Wheels Of Grace Magazine

Volume 10, Issue 3

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14 | WheelsOfGrace.com | Issue 43 1 "Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. 2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah 3 Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. 4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah 5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord. 6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?" Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. 7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. 8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." A casual grin on one side of his mouth reveals that Tim is somehow satisfied with himself as he signs on the bottom line with an animated slash and a dot. His newly purchased extra-dark sunglasses wrap around his face in an attempt to conceal his inner satisfaction, but somehow an air of confidence now surrounds him that anyone can see. He gets up from the desk as the salesman goes to finish the final paperwork. Meanwhile, in the clothing department, Tim carefully selects a minimal helmet, fingerless gloves and a leather vest with chains and conchos. When Tim returns to the office with his new look he does so with an even more pronounced air of confidence - only now there is a swagger in his gait due to his new steel-toed engineer boots. (Did we mention that he was now an inch taller?) He shakes the salesman's hand one more time and exits the dealership to find his brand new motorcycle waiting for its first command. Tim throws a leg across the saddle as if he has done this hundreds of times before and glances over his shoulder to see if anyone has noticed. He stands the bike upright, grips the clutch, starts the motor and roars away. But he hasn't proceeded more than a hundred feet when he finds himself and his new chromed stallion horizontal in the bushes. What was created in Tim's mind over the last few months has now vanished in an instant and all of the leather and chrome in the world will not restore his sense of self- generated confidence and dignity. "How long, O men, will you love delusions and seek false gods? " Motorcycles are cool - very cool! They're fun to ride and can be better for the soul than a year of therapy. They are not, however, metallic gods or miracle workers that will make all of your problems go away or change in an instant who you have become through the years. Every one of us is just a man or a woman, in all of our vulnerability, riding a machine. You are not bigger, better, stronger, sexier or wiser because you ride. Pastor Marty Edwards, Black Sheep HDFC Tim had a delusion that a new motorcycle would make him something that he was not. In one embarrassing moment, he was once again just plain Tim. He gathered up what was left of his bruised self-image and wandered off, once again in search of lasting answers. We often find ourselves in a place where we cry out to God, begging Him to send help because we have depleted all of our own resources and have nowhere else to turn. We have tried everything and done it all! We've explored the bottom of many a beer and scaled the heights of our corporate ladders in search of the truth. We've bought "stuff", got religion, changed jobs, and maybe even spouses in hope of finding something of lasting value. But everything tangible on Earth has failed us and we sense that if there is an answer, maybe heaven has it. So since we feel free to petition God in our moments of frustration and despair, he has every right to then question us. As we beg for his mercy, God is wondering why we have neglected an ongoing relationship with Him and chosen to use Him like a rich relative that we suddenly seek to know when we learn that they have won the lottery. Relationships are best built over time, over coffee, long walks and honest talks. Answers rarely come in a moment, but develop over a lifetime. Unanswered questions aren't nearly as frightening when you walk with someone who has been on the other side and is not afraid. When we have a relationship with God we are urged to listen intently on our beds at night and to trust in him for all that we need and for all we want to become. The result of this is sheer joy rising up and filling us with hope because now the answers are coming from someone who knows rather than one who wanders in desperation. Sweet peace and restful sleep are the fruit not of delusions, but of visions. 11 "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work." 1 Corinthians 3: 11-13 Pastor Marty Edwards Black Sheep HDFC Searching In All The Wrong Places Psalm 4

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