Contingent Security

Last week President Obama said our national security and that of the world is dependent on successful negotiations with Iran (a nation that calls us the “Great Satan”  and has vowed to destroy Israel). The Joint Plan of Action will freeze Iran's enrichment of uranium and halt plutonium production—thus averting nuclear proliferation in the region. Yeah right.

Just the thought that international security is contingent upon Iran’s honesty and good intentions is frightening. David's words seem fitting: “the nations conspire and plot in vain”  (Ps. 2:1).

Knowing that the God of the universe is in control and sets the appointed times of events on earth is a great source of comfort and peace for us. “For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (Ps. 22:28; Jer. 7:17). Thank God, our security is not contingent on diplomatic resolution with Iran!

Will there be a Change of Government this Year?

The angels announced Jesus’ birth with the declaration: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will” (Luke 2:14).  The prophetic words harken back to Isaiah: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Is 9:6).  Only part of Isaiah’s prophecy has been fulfilled: the Child was born and the Son was given. We are still waiting for the Prince of Peace to establish His government on Earth.

2014 is an election year when many U.S. citizens are hoping for a change in government. Though no one can foresee that outcome, we can safely predict this: it will not bring peace on earth. That will only come when the Lord returns. And while citizens of Heaven wait for that day, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope” (Rom 15:13).

Lies and Spies: Who Will They Trust?

There was a lot of spying and lying in the news this week: Private Bradley Manning was convicted of giving classified material to the website WikiLeaks; and Edward Snowden, the U.S. intelligent contractor who revealed the NSA’s secret program to collect American phone records, was granted temporary asylum in Russia. Add to that, star baseball player A-Rod has been lying about his use of performance-enhancing drugs (who can forget Lance Armstrong?). And Congressman Anthony Weiner, NY mayoral candidate, who resigned in disgrace last year for ‘sexting,’ was caught doing it again.

Will this make Americans more cynical, adding to a growing distrust of government (Benghazi, IRS, Fast and Furious). Where will Americans turn? Who will they trust? Is this a set-up for the end times? The Bible says the anti-Christ will offer new hope.

You and I know “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people or princes” (Ps. 118:8-9). But our fellow Americans don't know that. If you'll allow me a little 'tongue in cheek' here, perhaps as we near the latter days, believers should have “In God We Trust” stamped on our foreheads. And wouldn't that be a great preemptive strike to counter the mark of the Beast!

George or Trayvon: who do you trust?

I can’t let the George Zimmerman trial go without some comment. The tragedy of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s death has resonated with Americans no matter how they view this event. Though I won't offer an opinion, I do think we should reflect on what is happening in 21^st century America: Fear and Distrust.

Though fear in America is not new (growing up in the Cold War era, I remember when everyone was afraid of the Russians), one has to ask if current circumstances—terrorism infiltrating our country, and an increasing crime rate in our cities—are causing Americans to be more fearful (as was the case, allegedly, with George Zimmerman).

In a recent poll, a majority of Americans said the world is more dangerous than ever before; and they are increasingly distrustful. Though this is not a specific sign of the end times, fear and distrust have become a sign of the times. How incongruent, then, that at this most fearful time in history, there is a movement underway to eliminate “In God we Trust” from the national conscience—to remove it from our currency, when the opposite should be happening! “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you; surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Is. 44:10). Who do you trust?

Infused with Steroids

I promise you (I think) that this will be the last ‘chemo’ comparison I make, but it’s too good to pass up. My cancer-killing chemo treatments are called ‘infusions’ because they are administered intravenously. After my first infusion 2 weeks ago, I had flu-like symptoms for 2 days. My friend Janet told me that as she was praying for me to have a better post-infusion experience, the Lord brought to her mind the words “He restores my soul” (Ps. 23:2)—but not in English; in Spanish, “Me infunde nuevas fuerzas,” which translates “He infuses me with new strength.”

What Janet did not know is that before getting my 2nd chemo infusion, the oncologist gave me a steroid infusion to diminish my symptoms. So Janet’s prayer, “infuse Greg with new strength,” was answered in a tangible way. Making this spiritual event even more interesting is the detail that the English word “steroid” derives from the Greek “sterizo”—meaning “strength.” In answer to Janet’s prayer, I was strengthened both physically and spiritually.

