Taking and Keeping - Real Consecration - Sealed Orders Part 2

This is one in a series of posts, sharing the Sealed Orders devotions, day by day, from CMI 2010.  They are based on the "Consecration Hymn," Salvation Army Songbook #525
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Soren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, once told a story about a flock of barnyard geese in Denmark. Every Sunday the geese would gather in the barnyard near the feeding trough.

One of their group, a "preaching goose," would struggle up on the top rail of the fence and exhort the geese about the glories of goosedom. He would describe how wonderful it was to be a goose, rather than a chicken or a turkey. He would remind them of their great heritage and tell them of the marvelous possibilities in the future.

Occasionally while he was preaching, a flock of wild geese, winging their way south from Sweden across the Baltic Sea on their way to sunny France, would fly overhead in a marvelous V formation . . . thousands of feet in the air. When they saw this, all the geese would excitedly look and say to one another. "That's who we really are. We are not destined to spend our lives in this stinking barnyard. Our destiny is to fly."

But then the wild geese would disappear from sight, their honking echoing across the horizon. The barnyard geese would look around at their comfortable surroundings, sigh, and return to the mud and filth of the barn. They never did fly.

Our destiny is for growth.  As we come to faith in Christ, some simply remain just as they are.  They could put bumper stickers on their cars which read, “Not Perfect, Just Forgiven.”  The only thing they allowed God to do in their lives was to forgive them.

But God wants so much more for us.

Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

There is a difference between asking God to take us and asking him to keep us. 

The word take implies a one-time event.  Once it’s done, it’s done.  Of course, if I took your slice of key lime pie, I had it at one point.  But just because I took it doesn’t necessarily mean I still have it.  No matter how many times you ask me to take your pie, if you keep taking it back, it never really belonged to me.

The word keep says something about who still has me (or the pie).  If I ask God in my prayer, “Keep my life,” that means I am asking God to maintain possession of my life. 

It’s a difficult prayer, but if you determine to have God keep you, your life will be transformed.

If geese are destined to fly, you and I are destined to remain in God’s hands.

Let Him have you and keep you today.

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Keep my life, that it may be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Keep my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Keep my hands, that they may move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Keep my feet, that they may be
Swift and "beautiful" for Thee.

Keep my voice, that I may sing
Always, only, for my King.
Keep my lips, that they may be
Filled with messages from Thee.

Keep my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Keep my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Keep my will, oh, keep it Thine!
For it is no longer mine.
Keep my heart; it is Thine own ;
It is now Thy royal throne.

Keep my love my Lord, I pour;
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Keep myself, that I may be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

 -Frances Ridley Havergal

Consecration - Real Consecration - Sealed Orders Part 1

This is one in a series of posts, sharing the Sealed Orders devotions, day by day, from CMI 2010.  They are based on the "Consecration Hymn," Salvation Army Songbook #525
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When Queen Victoria of England reigned as Empress of India, the Maharajah of Punjab was a little boy. To show his allegiance, he sent her a magnificent diamond. It became one of the crown jewels and was safely kept in the Tower of London. When he became a man, he went to London to pay his respects to the Queen. The young man asked the Queen if he could see the diamond. The precious jewel was brought in and presented before the Indian prince. Then, taking the diamond and kneeling before the Queen, he said with deep emotion, "Madam, I gave you this jewel when I was too young to know what I was doing.  I want to give it again, in the fullness of my strength, with all my heart, and affection, and gratitude, now and forever, fully realizing all that I do."

Perhaps you gave your heart to God as a child.  But now you understand more fully what it means to consecrate yourself to God.  And five years from now, you will understand even more.

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, said that the most dangerous prayer is only two words: “Use Me.”

The danger in that little prayer is the thought of taking our hands off the steering wheel of life and letting God decide our path.  Although it is dangerous, the only time I am afraid of is when I don’t trust God to do what really is best for me.

King David reminds us, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”  (Psalm 23:3) 

But we still have a choice as to whether we follow Him or not.

Consecration means two things: to be set apart from something, and to be set apart for something.  Is there something that you are reluctant to let go of so that God can have all of you? 

At this stage of your life, are you ready, once again, to give yourself fully to God?

During this week, we will discover what it means to be consecrated to God.

Pray that you will feel God’s love and encouragement as you consider once again giving yourself to God so that He can sanctify you.

Need your CMI "Sealed Orders" Fix?

Starting tomorrow, I will be posting my daily "sealed orders" devotionals, timed at about the time the real sealed orders are distributed at Wonderland Camp.

With CMI a little later this year, and many schools starting before it is over, there are many CMI "regulars" who won't be at Wonderland.  This is a little virtual way of getting in on the action.

Just to let you know, this year's devotionals will be based around The Consecration Hymn, 525 in The Songbook of The Salvation Army.  This is better known as "Take my Life and Let it Be"

I have also based some of my devotional thoughts around a book written by Frances Ridley Havergal, who wrote the original hymn.  The book is called "Kept for the Master's Use," available for free online in Google Books.  It was written by Havergal before her death on June 3, 1879, and published later that year by her sister, Maria.

You can keep up with these posts through Facebook, Twitter, or at Blogspot.  Please let me know what you think as the week progresses.

Have a great week!

Guest Post: Watch out for Traps (Life Lessons from Chess) by Paul Fleeman

 

This is a guest post by Major Paul Fleeman, Principal of The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Chicago.  It is part of a series that he has agreed to have posted on my blog.

