God, what do you want?

Have you ever found yourself asking God that question?

Let's just be honest you and I both know we have.  Whether it's in frustration, anger, confusion, or for whatever reason most of us have asked something to the affect of:

God what do you want or God what do you want out of me?

God has given us the answer and the answer is probably very unexpected and surprising to most.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6 NIV)

Sometimes we get too caught up on other things and forget what God really wants.  Israel thought if they have enough sacrifices to God, if they paid enough money, or did enough deeds that it would suffice God.  We read that and we think "that is crazy how could they think that way?", but is it really that crazy.  I mean are we not acting or even teaching that today?  

Do we not tell people they have to serve, they have got to give or tithe, or they have to work, work, work to please the Lord.  Don't misunderstand me, we should serve, give or tithe, and work for the Lord, however we should because we want to and not because we have to.  There is a monumental difference.

God is more interested in the overflow of our love for Him as it flows through us into others.  His desire is mercy.  Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.  God's desire is for us to be people of compassion, people of forgiveness, and people of gentleness Even though we may have the right to be angry, to punish, or hold a grudge.

He wants us to be merciful, and that's one thing, but He also mentions another. Acknowledgement. Acknowledgement is the action of expressing or displaying gratitude or appreciation for something.  Acknowledgement of God is expressing Him in our everyday life.  In our words, our actions, and in our love for others.

My thought is that God is just as interested in how we treat others as He is in how we treat Him.  Something to think about.

Chris

Can you give me a spot?

When I was in my 20s, I was very much into lifting weights, spent three to four days a week in the gym lifting weights with friends.  One of the most important rules of lifting weights is making sure you have spotter.  In fact there is an unwritten rule in weight lifting that if you ask just about ask anyone in there working out to spot for you, they will. 

The purpose of the spotter is really simple but yet important.  A spotter is there to watch your form, help with the weight if you need it, and encourage you with a "you got this" or "or "you can do it".

In 1998 I did something incredibly stupid.  It was leg day, which tended to be the day that my lifting buddies would lay out, and I was doing squats.  Now, two important things to remember in doing squats are:  one, form and two, have a spotter.  Apparently my form was not good, I didn't have a spotter, and had too much weight.  Add all that together and it equals disaster.  As I was down in the squatting position, with the weight, I ruptured a disk in my lower back, fortunately a trainer was close and got the weight off of me and helped me out.  It was too late for my back though and I had to have surgery to repair a ruptured disk.  Lesson learned always have a spotter, someone to help you with the great weight on your shoulder....


^2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  (Ga 6:2., NIV)

This is important:  You and I need a spotter for life.

Burden means to carry a weight or load.

You and I can only carry so much weight, so much of a load for only so long.  When we carry that weight for too long without help we begin to give out physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Unfortunately, we try to go through life without a "spotter".

When did it become wrong for us not to be able to share the weight of our shoulders with one another.  I have shared before in a previous blog that we now feel like we have to lie to each other and say everything is fine, when in reality it is not.  We are afraid to share with each other how we feel, the problems that we have, and the mistakes that we have made.  We are afraid because people are people and we know instead of helping, instead of praying, and instead of caring we keep them at arms length because of what they may think or what they may even say.  We are afraid that the whispers we hear might be about us.

Jesus doesn't want it that way.  Jesus doesn't want His people that way.  Jesus wants us to be able to sit down with our "spotter" and be real with them.  What would it be like to actually tell someone, "no I'm not ok".  What would it be like for a "spotter" to just listen, and then after listening for them to help take some of that weight, some of that burden off your shoulders.

What would it be like to be able to share your deepest sorrows, your deepest woes, your deepest regrets, your deepest secrets, your deepest guilt, and your greatest weight and not be judged or condemned by it.

Jesus tells us that we are to share those, because when you share a weight the burden is lighter.

Just like being in the gym, you need to keep an eye on the people around you.  You know when someone is struggling, you can see when the weight is too much to bear, and you have the ability to be a spotter and help before the weight gets so great that they hurt themselves.

Can you give someone a spot before they crumble under the weight?

