Move the Mountain v2.0

A refining of a message from 2010...

Trials exist in every Christian's life. Trials are God's method of refining and purifying us. They often come in the form of a vision that seems too big. Or as a difficult circumstance that we're facing which appears insurmountable. Or maybe as a sudden defeat when we ultimately had expectations of victory. According to God we won’t lack for these challenges/trials in life. The idealist in me says more trials equals more refining. Yes Lord, try me! But be merciful please.

And yet it isn't the results of these challenging encounters or whether we succeed or fail in the moment that actually deems us victorious as a follower of Christ. It is more a matter of our ability to maintain the right perspective regardless of our outcomes that truly brings us victory. Overcoming a trial really begins with not being overcome by it, yes? I believe that the ability to maintain a perspective built on God’s promises is our key to mountain moving victory in life. I couldn't find the exact number of promises listed in the bible but one resource I found listed over 3500 and another over 7400. Either way that should more than likely cover all of our troubles, trials or what have you.

I don't know about you, but at times I’m not very different from the Israelites when they were being freed from their bondage in Egypt. How many more miracles do I need to see before I get it? I mean common. Really? The sea parted and your stuck a few days later? God’s promises are not going to change, but my perception of them needs to if I'm ever going to see real transformation, or mountains moved.

It has been said that God is more concerned with who we become rather than what we accomplish. I completely agree. And I would add that much more can be accomplished through us when we become who he wants us to be anyway. After all, God really doesn't need us to conquer the world, he just hopes that we can conquer ourselves.  He has promised to equip us to handle anything and everything that comes along. Circumstance or vision, big or small, we are equipped. Therefore, it is up to us to live in a way that shows that we believe him. He’s given us a written record of his character and what we can expect from him. He has also given us the Holy Spirit in case we have questions. What else do we think we could possibly need? Another miracle?

I don't believe that the faith to move mountains is about changing our mountainous circumstances. Although that can certainly happen through God. The mountains we need to move most often lay inside of us in the form of unbelief, curses, judgments, bitterness, envy, pride, and so forth.  If you're in need of a mountain moving experience don't just focus on the mountain that you see in front of you. Look instead to God to define the mountain that is actually in the way, because it is more than likely something that is unseen and within you.

My Daily Bread, Finding and Loving Manna

This writing is a short testimony describing my personal experience with Deuteronomy 8:3, which says, "Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

For the last four years I have been a man completely unable to provide for his family. This experience has been challenging as well as humbling, mostly because it seems that no amount of my own effort has really made a significant difference in the situation. Yet in all that time we have never gone without a single basic necessity. There were many very uncertain moments, sometimes days or even weeks, of not knowing where provision was coming from. Yet God would provide. That isn't to say that all of our bills have been paid on time or even paid at all. We haven't been able to pay a mortgage payment in many months. We also had to give both of our cars back to the bank. Many times we were down to the last "creative meal" put together from nearly empty cupboards. Yet God would provide before the cupboards were completely empty. We are also still in our house and have never gone without the ability to get from A to B when we needed to.

During this time I have learned many very valuable lessons. However, there are three things that stand out the most. God is truly a perfect provider, his love is enough for me, and he is the one that defines what my needs are. These lessons have sometimes been difficult to grasp when my perceived needs have gone unmet. Yet in God's perfect and long suffering love for me he has adjusted my sight. Not literally my eyesight but my spiritual sight of him, and my perspective of how he sees me. Today I am able to take God at his word no questions asked. I also know without any doubt that nothing can separate me from God's perfect love. I'm like a child believing with a simple yet profound certainty who says "my daddy says so".

For the Israelites, Manna was a food provision. For me it is the latter part of Deuteronomy 8:3 "we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord". If you're struggling in difficult circumstances and are not able to see God as the perfect provider that he is, I encourage you to ask him to adjust your vision and allow him to redefine your needs. He has never once let me or my family down, and he will and is doing the same for you even if you can't see it. His promises are trustworthy and always yes and amen! Manna, one of God's many perfect provisions, is our daily sustenance, but it may be a food previously unknown to you.

Diving Deep into the Lord

Free divers with no means of propulsion assistance swim to depths of 88 meters (over 288 feet) and return to the surface in one breath requiring the diver to hold that breath 4-5 minutes. Under normal conditions permanent damage to the brain can occur in as little as three minutes without oxygen. The physiological changes required in the body to accomplish these amazing feats are extraordinary. The heart rate slows as low as 25-30bpm, blood vessels shrink, additional red blood cells are released carrying more oxygen, blood flow is limited to the arms and legs, and most importantly blood plasma fills up blood vessels in the lung to reduce residual volume. Without this adaptation the lung would wrap into itself becoming permanently damaged. The body also adapts to the increased carbon-dioxide levels. The typical training plan for free divers often includes walking 400 meters (nearly a quarter mile) or climbing numerous flights of stairs in a single breath.

Clearly this extreme sport requires incredible mental and physical discipline. The element of risk that exists is also very high in this sport while having a very small margin for error. However, because of this intense discipline free divers are able to accomplish with little risk what is impossible to you or me. At the same time, these well prepared and equipped athletes explore the deep blue of creation seeing and doing things that you or I will never experience, like hitching a ride on a beluga whale or staring eye-to-eye with a 6-foot 300lbs yellowfin tuna 200 feet below the water’s surface.

As believers in Christ we have access to the deep things of God through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinth 2:10). However, in order to create this depth of intimacy we must put into practice intense and focused training similar to that of the free diver. As we passionately pursue Jesus, the Way, the Truth & the Life, we our conditioning our spirit man. When we endeavor to be still and release the burdens of the day, or take control over our body by fasting, or commit to extended periods of prayer and listening for the Lord we are training our mind and body to do what is not natural. These and other spiritual disciplines will lead us to the deep things of the Father. Then just like the free diver we will experience amazing wonders so incredible they captivate people’s attention when we describe them.

The world of free diving is a small and extremely tight knit family. They share extraordinary abilities and have unbelievable testimonies. So too is the family of believers whose passion and zeal for the Lord can offer these same qualities. But the extraordinary abilities and unbelievable testimonies we experience will be radical salvations and astonishing miracles! As true followers of Jesus we aren’t called to simply tread water, we are called to dive deep! So grab your gear, for deep calls unto deep.