Author Archives: lrbartel

Feb 16 2016
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Devos

Who’s in control around here anyhow? Anyone?

He's got the whole world in His handsI hear people every day express great fear and concern over world affairs. Events are occurring that frighten us. A leadership vacuum seems to exist and those who aspire to fill it often have characteristics that cause us concern. Ordinary people suffer the impact of it all upon their day to day affairs. Proffered solutions, human in origin, abound… Who is right? What to believe?
 
The situation was no different for God’s people Israel in ancient times! I read about it this morning is Isaiah 41. Times were scary… World affairs were unstable… Leaders were emerging… What to make of them? Was there any hand of Providence behind it all, ordering affairs, and acting on behalf of God’s people?
 
In the midst of it all God declared through His prophet… “I, the Lord, the first and with the last; I am He! … Fear not, for I am with you! Be not dismayed, for I am your God! I will strengthen you! I will help you! I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!” (from Isaiah 41:4, 8-10)
 
Hey, take it from me, Isaiah 41:1-20 is a worthy read today, given the situation in our world and our nation! Those who believe in and are trusting the Lord can be encouraged by its message! World affairs, as frightening as they are, are not beyond God’s knowledge and control. He is at work in our world and His plan and purposes will be fulfilled! I’m going to put my trust in Him as never before, fill my mind and heart with His word, and trust Him to work things out for His glory and the good of His people! How about you? Com’on let’s do it!
Feb 15 2016
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Devos

Almighty, Sovereign God cannot be domesticated!

Leviathan

Our temptation is to try to domesticate God – the ineffable, incomparable, sovereign, All-mighty God! We try to make Him over in our image! He won’t stand for it – it can’t be done!

God is not like a horse in someone’s stable – You cannot put a bridle in His mouth or a saddle on His back. He isn’t like your dog – He cannot be leashed or trained to do your bidding. He can’t be caught like a trout with a lure and put in your fishing basket. He can’t be programmed like your computer to act at your commands… I could go on…

In fact, Job, who had faced some incredible trials and weathered some unfair accusations, asked God some tough questions and even expressed some personal frustration with what God allowed to come his way (read the book!). The sovereign, Almighty God decided it was time to ask Job some questions… It’s all found in Job 41…

God drew on the imagery of a powerful sea monster – bigger than life… “Leviathan” Interpreters are not sure whether or not “Leviathan” was an actual creature or a mythical sea monster – powerful, untamed, fire-breathing, ferocious, and incredibly dangerous! The question God fired at Job was, “Job, can you tame him? Can you make him your pet? Can you master Him? Will he do what you want him to at your beck and call? Read it in your Bible…

Then God fires this question at Job… “Who then is he who can stand before Me? Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine! [even Leviathan!]” (Job 41:10-11)

God is God! God will be God! He cannot be domesticated – He cannot be tamed! He cannot be ordered around! He is sovereign! But He is also loving! He knows what He is doing (and very often we don’t know what God is doing or how He is doing it)! We’ve got to trust Him! We’ve got to depend on His character as He has revealed Himself. Almighty God is greater than “Leviathan!” The ancients could not domesticate “Leviathan” – and we can’t make God do what we want Him to either! We can, however, trust Him, depend on His revealed character, and appeal to His love, mercy and grace! And I’m going to!!!

Feb 13 2016
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Devos

The sense of satisfaction that comes from serving the Lord!

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As I get older (and as I work with young men and women preparing for Christian service) I find myself looking back on years of service for the Lord and encouraging young emerging leaders to look ahead! I want to look back with satisfaction – gratified at what God has accomplished through my efforts. I urge young leaders to look ahead and serve the Lord with all their hearts – “all in” if you please – so that they will have no regrets!

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I read Paul’s reflection later in his life about what he had done – and what he resolved to do – as he sought to serve the Lord in apostolic ministry… Here it is in his own words…

“In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God! I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles [i.e. “the nations] to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ! I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see! And those who have never heard will understand!” (Romans 15:17–21 ESV)

“Pride” is a slippery word… filled with all kinds of risks for a “servant of the Lord!’ Paul, however, in this passage, is not talking about arrogance! He is talking about a sense of fulfillment, of satisfaction, of accomplishment, of calling pursued and realized… It’s the same kind of feeling a person has when a difficult task has been tackled and the tools are laid down at the close of the day, with the full knowledge they’ll need to be picked up again tomorrow… My dad, with satisfaction written all over his sweaty face after a busy day of hard work, would put it this way, “Well, that’s done… for today!”

Listen, I want that kind of attitude at the end of my “day” of labor! I covet it for every young servant of the Lord I am privileged to mentor! I’ll work hard and won’t be satisfied “until the whole world knows!”

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