Chris

I'm Sorry

Two of the hardest words to say, but also the hardest ones to accept:  "I'm Sorry"

^14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ^15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Mt 6:14-15.,NIV)

The problem with forgiveness is moving on.  God has been really speaking to me the last couple of days regarding "forgiveness".  Biblical forgiveness is "letting it go as if it never happened".  When God forgives us this is what He does, He lets it go as if it never happened.  God allows Himself to willingly forget what we have done wrong.  That is simply amazing.

I'm very careful about when I say those two words, that I sincerely mean them.  I have to be deeply sorry and full of regret.  So when someone takes the time to tell me they are sorry I have the responsibility to accept it, just as when I offer an apology to someone they have the responsibility to accept it.  It's usually not the giving and receiving of the apologies that hangs us up, cause lets be honest its pretty humbling to offer up the apology, it the part that follows that gives us the problem.  That is what to do next.

What we do next is the mandate to let it go as if it never happened.  When we are challenged with this concept of letting it go we find ourselves saying, "what, are you serious??"  Feelings get hurt, things get said, and we think to ourselves there is no way I can forget and move on.

I have made more mistakes in life that I care to admit.  Many I have apologized for.  Most have been accepted.  All I have recovered from.  Holding a grudge, being mad or uncomfortable with someone is such a HUGE waste of time, and frankly I don't have time for it, and neither do you.

I worked for a man during my career at Ingles whose name was Paul Pearson.  He taught me early in management that when you do something wrong that you own up to it then move on.  Working for Paul was great, he became one of my greatest influences and friends.  Paul would be the type that when you messed up he would let you know real quick and he wasn't nice about it.  However, once he let you know about it he was done, then you went and played golf.  Paul never held a grudge.  You always knew where you stood with him.  I knew that no matter how bad I messed up at the end of the day he was still my friend, and let me tell you I made some mistakes during my years working with Paul.  I had such a good relationship with the man that he told me when he left that "if this church work thing didn't work out to call him, he always had a position for me".

What we have to keep in the forefront of our minds is that we are imperfect people in an imperfect world.  You are going to make mistakes and I am going to make mistakes.  You are going to need forgiveness and I am going to need forgiveness.  For the rest of our lives we will have this circle of giving and receiving of forgiveness. 

As always God has left the choice in our hands, and the decision is yours and mine....

Chris

the driving force

Have you every asked yourself, what is the driving force behind what we do?  Why do we go to worship God?  Why do we pray?  Why do we do missions?  Why do we start churches?  Why do we serve in churches?  Who do we listen to people problems?  Why do we deal with stubborn ignorant people?  Why do we keep getting up when we get knocked down?

There has to be a driving force behind every single thing that we do.  We don't just randomly do these things.  Something, or better yet someone, gives us the ability to keep on.

^14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ^15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  (2 Co 5:14-15., NIV)

The word "compel" has a double meaning here.  One is it talks about Christ's love drives us, but also means holds together.  It's interesting to think about all that the love of Christ does.  It enables us to see people the way He sees them, it also enables us to be held together when we need it the most.  His love is what sends us forward, but also His love is what glues us together.  His love, an unconditional love, a love that knows no boundaries, and a love that is unselfish in every single way.  His love teaches us HOW to be unselfish.  Jesus NEVER thought about himself.  Which it goes on in this verse to tell us. 

The example of Jesus was to not live for yourself.  The verse tells us that once we understand the concept of His love and the extent in which He was, and is willing to go, it should motivate us differently.  We live in a society that is "all about me and my interests".  What normally motivates us is to "self-serve".  Could you even imagine a society, a world, or a church that was no longer living for themselves, but living for Christ.  It's hard to fathom.  We say that we do live for Christ, but if we are honest and examine ourselves and our churches we are NOT.  In fact we are not even close.  If we looked at our ministries and activities they all revolve around keeping those within the walls happy and not the one who died for us.

Jesus was revolutionary in everything that he did.  So revolutionary that it made the religious people quite angry in his day.  If we took the approach that Jesus took to be revolutionary in our thoughts and actions, if we put His love on the forefront of all we did what would it even look like.  What if we sat down with the "sinners", "prostitutes", and "tax collectors" of our day.  Think about it, most of our church people would be quite angry.  I say most, but not all.  We have revolutionists in our churches.  We have people that are willing to put others first, and they are waiting for you and I as leaders to, well lead.

So our challenge is to dig down deep, remember what compels us and drives us, put Him first and try to Keep Jesus there.  Let's let His love and sacrifice hold us together and move forward.

