God Must Bring Out the Worst in Me Before He Can Bring Out the Best in Me

Last week, I went on a 6-day road trip to Seattle and back with my family. We made some good memories. But the six days of hard driving over mountains and crowded freeways took their toll on my body and soul. (I kept thinking: ‘I’m too old for this!’)

I know myself well enough that I was alert to this weakness. Whenever my routine and/or order are changed, I am tempted toward impatience. You might say these situations “bring out the worst in me”—my fleshliness: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh…” (Romans 7:18).

I know we are all in this together! And we hate it. Because we don’t want anyone to see the worst in us. We try to keep it under cover. But that won’t work. In fact, it must be revealed—then we can take it to the cross for execution!—“putting to death the deeds of the flesh” (Romans 8:13).

Holy Spirit uses one thousand and one things to bring out the worst in us—trials, difficulties, people—to make us “feel” our neediness. We must not fear to let the Spirit bring us to the place where we say “Wretched man that I am” (Romans 7:24). Only then when He finds no resistance in us can He “bring out the best in us”—the Life of Jesus.

“…always carrying about in my body the dying of Jesus [dying to the worst in me] so that the life of Jesus [the best in me] may be manifested…” (2 Corinthians 4:10).

Thank You for Letting Me Share My Thoughts with You -- all 100 of them!

Last Friday I posted my 100th entry on this “Dying to Live” blog.

On this not-so-momentous occasion, let me share this thought with you: these reflections are intended to be THOUGHT STARTERS. For your personal edification.

Isn’t this the way Holy Spirit teaches us—taking an external idea—a general thought—and internalizing/personalizing it to fit it to our individual need? And the light He gives being much more than the ‘author’ of that thought could have ever given. Once a seed of thought has triggered your mind, resolve to cooperate with Holy Spirit as He continues to infuse light into that thought to lead you along the path of mind renewal and transformation. (And I encourage you to keep a journal of these inspired thoughts!)

Dear Dying to Live blog followers, as you read these daily thought-starters, I pray that Holy Spirit will fit each one to your individual need. Determine to “receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).

Like a Lump of Clay in the Potter's Hand, You are Being Conformed to the Image of Jesus

Isaiah says: “We are the clay, [God is] the potter” (Is. 64:8). Do you feel sometimes like you are just a lump of clay? As you die to your own rights, surrendering your will to His, you will be increasingly grateful that you are clay in the Divine Potter’s loving hands.

At times, it means being thrown hard on the Potter’s wheel. Sometimes it means being pressed or even pounded under the hand of God. Sometimes it means being firmly held while the wheel turns. That reshaping and forming goes on and on, according to the Potter’s plan. The clay doesn’t shape itself, like some self-improvement program, saying, “Please bless the object I am about to become as I shape my life.” The clay is clay; it becomes what the Potter wants it to be.

God is making and shaping you for His purposes and for His pleasure. Maybe the hardest thing for you to accept right now is that at this moment he is shaping you to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making? (Isaiah 45:9).

Do You Think More About Pleasing God than About Pleasing Yourself?

A short time ago I was reading a popular Christian author’s book about “desire,” the emphasis was on following the desires of your heart, i.e. not being afraid to pursue your dreams. Some time earlier I had been reading John Piper’s book “The Pleasures of God,” the emphasis on the things that PLEASE God. The inquisitive Bible student that I am, I did a word study on “PLEASURE” and discovered that with few exceptions, whenever the word "pleasure" is used, it speaks of God’s pleasure—not man’s.

So much in our culture encourages men to please themselves—a self-centered consumer mentality, self-esteem psychology, and humanistic religions. While an argument can be made that God wants us to enjoy His gifts and blessings to us, we must be careful not to Christianize (and justify) our own selfish pleasures.

Paul wrote that his ambition in life was to be pleasing to the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:9). He taught those at Thessalonica how to “walk and please God” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). John wrote that all things were created for God’s pleasure (Revelation 4:11). And most significantly, Jesus said "I always do the things that are pleasing to my Father" (John 8:29).

