Faithful on Fridays Blog

Love, romance, sex, rejection, and disillusionment; these are all aspects of a great chick flick, right? Who doesn’t love that? OK, maybe the men reading this. But stick with me, the Song of Songs is an enticing book of the Bible for men and women alike. Even though it’s written as a drama or even a film script, there are still different ways of interpreting it. Since it’s sometimes named after the author, Solomon (Song of Solomon), we immediately get the sense of the kingly nature of this drama.

1. It can be read as God speaking to His beloved Israel. God sees Himself as married to her in covenant relationship. We observe this also in Hos. 2:16-19, Is. 5:1, and Ps. 45. God sings and talks about His Bride, His beloved Israel: Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. (Song of Songs 4:10 NLT)

2. Secondly, it can be read as the marital love of Christ and the Church. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. (Ephesians 5:31-32 NLT) Christ has a possessive love for His Church and He insists on exclusivity. My beloved is mine, and I am his … (Song of Solomon 2:16a ESV)

3. Lastly, and my favorite, it can be understood as the personal and intimate love that Jesus has for each one of us. I read this book as if He’s speaking to me and I am responding to Him. He says to me, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way. You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace. Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. (Song of Songs 4:7, 9-10 NLT)

As sentimental and even lovesick as these verses are, there remains that aspect of the bride not responding to the King’s call. In chapter 5 we read of the rejection of the King and the desperation of the bride as she searches and cries out for Him. Jesus calls us every day to respond to Him, to spend a few moments with Him, and to develop that relationship with Him that the bride should have. Remember, He is passionate about us and when He returns, this is where we find Jesus, He will set up an eternal kingdom where we will rule and reign with Him. Take advantage of your time now and get to know Him.

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; (Revelation 19:7 ESV)

Solitude and Silence

I am a person who likes to be around people. I don’t like to be alone a lot but in the last few years I have experienced more alone-time; I think I like it. Solitude is being alone, whether you go away or stay home and it’s good for the soul. As a spiritual discipline this lack of fellowship is really a challenge, but a good one. It forces us to be more aware of God’s presence and leaves behind, even if just for a few hours, the distracting presence of others. It is an opportunity to practice silence as well. I think they complement each other. More often than not, when we choose to be alone with God we tend to talk. We fill the air with our words. That’s not all bad but it’s also good to be still and just KNOW He’s God. It’s a discipline. When we are quiet with God He receives our total attention and in return He promises to fill us with strength (Is. 30:15). We don’t empty our minds of all thoughts (that’s occultic) but center them on the LORD. It takes consistency and self-discipline as we continually bring our thoughts back as they wander, and they will, but it’s worth your effort. I usually look at some aspect of His creation, breathe deeply, close my eyes, and fill my mind with His attributes: holiness, creativity, faithfulness, or love. There is such value with this exercise.

Another way to view this spiritual discipline is from the opposite side. We fill our days with talking. Our cell phones are continually attached to our bodies. Our words are constantly flowing, whether through text or verbal, oftentimes getting us in trouble. We don’t practice the art of listening because we think what we have to say is more valuable. Can you identify? Solitude and silence give us the opportunity to hear from God. There is no substitute.

Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. (Zechariah 2:13 ESV)

The final aspect I want to mention is using these disciplines as spiritual warfare. When you choose not to respond to words from others you are keeping yourself from falling into traps set by the enemy. Silence is a good strategy to keep yourself from sin. Our many words open doors that should remain locked. Do you know what I’m saying? Use silence against the devil rather than letting him use your emotional words against you.
In closing, remember that Jesus Christ is the King. In that aspect of His character He deserves our silence and solitude. When in the presence of royalty or dignitaries you don’t talk; you stand amazed. Jesus the King is worthy of our silence. The prophet Habakkuk understood this as he wrote:

But the LORD is in His holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. Hab. 2:20

Depression. A word that describes unhappiness, hopelessness, and emptiness, the state of many people around the world. 121 million people globally are said to be depressed for various reasons and for various periods of time. Look at some statistics:

• It affects 1 in 10 Americans.
• It increases 20% every year.
• There are many factors that trigger it: medical diagnosis, sleep disorder, lack of education, recent loss, unemployment, obesity, to name a few.
• Ages 45-64 is the most prevalent with more women, twice as likely, than men.

