God’s Power

Posted: August 22, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
4

There are times in life where I feel my problems are too great for God’s help. There have been several times in my life where I thought that not even God could help me out of a situation. The truth is that I need to start looking at my problems in the light of God’s power instead of looking at God in the shadow of my problems. God’s power is greater than any problem I could get myself into. I am a master at looking at my problems through my human eyes and forget that God’s perfection and power are greater than my understanding of his ability. This world is full of doubters who think they can logically exclude God from existence. In reality God does not need affirmation for his existence, no more than he needs me as his defender. What he wants is my obedience to trust in Him and know that He is greater than any problem I can get myself into. I need to stop living through my capabilities and start living in the shadow of His great power and strength.  My favorite verse in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ I know I’ve used this verse before, but it is always so powerful to remember that God already knows the perfect plans He has for my future.

This post was previously posted on April 14, 2009.  I decided to add a few things and republish.

Walking in the Light

Posted: August 20, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
0

Football season is just around the corner and it’s no secret that I am giddy with anticipation! In honor of the season a bunch of us guys at work have decided to start an intramural flag football league (if for no other reason than to remind us of our glory years of High School). The plan is to play every Saturday morning at 7:00am. With the early kick-off , there are a few guys that have expressed less than eager anticipation at the prospect of waking up early on a Saturday morning. But imagine if we decided to play at 12:00 midnight, in a park, with no lights. What would happen? For starter no one would be able to see the ball if it were passed to them. Second, you would not be able to see the difference between your team’s players and the opposing team. Light needs to be cast over the field to expose the field of play and the opposing team.

Light is also the key ingredient to God’s existence. In 1 John 1:5 it says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Not only is God light and without darkness, but with His light shining he exposes what is in the dark. Without God it is very difficult, if not impossible, to know the difference between what is good and what is evil. If we allow God to be present in all we do, He will clearly reveal what is good versus what is evil and allow us to live in the clarity of light.

Why Not Me?

Posted: August 19, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
2

Recently, a friend of mine made the decision to follow a different path in his journey.  The neat thing about his decision is that both he and his wife are perfectly in sync and focused on God’s calling to make this change. I admire them both for their obedience to God’s leading, but I have to admit, my second reaction to the news was to ask God, “why not me?“.  Why couldn’t God give me a special calling that I could be excited about?  It was so easy to forget that just over two years ago God gave me a special calling to start this season of my life.  He did not include me with twenty of my closest friends; he took me!

At the very end of the book of John, Peter is walking with Jesus when he notices John (described in John 21:20 as “The Disciple whom Jesus loved…”) walking behind them. Peter asks Jesus in verse 21, “Lord, what about him?”, referring to John’s future.  In verse 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” When the disciples heard this they started a rumor that John would not die until Jesus returned, but in reality, Jesus was simply saying, “don’t worry about John, worry about Peter…“

This is essentially what God reminded me of this past week.  Maybe not in these exact words, but God clearly said, “the plans I have for you are for you and no one else.” I know I say this a lot, but God’s plan is perfect! He has given each of us a special calling that we must make a conscious effort to follow.  Each time I wish I had someone else’s calling, I short-change God’s perfect plan for my life.

So what was my first reaction?  It was an immediate sense of loss.  While this friend of mine and I don’t really hang out that much, I can truly say that at times he feels like a brother.  I will miss him more than he will ever know, but God has a perfect plan for his life and to not listen to God’s calling would mean to fall short of God’s potential in his life.  God’s Speed, little brother…

We are the Branches

Posted: August 17, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
0

I’m no arborist, but from my understanding, the purpose of a branch is to grow leaves that absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide.  Branches live through the provision of water and nutrients by the tree, and oxygen is the product that benefits the environment around it. So what happens when a branch breaks off from the tree?  Unfortunately, it no longer serves the purpose for which it was created.  It can no longer survive and can no longer provide a benefit to the tree or to the environment around it.  Our relationship with God is the same way, where we are the branches and God is the tree.  The tree uses the branches, but it by no means requires the branches to survive.  In John 15:5 it says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

God loves to work through us to further His kingdom, but we are not a requirement for God to accomplish His purpose.  If we break off fellowship with God we will cease to benefit from the anchor of having God in our lives, but His purpose will continue without us.  In the very next verse, John 15:6 says, “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”

The beauty of the tree as an analogy is that the branches receive everything they need by staying in fellowship with the tree.  Likewise, we are promised to have everything we need by staying in fellowship with the Father. In John 15:7, Jesus continues, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” A relationship with God does not promise an easy life (but neither does a life that lacks the relationship).  It does, however, promise a life of purpose for the glory of the Father.  John 15:8, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” When it says bearing much fruit, it means that God’s desire is for us to be successful; maybe not by the world’s standards, but by His.

The Potter’s Hands

Posted: August 15, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
0

When a potter works with clay, it takes time to shape it into it’s finished product.  Sometimes as the clay begins to form, it develops defects or blemishes.  At this point the potter has options; he can leave the defects, fix them, or start over.  The potter rarely decides to throw the clay away because it is still has value and the potential to be shaped into a meaningful purpose.  Like the potter, God works to shape us and mold us.  This doesn’t mean that we become meaningless puppets, but it does mean that we submit to the will and direction of God in our lives.