WATCH OUT FOR TRAPS
Major Paul Fleeman

Key Bible Verses: Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. (Matthew 22:15) In one of my early chess games I fell into a trap that is known as the “scholars mate”. It is a fascinating opening that takes advantage of a weak pawn. The end result was that I lost the game in no less than the first four moves. (If you know chess notation, the game went like this: 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 d6 4. Qxf7##) This is a fun game to be on the giving side, but, not so much on the receiving side. The truth of the matter is, there are several ways to avoid this trap, however, you have to know what is coming and how to react. How do you get this information? You study. One of the key ways to avoid traps that people may pose as you present God’s message is to first, immerse yourself in the Word of God. Study it with all your heart. An additional way is to rely on the Holy Spirit to be your guide. My response: Lord, give me the desire and the discipline to understand your Word. Thought to Apply: “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Six Warning Signs from Tiger Woods' Relationships

Tiger Woods held his press conference in Augusta, Georgia yesterday in anticipation of participating in the Masters Golf Tournament this week.  I took a closer look because I heard some hints at relationship breakdowns in his life that were related to his recent scandal.  I didn't look in order to condemn him, but in order to analyze what happened in order to identify any potential warning signs in my life.  I also determined that it was important as I lead others to encourage them to scrutinize their relationships and so avoid potential catastrophe.

Here are six areas of breakdowns in relationships that I believe either led to Tiger's downfall or were symptomatic of a deeper problem.

1. He led a secret life.  In other words, he behaved in a way that was different from how he presented himself to others.  Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with him having a separation between private and professional life.  But when there is a third area in which habitual sins are hidden, there is a lack of integrity.  Someone defined integrity as "You are who you say you are."  Another said, "Character is who you are in the dark."  In Genesis 16:13, Hagar said, "You are the God who sees me," which is true, whether we want to or not.  God sees us all, which means that nothing we do, say or think is completely secret.
2. He lied to himself.  I guess this means that he justified his behavior, or he convinced himself that he wouldn't get caught.  This is one of the first steps toward a life of destruction.
3. He lied to others.  My wife is my very best friend.  She knows all of me - the good, the bad and the ugly.  She knows me at my best and my worst.  If I start lying to her, everything breaks down in my most important earthly relationship.  John Maxwell once defined success as, "When those closest to me love and respect me the most."  One breakthrough for me was discovering that my family didn't expect me to be perfect.  They love me for who I am, and not who I am striving (or pretending) to be.  I also learned that I can trust them to help me through my struggles.  The want my honesty, but they also want the best for me.  So I have learned to trust them with guidance they give me, because I can trust their motives.  Unfortunately for Tiger, the trust his wife and children had in him for that very same support is gone.  To whom will they turn when they have questions or problems growing up? 
4. He failed to acknowledge his fans.  Obviously Tiger has talent.  He had incredible support from his father and others along the way.  However, without fans, there is no profession.  Unless a sport has spectators who are willing to pay to see it, companies that endorse it, and sponsors who hold tournaments, Tiger needs to find another job to support his family and pay the bills.  While some commended Tiger on his "focus" during play, I feel his distance from those who support him is indicative of a deeper arrogance, which leads to more serious problems.
5. He had negative outbursts.  While some believe that his intensity was a strength, I feel his lack of sportsmanship belied a deeper problem.  During yesterday's press conference, Tiger committed to toning down his negative outbursts, which he predicted would also diminish his positive ones.  While the sport world temporarily rewards those who perform well, the lifetime honors are given to those who were true sportsmen, like Ernie Banks or Walter Payton.
6. He failed to acknowledge the success of others.  He admitted to this yesterday, and he was pledging to make a more determined effort to encourage others on the course.  Paul says in Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."  The biggest difficulty in the heart of a selfish man is understanding the feelings of others, especially if their experience is different from his own.

Believe me, I wish the best for Tiger, both professionally and personally.  Hopefully some healing can happen in his life; not only in his heart and mind, but also in his relationships with others.  While lots of damage has been done, I believe in the power of God to heal.

Let's pray for him, but in addition, let's heed the warning signs that led to Tiger's downfall.  Take a few moments for your own relationship inventory today.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Guest Post: Lean on a Friend (Life Lessons from Chess) by Paul Fleeman

 

This is a guest post by Major Paul Fleeman, Principal of The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Chicago.  It is part of a series that he has agreed to have posted on my blog.

LEAN ON A FRIEND
Major Paul Fleeman

Key Bible Verses: Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two. (Mark 6:6-7)

A good rule of thumb in the game of chess is, whenever possible connect your rooks by putting them on the same line without the obstruction of other pieces. Their strength is greater than the sum of their parts. Jesus emphasized the importance of working with a partner as we “build His kingdom.” Someone you can count on. Communication is the key word here. When each member of your team knows what is going on, a lot can be accomplished. When there are obstacles in the way and communication breaks down, major trouble is imminent. Make sure the two of you are on the same “wave length.” My response: Lord, help me stay connected with my partner. Remove any obstacles that may get in the way of living your message. Thought to Apply: “Lean on me when you’re not strong and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on.” (Bill Withers)

White obviously has more material; however, it is Blacks move. Do you see the checkmate sequence? After you figure it out, what would you do if it was White’s move?

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Happy National Atheists Day!

Photo credit: anitapatterson from morguefile.com

Well, today is the day!  The good news for all you atheists out there is that the Bible talks about you, and about your day today.  Psalm 14:1 says,

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."

After all, we have evidence of God and His creation everywhere we look.  Psalm 19 says,

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

I have heard others say, and I believe as well, that it takes more faith to believe that all life and everything we see came about as a result of a chemical accident, Big Bang or other theory. 

I have also heard a preacher (I think it was Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Church in Portland) that few things offend God more than to attribute His Creation to other means.

So, to the unbelievers out there, I wish you a pleasant day.  But do me a favor and (especially with the wonderful weather we are having today) take a walk.  Take a moment to ponder the beauty and intricacies of nature and the world around you.  And open your mind to another possibility.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.