Coffee With The Lord

On this last day of January – the month of “New Years resolutions” – many of which, I’m sorry to say, have probably been discarded or fallen into disuse… (Hopefully some have survived with determined discipline!)

So this morning, during my time of “coffee with the Lord,” I read a passage that was a little like reading through someone’s “New Years resolutions” on January 1!  In my Bible it was given this title: “Behave Like a Christian!”  Is consists of a varied and valuable list of behaviors that, if followed, would make an incredible impact on our world in the name of Christ and the Gospel!  Here it is from the New Living Translation…

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.

Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Love each other with genuine affection,

Take delight in honoring each other.

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Rejoice in your confident hope.

Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them.

Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will 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.

Don’t think you know it all

Never pay back evil with more evil.

Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back, says the LORD.  Instead, If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.’ [quotation from Proverbs 25:21-22]

DON’T LET EVIL CONQUER YOU, BUT CONQUER EVIL BY DOING GOOD.” (Romans 12:9-21)

So, I’m overwhelmed!  Just overwhelmed!!  I wrote this in the margin of my Bible today… “Where to begin?  I fall so far short!  I could camp out for a month here!  No… for a year!!  Oh Lord help me – assist me – enable me!  Remind me!  Transform me!  I want to live like this!  I long to be this kind of Christian… NOT OVERCOME BY EVIL AROUND ME, BUT OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD!!  That’s my prayer on January 31!

How important is our integrity?

Job went through incredible trials, testing, even the false accusations of “friends,” yet he declared… “As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies … Till I die, I will not deny my integrity … my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live!” (Job 27.3-6)

As I read these words this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I thought of my father, Ewalt W. Bartel… Not a perfect man (none of us are!), but a godly man! And a man I had the opportunity to watch closely … a man who went through some incredible trials!! And I testify to this fact, honoring him today … He never sacrificed his integrity! Today, other friends of mine come to mind … people who have faced incredible pressure, difficulty, temptations and challenges … I watched them… They never sacrificed or abandoned their integrity!

God help me!! I want to be that kind of person! I want my family, my wife, my children, my friends, my colleagues, AND MOST OF ALL MY GOD to be able to say that about me!!

I really don’t know how to express what I’m feeling this morning as a result of spending time with the Lord in His word!!  I just finished reading a passage from Job 26.7-14 and then Apostle Paul’s doxology in Romans 11.33-36 after he had reflected on God’s marvelous plan to save humanity… Both passages left me in awe!!!  I’ll post them for you without comment for you to read for yourself below. 

Maybe a picture will help you understand though…  Anyone who has ever been to Petra in Jordan will know the experience I’m talking about… You walk down a long, narrow passage with towering stone walls on each side (not very pleasant if you have claustrophobia! 🙂  Then your guide, dramatically stops, makes a few comments about the history of the place, takes you a few steps forward and suddenly you catch just a glimpse of one of the grandest sights on planet earth… but it is just a glimpse (look at the picture).  A few more steps and you are simply blown away by the grandeur of it all!!

Enough said… Here is what Job said…

“He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.  He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.  He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud.  He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.  The pillars of heaven tremble and are astounded at his rebuke.  By his power he stilled the sea; by his understanding he shattered Rahab.  By his wind the heavens were made fair; his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.  Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26:7–14 ESV)

And this is how Apostle Paul exploded in worship!!

 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!  For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?  Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?  For from him and through him and to him are all things! To him be glory forever. Amen!!”  (Romans 11:33–36 ESV)