At those moments we are feeling most weak and vulnerable, we tend to reach out to God for new strength! But at a time in Israel’s history when they were vulnerable, they looked to Egypt’s armies for strength rather than God.  So, He patiently reminded them, “In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me], you shall be saved; in quietness and trust [in Me] is your strength” (Is. 30:15). As thankful as I am for man-made steroids, I am thankful for this tangible reminder of His strength. Thus, I am well content with weakness...for when I am weak, I am strong (2 Cor 12:10).

Living with Uncertainty in Hard Times

Last week, the head of IMF explained that the global economy is being held down by uncertainty in Europe. Last month’s unrest over an unflattering video about Mohammed has made stability in Egypt and  Libya look more uncertain. Here in the U.S., high unemployment and underemployment are keeping things uncertain. 


Does 2013
look uncertain?

I am so glad that Jesus acknowledged uncertainties and hard times.  But He also said we should not be controlled by them: “Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own uncertainties. Today's uncertainty is enough for today. That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. Don't worry about such uncertainties. These uncertainties dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will certainly give you everything you need” (Luke12:22, 30-31, ed.; Matt. 6:34).

As wealthy people it would be easy for us to try to shelter ourselves from uncertainties.  So Paul says, “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly supplies all things” (1 Tim. 6:17).  Many signs are pointing to hard times  ahead.  Will you and I be able to approach them with faith in God's certainty?

In God (not Government) we Trust!

When I hear people talk about the ‘government’ as the ultimate fail-safe that will always take care of us, I wonder if they realize it is just made up of very average people who work 40 hours a week and take their families to the movies on the weekend.  As a former government supervisor, I know some are trustworthy; some are not. But believe me—there are no super-humans among them!

In a recent survey, 55 percent of Americans believe they can trust the government if disaster strikes. Do you believe our government can take care of 312 million people if there is a financial collapse, a pandemic, or power grid failure! Yet, a majority of Americans say, “In Government we trust.” 

Conversely, our National motto is “In GOD we trust.” But over the last decades our government is running away from that creed, having outlawed Bible and prayer from schools and now trying to eliminate any trace of God from the public square—the latest being a movement to take the words “In God we trust” off our currency.

I don’t know about you, but I am not putting much trust in a government that doesn’t trust in God. “Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there” (Ps. 146:3).

Who Do You Trust?

As a teenager, I used to watch “Who Do You Trust,” a game show emceed by Johnny Carson and his co-host, Ed McMahon. Three couples made up of a man and a woman who didn’t know each other competed for a small cash prize. While the show was mostly driven by Johnny’s banter, there was a quiz portion where Johnny would tell the man the category of the upcoming question, and the man would decide whether to answer himself or trust the woman to. While the show was hilarious, we all know “trust” is no laughing matter!

Since last year's geopolitical shake-up, we are witnessing a collosal collapse of trust between nations that used to have coalitions. And not only that, there seems to be an epidemic of distrust in society, in general—distrustful of one another, partisans are paralyzing government; the millennials no longer trust in the fidelity of marriage; and hardly a week goes by you don’t read about someone in a position of authority abusing those under his care. And as if that’s not bad enough, the failed trust of priests and pastors is so common it has become fodder for late night talk show mockery. Who can you trust?

Against this backdrop, it's hard not to be cynical.  But is it not all the more apparent to us that only God is trustworthy? “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man; it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes... I know the Lord is always with me; I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."  (Ps. 118:8-9: 16:8-9). Who do you trust?

Taking a Leap

I am reminded today (Leap Day) how the “earthlings” are trying to keep time from getting away from them. The expression “time flies” is apparently not just an idiom, but a scientific fact. Thus, every four years they attempt to slow it down. In a few weeks, there will be another attempt to tinker with time, as 'they' try to get more sunlight out of a day by turning the clock forward (daylight savings).

Messing with time is not entirely without reason. Who has not wished, when he is going through hard times, he could just speed it up. Or, conversely, when life is sweet, who has not wished he could just stop the clock, and stay there indefinitely. But of course ‘time’ is out of our control, and entirely under God’s. The One who created time uses it very deliberately to accomplish his purposes, e.g., "in the fullness of time, God sent His son" (Gal. 4:4).

