Spiritual Hunger Archives -

“How’s the Pausing Coming?”

As we enter the Holiday Seasons, we all the more to need prepare our hearts. Hearing from many of you, I know the Lord has been offering us many opportunities to Pause, Reflect and Collect. But, if you’re like me, I look for something to fill the void, and the Pause Button doesn’t stay on for long….

And for many, “Reflecting” is very challenging, too. It brings up all the hard times, our short comings and our failures…. But, maybe, just maybe, we can start reflecting on all the blessings the Lord has given us? Enough with the negative focus and self-talk, right? It is time we see all the blessings the Lord has so lavished on us, and engage in some healthy “positive self-talk!” Besides: “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes” (Mt. 6:25 NIV84).

Join me in pressing the Pause Button, taking time to Reflect, so we can “Collect” all the blessings the Lord has so graciously bestowed on us. Then, from a heart filled with thankfulness and humility, we can be His Light during this Holiday Season.

Are you up for it?

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col 2:6–7 NIV84).

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. (Phil. 2:14–16 NIV84).

In Thankfulness,

Pastor Mike

“Of Droughts & Wildernesses”

As with physical droughts and wildernesses, there are spiritual ones, too….

We can wander into a wilderness or be sent. Likewise, we can choose to enter into a drought period of our lives or the Lord will send us into one. Whether these are self-inflicted or divine appointments, know this: The Lord has a purpose for these times in our lives.

Self-inflicted droughts & wildernesses are used as discipline. The Lord is denying us what is important in life to remind us to “go and sin no more” (see John 8:11 & 5:15), thus showing us what is important in Life—His Life….

But what of those divine appointed droughts and wildernesses? David went into one; Moses did, too. And even our Lord Jesus was sent into the wilderness. All these, and more, are showing us that the Lord is using these thirsty and wandering times to purify us and protect us. While in the wilderness, often we are being hidden from those that would do us harm—even ourselves. While experiencing severe thirst, He shows us what water really satisfies.

So, are you in a drought? Do you feel like the Lord has abandoned you in a wilderness? Join me: Cease our striving. Quit trying to figure it out or even “get out”. Simple rest in Him. Pause, reflect, collect. Pause: Intentionally take time to be with Him—Alone. Reflect: During this Pause reflect on what the Lord has done, and is doing. Collect: As you intentionally pause and reflect, begin to collect all the little nuggets the Lord is uncovering, both in you, through others and in His Word.

And through all this rest…, knowing that only in His time will the drought end and the wilderness give way to a land of milk and honey.

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Ps. 42:1–2 NIV84.)

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Ps 63:1NIV84)

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isa. 55:12 NIV84)

In Faith Thirsting & Wandering together,

Pastor Mike

“In Order To Bloom….”

Keeping with the “April Showers Brings May Flowers” theme, I know you know that in order to bloom properly, flowers needs to be properly watered, fertilized, weeded, and, oh, yeah, plenty of sunshine….

So, if you and I are going to bloom and be a wonderful fragrance for Jesus, we, too, need to be properly watered, fertilized, weeded, and get plenty of Sonshine….

Too little or too much water or fertilizer will either dry us out or not be sufficient, or it will flood us or burn us up. We need just the right amount of the Word (Eph. 5:26) to water and fertilize us…

Next comes the weeding. I personally weed my flowerbeds daily and no less than four or five times a week. Likewise, I find that daily confession keeps my soul’s flowerbed clear of any “weeds” that will suck my water, fertilizer (attention and development, etc.) from me. Some may go days without weeding (i.e. confessing their sins; and much to say about establish weeds and their root systems, but this is for another blog), and they will find that these weeds are stealing essential nutrients from their soul—beyond the physical and emotional drain….

And are we getting plenty of Sonshine? I have to be intentional here, too. Not just reading the Word, but fellowshipping with others who shine for Jesus. The Word shines a bright light on my soul and my brothers and sisters are both sonshine and water, refreshing me and correcting me on my Journey with Jesus.

Is your “flowerbed” helping you to bloom?

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”—Ephesians 3:16–19 (NIV84)

In the Hope of Healthy Flowerbeds for blooming,

Pastor Mike

“Careful of Expectations”

¹¹The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. ¹²After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

— 1 Kings 19:11–13 (NIV84)

Reading this account of Elijah’s encounter with the Holy One, I am awestruck at what is happening. I dare not minimize the “destructive” power of the wind, the earthquake, and the fire. Was Elijah terrified as the Israelites were in days of old when the fire was on the mountain (cf. Ex. 20:18-21)? I would suppose so.

But let us not get lost in this. For the LORD was not in any of these as He was in days of yore. No…, and remember, Elijah had just participated in calling fire down from heaven, so perhaps his expectations were similar: The LORD is going to show up in some dramatic, awesome way….

