Is God doing a new thing?

 

Choices between the will of God and my will are relatively easy because I see the selfishness of my will. But what about the choices that have pluses on both sides, those choices between what is good and what is best? Is it as black and white concerning my will vs. His?

We are faced with a decision that involves clarity. For me, the will of God is not yet clear because either choice could be the right one. But my emotions are mixed to the point that I am not able to discern my will in this matter. Knowing what I want could clarify what God wants. Or are the emotions involving my will causing this confusion?

It does not help that today’s devotional reading says that without any regard to the state of our emotions, I must have the right attitude toward the will of God. Since He is not telling me what choice He wants, that means I must blindly yield, like Abraham:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1)

This man had no idea where God would take him, but in faith he went as the Lord told him, taking his family and all their possessions. I’ve been able to yield ‘no matter what’ to smaller things, but this is a larger choice. Yielding to one or the other would be okay as far as I can see because He isn’t telling me His will in the matter, only presenting two opportunities.

That means I have to be willing to do whatever, not have a preference until He helps me with all the reasonings and preferences that keep wandering through my head. It means being willing to go with either choice, having my will given up to Him no matter what it is or when He reveals it. It may also mean making the choice and trusting Him with the results.

Decisions like this need to be unencumbered with a lot of unmanageable feelings. If I have any emotions, I’m not to be troubled by them. I’m simply to put my will in God’s hands and leave it there.

Another devotional reading happens to speak of the same thing. It adds this thought: “When Jesus asks us what we want Him to do for us in regard to the incredible thing with which we are faced, remember that He does not work in commonsense ways, but in supernatural ways.” I’m not to limit Him by past experience, neither success or failures. He can do the impossible so that should never enter into decision-making. If I ask His help, He gives what is needed because He does the impossible thing as naturally as breathing. My stress is about not trusting Him, nor about His power to do something.

This is about the depth of my trust. One of our choices is easy. The other seems impossible. Is that a clue? Is God asking us to launch out into the deep?

Jesus saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken. (Luke 5:2–9)

If so, then God will surprise us with the results. Like this story, my needs are to be met in the deep things of God and His Word, with deeper meaning than ever before. Is He asking for deeper trust?

PRAY: Lord, I know You are with us even in places of difficulty. Yet this perplexity seems a test of trust to see if we will rely on Your grace and power. I sense that You will deliver us and give us a lesson we will never forget and never be able to thank You enough for having done whatever You are going to do. Continue to guide us in the right direction and make the best decision.

From the Heart

 

I’ve been in two hospitals is the past few years. In the first, the staff were professional and did all they should do, yet I still felt like a number rather than a person in need. The second was entirely the opposite.  The staff did all they should do, but it was ‘kindness from the heart’ — and the difference was obvious. Now I better understand the power of obedience from the heart.

Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man. (Ephesians 6:5–7)

I recovered quickly, surprising the doctor. I credited the Lord who heals and the prayers of my Christian friends, but now I also credit the hospital staff who were doing the will of God from the heart. It was a “faith-based hospital” and those caregivers know how to serve the Lord.

“Doing the will of God from the heart” is the only way of doing His will. Some servers are trained in the correct way to do their job, but I see now that those who have surrendered their will to God are the only ones capable of doing anything “from the heart.” As today’s devotional say, this is the essence of true virtue. It is not about the state of our emotions nor  the greatness of our illuminations nor the multitude of our good works. It is about being surrendered to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to direct and empower us in what we do.

This morning as I tidied up the kitchen and looked forward to devotions and the morning, the phone rang. My hubby had to take his vehicle to the dealer for servicing and it needed to stay there the rest of the day. Instead of getting a loaner vehicle, he wanted me to pick him up. I’ve been hearing God say, “Do the right thing” and knew my plans were not it. I was unsure how this could be a blessing, but have realized that doing the will of God is always right. I was given time to spend here with my Bible and God, but outside it was near -20C, windy with lots of blowing snow. Do the right thing.

And ignore my emotions. I love time alone with Jesus. Isn’t that what Jesus told Mary was the best thing?