Chris

my sweet tooth

I have a sweet tooth, actually I have come to believe I have sweet teeth.

Several years ago I was in the doctors office for a yearly check up, she came in the exam room and these where her exact words:  "you know you carry your weight well".  We can all translate what this means, "your getting overweight".  So we began to talk about ways to lose weight, our conversation went like this:

Doc- eat fast food much?
me - nope
Doc- fried foods
me - some
Doc- soft drinks?
me - nope
Doc - sweet tea?
me - nope, unsweet
Doc - sweets?
me - long silence........
Doc - uh huh, this is where we need to work on your problem.

Ok, so truth be known my sweet tooth is bad.  At any dinner we have at church, I have a plate full of sweets afterwards.  My mother-in-law used to say at any given time I had 2-3 different types of ice cream in my freezer (and it was true).  My bowls of ice cream where HUGE.  I love Cadbury Eggs... the chocolate and Carmel ones, and then there is the mini eggs, oh my goodness....

I once sat down and was eating a piece of a "Mississippi mud cake" (like the pie just in cake form), and looked at my wife and said bet I could eat half this cake.  She dared me, so I did it..... yeah.  My sweet tooth is bad, really bad. 

So I had a recent appointment and my glucose was high, doc said you better get ahold of this NOW.  So I finally took him seriously and have removed most sweets that I consume out of the house.  I was at KMart Sunday and saw Cadbury mini eggs, do you know how hard it was to not get some... ugh.  There is currently no Ice cream in my freezer and no chocolate in my shelves.  I have found some recipes that allow me to make healthy snacks that curve the sweet tooth and are not loaded with sugar. 

And yet still, I have found myself craving chocolate.... there is no real substitute for it.

A very long lead in for this verse, but I believe because of my sweet tooth I GET IT>

^103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!  (Ps 119:103., NIV)

What if my craving for the Word was as strong as my craving for chocolate....?  What if I lay awake at night craving to know Him, like I craved Cadbury eggs?  What if the desire for the Bible was the same as Rocky Road ice cream. 

You know how when you get in your mind you want something specific, and nothing can take the place of it.... For example if you get in your mind you want a Dairy Queen Blizzard... then a sundae from McDonalds is not going to cut it.  So what if we got in our minds that there is nothing more precious to us than God's Love Letter, then nothing else will cut it.

May my desire for You be as strong as my sweet tooth...

Chris

Wait

Waiting...

So I have to be honest, I very much dislike waiting.  It is definitely NOT one of my strong points.  I very much disdain waiting in line, waiting in traffic, waiting on a text, waiting on an email, waiting on test results, or waiting on a phone call.

Don't you just LOVE going to the doctor.  You sign in and wait in the waiting room, your name gets called and you breathe a sigh of relief because you have waited for a while.  Well, don't get too excited because they take you to your examination room so that you can.... yep you guessed it wait some more.

So when I read the following verse, I have some personal problems to deal with when it comes to waiting:

^14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  (Ps 27:14., NIV)

Not just once, but twice the verse tells us to "wait" for the Lord.  Yet, the verse tells us how.  Two ways:  One be strong and two take heart.  Sounds easy doesn't it.  Being strong and taking heart comes in waves to me.  I have moments when I am waiting that I feel as strong as an ox and the heart of a champion, but then I also have moments when I feel as strong as a yearling and the heart of the cowardly lion.

So I have made a list of a few suggestions that may help as we wait upon the Lord:

