"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the Lord brought on me in the day of his fierce anger? From on high he sent fire, sent it down into my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long. My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have been hung on my neck, and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has given me into the hands of those I cannot withstand. This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed." (Lamentations 1:12-14, 16 NIV) Note the phrase: all you who pass by... Israel has reached a place in its history where their pain and sorrow is beyond comparison, and can be seen by anyone who is looking. You can see Who is the author of this suffering — the LORD. And why are they burdened with such sorrow and suffering? Because of their sin. Worshiping false gods. Deserting and denouncing the true worship of the One True God. So, nothing new. Lamentations is a long litany of sin, sorrow and judgment. But in the midst of all this grief, there is a bright light — however brief — in chapter 3. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; is mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness . (Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV) Later in the chapter, Jeremiah writes:  Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. (v. 40) In the midst of this pandemic turmoil, it can be easy to lose sight of the Lord. With all the fear, anger, anxiety and stress surrounding us, we can lose our way. But remember, The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. www.theintentionallife.com.

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. The man's name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without here two sons or her husband.  (Ruth 1:1-5 NLT) No husband. No sons. No grandchildren. Sometime later, Naomi heard that Israel was once again being blessed by the Lord, so she and her daughters-in-law get ready to return to her homeland. On the way, Naomi says: "Go back to your mothers' homes..." Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.  (v.8-9) Ruth responds:  "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!"  (v.16-17) So Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem. Later in the book, Ruth marries a guy named Boaz and they have a son named Obed. Now, I’ve got to admit, this could become a Hallmark movie because everyone lives happily ever after. Why do I say that? At the end of the book, the writer gives us the genealogy of Ruth’s child: Boaz was the father of Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David. And who was of the son of David? Jesus. So, despite the loss of her husband and sons, Naomi holds a critical role in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Hence, happily  ever  after. theintentionallife.com.

Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, 'Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor. 1 "While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.' "That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles' feathers and his nails were like birds' claws. (Daniel 4:29:33 NLT) So, 12 months before Nebuchadnezzar experienced the realities of the dream, he summoned Daniel to interpret said dream. Daniel made sure that Nebuchadnezzar knew that: ” (v.25) He warned that Nebuchadnezzar would lose his kingdom if he did not change. Well — he didn’t change. So he was driven from human society, lived like a wild animal and ate grass like a cow. After seven periods of time we see this:  I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. He then continues with a prayer of great praise. Along with his returned sanity also came his former honor and glory and kingdom. And the last verse of the chapter: Now i, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All His acts are just and true, and He is able to humble the proud. Let’s look at the word sanity a little more closely to understand what Nebuchadnezzar experienced. The Hebrew Concordance defines sanity as: knowledge, understanding and reason. You may know of someone who, like Nebuchadnezzar, has lost their sanity. Maybe they have lost their way or even have lost everything, while others have lost nothing. The question is, will they learn? I suspect that for those who have not been humbled, and had not sought out the Most High God, they probably won’t. It’s tempting to ask God to give to those who have lost their sanity Nebuchadnezzar’s experience. But rather than that, I believe it is more critical that we, as followers of the LORD God, help those in our lives understand what sanity is all about; what truth is all about. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NLT) "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  (John 8:32 NLT) But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.  (1 Corinthians 1:14 NLT) www.theintentionallife.com.

When you set out with intention to fulfill God’s purpose for your life, you are going to face resistance and encounter roadblocks. They are inevitable. Take Nola Ochs, for example. Her husband passed away in 1972, and she figured she would be gone soon after. For five years, she sat around, waiting to die. But then she decided she wasn’t done – and started living with intention. First, it was tennis lessons. Then a few college courses, and soon she was pursuing a bachelor’s degree. At age 95 she became the oldest college graduate. Still not done, she earned her master’s degree at 98 years of age. When you come to a roadblock, do you quit and go home, or find another way to reach your destination? “One thing I do,” the Apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me” (Philippians 3:13-14). Roadblocks may be unexpected, but resistance is a constant from birth to death, and it takes many curious forms: Fear.  Don’t allow fear to overcome your intentions. “All men are afraid in battle,” General George Patton said. “The coward is one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty.” Criticism.  Parents, teachers, employers and friends can beat you down. But if your goal is God-given, refuse to be derailed. Perfectionism.  The message that you’re never good enough will sabotage your progress if you take your eyes off the prize and focus on your own shortcomings. Success.  Sometimes success comes so early that it acts as a detriment. If you feel like a “one-hit wonder,” remember that with Christ, your future is always brighter than your past (Jeremiah 29:11). Age.  Perhaps the greatest lie of all is that you’re all washed up. Nola didn’t believe it, and neither should you. When you lean into life instead of lying back, you won’t be knocked off your feet by hardship or crisis. Commit your way to God, and press toward the goal He has for you, no matter what. www.theintentionallife.com.

Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.” The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit” … Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day.  (Esther 3:8-11, 13-14 NLT) Persecution? No, genocide. Now the Jews, who are no strangers to suffering, being surrounded by enemies, in this case because of their disobedience to God, were in exile because of their sins. But, God had promised that He would bring them back, so wiping them out was not part of His plan. It was the plan of a very evil individual named Haman. Mordecai, another main character of the book and a leader of the Jews and uncle to Queen Esther, who was also Jewish, contacts her, telling her of the decree and asks Esther to go to the king and beg for mercy and plead for her people. Unfortunately, it was court etiquette that if someone was not summoned by the king and tried to appear before him without an invite, it resulted in death. Mordecai’s response was: Who knows if perhaps you were made Queen for just a time as this? Esther asks Mordecai to gather all the Jews and fast for her three days, then she would try to go before the king. Following Esther being granted an audience with the King, intrigue abounds (chapters 5-9) which eventually leads to the decree being repealed, the Jews being saved, Haman disgraced and killed and Mordecai exalted. An interesting characteristic of the book of Esther: nowhere is God mentioned. But you see His works all over the place. And because of the deeds of a couple of righteous individuals, an entire nation was saved. I wonder what God would do if we would stand for His righteousness for such a time as this? www.theintentionallife.com.

What we do today and the decisions we make are going to matter now more than ever. The power of living intentionally in Christ is a huge positive benefit bringing glory to God, benefit to us and encouragement to those that we love. In this blog, and the one that follows, I’ll share ten life-changing reminders and practical applications as it has to do with how your past impacts how you live today. Let’s get started. Habits Habits: Paul says in 1st Corinthians 11:1: Be imitators of me as I am of Christ. Forty percent of our daily activities are habitual; we don’t think about them. Things like how we dress, how we drive, how we ride a bicycle. But even more importantly would be the attitudes we hold about faith, relationships, work, health and finances because of what we’ve learned in the past. Those good and bad habits impact us today. Take this little audit and ask yourself, “How are my habits impacting my life today in the five essential areas of life: your faith, your family, your finances, your health and your work?" Consider these questions: What habits are supporting you and the goals that you have? What habits are holding you back? (Satan I think loves to camp on the negative habits, the things that aren’t working in our life and reinforce them, keeping us from living the kind of successful life that God intends for us. It keeps us down. We never really fully experience all that God has for us. Regrets: Our regrets from the past will impact how we view life today. Ink.com showed that 72% of us feel regrets about our ideal self. We recite actions we wish we had taken. We regret more of what we didn’t do than what we did do in the past. Romans 8:1-3 says, “Those who enter into Christ being here for us no longer have to live under a continuous low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The spirit of life in Christ like a strong wind has magnificently cleared the air freeing you from a faded lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." Maybe you have something that God’s laid on your heart to do. Something that you know is important and will bring glory to God. It may feel a little risky, but you know you need to do it.ONE THING you can do today – after you’ve wisely prayed about it and received good counsel, make that decision to act, so you don’t have regrets in the future about not acting today. Expectations: You’ve probably heard me say, “We judge ourselves by our intentions, but we judge others by our expectations. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when the desire comes it’s a tree of life." Your expectations have followed you into today and they impact how you are going to relate in life. Do an audit and ask yourself: “How are my expectations about others, about God, about work and about myself impacting how I’m going to relate today to others? Attitude: Pilots know what the word, attitude means. A pilot will tell you that an attitude, when they’re flying, is either nose up or nose down. The attitude is either lifting them to a higher level or it’s bringing them down. When we think about our attitudes we should ask, “Does my attitude about life, about others in these essential areas one that is filled with positivity, hopefulness, God’s goodness, and expectations of good things from him?” Or is your attitude discouragement, negativity, loss and defeat? Hebrews 9:27-28 says, “Everyone has to die once and then face the consequences.” Christ’s death was also a one-time event, but it was a sacrifice that took care of sins forever. Inertia: Inertia is the tendency to do nothing, for things to remain unchanged. If something is stopped, inertia keeps it from moving forward. If it’s moving forward in a straight line, inertia tends to keep things moving in that same direction. Inertia can be a very powerful force in the physical world, but it can also be a very powerful force in our spiritual and our relational lives. If at some point in the past, you got on the wrong path, going in the wrong direction and maybe you know exactly what I’m talking about, in your life, you’ve made decisions you now look back on and regret ever making those decisions, inertia will tend to keep you moving in the same direction even if it’s the wrong direction. Or if in the past you found yourself getting stuck. You started in a healthy direction, something happened, you got stuck in a pothole, it’s kind of like the giant train with a block of wood under its wheels. It’s virtually impossible to get that train moving, because of the inertia once it stops. So, ask yourself, “Am I stuck? Where will I be tomorrow if I stay on the same path that I’m on today, or am I moving in the right direction?” How you answer these questions (and those in the next blog) can have a transformational impact at how you view today. Because today matters, what you do today is what intentional living all about. www.theintentionallife.com.

My older brother recently sent me a book he enjoyed titled  Kingdom Men Rising  by Tony Evans. It was an encouraging and heart-felt book that covered a lot of Tony Evans’s life and ministry, as well as a summons for men to rise up to their biblical calling. One of his biblical insights that stuck out to me was from the story of Joshua. Tony says,  “Great leadership knows how to spot great leadership. Joshua didn’t follow complainers”  (Evans, p. 199). In other words, Tony was sharing about how–as Moses was raising up the next generation of leaders to carry on the mission of God for His people–he was identifying those leaders that would continue a biblical foundation. And the one characteristic that Tony points out of an upcoming leader is his lack of complaining. What’s fascinating about the story found in Numbers 14 is that it coincides with Israel’s fear of entering the promised land. __________ “ Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel  grumbled  against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!” Numbers 14:1-2  (Emphasis mine) This word,  grumble , is used sixteen times in the Old Testament. Here’s the interesting part…each time it’s used the people are murmuring against a leader God had appointed or God Himself. Eleven times the grumbling is directed toward Moses and the leadership God had established. The other five times the people of God directed their murmuring against God. WOW! What does grumble mean? Grumble actually has two senses depending on the Hebrew verb tense. In the case of the first, the word in Hebrew can mean to dwell or lodge. In the case of the second, it can mean to murmur or grumble. The verb tense in Numbers 14 and the fifteen other usages mentioned here are the second sense, i.e. to  grumble  or  murmur . So what is grumbling or murmuring? Practically it is,  “to make complaining remarks or noises under one’s breath” (LXHEBANLEX, 2017). We all not only know what this means. If you have kids you especially know! The reality is, we have either been the recipient of someone’s murmuring or the perpetrator of murmuring. Bringing it together… The point is that Moses picked a leader who didn’t grumble against his leadership. Joshua was a man submitted to the will of God, and was able to submit to the person God willed to lead him. Obviously, his submission wasn’t blind loyalty, but it was given so far as Moses followed God’s will. How Does This Apply To Us Today? To murmur is to lack trust…to lack trust is to be self-sufficient…to be self-sufficient is to not need God. Thus, 