Training Pastors Worldwide

The weather in Southern California has been fabulous lately. The vegetation is happy, my lawn is happy, the mountains are packed with snow, and the weeds are a-coming! But it’s a small price to pay for the wonder of weather, which is a parable for the omni-magnificence of our God.

If you live here, hopefully you’ve noticed the clouds: cumulous, cirrus, stratus and nimbus. I’m not sure about the last three types, but I know cumulous clouds when I see them, and they are majestic. God has given them to us to remind us and give us a picture of his power, his might, and his ability and willingness to answer prayer.

Here are some selected passages on God and his clouds. All references ESV.

Psalm 104:3b-4, “he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his minister a flaming fire.”

In this next Psalm, David cries to God and the picture of God’s response as he comes in the clouds is astounding, it should move all of us to pray. Pray for revival, pray for courage, pray for the unsaved, pray for your pastor, pray – pray – pray. And may he rend the heavens and come down, Isaiah 64:1.

Psalm 18:6-12, “In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help.From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.

8 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him.

9 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet.

10 He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.

12 Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire.

14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and grouted them.

15 Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.

17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.”

You should read the rest of this song of exaltation and instruction. But for now let’s move on to this selection from Job,

Job 36:24-33, “Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung.

25 All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.

27 For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,

28 which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.

29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.

32 He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

33 Its crashing declares his presence; the cattle also declare that he rises.”

Two passages have helped me in the past in deciding how to best work for the kingdom of God.

Nehemiah, “But their nobles would not stop to serve their Lord.” Nehemiah 3:5. Really? They thought it was beneath them to help rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. This thought should be measured against 2 Corinthians 8:9. Where would we be if Jesus hadn’t stooped? Anyone who has tasted of his kindness should be willing to clean toilets, scrub floors, even be sawn in two, Hebrews 11:32-38. If there is something to do, quit talking, deciding, contemplating, seeing if someone else will step to the plate. My favorite all time lame excuse – it doesn’t fit my gift mix. Stop it!! Serve.

The other passage is in the song of Deborah, Judges 5:15-17. The call was sent out to fight and the clan of Reuben thought about it deeply, “great searchings of heart.” Reuben talked about it, thought about it, prayed over it possibly, etc. etc. etc., but there was never any action. May we stop deciding and talking about evangelism, hospitality, reading our Bibles, helping in the AWANA program, memorizing, praying, and just do something!

Psalm 11:3, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” That’s a question. What can we do when all seems to be going awry? When the wicked prosper and hate righteousness. When lies abound. You can fill in the blank for your life. What are the righteous to do? Keep reading. That’s the short answer. Keep reading. The answer cometh.

Dr. Feinberg, my friend, and OT professor, was fond of saying, “When the Bible doesn’t seem to make sense, just keep reading.”

It doesn’t make sense that we are left to bemoan the situation, foundations gone, now what? Cry? No!! Keep reading. Psalm 11:4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven; his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” His eyelids! He doesn’t even need eyes to test and know them thoroughly and hate them. “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” God. He is God so we don’t have to be. Pretty great! There’s more in this Psalm. Just keep reading.

“On your walls, O Jerusalem I have set watchmen

All the day and all the night they shall never be silent

You who put the Lord in remembrance take no rest

And give him no rest until He establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.” Isaiah 62:6-7

God puts those who pray on the walls of Jerusalem to pray continually.

To put God in remembrance and to give Him no rest. Until He brings blessing to His city.

This reminds me of Luke 18 and persistent widow, and the friend who comes at midnight in Luke 11.

Nothing fancy to interpret here. Pray. Pray continually. Put God in remembrance knowing that if you are praying, he has appointed you to do so.