My Answered 9/11 Prayer

A heavy, heavy burden.

That's what I remember most about early in the morning on September 9, 2001.

I was desperate for my country to turn to the Lord and love Him for who He is, not for what He could do for them. I literally cried out for God to open their eyes whatever the cost. I prayed for Him to open my eyes to the love and devotion I should have for Him, and for how to share Him with a people who felt they could handle everything in their own power. I was so very new at trying to walk radically for Him, and had floundered so many times. Though I seldom get overly emotional in my prayers, it astonished me that I was weeping so hard for America to turn to God.
Please, God, give them the desire to turn to and lean on You!


As I left for work about half an hour later, I turned on the radio and heard what most Americans will never forget: A plane has just crashed into the Twin Towers...
Oh, God! Please help them!


Once again, in the mysterious way of our Sovereign Father, He used those who were against Him to draw others to Him. Did He cause it to happen? No. He allowed it to happen because of your and my free will. He is just, powerful, and compassionate enough to use what is meant to be against Him for His own good purpose.

The Old Testament is full of foreign kings and peoples who came against and conquered His people, the Israelites, when they had fallen away from Him in order to draw them back to Him. He allows this and uses them for our good. Is that easy to understand? No, it's not. But that's why He tells us through the prophet Isaiah, "⁸ "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
    and your ways are not My ways."
          [This is] the LORD's declaration.
    ⁹ "For as heaven is higher than earth,
    so My ways are higher than your ways,
    and My thoughts than your thoughts."   
     Isaiah 55:8-9

We are called to trust in only Him; to lean only on Him. And I have heard many stories of people who have placed their trust in Him because of the horrific acts on 9/11/2001.

Lord, I can not understand so many things about that day. But thank You for Your work in so many peoples lives that day and beyond. May we praise You forever for the time you give us. May we, as a nation, be drawn to You today.

Hovering Blobs

A few years ago Pixar came out with the sweet and futuristic movie WALL-E. The main character, WALL-E, is a robot who was left on the garbage ravished earth to clean up while all humans took a luxury 5 year space cruise. The only problem is that it is now the 700th anniversary of that 5 year cruise, and although life has recently become sustainable again on the ground, the ship's main computer (the first mate) has top secret orders to never again return since life on earth appeared hopeless when they left.

Over time, the humans aboard the ship have all begun using the hover chairs originally designed for the elderly. All they do is sit there, drink all their meals - and multiple snacks - through straws, and find ways to entertain themselves. They basically have become bored, hovering blobs, only following the most basic of instincts. They are immature.

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

The Problem of Immaturity

 ¹¹ We have a great deal to say about this, and it's difficult to explain, since you have become slow to understand. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of God's revelation. You need milk, not solid food. ¹³ Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil. 

Warning against Regression

 ¹ Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, ² teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And we will do this if God permits.    ⁴ For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, ⁵ tasted God's good word and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. ⁷ For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it, and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end.
    ⁹ Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them. ¹¹ Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, ¹² so that you won't become lazy, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.


Do you imitate faith and perseverance? Or are you re-crucifying Christ by reading everyone else's opinions and interpretations on the elementals of the Gospel while still trying to make up your mind. Have you stood up for the Bible? God's holy Word made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ? John 1:14 Trust me, there are plenty of opportunities to defend God's Word. So many books today try and twist the Scriptures to fit their purposes. The problem is, you can't know the Scripture's to confirm or refute these statements unless you have studies the Word itself.  No, not someone else's thoughts on the Word, but the Word.

Studies, commentaries, and topical books can be great tools when we need a little help, but never - I repeat... never - let them replace Scripture.

Here's a test: How much time have you spent in the last week reading only the Bible? Now, how much time have you spent reading other material about the Bible?

Whose "Word" are you leaning on?

Hardened Hearts

Sometimes, my heart breaks, and I weep at the hardness of the human heart.
Both lost and Christ follower alike...

In those moments, I begin to understand the briefest glimpse of what God's heart endures for our sake, and I cry even harder loving Him all the more.

Praise You Father for your unfathomable patience with us. Your love and compassion blow my mind. I am so in love with You.

Altered

Should you let your perceptions of Jesus Christ be altered?

Honestly, that depends. What are your perceptions of Him? Make a mental list. What do you believe about Jesus Christ?

Really when it comes down to it, there is very little about Jesus Christ that we must never allow to be changed, and most of it can be summed up in two verses. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "³ For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,⁴ that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,"
There is a very important statement in there which is elemental: According to the Scriptures.

Whatever you may believe about Jesus Christ must be backed by the Scriptures. Otherwise you are placing Him in the small box of your limited expectations and are stifling His work in your life.

Take some time today to find one thing that you think you know about Him and search the Bible for proof. Allow yourself the time to be awed at His creativity, beauty, and majesty...then prepare for a wondrous work in your life!

My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
Proverbs 23:26

Awake

Have you ever had a dream that made perfect sense to you only to wake and realize it was foolishness? No matter how real and logical it seemed only a few moments ago, when you wake up for real you are amazed at how silly it was.

Isaiah 29:5-8 

⁵ The multitude of your foes will be like fine dust,
    and the multitude of the ruthless, like blowing chaff.
    Then suddenly, in an instant,
    ⁶ you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts
    with thunder, earthquake, and loud noise,
    storm, tempest, and a flame of consuming fire.
    ⁷ The multitude of all the nations
    going out to battle against Ariel—
    all the attackers, the siege-works against her,
    and those who oppress her—
    will then be like a dream, a vision in the night.
    ⁸ It will be like a hungry one who dreams he is eating,
    then wakes and is still hungry;
    and like a thirsty one who dreams he is drinking,
    then wakes and is still thirsty, longing for water.
    So will be the multitude of all the nations
    who go to battle against Mount Zion.


There are going to be millions who wake up to the tragic reality that they had it all wrong. They all long for meaning, truth, and purpose thinking they found it in their own goals and ambitions. Only they are wrong. It can be found only in the person of Jesus Christ.

What of those who believe in God or Jesus, but deny Him the right to rule their lives absolutely?


Isaiah 29:13-16

¹³ The Lord said:
    Because these people approach Me with their mouths
    to honor Me with lip-service —
    yet their hearts are far from Me,
    and their worship [consists of] man-made rules
    learned [by rote]—
    ¹⁴ therefore I will again confound these people
    with wonder after wonder.
    The wisdom of their wise men will vanish,
    and the understanding of the perceptive will be hidden.
    ¹⁵ Woe to those who go to great lengths
    to hide their plans from the LORD.
    [They do] their works in darkness,
    and say, "Who sees us? Who knows us?"
    ¹⁶ You have turned things around,
    as if the potter were the same as the clay.
    How can what is made say about its maker,
    "He didn't make me"?
    How can what is formed
    say about the one who formed it,
    "He doesn't understand [what he's doing]"?


They - perhaps we - are warned as well. Do you serve God with all of you? Has He truly become Master and Lord of your life? Do you worship Him in Spirit and Truth?

John 4:23-24
²³ But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Praise Him today if you do, and pray for those who will be waking up to the nightmare. Pray for a heart for the lost.
If you do not worship Him in this way, fall on your knees, confess Him as the devoted slave of your Master, and worship Him in true freedom.