Where you at

In the course of life we sometimes come to a point on the road and wonder "how did I get here from there?". In my long and illustrious life (of 44 years) all of a sudden I realize that I'm older now than I was (duh)and I will not get any younger so where am I?
I have been on a journey the past 2 years that I never thought I would be on. There have been many changes that I have endured that have sought to bring me low and yet I find myself not low but different. For to long I have assumed so many things and have, to one extent or another, been adrift in a sea of complacency and predictability (if that is possible, I mean what is really predictable?) Things that I once thought certain and unquestionable are now things I wonder if I have totally missed it.
One thing is sure, none of this has caught God by surprise. In Acts 17:26, Luke recording what Paul said, it states "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." This is an incredible verse. God is omniscient and omnipotent so of course he can determine the time set for me and determine the exact place I should live but I have not thought that way. My mindset is to think that I have determined these things. I do have responsibility to do obey and do what is that God wants but it is God at work. The road or journey that we are on is an opportunity to know God and to understand what He wants to do in and through our lives. God is the author and perfecter of our faith. He calls us to be holy, obedient, loving followers of Christ and in the context of that relationship is able to do wonderful and marvelous things that we would have never comprehended even if were given the opportunity to look into the future.
Don't waste what you are going through with self-pity or feelings of abandonment. God knows where you are. Sometimes we don't know why we go through some of the stuff we do but God does. His ways are perfect and in weakness His power is made perfect. Remember that if you belong to the Lord He only has your best interest in mind and greater than that He has His glory in mind, so give it to Him; all of it.
Take a moment and consider where you at today (I know, bad grammar, sentence structure, sounds like a 3 year old speaking). Thank God he knows where you are and the plans He has for you.

Missing the Obvious

Okay, so the other day I am in Kansas City, MO visiting Josh, Kate and Jude. After our visit with Jude I am leaving the hospital with Kate and Shelly and I am riding in the backseat. Now if you know me, riding in the backseat is a rare thing. As we headed back to Josh and Kate's apartment and I am in the backseat looking around, I spot a LaMar's Donut Shop. Due to me not driving I am not paying attention as well as I should have to the location of the shop but decide that on Saturday morning I will get up early and go get some donuts, another thing I rarely do.
I head out on Saturday morning and make my way to Main street in KC in the Westport area. In my mind I am thinking that I saw LaMar's setback from the road. I drive slowly down Main looking for the shop. I don't see it. Thinking that I must have passed it I make a u-turn through a strip mall parking lot to head back. Then I think "no it must be further down or on a different road". So I head north. I still don't find it. I head over to another road, Gillham I think, then head back south. Still no shop. So I go back over to Main and I notice on a sign with Home Depot on it that it has other signs below it. One of the them says "LaMar's Donut Shop". And I say to myself,"self, I was just by here two other times". Sure enough there it is. It is located in the strip mall that I had previously made the u-turn in. Well, by the time I realize it I have missed the turn-in and have to go another block to make another u-turn so I can come back and go to LaMar's!!
Good grief!! It was so OBVIOUS!! And yet I missed it three times.

OK, here is the point. Paul says to the Romans "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" Romans 1:18-20

God does not play "pick-a-boo" with us nor does he want us missing the obvious. As Psalms states "The heavens declare the glory of God". If we will take just a moment and consider all that God is and has done, we will quickly recognize that God is at work; blessing, providing, sustaining, protecting, leading, instructing and the list could go on. Don't miss what God has made plain to us. He has demonstrated his love for us. Don't miss the obvious. Don't keep driving around thinking you know best. Get the direction you need from his word. Let that direct you and guide you to the place the Lord wants you.

One thing is sure, I will never forget where LaMar's Donut Shop is. May we never forget the obvious or the things that God has plainly made known to us.

More Attributes of God

As we continue to look at the attributes of God please think about the difference these make in your life. When you get to really know someone you have affections for them, you trust them and sometimes you begin to think alike. I believe the same is true when we get to know God more deeply. Thus, the reason for me sharing these attributes of God. I not only hope I will grow deeper in love with God but I hope you will as well. Here are two more attributes that I hope will help you know God better and more intimately.

God is eternal. That is, He has no beginning nor end. He is not bound by time. God was, is and will always be God. Moses said in Psalms 90:2 "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." Elihu makes this statement in Job 36:26 "How great is God - beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out." Jesus, in defending who he was said, "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am." God is eternal and because he is eternal what are we afraid of? Nothing should frighten us because God is eternal.

God is omnipresent, that is God is always present, he is everywhere at all times. It is important to note that God is not everything, as some would want us to believe. God is not a tree or bush or an animal or even a human (Except Christ came in human form yet was absolutely God) In Psalm 139:7-10 David records "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." What a great attribute! God is not some far away God that is not involved in his creation. He is omni (all) present (close to, here). This should bring us comfort and concern. We should be comforted to know that God is always with us, leading us, instructing us but we should be concerned as well that were we go he goes and what we do he is apart of. He is not a God who watches from a distant but he is near. Jesus promised in Matthew 28 that he would never leave us nor forsake us. God is omnipresent.

Attributes of God

This week in our staff devotion time we are looking at a few of the attributes of God. A.W. Tozer list 20 different attributes from Sovereignty to holiness to omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience. I whole-heartedly recommend A.W. Tozer's two books on this subject.

In this post let me share very briefly two of the attributes of God.

First there is Self-Existence. God has always been. He is the I AM of Exodus 3: 11-15. He didn't come into existence He has always existed. Acts 17:24-25 states "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."

Second, there is his immutability. This means that God never changes. He can always be trusted and will never be impulsive, unpredictable or moody. Malachi 3:6 states ""I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed." Also in James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

I would encourage you to study more about these attributes and know God in greater and deeper ways. I will share more attributes on my next post. Thanks for reading.