1. Keep good company.  Have you ever noticed when you have a long wait in front of you, like being at a theme park, that if you are around people that you like it doesn't seem like too long.  I remember many times standing in line for a thrill ride being told it's an hour wait, and yet standing in line laughing and joking makes the time pass.  So while waiting for the Lord, surround yourself with people that you can spend time with that will make you laugh and encourage you during the wait.  You WANT people around you who will give you strength and encourage you during the time of waiting....
2. Manage your time wisely.  Time management is always an issue.  Whether you are busy busy busy or waiting.  You can either waste the time or take advantage of it.  Read, write, work on the honey-do list, pick up a hobby.  Spend time with family.  Make the most out of every free minute you have.
3. Be selfish.  I know that may sound strange, but hear me out.  Be selfish with your time with the Lord, your time with your family, and your time with your spouse.  Take this time as "me" time.  We spend so much time trying to please others, so use the "wait" time for things you and your family may enjoy.
4. Refocus.  Waiting is also a time to refocus.  Hone in on your relationship with God.  Think about a 1,2,5,10, 15 year plan.  Then strategically think about how you will accomplish those plans.
5. Rest.  Have you ever been on vacation and when you return home thought to yourself (or maybe even said) "boy, I need a vacation from my vacation".  Waiting on the Lord may be your time to de-stress, relax, and rest.  Maybe, just maybe, God knew you where over stressed, over worked, and needing a rest.
6. Running.  Well ok if your not a runner this won't make any sense.  However one of my complaints before was not having time to get those "long distance" training runs in.  If the weather co-operates I currently have the time to train and not take away from family time.

Maybe you have a suggestion for the time while we Wait upon the Lord, comment and let me know...

remember that waiting upon the Lord is a time of preparation and not a time of punishment...

Chris

it just takes one step...

^28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

^29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ^30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

^31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”  (Mt 14:28-31., NIV)

 

God is an equal opportunity God, in other words, there where 12 men on that boat, and only one acted. 

 

To set the scene, Jesus had a long day of ministering and needed some "self - time" or time to pray.  He sent the disciples on.  They had sailed well into the night, when whoever was on lookout saw Jesus coming walking on the water and feared it was a ghost.  They all watched as Jesus approached, and Peter asks if it is Jesus and then for Jesus to allow him to walk to him on the water.  Unbelievable enough Peter takes that first step off the boat and goes, and he was the only one willing to take the step.

 

It takes a lot of bravery to take that first step.  It takes a lot of confidence in that first step.  It takes a lot of faith in that first step.  This whole first step tells us a lot about Peter.  Peter's mouth gets him into a lot of trouble throughout scripture, but here it is his actions that show a lot about him. 

 

That first step, wondering when the foot hits the water what will happen.  Peter takes that step, and unbelievable what happens.  He begins to walk on the water, confidence begins to build, and in a moment he loses it.  Circumstances dictate his reaction.  The wind picks up, it starts to rain, and the waves get higher.  Peter goes into full panic mode, takes his eyes off Jesus, and begins to sink.

 

Immediately Jesus grabs him.

 

Sometimes God asks us to do things extremely brave, something extremely unusual, and something no one else is willing to do.  Something that may not make sense to anyone else.  So the bravest one, does it.  They say a prayer, take a deep breath, and take that step.  Once that step is taken there is no turning back.  The first step is taken, and you realize you didn't sink to the bottom.  You take another step just to be sure.  With each progressing step your confidence and faith is building.  Your excited can't wait to continue this journey that you are now on.  Your steps pick up pace, you smile as you look ahead to what is getting closer, the potential is there... its right within your grasp.

 

and then...

 

the wind picks up, the storm builds, and the waves get higher.

 

Your steps slow, your progression slows, your confidence shrinks, and you look back and think "should I have not taken that step".....

 

and you begin to sink.  You sink into despair, you sink into hopelessness, and you sink into self pity.

 

You remember why you even stepped out in the first place.  You turn back around to try and see the one Who wanted you to take the step.  Fear grips you as you don't immediately see Him.  The wind is howling, the rain is beating on your face blurring your vision, and you are pounded with wave after wave.  You are tired, you feel lost, and you are about to completely give up.  Out of desperation you muster enough strength to cry out, "Lord HELP ME".  Immediately the right hand of the ONE who called you stretches out and grabs yours.  You feel strength, you feel hope, and you feel peace.

 

Then He says, "Why did you doubt me"

 

It just takes one step.... LORD HELP ME

 

Chris....

This will only take a minute

It will take you more time to read this blog today than it will to do what I am going to challenge you to do.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone   (1 Ti 2:1., NIV)

We are going to choose to take this verse literally, well because we don't have a logical reason not to.  We begin with the word "urge", it shows importance, or something we really should do.  Following that is "first of all", that shows a sequence.  This is telling us in a list of importance what is one of the most significant and important things we can do.  So the question then comes what is it we should do?  The answer is in the verse "requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made".  In other words pray.  Pray.... OK for who.... Again the answer is found in the verse:  everyone.  We think we have this in our lives covered don't we.

