Are You Focused on the Water or the Fairway?

Do not fret because of those who are evil
   or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away. 
Trust in the Lord and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalms 37:1-4 (NIV)

I golf. Not very well, but I do golf. One of my problems is focus. I'm not the only one. Whenever water is in play it acts like a golf ball magnet for a lot of us. I think it's because when you think about not hitting your brand new ball into the drink your focus goes there and that's where your shot goes. It is especially true when your "well meaning" partner quietly says, "Don't hit it in the lake", just before your tee off. 

What does that have to do with Psalm 37? It's all about focus. Am I focusing on what non-believers are doing or on the faithfulness of God? Although I need to be cognizant of the traps the enemy will set out in my life, I don't need to go examine them, walk all around them and see how close I can get to them. 

God has created us to have many desires. The way of the world is to fulfill their desires via any means possible. As a Christian we are supposed to trust God to meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. Psalm 37 tells us to trust God and do the right thing. Spend you time trying to do what you know is right. God will take care of the rest. 

In golf you are supposed to focus on the fairway. In Christ we focus on Christ's faithfulness while serving him and others. 

GOD TAKES CARE OF THE PATH

Trust in the Lord with all your heart 
     and lean not on your own understanding; 
in all your ways submit to him,
     and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

It is so easy to worry if you are on the right path. "Did I make the right decision?" "Am I where God wants me to be?" Those are question we ask ourselves when we are seeking God's will. 

Here is the awesome truth: When we submit to him, he makes our paths straight! Do you get that? It's not about us making all the right decisions and being in the right place at the right time. The truth is that God prepares the path in front of us. 

Are you where God wants you to be? If you are submitting to him you are.

Father, help us to submit to you. Praise be to you in us today. 

THE DISCIPLINE OF NO

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons...No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:7a, 11

When I was sixteen my dad told me, "If you want to drive, you can. You just have to pay for your own car and insurance." I was not to happy with that plan because it would mean I wouldn't be able to do sports or anything else. My dad knew that allowing me to get my drivers license would of been disastrous. We lived in Lake Arrowhead and every male under the age of 90 thought they were driving in the Lake Arrowhead Grand Prix. If I would of drove I am sure I would of killed myself or someone else. Literally everyone I knew who drove as a teenager totalled at least one car. When I finally got myself together and drove I at least was trying not to kill myself and dad even lent me a truck. 

Looking back I can see that it was probably one of the wisest things my dad ever did. It was hard for me at the time, but in the end it did keep me from doing something crazy. 

I think that the things that God doesn't allow us to do can be pretty frustrating at times. The discipline of "No" by God can be hard for us to understand, but, God's no's have probably saved us from more than we can imagine.

Father, help us to trust in you and trust you, even when you say, "No". Praise be to you in us today!

TRUST WHEN?

"Trust in him at all times, O people;
     pour out your hearts to him,
     for God is our refuge." 
 Psalm 62:8

What time is it? 
   It's time to trust in the Lord. 
   It's time to pour out your heart to the      Lord. 
   It's time to remember that God is your refuge.

I wish I had some great story. But, the truth is, you may just need to stop and remember these truths and act upon them. The truth is you may think you are seeking God and God is sort of waiting for you to get close enough for him to help you. But no, God is actually moving toward you and he is never too far away to reach out and help you. God is seeking you. If his Spirit wasn't moving in your life, you wouldn't even care. God is calling you...

GO AHEAD AND ASK

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus". Hebrews 10:19

When I was around twenty I was blessed to be able to attend Capernwray Bible School in England. The head of the school befriended me and I spent a good amount of time hanging out with him. For a while I was struggling with something and I didn't want to talk to him because I knew he would cut straight to the chase. Finally I went to talk with him about what I was struggling with and when I told him he said, "I knew it, I was just waiting for you to come talk to me." There was no condemnation, just help.  

Sometimes we act like that with God. We try to fix ourselves before we go to God. When we get tired of just messing it up more, we go to him and he simply says, "I know, I've just been waiting for you to come to me." 

