Author: albertvredenburg

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In His Presence

This message is reposted from an earlier post.  I needed to take a few weeks off.  A new message is coming next week.  God bless!

In the beginning, Adam and Eve had no hindrance to being in the presence of the Lord.  After their disobedience, they entered a whole new perception.  They had gained self-awareness.  With self-awareness comes concern for self.  How do I look?  What are they thinking of me?  What should I do?  Concern for self hinders our ability to enter the presence of the Lord.

An internal battle commences each time I want to spend time with the Lord. There is always one more thing to do before I can start.  Everything I forgot to do somehow miraculously comes to mind.  (I should make a list.)  When I finally do get situated, my mind scatters to a thousand thoughts.  As I strive to get my mind settled, I realize I haven’t tuned my guitar in a while.  The guitar turns out to be in pretty good tune, but it’s always good to check.  Then it’s, what song to begin with, and what key is that in? 

Finally I begin to sing.  Boy, my voice is getting old.  That note used to be so clear.  Wow, this is a great worship song.  If I ever lead worship again, I’ll have to include this song.  Then I realize I’ve sung through the entire song without a conscious thought about who I’m singing to.  I cried out, “Help me Lord.”  I sang the song through a few more times trying to focus my mind.  Then the Lord spoke to me, “Write about this struggle.”

All along he knew what I was there for.  I wanted to hear from him about what to write this week.  In his humble way, he answered the question I didn’t ask.  A rush of gratefulness entered my heart.   My self-concern was put aside.  I then enter into his presence and worshipped.  God had made a way!

 

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IT IS ALL HIS

Psalm 24:1  The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.

God’s World and Us is founded on the truth revealed in this scripture verse.  God owns us and everything we know.  This blog is dedicated to exploring our relationship with the owner and the daily lives we live out here on his earth.  Today, I want to focus on his ownership.

In the Parable of the Tenants, found in Matthew 21:33-46, Jesus tells of a landowner who built a vineyard and then rented it to some farmers. The farmers had an obligation to share the profits of the vineyard with the owner.  They betrayed their obligation and beat and killed his representatives when they came for the owner’s portion.  The farmers even killed his son when he came to them.  The parable is about the failure of the Jewish leaders to respond to God’s calling, and how he is going to turn his kingdom over to more faithful tenants.  As I read this parable, my thoughts were pervaded by the idea of being God’s tenant.

Since God created the earth and everything it, what I claim to own is actually his.  I am God’s tenant here on his earth.  He has set me up with the talents and abilities needed to accomplish the tasks he has set before me.  So I asked myself, what kind of a tenant am I?  Do I respect the owner and take good care of what he has given me, or do I use what he’s given me for my own benefit without regard for him?  Do I turn over the profit of my life, or do I take the credit?

As I process through these thoughts I find myself in need of repentance.  The things I possess, I think of as mine – rarely acknowledging the true owner.  I’ve taken a lot of credit for my accomplishments without mentioning my Lord to whom the credit is really due.  I am glad he is a generous and gracious owner who is slow to anger and abounding in love.  Thank you Heavenly Father for giving me such a great life.  Help me to be a humble and grateful tenant.

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UNDEFEATABLE POWER II

The other morning, during our morning coffee, my wife read to me from the book of Acts chapter 12.  As she read the story of the disciples James and Peter in the hands of King Herod, I was reminded of God’s undefeatable power.  James the brother of John was arrested and then executed by Herod.  When Herod saw that the Jews were pleased by this he arrested Peter.  The story of what happened to these two disciples is another display of God’s ability to bring about his plan.

The death of James meant that his work was done.  God called him home.  Herod thought he had shown his great power by executing him, but when he tried the same with Peter, whom God was not ready to bring home, he experienced a different result.  Peter was arrested and placed in jail under the guard of four men.  Two of these men were chained to Peter and the other two stood guard.  Herod was not going to lose this prisoner.  The night before Peter’s trial an angel came into his cell and woke him.  As Peter awoke the chains fell off him, and the angel led him out of the prison.  God had intervened. 

