You are a God Story

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:6-8 (NLT)

God showed up to Israel when they cried out to him because they were reduced to starvation by the Midianites. He showed up to Gideon. God called Gideon to be part of the story.

God led Gideon step by step through His plan. When Gideon was unsure, God reassured him with signs. When Gideon doubted, God showed up again. God worked many miracles and consistently showed up for Gideon and Israel. God won the battle for Israel with trumpets, glass jars and torches and chased away thousands of soldiers. But Gideon turned out to be wishy-washy.

After the battle, the people of Israel wanted to make Gideon king. To his credit, he said “No, only God is your King.” But then he flipped on this stance and said “But, if you want to pay me homage you can each give me a gold earring from your loot.” They did and Gideon amassed 43 pounds of gold. Which he promptly turned into a massive gold ephod that he and his family worshiped (along with the rest of the town.) So much for God being their King.

As I read this story and I shake my head at Gideon’s lack of trust in God, I realize that I too am a Gideon. God shows up in my life. I see it! Then, when something outside of my comfort zone comes up, I get scared. And I go to him and say “Will you please show me that this is you? I need a sign.” I go from being bold and moving forward to being scared and stuck.

And in the midst of it, I make mistakes and I do things I want to do instead of what I know God is calling me to do. I don’t craft a gold ephod, but I sometimes get distracted with money and things and pray more for that than I do for God’s Kingdom. So I too am a Gideon.

Where does that leave me? It leaves me thankful.

• Thankful that God is as patient with me as he was with Gideon. He shows up when we are weak and takes that weakness and does miraculous things with it. He doesn’t stop trying because we get scared.

• Thankful that Jesus lives in me. In this very frail, sometimes messed up body, is the power of Jesus Christ – living – helping – changing. As long as I keep looking at him and reaching for him, he will change me. He will take my ways and make them his ways. He will grow me to live like he would live.

• Thankful for a Savior. Jesus died for Gideon. And he died for me. He died to cover my sins, my mistakes, my misguided decisions.

There is another thought about Gideon. I am sad for him. He really missed out. When we turn from what God is calling us to and try to fill it with our own stuff – whether they be golden ephods or some other thing – we miss God. Gideon got to see first hand what God could do! He got to see his glory! He got to see him work amazing miracles. He got to write a story with God and know him personally. In the end, he chose a piece of metal, lots of wives and kids instead of a relationship with God. I can’t imagine they filled up his heart like the adventures he had when God was involved in his life.

I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to just hear stories about God. I want to be in a story with God. I want my life to be a God story! What about you? What are you choosing that is keeping you from your God story?

Using Your Story

21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” John 21:22 (NLT)

Peter was having an intimate conversation with Jesus. He had just been restored to ministry. Jesus was addressing his denial….in a way only Jesus can do. He was leading Peter to face what he had done and address it so he could move on.

At the close of this conversation, which I imagine was a little intense, Peter look at John and says “What about him?”

Excuse me? Why in the world is he asking about John in the middle of this intentional conversation with Jesus about himself? That seems out of place doesn’t it? But think about it. Don’t we do the same thing? Do any of these quips sound familiar?

“Lord, why am I having to deal with this while she is so blessed?”
”Lord, why did he suddenly come into all that money and I am so broke?”
”Lord, why did they get the promotion I deserved?” or
”I don’t think I’ll talk about the good things happening to me because they are struggling and I don’t want them to feel bad.”

In all of these (and the 100 other ways we do this) we are forgetting one thing. We each have our own story.

My story is not going to look like anyone else’s. The things that happen in my life, no matter what they are or how they happen, are for me. When I realize this, I can turn to God and lean into the story line of my life, figuring out what he wants me to do with it.

It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing. What matters is what God is doing and how I will use my circumstances to glorify his name. God will use every circumstance in your life to grow you closer to him. He does this for everyone.

So, instead of saying “Lord, what about him/her?” we should be asking “Lord, what do you want from me?”

One Size Doesn't Fit All....On Purpose

Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:38-40 (NLT)

David was sent by his father Jesse to bring food to his brothers. They were fighting the battle against the Philistines. When he got there, he heard Goliath shouting insults at the army. He was jeering and taunting them. And the Israelites were afraid.

David’s was incredulous. Why was Goliath allowed to insult God’s army without consequence? Didn’t he know that they had God behind them? In essence, he was insulting God. He went to King Saul and said he wanted to fight the giant.

King Saul was not easily convinced. David was so, well, small. How could he possibly fight Goliath? And David’s reciting of his experience didn’t help. Sure, you may have killed lions and bears but this is a GIANT! Finally, Saul gave in. He handed David his armor and said “Wear this.” David put it on. And then he took it off.

David knew that he couldn’t fight anything trying to be something he wasn’t. He wasn’t Saul. He didn’t look like Saul. He didn’t fight like Saul. He was David. He had to be who he was. A man that trusted in God.

How many times do we try to fit in where we shouldn’t? How often do we compromise on our core values, our beliefs, in order to accomplish some goal? How many times do we try to put on what is not ours to wear in order to win?

God created you. You are his masterpiece. And even if you haven’t fought lions or bears, your experience matters. God never wastes anything. He will use you, where you are and with what you have. If you have to go face a giant today, trust God. He’s in the battle with you and he knows what he’s doing. And, do you know the best part? He won’t make you wear someone else’s armor.

