Coffee With The Lord

Wow! God has the power to transform a life! Oh, the life-changing impact of a personal encounter with the living Christ! The gospel claims to be “the power of God for salvation to EVERYONE who believes! And there is no greater case study that exhibits and demonstrates that truth than Apostle Paul (I read about it this morning during “coffee with the Lord” in the Bible)…

By his own admission Paul said, “I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death. I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities!” (Acts 26:9–11 the NET Bible)

What an absolute contrast in 1 Corinthians 9:19-24! Talk about life transformation!! The “same guy” (no NOT the same guy) says…

“Although I am free from all, I make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew to gain the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) to gain those under the law. To those free from the law I became like one free from the law (though I am not free from God’s law but under the law of Christ) to gain those free from the law. To the weak I became weak in order to gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some. I do all these things because of the gospel!” (from 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 NET)

I gotta tell you… if it could happen to Paul… I can happen to anyone. God has the power through what Christ accomplished to completely transform lives through the gospel. I’m convinced of it! I’ve observed it! I’ve got some people on a list that I’m praying for… I’m believing for it to happen to them!

One of the great challenges of life is trusting God in a crisis.  Everything is up for grabs!  It is as if the ground shakes and wobbles beneath you uncontrollably.  Everything you have grown to depend on is unstable.  Every principle and precept that worked before is now in question.  Nothing seems to work right – one thing after another fails.  One minute faith… the next minute frantic!  You try this… and then you try that… You cry out to God!  You read the Scripture!  You ask for the counsel and advice of friends!  You feel panic!  You pray some more!  You ask, “will this situation never end!?”

David, the Psalmist, knew those feelings!  I read the words he penned in Psalm 27 this morning during “coffee with the Lord” and I identified… I think you will too.  Why not make his words your own today?

“The Lord delivers and vindicates me! I fear no one! The Lord protects my life! I am afraid of no one! … Even when an army is deployed against me, I do not fear. Even when war is imminent, I remain confident.  I have asked the Lord for one thing— this is what I desire! I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.  He will surely give me shelter in the day of danger; he will hide me in his home; he will place me on an inaccessible rocky summit… Hear me, O Lord, when I cry out! Have mercy on me and answer me!  My heart tells me to pray to you, and I do pray to you, O Lord.  Do not reject me! … You are my deliverer! Do not forsake or abandon me! … Even if my father and mother abandoned me, the Lord would take me in.  Teach me how you want me to live; lead me along a level path! … Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord’s favor in the land of the living?  Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!  (from Psalm 27 the NET Bible)

So here’s what I believe… I believe the Lord can help me!  If I call out to Him – If I depend on Him… I believe He can turn my “frantic” into faith!

It’s the beginning of another work-week… Here’s how the work of God moves forward in our world… It’s as old as Exodus in the Old Testament… Read about it this morning during “coffee with the Lord”…

Giving what you can… Doing what you can…

“Moses spoke to the whole community of the Israelites, ‘This is the word that the Lord has commanded:  Take an offering for the Lord.  Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord… Every skilled person among you is to come and make all that the Lord has commanded…  So the whole community of the Israelites went out from the presence of Moses.  Everyone whose heart stirred him to action and everyone whose spirit was willing came and brought the offering for the Lord for the work of the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.  They came, men and women alike, all who had willing hearts.”  (from Exodus 35:4–22 the NET Bible)

I want what the Lord is seeking to do in our world to be at the very top of my “to do” list!  So, here’s the deal for me… I’m going to give what I can… and do what I can.  If we all pitch in under the leadership and empowerment of the Holy Spirit the work of God in our world will get done!!  It’s Monday… up and at ‘em!!