We pray for our family, friends, church people, co workers, neighbors, leaders, we pray for people that are mentioned on facebook, twitter, instagram, and other social media.  We pass prayer requests along in email, texts, and phone.  Which is all good mind you, but this covers people we know, or friends and family of people we know.  What about people we don't know, they matter too.  If we take the verse literally that we are to for everyone, it includes those we know but also don't know.  How is that even possible to do... one person at a time.

My family and I have begun to practice something when we eat out.  Now granite keep in mind we are lucky if we eat out once a week, but still... Anyway.  We ask our server, whether we know them or not how we can pray for them.  Specifically I tell the server, "My family and I are getting ready to pray, so I am wondering is there something we can pray for you about."  It's non threatening, shows my children I'm serious about prayer, I'm serious about my faith, but most importantly it shows our server that we as a family care as well.  The awesome thing about this is that now if I forget (and yes I do) my children remind me.  How awesome is that....

Today at lunch we went to an establishment for lunch and I asked the young lady serving us how we could pray for her.  Chelsea was her name.  Chelsea gave me a few prayer requests and thanked me several times for asking her saying it was very thoughtful and it made her day.  Then she said something else, which really troubled me.  Chelsea said that she had waited tables for several years and is getting ready to graduate UNCA, but in those several years (thousands of customers) not one single person has asked her how they can pray for her.  I also have a close friend that waited tables (Myjenta) and I asked her how many customers have ever offered to pray for her.  Her response was just you and Jamie (Jamie Johnson of Crossfire).  Kudos to you Jamie, but shame on us as believers.

We have been doing this for about a year, maybe longer, so this is now at the least 52 people that we have prayed for that are outside the circle of our friends and family,  That is 52 people closer to everyone, 52 that every single one of them where generally thankful that we took the time to ask, and 52 people we had personal contact with for Jesus.  You also get to meet people beyond the casual conversation, and you never know the difference that one little question will make in someone's life.

My challenge for you is this, the next time you eat out take less than a minute and ask your server how you can pray for them, and please make sure you tip them too....

Then I would love to hear from you about how your experience went, how they reacted, maybe their name and how I can pray for them, revclreese@gmail.com; can't wait to hear from you...

Chris

searching

Does it seem like we spend most of our life searching?

Searching for a mate....searching for a career.....searching for a place......searching for hope.....searching for answers....

We are wired that way.  We want answers and we want them now.  Maybe, just maybe the solution is not found in the answer but in the journey.

^33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6:33., NIV)

The search is not about finding the answer, but finding the Person. 

It's so hard as a person to not be about building my kingdom and my righteousness.  It's hard as a person to not be all about me. 

Reality is it's never been about me, and it's never been about you.  That's where we mess up.  It's never been about us.  This life, this journey, and this adventure is all about the master plan that God has created and invited us to be involved.  You are part of the plan, I am part of the plan, and God invited us to go on this journey with Him.

The catch is to go on this journey we have to prioritize and seek Him first.  Life is all about prioritizing.  What is the most important thing?

Do remember this?  From the movie City Slickers?  Billy Crystal is searching for the meaning of life, "Curly" tells him the answer to the meaning of life is to find that "one thing", so the question is "What's the one thing"?

We try to seek that one thing our entire lives.  To some its a spouse, some a career, some its kids, some its money, some its fame....

None of that is bad, but its about prioritizing it.  Jesus answered that question for us.  He tells us to see Him first.  Seek His kingdom, His righteousness, and everything else will follow.

And so the search continues....

The search of trying to Keep Him first.


 Chris

put me in coach.....

Oh, put me in coach, I'm ready to play today
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play today
Look at me, I can be centerfield -

John Fogerty "Centerfield"

You ever been "benched"?

I have stated before I have never been the athletic type, or played sports much.  However, I can remember plenty of times in P.E. at school fellow students NOT wanting me on their team or if I did get on the team them NOT wanting me to have play time.  I stunk, I mean really stunk bad.  But still, having to sit out of a game, it was Not a good feeling.

Different scenario, lets say your good.  No, lets say your one of the regular starters, and the coach says to you that he is benching you for an indefinite period of time.  That's definitely not a good feeling.  Sitting on the sidelines, wanting in the game so bad you can't stand it.  Heart racing, head thumping, and foot tapping; asking the coach over and over, how bout now?  Can I go in now?  Coach!  Coach, can you hear me? Coach are you listening?  Coach why can't I go in?????

