Dulles Family Life Church

     Back in my college days, I had some interest in becoming a biologist.  It didn’t take me long to realize that the required course study was a real deterrent to achieving that goal.  Physics in particular was a real stumbling block.  I’m sure my professor was greatly entertained by many of my answers on his tests, but not so much that he passed me.  Still, there was one thing that even I could grasp concerning the laws of physics, and that is, if there is more pressure bearing on an object from the outside than is present from within, that object will be crushed.  That’s not only a physical law, but a spiritual one as well.  In my notes, I came across this quote I’d jotted down, but neglected to add the source.  The speaker was on target in saying, “If there’s a disparity between your inner and outer world, your world will collapse.”  Is your world on the verge of collapsing?  Has it already done so?
     I was reading of the present fuel shortage in the deep south due to Hurricane Ike.  Long lines at gas stations are yielding much tension and anxiety, as well as fist fights between customers.  People already under great stress and anxiety from many different sources are exploding, or maybe imploding would be a better way of putting it.  For those without Christ this is at least understandable, but I fear many who would lay claim to being one of His followers are living with just as much strain, stress and anxiety as those who don’t know Him.  I think there are many reasons for this but there are two I’d like to focus on.
     First, we tend to be people who can’t release things to Him.  We may invite Him in, but as our helper, not as our Lord.  We want to dictate to Him how the deeply important issues of our lives may be handled, and we want Him to give us regular updates on just what He’s doing concerning these issues, and of course, to receive our approval as to just how He intends to handle them before He acts.  Unfortunately for us, Jesus doesn’t go along with such a plan, and since He doesn’t, the result for us will always be stress, anxiety, and…..hopelessness.  Beth Moore says, “We lose hope when we can’t help God come up with a solution.”  In other words, we lose hope when we no longer feel in control.
     The second point concerns the matter of greater outward pressure in relation to the inward.  The pressures of life will always crush us when there is no counter to it in our spiritual life.  The power and Presence we need to overcome them will be missing when we have no real intimacy with Him, and intimacy with Him is something far more than having a “daily devotional.”  It’s a lifestyle.  A lifestyle missing in too many of us.”
     In I Samuel 30, David and his men have returned to their camp to find it raided by the Amalekites.  All their possessions, including their women and children were gone.  David’s men spoke of killing him, but it says in verse 6, “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”  This prayer came out of an ongoing, growing relationship with His Father.  It was not a mere crisis prayer, but a lifestyle prayer.  He was so intimate with God that falling into this kind of closeness to Him was as natural as breathing.  There was a crisis, but instead of crushing him, it elevated him into the Presence and power of God.  So it can be, and must be, for you and I.
     The stress and anxiety of our day is not going to lessen, and in fact, will grow worse.  Will they crush us, or, will they, like David, lift us ever nearer to Him?  There is no outward force to match Him.  As Jesus, “Greater is He that is in us, than He that is in the world.”  Will we believe that?  Will we live that?  Or, like a tin can under pressure, will we be crushed?

Blessings,
Pastor O

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     Back in the early 90’s I was seeking to share about the life to be had in Christ with a young guy I worked with named Ron.  Ron was trapped in a life of drug use, anger, bitterness, and hopelessness.  One day he lashed out at me, saying that what I was telling him of that life didn’t seem to be working for me.  I was a pastor who wasn’t in ministry.  My marriage had broken up, and I was working at a job that gave little satisfaction.  I had lost everything, at least from his perspective.  How could I talk about a Jesus who makes all the difference when the results seemed to be so unsatisfying in his eyes? 
     Questions like these are going to be facing each of us as we journey in faith with the Lord.  How can we trust Him when He seems to have forgotten us?  How can we follow Him when He seems to be leading us nowhere, except deeper into the wilderness?  I find answers for these questions in the account of Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, found in John 11.  Jesus was with His disciples when word came to Him of the illness of His close friend Lazarus.  His disciples expected to leave immediately, but the Lord waited 2 more days.  Finally He set out, and the disciples had hope that Lazarus could yet be healed.  Jesus simply said, “Lazarus is dead.”  When He came to the village where Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary lived, He was met by first Martha, and then Mary.  Both said the same thing to Him.  “Lord, if You had been here my borther would not have died.”  Left unsaid and unasked was, “Lord, why weren’t You here?  Where were You?  Why would You allow this?  How could You allow this?”  Watching all this were more than a few “Ron’s,” asking the question, “This man healed a blind man, why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?”  What they meant was either the Lord didn’t care, couldn’t help, or both. 
     Very likely you know the rest of the story.  Lazarus was in his grave, the tomb sealed with a stone.  Jesus ordered the stone removed, and for Lazarus to come out.  He did, to the amazement and joy of all, yet there was very little joy, and no amazement before that.  Life with Jesus can be that way at times.  We may each of us come to Him with the same questions as Martha and Mary.  “Lord, if You’d been here, this wouldn’t have happened.”  Maybe you’re there right now.  If so, these words of Christ should, must, live in your heart.  When Martha hesitated to have the stone removed from the tomb, Lazarus being dead more than 3 days and his body decaying, He said, “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?”  That’s the answer.  In the midst of the death of dreams, hopes, and plans.  In the center of our wilderness, He says to us, “Believe.”  Believe, and we will see His glory.  Martha and Mary did.  Lazarus did……I did.
     Romans 10:11 tells us that, “Whosover believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”  As writer R.T. Kendall says, “God will clear His name.”  Little more than a month or so after Ron’s biting observation of my life, The Father opened the door for me to reenter full time ministry.  Since then He has restored so much of what was lost, and with that which has been far better than what had gone before.  If we believe, we will see the glory of the Lord.  Our God, who can’t lie, has promised it.  In his book, “The Unfailing Love of Jesus,” Kendall shares at the very end of it this observation.  ” ‘Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ That is true.  Neither would Lazarus have been raised from the dead, which was a far better idea.”  Whatever has died in your life and left you feeling as if it is over and there is no hope, know that the Lord has something more for you.  Believe that and you will see His glory.  God, who cannot lie, PROMISED!