Is there something you have been trying to fix or make right before you really seek God? Whatever it is, he knows and he is just waiting for you to call upon him. 

Father, thank you for being so patient and loving. Thank you that you do not condemn us, you sent your One and Only Son to die for us! Praise be to you in us today!

CAST AND SUSTAIN

"Cast your cares on the LORD
     and he will sustain you;
     he will never let the righteous fall.
 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked 
     into the pit of corruption;
 bloodthirsty and deceitful me
     will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you."
Psalm 55:22-23

This world is full of corruption. To most people, truth is optional and the value of a human is not much more than any other animal. Trusting in man is useless. 

Trusting in God is trust that does not let you down. God does what he says. The bloodthirsty deceit and corruption of the world swirls around us, but, God is not moved nor is his faithfulness compromised. Cast your cares on the Lord. Tell him what is concerning you. Share with him what worries you. He will sustain you. 

I know because he has. He has sustained me through self-inflicted trials and trials that I did my best to avoid. 

Take a moment and remember how God has sustained you...do you remember? 

GOT TROUBLES?

"I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
     I will praise your name, O LORD, 
     for it is good.
 For he has delivered me from all my troubles,
     and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes."
 Psalm 54:6-7

I think there are few types of troubles. 

• You can have the "that's just life" troubles. Things like the tires on your car wear down, the three-millionth flush is apparently the most you toilet can flush, your daughter needs braces and her dentist needs a new Porsche. Just life.   
• Then there are the "well, you asked for it" troubles. You choose to say it, do it or avoid it and the consequences are you have to pay the price.  
• Maybe you've experienced the "what mine is thine and thine is mine" troubles. You know, your boss makes a promise to deliver something and you have to make it happen. They leave early and you stay late. You get a ticket, so now that isn't enough cash to buy groceries for the family. 
• My personal favorite, the "open the door, step on the burning bag of crap" troubles. You're minding your own business, trying to do the right thing, and the next thing you know you find your self holding a nasty can of worms. You're coaching your sons baseball team and two parents get in an argument, that come to find out, has something to do with that time the thing happen that one year.  

Whatever the kind of trouble you are in, God can deliver you. Look to him and call on his name. 

Father, help us to look to you and call on you in the midst of all our troubles. Thank you for the countless times you have delivered me! Praise be to you in us today!

MAKE THE LORD YOUR TRUST AND BE BLESSED: Psalm 40:4

"Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
     who does not look to the proud,
     to those who turn aside to false gods." Psalm 40:4

There is a simple truth here and it is that if trust in the LORD you are blessed. In comparison, if you look to the proud, you won't be blessed. 

What is it about proud people that is negative? They look to themselves. They use personal pronouns a lot when referencing how they became successful. I read the book "Good to Great" (by Jim Collins) and one of the characteristics of a great leader was they took very little credit for success themselves. They were humble. The idea of a humble leader is astounding to the world. But, to Christians, not so. Christ humbled himself. 

We must humbly make the Lord our trust. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the issues, look to God. wait upon the Lord. When we make the Lord our trust, we are blessed.

Father, you are our trust. We look to you and not the proud. Bless us. Bless us today! Praise be to you in us today!

YOU ARE THE GUARDIAN: I Timothy 6:20-21

"Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you." I Timothy 6:20-21

Paul was of course writing to Timothy, a young pastor entrusted with teaching and shepherding of the body of Christ. Paul exhorts him to guard them because they have been entrusted to his care. Timothy knew well what the Apostle meant because he had seen first hand the passion and conviction that Paul shepherded the churches entrusted to his care. 

The question now for us is, what has God entrusted to our care?  We, of course, have our spouses and children. I don't know about you but when I hear most people talk about their marriages it is mostly about their own needs being met. I think we are called to build each other up. We are called to protect our spouses. Does my love for my wife guard her? What about your children?  Are you guarding them? I don't mean being over protective. I mean are you teaching them to live by faith?

I also think it is important to remember that we have been entrusted with God's reputation. Whether I am working or volunteering I am a Christian. I am entrusted with God's reputation in that sphere. 

I actually think it is amazing that God has entrusted me with anything, let alone a marriage, children, the little league families and Scouting groups I am blessed to volunteer with. I can't forget that I represent Christ everywhere I go. Opportunities to see God work will present themselves we just need to remember to be ready. 

Father, help us to guard what you have entrusted to our care. Thank you for counting us worthy of your grace in our lives. Praise be to you in us today! 

THERE WILL BE TROUBLE, BUT GOD IS OUR SALVATION: PSALM 37:39

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
     he is their stronghold in time of trouble." Psalm 37:39

The question of the day: What do you look to in times of trouble? Do you turn to your bank account? Do you turn to the television? Do you turn to your computer? To alcohol? To drugs? To someone else?

David reminds us that our salvation comes from the LORD. The LORD is who I am supposed to look to for help when life gets hard. 

Notice that David does not say that the righteous won't have trouble. Everyone has trouble. Trouble is part of life, whether we want it or like it, trouble will come. If you are like me, sometimes it seems like I have a particularly strong attraction to trouble.   

Trouble will come. We turn to God. That does not mean hiding from trouble. It means seeking God in the midst of trouble and by faith acting in righteousness. Acting righteously by faith is the Christian way of fighting your way out or trouble. Seek Christ, do the right thing by faith, love as Christ loved you and God will be your stronghold in times of trouble.

Thank you Father, for being our stronghold in times of trouble. Help us to walk by faith, to fight by faith as we trust in you to be our stronghold in times of trouble. Praise be to you in us today! 

ARE YOU GOOD AT WAITING?: Psalm 37:34

"Wait for the LORD 
     and keep his way. 
 He will exalt you to inherit the land; 
     when the wicked are cut off, you will see it."
 Psalm 37:34

Root canals and watching the bachelor may be the the only two things I like less than just plain waiting. I can complain about waiting for most things (although it will not speed thing up or take them away) but if I complain about waiting for God, then I feel guilty. I feel guilty because I know the truth is that he is Sovereign Lord and his time is not my time and his will is not my will. That said, I still an not good at waiting, even for God. But, I try to be. 

One of the many amazing truths about God is that even though I may not good at waiting. He is perfect at being God and nothing, not even my impatience, will hinder him from doing what he wants, when he wants. 

A few years ago I was in a group of teachers up for a group of positions ( a step up for me). My principal didn't show me the list that had my name on it until after the date for schools to select candidates. I was listed as just a teacher, not a categorical program coordinator and I was shown at the wrong school! No wonder no one called! A few days later a few of my friends and I prayed that God would work. The next day my principal told me a school wanted to hire me for the position. I was...not at peace shall we say for that week. But, God still was working and it ended up being  a great school to work at. 

God works despite us and separate from us. That is the truth.

If you have had an experience where you worried yet God work, please share with us in the comments section. 

Father, help us to keep our hope in you. Praise be to you in us today!

HOW TO DELIGHT YOURSELF IN GOD: Psalm 37:3-4

"Trust in the LORD and do good;
     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
 Delight yourself in the LORD
     and he will give you the desires of your heart."
 Psalm 37:3-4

On occasion I will watch the Discovery Channel show "Gold Rush". It's high pseudo-real life drama. The drama is that these people are risking everything to hit it big. They often encounter circumstances that seem out of their control. They are left with the option of giving up or just pressing on. Well, as Christians we are given one more option when things seem at their worst. We can delight ourselves in the Lord. 

Trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in the land, enjoy safe pasture and delight yourself in the Lord.  That is David's advice. Really, verse three is just how to delight yourself in the Lord. How do you delight yourself in the Lord? 

• You trust him to be Sovereign over everything do good where you are at. 
• Live by faith where you live. 
• Enjoy the safety and security of knowing that if you are trusting God, if you aren't where you are supposed to be, he can move you. Therefore, if you are trying to trust him you can trust he will reign over your life.

Father, help us to trust you right where you have us. Thank you that if you want to move us, you can. Praise be to you in us today!