Waiting in God's sovereignty for His "Yes."

I had a dream while living in Ohio, on Oak Street, and I know it was from God for me and a friend of mine.  The message was "sometimes we have to wait for the healing, the hope, the realization of dreams."  So often the larger culture speaks to us with the a great and positive message, that in its part is good, but doesn't factor in the first and most important issue of God in someones life.

It deals with self-sufficiency and how we can overcome great odds with dedication and perseverance.  But when we fail to balance life's paradox with God's will and His sovereignty, with fate and submission, we fail to find our place in this world.  Instead we whole heartedly carve out some expectation of happiness we can grasp onto.  A lawn that fades to weeds and dust that once held dreams of training ground for the next Mickey Mantle.  The track home with al the gadgets, yet filled with noise and argument. These expectations live in the dreams of others that we have adopted since giving up on our own.

When we seem to exist in chaos, any life raft will do to pass the time, but it will not satisfy the desire to reach land. That was my dream, my friend was swimming to shore after surfing and now was with out a board.  She found out that she swam straight to the rocks where every attempt to best them only cut her and left her wounded as the waves crashed on her back.

I could see the blood on her hands and the frustration in her face as the sky darkened.   Then a voice seemed to speak out the rational sense of the situation, "swim out."  Wait.  Wait for the tide to fall and climb up or wait for the tide to rise and swim over.  I don't know how much the tide raises and falls on average.  But I know that in life, sometimes God calls us to wait on His favor and timing.

We question how long will we wait for it.  Longer then we want seems to be part of the answer for most of us.

With blood in the water and fears in our heart, as night looms we live.  Jesus constantly focuses us on the everlasting, because we are all too familiar with the temporal.  What fears can hold us back from life?  The ones that we give power to, the ones we choose to believe.  And in as much we are choosing to disbelieve that God is in control, that He loves us and uses everything the world throws our way for good and His glory.  That we would produce fruits of righteousness and faith as we walk along the path set for us and fruit of our calling still ahead.  All the while leaving a trail of the great stuff all around us as we fulfill His desire for us. A desire for us to take on the character that will suit His image.

Much like when God called Moses to save His people and promised He would be with him.  Yet as Moses worked on his task, God worked to show a pagan world a God not made of wood or metal.  One Gad not named by men in Germany, or, Zeus in Greece, an omnipotent "I am that I am."  His divine goals, besides fulfilling a promise to Abraham, was to proclaim the truth about Himself amongst our speculations.  His mighty acts resounded through the world that God is truly with these people.    

A wicked and adulterous generation seeks a sign, when a sign has already been given.  Some of us who find ourselves out at sea have not given up hope.  We create banners calling out for the Lord to visit us in this day and this time.  To be famous in our generation and make His name bright in our lives & relationship.  It is not for us to criticize the storm that swept across indiscriminately, because the world does not revolve around us, but the Lord's affection does.  We we see that, we find the strength to wait bloodied and bruised for for the tide to come in.  Aching and trembling we find the truth about our strength and power through His.  Somehow faith becomes physical when we use it and ushers in the something that makes the only difference in this world.  A world where our lives are flame dancing in a breeze with no assurance.

I don't know why to see the truth of ourself we must venture to the brink death to peer over into the everlasting, but with out waiting we will never have use for faith and with out faith it is said "it is impossible to please God."  

The I am that I am is and we are not.  There is a truth and I am not it.  But it would be a privilege to be light container.  One of a million lights out on the ocean reflecting the image of the heavens.  Severing as beacons for those around us.  Truly we have nothing to offer the prideful, the self sufficient.  Dedication is great, but when wading in the sea patience is needed over strength.  When you here a no from God, a wait.  All your efforts against it will be fighting a tide stronger then you brushing up against sharp circumstances.  Yet a different experience can be had for the one who chooses to rest a float in God's sovereignty.  

Acts 7 Stephen reverses the charges

So you might think that the world is going to make you pay for your faith, you know good deeds and acts of service never go unpunished right?

Well not exactly, people love kind acts of hospitality and generosity, that is why movies like it's a wonderful life rate as the number one most inspirational films of all time. When the whole town rally's together to help George; the one man who gives of himself constantly to everyone else. It's a real tear jerk-er, get's me every time, sniffle sniffle...

