Open My Eyes So I Can See! Page 27

In II Kings Chapter 6 another man of God, Elisha, is being hunted down for slaughter.  Here is the scenario:   Elisha is the prophet for the King of Israel.  Israel is at war with the King of Aram.  Every strategic move that the King of Aram makes Elisha counters by telling the King of Israel.  This infuriates the King of Aram.  In this scriptural saga, God reveals a spiritual side of life that we don’t recognize…for in doing so, we have to give credence to things we cannot see.  Attributing power to the invisible is, let’s say, difficult for us on this side of heaven.  But when we fail to do so, we limit God’s magnificence.

 After reading this amazing chapter, I’d prefer to acknowledge God’s invisible presence and by doing so gain access to the protection of that very Army of God.

 Let’s pick up the story below:

II Kings 6:13-17
“Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered,
 “so I can send men and capture him.”  The report came back:
“He is in Dothan.”  Then he (the King of Aram) sent horses and chariots
and a strong force there. 
They went by night and surrounded the city. 
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city.
 “Oh, my lord, what shall we do” the servant asked. 
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. 
“Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed,
“O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”
Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked
and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire
all around Elisha.”

 So-the prayer was “…open his eyes so he may see.”…and boom-the invisible veil was lifted!  There in the spiritual realm, prepared for battle, were horses and chariots of fire.  Verse 16 says “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  Wow!  They were unseen to all but Elisha and his servant but they were there none-the-less and out-numbered the enemy army!  Graciously…and miraculously, the victory that day came to be- from the “unseen” forces commanded by Almighty God! 

This should be our prayer as well.  “Open my eyes so I may see.”  God has mighty plans for us and when we walk with the Lord through this dark and dire world, surely we are protected.  With a steadfast heart we can pray for God to show us those things we cannot fully understand!   It’s a fascinating concept…and a spiritual truth that we tend to forget, due to the veil that is drawn between here and the heavenlies, but God works in the unseen realm as we live and breathe here on the visible side of life!

 To dig a little deeper let’s ponder this:  that SAME God that answered Elisha’s prayer that day and provided protection in his moment of need …is the exact SAME God that we serve today.  We have been far removed from those ancient days and the prophets of old but we are just as close to their God….for He is our God as well.

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.”
Proverbs 21: 31


Song Recommendation:
The Great Adventure
By: Steven Curtis Chapman

What Are You Doing Here? Page 26

I Kings 19: 11-13

“The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord,
 for the Lord is about to pass by.”
 Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart
 and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
 When Elijah heard it, he pulled cloak over his face
 and went and stood at the mouth of the cave.”

Then a voice said to him,
“What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Can you imagine what Elijah just witnessed?  Wind literally tore the mountains apart.  Growing up in south Louisiana I’m familiar with high winds.  I’ve seen hurricane-force winds lean trees over not momentarily….but for hours!  The wind can be impressive.  After the wind God shook the ground with an earthquake.  Can you just see the crumbled mountains being shaken on their weak foundations  and the avalanche that followed.  “But the Lord was not in the earthquake.”  Surely at this point Elijah is quite aware that God was making a point.  After the earthquake, the Lord sent fire, I’d say as a visual display of His authority and ultimate control-even over the elements.  But, “the Lord was not in the fire.” 

I wonder which of these miraculous displays hit Elijah the hardest; you know-hit closest to home.   

“After the fire came a gentle whisper.”

I’d have to say the gentle whisper probably made the greatest impact!  Compassionately; quietly, in a simple whisper God asked a very basic question; “What are you doing here”.  I believe at times God asks the same of us. 

If only we could hear the voice of God when we’re at our lowest.  Elijah was running for his life.  Fortunately, we don’t frequently have to do such things.  Sometimes, however, we do have to battle for our lives or we have to battle through the circumstances in our lives.   At times like these we are desperate for a big display of God’s presence so that we can step into the shadows of the Almighty and allow His power to attend to our needs.  But, this scripture tells us that God is not always found in the large and boisterous.  He may be a simple whisper; perhaps in the recesses of our mind encouraging us, leading us, speaking to us. Can you hear him?  What is He asking you?

 God purposely does this- just as He did with Elijah.  This world is noisy and we lose our way.  The world is full of sin and our hearts get pierced, whether via circumstance or bad choices…but pierced non-the-less!  It’s painful and lonely.  We sit in our cave of circumstance, like Elijah, and ponder the death that is in front of us. 

It is then that we need to lower the cloak we’ve so protectively pulled over our down-cast face and listen for that distinct whisper which could only be the voice of God!  There’s a different look on our face when we’re listening.  God knows that look full well.  He knows when our hearts are pierced….and He knows when we’ve finally come to the end of ourselves and are willing to listen.  Because of this He simply has to whisper.  It’s gracious and compassionate; full of comfort and concern.  Believe me, we have the capability to hear God if we listen with the intention of hearing!