What Do They See When They See You

Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”  Daniel 6:19-22 (NLT)

The King decreed that anyone who bowed down before another would be killed. Daniel continued to bow before God and pray. Back in those days, there were no pardons. As much as King Darius did not want to do it, Daniel had to be thrown into the Lion's Den. King Darius paced all night long unable to sleep because he was worried about this friend, Daniel. The next morning, as soon as he was able, he ran to the Lion's Den and said "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" 

Did you notice that? Darius was distraught about what was happening to Daniel. It was personal for him and the first question he asked was "Was your God able to save you?" Yeah, we notice that right away but we gloss over the statement "Whom you serve so faithfully." In all of the commotion, the stress of the situation and the drama, Darius noticed that Daniel was faithful to God. Daniel did not deviate from his relationship with God for any reason. He didn't compromise on what God called him to do and Darius took notice.

In verses 26-27 Darius puts out a decree that says:

I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
For he is the living God,
    and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
    and his rule will never end.
He rescues and saves his people;
    he performs miraculous signs and wonders
    in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
    from the power of the lions.”

Daniel's relationship with God and God's power convicted Darius about who God was.

So often in our lives, stuff happens. Things don't go the way they should. We, as Christians, face trauma and problems just like everyone else.  What sets us apart? Our trust in God and the way we handle our messy lives. Just like in Daniel's life, the people we know and love watch what we do and they take note. Who is in charge of our lives? What motivates our decisions and our reactions? If you looked back over the last week or so, how do you think people would answer that question?

Up Close and Personal

Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel as he rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians. “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt! I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.” Exodus 18:9-11 (NLT)

Moses had a lot of God stories. Jethro, his father-in-law, heard about the great things God had done. Think about that for a second. There was no internet, no telephones, just word of mouth as people traveled back and forth. The things God had done were being talked about. 

Jethro decided he wanted to hear it first-hand so he came to visit Moses. As he and Moses talked, Moses shared his stories about God and the things that he had experienced. No Bible Study, no quoting scripture, just telling what he knew about God personally. Because of these stories, Jethro said "I now know that the Lord is greater than the all other gods."

Do you have a God story? It may not be a story about parting a sea or bringing water from a rock but it is still just as significant. It's significant because it is your story and to the people you are close to, it's personal. To the people you talk to, it's real. Some of them have never experienced God up close and personal before.

So go ahead! Tell your story! God will take your story and use it to teach others about who he is, just like he did with Jethro. 

Does It Matter?

To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (GNT)

What do you have faith in?  As Christians, we have faith in Christ's resurrection. And, we have faith in Jesus' Second Coming. We have faith in something that happened a long time ago and something that will happen in the future.

But what about today? What do you have faith in today? In Hebrews 11, the people listed had faith in what they were doing in that moment.

Abel had faith that his offering meant something.
Enoch had faith in his relationship with God.
Noah had faith that the boat he was building would save his family from something he'd never seen.
Abraham had faith that moving to an unknown place was what God was telling him to do.
And then he had faith that if he sacrificed his son God could raise him from the dead.
Moses' parents had faith that God would spare their son.
The Israelites had faith that the ground of the Red Sea would stay dry as they crossed.
And the list goes on and on......

These people and all the people after them didn't just have faith in what happened in the past or in what was going to happen in the future. They had faith that what they were doing now mattered. The decisions they made, mattered now. They had to believe in what was happening to them today.

Some days it might feel like our lives do not matter but they do.  They matter now. What you believe in today, in this moment, has an impact. What will you do today that requires a step of faith?

A Minute In It - We Are But A Breath

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read through the Bible text and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude

We are merely moving shadows,
    and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
    not knowing who will spend it. Psalm 39:4-6 (NLT)

What is your life about?
What do you spend your time and money on?
Do you think you can make a difference in your world?
The Bible says you can. Do you believe it? Do you live like it?

Are You Talking Too Much?

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Revelation 12:11 (NLT)

The "him" that was defeated in this text is Satan. WOOOHOOO! He is defeated for all times by the blood of the Lamb! But notice what else is used to defeat him?  Our testimonies.  What is a testimony? A testimony is another word for our story.

Each of us has a story. Each of us has events in our lives that are unique to only us and that no one else can tell.  What's really amazing is that God uses these all the time! He wants you to share who you are with other people so they can see him shine through.

Have you made a mistake where you've had to live through the consequences?  That's your story. Have you seen God show up in those failures and consequences?  That's your story. Have you listened to his voice even when it didn't seem sane and watched him do only what God can do and work it all out?  That's your story! What I find so mind blowing is that God uses our upside-down, messy stories for his glory.

How do you share your story? 

1. Pray.
2. Keep your ears and eyes open. If you pray and ask God to send someone for you to share with, he will. 
3. If you sense that you are to share, pray again. Ask God what he wants you to share.  Sometimes, you aren't supposed to share anything but only listen and let them know you understand.
4. Ask questions. Until you understand where the person is coming from, you don't have a clue what to share. Listen. No agenda. And then pray some more. God has a reason for this encounter. Let him lead.

One final thought. Remember, your only job is to pray, listen and share IF God says. The outcome of that encounter is in the Holy Spirit's hands, not yours. Get out of the way. Let God be God.