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38–42)

Hubby knows this. At the same time, God is telling me that I am always ‘with Him’ — always listening to Him, and this time He is telling me to worship and then go — do as my husband asks and pay no attention to my I wants or the weather. He will bless this obedience. Submit to Him and He will take care of the rest of my day. After all, this may take only an hour out of it.

PRAY: Jesus, You are so practical. This may not seem like a big deal. I know some women who would say, ‘Call a taxi’ or belly-ache about going out on such a miserable cold and snowy day, but You tell me not only to do this but do it from the heart. With the Holy Spirit I know that I can. Thank You.

All for Jesus means all…

Christian living is like a train. Facts about God and His will lead me, faith follows those facts and feelings are pulled by faith.

The Holy Spirit is the center of my spirit with intellect, emotions, and volition acting according to that core. This means I do not dump those three things but yield them to the Spirit. Then my actions follow coming out of what the Spirit is telling me rather than from what I want, or feel.  

However the Christian life is described, all parts should be listening to God and doing what He says, willingly, and with emotions and whatever brain power I have. Faith is telling me that the will of God is true, correct and factual in every way.

This mean that “not my will but thine be done” is not about giving up my will but yielding it to God’s will. It also means that…

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5–7)

…does not mean I give up using my brain, but that I yield my ideas and understanding to the engine that pulls the train. In other words, be aware of the lies about God that get presented to me by the world, the flesh, and that old liar, the devil. Instead, use my will to cooperate with God’s truth.

The people of God are not meant to become empty of will power, to be left poor, flabby, nerveless creatures who have no will, and are brainless and governed by our emotions. We are meant to rely on the will of God rather than our own sinfully misdirected will. My will needs to yield to and be obedient to God’s will.

The same is true for intellect and for those with a high IQ. Giving it over to the Lord is just as challenging as giving up our will or anything else that a person might rely on. This is why God says…

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–31)

Just as the will must be yielded and determined to seek and obey the will of God, so must everything else, not just my thinking and feelings, but any strengths that I may have. There is no shame in weakness for it makes this obedience a little easier. So also do verses like these:

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13–18)

Paul gladly boasted in his weakness because the power of Christ was his strength. This is an important truth to learn and follow rather than wanting to be a big shot without Him.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, You are my strength, sometimes surprising me and yet realizing I cannot boast, only in You. Anything good comes from You, and I am so thankful that You persist in teaching me that my own strengths are useless unless they are totally yielded to You.

Muscle building means …

 

My hubby says golf is a muscle memory game. Other sports are described that way, but yesterday’s sermon came close to using the same terminology. Our pastor described faith in three ways: what we tell others we believe, what we tell ourselves we believe, and how our beliefs show up in the way we live. He said some say they believe (public belief), or  think what they believe (private belief) but true faith is belief in action (core belief).

I’m not sure about these terms, but I get what he was saying. There are people who trust Jesus and their lives show it, and that is core belief that the Bible describes. Faith is not merely knowing and agreeing that something is true or real. Even the demons believe in that sense, but their ‘faith’ does not affect their response to God. Our pastor pointed out that our lives reveal what we trust.

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:34–36)

Jesus describes faith as submission to the will of God. My devotional author is convinced that all our struggles to do that would disappear if we could see clearly that His will is good. We struggle and struggle in vain to submit to a will that we do not believe to be good, but when we see that it is good, we submit to it with delight. I get that. If I really believe God is good and His will is perfect, I want it to be accomplished.

Christians sometimes say that faith needs to move from the head to the heart. This is moving from thinking it verbally to really believing but it would be more accurate to say faith needs to move from the head (or heart) to the muscles! It helps to realize how God makes this happen and then cooperate  with the process.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

According to the Bible, it happens by mind renewal (a new way of thinking that is contrary to worldly thinking) and by testing that way of thinking — or simply trying it out, another way of saying ‘find out what God says, then obey what He says’ and then I will know that God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Trying it involves choosing. I heard God say ‘Do the right thing’ all day Saturday and Sunday and each time it involved two options. I’ve done enough Bible study to know which of the two was right and that the other choice was ‘my way’ instead of God’s. While understanding the best choice is not always the case, this time it made it easier to choose the will of God.

