Category — Attributes of God

In my new found relationship with God, David was one of my heroes. As I learned about him in 1 and 2 Samuel and read his prayers in the Psalms I wanted to imitate his love and passion for the Lord. David’s strong, masculine relationship with God also demonstrated for me what God wants to do in and through a man who follows him.

After God delivered David from those who were trying to kill him David wrote Psalm 18. There he credits God with the strength and protection that spared his life. I love the way he expresses his dependence and diligence as a man trusting God. In verse 29 (NLT) David shouts with joy to God, “In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.” I too wanted to be a man who is following Jesus Christ and trusting him for strength and leading.

Well, at 19 years old, we were still at war in Viet Nam and the draft was still in force. So when I received a letter from Uncle Sam informing me that I was being inducted into the military, I remember feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. I knew that nothing like this could happen to me without God’s sovereign direction. The military was not something I had shown any interest in, but I took it as an opportunity to grow in Christ and serve my country. [Read more →]

When I was 16 years old, I participated in a 1300 mile bicycle trip around Lake Superior. The trip took us through Wisconsin, Ontario and Minnesota. Twenty three of us embarked on this adventure. Although we had trained hard to get ready for cycling 100 miles a day, once into the trip we realized that the only way to really prepare for riding 100 miles a day is to ride 100 miles a day!

I was riding a 1968 Sears and Roebuck ten-speed racer with a hard plastic seat. Others rode heavy Schwinns and quite a few bought brand new Gitanes—a super light-weight French bike. But no matter what we were riding, by the third day our butts were sore! Past that third day mark we began to get into a groove in which we felt good and rode hard. [Read more →]

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Psalm 34:8 NLT

Over the next few weeks I’ve decided to tell some of the stories of God’s faithfulness in my life. My prayer is that if you have never “tasted and seen” how good God is that you would begin to experience the joy of trusting him. Or perhaps in the past you have “tasted and seen” that God is good, but that experience seems foreign and distant. Take heart! God invites us:

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:1-3, 6 NLT) [Read more →]

In the 80’s my wife and I were missionaries in Austria. For a time we worked in a town with a population of 40,000 to establish a church. When we started looking for a place to rent in town we were amazed to find that there was nothing available! So a friend of ours began driving the neighborhoods looking for vacant houses. He found such a house and put us in contact with the owner.

Apparently a nine-year-old boy had inherited this 100-year-old villa from his aunt, who had not been able to care for it or herself for the ten years prior to her death. After she died, the house sat vacant for another five years. It had been broken into several times and ransacked by vandals. When the mother of the boy (owner) showed us the house, it looked like Frankenstein’s lair! Everything was covered with soot. The curtains, floor and furniture all were blanketed in black soot. The place was a mess! [Read more →]

As I read through the Bible one of the things that I enjoy about God is the creative way he chooses to do things! Look at just a few of these: he created many things out-of-nothing, yet when he created man, he took some dirt (that he’d already created) out of which he formed him; God provided manna for Israel’s food every day for 40 years; he rebuked an evil prophet by allowing the prophet’s own donkey to speak to him; he brought down the walls of a mighty city by asking Israel to march around it; he got Jonah’s attention by preparing a great fish to swallow him for three days and then spit him out on land!

Then we go to the New Testament where we find Jesus also working creatively. Sometimes he healed people just by speaking a word; other times he touched them; once he made mud and daubed it on the eyes of a blind man and told him to wash; he turned the water contained in six large ceremonial jars into fine wine at a wedding; he asked Peter to go catch a fish in which he would find a coin of an exact denomination in order to pay taxes! The Lord is incredibly creative in his dealings with mankind. [Read more →]

When I was 12 years old our church launched a campaign to raise pledges for missions for the coming year. The church leadership challenged us to spend time asking God what amount he would have us trust him for. Our leadership also led by example. God had given me a vision for reaching the lost around the world and I knew that he wanted to use me in a small way to see that vision accomplished. I prayed and sensed that he wanted me to trust him to give $4.00 per week through me.

As a 12-year-old I received a dollar per week for my allowance, so I couldn’t simply divert what was already coming in to my giving. I prayed that God would give me opportunities to earn enough to meet my pledge of $4.00 per week for the next year. I still remember how excited I was that morning in church when I turned in my pledge card. I knew I was embarking on an adventure with God and I could hardly wait to see how he would work in my life! [Read more →]

For many of us, somewhere along the line, our relationship with God degenerated into a joyless, obligatory maintenance of moral and religious behaviors. This was the case with the Pharisees and teachers of the law in Jesus’ day. On one occasion, Jesus had collected a gathering of “tax collectors and sinners” who were listening to him teach. The Pharisees and teachers of the law found this disgusting and criticized Jesus for fraternizing with these low-lives.

Specifically in response to their grumbling, Jesus told the Pharisees and teachers of the law three parables: that of the lost sheep; the lost coin; and the lost son—also known as the parable of the prodigal son. In the parable of the lost son, Jesus gives the Pharisees and teachers of the law at least three stark lessons to chew on. [Read more →]

In the previous post I challenged us to see ourselves as followers of Christ who have been and are being transformed. What are some of the ways that God wants to change us? What are some telltale characteristics of a follower of Christ? Paul urges us, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus gives us some very clear indicators of what it means to follow him. Observe how relational these characteristics are. These indicators are not meant as a list to keep—that does not work in a relationship! Instead, view them more like relational skills in pursuing our relationship with Christ. (What I’ve provided below are merely five such characteristics.) [Read more →]

Psalm 100 is one of the classic Psalms on worshiping God: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Reading through that Psalm it’s hard to miss the joy, gladness, joyful songs, thanksgiving and praise! These are all right responses to God in worship because of who he is. We often mistakenly think we have to feel joyful before we can worship God with joy. Typically what that means is that we behave as though our joy was tied to our circumstances—which manipulate our feelings—which drive the tone and intensity of our worship. For many years I was caught up in thinking like that. But that’s all upside down thinking that stifles our freedom to worship God joyfully! [Read more →]

Worship of God is the highest expression of relationship mankind is capable of. No earthly experience is more euphoric, more intimate and more fulfilling than the act of worshiping God. In worshiping God, we draw attention to and revel in His perfect, holy awesome Person. In view of His infinite greatness and everlasting love toward us, our only right response is one of humility, brokenness, neediness and overwhelming gratitude—all expressions of worship.

A mere glimpse of God’s great love for us buckles our knees before Him in profound thanksgiving and praise! Before His glory, we are stripped of all pretense and worthiness. He sees right through us and knows our secret thoughts and passions. We are laid bare—naked and exposed before him. Yet, God’s infinite joy and peace overcome our fear of exposure, and we find safety and acceptance in His presence. With Him we enjoy relief and release from all guilt and shame. [Read more →]