Coffee With The Lord

We live in a frightening, difficult time!  People all around us suffer the consequences of weak, compromising, evil leadership.  They suffer, not only the consequences of the decisions and influence of poor leaders, their own choices and lifestyle have become compromised and evil!  It seems the culture has lost it’s “moral compass,” have rejected Biblical values, and seek to find their own way without God’s guidance and help.  It is easy in a cultural context like this to become frustrated, discouraged, and lose hope!

This morning in my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read of a time like that in Israel… 1 Kings 17-18 in the Bible!  A flawed, weak, compromising and evil national leader – Ahab.  Sinful, godless, immoral behavior everywhere,  infecting the culture.  The nation and its people were bearing the sad consequences of forsaking God and going their own way.  God had sent a devastating drouth (neither dew nor rain for 3 ½ years – cp. Luke 4:25; James 5:17) as judgment for their behavior.  It was terrible – it was painful – and the righteous suffered right along with those who were evil!

Where was God in a time like that?  Well, the Lord raised up a godly leader – a prophetic voice – Elijah!  In the midst of the chaos, desperation, and trial, there was Divine provision and miraculous activity (Elijah was miraculously cared for, an obedient widow experienced Divine provision, her son who died was raised to life, and God vindicated Himself on Mount Carmel.

The lesson?  Hey, it may seem evil is winning the day… that weak and evil leaders are leading the nation into spiritual and moral chaos… that compromise and moral drift abounds… But in the face of it all, depend on the fact that God is at work!  He is raising up godly leaders empowered by the Holy Spirit that will declare His word… He will miraculously provide, protect and care for His own… and ultimately Satan will be defeated, and the cause of Christ will triumph!

Sometimes reading the book of Proverbs reminds me somewhat of cleaning out a drawer that has collected a variety of stuff… You start looking in the drawer and find all kinds of interesting and good things you almost forgot that you had.  Only difference?  In this drawer there’s nothing to throw away – it’s all good! 🙂  This morning in reading from Proverbs I encountered a variety of “good things” to keep and remember (Proverbs 14 verses 29-31, 34)…

Good thing #1… “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding!  But one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”  I really need to work on that one!!  I’m a “Type A” personality and do not handle delay, traffic, or whatever is frustrating very well… anyone know what I mean? 😉

Good thing #2… “A tranquil heart [or ‘a heart of peace’] gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”  Oh may I have “a tranquil heart” and not envy what others have or have been given!  A heart of peace (not filled with envy) is a health-giving thing!  (If we only realized the psychological and physiological damage envy causes!!)

Good thing #3… “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God!”  This one really separates the godly person from the ungodly – the righteous from the wicked!  I want to always “honor God” by my continual and evident kindness to those in need!  Oh God help me to have a generous and compassionate spirit!!

Good thing #4…  “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people!”  Oh, this morning my heart is broken because of the moral drift of our nation!  I grieve to see leaders condemn what is godly and affirm what the Bible clearly calls sin!  It shames us!!  It will ultimately eat out our national character and bring rot to our nation!  We should be ashamed of ourselves.  It should drive Christians to their knees in concerned intercession.  We desperately need a moral and spiritual revival in America!

Good stuff in that spiritual drawer this morning!  Glad I had “coffee with the Lord”!!

Choices have consequences…

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.  

“You have plowed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way.”  (Hosea 10:12–13 ESV)