You sit back and you see all the others players in, and you wonder to yourself:  Am I just not good enough to play anymore?  Did I do something to get benched?  You think and you know you have been to every practice, been diligent on drills, studied the playbook, and done everything coach asked.  Then you look at the coach and say:  "Coach, give me another chance, please put me in"...

^6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. ^7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

^8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ^9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”  (Lk 13:6-9., NIV)

 

A fig trees sole purpose is to produce figs, without doing so it's just a tree.  In this parable Jesus tells of a gardener that has put time and effort into this fig tree, but yet it has produced nothing (it's just sitting on the bench).  Then verse 8 comes along, "leave it alone for a year".  In other words, give it another chance.  The gardener says not only will he take care of it, but he says he will fertilize it, nourish it, or give it exactly what it needs to fulfill its purpose.

 

God is a God who gives second chances.  We all need to be pulled out and benched periodically to get perspective and gain nourishment.

 

So God (Coach) give me a second chance, and put me in coach I'm ready to play, today....

 

Chris

The Storm

Sometimes you can see the storm coming.  You can see it building.  The closer it gets, the more severe you see it is.  You begin to wonder, can I make it.  Where is my closest shelter.  The storm is so large you can't see the other side, darkness is closing in all around.  You can't see any turn offs ahead, and you feel so... alone.  Your heart sinks as the storm encompasses everything around you.  You feel great fear and lose your sense of direction.  Just when you thing the storm is calming, it gets worse, and you then lose all hope.  Your demeanor changes, your heart sinks, and a tear falls.  You saw the storm coming, did everything you could do to try and prepare, and here it is raging on and worse than you could have ever imagined.  Your head bows as you think to yourself, "I can't do this".

^22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ^23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

^24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ^25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. (Lk 8:22-25., NIV)

 

The very moment you utter the words or even think the words "I can't do this", Jesus asks the very same question, "Where is your faith?"

 

Storms in life are something else.  If we are honest with one another, we would all just soon not have them.  I am here with you on that one.  Reality is though they are.  Sometimes we can see them coming.  Through all the preparation in the world sometimes we can prepare for them and sometimes we can't.  Some storms come out of no where, and you have no time or wherewithal to prepare.

 

It is during these times that we have to ask ourselves, as Jesus would, where is our faith.  Some storms will push our faith to it's absolute limits.  We find ourselves trying to figure out what am I supposed to learn from this, how am I supposed to grow from this, or what is the purpose.

 

We usually try to blame God for the storms in our life.  Reality is God is usually trying to clean up man made storms, whether they are faults of our own or created by someone else around us.  God has a way of making a way through them to which He and only He gets the glory through it.

 

In the middle of the storm when things where at their worst the disciples panicked.  We think to ourselves, what?? the disciples panicked?  How is that even possible.  It's possible because they where pushed to the limits of their faith.  They thought they where strong, they thought they could handle it, after all they had been through storms before.  However, this one was different.  It was stronger and longer than any storm they had dealt with before, so they panicked.  Give them credit though, in their panic at least they knew where to go to.

 

I understand how the disciples felt.  I did what Jesus said, I got in the boat and left and now I'm in a storm.  I have seen many, and survived every one.  This one is different.  It's darker, more severe, and never ending.  I hear Jesus saying to me, "where is your faith".  I am trying I really am Lord, but I still feel like I'm drowning in this storm...

 

He says again, "Where is your faith?"

Friendship

It's not in the best times of life that you learn who you have quality friendships with, it's when times are not so good that you learn this. As many of you can relate in life, when things are going good it seems everyone is your friend, but when its not.. well you know. 

Life has a way of weeding this out for us.  Life is full of surprises, full of ups, full of downs, times of greatness, times of darkness, days of hope, and days of wondering what in the world am I doing.  A friend is someone who sees you through all of that.  They never leave your side.  That kind of friendship, is very hard to find.

There is no better Biblical mandate for that (other than Jesus) than David and Jonathon.  In this blog we will walk through these verses and pull out what it takes to cultivate a quality Godly friendship.

