When Something Is Too Deep For Words

If you are like me, the turmoil around the world can sometimes overwhelm you.  You watch it on television, read it in the news, see it shared on a social site, or actually witness it yourself.  A range of emotions can wash over you, from grief to outrage.  If it sticks with you, you feel compelled to pray for the situations and the people involved.

But that's where it can sometimes stop.

Words will not come, even though you desperately understand the need for them.  The images and the story spin like a whirling dervish in your mind.  Discomfort grows as you struggle to form a petition to bring before God's throne.  You want to express yourself, thinking that if you are unable to make your thoughts clear, He won't understand them.  You attempt to frame your words in such a way that causes you to think you sound more like a frantic, babbling idiot than a sensible child running to his Father for intercession and intervention.  And when you are done, you wonder if your prayer reached Him, or merely bounced off the ceiling.

I think thoughts like what I described are common with us.   And we certainly know where they come from.  Perhaps the adversary's greatest weapon in his arsenal is to try and draw believers away from an intimate relationship with the LORD.  He knows he can't have us, but he will sure continue to try and discourage us and draw us away from God's merciful throne.  He has been very successful in this endeavor over the centuries that have preceded us, turning multitudes away from the life-giving grace God has extended to all men and making His children question His continued presence in their lives.  The sad part is that the enemy will continue to attempt to deceive us until he's finally defeated.  Personally, I look forward with great anticipation to that day, and it can't come soon enough.

After reading two articles the other day that spoke of the total depravity of mankind and the depth of the dark pit that the world is falling into, I found myself in the condition of being speechless.  "Shocked" is too mild a word.  In fact, I was unable to apply any words to the emotions I felt.  I was struck dumb and mute.  My heart felt as thought it was being ripped from my chest as I stared in disbelief at my computer screen.  Surely, what I was reading couldn't be true!  But when I realized that it was, it became nearly impossible for me to express myself in prayer.  Instead, I languished in utter disbelief and profound grief.

It is during times like these when something too deep, too disturbing, too depraved prevents me from forming and defining clear petitions to present to God.  Paralyzed with utter dismay and astonishment, I am only able to groan with painful mourning over the condition man finds himself.  At that moment, there is no earthly language that is adequate enough to express myself. 

But that inarticulate sound that comes up from the depths of my soul is enough.  No words are necessary.  God has always been aware of what I have just come to know.  It is not required of me to give Him the details, only to let Him know I am aware of it and to express my deep desire for Him to respond, even if it is in the most primitive of ways.

When I am at a loss for words, I need to remind myself of the Holy Spirit's continued indwelling presence and one of His reasons for it.  If I become so weak with despair, grief, or anger and can only moan over the grievances of men, my pleas won't stop at the ceiling.  He will swiftly carry them to the throne of God, express them in the heavenly language, and intercede on my or others' behalf.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." ~ Romans 8:26-28

Knowing and believing that the Holy Spirit is there to speak for me when I cannot is enough.  And it is comforting.  It is a precious reminder that even my unformed words that are battering my heart, when expressed in "groanings," are heard and carried to God's inclined and willing ear. 

So, if the things you see, read, or experience are just too deep for words, don't feel troubled over your inability to eloquently express yourself in prayer.   Sometimes it only takes one word.  But if you are unable to form even a single word, the groan that rises from your heart and escapes your lips is also sufficient and carries with it all that is necessary to be understood.

How Big Is Your Heart?

Or perhaps I should ask, "How deep is your pocket and how willing are you to reach into it, regardless of the amount, and give what you find to God?"

That's a tough question.  It forces us to examine ourselves, something most of us are unwilling to do for fear of what we might find there.

We want to think we have a big heart, don't we?  But the truth is that most of the time we look to our own wants and needs first without giving His a second thought.  Other times, we make a mental assessment of how our money and time will benefit us before giving it to God for Him to use.  If there is a little left over after addressing our own comforts and desires, then we will consider giving a pittance for a cause.  But only a pittance.  After all, we wouldn't want to completely empty our pockets...just in case an emergency or something else more important comes up.