Blessings,
Pastor O

Tags: Heart Thoughts by oshell
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     Discernment.  My trusty dictionary of theology defines this as, “The ability to distinquish reality from appearances and truth from falsehood.”  It adds that, “Such insight is needed in respect to persons, doctines, impressions and specific situations.”  The Bible tells us that it is a definite gift of the Spirit, and it is a gift that is given, to some degree, to each of us, as the need arises.  It seems to be closely linked with having godly wisdom and maturity.  Perhaps that’s why there is so little of it present in the church today.
     We are living in a time when people are hungry, even desperate to hear from God.  When news arrives of some “new” move of God, believers seem to flock to that place, hoping to hear from Him.  Now, my purpose here is not to pass judgement on these gatherings, but to focus on that desperate hunger we seem to have.  We want to hear from God, yet far too many of us don’t.  We rely on someone else to tell us what He’s saying.  Our pastor’s, teacher’s, or mature, wise friends.  Why is it we ourselves seem to hear so little from Him, or even recognize His voice if we should?  Why are we so often easily fooled into thinking that what we do hear is from Him?  There are likely many reasons, but the greatest, I feel, is that while we long to hear from Him, we don’t desire to spend any real time with Him.  Jesus said that His sheep, “Know My voice and they follow Me, and another they simply will not follow.”  This comes as a result of intimacy, and intimacy is developed over time, and with deep effort.  It’s a relationship, and relationships take time to build, and we’re too busy, or distracted, or, to our shame, just not interested in that.  The rock group “The Who,” had a song in the early 70’s titled, “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but the people of God have demonstrated time and again that we will, both singulaly and corporately.  Paul, writing in II Corinthians 10:7 says, “The trouble with you is you make your decisions on the basis of appearance.”  How often have we done the same?  We see, and contemplate on something by fleshly means, and make a decision in the flesh, and are amazed when disaster comes.  It’s seen in relationship choices, job choices, ministry endeavors, really, in every area of our lives, and it continues.  How long will we continue to get “fooled again.”
     I John 4:1 tells us to test the spirits (which come through impulses, emotions, attitudes, etc.) and see if they come from God.  This is impossible when no real intimacy exists between He and us.  The devil is a master at disguising his voice, and he does so through the very things listed above.  As long as we continue to lack the ability to know the difference between his voice and the Lord’s, we’ll continue to be fooled, again and again and again, and to ever greater harm.  The Father looking upon the nation of Israel said from a grieving heart, “My people are being destroyed for a lack of knowledege.”  Does He speak this as He looks upon your life and mine?  we need to stop running to people for word from Him, and run, with all our hearts, to Him.  He longs to speak words of life to you and I.  Can we take the time, will we take the time, to hear them?  Or, will we get fooled……again?

Blessings,
Pastor O

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     Some years back I remember visiting a pastor friends worship service.  One of the chorus’ they sang went something like this: “I went into the enemy’s camp and took back what he stole from me.”  I expect it had it’s source in the passage found in II Kings 7.  The Kingdom of Israel is under siege by the Aramean’s.  The people are starving and on the verge of total collapse and surrender.  God, as He so often does, intervened, causing the Aramean’s to believe they were under intense attack, panicking and abandoning their camp and everything in it.  The amazed Israelites found this to be so, and verse 16 says, “Then the people of Samaria rushed out and plundered the Aramean camp.”  Equipment, supplies, and above all, food, much of it stolen from them, was theirs.  They’d taken back what the Aramean’s had stolen from them.  Would you desire to do the same?
     What might be in the camp of the enemy that’s been stolen from you?  Your past?  Your present?  Your future?  Your hope and dreams?  Your family, marriage, children?  Your innocence?  Your peace?  Your last chance?  Your soul?  Would you have it back?  Would you dare to walk into the enemy’s camp and take it?  The very thought is frightening, I know.  While the Israelite’s huddled behind their walls, starving, Almighty God Himself entered the camp of their enemy and put them to flight.  In Christ, He has already done the same for you and I.  Jesus said He has come to “Seek and save that which has been lost.”  He said that our great enemy, satan, comes to “Steal, kill and destroy,” but that He had come to give life, “and give it abundantly.”  An abundance of life.  On the cross, and with His resurrection, He gives such life, and in Him, what has been lost, stolen, can be restored to us.  He promises to “Restore to us the years that the locusts have eaten up.”  For many of us, the locusts have eaten up much.  Are we ready for a restoration?  Are you?
     Whether what has been lost or stolen from you is a result of your sin, or another’s, your failure, or another’s, Jesus can, and will, bring restoration.  He has already gone into the enemy camp and put him to flight.  Satan, like the Aramean’s, always panics at the sight of Jesus.  Now, you, in Him, in faith, must go into the enemy camp and take back what’s been stolen from you.  He will panic and flee when he sees you come, because it will not be you he sees, but Christ in you.  He must surrender to you, what he took from you.  So, will you have it back? 
     It’s time to take back what’s been stolen.  Marriages, children, church’s communities, nations.  All of it belong to those that are His.  What has been taken from you?  Would you have it back?  Enter the enemy camp, where Christ has already gone….and take it back.

Blessings,
Pastor O

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