There Are No Accidents!

Two nights ago my family watched “Kung Fu Panda.” If you have not seen this movie, go rent it, pop some popcorn and sit down as a family – it is GREAT! In the movie there is a wise old turtle, who keeps repeating throughout the movie, “There are no accidents.” This is a powerful thought, and one that I am agreeing with more and more as I continue to study scripture.

My understanding of the concept of “there are no accidents” stems from my deep belief in the sovereignty of God. The sovereignty of God is simply defined as God’s supreme authority of rule; complete independence and self-government. In other words, God is absolutely in control and has the right to do whatever He wants to whomever He wants whenever He wants. God is in control, and we are not!

When I first started contemplating sovereignty it was bitter in my mouth. It made me feel out of control and helpless. The more that I have studied sovereignty the more that I have realized that I am indeed out of control and helpless; but that it is good! It is good because it means that there are no accidents. It means that everything that happens in my life happens for a reason – because God allowed it!! It means that I do not have to fret that the disappointments and pain that I have experienced (that we have all experienced) are just happenstance of a broken world. No, they are a part of the divine plan of a sovereign God!

Now here is where faith comes in – the only way that God’s sovereignty does not lead to my bitterness is when I trust that His plan is good! There is nothing that I can do to resist or thwart His plan – For who resists His will (Romans 9:19b). But why would I want to resist something that I know is good, that I know is the best, that I know will bring me the greatest delight? You see if I have faith that His plan is always the best and that it is always for my good then His sovereignty becomes a refreshing breeze over my soul. If I have faith in His goodness and love for me then His sovereignty is the hand of a loving father who guides me with wisdom and grace along the path that He has marked out for me!

Lord please help me to delight in your sovereignty today! Help me to remember that no matter the difficulties of my life they are according to your plan and that your plan is good! Thank you my Lord for not allowing me to be in control of my life!

How Did You Pray Today?

How did you pray today?

Last night was an amazing night for America. I do not say that because I agree with the outcome of the election but because it did represent a dramatic shift for our country. On the positive it offered one more step in the removal of racial barriers; and it engaged the country in mass more than any other election. On the negative it seems to be one more step from America’s roots as a country based upon the principles of the scriptures and a morality that was defined by God.

As disappointed as I was personally last night this morning I woke with deep conviction in my heart born from a powerful passage of scripture:

Romans 13:1-2 (NIV)

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

I trust in the sovereignty of God. I trust that He is in control and that even this is according to His plan. So when I woke this morning I prayed for our President-Elect Barack Obama. I pray wisdom and strength for him. I pray that God would focus his heart and guide his hands.

How did you pray today? Did you delight in the revelation of God’s plan or did you question whether He had lost control? Did you pray for your President-Elect or did you wish him ill? Did you purpose in your heart to submit to him or did harbor thoughts of rebellion.

We must trust the truth of scripture and the power and plan of God. Last night was not an accident and it did not represent the loss of control on the part of God. He continues to reveal His will and plan for humanity and the end is unchanging:

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (NIV)

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

⁵⁵ “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

How did you pray today?

Think About These Things - Part 2 (with challenge)

I know that I am tardy with this post – I promise that I am going to do better on my frequency! But let’s get back to our discussion on the things that we think about.

Last week we looked at the sheer magnitude of the amount of time that we spend in front of the television. The reason that I even started to look at these statistics is because God has really been laying a specific passage of scripture on my heart. Here it is:

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

The Greek word that is translated think about such things is the word logizomai which means more than just entertaining thoughts about something. In fact the word is a command in the Greek. It means that we are commanded to calculate, or evaluate, or meditate on the things from this list. In fact the verb form of the word calls for the “habitual discipline of the mind to set all thoughts on these spiritual virtues.” ( John MacArthur. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Philippians. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2001, pg 285.) In other words we are to so meditate on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy that it alters our lives. In fact the scriptures will tell us that it is the thoughts in our heads that will define our lives:

Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)

⁷ For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

When we come to understand the power of the command of this text then we are driven to consider the things that we let in our head every single day. If the statistics regarding television are true in our lives then there is no way that we can say that we are fulfilling the command of this verse - there is too much junk; there is too much sin; there is too much that does not meet the criteria set forth in Philippians 4:8! But maybe you do not watch television, so ask yourself if the conversations that you have throughout your day, the jokes that you tell, the emails that you read, the web pages you surf – do they meet the criteria of this passage?

The bottom line is that I have a long way to go! There are too many other things that I allow to take root in my heart and if I am not careful they will begin to define me! I can tell you from experience that when I get intentional about testing the things that I am letting in my head that my walk with Christ rockets to new heights! I find that I covet less, I deal with anger less, I am less critical – all because I get serious about the commands in scripture!

So here is my challenge – for the next week test every television program that you watch by the simple standard in Philippians 4:8 and if it does not pass that test then turn the channel. For one week try to think about only those things prescribed in this passage. Then come back on this blog and leave a comment detailing what you have experienced – I believe we could be in store for some amazing stories!

Lord Jesus, help us to think about those things that bring you glory. Help us to not just do it for one hour or one day, but help us to create a practice in our lives of testing the things that we let define our thoughts! We praise you Lord for the way that guide our lives!!