But He didn’t; not once, not twice, but three times He didn’t show up. HIS point? I think one aspect He was trying to teach us is: “Don’t miss me by expecting how I AM going to show up.”

All this to say, as we enter this month of Prayer and Fasting with our goal to seek the LORD’s Face, let us not have set or fixed expectation as to how the Holy One is going to “show up”. Now if you do not need this reminder, the pretend you are reading a page out of my personal journal because I do. Nevertheless, I am praying that I am alert to the LORD’s presence whether it is through His Word, through His People, through His “gentle whisper,” that “still small voice.” Or even through others we may not even know. But if we are alert, we will sense His presence. And our response? Perhaps as Elijah did: We will humbly pull our cloaks over our faces and stand at attention, “Yes, LORD, ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening’” (1 Samuel 3:10 NIV84).

Hope in His Appearing,

Pastor Mike

“Remember the ‘Good Ol’ Days’?”

Do you think that as we enter a new year, it will be filled with uncertainty and anxiety? If so, do you think we may be tempted to yearn for the “Good Ol’ Days? When life was simple, and Love was easy?

Intriguingly, Ecclesiastes warns us: “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise to ask such questions’” (Ecc. 7:10 NIV84). Why not ask such questions?

Perhaps one answer is: Just as it is hard to drive a car staring in the rear-view mirror, it is hard to live life always looking back at the past. Ahead are only crashes ….

But perhaps another reason is: The Lord has planned better “things” ahead for us. Beyond what often becomes a trite cliché, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19 ESV), He truly has something wonderful in the future for us. But you may ask: How can I say this with all the dreadful things happening from deaths to lockdowns?

One reason I can say this is, of late I have been stretching out with my mustard-seed-faith to really grab the truth: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28 NIV84 emphasis added). All things, even my foolish and silly “mistakes”! All things.

So, in this new year perhaps you can join me in following the Apostle Paul’s declaration of determination:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” – (Philippians 3:10–14 NIV2011)

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“Spring–Renewal”

Spring cleaning is a challenge, especially when we do not take the time, right? Too often we are too busy and spring cleaning becomes summer catch up or worse, nothing is done at all….

Perhaps this is indicative of our spiritual lives, too. We do not slow down—even a little— to enter into a spiritual renewal. The rush of the holiday season seems to ripple well passed January into February. And as we get to March, stopping to take a deep breath is near impossible when we can’t even catch our breath.

The solution? I’m trying to deliberately take time to pause, grab a text from the Word, and simple ruminate over it. Then let the text grab me. Maybe even seeing Psalm 49:3 come to fruition in my life:

My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding. [Psalm 49:3 NASB95]

Will you join me, then, in pausing for a spiritual spring renewal?

Peace,

Pastor Mike

“The Summer of Our Lives”

Could the Summer weather mirror our spiritual health? Many throughout the nation are experiencing a drought. This sparked a connection in my mind between our spiritual condition and our weather. In a song my son-in-law Josh, wrote, one line appears, “All sunshine makes a desert, you know.” Every time I hear this, I am profoundly impacted by the truth of this line. When we have an activity, we pray it doesn’t rain. When we have a trip, we pray it won’t rain. Get the pattern?

Do you often pray that all “goes well,” that we have no “hardships”? If so, is it as if we are praying for desert to appear? Really? Maybe. Trials, challenges, difficulties are the rain storms in our lives. Thunder storms and hurricanes are greater in scope and degree. But if we do not have such times, then there will be no water for the seeds sown in our lives. (Can they grow without water?)

So in this summer of drought, let us not have a spiritual hiatus—a spiritual drought.

Another song that has often blessed me is by Laura Story, “Blessings”: “‘Cause, what if blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know Your near? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?” What if all these are the rain that ends our spiritual drought, encourages growth and brings a rainbow?

Let not this summer of your life continue in a drought. Welcome the rain.

Main Text— Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV)— ¹⁷ Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, ¹⁸yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the LORD, is my strength.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.—James 1:2–4 (NIV84)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?—(Psalm 42:1–2 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, Fill me with the Living Water, the Lord Jesus Christ. Forgive me for drinking from the water that can never quench my thirst for You. I welcome the rains that bring nourishment to my thirsty soul. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“How Powerless Is a Prayerless Life”

This morning’s focus in a devotion I regularly use sparked this thought in me: How powerless is a prayerless life? Then I started asking myself some other questions, like: “How long can I hold my breath?” (It’s been said that breathing to the physical life is like prayer to the spiritual life.) Or “How powerful is an unplugged power tool?” (Ah, but what if I have a cordless one? Then, “How long will the battery last without being recharged???”)

The short answer? “Not long,” to all three questions. And, “Not powerful at all.”

So then why do I think I can go for a while—any while—without praying? What in me thinks—ah, but perhaps this is the issue: I am not thinking. I am on automatic. I am coasting. Now, to be sure, there are some relationships that can coast for a bit, but at some point in the relationship a conversation has to start up; some interaction must take place. Otherwise the relationship (both human and divine) will ultimately shrivel up and ….