By way of time, faith grows in us—by “faith and patience, we receive God’s promises” (Heb. 6:12, 15). I guess you could say that when we submit to God’s work in us, “time is on our side.” Of course that is not easy to believe. It requires faith to trust His timing when it looks like time is running out. Perhaps at those times (hopefully not once every four years), we will need to take a leap of faith.

Chicken of the Sea

The phrase “Chicken of the Sea” took on new meaning when the media seized on the phrase to describe the cowardly captain of a cruise ship that crashed off the coast of Italy last  week.  Apparently ignoring the law of the sea that he must “go down with the ship," saving "women and children first," the supposedly spineless sailor slipped into a lifeboat and abandoned his vessel; thus earning his new moniker: "chicken of the sea!" 

Unfortunately, the sad scenario of a scared skipper brings to mind the question people are asking during this election year: “Where is the captain we can trust to lead us out of recession and into prosperity?  Where is the commander in chief who has the wisdom to protect us from rogue nations and terrorists?"  

Did you know the title "captain" is used twice to describe our LORD: “captain of our salvation” (Heb. 2:10) and “captain of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).  The word "captain" connotes strength and confidence, evoking feelings of comfort and security.  For example, an honorable Navy captain will engender trust from his sailors who are assured he cares enough to die with them, even for them.  We have such a Captain, One who anchors our souls (Heb. 6:19).  In the midst of a storm, He calms the seas and quiets the winds.  And we have a Captain we can believe when He promises “I will never leave or abandon you” (Heb. 13:5).

Even If…

You probably know the story of Daniel’s three friends who were thrown in to the fiery furnace because they would not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s gods. Their faith is expressed in the phrase “even if.” Even if God did not miraculously rescue them, they would trust Him (Daniel 3:18). I’ve often thought this is one of the greatest faith statements in the Bible.

Sooner or later, we will all face a crisis of faith when everything around seems to be falling apart. We cry out to God for deliverance, but our plea is met with apparent silence. It is then we learn that oftentimes God’s immediate answer is ‘no’ because He has a larger plan, unknown to us. To believe beyond our immediate need requires faith like Daniel’s three friends. The faith that declares God is trustworthy, “even if”…

Just before his death, David Wilkerson said: “Dear saint, very soon you're going to understand your present fiery trials. God is going to bring you into the promise he gave you and suddenly it's all going to make sense. You'll see that He has never forsaken you. He had to take you this way, for He has been training you, preparing you, teaching you to trust him for everything. He has planned a time for you to be used—and that time is just ahead!”

Earth Dwellers

If, and I emphasize “if,” the Lord’s return is near, we are about to enter a time tribulation. The Bible says at the end of the age, no economy on Earth will prosper. Only food (not gold) will retain its value. People will spend a whole day’s wages just for enough to feed themselves (Rev. 6:6). Those who trust in the things of this world for their security will find they have nothing.

The Book of Revelation calls them “Earth Dwellers” (3:10).  Earth Dwellers will be judged.  The word “dwellers” refers to where one’s heart is—not just one’s physical location. In contrast to believers who are aliens and sojourners upon the earth (1 Pet. 2:11) and whose hope is heavenward (Heb. 11:13-16), these that dwell upon the earth are trusting in man and their environment.

Like much New Testament terminology, “earth dwellers” is also found in the Old Testament, occurring almost 50 times. And every use of “earth dwellers” in the Old Testament appears in a context of judgment, just as it does in the book of Revelation.

I do not know whether or not the times ahead of us are the beginning of the end. But I do know this: we are at a time in history when everyone who says his home, citizenship, and focus is heavenward is about to be tested. As we see the world’s economy falter, it is now— more than ever—a time to “set your mind (and affections) on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

“Who do You Trust?”

Who can you trust nowadays? That question took on new meaning for me when I had surgery last month. I was anesthetized and cut open by complete strangers. What made me think I could trust them?

And what about the media? If you watch cable news, you know of the feuding between CNN, MSNBC and Fox—each reporting the 'news' with its own bias. And can you really trust any radio or TV commentator who gets ridiculously rich by telling people what they want to hear?