1. Biblical leadership has no place for murmurers… If you fall here, confess and repent, dust yourself off, and pray for God to give you a heart of gratitude. One of the sure fire ways to get a heart of gratitude is to write down in a journal once or so a week the many things you are thankful for in your life. 2. Biblical leadership murmurs not against people in positions of authority God has placed over them… To be a biblical leader, one must accept their current position in life*. Military personnel get this. They salute the position not the person. Thus, when David chose not to kill Saul in the cave, he didn’t–even though Saul was acting wickedly–because he was God’s anointed. 3. Biblical leaders look for their replacement from the pool of non-murmurers… When looking to raise up the next generation, listen to words directed toward superiors and leaders over potential disciples. Do they complain and murmur against them? Do they slight them and delicately “drop them in the grease?” No one is too far gone, and everyone has potential to change. Not the least of which are murmurers. One of the gifts we can give to others is to model a life free of murmuring! “ Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world…” Philippians 2:14-15

““Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”” Matthew 11:28-30 __________ Recently, I just finished a book titled,  Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. It was written to cultivate an acceptance of and enjoyment in the love of God for His people. At one point while I was reading I remembered a phrase from another author that was commenting on this passage above. The author is Thomas Boston, and he wrote the following in reference to Christ’s gladness as He began His public ministry: “ Christ invites sinners with an enlarged heart.  Joy enlarges it. His heart is open to you, His arms stretched wide. You often see Him with sorrow and anger in His face, and this works with you that you will not come. Behold Him smiling and inviting you now to Himself, sending  love looks to lost sinners, from a joyful heart within!”  (Thomas Boston. Come Unto Me, All Ye that Labor. Page 4.) We all typically receive and consider Christ’s love for us depending upon what context of church we grew up in (or didn’t grow up in at all), and depending upon how you received love from those who you loved you most in your life. How you received love is not necessarily a guarantee as to how you will receive love from God, but it nevertheless had an influence. As a result, some of us are still trying to “prove” ourselves and our worth in order to be loved by God. This is the person who builds their life around their “good works.” Their emotions fluctuate as it relates to God’s love, and they often are discouraged when things don’t go their way in life, and they take too much credit when they do. There is an unbiblical over-emphasis placed on doing the right thing, with the aim of becoming lovable. There are others of us believe that we are “too far gone” to be loved by God. This is the person who has fallen into sin or at some point gave himself/herself over to a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s way. There is an unbiblical over-emphasis placed on  not  doing the right thing, with a false belief that one cannot be loved. While yet there are still others who live on the “roller coaster” of believing God’s love toward them. This is the person whose basis of God’s love for them is placed on how they “feel” God’s love. There is an unbiblical emphasis placed on emotions as it relates to God’s love for them, which leads to a fickle view of God. What’s the Way Forward? God’s love is not based upon our understanding of His love. In other words, our understanding of God’s love doesn’t dictate how much He loves us. It is there no matter what I think. God’s love is based upon His sovereign grace. In other words, God’s love is based upon His character, which means when He loves, He loves infinitely. Therefore… It is a pity when I don’t embrace God’s love, because I am in so many words “…playing in the sands of a slum instead of the sands of a glorious sea shore.” It is an opportunity to live in the love of God, which leads to the giving of the love of God to others. Hurt people hurt people. On the other hand, love-embraced people love people. Walk in the freshness, the crispness, the inexorable love of God for and toward you. As His child in the faith, He only has love looks toward you…always and forever…always and forever…always and forever. Amen. Denton Bible Church.

