Why Do I Do...?

Psalm 36 presents a fascinating look at the human heart. I think this is where secular and so-called Christian counseling eventually fail. They do not look at the human heart as the main issue in non-organic personal struggles. But this passage is quite clear in its description of why I do what I do. First of all, I do not live every detail of my life in reference to God. Probably because I do not believe He is interested in or cares about those details. Then I tell myself I am not so bad. That usually happens when I compare myself with someone else. Therefore I am unable to detect and do anything about the real problem of the heart - sin. I really do live out what I believe about life, God, sin, redemption, the future, etc. But then according to the passage I plan my life without reference to God. Unless I hope He approves of what I am planning. This passage is very much like Rom 1:18-32. There the Bible goes deeper into the human heart and exposes what it is I fear, want, or love more than I do God. John Calvin was right when he said the human heart is an idol factory. It is very easy to exchange worship of the Creator for worship of the created thing. The resulting life conflicts from loving, wanting, and fearing something or someone more than God are plenty. However, the refreshing part of Psalm 36 begins in verse 5. In essence God is saying: "This is what you are like. This is what I am like. Now find your escape in me for only I can satisfy deeply." Not a bad exchange.

If Only

Probably more than any other two words these can be the most haunting and painful. We look back and consider decisions that were made for whatever good or bad reasons and say: "If only..." If only I had not gone to _________. If only I had only waited for _______. If only I had not said _________. If only I had just believed God. This last sentence sums it up. We just refused to believe God. Either will did not know, but more than likely, just did not believe that God knows all and especially that He knows best.If only can sure be a weight and burden to carry around. So think of this: Is it possible God knew you were going to say or do what you did? Is is possible that God was still ruling His universe when that happened? Think of this verse from the New Living Translation: "Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods!" (Romans 11:33)Could God have prevented what I said or did? Of course He could have. So since He did not, if only ...The best question to ask then is "Where is God in this picture?" The Scripture for a good reason says that God is able to "bring beauty out of ashes." God will never waste anything that seems a waste to me. Since He does know tomorrow and how I will handle it (Psa 139), and since He still loves me, I can trust Him for tomorrow and for yesterday and for all the times I have said: "If only..."

What is God Doing in Your Life?

Do you ever get asked that question by anyone? It is a good one to ask and to be asked. Usually most of us that call ourselves believers in Christ think that, for the most part, being redeemed to spend eternity with Christ in Heaven is about all there is. Maybe living a moral life, going to a good church, and trying to be a nice neighbor helps. But is that all there is?


I have often wondered what Christ meant when He said He came to give life "abundantly" (John 10:10). If that is so, what would that look like in daily life? Put that verse together with Philippians 1:6: "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ." So if I understand that verse correctly using proper hermeneutical principles, it tells me that when I became a believer in Christ, He started a work in me, my core personality, the "real me." Whatever that work is, it has to be something other than what already characterized my life.

Consequently, there must be something that Christ is up to in my life every day. Wouldn't it be nice to know what it is?

As I read 2 Peter 3-11 I discover what He is up to. Every day something will happen that will give me an opportunity to grow in these areas. For some reason that seems important to Christ because at the end of the passage the reward is a rich welcome in Heaven. I get the idea that not everyone gets a rich welcome.

So, as I see it, Jesus Christ is very interested in me today. He is focused on changing me and He gives clues to what kind of change and how it is being done and why. Nice.
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How Adequate is the Bible Really?

Probably the most definitive verse in the Bible that testifies of its own sufficiency is Psalm 19:7: "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul." It can also be accurately stated as: "God's Word, the Bible, is complete, adequate, lacking in nothing, able to renew and transform the inner person." What makes this verse so amazing is that it was written long before the New Testament. Even then the writer, King David, understood how adequate God's Word really is. With all the advisers he had, Scripture was still final authority for all that really mattered. So it becomes rather curious as to why so many leaders and teachers in the church today think that Scripture is not sufficient. Today's "Christian counselling" is more secular psychology with a few verses thrown in to make it seem plausible. I also find it interesting that all of the church that has lived since the Bible was written found Psalm 19:7 to be true. That is, until the last 50 years. Suddenly we have "new light" about man not previously known that we definitely need now. Somehow when God created us, He wasn't able to give us the help we need. But now we know better than God what we need, what is wrong with us (or rather, what is wrong with everyone else around me), and what is needed to change. So what is the struggle today? Past memories, past abuse, parents or friends who have failed me? Teachers who mock what I believe? Fear of the financial situation? How about frustrated plans? It is all there in Scripture and exactly what God has done about it. God is His mercy and grace has supplied us with everything we need for all that truly matters in life. More to come on specifics.