Stretch

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And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.  And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic. – 1 Samuel 14:14-15

It’s not easy to forget a ground shaking event. The ground rolling, the loud rumbling and the walls shaking and you find yourself in a California earthquake, as I did.  The experience gave me a huge appreciation for the symbol of God’s presence every time an earthquake is mentioned in the Bible.  Not only is it a sign of his intervening, but it also makes me marvel at his magnificence.  It gives me faith and courage in who God is and his power.

In Samuel 14, Jonathan had faith and said, “It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.” Then he acted on that faith.  He trusted, he moved, he got out of his comfort zone, and he risked his safety.  He didn’t know how God would act or what God would do, but he knew he had to move with God.  Although, he was outnumbered, out equipped and going up the mountain, Jonathan’s confidence in God’s character and capability took his focus off what God’s will was for his life, and turned it into how could he give his life to fulfill God’s will. Then, God showed up. He gave Jonathan and his armor bearer victory in an utterly impossible situation. The Lord shows this victory over the Philistines in the camp panicking, the raiders trembling, and the earth quaking.

God promises victory when we fight with him (Joshua 23:10). We can be like Jonathan and keep advancing until the Lord tells us to wait!  It’s easy to get this backward and just sit still and watch.  We act as if the primary word from God is NO, when it’s actually GO! The Apostle Paul tells us, “God is in you to will and to work his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13) How different would your life look if you worked from a giant GO instead of a NO?  Today, praise God for the rumbles of God at work in your life and others. Praise him for showing up in you and around you, for answering prayers, and doing what can only be explained by a powerful act of God. Then, acknowledge God’s presence with you by sharing your praise with someone else.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text 0=””]

By Donna Burns  

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So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” – 1 Samuel 14:11

 Some people say, “It’s the thought that counts,” but it’s funny how that saying completely contradicts another famous saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” In my experience, the second saying is far more true. My wife never enjoys it when I come home to tell her I thought about getting her flowers. It’s easy to see how thoughts without actions are silly in that context. Unfortunately, much of my Christian journey has been marked by the assumption that only thoughts count. I’ve even been frustrated when my sound theological thinking hasn’t suddenly transformed me. Why do I believe actions are louder than words in most areas of life and then live as if I can think my way to transformation?

Imagine what might have happened in 1 Samuel 14 if Jonathan and his armor bearer had stopped just before they stepped out of hiding. Imagine if they had made their plan and then changed their minds right before they took action. We wouldn’t be reading this story. When they “showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines” the story becomes compelling. It’s one thing to say, “God can save by many or by few” and a completely different thing to attack a huge army with only two men (1 Samuel 14:6).

In his excellent book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller proposes that the same elements used in composing a good story make up a good life. Every good story has an inciting incident that sends the protagonist down a new path. Sometimes those incidents are out of the character’s control while other times one decision can send a character into the center of the narrative. Miller writes about how we can self-inflict inciting incidents. That is exactly what we see in Jonathan’s story. When Jonathan shows himself to the Philistines, he changes the future outcome. In that moment, he and his companion begin a trust fall upon God and the ripple effect of that one action affects more than just Jonathan’s life, it affects all of Israel.

This is one of the powerful functions of community in the life of a believer. When we speak our intentions to obey God aloud it strengthens our conviction to follow through. What is an inciting incident that you need to self-inflict? It could be a decision to trust or to obey. Tell someone your intention to make that leap of faith and then, leap![/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Aaron Bjorklund 

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Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! – Psalm 34:8

 

We’d done all the research and dreamed of places to explore. We wanted to have adventures and experience exciting things – zip lines, exotic snorkeling, and unique foods. We saw the pictures online, read about all the different attractions and planned our trip accordingly. But, nothing compared to actually being there. We could’ve read in detail about the vacation we planned, but reading about something is no substitute for experiencing it. The same is true when trying to understand God’s will. We can read about it, learn about it, and understand it – but there’s no substitute for experiencing it. In fact, the Scriptures teach that we only really know God’s will as we live in it.

In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paul claims that finding God’s will involves testing. That means discernment is a subjective discovery, not an objective command. We see Jonathan embrace this type of approach as well. When he saw the opportunity, he stepped into it. As he moved, he depended on God to direct his steps. Through action, he asked, he evaluated, and he listened. Jonathan’s experience demonstrates the truth that we often know God’s plan from the inside, not from the outside.