I don’t know about you, but I begin each new week evaluating and categorizing the things I need to do (yes, I am one of those compulsive people who keep a “to-do” list) by how much pleasure they promise me, that is, I attribute more ‘value’ to the things are naturally pleasing to me.

But after my study of this word “pleasure” I am corrected. Let us be encouraged to evaluate our daily activities in the light of what pleases God. And as Paul said putting the emphasis on "trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:10).

Did You Make an Appointment with God Today?

I know many brothers and sisters in Christ who love to take prayer walks.

“Walking” pictures two people side by side (sometimes hand in hand), keeping pace with one another, heading in the same direction, and having a shared destination—in a word: “fellowship.” John says, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…” (1 John 1:7). John equates "walking" with "fellowshipping."

The prophet Amos’s use of the “walking” metaphor reveals another element of fellowshipping with God in prayer: How can two walk together except they have made an APPOINTMENT? (3:3 RSV), implying place and time.

Jesus had a daily appointment with His Father (early in the morning): while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there (Mark 1:35).

You may not have a long prayer walk—you may only walk to your prayer closet! But if you are going to enjoy an intimate “walk” with Jesus (even while sitting in your closet!), you will need to make a daily appointment. I am surprised and saddened that many people who have a calendar full of appointments do not have a regular, daily, appointed time with God.

What does your calendar look like?

Practice Makes Perfect

Everybody knows “practice makes perfect,” right? While I was unable to find the derivative of this phrase, I thought it sounded like one of Benjamin Franklin's pragmatic sayings. Pragmatic? yes. But is it spiritual? Yes, in fact, PRACTICE is, explicitly, a principle of spiritual growth.

Hebrews 5:14: “…solid food is for the mature [a word often translated “perfect”], who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

And there you have it right from the author of Hebrews: PRACTICE makes PERFECT.

There are two operations of this principle. First, the more you say no to the practice of sin, the more you are inclined to say no. Not in human effort, but in dependence on Holy Spirit. Then, in the same manner, we develop habits of holiness by applying the truth to every situation: “Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing…” (Philippians 4:9 NLT)

There is even a promise from Peter that if you keep practicing, you will never stumble (See 2 Peter 1:11). (See 2 Peter 1: 5-7 for a list of things you should practice!)

Have you grown tired of practicing? Maybe you feel like giving up. Sometimes, the changes tend to be so gradual that you don’t realize how much you’ve improved. Perhaps today, as you read this, you realize it’s been so long since you “exercised” that you are "out of practice."

“Let us not become weary in doing good [practicing], for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up [if we do not stop practicing]” (Galatians 6:9).

Take a Stand

Every day in the news, I read of politicians unwilling to take a stand (we call this ‘sitting on the fence’) on the important moral issues of our day: gay marriage, abortion, legalization of marijuana, internet pornography. Remember when Obama was asked about his position on abortion? He replied: “that’s above my pay grade.” [I am not disparaging our president; I am merely pointing out his unwillingness to take a stand.]

Because the proponents of these issues have managed to re-define them from issues of “morality” to “civil rights” and “free speech” issues, even many Christians are being deceived. And they are afraid to take a stand. But alas, I am not really wanting to talk about political issues!

Last year, I took a stand against a popular celebrity preacher. Some of my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord were uncomfortable with my stand, and some advised me against using “harsh” language. I respectfully toned down my language, but held fast to my position that this man was an enemy of the cross (Philippianss 3:18).

I believe the time is coming when we will all have to take a stand for truth. Paul warned “that in the later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1).

And how will we know deceitful spirits? They will NOT be teaching the cross. Paul said: “we preach Christ crucified…for the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23,18). Will you take your stand with me today for the preaching of the cross of Christ?

If a person doesn’t stand for something, he will fall for anything.

