Coffee With The Lord

I read a verse during “coffee with the Lord” this morning that was pretty intimidating (and on a few occasions I can recall it was an accurate assessment of my own failures). Proverbs 24.10… “If you fail under pressure, your strength is small.”

As I read it though, I thought “What is the answer to this problem?” I’d like to suggest a few answers that came to mind… (the list may not be a complete, but it’s a Thursday morning start… 

1. Always give your very best effort! Reach deep within and draw on the resources that you have – never allow a half-hearted effort lead you to defeat!
2. Cry out to the Lord for help and strength! Depend on Him to help you… He will!!
3. How did Jude say it… “Build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 20) Here is where “spiritual conditioning” comes in – the practice of spiritual disciplines that build your strength and endurance in the Lord for tough times.
4. Recruit the help and prayers of godly friends you can trust when you need to!
5. “Wait for the Lord” (Isaiah 40.31)! I know it seem counter-intuitive to do that (we want to take situations into our own hands) but if we’ll “wait” for Him and trust, giving time for God to act we’ll actually experience His renewed (or exchanged) strength.

Not a complete list by any means, but they’re the things that came to my mind as I thought and prayed about it this morning…

Oh, may the inspired purpose John articulated in his gospel be fulfilled!

“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name!” (John 20:30-31 NIV)

GENEALOGIES! One of the most neglected parts of the Bible! What many Bible readers try to avoid! The names are weird and difficult (if not impossible) to pronounce. There’s just one right after another with the dreaded words repeated over and over again… “Such and such BEGAT such and such, and another such and such BEGAT such and such” and it just seems to go on verse after verse – chapter after chapter!! Mention 1st and 2nd Chronicles and people actually cringe!!!

I’m reading the “genealogies” right now as part of my Bible reading during “Coffee with the Lord” … 1stChronicles alone begins with nine chapters of them (54 verses, 55 verses, 24 verses, 43 verses, 26 verses, 81 verses, 40 verses, another 40 verses, and 44 verses! … “BEGAT” AFTER “BEGAT” – NAME AFTER NAME!!

So a number of years ago, while pastoring a church, I had just finished my Bible reading and had laboriously struggled through some of the genealogies. I wasn’t in a very good (or religiously thankful) mood… I had a hospital call to make for a member of our congregation in a city about 90 miles away. Got in the car, backed it out of the driveway, and reached over to turn on the radio… Christian radio station, no worship music on at the time, and believe it or not a program entitled “The Heaven and Home Hour!” … DRAT!!! But the speaker caught my attention with these words… “I’ve was reading my Bible several years ago and I was right in the middle of the genealogies! I have to admit I was complaining to God about that part of the Bible, when God spoke to me… [NOW the guy had my attention!] The Lord spoke to my heart and said, ‘If I cared enough about those people to make them a part of my eternal plan – rest assured, I have an important place for you in my eternal plan as well!’” … Then he added “I’ve never read the genealogies the same again!” … TRUE STORY!!!

WOW! What a powerful truth!

And today – after reading the genealogies – I also read these words in Scripture…

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (From Hebrews 11:32–40 ESV)

Here’s hoping that you and I NEVER READ THE GENEALOGIES THE SAME AGAIN!