What if we started to view the quest to live in God’s will not so much as a direction we’re to take, but as a discovery we get to make? Paul claims that discovering God’s will leads us to the place where we get to enjoy God and the life he’s given us. His will is good, pleasing, and perfect. As the Psalmist invites us, “Taste and see that God is good!” This doesn’t mean that living in the will of God is easy, but it does mean that it’s the deepest and fullest life available to us. Following God might mean journeying away from safety, friendships, and known commodities – but, it will also mean experiencing joy and meaning we could never have imagined. Today, put your life to the “test.” Are you living in God’s will? As you seek to follow him, remember that he is good. Let his grace wash over your soul as you listen to this great song, King of My Heart.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Ryan Paulson 

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2

 

This passage offers good news – a two-step formula for knowing God’s will. First, don’t be conformed to the world. Second, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. If you do these simple things you can, “discern the will of God.” Much easier said than done, isn’t it? What does it really mean to “not be conformed” and to “renew the mind”? Well, to quote our pastor, “I’m so glad you asked.”

Paul tells us not to be conformed to the world. There are a set of values and ways of thinking natural to the world – things like revenge, materialism, and the pursuit of power. They may come natural to the world, but they’re not of the Kingdom of God. God’s culture is different. God’s Kingdom is full of counterintuitive design. Commands like: love your enemies (Matthew 5:44), turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39), the first shall be last and the last shall be first (Matthew 20:16), and the weak will be made strong (2 Corinthians 12:9). When Paul tells us not to be conformed to the world he is telling us to relinquish our desires to follow the world’s natural inclinations.

Paul goes on to tell us to “be transformed by renewing our minds.” This is the other side of the same coin. Discerning God’s will takes rewiring our minds to see the world through God’s eyes and requires embracing God’s counter-cultural values. The good news is that this can be extremely practical by using a set of regular practices. Spiritual disciplines are kingdom exercises designed to rewire our souls to the kingdom of God. Practices like prayer, scripture reading, silence, solitude, service, fasting, and more are all tools God gives us to help us renew our minds.

Learning the difference between what the world values and what God values happens when we familiarize ourselves with God’s word. As we learn the teachings of Jesus and learn the explicit commands in Scripture, we begin to learn the character and personality of God. We learn how he would do things if he were in our situations. Saturating your life in the truths of Scripture – especially the life and teachings of Jesus – is key to transformation. Surrounding yourself with others who operate under kingdom values is helpful, too. God’s will is an acquired taste that is learned through exposure to his ways. Today, consider what values you’re following. Are you currently valuing something not within God’s values? Ask God to reveal where you might be aligning with the world’s values over God’s values. Begin by relinquishing your need to follow the way of the world in that area. Then, commit to a spiritual practice that counteracts your false value.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Aaron Bjorklund 

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“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” – 1 Samuel 14:7

 

It’s rare to hear the words “I am with you heart and soul” from anyone.  These words fit best into fields of battle where opposing forces are in combat and where acts of bravery and valor are required to win the day. But on that day, as they face the Philistine enemy which exceeded them in every aspect of earthly power, Jonathan heard these words from his armor bearer.  The two of them stand there with only one of two swords Israel possessed about to head uphill to engage the enemy.  This sort of action can only take place when ultimate trust and surrender come together.

In Romans 12:1, Paul urges his hearers to remember God’s mercy and calls them to surrender their lives as living sacrifices to God.  Paul just finished outlining the process of ‘grafting them in,’ bringing them into the Kingdom of God and giving them a precious and nourishing relationship with God (Romans 11).  This isn’t something God had to do.  This was solely the mercy of God, demonstrated by Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of all, and given to the undeserving.

Just like the Romans, it would do wonders for us if we could remember the mercy God’s shown to us and surrender once again, living our lives as a sacrifice to God.  While surrendering isn’t a natural response in humans, especially in our own culture, it is a critical part of our relationship with God. “I Surrender All” is a classic hymn and speaks highly about surrender. As you read the lyrics to this song, present it as a prayer of surrender to God.

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all,
I surrender all;
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at His feet I bow;
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power,
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

 All to Jesus I surrender,
Now I feel the sacred flame;
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

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By Rich Obrecht 

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Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.” So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” – 1 Samuel 14:6-12

 

I remember learning how to drive a car with a manual transmission. I remember because still today I see a chiropractor to help me work through the whiplash. Like many, I had a hard time learning how to get going. It was hard to get off the line. So, for the first week, I tried not to come to a complete stop – even at stoplights. I found that if I kept moving, it was easier to get going. Jonathan seems to have the same philosophy about following God. Even when facing a vast army, he didn’t stop. His approach was, “go, until you get a no,” not “wait until you hear a voice.” While the rest of the army waited, Jonathan moved.