“He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control], But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].” Proverbs 14:29 (Amplified–AMP) __________ The first time I saw a husband and wife really fight I was in ninth grade. I was spending the night with a friend, and at some point during the day his parents started to argue. One thing led to another, and their voices began to raise. Their hands were in motion, and the air in the room was sucked out like a vortex tornado sweeping across the land. My stomach knotted up, there was a tight pinch in my throat, and I hoped with all my might that it would end as soon as possible. On another occasion, as I was driving I looked over and saw a man violently swinging his arms while in his vehicle. He was obviously unsettled by another driver, and though his words were muted by the fact that his windows were rolled up, he nevertheless expressively promoted his disapproval with his actions. I shook my head and thought to myself,  “I wish this guy could see himself…he looks like a fool.” And then there was the time that I allowed my frustrations to get the best of me. It was early on in my parenting journey, and one of my daughters was clearly advancing her agenda over mine. I had had enough and I let her know it with my voice and slamming my fist on the table. In that moment–the flash of anger–I intuitively knew what the verse above points out. It’s the same thing that everyone does–whether they know it or not. Quick-tempers exalt (or display) foolishness. When unfettered unrighteous anger begins, so too does the display of foolishness. There’s just no other way to put it. What’s the way forward? How can we not display foolishness? Self-control The word for  slow  (as in slow to anger) in Proverbs 14:29 literally means to be  long . The word is used 15x in the Old Testament Hebrew. Of the 15x it is used, 9x refers to God being “slow to anger” as it relates to His relationship with His people ( Ex. 34:6, Num. 14:18, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Nah. 1:3, Ps. 86:15, Ps. 103:8, Ps. 145:8, Neh. 9:17 ). It is found in the very heart of our God. A good way to think about this word–slow–is something like a plane landing on a runway. The longer the runway the easier for the plane to land. Thus, (1) being slow to anger means I have a long runway with my emotions–planes of disruption and frustration and surprises and hurts have a long runway to land, and (2) I get this long runway through the strength of the Lord–Who, by His very nature, is slow to anger. Practically, I have the greatest potential to exhibit daily self-control when I’m reading God’s Word and I’m praying. Simple, but not easy. Understanding This word is used 42x in the Old Testament, and it generally means to have skill. The idea is that one who has understanding demonstrates proficiency and connected knowledge in his actions. It’s sort of like a clockmaker who has been making cuckoo clocks all his life. He has an understanding–that most do not have–as to how the proper mechanical internal design impacts the relationships between the chirp of the bird, the spinning of the Bavarian dancers, and the metal pine cone weights dropping with gravity. His understanding helps him not only design, but build beautiful, functional, and long-lasting clocks. In the same way, one who has self-control–is slow to anger…doesn’t exalt folly–is like the cuckoo clock maker. In other words, he studies (as in seeks knowledge) the  how  to be slow to anger. Practically speaking, he knows what are the hot-buttons, the flash-points, the triggers that spark his frustrations. Whether it’s proper planning to avoid traffic, taking a snack to eat, walking away to take some breaths before he speaks, memorizing passages such as listed above or others, etc. One who has understanding on self-control  seeks to understand rather than to be understood . Confession The reality. Every human struggles at some level with lacking self-control that leads to the exalting of folly for all to see. So, we need to confess–agree–when we don’t have it. We need to reconcile when we do put folly on a billboard by our anger. When we confess, many things are happening, but the logic of it needs to be addressed with three points: Confession means you have to humble yourself. God exalts the humble . Thus, confession leads to the proper and wisdom being exalted (instead of folly). We press on…with self-control, understanding, and confession…letting God exalt that which is right and proper…the opposite of foolishness!

“He who [willfully] separates himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.” Proverbs 18:1 (AMP) __________ The tendency of the human is to separate himself…even in the face of overt conversation and cordial fellowship. We just don’t like being open…it feels too exposed. More often than not, we’re more comfortable being withdrawn than we are being open. For some, it’s laziness. For others, it’s sin desiring to be hidden. For others, it’s personality. For others, it’s intentional. For others, it’s pride. For others, it’s insecurity. For others, it’s fear. For others, it’s past hurt from being open. And on. And on. We all have our reasons for retreat and separation. To be sure, there are some that would say…  “I’m around people all the time. I don’t separate. I go to the small group…the men’s group…the women’s Bible study…Sunday church…the leadership team…the elder board…the pastor’s conferences…the _________.” The reality? One can be surrounded by people, yet be the