I am once again reminded of the rich young man who approached Jesus and asked Him how he could find the way to eternal life (Matt 19:16-24).  As he patted himself on the back for his self-perceived obedience to the law, Jesus looked into his heart and revealed what was really lacking.  This man's pockets were deep, yet he only did that which was legally required of him and nothing more.  When Jesus told him to empty those pockets and give all he had to the poor, his unwillingness to do so was obvious as he walked away, dejected and sorrowful.  The cost was far too high for him.  He had no desire to rid himself of his wealth because he considered it his most prized possession and what it could do for him, not what it could do for Christ's kingdom.

The object lesson here is not that it is wrong or sinful to be wealthy.  Nor does it teach us that good works will somehow gain us a toehold in heaven (Gal. 2:15-16; Eph. 2:8-10).  Rather, Jesus'  intention was to reveal what truly ruled this young man's heart.  There is no doubt in my mind that, if his heart had been different and he had joyfully done what he was being asked, it would have been returned to him one-hundredfold (2Cor. 9:10-11).  That's the message we miss in this story.  Some of the blessings that are bestowed upon us are to be showered upon others in order that God will be glorified and His work completed.  And when we open our hearts to generously give our time or money for His purpose, He will turn around and continue to bless us.  Maybe not by refilling our pockets, but certainly in the reassurance that we aren't valuing material things above Him, and the evidence of His constant presence in our lives.

To be honest, I am no different than the rich young man, other than the fact that he had more money than I do.  I can make all the excuses in the world to justify what little I do for God - a dwindling savings account, the economy, joblessness, giving to my family who really don't need it, first meeting my own comforts.  But none of them satisfy the guilt I often feel when I see others in such great need.  I live like a king compared to some.  There are times when their hopelessness screams from the images I see or the words I read, and conviction that maybe I'm not doing enough washes over me.  I consider that a good thing, though.  It means that God has opened my eyes and ears and that my heart is being conformed to better serve Him.  Hopefully, it's getting bigger, and my fear of being left without at my age is being exchanged while I'm still here for joy in sharing what I do have.

It goes without saying that everyone who has a hand out wanting it to be filled are not necessarily where you should give your time and money.  It is also worth repeating that good works will not gain you favor with God.  Those works of your own  are seen by Him as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6) that will be burned life chafe and their ashes blown away in the wind.  Only His works that we joyfully perform for Him will bring us a lasting and eternal reward.  But, I would bet the ranch that somewhere there is a place or a person He has in mind that could use your help and He might be waiting for you to take the challenge.

So, how big is your heart?  Five dollars, here; a pocket full of change, there?   I'm not trying to send everyone on a guilt trip.  It's not my business how you spend your money, or the amount you place in the offering plate, anymore than how you think I should spend mine (2Cor. 9:6-8).  But ask yourself if you really need that latte, dinner and a movie, or a bigger and better something that you think will improve your life.  Look around you and count the things the LORD has already blessed you with.  Then broaden your horizon and, through new eyes, look at the possibilities a dollar or two, or a few moments spent, would make in the life of someone else.

I have begun doing this merely because the LORD brought someone into my life that has caused me to reexamine how big my heart truly is.  I think when He created me, a corner of my heart was reserved especially for this person.  But it was slumbering until the appropriate time of my life that He had determined for me came around, then He awakened it to be used for His glory, His work.  Without a second thought to what I had in my pocket, I grabbed the opportunity to be a part of His plan, even if it's only what I perceive to be a small and seemingly insignificant role.

It was all God's doing, not mine.  When I think about how quickly I responded to His gentle nudge, I am left in wonder.  I will say that I do have a generous heart but, in the past, I had to carefully weigh how much I would give.  If the circumstances surrounding meeting this person had been different, I would probably have had mild interest and less enthusiasm, maybe making a one-time gift.  But because my heart belongs to my Savior,  after awakening it He began watering that small corner in my heart, making it grow and spread until it was nearly consumed with the desire to joyfully assist Him any way that I could.

That's the benefit of having your heart get bigger.  It means that He is gradually molding and shaping it to reflect His own heart so that the love He has for you can be spread abroad and sown upon other hearts in need of Him.

