Daily Light - December 9, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,

and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

Matthew 5:45

Imagine with me that there are two farmers in the heartland of our country that have their farmland right next to one another. The first farmer is a God-fearing man that is a believer in Jesus Christ. He is faithful to God in not only his words and actions but most of all his heart. The second farmer is an angry man that has no time for "religion" and despises God in his heart.
The region in which they live is going through a terrible drought. There has not been rain for months and the crops are beginning to deteriorate rapidly. If there is not rain in the next few weeks, all will be lost. Both men will lose every thing if things continue the way they are. They have watered their crops the best that they can but the shortage on water has put them at certain restrictions. The hot sun acts as a furnace on the tender plants below. There are no human answers for their plight.
The second farmer walks out into the field and feels the dry soil crack under his work boots. He leans over to inspect a withered plant and easily pulls it out of the ground. With the leaves of the plant clutched in his hand, he raises his fist at the sky and curses God. The first farmer understands his fear and frustration. He too has felt the dry soil under his feet and watched his plants shrivel up and die. He does something completely different though. In the middle of his field he falls to his knees and begs his Heavenly Father for rain. He calls on God for mercy, grace, and relief from this drought. He praises God for the many years that he has been sustained and asks God to come through once again.
The following week the two farmers are both in their fields for another sad inspection, but suddenly they feel something foreign fall on their heads. It started with just a small drip, but very soon it opens up into a beautiful steady shower. It seems as if the mist of Heaven has settled over their farmland and for several days this consistent shower waters their crops to the roots and below. The first farmer knelt once again in this field, and as the mud began to collect on his knees he praised God with a full voice. The second farmer mumbled "It's about time" and complained about having to walk all the way back to the farmhouse in the rain.
Why did God let both farmers have rain? Could he not have just let the rain fall on the first farmer's field to teach the second farmer a lesson? There are two reasons that come immediately to mind, and I am sure that we could think of more. First, God is merciful. Ask yourself this question: which farmer deserved the rain? The truth is neither one. Every thing that we receive from God is only out of His grace and mercy. You and I deserve nothing from a holy and righteous God, but He in His love chooses to bless us any way. Second, the first farmer is most definitely a minister of preservation for the second. The Bible says that God's children are the salt of the earth. If you remove the salt, there will only be spoil and rot. God's people are what keep God's hand of judgment from coming so swiftly on this world. They are also what keep God's hand of blessing on this world. That second farmer has no idea that God's love for His neighbor benefited him.
Continue to be the salt of the earth. You never know who it is around you that needs to see God's hand on their lives.
May you be the first farmer today!

Daily Light - December 8, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire."

Psalm 18:1

The world's population today is approximately 6.8 billion people. That number is hard to even fathom for the human mind. Some college football stadiums incredibly hold more than 100,000 people and that appears to be an enormous crowd, but it is just a drop in the bucket compared to the global population. There are approximately 6,800 known languages spoken by this massive population. Over 1,600 of these languages are spoken in the country of India alone. When you consider these numbers, it is staggering how big this world is and how much is going on around us that we are not even aware of.
Strangely, however, we foolishly get the idea that the world revolves around us. We become selfish people that think God created the world to make us personally happy, and anyone that gets in the way of our personal happiness is out of line. One of the main messages of Jesus was that we consider others and get our eyes off of self. As a matter of fact, the two great commandments given by Jesus taught us to love God and love others. It did not even say anything about loving ourselves. We are taught from Scripture that we are to love others as we love ourselves. Caring for yourself and your own things comes naturally and that is the way that we have to start looking at how we treat other people.
This passage in Proverbs gives us the instruction to think outside of ourselves. You cannot selfishly isolate your self from the world around you, but you must take others into consideration at all times. While some may be more introverted than others, this portion of Scripture has more to speak of than just our personality. Consider the child that is kicking and screaming on the floor because they did not get the toy they wanted. Who are they concerned about? Obviously they have isolated themselves from the rest of the world and can only think of their own desires. What about the teen that is in rebellion to the rules and regulations established by his parents? He hates the rules because they keep him from his own desires. Consider the man or woman that displays a poor attitude on the job because they don't like the new schedule. Every one else is working the same schedule, but they can only think of their own happiness. What about the believer who decides to neglect their devotional time with God because they have other things to do? They have selfishly put God on the back burner for their own sake.
We must see that to isolate ourselves from all other things is to be selfish and even arrogant. It is to consider all other things unimportant in the light of self.
May you consider others today!

Daily Light - December 7, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; cause Your face to shine,

and we shall be saved!"

