Coffee With The Lord

“Be careful of that rifle son,” Dad said, “it has a ‘hair trigger!”

As a young man growing up, we were part of a rifle club, and one night a week we’d go to the local school gym and target practice with 22-calibre target rifles, shooting into target traps at the end of the building. It was a great time with Dad and it gave him an opportunity to train us in gun safety and marksmanship.

This particular week, I heard his words, but didn’t think about their significance… I began to get down into a prone shooting position, but my finger was not quite safely on the trigger guard, it slipped off the guard, touched the trigger, and a shot was discharged, hitting a light switch on the other end of the gym, shattering it into a thousand pieces (fortunately not hitting or hurting anyone)! A few scolding words, and further instruction from a loving Dad and an important lesson learned! … “Be careful of a ‘hair trigger!”

I also had a “hair trigger” when it came to my temper! Anger management has been an issue for me (perhaps you too?). Something or someone would irritate me, try my patience, and I would “pop off” indiscriminately… saying and doing things that hurt people and that I would regret. It’s an area where God has had to do a transforming work within me through the power of the Holy Spirit… AND an area in which I have had to be spiritually vigilant… More than once I’ve heard my Heavenly Father’s voice warn me through the Holy Spirit, “Be careful son! Remember, you’ve got a ‘hair trigger!”

Thought of that issue in my life as I read these words in my Bible this morning…

“Understand this, you must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry! [and I need to be all three!] Remember, human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires! … If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless!” (From James 1:19-20, 26 NLT)

I’m listening Lord! Help me, remind me, and enable me!

You’ve seen ‘em – a flower that appears to be alive, vibrant and thriving, beautiful out in a field in the springtime. They’re delicate and delightful! But then something happens, the weather changes, circumstances happen, something in the soil changes and what was a few days earlier bursting with hope, health and beauty, quickly fades, wilts, looks diseased and eventually decays!

In my Bible reading this morning I encountered a word of warning based upon that analogy!

It was directed toward those who make wealth their lifegoal… Those who suddenly experience prosperity and forget the things in life that really matter… Those who shift from eternal lasting values to what is material. They forget the transient, delicate, temporary, unpredictable nature of the pursuit of wealth!

Here it is from the letter from James in the Bible, “a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ”…

James reminds us, “Believers who are poor have something to boast in… God has honored them! …But those who are rich … will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.” (From James 1:9-11 NLT)

It’s tragic… I’ve seen it happen and so have you! Money suddenly comes… prosperity comes… wealth come… and things change for people. Their goals change, their values change, their pursuits change – even their attitude and actions change! If they are not careful, before long they have exchanged what is eternal for what is transient, and forget that the prosperity they are enjoying can and will pass away! Fine houses, expensive vacations, fine dining, expensive cars, large bank accounts and thriving investments get more and more attention and they slip into spiritually destitution! “The flower fades” James says!

Oh, It’s not just James to gives the warning… Apostle Paul did as well!

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” (1 Timothy 6:17–19 NLT)

And if that wasn’t enough, Jesus Himself address this topic…

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be… No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money… Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (From Matthew 6:19–33 NLT)

Oh Lord, help me to remember and prioritize what really matters in life! That’s my prayer!!!

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!