Coffee With The Lord

Choices! Choices! Choices! – So many voices! Such divergent advice! Completely differing goals, values and perspectives!

Here’s a truism from God’s word… Faith is foundational for godly, God-informed and influenced decisions! When you ask for His help and guidance you’ve got to believe He will provide it – that He will help and guide you! You can’t play it multiple ways… your way, the world’s way, and then throw in God’s way just to have your bases covered.

Here’s what James had to say about it (I just read it during my time of “coffee with the Lord” in the Bible)…

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you! He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” (From James 1:5–8 New Living Translation)

Now the guidance needed may be principles that come right out of the Bible, God’s word. It may come from trusted, trustworthy spiritual leaders. Circumstances may come together in such a way that it is clear God is leading you. God sometimes even makes His way clear through supernatural events. One of my favorites though, is this personal Spiritual truism… “The will of God grows on you!” (In other words there is a growing sense of “oughtness” over time about what you should do when you ask for God’s guidance and truly seek His will.)

Bottom line though, here’s the deal… Ask God to guide you, seek His will, and choose the God-glorifying, God guided path!

Here was my Mom, Vera Constance Shirley Bartel’s, favorite verse on the subject (and take my word for it… she was a mighty “woman of God,” God-guided and God-blessed in every way)! She would tell her sons over and over again…

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart! Don’t lean on your own understanding! In ALL of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths!” (Proverbs 3:5–6 NKJV)

Hey, it worked for her! It’s working for me! And I know a lot of good godly people who will testify that it’s working for them!

Remember that word… “Don’t!”? Perhaps you have been one of those who chafed under that word and resisted it whenever it was used. Well this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read “4 Godly Don’ts in Proverbs… (Proverbs 24:15-22 Give it a read… Good advice!!!)

DON’T take advantage of the misfortune or reverses of the godly! They will recover – they always do (God sees to it!)

DON’T rejoice when your enemies stumble and fall! It displeases the Lord (and the Lord may just turn His anger from them to…???)

DON’T fret because of evildoers or envy the wicked! Remember, they have no future!

DON’T hang around with rebels – those who push the boundaries on what is appropriate and love violating the rules. It will catch up with them – disaster will come their way – they’ll either be punished by God or those in authority will meet out the punishment!

Today’s “coffee with the Lord” post is just a practical observation about the importance of preparation vs. enthusiasm.

You’ve seen it and so have I … You’re attending at pep rally for a sports event or a “rah-rah” sales meeting… the enthusiasm is running high, the applause is deafening, the victory cries are deafening, and emotions are infectious. But the opponent – the competition – is superior, is prepared and determined!

(Just as an aside – it’s a bit like some “worship services” I’ve attended… Heavy on “rah-rah” and emotion, but weak on a sense of mission, commitment, Biblical grounding, and prayerful strategy.)

Time for the confrontation with the adversary arrives… And the results are devastating – in a bad way… It’s a bit like a junior high JV team encountering a professional basketball team in a playoff… The score ends up something like “3 to 150” or worse!

Worse part is… sometimes God gets blamed for the embarrassing defeat! (“We prayed about it, after all! We were ‘doing it for His glory’ and look what happened!”)

I just happened to read a couple of verses in Proverbs this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” that helps put this picture in proper perspective… and provides some wise counsel…

“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good – haste makes mistakes! People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then blame God.” (Proverbs 19:2-3)

Enough said… just let it sink in!