God has a plan that cannot be thwarted by man.  We don’t see clearly what God has planned, but if we get in the way, God will take action.  Herod could not stop God’s church.  This little group of disciples had no worldly power, but they were in the will of God, and he has undefeatable power. 

In our limited understanding, we often judge God by asking why did he let this or that happen.  We don’t know, but he does.  Since we don’t have the big picture, we just have to trust him who does.  In my little tiny part of his plan, I trust him to direct me and keep me on track.  I know that all the power is in his hands.

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REFLECTIONS ON 2015

With just a few hours of 2015 remaining, I am reflecting upon the hours of this year that have passed so quickly.  I am wondering by what standard I should measure these hours spent.  Work, leisure, parties, major events, and quiet moments have all traveled across my mind as I ride this train of memories looking to form a valuation of the year nearly gone.  I have chosen to ask myself this question. What did I give to this year, and what did I receive?  As I contemplated the answer to this question, one word seemed to surface on the lake of my considerations.

This word has surely defined the most notable increase of the year’s activities.  The time I spent with family and friends, on the job, and even my encounters with strangers was affected by this word.  Perhaps the greatest place this increase occurred was in my interactions with God my Father.  I am delighted to find this word so prominent, but I put forth no claim of accomplishment on my own.

The word, as you may have guessed, is love.  I have experienced a greater ability to give and receive love.  Surprisingly, with this greater ability has come peacefulness.  There is indeed a deeper peace in my heart.  I haven’t yet asked those around me if they’ve noticed this.  I may be self-deceived.  I know the peace is there, and I know I feel the love.  I hope it has shown.

This love and peace came about because I asked Jesus.  Looking over the year, I realize he answered my prayer.  I didn’t do anything different.  He worked it in my heart in his gentle, subtle way.  I continued to seek him, and he provided the difference.  I think that recognizing his love for me helped soften my heart.  This provided the larger capacity necessary for the increase.

Well, I certainly haven’t reached the pinnacle.  There is plenty of mountain left to climb, but I now know how it’s done.  Please join me this year in a quest for greater ability to love.  It will greatly please our Heavenly Father, and oh yes, we’ll have deeper peace in our hearts.

I pray God’s blessing for you and yours in 2016.

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UNDEFEATABLE POWER

There is an undefeatable power in the universe.  In fact he created the universe.  His power is wrought of love and is so far above man’s power that he can send his son as a helpless infant to the earth, and accomplish his plan.  Man and the demonic forces of evil could not stop him.  An earthly king could not kill him.  It goes like this, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  The Christmas Story is a story of the greatest love and the greatest power.  The baby in a manger, so gentle and mild, was a display of God’s wisdom and power that transcends our understanding.

If I was in charge of bringing Jesus to earth, I might amass a great army.  I’d post a 24 hour guard and develop a secure safe house with all the latest technology.  This is hilarious in comparison to the open manger.  God didn’t need my help.  He is all powerful.  He didn’t have to come with all guns blazing.  He came in love and tenderness.

The underlining truth is that God’s plan, for your life and mine, will be accomplished, and nothing can defeat his will.  Sometimes I feel as vulnerable as a babe in a manger, but I’m really as safe as the infant Jesus was.  I can trust God with everything.  The Christmas story fills me with great confidence.  It is a story of power displayed in love.  I worship God because he is higher than me, and his ways are higher than my ways.  I trust in his power; I trust in his love.  I pray that the love and power of the Christmas Story will bring you peace and comfort this season.

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CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS

This is a re-post from Christmas 2014.  I hope you enjoy it.