In this morning’s main text (below), Shepherd David (probably written before he became king), notes that, “The upright will see [the Holy One] face-to-face.” This may be in the ultimate physical sense, but can it also be in a moment by moment daily sense as well? And can this happen through prayer?

….and through this interaction of prayer—through this conversation with the Holy One, my strength is replenished; my battery recharged? I think so. And in this intimate exchange, I begin to see His face more clearly than I have before. The power of the Holy One’s presence in prayer definitely replenishes any draining or discharging I may have experienced prior to this prayerful exchange…don’t you think?

Care to share your thoughts on how powerless a prayerless life can be?

Main Text— Psalm 11:7 (ISV)— ⁷ Indeed, the LORD is righteous; He loves righteousness; the upright will see Him face-to-face.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Now we see only a blurred reflection in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.—1 Corinthians 13:12 (ISV)

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.—Luke 6:12 (NIV2011)

“Why are you sleeping?” [Jesus] asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”—(Luke 22:46 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, I put You on as my Breath of Prayer. Forgive me for those times I have held my breath way too long. In Your Grace & Mercy recharge my soul. In Your Name, Amen

Pastor Mike

The Paradox of Holy Contentment

I have heard it taught before that we are to be content with our relationship with Jesus and discontent at the same time. Is this truly a Both/And? Or a misapplied text? Or a Paradox of Holy Contentment?

As I read and re-read our main text this morning, I am more and more convinced that this is not a classic Both/And, but more so a misapplied text or a Holy Paradox. Let’s explore this very, very briefly.

In Phil. 3:10ff, the apostle Paul seems to express an honest, humble assessment of his Holy passion—a passion that is not content with what is, but with what will be. Then he expresses his contentment in this passage (Phil. 4:11-13), but is he not referring to his physical needs here and not so much his spiritual, Holy passion? And then, if this is physcial, does v. 13 only apply to physical realities (i.e., the Lord empowers me when I have a lot or have very little); or does this spill over into the spiritual?

Do we resolve this paradox by suggesting that we are to have a Holy passionate discontent for our current spiritual condition (including our relationship with Jesus), but a humble contentment with our physical accoutrements—since they come and go?

Your thoughts? How important is contentment to you? Can we ever be content? Ought we to be content? Ah, perhaps a paradox of Holy contentment?

Main Text— Philippians 4:11–13 (NIV)— ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Then some soldiers asked [John the Baptizer], “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” —Luke 3:14 (NIV84)

Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.”—Lk 12:22–23 (NLT)

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.—1 Timothy 6:6–8 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, as You teach me the lessons of contentment, may I realize all the more that Jesus is more than enough. In His Name. Amen

Pastor Mike

“Keep Up or Catch Up?”

Right out of college, after failing to get a teaching position, I turned to day-work and part part-time jobs to get by. One was a janitor at a blood draw facility. I was being trained to hospital specs. There were many tests along the way. One was the quarter behind the door. I had to change it out to two dimes and a nickel. Another was surprise inspections. I learned a lot of sayings, too: Clean what’s seen, and then clean what is unseen; look up, look down, look behind, look around.

But one of my favorite sayings is: It is easier to keep up than catch up. So always do a thorough job each night, that it goes more quickly. Skipping areas and having to catch up expends too much energy and wastes time….

Have you discovered in your spiritual journey with Jesus that it is easier to keep up than catch up? Sometimes in our journey we get tired and take a break, lingering a wee bit too long before some temptation. Or we continue to pick up baggage along the way, slowing our pace as the burdens grows heavier….

Keeping up with Jesus is much easier than catching up; at least this is what I have found to be the case. When I deal with my burdens (aka grudges, regrets, disappointments, resentments, any sins) earlier, they are much easier to discard. But as I nurse them, they seem to take on a life of their own, and feel more at home, than Jesus does. Now I know I am one to fix things way too soon, and confess sins that I may not be quite ready to repent of yet, but I’d rather be too early than, well, too late. I have found that confessing sooner is much more liberating than waiting until I “feel like it.” Oh, there are those times I come later to the place of deep soul repentance, but I have found as my walk draws closer to Jesus, merely being in His presence somehow makes those grudges, resentments, regrets, etc., all the more dirty, unholy and flat out sinful. I am more quickly repulsed by them. …

Anyway, having to run long distances to catch up seems more of a challenge than merely keeping up. What do you think? What are your thoughts?

Main Text— James 5:13–16 (NIV84)— ¹³ Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.—Galatians 5:25–26 (NIV84)

Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind—Psalm 26:2 (NIV84)

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.— Psalm 139:23–24 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, keep my heart sensitive to those things that displease You. May I deal quickly with those things that so easily hinder me and the sins that so easily entangle me. Empower my feet to be swift to keep in Your steps. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike