Same Ole, Same Ole

Posted on June 24, 2019 by drgause@agause.com

Same ole, same ole—I imagine we all feel that way at times. When someone asks how you’re doing or how’s life treating you, your respond, “Same ole, same ole”. Routine can turn into a rut, which some say is just a grave with the ends knocked out. Get up, take a shower, dress, eat breakfast, go to your job, do your work, go home, eat supper, watch a little TV, go to bed, then do it all again when you wake up. Even our devotions can get stuck in a rut—read Bible, pray a little, and repeat your request—all the while trying to keep our mind from wandering or going to sleep—Amen and off to work. Day after day you gain no fresh insight or experience any emotional inspiration. Life has slipped into same ole, same ole.

Without routine, life would plunge into chaos. Routines provide structure and order. They instill habits—some good and some bad. Arriving late to work or appointments can quickly develop into a bad habit. If we don’t recognize this and change, it establishes as a normal routine we automatically do. On the other hand, it’s unnecessary for me to write in a Day-Timer, put on your clothes and brush your teeth in the morning. That has become an automatic routine. When I get up, I don’t even think about it. BUT, beware routines can also drag you down into a rut. Doing the same tasks day after day becomes a place of safety where everything is predictable. We feel comfortable. However, our unvarying repetitive activities lead to apathy.

The answer for getting out of a rut—change and do something different. But we don’t like that word because change involves unpredictability, venturing into unfamiliar places. Believers can fall into the trap of spiritual comfort zones that avoid any spiritual anxiety or conflict. Christians become neutral never taking a stand over issues. Safe comfort zones can lead to the sin of omission. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17).

So, how do you get out of your daily and spiritual ruts? First, you must recognize that you are in a rut then acknowledge it to yourself and to God. Determine which routines are dragging you into a rut and that are changeable. Most important, resolve you want to change even though it leads you into the unknown and unpredictable situations. Certain routines should remain unchanged. When pray seems to be a vain exercise, we don’t stop praying. Instead, we alter the method of how we pray such as stand rather than sit or kneel, walk when you pray. Repeated methods create ruts.

Daniel gave us an example of God’s faithfulness when entering the unpredictable. His unknown came as a result of his routine but the world around him changed. Daniel knew King Darius had signed a decree forbidding people to pray to any god but him. but when Daniel knew that the document was signed he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously (Dan 6:10). Daniel continued his daily routine of praying and it brought him into a perilous situation—the lion’s den. But God sent His angel and closed the lions’ mouths; the lions did no harm to Daniel. Our unknowns are safe because God will be with us regardless of whether we changed or the world around us.

Cry out to the Lord. Be honest with Him about your heart. I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out (Proverbs 30:1). You may think your rut is too deep. But if God rescued us from the deepest pit of sin when we were unbelievers, then how much more can He pull us out of our rut as believers in Christ (note Rom. 8:32)? It appears Timothy was in a rut. Paul tells him, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God (2 Tim 1:6 NIV). Fan the ash off your smoldering embers and let the Holy Spirit renew the flame and lead you into new paths.

Sustaining Word for the Week: “One of the wonders of God’s love for us is that it survives our spiritual dry times.” (Paul Maxwell)

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He’s Already There

Posted on June 17, 2019 by drgause@agause.com

Do you ever dread tomorrow? Or spend restless nights full of fear and anxiety imagining every conceivable negative scenario for something you’re facing? If you never have, you are a rare individual. It’s probably safe to assume apprehension has overwhelmed most people at some point in their life. For a few, this describes every night. Believers often allow anxiety to disrupt their life despite the promise Jesus made. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Mat 6:34).

The above verse and the two following are easy to read and even memorize. But putting them into daily practice proves far more difficult. Peter wrote, Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Pet 5:7 NIV). Paul takes it to another level as a command. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (Phil 4:6 HCSB). The grammar indicates they were worrying about something and this literally is a charge, stop worrying. The word New Testament writers use, we can also translate anxious, care, or concern. It means to draw in different directions or to have a distracting care. Worry draws us away and distracts us from God’s purpose.

God knows man’s tendency to fret over the unknowns of tomorrow. Throughout scripture He reassures people they have nothing about which they should be anxious. When Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land, Moses was at the end of his life. He called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel . . . The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed (Deut. 31:7, 8). God gave a similar promise to their parents 40 years earlier when they were leaving Egypt (Exodus 6-8). The Lord demonstrated this with the parting of the Red Sea and the waters flowing back covering and destroying all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Three days later after finding no water in the wilderness Israel witnessed another example of God care.

Their hope must have risen as they approached the waters of Marah. However, it quickly turned to disappointment when they arrived. The waters were bitter. But the Lord had gone ahead and prepared a solution. He demonstrated His power over nature at the Red Sea. In this instance, God showed His power by a different means. Months or even years earlier before Israel arrived, He knew the dilemma His people would confront. Through the wind, a bird, or a person, He arranged for the seed of a particular species of tree to be planted and grow. This tree would turn the bitter waters sweet. The Lord showed him [Moses] a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet (Exo 15:25).

A mission’s team from our church arrived in Central America with their tools in hand ready to construct a sanctuary. They quickly realized they were facing a major hurdle—leaders of the local church had prepared nothing. The team had no lumber, no roofing, no concrete, or even a nail to begin construction. After two weeks of struggling to locate supplies, the team left having completed less than half the structure. After this fiasco, the mission’s director started sending two people three weeks before a team arrived in order to gather the needed materials and insure everything was prepared. No problems like this ever happened again. Apply this thought to your daily walk with the Lord. He has already been to your tomorrow and provided solutions for what you are facing. 

Paul tells us God has prepared in advance the good works He desires us to do. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Eph 2:10). But you may be thinking, “Ok, He helps me in my ministry, but what about everyday problems of life?” Remember the verses in the opening. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Pet 5:7 NIV). Peter says all your anxiety not a part or those pertaining to the ministry. He cares for you not just a few areas of your life, but you as a whole person, every bit of your life. When Jesus said do not worry about tomorrow, He is referring to the basic needs of existence. Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on (Mat 6:25). He then promises to take care of these and all we may need.

The Lord knows the challenges that will face you, the obstacles that are before you. He has many means of taking care of you. He can overrule nature and part your Red Sea or calm your storm as Jesus did. Or maybe He’s already planted the seed that will sweeten your bitter situation.

Sustaining Word for the Week: Don’t ruin today with tomorrow’s troubles. God is already there.

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Put Feet to Your Faith

Posted on June 3, 2019 by drgause@agause.com

Written by my daughter, Sarah for her adoption support group. It conveys such an encouraging and challenging message, I asked to post it as a SW.

It’s been almost ten weeks since Tim and I met our 5-year-old daughter for the first time, and we can’t imagine life without her already! For years we talked about adoption, but never acted on it.  Verses like James 1:27  lingered in our hearts, Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. Yet – we always found a reason not to move forward (not enough money, work is too busy, our current kids are too young, etc., etc.).  Time was slipping past us. Last year, the Lord convicted our hearts that the only thing that was stopping us was fear… fear of the process, fear of the unknown, fear of finances.  But – fear is not of the Lord.  We put fear aside, said yes!  After that decision, the Lord put everything in place to for us to bring home our amazing daughter. Today marks two months we have been home from China…a surprise journey that we never thought would happen.  She is such a brave and loving girl, and we are humbled the Lord has allowed us to be part of her journey!

A 30 year old orphan, who aged out of an orphanage where he had lived his whole life said this at the CAFO Summit 2013 (Christian Alliance for Orphans) “When I grew up in the orphanage it was Christians who came and built nicer buildings. Christians who bought us beds, clothing and provided money monthly for food. It was a Christian, who wrote a letter in a shoebox, who first told me I was loved. It was the Christians who met all my physical and material needs in that orphanage. But it was also Christians who neglected my biggest need. Children in orphanages don’t need more money, nicer buildings or better clothes. I am not an orphan because I lost my home or provisions. I am an orphan because I lost my parents. I needed a mom and a dad. I needed a family. Christians treated all my temporary symptoms of need but never cured my long-term disease of being orphan. I am still an orphan.”

Still freshly home, only 2 months (still in the honeymoon phase – I know), learning more and more about each other… Can it be hard somedays – absolutely! It can be hard and messy! But – oh so worth it!!! Why socks in 100 degree outside temps? Even though all can look well on the outside, trauma can show itself in interesting ways… we keep the house a bit cooler than in the past and we can bundle her up when she sleeps. She thankfully doesn’t scratch herself when awake anymore, but her anxiety with past medical trauma on top of the adoption, loss, and grief shows itself while she sleeps. Baby steps & big socks! 

We are so thankful that God gave us the courage not to let fear stand in the way and to say “yes”!!! We could have missed this amazing little lady, and life just wouldn’t be the same without her in our family! Each day we learn more about trust, family and love. We are constantly being refined & taught in ways we need to be refined and taught! Christ is also using this journey to teach us more about our adoption into Christ’s family… and it can be so humbling!