After God asked Elijah that pivotal question “What are you doing here?”  God then said, “Go back the way you came.”  What?  Wow!  How interesting.  After all that running and hiding, in a cave no-less….Elijah had to go back the way he came.  Oh, the pain of back-tracking.  The wasted time fear causes us.  But, God knew the way to it and the reasons for it.  God sent Elijah back with detailed instructions and with this God’s plan continued on its way for in this passage of scripture God is once again wooing the Children of Israel back to Him. 

  It is the same with us!  God is pursuing us.  Working it out so that we turn back to Him-- for this world and its friend, Despair, will certainly distract and cause us to hover in fear and isolation.    Don’t despair!  Don’t wait in a cold cave fearing the inevitable. Jeremiah 23: 29 says;

 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, 

“and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

 He is strong enough to break apart the fear we're  entangled in and burn our circumstances up like they are nothing!   Like the elements that Elijah experienced we too experience  the wind-blowing, ground shaking fires of this world…but the one who controls all things controls those elements and every element of circumstance we must struggle through.  Yes, we struggle. We wrestle.  We weep.  Then, we must surrender for this is just the moment our gracious God is waiting for.  He’s there in the pages of scripture and with mercy He attends to us as we step out onto the mountainside with hearts ready to listen to godly advice.  

He will ask “What are you doing here?”  And your answer will be……..

Song Recommendation: 
Mountain of God
By:  Third Day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgeMHHbFslk

Freedom In Christ Page 25

In John 8: 32 Jesus says “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”  What is this scripture referencing?  That pivotal point when we begin to hold tight to Jesus Christ and his teachings and,  within Christ's truths, find a blessed liberty called freedom. 

  Scripture says in Matthew 22: 37 “…Love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your mind.”    That directive encompasses EVERYTHING; the emotions in our hearts, the depth of our souls and all the truth, knowledge and steadfastness we can find in the recesses of our mind.  It calls us to quite a commitment….but what is ironic is that this commitment, which usually implies “obligation” actually brings us freedom.   With this in mind, let’s read the passage below to get a crystal clear understanding of this blessed and gracious freedom of ours!

“One Beauty of God’s creation is this:  if you’re not willing to accept Christianity,
 then you’re free to reject it.  This Freedom to make choices-even the freedom to
 reject truth –is what makes us moral creatures and enables each of us to choose
 our ultimate destiny.  This really hits at the heart of why we exist at all,
and why God might not be as overt in revealing himself to us as some would like.
 For if the bible is true, then God has provided each of us with the opportunity to make
 an eternal choice to either accept him or reject him.
  And in order to ensure that our choice is truly free, he puts us
 in an environment that is filled with evidence of his existence,
 but without his direct presence-a presence so powerful that it could
 overwhelm our freedom and thus negate our ability to reject him.  In other words,
God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe,
 yet he has also left some ambiguity so as not to compel the unwilling. 
In this way, God gives us the opportunity either love him or to reject him
without violating our freedom.  In fact, the purpose of this life is to make that choice
freely and without coercion.  For love, by definition, must be freely given.
 It cannot be coerced.  That’s why C.S. Lewis wrote,
“the Irresistible and the Indisputable are the two weapons which
the very nature of {God’s} scheme forbids Him to use.
 Merely to over-ride a human will (as His felt presence in any but the faintest
 and most mitigated degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless.
 He cannot ravish.  He can only woo.” 1,2

This passage is so full of candor I don’t know where to begin; maybe with the irony that God is not literally as detectable as we would like…or the fact that the very freedom Christ offers includes the freedom to reject Him! Amazing!  Or, perhaps the statement that points to the fact that we have been placed in an environment that is filled with powerful evidence of His existence and with only the humbleness our Lord can muster, He waits for humanity to recognize Him as Creator, God!  Or maybe I should start with the well-known truth that love must be freely given and that we have free-will to choose whether we agree that God is, indeed, worthy of loving as our Creator and Savior! 

I call these truths gracious and merciful!  Actually, I call it fascinating!  Honestly, has the night sky, in all its majesty never overwhelmed you?  Have you not ever just stopped in your tracks to behold the sunset streaming across the sky?  Really, from the blazing sun to the tiniest light from a firefly….God is saying… “Here am I” and all we have to do is simply stand in the presence of the everyday to recognize God for who He is.  With all of creation He pursues us and yet gives us the freedom to recognize Him or not.

We do not have his direct presence, but we have nature that entices.  We are not forced to love God…or even each other-for we have the ability to choose whom we love.   We are not in bondage to God, for that is not His nature; but we are in bondage to sin….and it’s a burden that can we liberated from if we realize that this sinful world is exactly wherein we find freedom in Christ.

1 Timothy 1: 15-17
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:
 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-
of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason
 I was shown mercy so that in me,
the worst of sinners,
 Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example
 for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,
 be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Music Download Recommendation:
All of Creation
by:  MercyMe

1-        Norman L. Geisler/Frank Turek, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist (Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois)

2-      C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Westwood, N.J. Barbour, 1961)

In the Beginning Page 24

With the start of the new year we each have the opportunity to seek out a “new perspective” on life. Though it’s the dead of winter….newness seems just around the corner for literally the spring weather is the next thing we have to look forward to.    It’s the beginning of another year; time to start over.  Surely, with the arrival of the new year, we have been blessed with time to begin again.   