In 1957, Johnny Carson had a TV game show called “Who do You Trust?”—it was similar to The Newlywed Game. Carson would tell the male contestant the category of the upcoming question; the man would then have to decide whether to answer the question himself or "trust" his wife to do so. I wonder how many arguments ensued after the closing credits. “I love you honey, but I don’t trust you” makes funny TV, but it doesn’t play well in the boudoir.

Trust is no joking matter. History is replete with examples of misplaced trust. So in this world of distrust—from preachers to politicians, from big banks to big government—we know we can confidently trust our Father in Heaven. “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

Leaning on Canes, Staffs, and Walkers

When I was a child, we used to have a Sunday night ‘song service’ in our tiny Baptist church. To this day, I know every word of every hymn we sang. “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”—one of my favorites—is the subject of my thought today.

I can’t help but wonder if the writer of Hebrews was making such a point when he wrote: “when he was old, Jacob… bowed in worship as he LEANED ON HIS STAFF” (11:21). Unless we just dismiss the phrase as superfluous, we must consider its significance. A literal interpretation is easy: Jacob was old and weak. But I think there is more to the picture. Even as ‘mature’ people know they must depend on external supports [canes and walkers], so too ‘mature’ saints have learned not to depend on their own strength. Through years of walking with God, they have learned they cannot do it alone—they know they must “lean” on God. From the time Jacob wrestled with the angel of God and was left with a broken hip, Jacob was disabled—he could not walk without leaning on his staff. Is this not a picture of the way God intends for us to become increasingly dependent on Him?

But how sad that many don’t learn this at an earlier age! Young people depend on their own resources until they are broken. Only then do they discover their limitations. Remember the timeless proverb: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not LEAN on your own understanding” (3:5).

God is Never in a Hurry

Being in Belize where the pace of life is slower, I wondered if God is more like a Belizean than a North American—at least where “time” is concerned. In regard to our prayer lives, I wonder if most of us have a hard time lining up with God's sense of time. We seem to pray most earnestly when in a state of crisis: and if God doesn’t respond with comparable immediacy, we panic. It’s so hard for us to slow down and wait.

So we pray like David: “In the day when I call, answer me speedily” (Psalm 102:2); or “I am in trouble: hear me speedily” (Psalm 69:17). The Hebrew word could be translated “right now, hurry up!” David was saying, “Lord, I put my trust in you—but please hurry." (Of course we know that David grew to trust God's timing as he matured in his walk with God.)

But God is in no hurry. Habakkuk was perplexed when God didn’t immediately answer his prayer of crisis: the Chaldean's were coming, and they were about to destroy Jerusalem. God’s answer: wait, the answer will come at just the right time. And so, Habakkuk relented, “I will wait for your answer” (2:1-4). The people who wait on the Lord, without wavering, demonstrate mature faith. They know there is an appointed time for everything. God is never late, never falls behind in His work, and is never in a hurry.

Trying to Figure Out the God of Left Field

Just when we think our lives have settled down with certain predictability, something ‘out of left field’—out of nowhere— shows up. Our first reaction is to think, or to say, “God, why?” And it is precisely at these moments that we gain respect for God’s sovereignty—He does what He does. And what He does is not only good (by virtue of His goodness), but necessary for our sanctification (Heb. 10:36; 12:10-11).

Toward the end of Abraham’s long journey where he must have thought he ‘knew’ God, God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." (Gen. 22) Don’t you think Abraham had at least a moment of doubting whether this word, which seemed to come out of left field, was really God? But as much as he loved Isaac, He trusted God. And though it made no sense that God would kill the ‘son of promise,’ Abraham passed the test: trusting himself to God's sovereignty (not trying to figure Him out!).

Jesus’ disciples learned through many experiences (Jesus stops a storm that almost sinks their boat; Jesus invites 5,000 people to dinner; Jesus has a 'forbidden' conversation with a lone Samaritan woman) that He was unpredictable. So why are we surprised when something we never-could-have-expected happens to us? At moments like these, either we can waste time trying to figure God out, or we can submit to His sovereignty and accept His unpredictability.