The Economy is Not the Only Thing "Going South"

Allegorically speaking, we all have an internal compass. When God originally designed Adam, He set the compass on “North,” pointing to Himself. We could say the compass kept Adam heavenly-minded or God-centered. After Adam sinned, the compass was reset to “South,” earth bound and self-centered. In my experience, that seems to be the “default” setting!

Every night while I sleep, my compass seems to reset itself to this default position. I awake to find my compass needle pointing “south.”

This expression "gone south" is used to define failure. Afer the Civil War, the term gone south was coined, meaning anything from the South was a failure. In recent contemporary use, the sluggish economy is described as going south.

If you have any of your self-life left at all, your compass needs to be reset each morning, to the “North,” heavenly-minded and God-directed. I wonder if this is what Paul meant when he said: Set your mind [compass] on things above, not on the things on earth (Colossians 3:2).

When you awoke this morning, in what direction was the needle on your internal compass set?

Did you reset it?

You Are God's Investment

Altha and I have a couple of CDs in the bank. Over the last few years, the interest earned on our investments has dropped from over 5% to under 2%--not a very good return on our money!

In the parable of the "talents" (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus presents a picture of God as a property manager who “entrusts his possessions to his servants.” And being the successful businessman that he was, the property manager expected a maximum return on his investment. [Note: A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a common day laborer.]

Far better than any monetary remuneration, God has deposited His Life in us; thereby making us His investment! Paul calls this a “treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7). God has given us ‘talents’ and time to develop them. And remarkably, the ‘return’ on God's investment is contingent upon our faith and obedience.

Wouldn’t you like to assure that God gets a good return on His investment in you?

With the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard what has been [invested in] you (2 Timothy 1:14).

Training for Reigning

When I worked for the Federal government, one of my favorite collateral duties was ‘Trainer.’ Most companies have a budget to hire professional trainers whose programs enhance the quality and productivity in the work place. Though it can be costly, they consider it a good investment in their employees.

In the spiritual realm, through many trying circumstances and stresses, God is training us both for time and eternity (1 Timothy 4:8). Paul calls this God’s “endurance training.” And it is essential if we are to someday “reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12)—literally, then, we are training for reigning.

Also, it will help us to endure—with joy—if we believe God’s training is His investment in us, knowing that His training will result not only in accomplishing HIS eternal plan but will result in OUR eternal reward. (You might call it a ‘win-win.’)

Even Jesus recognized the need for divine training—“He learned obedience through the things He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The Bible tells us that Jesus’ training was necessary to perfect Him in his humanity so He could realize God’s eternal purpose for Him.

Why should it be any different for you and me?

Are You Willing to Go Under the Knife?

About 8 years ago, I was diagnosed with melanoma—skin cancer. In a routine check-up, the dermatologist found a small spot on my right forearm. He was able to cut it out in the office. But when the biopsy came back “positive” for cancer, he scheduled surgery to remove the skin surrounding the spot. This time, I really went “under the knife.” I am cancer-free ever since.
How is self-centeredness like cancer of the soul?
Each cell within a healthy body works in cooperation with other cells for the well-being of the whole organism. But sometimes a group of rebel cells show up, refusing to serve the whole, acting independent of other cells—serving their own selfish interests! The result is cancer. These cancer cells, working against the healthy cells, spread their destructiveness to the organism they no longer support, resulting in death.

Just as self-centered and independent cells produce physical cancer; likewise our self-centered and independent self-life (called flesh) is the cause of spiritual disease in us. (For a list of these fleshly traits, read Galatians 5:19-21.)

Just as the cure for cancer is the surgeon’s knife, so too is God’s cure for the venom-spreading self-life. The Word(s) of God, the Bible, first reveals the flesh, and then works like a surgeon’s knife to cut and remove the vicious "tissues." For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are (Hebrews 4:12 NLT).

What spiritually cancerous tumors are even now growing in your self-life? Are you willing to go under the knife? Your obedience to the Word of God will result in a powerful release of Christ's life into your soul and eradicate the power of the self-centered flesh.

You are Engaged in a Lifelong Battle Against Unbelief!

Though many years of biblical counseling, I have affirmed my conviction that biblical “truth” is essential to change. But the problem has always been how to help the counselee believe that biblical truth is relevant and experiential. This is true for all Christians: we experience a “gap” between what we KNOW and what we EXPERIENCE. Psychologists have a word for this gap—they call is “cognitive dissonance.”

For example, Jesus promised He would give us ‘rest’ for our weary souls (Matthew 11:28). But I know that most Christians see this as a nice “saying” but are unable to experience the reality of this truth in day-to-day experience. What is the answer to this dilemma—this gap between what I know and what I experience?

You must be actively engaged in this battle for truth and the accompanying battle against unbelief!

Every truth you receive, by faith, will take you into a conflict with the “un-beliefs” in your head. Paul employs “battle” language in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, exhorting you to “take captive” wrong thoughts that keep you from experiencing God’s truth, treating them like prisoners who must now obey Christ.

While God’s truth is absolutely true, it remains irrelevant to us until we have engaged in the battle to make it applicable to our lives. Do you KNOW and have you EXPERIENCED what Jesus said: “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32)?

Maybe you’re not fighting hard enough!

Watch Out for Attacks from the Devil

For some time I have had a sense of urgency and concern for the Church’s need to understand the “dying to live” principles. The bible clearly tells that Satan's attacks will increase in the last days (Revelation 12:12). And I am persuaded that only those who know their ‘position’ in Christ will be able to stand against these demonic assaults.

This last week, I received this confirming word by David Wilkerson's (Times Square Church in New York) bi-weekly teaching. (I have grown to trust David’s maturity and prophetic insights over the last 25 years.) Here is what he says: In the last few years, I have had a growing sense that the suffering and afflictions of God’s elect today are beyond anything endured in the history of Christ’s church.

David Wilkerson is referring not to circumstances as much as Satan’s attack on believers—individually and corporately.

Almost two decades ago, John Piper wrote these words: How can a sense of urgency and vigilance and passion and zeal become part of the Christian ethos today?...The crying need for the last decade of this millennium is a global wartime mentality among all the pastors and churches and believers of the Christian church.

“Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.... Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (1 Peter 4:12; 1 Peter 5:8).

Looking for a Job? Jesus is Seeking Co-Workers!

One time when the Jewish leaders were harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath, Jesus responded: “My Father never stops working, so why should I?” (John 5:17).

Wanting to be like Jesus, the disciples asked: “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” And Jesus answered, “This is what God wants you to do: BELIEVE in the One he has sent” (John 6:27-29).

God’s work assignment for you is to “believe” in Jesus. “Believing” means “growing (increasing, maturing) in faith.” Every Christian knows the “work” of growing in faith requires diligence—displacing the destructive “mis-beliefs” from our minds. But, thank God, we are in partnership with Jesus—it is a “working relationship.”

Paul explains: “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10). He works in us, so we are able to do the work He created us to do. In other words, we are not ‘fit’ to do His work until we become (and keep on becoming) His workmanship.

In these days of deception and doctrinal confusion, you and I must be diligent to do the work of growing in faith and helping others to do so as well. Jesus said: ‘when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?’ Question is, are we being "God's workmanship" so we can do the works of faith He has created us to do?

Time is running out. Jesus warned “Work while it is day for the night is coming when no man can work” (John 9:4).

What is Keeping You from Hearing the Lord TODAY?

“Many people are so concerned with adding days to their life that they forget to add life to their days.” (Anonymous quote)

As a counselor, I have observed that most people think more about the past and the future than the present, so that the Holy Spirit’s voice cannot be heard over the internal din of regret and worry.

Holy Spirit says “Today if you hear [My] voice, do not harden your heart…” (Psalm 95:7; Hebrews 3:7, 13, 15; 4:7), exhorting us to pay attention to what He wants to tell us TODAY lest we become dull in our hearing Him.

