While on the battle field: Isaiah 40:13–14

During the 7th day of prayer in this 7th month of July during the 7 hour fast (An Urgent Call to Prayer), as I prayed I came upon these verses in Isaiah 40 which led to a time of deep repentance.

Isaiah 40:13–14
“Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord,
    or what man shows Him his counsel?
Whom did He consult,
    and who made Him understand?
Who taught Him the path of justice,
    and taught Him knowledge,
    and showed Him the way of understanding?”

What a twisted culture we stand in. What arrogance exudes from created men and women who turn their faces from Truth with proclamations of something greater, something more tolerant and just, something more knowledgeable and progressive, something that could offer understanding to the all-knowing, all-powerful, all-wise, all-worthy Creator of their minds and the bodies that house them. How filthy the hands that smear dirt on the purity of Truth as they shove shame down the throats of people who uphold their Maker as the ONE authoritative Lord and King; how devastating that so many of these hands belong to those who claim to walk under the banner of Christ.

Have we “progressed” to a position greater than perfect and holy God Almighty? Have we established something more just than the One who is both the just Judge and the Justifier? Have we become so wise in our own eyes that we think we have something to teach the One who possesses all wisdom? Have we raised ourselves higher than the One who sits enthroned above all that exists and holds creation together by His word and power? Do we think the One true and living God is so small as to require our counsel, our assistance in helping Him understand what is good and right and just and true?

Because if that is where we stand, we should remember this: “Therefore God has highly exalted [Jesus] and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9–11)”

It does not matter who we are in our own eyes or in the eyes of those around us...it matters only how God see us and who we are in Him or apart from Him. And though we may deny the Way, the Truth and the Life, one day we WILL take our rightful place before Him; we WILL bow to Him and we WILL confess Him to the glory of the Father. No exceptions.

Therefore....Humble yourself before Him that HE may exalt you; repent of the foolishness you have presented as wisdom, the sin you have presented as righteous, the pride you have presented as progress. God is the one who has all wisdom, understanding, justice, knowledge, power...there is nothing we can add to His perfection.

While on the battle field: Psalm 91:13

During the 7th day of prayer in this 7th month of July during the 7 hour fast (An Urgent Call to Prayer), as I prayed I came upon this verse in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91:13
“You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.”

What fuel for prayer! We hear the devil referred to in scripture as a roaring lion who prowls about seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8) and as the serpent who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9). In Christ we will TREAD on this lion and adder...and even greater still is this: we can quench his handiwork--the sin that threatens our children--by trampling out the seeds of sin that have been birthed in this world before they grow from cub to king of the jungle, from small snake to venomous, strangling, hissing serpent. 

Oh to fight on the battle field of prayer, wielding the weapons of Christ in spiritual battle for the souls of the young in our culture, that they would grow up free from the sting of the serpent and roar of the lion. We can trample down the seeds planted before they bring forth fruit in the new souls, lives and hearts of those whose faces look forward into the unknown future of this nation.

Christ is already victorious: We fight a vanquished foe. Let us forge forward on our knees to keep the evil at bay as we stand in the gap for those who walk behind us.

A piece from a puritan prayer from the Valley of Vision:
"O Lord,
I bless Thee that the issue of the battle
            between Thyself and Satan
            Has never been uncertain
            And will end in victory.
Calvary broke the dragon’s head,
            And I contend with a vanquished foe,
            Who with all his subtlety and strength
            has already been overcome.
When I feel the serpent at my heel
May I remember Him whose heel was bruised,
But who, when bruised, broke the devil’s head.
My soul with inward joy extols the mighty Conqueror."

Lessons from the wilderness

I went to a bible conference in Iowa this past weekend, we explored a little bit of the life of Moses; what a man, what a life. During one of the messages, we looked at lessons Moses learned during his 40 years wandering in the wilderness. I thought it would be beneficial to me to consider the things I have learned over the past 2 years of my journey through the wilderness I have trudged, walked, ran, crawled, wept and whined through. I am grateful that Moses’ God is also my God.

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MY LESSONS FROM THE WILDERNESS:

God provides strength for my moments simply by His presence...even if I do not have within me the power to lift my own head.

God doesn’t want me to go back...even if “back” is a good place.

I cannot and will not leave the desert unchanged.

God knows my limitations and never shames me for my weaknesses.

In the wilderness, my bottom line is revealed. (The depth of my heart, what I desire most, what is above all else...)

When distance is felt between God and myself, it is always on my part, not His.

Before the Lord, “weak” is a perfectly acceptable state of being.

God is very gentle...and the sharper the pain, the more threatened I am by doubt, the more heavy the load...the more gentle He is with me.

God is enough...in Him I have everything I need.

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These are a few that came to mind, some profound realities that have comforted and kept me as I have struggled, flailed and faltered since Noah died.

Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?...For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men...You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, THAT my glory may sing Your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (Job 2:10, Lamentations 3:33, Psalm 30:11–12)

There is ALWAYS purpose to the suffering the Lord brings or allows into our lives. To me, that makes all the difference. I know that it is the twisted depth of my own nature that sometimes requires such intense pain to make straight what has been distorted, to rebuild what has been improperly erected, and to lift me from the derailing ruts I have fallen into over time. God loves me too much to leave me as I was; He desires my holiness and my wholeness and will go to any length to draw me fully to Himself.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Picture: Leaving the wilderness

I am standing in the desert looking ahead at green on the horizon, the welcome shore to an endless sea of sand and dry and heat. Stretching forward across the expanse of green are many roads and far away over many hills stands the Cross against a backdrop of blue. As I stand, unable to discern which path leads to the Cross, satan shoots arrows at me. 

Because here is the truth, he does not want me to leave this wilderness because God cannot use me here; and if I do succeed in leaving, he wants me to leave wounded so that the full effect of God’s purpose for my time here would not come to fruition but would instead leave me crippled.

And yet, as disconcerting as this uncertainty feels, as intimidating as these arrows may appear, this I know: It does not matter if I can discern which road before me leads to the Cross...I need only fix my eyes on Jesus and walk straight toward Him.

2 Chronicles 20:12b “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”