Psalm 80:19

The prayer for revival and restoration can constantly be heard in the presence of God. There is something in this nature of ours that tends to stray from even that which we know is best. The hymn writer put it perfectly when he said, "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love." It doesn't seem to make any sense that man would wander away from a holy God which has given them the very breath of life, but it obviously occurs all too frequently.
This psalm is a prayer of restoration for the nation of Israel, but I believe that it could also be a prayer of restoration for our nation as well. This nation like the children of Israel had been led by a divine mandate at its beginning. There was no liberty or freedom apart from God Almighty, and every blessing of its inception was from the hand of God's will. However, also like the nation of Israel, this nation has all but forgotten the goodness of God. We have given ourselves over to greed and power to the detriment of our economy and more importantly to the morals of our nation. Most would think that this is the result of corrupt politicians, but I believe that the corruption started within the church and not Washington D.C. In many places the Word of God has been compromised by those who once called on His name. Power and prestige is even the desire of many in the pulpits of our nation.
If a restoration is to come to this nation, it must begin at the house of God. God's people must spend a sacrificial amount of time in prayer and fasting before God. There needs to be weeping heard between the porch and the altar once again. Many that stand in pulpits to preach need to acknowledge the words of Solomon when he said "let our words be few". We must spend more time in prayer than we do in preaching. Congregations need to desperately seek the face of God for a reviving of God's Holy Spirit within the body of Christ. A fresh breath of God's power is without any doubt most urgently needed. God can save and deliver us from this self-inflicted coldness of the soul, but we must earnestly seek Him while He may be found.
May you call on God for restoration today!

Daily Light - December 6, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest."

Matthew 11:28

Have you ever wished that there were more than 24 hours in a day, because that particular day 24 was just not enough? Maybe you have needed a carbon copy of yourself to do the things that you couldn't get to. Often we find ourselves pulled in so many directions that we cannot even do the things that we would like to do. I know that I experience this on a regular basis. As a father with four children I feel like I cannot give them each the attention that they need when they need it. I want to be there for them at every moment of the day, but it is just physically impossible. Susan and I often comment on Sunday afternoons that we don't get a chance to speak to every one at church because of our own physical limitations. We miss even saying hello to people, because of everything else that we do. These limitations can be extremely frustrating.
It is then that I stop and think about God. This world has literally billions of people that are continually clamoring for God's attention. There are prayers that are always before the throne of God. Night and day the cries of men, women, boys, and girls can be heard in the sacred ears of the Almighty. Many of these prayers are not simply empty requests, but they are cries from broken and discouraged hearts, sick and pain ravaged bodies, and weak and sinful souls. There are those that need healing from the Great Physician while others desire only to hear the voice of God in the wilderness of their circumstances. Every second of the day there are literally countless millions that are calling on God at the same time. What does He do?
He hears and answers each one of them. There is not a penitent voice that calls on God that is not heard by the Comforter of souls. As a matter of fact, our passage shows us that He wants us to call on Him. God is not annoyed by our persistent coming, but instead He is thrilled by it and glorified in it. He knows that He is the only one that can truly answer your request. He desires to personally confront you and your situation with His presence. When you walk into the presence of God, there is a rest for not only your body but more importantly your soul. If you will sit still this morning during your prayer time and listen closely, in your heart you will hear a Voice that simply says "Come". Obey that voice, and find rest in the arms of Jesus.
May you lay your weary soul in Jesus' lap today!

Daily Light - December 3, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."

Proverbs 13:12

Have you ever had an expectation of something that you knew was certain to come, and it seemed to take forever for that day to arrive? If so, you understand better this passage of Scripture. The word "deferred" is a reference to something that is prolonged or something that seems to drag on. I cannot help but associate this verse with Titus 2:13 which says, "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ."
This is fresh on my mind, because I found myself in a situation yesterday where the world's corruption was so obvious. Without going into any detail, I felt like I was having some "out of body" experience. While I use that expression figuratively, it seemed so surreal. I was caught in a place and situation where what was going on was obviously corrupt and sinful, but I felt as if I was alone in my thinking. I looked around at every one else waiting to see another face that was expressing surprise and disgust. Instead, I saw people cheering on those things which I thought would most definitely bring shame. I felt so alone, and these words played over and over again in my mind: "Even so, Lord, come quickly."
I realize that some of you have been in situations in this world like that, and the longing for the Lord to return was so great. This would be the perfect description of hope being deferred and making the heart sick. The Bible says that there is a groaning in the heart of the believer and even all of creation as it waits for the day of redemption and adoption. It is a yearning for all things to be made whole as God has ordained that they will be. While now my heart is craving that day, I am sure that it will come. It is not a "hope so" but a sure hope because it is in Christ. Our passage says that when that desire is fulfilled it will be as if we are eating from the tree of life. The fruit of a tree that satisfies the cravings of our spiritual desires. There will be life everlasting without the vileness of sin and degradation. There will be pure water of righteousness to drink from instead of the polluted ways of the flesh. There will be the eternal presence of Almighty God that will banish all darkness into the obscure shadows of hell.
We are told in Scripture that there will be a day when Jesus steps out onto the clouds so that every eye will see Him. The nations of the earth, those that have rejected Christ, will mourn on that day, because they will realize that their judgment has come. The writer however says this to believers, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Let the words of the song writer ring in your hearts today: "What a day that will be when My Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land, what a day, glorious day that will be!"
May you have hope in Christ today!