The devil has two strategies to keep you from your TODAY experience of hearing the Lord. He tries to get your thoughts focused on your yesterdays’ mistakes, and if that should fail, he will try to fill your head with anxious thoughts about the future.

Paul says “forget what lies behind.” Jesus says, “Do not be anxious for tomorrow.”

The Holy Spirit is calling us to live the divine principle called TODAY. Do not let your mind be occupied with the useless regrets of yesterday and the future things over which you have no control. They will undoubtedly keep you from hearing Him TODAY.

Is God Disturbing Your Peace?

I’m addicted to comfort. There is no 12-step program for such people— “comforters anonymous”—but that’s OK because the Lord has His ways of discomforting me!

In Deuteronomy 32:11 God compares Himself to an eagle that stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreads its wings, catches them, and carries them.

The Metaphor of the Parent Eagles
During the time of training the eaglets to fly, the mother eagle pushes them out of the nest. Scared, they jump back into the nest. So the mother eagle pulls out the soft feathery layers of the nest, leaving only the thorny twigs. No longer able to jump back into the thorny nest, the eagles jump out of the nest on their own. But this time, the mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. And as they try to fly for the first time on untested wings, the father eagle swoops down, catching them and carrying them on his wings, returning them to the cliff. This exercise continues until they learn to use their wings.

Ever parent takes great joy in their child’s growth and maturity. Sometimes children get stuck in the process. They want to settle down before the process is complete. A good parent will gently apply tough love. Even so, our Heavenly Father would not be a good parent if He did not do the same. Lovingly, He stirs up our safe and comfortable ‘nest’ impelling us to a higher and fuller life in Him. He disturbs our peace (not His peace, but ‘our’ peace!). He loves us too much to do otherwise.

Is God disturbing your peace? Why not cooperate with him and find His Peace instead. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Are You Waiting for Something?

It seems everyone I know is waiting for some major change in their lives—waiting to sell a house; waiting to buy a house; waiting for retirement; waiting for a job; waiting to get married; waiting for a baby; waiting for the stock market to go up; or just waiting for an answer to some very important prayer.

Isn’t it good to know that, as the Psalmist says, “My times are in Your hands”? No one but God knows the proper timing of all things.

In pride and ignorance, Moses breached God’s timing. Knowing that he was called to be the deliverer of the Hebrews, he rushed ahead of divine timing. Killing an Egyptian soldier and incurring the wrath of the Pharaoh, his Hebrew brothers rejected his help; he had only made things worse. Exiled to the desert for the next 40 years, while God was working on Moses (humbling him), He was also working with the Jews. As the abuse and dominance of the Pharaoh increased (not giving them any straw to make bricks), they were compelled to cry out to God for help. Now they were ready to leave Egypt. And now they were ready for Moses.

While you and I are waiting for God to move on our behalf, we must never forget that it is not only about us—He is working in others as well. All things are moving in His time.

Remember: “God acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Is. 64:4). And if you don't wait, He can't act!

How Hungry Are You?

Usually on Monday, I have to reduce my calorie intake because I’ve eaten too much over the weekend. It's not because I’m hungrier on the weekends than I am during the week; I just tend to indulge a bit more--that 'natural' feeling of deserving a little treat after a time of hard work. Sound familiar?

The Bible uses “food” metaphors to teach us about our need for God. Jesus said He was the "Bread of Life" and "Living Water." But unlike the natural realm, there is no limit on how much we can eat of this "food!"

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, ‘blessed are those that hunger…after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.' The word “hunger” means to be “starving.” The word “satisfied” means to be "gorged!" I wonder how much less we would be tempted with this world’s bread if we were more satisfied with the “Bread of Life.”

Bible commentator J. N. Darby says: “To be hungry for righteousness is not enough. We must be starving… when the Prodigal son was hungry, he ate husks, but when he was starving he turned to His Father!”