The book of Ecclesiastes is truly the writings of a depressed man. King Solomon, the wisest man on earth, who began His life focused on God slowly slid into this pit of depression. When he was a young man he wrote a love story called the Song of Solomon, when he was older and wiser he penned the Proverbs, however, in his later years Solomon turned away from God and slipped into sexual immorality and idolatry. The result? Depression.

Where can you possibly find Jesus in Ecclesiastes? Think about this. What’s the opposite of hopelessness? Right … hope. Where is the contrast of a life that seems meaningless? Right … a life full of meaning. Where do we get our hope and value? Right again … in Christ.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)

Solomon’s life is a portrayal, in full color, of a man who began his life in God with great intensity, like his father David, but allowed the enemy, through wealth and physical pleasure, to distract him. Eventually he became guilt-ridden and despondent. What was true for Solomon is also true for us. We can also allow the distractions of the world to draw us away from our new life and fall back into our old ways of sin and rebellion. What’s the answer?

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT)

Your recreated heart that is full of the Holy Spirit and not sin anymore has eternity embedded in it to remind you of His love and forgiveness. Without that kind of heart there is only a future eternal life without Him. That’s not good news. That’s a good reason for emptiness and worthlessness but in Christ we are made new. Our thoughts are different. Our feelings and emotions are different. Consequently, our behavior should be different.

Can there still be depression? Certainly, but we have a sure answer. Repentance comes first, followed by a declared need for God’s help. He is always there for you, He will always listen to you, and He will answer you. You know, the Holy Spirit is called the Helper for a reason. Let Solomon’s life contrast yours this week as you depend on God and God alone. You won’t be disappointed or depressed.

Spiritual Disciplines- Self Denial

The spiritual disciplines all spring from the hunger in our soul to know God and His will. We begin at that place of humility; we cannot continue in our self-dependancy and recognize our need to rely more on Him. That dependance on God and not on ourselves will drive us to self-denial of physical pleasures in order to keep our focus on Him. Fasting from food is a form of self-denial that declares a hunger for God outweighs our hunger for food or other physical pleasures (for examples: media, shopping, sugar, sleep, alcohol). Keep in mind that the motive behind our fasting is what God is observing. Are we trying to change ourselves or change God? The desire to change ourselves from the inside out is a great place to begin. Please realize that fasting will never change God but focuses our thinking on the reason for the decision to experience self-denial.

What are some of those reasons?

I find that most fasting comes from an urge to have an important prayer answered. There is nothing wrong with that. Jesus connected prayer and fasting (Mark 9) therefore we can be assured that it’s appropriate (Acts 13-14). That connection of prayer and fasting is powerful but not because it makes God move faster or we somehow earn a quicker answer. It’s powerful because our earnestness is heightened to the point of denying ourselves what satisfies our physical hunger for what satisfies our spiritual hunger. There is a reward for that yearning as we see in Jesus’ words:

“But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:17, 18 NLT)

Another scriptural reason for fasting is that we long for His Return (Matt. 9). Christians need to keep that truth in the forefront of their thinking. The King is coming back for a Bride, you and me. Do we have a longing for His Return? Are we desiring for Him to come back to this earth and set up His Kingdom that will have no end? Are we crying out, “Kingdom come! Will of God, be done! On this earth as it is in heaven?” Fasting will put a laser beam on that future Day in your mind. It will center you on the greatness of our God and His divine plan. Fasting will remind you that you are chosen and loved. Does thinking about being His Bride stir up passion in your spirits enough to deny yourself a physical pleasure? And Jesus said to them, “… But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:15b)

Let’s join the proclamation of the early church as they anticipated His Return:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:17a, 20 NASB)

How often have we come to that place in life where we don’t know what to do? If you’re like me, regularly. I ask myself, “what should I do?” and then realize I’m asking the wrong person. My question is transformed to, “Lord, what should I do?” I know I need wisdom, I need understanding, I need knowledge, but how do I get it? If you’re there right now, the book of Proverbs is for you. If you’re not there at this moment, read it anyway; you’ll undoubtedly be there soon.

If you want an instructional manual for the good life, this is it, but you have to follow the steps.

Step One:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 ESV)

The fear of the Lord is NOT being scared of Him or His punishment; it’s all about honoring Him. It’s acknowledging His Lordship over your life and your submission to Him. Only a fool, as the king tells us, would not revere Him.

Step Two:

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)

Knowing God, through Jesus Christ, is the one and only way to living God’s kind of life. It is a life of peace and joy not necessarily material wealth: that’s the higher life. That’s where we find Jesus in the book of Proverbs: know God. Don’t simply know about Him; get to know Him personally. Spend time with Him and build your relationship together.