Not everyone is called to adopt…but if your heart is stirring in that direction – don’t fight it. It’s not something to fear!! If you are not called to adopt – there are so many ways to help others. Help families adopting through prayers and tangibly (with funds to help the process, meal trains when home, etc.), help the young expectant mother that just needs support to be able to stand on her own two feet so there is one less child without a family to start with, support the many Unadopted programs for the many (MANY!) orphans that are not legally eligible for adoption, help by being a foster family or help give them respite, etc. So many ways to help, but don’t let fear be one of the reasons you don’t help. (And read James 1).

Jas 1:22  But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. v23  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; v24  for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. v25  But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does . . . v27  Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. 

Sustaining Word for the Week: Put feet to your faith. Become an effectual doer not a forgetful hearer.

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Wait a Minute! You Forgot Someone

Posted on May 27, 2019 by drgause@agause.com

Only one thing is more dangerous than the devil himself; that’s believing he’s not a living being but only a symbol of evil. Deceiving people to accept this lie, if not at the top, ranks high on his list of tactics—and it’s working.  A Barna Group national survey reports 40% of Christians don’t believe in Satan and another 19% somewhat agree with this prospective. The ramifications of this disbelief are multiple. Without the devil as the cause of evil, when disappointments, problems, and tragedy arise, this only leaves God to blame. “How can a loving God allow this to happen to us?” 

We once employed a professor who previously had been a gang member in New York but left her former lifestyle. She went on to earn a PhD writing her dissertation on gang strategy. Our campus was located in a county where government officials boasted there were no gangs. She tried warning them multiple gangs were beginning to saturate the area by discreetly establishing strongholds. Leaders finally acknowledged a problem existed, but it was too late. Today, law enforcement struggles just to contain gang violence. Military strategists will tell you acknowledging and knowing your enemy is essential for winning any battle. People who don’t believe the devil exist will never prepare to defeat what they accept as a symbol.

Another result of refusing to acknowledge the devil comes when believers challenge sinners about their immoral lifestyles. Without knowledge that Satan is real, they blame God— “God made me who I am.” We live in a time that blaming others and God has become the normal response if someone confronts a person about their sin. Blaming others and God for one’s failure is nothing new. It began in the Garden of Eden. Eve blamed the serpent and Adam not only blamed Eve, he also accused God. The man said, “The woman YOU gave me . . .” [emphasis mine] (Gen 3:12 MSG). In other words, Adam is claiming it was the Lord’s fault because He gave him the women; without her he wouldn’t have sinned. Today immoral people argue, “Sin is a natural part of me because God made me this way.” “I was created this way.” “Your problem is with my creator. I can only be who He made” (LivingWaters.com).

The statement, “I was born this way” contains an element of truth. Yes, in fact all of us were born ‘this way’; that’s because every human comes into the world with a sin nature. David wrote, Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me (Ps 51:5 NET). Note he became a sinner, not at birth, not when his heart began beating, but the instant the sperm and egg fused to form a diploid cell. We were born with a propensity to kill, commit adultery, lie, steal, hate, fulfill our selfish desires, become alcohol or drug addicts   . . . ad infinitum. The good news—God doesn’t abandon us in this depraved condition. Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15); The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil (1Jn 3:8). For we know that our old self [sin nature] was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— (Rom 6:6 NIV).

Jesus broke the power of sin, however this doesn’t eliminate temptation. The devil deceives people into believing they can’t overcome temptation because they were born with these desires. God says, Sin can’t tell you how to live (Rom 6:14 MSG). Sin has always been and still is a choice. Adam and Eve both made a choice to sin by disobeying God to please their own wants. The Serpent (i.e. devil) tempted them through these desires. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate (Gen 3:6). James warns about blaming God. When tempted, no-one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed (Jas 1:13, 14 NIV).

Men and women around the world are filled with misconceptions about God. One false belief is the devil is not a living being and can do you no harm. Jesus declared, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (Jn 10:10). God has provided us with the Word telling us the truth and gave us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to overcome Satan’s efforts to destroy us. Don’t be like the county leaders above who didn’t believe gangs existed while these violent groups were establishing strongholds. People may say there is no devil but at the same time he is establishing a stronghold in their life.

When WW I broke out, the War Ministry in London dispatched a coded message to a British outpost in a remote area of Africa: “War declared. Arrest all enemy aliens in your district.” A reply from the outpost came, “Please advise immediately who we’re at war with.” In other words, who is our enemy? We are at war and the enemy is the devil.

Sustaining Word for the Week: Don’t forget the ‘someone’—the devil. Stop blaming God, He’s the only source of help we have.

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