With that said….have you ever pondered the actual beginning?  You know…that time when everything was truly new.  That point when our world came into existence by the spoken word of God.  Let’s look at creation from the perspective of the Living Word in Genesis Chapter One, for a reminder of whence we came:  

Genesis
Verses 1 and 2-
 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep,
 and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Can you imagine?  Our earth- formless and empty with a darkness over the surface of the deep.  A deep what?  I’d say a deep, unfathomable; an immensity that simply was-where the Spirit of God came and hovered.  I’d speculate that with this same “immensity” containing the “hovering” Spirit of God, was also a deep, powerful holiness- for that same power simply spoke and all things came into existence.

 Let’s continue…

Verse 3-
 “And God said, “let there be light,”
 and there was light.”

 It was that simple!

Verse 4 and 5-
“God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
 God called the light “day, “and the darkness he called “night”.
 And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.”

Don’t let the last three words of that verse escape their magnificence;  “The first day”!  As in the first day of the new year?  NO.  Indeed; it was THE first day of every year since.  It was “the first day” of the existence of mother earth.

 Let’s continue….

Verses 6- 8
 “And God said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters
 to separate water from water.”
 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse
 from the water above it. 
And it was so.
  God called the expanse “sky”.
 And there was evening, and there was morning- the second day.”

In your science classroom have you ever studied a more profound and poetic description of the creation of our sky? What did it take to separate the waters below from the waters above and create the division of earth and sky?  The answer is the spoken word of God!  Let’s keep it that simple.  Let’s take God at his word.  He graciously gave us an explanation of creation in Genesis chapter One.  Let’s not bang it around with other explanations or theories.

 Let’s continue…..

Verses 9-10
  “And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered in one place,
and let dry ground appear.”  And it was so.
 God called the dry ground “land”, and the gathered waters he called “seas.”
 And God saw that it was good. 

Ever wondered why oceans and oceans of water stay put.  Why massive amounts of water stay within their set boundaries?  Because the God who created the universe also commands it.  We’ve studied this before but let me encourage you to re-read Job 38: 8-11 as a refresher.

Let’s continue with Genesis 1: 11-13

Then God said… “Let the land produce vegetation;
seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it,
according to their various kinds.”  And it was so. 
The land produced vegetation;
plants bearing seed according to their kinds
and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.
 And God saw that it was good.
  And there was evening, and there was morning- the third day.”

Now…I am tempted to direct you to your own Bible and allow you to continue with studying what the spoken word of God has to do with creation…but the next section is, for me, the best part so, together, let’s look at the genesis of our world and the lights therein!

Verses 14-19
 “And God said, “let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years,
 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.
  God made two great lights-the greater light to govern the day
 and the lesser light to govern the night.  He also made the stars.
 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth,
to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.
  And God saw that it was good.
 And there was evening, and there was morning-the fourth day.”

Ok, now….have you ever had such a perfectly poetic explanation for the sun and the moon.  In their simplest form they have been described.  They do exactly what the Word of God says they do!  They exist to govern the day and night….and using your own eyes you can verify that they do it with total majesty. 

Did you know that our ocean’s high and low tides are created by our moons gravity?  Why did God make that so?  Our days and years and their seasons are governed by the orbit of the earth  and our moon.  Why did God determine that seasons were to be part of our time on earth?  Why is it that our oceans and our seasons...better yet our time is managed by the orbit of our moon and the orbit of earth itself?  Obviously Planet Earth IS governed by the unfathomable.   Something beyond our vision....beyond our total understanding!  Genesis Chapter One tells us it is the Spirit of God! 

Truly, can it be any more profound that the best-selling book of all time discusses the creation of day and night, of time and the countenance of time itself, and details the purpose of our sun and moon and how they play into the seasons of our lives?!  Why would God take the time to give us these details?  Why indeed! Because they matter to him.  We matter to him! 

Surely the God who commanded the universe into existence and whom governs our universe using gravity, burning stars, and a spinning planet tilted on its axis…. and whom manages our oceans with the push and pull of our moon’s gravity and manages our seasons with the lights in our sky that separate day and night… IS a God of order, majesty and power beyond our understanding!

 He has told us what He did during creation…and, here in 2012, we can see with our own eyes things that are still beyond our imagination as we peer into space using the internet and the Hubble Space Telescope.   Yes, He is the God of Creation!   If you finish reading Genesis 1: 20-31 and Genesis 2: 1-4 you will see the completion of Week One as God finishes his work on Day 6 and sets aside Day 7 to rest.  Better yet, let’s see, with our own eyes, God’s work through His spoken word in this link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEgp2_Rcc80

God spoke and it was so!  May the year 2012 find you fascinated with our sky as you look up and seek its beloved Creator, God!

Song Recommendation:
Light Up the Sky
BY:  The Afters