King Solomon was concerned about the family. He wrote directly to fathers, mothers, and sons to help them in life. If we follow his advice, his wisdom, we’ll make the right decisions at the right time: that’s true wisdom. If you’re like me, though, reading through this book gets boring after a few chapters so I’ve decided to read one chapter at a time. I may read one-a-day, as a vitamin, or I may linger in one chapter for a few days. That’s OK. I’m looking for help in my life and now I know where to go.

If you know about Solomon’s life then you know that as he got older he didn’t follow his own advice. He started out as a God-seeker, following in the steps of his father, King David. However, unlike David, after sliding into sin his repentance isn’t recorded. He lost the higher life, that he experienced for decades, for a life of sin. A sad ending.

Join me today in taking King Solomon’s advice in each chapter of the book of Proverbs. Let’s grow together in honoring God, getting to know Him personally, and following His guidance. Let’s experience the higher life together.

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. (Proverbs 2:7-8 ESV)

Spiritual Disciplines: Prayer

As I wrote last week, spiritual reading can flow very easily into prayer; so let’s go with the flow of the Spirit. First of all, prayer is an active response to God. It comes in many forms but it is eventually focused on Him. We want to worship, be thankful, petition, intercede for someone, or hear Him speak to us. It’s a necessary part of our spiritual life and God desires us to delve into it. Let’s look at several examples:

• Praying the Scriptures- select a scripture that speaks to your need. Personalize it with a name in the appropriate place. Ps. 1:1-3 “Oh, the joys of ____ who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But ____ delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. ____ are like trees planted along the riverbank, and ____ bears fruit each season. Their leaves never wither and ____ prosper in all they do.” I find filling in a name stirs up my passion for prayer and also my faith that God is faithful to His Word. Praying the Scriptures means that you desire His will to be done and you are willing to wait for the answer.

• Journaling- God’s Word often speaks of listening to Him. Since we typically don’t hear an audible voice it may be helpful to write down what you sense He is saying in your heart. He may bring to your attention something He wants you to work on, a person you are having trouble with, or a desire deep in your heart that you haven’t even mentioned. Write it down, date it, and reread in the next few weeks. See if God wasn’t preparing you for something. Journaling can also be writing down emotions or perspectives that you’re unhappy with, consequently, when you write them down you will be reminded as you recognize the Spirit changing you. God desires to bring revelation to dark areas of your soul that need His light and a journal will help track the changes in your heart.

• Imaging- God has given us an incredible gift of imagination. Picturing ourselves sitting with the Savior when you need a friend, cuddled up on His lap as a child when you need a Father’s love, or seeing in your spirit the answer to a prayer that you envision helps build your faith. Sit quietly and allow His presence to fill you. Visualize the peace of God as oil flowing down from heaven; it will heal the pain of broken relationships, restore the joy of your salvation, penetrate your defense systems, and even clean old wounds that have been festering. You are NOT trying to manufacture results but getting in touch with Jesus Christ as your Healer and Restorer.

These are just three examples of ways to experience God through prayer that possibly you have never tried. Be reassured, seeking God with a pure heart always brings results: He is faithful.

Many years ago while teaching young children I observed that learning was best approached through experiences. Whatever the lesson, I tried to develop a hands-on activity or at least allowed the children to relate an experience they had encountered. God, being the Master Teacher, also allowed a few people to experience life in specific ways and share their hearts for our benefit. These writings in the form of poems, praise and worship songs, laments, prayers, and prophecies are timeless, consequently, when read at just the right time, bring hope and encouragement like nothing else.

Even more than that, when we find Jesus in the Psalms, the fulfilled prophecies give evidence that He is Who He said He was. Jesus spoke to that issue after His resurrection on the road to Emmaus:

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself… Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (Luke 24:27, 44, 45 ESV)

For a few examples:
• Ps. 2:2 declares that the kings and rulers of the earth will take counsel together against the LORD and His Anointed. This clearly points to the Second Coming of Christ.

• Ps. 16:10 is quoted by Peter in the New Testament (Acts 2:27-28) while referring to the deity of Christ.

• Jesus quoted from Ps. 22 as He hung on the cross and Ps. 30:3 describes the gratefulness He felt after spending three days and nights in the depths of Sheol (the pit or hell), only to rise bringing the believing captives with Him.

• Ps. 24:7-10 speaks of the King of Glory: our returning King.