Daily Light - December 2, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"They shrugged their shoulders, stiffened their necks, and would not hear."

Nehemiah 9:29

Have you ever been in a situation where you were involved in something that was really important with a group of people? It might have been a project at work, an athletic event, or a group school assignment. You were putting forward your best effort and trying to do well, and then you realize that you are the only one that is taking it serious. When you try to encourage others to pick up the slack and handle their part of the project, they just shrug their shoulders and express that it is not big deal. That leaves you on the border of being frustrated and infuriated. How can they be so indifferent to something that is so important?
It is called apathy, and many people suffer from this debilitating disease. Unfortunately, throughout history it seems to be the #1 killer of spiritual lives. After the wall was rebuilt around Jerusalem, the Levites of the children of Israel began to recall their past and confess the sins of their nation. There was no doubt that their ancestors knew better than to ignore the law of God, but they grew complacent in following God and neglected His Word. I notice in this passage before us a progression of spiritual apathy.
First, an apathetic personal clearly knows what he needs to do. There is no doubt about the objectives that are laid out before Him in the Word of God. He cannot plead to be ignorant to God's truth. Second, there creeps within the soul of man a "who cares" attitude. Does it really make that much of a difference how we live, what we do, or where we place our faith? When our heart begins to ask these questions, we can emotionally and intellectually shrug our shoulders at God. Third, we become hardened to the truth of God, because it is obvious that we don't take it very serious. Satan now has a foothold on our apathetic hearts, and we have given him a place in our lives to cause rebellion and defiance. Finally, we just stop listening to the truth altogether. We probably didn't mean for it to get this far, but this is the result of a simple shoulder shrug. It is not that God's truth has changed or is not being declared just as boldly; it is very simply that we no longer have spiritual ears with which to hear. We have started listening to our own opinion and the voice of the Deceiver, and therefore God's truth has been drowned out by all the other noise.
We must continually be on guard for apathy and root it out at the very first sign. It can be conquered by the power of Christ, but that is the very power that apathy rejects. We must listen to the still, small voice of God in our hearts and surrender to His Word and His way.
May you care about what God cares about today!

Daily Light - December 1, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."

1 Corinthians 4:2

Let me use this verse one more time, and I'll move on. Isn't it amazing though how many areas we could speak of that we need to be faithful in? It would be a great challenge to all of us to let God examine our lives and reveal to us where we are lacking in the area of stewardship. It is obvious that to condense stewardship down to just money is out of bounds with Scripture.
The final area that we need to consider stewardship is ministry. Just as we receive every good and perfect gift from above, we have each received a ministry from God. We first receive ministry through the local church. The New Testament has much to say about the expectations of God's people within in the local church. Each local church can only thrive if each part of the body is doing its part. There are no insignificant members within the body of Christ. Each one of us has a pivotal role to play. That is why we are taught to not neglect assembling together. When we are not present and doing our part, there is most definitely a void that cannot be filled by any one else. God has placed you within the church for such a time as this. Some consider church attendance to be an optional part of their Christian life, but you will not find that idea paralleled any where in Scripture. This is one of the baby steps in being faithful in our walk with Christ. If we cannot take this step, we will most assuredly stumble in other areas.
Ministry by definition is also our obedience to God in serving others. We must however see that in serving others we are actually serving God. If your focus is on others, you will eventually burn out and get discouraged. You will find that not every one appreciates your tireless work and multiple hours of service. That realization has caused many to quit and give up on ministry altogether. Each ministry that we are called to serve in has its own challenges, but we must accept those challenges as from the Lord and be faithful. If God has given you a place of service, no matter how great or small, He will equip you to carry out that work for His glory. You must determine to be faithful to Him and serve others as if you were serving the Lord Jesus Himself. In the book of Matthew we are told that those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, take care of the sick, and encourage the discouraged are actually doing this to Jesus. Notice that it says that we are doing it TO Him and not just for Him. Isn't it incredible that we get to feed, clothe, and nourish the King of kings and Lord of lords? This though encourages me to not only be faithful to my ministry but faithful to my God.
May you minister as unto the Lord today!