If you are looking for a more worthy place to spend that latte money, just let me know.  I am positive I can suggest an alternative.   But, if you think you have already stretched yourself as thin as you are willing to go, remember that God created our hearts with lots of extra room for more.  After all, we are always asking Him to make our hearts like His, and the depth of His heart is bottomless.

Who knows?  Just maybe there is a corner of your own  heart in slumber and waiting to be awakened, too.  Allow God to stir it from its sleep and then reach deeper to see what might be caught in the seams and lying idle at the bottom of that pocket.   Use your time and money wisely for His honor and glory.  Believe me, the reward will be far greater than a fleeting moment of pleasure sipping on a latte.

Strange and Unlikely Visitors

Wow...I didn't realize that this blog has suffered so much because of the necessity to write on my other blog, until I looked at the date of the latest post.  I apologize to those of you who have faithfully returned to see if there is anything new.  But I want you to know that the well isn't dry.  Between squeezing in flurried moments of cleaning, shopping, meals, trying to stay ahead of the game, and everything else that tries to consume our daily lives, it is just pouring out its precious waters onto other pages that have a more urgent need.

Although I haven't added a new post, lately, I still check in every day.  As I have mentioned before, the first place I look is at you.  My traffic counter lets me see the state or nation you reside in and, if you have a blog of your own, a peak at what makes you tick.

Blogs are revealing and their intended purpose varies.  Some people merely create them to keep other family members up-to-date on what's happening in their tight circle.  Many have become an avenue through which a person can unload their thoughts and express themselves in ways that he or she is unable to do face-to-face with others.   And then there are those who use it to elevate themselves while hiding behind an avatar of deception, those who expound upon their misguided perceptions/ideologies/philosophies, or  the occasional atheist who enjoys transferring his hatred for God onto its pages.

It sometimes saddens me to see a blog writer's empty and troubled life spread so vividly for all the world to view.  It is as if they are crying out for help to an audience of strangers that border on voyeurism and who could care less about the person behind the words.  Their posts express a need, they long to be heard, but there is no physical hand to help lift them up and  help put their focus on what really matters.

Confusion and desperation for answers is prevalent on some of the blogs I visit from my traffic counter.  It is especially obvious on those which haven't been constantly maintained and updated.  Their last post often reflects a void they are unable to fill; empty, meaningless, a wandering befuddled mind searching for answers, but finding none.

When I first started this blog, I had the idea that it would only be read by those of like-mind and spirit.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  The majority that stumbles upon this site cover a very broad spectrum of false beliefs or utter unbelief.  What is most revealing about them, however, is what they lack: the One that so many of them reject or deny and that could bring them the peace and tranquility they so obviously desire.

Although I was once just like them, it is now strange for me to think that there are those who believe that their hope relies upon themselves, their own work, or a mute, deaf, and lifeless idol of wood or stone (Lev. 19:4; Psalm 31:6; Psalm 96:5; Psalm 106:36; Isaiah 2:8; 31:7; 40:19-21; 42:8, 17; 45:16, 20; 1Cor. 10:14; 12:2; Rev. 9:20).   Or, worse, the belief that there is no hope at all once their lives end here.  They are unlikely visitors who have unknowingly found themselves on a blog that is dedicated to the One they are searching for or Whom they have chosen to reject, a blog that I try to fill to the brim with His Word, His Ways, His will, His Truths.

I have often wondered how long my strange and unlikely visitors linger here.  Do they pause and wonder what this blog is all about and spend a few moments to read the things I have written?  Does any of it penetrate that diamond-hard shell that has encased their hearts?  (Zech. 7:12)  Or do they suddenly see that this blog is not a place they want to be and leave as empty and despairing as when they first came?

Whether you want to believe it or not, my unbelieving friends, Jesus Christ is also your LORD, your Savior, and the purpose of this blog is to point you to Him.  It has been created with the hope that it will bring you to the Light of understanding, repentance, belief, faith, and trust in the One True God, Jesus Christ.

And this blog is intended for you, believer, who has been accepted into the beloved family of God, to exhort and encourage you as we await the glorious and imminent return of our LORD and Savior.

