Coffee With The Lord

Here’s a wonderful checklist to achieve maximum impact and influence as a Christ-follower in your neighborhood and within your culture… (Apostle Paul originally wrote it to believers in Rome, a pagan city fixated with “power politics” and “image consciousness” – but believe me, it’s good stuff for Christians who desire to influence their culture positively for Christ!)

Try it on for size… you might even want to make a list out of it and put it up somewhere in your office or home…

• Exhibit real love to others: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them! … Love each other with genuine affection.
• “Hate what is wrong! Hold tightly to what is good.
• “Take delight in honoring each other.
• “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
• “Rejoice in hope.
• “Be patient in times of trouble,
• “Keep on praying.
• “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.
• “Be eager to practice hospitality.
• “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them! Pray for God to bless them.
• “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
• “Live in harmony with each other.
• “Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.
• “And don’t think you know it all!
• Don’t try to get even! “Never pay back evil with more evil…  Instead, If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
• “Do everything in such a way that others can see you are honorable.
• Try to get along with others: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
• “Don’t let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing good.

Wow!  What a list!  I want to positively influence those around me for Christ, don’t you!  Give the list a title like, “How to Influence Your Neighbors for Christ” … Hey, I’m going to do it!

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” my thoughts drifted to the plight of many of God’s people in the world today! Some experiencing trials of all kinds, difficulties, pressure, persecution, even poverty and pain – people of faith, good people, righteous people. The writer of Hebrews described them this way. “Some were tortured…Some were jeered at, their backs were cut open with whips, Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All of these earned a good reputation for their faith!” (Hebrews 11:35-39 NLT)

That’s not just a description of what has happened to people of faith in the past – it describes some of the challenges godly, good people are facing today! Maybe even some of you who read this today (This morning I prayed for you!).

But I read a wonderful word of assurance in Isaiah… One day God will act! It’s a glorious day that we can all look forward to with joyful anticipation… Here it is right out of the Bible. May it encourage your heart, increase your hope, and inspire your praise!

“O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them… You are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat… [One day] the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world… He will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, ‘This is our God! We trusted in Him, and He saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!’” (From Isaiah 25:1–9 New Living Translation)

A brighter day is coming – God Himself has promised it! Praise the Lord!

People often experience God in the most unexpected and unusual places!

I imagine there are just a host of stories out there of God-encounters in unexpected places! … I’d love to hear ‘em. Here’s just a few I’ve heard: Encountering God while committing a crime, in a suicide attempt, during a frightening fit of anger, in a close call or a near death experience.

Saul, later renamed Paul the apostle, encountered the resurrected Christ while on his way to arrest and murder Christians. He certainly was not expecting to meet Jesus Christ! Read about it in your Bible – Acts 9:1-18 and his personal testimony about it in Acts 22:1-21.

Peter and Andrew – James and John powerfully experienced God while they were on the job – fishing and mending nets (Matthew 4:18-22)… even after a frustrating night as professional fishermen during which they had caught nothing (Luke 5:1-11; John 21:3-8).

Zacchaeus, a very rich man who had gotten his wealth by cheating others, was hiding in a tree (possibly curious about Jesus, but hoping to escape the Lord’s notice) and Jesus stopped right at the foot of his tree, looked up, and called him out… “Come down Zacchaeus! I must be a guest in your home today.” (Luke 19:1-10)

But the unexpected God-encounter that captured my attention today was in the Old Testament. Jacob had taken advantage of his brother, Esau, offended him, and cheated him. His brother was so angry he was plotting to kill him. Jacob was running for his life. Panting and out of breath after a day as a fugitive, Jacob finally fell down on the ground and made a rock his pillow. A fitful night of sleep ensued… Suddenly out of the darkness there appeared a stairway reaching from earth to heaven – angels were going up and down the stairway – at the top of the stairway… GOD! Instead of judgment – a blessing! A renewed covenant! Jacob woke up with a start! He exclaimed, “SURELY THE LORD IS IN THIS PLACE AND I WASN’T EVEN AWARE OF IT!” Jacob did when many have done when they’ve had experiences with God like that… they remember the time and place! They memorialize it! They make a solemn commitment of their life to the God who revealed Himself to them! Jacob did! He called the place “Bethel” (which means “house of God)!” And he vowed to honor God’s claims on his life with the first portion (a “tithe”) of all he would ever possess! (Genesis 28:10-22)

How about you? Have you ever had an experience – an unexpected encounter – with the Living God! What was your response? Did you mean what you vowed to the Lord? Have you kept your commitment?

Never had it happen yet? Be on the alert… God may encounter you in the most unexpected time and place! He is the business of revealing Himself to people in times and places like that. After all he told those who saw how he revealed Himself to Zacchaeus, “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost!” You can’t get away from Him – He knows where you are – He can find you and reveal Himself to you in the most unexpected times and places (if you doubt it read Psalm 139:1-11)!