There are several places in the Bible where the analogy of a potter and clay are used to represent our relationship with God.  In Jeremiah 18:6 it says, “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” In this passage, God is comparing Israel to clay in the hands of a potter.  It also shows God’s desire and ability to mold us into His purpose.  As we submit to His will and become receptive to His impact on our lives, He begins to shape us into the valuable vessel we were meant to become.  No matter what happens, as long as we remain in the Potter’s hands, He will never discard us from a relationship with Him and will continue to shape us and reshape us for His purpose.

Runners High

Posted: August 12, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , , ,
0

I’ve always hated running.  But, on the other hand, I love playing sports, especially soccer.  Which by the nature of the sport requires a considerable amount of running, but I hate running for the sake of running.  Nonetheless, a couple of years ago, I started running a few times a week to try to get into shape.  To be perfectly honest, it has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, mostly because of the mental requirements.  It seems so counterintuitive, but running is mostly a mental sport requiring you to fight the natural urges of your body to stop running from the pain… yes, PAIN!!! My knees, shins, feet, lungs, everything.  So why do I do it?  Because one day, while I was training for a half-marathon I experienced it… the mythical runners-high.  Runners-high is this calm that comes over your body that makes you feel like you can run forever.  When it happened the first time, I didn’t even realize it.  My running partner had to point it out to me. I was no longer winded and had gotten into a comfortable pace and groove.

Believe it or not, it’s the same feeling I get when I am truly in the presence of God.  What is it that lets me feel this way?  It is knowing that because of Jesus and through the Holy Spirit I can be in the presence of God and know that he is there with me.  In John 14:6-7 the passage explains why this is possible… 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Servant Leader

Posted: August 11, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: ,
0

Tonight I was reading John 13:3 where it says,  “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God”.  As I read, I started to think about the fact that Jesus is truly God and He knows it.  He knows the power that He has over everything and everyone around Him.  I started thinking about how he could have commanded or directed anything for His service.

But, as I continued to read I hear the screeching brakes fire off in my head.  In the very next verses, John 13:4-5 I read, “so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”…. WHAT?!?!?  The very Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the One who could have called down a legion of angels to rule the world chose to wash His disciple’s feet?  Why would He ever do this?  This is akin to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company showing up one night after the office has closed and washing the janitor’s feet in front of the entire cleaning crew during their snack break.  It’s not normal.  But there it is, modeled for all of us to see.

It is the model of a servant leader; one who is willing to lead as he serves his followers by meeting their basic needs.  How can I serve others like this?  How can I take care of the basic needs of the people I lead, like my family, people at work, or my friends?  God has blessed me with the ability and desire to lead others and I need to make sure I remember his example of leadership before I look at the example of so called normal leaders.

Uniquely Me

Posted: August 10, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
0

For those of you who know me, the book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan, is one of my favorites. In the 10th and final chapter there is a quote that I love; “God is a creator, not a duplicator.”  God created only one of me (this alone shows God’s infinite wisdom, the world can only handle one of me…) and he does not intend for me to be like anyone else or serve anyone else’s purpose.   In Psalm 139:14 it says,  “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Notice where it says “Your works are wonderful”; God is talking about me.  He doesn’t make junk.

I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about how I should be more like this person or that person.  What I really need to do is spend more time being more like the person God intended me to be.  I am “wonderfully made”, not in an arrogant way, but in a way that brings glory to God’s creation.

God Sized Answers

Posted: August 9, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
2

I have read the story of Lazarus in John 11 many times, but this morning something new struck me.  In verse 23 Jesus makes a statement to Martha about her brother Lazarus, Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha reacts in a way that most of us would say was a faithful reaction to Jesus by responding in verse 24 with, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha obviously had faith in Jesus and knew that Lazarus would be in heaven at the resurrection.

What I started to think about as I read on, was how we tend to approach God’s will with preconceived notions about how God will answer our prayers.  When we are sick we assume that God will either heal us or take us home.  With great faith Martha knew that Jesus would act at the resurrection, but Jesus surprised her. In the last part of verse 43 and the first part of 44 Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out. Jesus provided in a way that no one in this story could have dreamed of.

God is capable of so much more than any one of us can ever realize.  We put God on par with human capabilities and assume that God can not think of new and creative ways of providing for us.  When I ask God for help, I must be willing to accept God’s way of providing for me.  I need to remember to pray with an open hand, knowing that God can and will provide for me in ways I could never dream of.

Before I Was Ever Formed

Posted: August 8, 2010 by Dino in Uncategorized
Tags: , ,
0

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5

This passage was written to describe Jeremiah’s relationship with God and His purpose for Jeremiah’s life.  The amazing part of this verse is that it shows just how soon God knows the purposes for each of our lives.  Before I was ever formed, God had a purpose for my life that was explicit and planned.  It helps me to know that my life is directed through the plan that God has for me.  The purpose for my life is very clear to God and it should be very clear to me as well, but I need to be actively pursuing a relationship with God that ensures I am working in the plan he has for me.  One of my biggest struggles is that I tend to work hard at finding a plan for my future and what I really need to do is work on listening to where God is leading me. He knows where I need to be and where my gifts will be most effective. If I listen to God’s leading in my life and listen to His voice His perfect plan for my life will be revealed and I will be everything He planned for me.

Older Entries