To my readers who have not yet believed this Truth, He has delayed His return because of you.  His desire is that through this blog, or through another form of intervention that He chooses, you will believe He is your Redeemer and your God and will worship Him.  There will be a day in the not-so-distant future when you will come to that realization.  When you do, you will either gladly and joyfully bow your knee and profess Him to be LORD, or be forced to as you recognize your grievous error of unbelief and await your eternal judgment for it.

"For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written,

    'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
   and every tongue shall confess to God.'

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God." ~ Rom. 14:10b-12

If you find yourself to be an unlikely visitor to this blog, I am asking you to take a few moments and thumb through its pages.  It goes without saying that I am positive you will find something here to give you pause and cause you to examine yourself and where you really stand.  If you are looking for answers to what life has dealt you or what lies beyond your perception of reality and eternity, there is hope contained within its words.

Read the things written here with an open mind and a willing heart.  Search the Scriptures that are cited.  You can even view them by hovering your mouse over the citation.  After all, nothing you read here is of my own making.  It is borrowed from God's own Word and His Word is trustworthy, faithful, and true.  It is a seed to be planted and it will never return void of fruit when it is shed abroad on man's heart.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you." ~ Jer. 29:11-12

To all my strange and unlikely visitors, I hope you will become a "return visitor."  If you do, it will tell me that you did find something or Someone you were looking for.  Maybe it will even encourage you to change the reason for and the direction of your own blog. 

If that happens, then you will know the true purpose for stumbling upon mine and that it wasn't just an accident. 

Let me know if it does, will you?

180 Movie: I Dare You to Watch This

How many times have you found yourself engaged in a lengthy and often heated conversation with someone who is pro-choice only to leave feeling more frustrated and heartbroken than you were before you began?

Anyone who values the life of an unborn child has experienced this at least once, if not more times than you can count.  But there are those whose hearts are so deeply affected and grieved by the horror of abortion that to be involved in this type of conversation leads them to go to extraordinary measures to try and convince the one they are speaking to that their thinking is a grave and deadly error.  Ray Comfort is one such person and he has gone the extra mile with his new video production, "180."

Those who are familiar with Ray Comfort and his off-beat but effective brand of street preaching know of his success in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  If you have watched the videos of Ray and his associates, like Tony Miano and Kirk Cameron, boldly approach sinners on the mean streets of southern California, or are a regular reader of his many blogs and websites, you understand and approve of his style and delivery and applaud the conviction that quite often comes across the faces of those with whom he is speaking.

Sin is sin.  We all know that no one sin is greater than another in God's eyes.  As Ray and the others always reinforce, if we have broken one, we have broken them all (James 2:9-11).  But I can honestly say that I have rarely, if ever, witnessed the speed of conviction over the obvious sins Comfort lays out in his street witness than when the topic of abortion is presented in "180."  As is displayed in this pro-life video, the results and the time it took to convict  are nothing short of jaw-dropping.

I am sure there will be some who will condemn Ray Comfort for using the analogy of the Holocaust to present his case against abortion.  Although the images are graphic, you will see just how effective the parallels are and how our society, especially our youth, are not being taught about important historical facts and the people who have played a genocidal role in our world.  I share in his tremendous dismay and grief over the reaction he received to his initial question about who Hitler was.  But Ray is successful in tying the two together because the Holocaust and abortion are equally atrocious and destructive to the sanctity of life, and both should be viewed as unmitigated and unwarranted slaughter of the innocents.

I hope you will take 33 minutes and 3 seconds to watch this video, even if you are of the mindset that you wouldn't personally abort your own baby, but feel that a woman has the right to choose for herself, or there are special circumstances that make it acceptable.  As my niece wrote when she shared it on Facebook, "I dare you to watch this."  You may just find that you also will take a 180 degree turn in your thinking.

That is the reason this pro-life video was produced and that's what Ray, the producers, and I are praying will happen.  If our prayers are answered and your heart is changed, please share this on your own blog and ask others to do the same.  Purchase a copy for mere pennies and hand it to someone you know, share it with your church, or even give a copy to a stranger.

By doing one or all of the above, together we can end abortion and give the unborn the first breath of life they deserve.