With the advent of Christmas we celebrate the greatest event that ever happened on the earth:  God entering time and taking on human flesh.  He spent time as one of us.  He walked beside us, and with his eventual death and resurrection, brought new and eternal life for all who would receive him.  This is worthy of celebration.  No other event on earth has stirred the hearts of men to such joyous celebration.  People all-over the earth celebrate this wondrous occasion.

Joining in celebration helps us focus on something bigger than our individual lives; something more real than the temporal.  Celebration sets a mood of happiness and oneness.  I remember singing in a community choir at Christmas.  Our hearts were lifted as we performed traditional Christmas music.  We experienced a oneness of joy and delight.

God wants us to enter into this celebration.  The angels celebrated that first night when Jesus was born, and we have ever since celebrated with them.  Let us continue the celebration of Jesus’ birth and the wonder of God’s plan for our salvation begun that glorious night.

 

                   A promise has been fulfilled

                   A reclamation for all the earth

                   A virgin has brought forth child

                   A most miraculous birth

                   A prophesy from ancient times

                   A hope that’s now achieved

                   A salvation realized

                   A redemption for Adam’s seed.

God bless you, and have a Merry Christmas!

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DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH

When Jesus was explaining the parable of the sower to his disciples (Matthew 13:18-23) he used this phrase, the deceitfulness of wealth, when speaking of those who represent the seeds falling among the thorns.  In Matthew 13:22 Jesus said, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word making it unfruitful.”  This phrase caught my attention as I read through the passage, and I thought it worth a more in-depth look.

I frequently like to refer to The Message to expand a passage.  Here’s how verse 22 reads, “The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.”  (I love The Message.)  The words deceitfulness and illusions both give indication of something that is not really there.  We are lead to think there’s something there, but it is a deception.  Here in America, I believe the deceitfulness of wealth hinders us from fully participating in God’s kingdom.  Perhaps it is our greatest deception.

I remember, when my youngest daughter returned from a mission’s trip to Mexico, she was deeply impressed by how happy the people were in the village where she stayed.  She said to me, “Dad they live in shacks and have nothing, yet they are always cheerful and happy.”  It was a great experience for her.  She had the opportunity to realize that possessions don’t bring happiness.  It’s a deception.

As we celebrate this Christmas season let us not fall subject to the deception that it’s about getting more.  We already have what we need, Jesus.  We are celebrating God coming to earth, living among us, and giving his life for us.  What else could we need?  JOY TO THE WORLD!  THE LORD HAS COME!

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NO

No is an interesting word.  It is almost universally understood, but it is not our favorite word when spoken in response to a request.  However, no is a very useful word.  For instance, “No, you can’t play in the traffic,” is a valuable use of the word no.  When raising my children I often used no in response to their appeals.  They didn’t like it, but the no answer gave me time to think about the repercussions of their request.  They were delighted when the decision was reversed.

My Heavenly Father has said no to me a number of times.  I recall an incident some 25 years ago.  I had discovered an opportunity to apply for a teaching job on California’s central coast.  I love the central coast, and my wife grew up there.  So I applied for the position.  One night while I was waiting to hear from the school, I had a dream.  In the dream, my wife and I were on a roller-coaster. Before the thrill of the big drop, the tracks took a flat weaving diversion.  We had stopped the car and gotten out to redirect the tracks to go immediately to the drop. When I awoke, I knew this dream was from the Lord.  As I prayed, the Lord showed me that the dream indicated I was rushing ahead of his plan for us.  The next day, I got a call for an interview.  I declined.  I put the tracks back where they belonged and got back in the car.

The Lord had said no, but it was only for a season.  About ten years later, we had the opportunity to move to the central coast and spend a productive five years there.  We had finally reached the big drop.  Who knows what would have happened if I had ignored the Lord’s caution and moved there too soon?  Only he does.  Isn’t it good to know we have an all knowing father that says no?  He knows what is best for us, and we can trust him.  Even when he leads us down a difficult path, he walks beside us.  His path is the best path.  I don’t always like the direction he sends me, but I am always blessed when I follow him.