most separated (and loneliest person) in the room. Many things prove this point, but there is one word that stands as the litmus test to one being separated or not…to one being isolated or not. Confession. When we’re not walking in confession, we’re more than likely separating at some level. Let me lay this challenging thought out logically… If I’m born into a sinful world (because of the Fall), then I have the potential to sin everyday. If I’m not consciously (thoughts), behaviorally (actions), or verbally (words) avoiding sin at every level at every moment of the day, then I do in fact sin everyday at some level. Therefore, if I’m alive, then I’m sinning at some level (thought, action, or speech). Man. That’s hard to write, much less think about. What does it mean? It means that if I’m alive, then I’m sinning; and if I’m sinning then I’m breaking down relational connections with others and most importantly with God. The grace needed in this dilemma is not pushing down, avoiding, running from, and ultimately isolating myself. But, instead, the grace needed is confession. I need, therefore, to walk in confession. Thank God that sin is not the final answer. No, no. There’s a way forward. There is the grace of God through the confession of sinners that not only restores, but heals, albeit in timing not in our control. What is confession? Confession is to agree. It’s that simple, but not that easy. When I confess, I agree that what I did (said, etc.) was not only not a healthy way of living, but that my sin was also detrimental to the person, group, community, and ultimately God. It’s hard, because we have to accept responsibility, which means acknowledging weakness, admitting a lack of strength, risk being judged…not accepted…losing any identity we so sorely hope to maintain, and on and on. To be sure, we can’t be open and confess with/to everyone, and we can’t walk around confessing all day long. There’s to be a balance…a tension maintained…a wisdom in confession must be employed. Most of us though tend to swing to the side of being closed. For more on confession,  CLICK HERE . Let me illustrate this point using a fire. What does separation, confession, and a fire have in common? In order for a wood-burning fire in a hearth (at the camp, etc.) to be sustained, the wood must be touching. Otherwise the fire will most certainly flicker slowly out. What happens…? The wood separates from energy of the fire. In the same way, when I’m separated from humans and God (i.e. not walking in confession), then I’m like the log that rolls away from the energy of the fire, and I’m certain to flicker out. Flickering out takes many forms, but often it’s either (or a combination of) a double life or a life built around building one’s own kingdom. What is the Way Forward? God designed us to be in unbroken fellowship with Him, as well as with our fellow God-Image-Bearers. Since sin impacts our relationship(s), thus leading to broken fellowship…separated individuals…unconfessed, lonely, and pride-ful humans, we need wise and biblical confession to restore it. God’s grace–through confession–brings us back to fellowship with other God-Image-Bearers and God Himself and keeps us connected to God and others. __________ “When I kept silence [before I confessed], my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand [of displeasure] was heavy upon me; my moisture was turned into the drought of summer. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord [continually unfolding the past till all is told] —then You [instantly] forgave me the guilt and iniquity of my sin. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” Psalm 32:3-5(AMPC) __________ May we burn for God…walking in confession…walking in humility…walking in connection…in the peace that comes through the forgiveness and restored relationship with God and humans.

The die had been cast. The plans had been laid. The end of a brother would soon come. He wasn’t alone in his deceit. His mother was right there with him. Beside him in their concoctions. Her previous assurance of God’s plan once again was not sufficient. She caved. Her will be done. Her hand be forced. Together they will accomplish God’s mission. With precision. With craftiness. With guile. They succeeded. His promised portion realized. His promised birth-right obtained. Now, enjoy the bounty? Now, enjoy the reward? No. Heartache. Betrayal. Grudge. Anger. Revenge. Justice. A brother slighted has become a brother ravenous. His stomach will  not  be satisfied. His thirst will  not  be satiated. Not until his brother, Jacob–the heel grabber–is eliminated. Not until he gets what he deserves. Not until his sleep is eternal and the breath in his nostrils expires. He will die. He must die. A brother offended. A brother’s vengeance. A brother out-of-his-mind. What must this wanted man do? What must a mother say? Flee. Leave. To another country. To your future spouse. With the blessing. With the birthright. He left. He fled. And it was into this context that God appeared to Jacob. He was alone. He was fleeing the wrath and vengeance of his brother, Esau. His journey was set and his destination was secure. To Haran. To the place of Abraham’s people. To the expansion of God’s chosen. Fatigue sets in. Exhaustion ensues. He sleeps. But, he’s not alone. God’s promises will not be thwarted. God’s covenant with His Abraham will not fade nor falter. God does what God does. He appeared to Jacob in a dream. He showed him the ladder and bridge from heaven to earth. Angels. Myriad angels ascending and descending. God standing above saying… “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants. Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:13b-15 To this man? The promise continues to this man? Absurd. Unthinkable. Undeserved. Yes. And much more,  but for God’s promise. A covenant not made conditional upon this man or his mother’s actions. No. The security and fidelity of the promise is based solely on the character of God. Therefore, God’s promise stands. Period. And so, this fleeing and fearful brother dreams a dream of hope. How does he respond? How would you respond? He doubts. He puts a condition on God. His audacity…stunning. His ostentation…laughable. His presumption…remarkable. “Jacob also made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God.” Genesis 28:20-21 And so it is with all humans. Conditions, thus constraints. Carelessness, thus confusion. Near-sighted, thus challenged. Nevertheless, God’s will be done…on earth as it is in heaven. This fleeing brother will one day walk with a limp. His pride penetrated. His faith tested. His strength in God assured. His family line expanded. The 12 tribes will arise from him. The Messiah will come from his loins. The promise of God will continue despite him…despite his doubt…despite his deceit…despite his fear. God’s will will be done. Amen. How Does This Apply To Us Today? Take comfort in the fact that God uses broken people to accomplish His unbroken will. Logic: If God can use a broken–sinful man–like Jacob to move His mission in this world, then He can use me–a sinful man or woman. In other words, you’re never too far gone! Let your doubt be turned to trust. Logic: If doubt means I’m forced to consider truth and reality, then pray like the man who requested that his son be healed by Jesus, “ …I do believe; help my unbelief! “. In other words, doubt means you’re human–broken and nearsighted requiring faith–and so you need to transfer your trust from what you can measure to what the Bible has displayed as the object of your salvation–Jesus Christ. Offer God a sacrifice of praise. Logic: If God has provided everything to me, then He deserves everything from me. In other words,  “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”  Romans 12:1 We press on!

Life, like gardening, is dynamic. If it’s not pests, then it’s weather. If it’s not weather, then it’s critters. If it’s not critters, then it’s poor soil. If it’s not poor soil, then it’s inexperience. And on and on. There are myriad reasons why someone shouldn’t invest their precious time gardening. In fact, there are some who would say,  “Why spend the time growing something you can buy at the store so readily and cheap?”  That logic is actually fair, and the global food distribution system has made life a lot easier. However, I would argue that there are a lot of life-lessons to learn from the process of gardening. While I may not convince someone to start a garden this spring, I can nevertheless expose them to the process and provide an array of thought that otherwise would not have been part of their regular life. And so, how does the process of gardening apply to life? When it comes to gardening there are many camps. Some till the soil and some don’t. Some fertilize and some don’t. Some rotate their crops and some don’t. There’s also an in-between–as with anything. However, most of us who didn’t grow up gardening just don’t know where to begin. Thus, we usually attribute our lack of investment in gardening to a lack of experiential knowledge. Now, there are some out there who grew up gardening, and have no desire to continue. You probably pulled one million weeds, you probably tilled the soil until the cows came home, and you probably spent hours canning and preserving food that could have just as easily have been purchased at the local grocery store. While I might not convince you to start again–that’s not really the point–we can, however, at least agree on some of the  steps  that make a garden great, see the  potential  for gardening as an enjoyable process, as well as  appreciate  how it applies to life. So what is the basic gardening process? Plan Prepare Plant Process Preserve This is not necessarily a detailed list, but is it broad enough for seeing a vegetable go from seed to savoring. With that being said, there are foundational  points that need to be laid down before we continue this series… Point One: You only have so many (i.e. finite) garden-seasons to learn from and make necessary adjustments. In the same way, you only have so many life-seasons to thus learn from and apply (make necessary adjustments). Point Two:  There are many reasons why you shouldn’t deliberately invest your time, treasure, and talents in gardening because of its dynamic nature and regular facing of failure. In the same way, there are many reasons why you shouldn’t deliberately invest your time, treasure, and talents in your life-spheres around you because of they are so dynamic in nature and too present many opportunities to face failure. Point Three: The enjoyed bounty of a well-tended garden far surpasses any amount of frustrations, setbacks, and headaches faced during the process. In the same way, the harvest (reward) of a life intentionally lived far outweighs the frustrations, setbacks, and headaches experienced in living. In the following weeks we’ll examine the garden process and see how it applies to everyday life. Hang on tight…and get your seeds started! __________ “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it.” Genesis 2:15