First, Something has to Click and then Commit:

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. ^2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. ^3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ^4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.  (1 Sa 18:1-4., NIV)

You ever met someone and right away you just "click", get along, and have a lot to talk about.  This happened with David and Johnathan.  They immediately where comfortable with each other.  They where "pals", almost inseparable.  They could make each other laugh, they would tell stories, and they just enjoyed being around each other.  Jonathon gave him his most precious personal items:  tunic, sword, bow, and belt.  Yep, they clicked and committed their friendship.

Second, is be willing to Defend them:


^4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. ^5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”  (1 Sa 19:4-5., NIV)

We find a lot of people in life that we will click with.  Most of us are pretty easy going.  It's this part of friendship where we really learn where our quality relationships are.  It is the part of the relationship where someone is willing to defend you regardless of possible  consequences.  In this incident Jonathon was willing to stand before his own flesh and blood, his father, and stand up for his friend.  He knew that David had done no wrong, so therefore he confronted his father and reminded him of how great David really was.  Saul had become insecure because God was using David to accomplish some great things, Saul had once been that guy.  Saul had once been the one that God was using in tremendous ways.  Now instead of enjoying the benefits of what David was doing in the kingdom for God and Saul, Saul became jealous and insecure.  So insecure he had taken out a bounty on David's head.  Someone needed to intervene, someone needed speak up, and someone needed to defend David because he could not.

If you ever find someone that is willing to put their own personal interests to the side and stare consequences in the face for you, please hold on to their friendship, because a person like that doesn't come along very often.

Thirdly, Be willing to Help


^12 Then Jonathan said to David: “By the Lord, the God of Israel, I will surely sound out my father by this time the day after tomorrow! If he is favorably disposed toward you, will I not send you word and let you know? ^13 But if my father is inclined to harm you, may the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away safely. May the Lord be with you as he has been with my father.  (1 Sa 20:12-14., NIV)

It's one thing to be willing to defend you, but Jonathan takes it a step even further and helps when no one else will.  The truth needed to be known.  Saul was trying to make everyone believe that  he wasn't trying to do anything to David.  So Jonathon devises a plan to figure it out.  He decides at the New Moon feast to feel his father out and determine the truth.  At this festival David is pretty much expected to be at dinner, but Jonathon tell him to hang back and he will find out his father's intentions.  At this dinner Jonathon pushes his father until Saul breaks and blurts out:

^30 Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? ^31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!” (1 Sa 20:30-31., NIV)
I'm not going to literally translate vs. 30, but it is pretty rough.

So, if you can find a quality friendship that will not only defend you but step in and help you, work even harder to keep them. 

Last is having that friend that will encourage you:

^16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. ^17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” ^18 The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.  (1 Sa 23:16-18., NIV)

Jonathan senses that David was at his wits end.  So he went to find him for one reason:  to encourage him or as the verse puts it, "help him find strength in God".  We all need that sometimes.  We need someone who will sense when we are in our greatest time of need, and have them come to us and help us find that strength when we need it the most.  What Jonathon says here is huge.  Let me explain.  Normally the next in line to the throne is the son, so under normal circumstances it would the Jonathon to succeed his father as king.  In this verse you see Jonathon tell David that it will be David as king and not him.  David is not even related to Saul.  There is a lot of humility here.  Jonathon could have ensured his place as king by letting Saul do away with David.  But he didn't.

In this relationship between David and Jonathon there is so much self-sacrifice, it is the most beautiful picture of friendship.  It also puts a challenge up there for us, for me.  Cultivating friendships like this is so hard, and so rare.  It challenges me to be someone like Jonathon, and I know i'm not even close.

If you ever find a Jonathon in life, hold on to them because there are not many.

In life we will have a lot of friends come and go.  Sometimes we move, change jobs, interest may change, or may just grow apart and that dissolves friendships.  I have some that I talk to everyday, some every other day, some just periodic.  Some I can not talk to for weeks and yet they still know I love them and we pick right up where we left off when we do chat.  I like having the friendship that I can be me, the real me.  The me that likes to be goofy, the me that likes to laugh, and the me who doesn't have to take himself so seriously all the time.

Every friendship we ever have is for a reason and for a season.  Some last a few years, and some will last a lifetime.  Learn to appreciate everyone for what it is.  Life has a way of showing which ones are of the highest quality.

Chris