Jonathan’s approach to searching out God’s will is never intended to be prescriptive, it’s descriptive. It recounts what he did. However, there are some principles to be learned from his journey. There are two general approaches to seeking God’s will. One is to wait until God leads, and then move. The other is to move and ask God to guide the steps. While there are certainly cases of both approaches in the Scriptures, it appears “go until you get a no” is more of the norm. The Apostle Paul serves as a great example of this. He passionately spread the gospel to the ends of the earth until he got a “no.” He wanted to go to Bithynia to share the good news, but that door was closed. Acts 16:7 says, “And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” Paul found God’s will by moving – without knowing exactly where God wanted him to go. Then, God redirected his steps.

Many people are paralyzed with the idea of trying to find God’s will. There are some philosophies that propose finding God’s will for life is like hitting a bullseye on a dart board. They believe it’s a narrow path and easy to miss. Because of that conviction, many people spend much of their life waiting to hear from God. They want to know what direction they should take, what job they should accept, or what city they should move to. Instead of deciding, many wait for a voice from heaven that sometimes never comes – because sometimes God’s will is that we decide. When God gives us the freedom to choose, the comforting reality is that God is powerful and able to both close doors and open them. Jonathan’s approach to seeking the will of God is to move, and to let his God direct his steps. Prayer through Proverbs 16:9. Start moving, and ask the Lord to guide your steps.

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
– Proverbs 16:9

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By Ryan Paulson 

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And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40)

It was one of those picturesque days at the beach. Beautiful and deserted. So, we decided to try something new. We gathered a pile of sand near an unmanned lifeguard stand. It was only a few steps up, but for an 11-year-old, it might as well have been jumping off the Empire State Building. I climbed and jumped – the unstable sand cushioning my fall. And then, with my friends, I repeated that for the next few hours. Faith feels like that jump. Life feels like that sand. If that’s the case, what is the lifeguard stand? What is the steady foundation that we jump off? What is the stabilizing factor in the midst of it all?

The author of Hebrews brought his readers on a journey of faith. He recounted many prolific heroes who lived by faith. He invited his readers to dwell on the actions they took in defiance of cultural-norms and worldly pursuits. Then, he honestly admitted that sometimes faith led to seeing God do the miraculous, and other times faith meant walking to a brutal death (Hebrews 11:32-38). He ended by pointing to the lifeguard tower. His conclusion pointed the reader to the foundation they stood on in an unstable world. He wrote, “39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). They didn’t receive what was promised, but they got something better. God outdid himself. They got God. They received redemption. The inherited sonship and eternity.

The life of faith requires us to embrace circumstantial uncertainty, while remaining grounded in eternal security. While we have no idea what tomorrow may bring, we know for certain that our destiny is resurrection life and relationship with our good God. Our God is a promise maker and promise keeper. His promise to us is that we will be “made perfect” and that we will live with him – the perfect One. When we understand the reality of our eternal destiny, we are freed to jump off into the temporal unknown. Today, remind yourself of the foundation your entire life rests upon. Reread Hebrews 11:39-40. Listen to the song The Lord Our God. Considering your foundation, what jump is God inviting you to make?[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Ryan Paulson 

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[vc_row height=”small” el_class=”dailyBody” css=”.vc_custom_1465516518912{margin-top: -25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][us_separator height=”10px” size=”custom”][us_image image=”31188″ size=”tnail-1×1″][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]After these things, God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
Abraham lived where in a time where men worshipped idols of stone and wood. How was Abraham able to believe and put his trust in a God he couldn’t see or touch? By faith. Abraham put his faith in God and not his own ability to please him. Abraham had learned over the years the importance of obeying God. Offering up his son like a pagan sacrifice was the one of the greatest acts of obedience ever recorded. God was asking Abraham to choose again who he worshiped more, the God who chose him or the promised son. Abraham’s faith was tested, and strengthened. His son was spared and he learned God provides.

The Bible abounds with examples of immediate faithful obedience and unfaithful obedience. Saul, Israel’s first king, had delayed obedience, partial obedience, and conditional obedience. The spirit of God left Saul and the kingdom was taken from him and given to another.

When the word of the Lord came to Abraham, he listened, and he obeyed thoroughly, unconditionally and immediately. No grumbling no bartering, no shortcuts, no laters. (Gen 12:4, 15:6,22:16-18, 26:5, Heb.11:8,9,17) God asks no less of us as his people today. Cultural idols still surround us but the wood and stone take on different forms. And, God still comes to us and calls us to worship him and him alone. When your faith is tested, is your response immediate? Faith proceeds obedience, faith produces obedience, faith is foundational. Consider the tests God has brought to your attention this week. Listen to God’s voice leading and practice obeying immediately.

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By Donna Burns  

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