone else. Live that lifestyle with all your heart and watch the grace of God abound toward you, that having all you need all the time, you will be equipped to give into every good work. Make 2012 the year that you sow your seed first, and eat only what God has designated as bread.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)
The passage above is yet another one of my favorite portions of Scripture. In it, God communicates His dedication to our well-being, and gives us some very practical instruction about how to apply His principles to our lives in a way that will produce abundant blessing and equip us to live generously. He then underscores that instruction with a promise to release a flow of His grace through our lives that will cause the already powerful principle of seedtime and harvest to produce in an even greater way.
It seems that recently we have been involved in a lot of discussions about finances. The last three years have been very difficult, to say the least, here in our area. I know that many of you have been challenged to believe God for provision to a greater degree than ever before. We have been praying for people’s jobs, praying over the ability to pay mortgages, helping people with food, clothing, shelter, even giving away free oil changes. I can look right across the road from our property and see a sign that says “4.8 Acres For Sale. Bank Owned.”
A couple of local businessmen purchased that land and began to develop it right about the same time we started trying to acquire the church property. They had big dreams and, to my knowledge, didn’t go about their plans in a foolish manner. But the sudden halt of work and commerce in the area took them out. It really breaks my heart to think about it.
One thing Karen and I have been reminded of as we pray through our own set of financial challenges right now, is the Biblical instruction to plant financial seed. I believe that the passage from 2 Corinthians means that every time God brings increase into our lives, whether from work, a gift, or a windfall, some of that increase is seed and some of it is bread. One of the worst things you can do when facing financial hardship, is to allow yourself to begin to eat your seed. We eat our seed anytime that we choose to use that portion of our income that either belongs to God, (I believe that is the tithe) or that He has asked us to give into His kingdom, (an offering over and above the tithe) to pay our bills or spend on ourselves.
In times of shortage, we are all tempted to eat our seed. We tell ourselves it’s just temporary, we say, “just this time.” But the eating of seed eliminates a future harvest in finances just as surely as it does in a field of corn or wheat.
The only reason to eat seed is because we have become convinced that God is unable or unwilling to provide both seed and bread. Yet, that is exactly what He has promised to do. Most of the time, we don’t ask Him what portion of our income is seed, and what is bread; we just compare income with bills and pay the bills first. Instead, we need to pray over income, follow instructions carefully, sow our seed first, and adjust our lifestyles to fit the bread we have to eat. As time goes on, we will experience the increase that comes from grace coupled with wise sowing and reaping–more seed, more bread, more provision for ourselves and others, and more thanksgiving going to God (2 Corinthians 9:11-15).
I want to strongly encourage you, whatever your financial standing at this time, NEVER allow yourself to start eating your seed. Oh, and by the way, this same principle applies to every area of life. Time, money, relationships, career, the list is endless. You are blessed today to be a blessing to someone else. Live that lifestyle with all your heart and watch the grace of God abound toward you, that having all you need all the time, you will be equipped to give into every good work. Make 2012 the year that you sow your seed first, and eat only what God has designated as bread.
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