• Ps. 40:6-8 is quoted by Jesus in Heb. 10:4-7.

Whatever you are experiencing in life today God has a word hidden for you in the Psalms; make it your quest to dig it out.

As the Jews were rebuilding the Temple, under much opposition, they were standing on the hope given in the Psalms. Their preparation was for the coming of Messiah, the same as ours today, only we believe its the second coming. So declare them, pray them, or simply let them minister to your soul as you reflect on the words. Remember, He allows you to experience life in many different ways in order for you to see His character and love.

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. (Psalms 37:3-6 NKJV)

Spiritual Disciplines: Spiritual Reading

The only reason you may be remotely interested in the spiritual disciplines is your hunger to know God in a deeper way. That’s all you need. A disciple of Christ is one who wants to be more like Him today than he was yesterday. That doesn’t come by osmosis; it takes your time and your focus in specific ways. Let’s talk about scripture reading, for example. The mystics and the Desert Saints called it ‘spiritual reading’ and later it was called Lectio Divina. Your time and focus on God’s Word enables you to think about Him as directed by the Holy Spirit. It brings you into His real presence and fellowship. Does that sound too deep? It’s not. Check this out and see how simple and yet powerful it can be:

1. Choose a section of scripture that you’d like to read (I’ll give you some suggestions). Find a time when you won’t be rushed (at least 30 min.) and a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Be sure the version you choose is written in understandable language (New Living Translation) and leave your phone in another room.
2. Read the passage through silently. Your focus is to find out what God is saying to you personally. Remember, Jesus is the Word and He loves to communicate with His people.
3. Read the verses again but slower this time. Stop and think about the words the Spirit draws to your attention. Don’t let your goal be the completion but on the spiritual insight He wants to show you. Discipline yourself to go slowly and not rush the experience.
4. Read it aloud this third time, pausing and meditating on what it means to you. It will be different for everyone but if your heart is to know God more intimately, He will speak to you and it will transform you every time.
5. As you read it aloud question God about the meaning, specifically for you. Your communication with Him will probably flow into prayer. That’s OK; prayer usually flows out of His Word, however, keep going back to those original verses and let them sink down into your heart; they were written for you.
6. Finally, contemplate or rest in what He has said to you. You have been face-to-face with God in His Word and you know Him a little better.

That’s how uncomplicated Lectio Divina can be. Your heart communicating with God’s heart. As you meditate on those verses you may find God reminding you of memories, experiences, feelings, or hopes that are nestled away in your heart. Talk to Him about them; His Word is meant to be a lamp and a light for your life but you have to allow Him to lead. Discipline yourself this week to try a spiritual reading: Ps. 25:4-10, 63:1-8, John 14:1-6, or Col. 1:11-14.

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)

There is a timeless question asked by young and old alike that’s the heart of the book of Job. “Why does God allow suffering?” We could phrase it another way, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Job’s three friends explained his suffering by assuming that their creed was the right one: bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people. Does that answer explain God’s ways? Job didn’t think so and neither do I.

Suffering is part of human existence for good and bad people alike, however, the question shouldn’t be “why am I suffering?” but “how do I handle it?” Trials occur in everyone’s life, to different degrees, because of sin. It’s our enemy that brings evil into our lives. Since Satan was given the earth as his command center, his influence is all around us, and we are forced to co-exist with him, but only for a little longer. He doesn’t have the authority to simply kill us, as with Job, only to use his many weapons of emotional and spiritual warfare. Lies and guilt are two weapons he wields but in the power of the Holy Spirit we shield ourselves from his attack. Job, his Biblical story, possibly the first ever written, was a believer, however, he wasn’t sinless as he maintained. The truth is that he needed a Savior. It took many chapters for Job to realize that fact and that’s precisely where we find Jesus in the book of Job.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. (Job 19:25 ESV)

As this book reaches its conclusion God speaks at length comparing Himself to Job and therefore to us. Four chapters describe His sovereignty and power; Job is finally humbled.

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:2-6 ESV)

The bookends of Job are clear: God authorizing Satan, God forgiving repentant man.

Let’s learn from Job early in our times of suffering to humble ourselves, repent, and seek His direction. We don’t have to listen to all the voices out there that give advice when we have His full attention. He will show us the way out, in His time, and we will learn to trust Him to greater degrees. The more experiences we have of seeing God at work in our lives the more opportunities we’ll have to share with those who need it.

I’m with Job on this one: eagerly waiting for the last day.