Anyways, back on topic - Ok, Stephen's kind acts persuaded many priest to join the faith seen in Acts 6:7. So why then did his generosity cause such an uproar? It was not the acts but the reason he chose to do such acts. It was his preaching in the name of Jesus that caused a revolt against his humble servitude. It says in chapter 6 that those who argued with him could not stand up against his wisdom and brought false charges against him.

It's Jesus message that shocks us as humans...

You mean I can't just chose any God to serve... I can't worship a carved image... I there is only one God of heaven and earth... Are you saying that I am a sinner in need for forgiveness... Are you saying that I don't really know God... How dare you say I am clinging to worthless tradition... How dare you imply that I am empty... How dare you imply that I am causing others to stumble... How dare you compare me to a lost dumb sheep... How dare you!

Yes Jesus' message causes many to take a step back and gasp at the audacity of the blatant truth that Jesus confronts us with. We are a sinner who falls short, even in our utmost devotion in our sincere traditions.

But it was not the message or the action that caused Stephen's death. Unlike Jesus Stephen did not keep silent before his accusers when "then the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?"- Acts 7:1. Yet he did not try to defend himself, although it appeared to be the case as Stephen started his famous monologue of the Torah history. It appeared that he was stating a case for being an upright Jew who was completely inline with Jewish history. Yet that was not what happened...

Whether Stephen planned his speech or was led by God, Stephen went on the attack. He used the case that he just built to blame the religious leaders of the day for missing the messianic figure of Jesus. Not only did they miss the one the prophecies pointed to, but they were responsible for his blood. Right when they expected this feeder of the widows an orphans to say I am just an upright Jewish man who believes in Jesus; Stephen reverses the charges. He connects their acts to the acts of the religious hypocrites of old who wandered away from God in the desert and who persecuted the prophets.

Give me a moment while I just swallowed my gum, excuse me Stephen. You want to run that by me again?

Well, how would you feel if you knew this to be true! How would you feel if you knew the leaders who where judging you had blood on their hands and were guilty of much more then speaking the truth? You see the time line of Acts is just a few month after the death and resurrection of Jesus. The apostles after being brought to the synagogue for healing the sick continued to point out the recent fact that these leaders sentenced Jesus to death. The religious leaders said "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood"- Acts 5:27 to Peter and the other apostles.

It was in this environment that Stephen accused these leaders. These religious leaders had heard it all before but coming from this sweet little man who serves aunt Rita down at the soup kitchen was the last straw. This man with a face like an angel brought the thunder and they "covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him" - Acts 7:57-58

Yet after these charges were reversed Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." - Acts 7:59-60 He sent an appeal to God asking not to add this injustice to their account. Wow. Is it possible that these same men who stoned Stephen and Crucified Jesus could be found in the throne room of heaven?

That's a big thought! Could these men find the grace that God has been trying to extend this whole time to these people?

Jesus told us there is only one Judge and that it is God. We might say the whole lot of them will spend eternity in hell. Well if you would say that then you would have just condemed the apostle Paul to hell. For he stood with the coats of those who stoned Stephen approving of His death Acts 8:1. It is interesting to think who else might have yet been saved in that group and wonder what their unwritten stories are.

Acts 5 Ananias carried out

Interesting how the Lord guides and knows every detail to our lives, he knows our hearts and our intentions. I will be drawing images as they relate through our study in Acts. This week we read chapter 5 and I drew this image in response.

Acts 5:1-5 The passage...
"Now a man named Ananias together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for your self some of the money that you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God. When Ananias heard this, he fell down dead."

How appropriate that The Art Robbers blog gets kicked off with an image of a God Robber. I think it's a stark reminder that we may intend good as we start our careers with a purpose and passion for the Lord, but how we must guard from pleasing men and allowing the enemy a place in our hearts.

I recently caught myself lying to cover myself... Do I need to cover my weakness? Jesus demonstrated that God's power is made perfect in our weakness. Let me take on His character and let me reflect His power through my weakness. I think God wanted to remind me as we start this blog that its about our hearts be seen by God not about the praise of men.