If the choice is sin or obedience, that one is easy to discern too, but if the choice is between good and best, then it often more difficult. Knowing the Word of God is a big help.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

God, who knows all things and knows me better than I know myself, is able to use His Word to reveal my intentions. He did that Friday night in a discussion of jealousy and I realized this truth:  when I feel threatened by what someone else has or can do, that emotion is jealousy. It can be good if it is protective of my marriage, or my relationship with God, but sinful if it involves feeling threatened by someone who has more or does better than I do and I want what they have or can do.

PRAY: Lord, You persist in these lessons about trusting You and I am glad. You want me to have a soft heart when options appear, not harden my heart against Your will. You want me to do the right thing and confess any areas where I always go my own way. You also want me to listen for Your voice because You do speak and I cannot hide from You or even try to hide. You love me no matter what, and Your will is perfect. Why resist it? How wise to pay attention and do what You say, wanting Your will to be done in my life, no matter what it is!

Willing?

 
A British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was criticized for his policies and replied: “Gentlemen, get larger maps.”

I get that. Yesterday God clearly told me to do the right thing, and the decisions made to obey Him produced what Jesus calls “abundant” life — clearly better in comparison to what it would have been had I selected my options.

Today’s devotional says something similar. An abundant life in Christ is not about using my  talents, doing great deeds, having fervent emotions, or being given wonderful revelations. It is simply to want what God wants and do what He says. Stop waiting for some grand experience or feeling, just listen to the indwelling Holy Spirit and follow His directions. These are simple truths, learned early yet it seems to take me years to consistently do life His way. I am a most stubborn saved sinner.

God’s plan is to transform me into the image of Christ. His glory was having His will set to do the will of His Father. When faced with His own “Do the right thing” He replied, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

Even though Jesus makes a distinction between His human will and the Father’s will, God does not leave me to “do the right thing” by the power of my human will. He says;

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

Now may the God of peace . . . equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)

How does He do this? That is not a short answer. The reality is that He does do it. Paul knew that:

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

God’s grace is shown in His love and when loved like He loves, doing His will is a delight — not because my life is godly but because His love shows me that His will is best. Even when what He wants seems unpleasant to me, satisfying Him gives me delight — and that is what makes life abundant.

His love is not the same as human love, which expects a return. God loved me while I was a sinner and He had no return whatsoever. The NT expresses it like this:

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? (2 Corinthians 12:15)

Essentially, the writer was saying, ‘I do not care whether you love me or not, I am willing to destitute myself completely, not merely for your sakes, but that I may get you to God.’ He reflects God’s love…

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

This love is tied to obedience for it produces a glad willingness to do what God asks. It may mean household chores, calling a shut-in, giving finances, sitting with a senior, and doing everything without asking why or being concerned about what’s in it for me. Obedience without reserve.

PRAY: Jesus, You speak to me continually about making right choices and following through with obedience. You know I have days of feeling useless, or filled with fatigue, or just wanting to do nothing. May grace and love motivate me to pay close attention; not only listening with obedience but  doing Your will from the heart and with great joy.

God’s Power and my choices

I’m being challenged continually to trust Jesus with everything. Last night we prayed with friends and part of that included a discussion about repetition. Do we ask God once for something and trust Him to do it? Or do we pray every day until it happens?

The question in my devotional: Is it not hard to trust the management of the universe and all of the outward creation to the Lord?

My first thought: Why not then trust Him to open up a parking place close to the door of a store when it is pouring rain and the umbrella is at home in the other car? Can my concerns be more complex and difficult than keeping the earth in orbit, or taking care of animals and birds, or even making flowers grow and bloom. Why then be anxious or troubled about His management of my life, or the lives of those around me? Why not pray as often as concerns arise?

If I take my stand on the power and trustworthiness of God based on just creation, it is easy to see that He knows how to turn a patch of weeds into a field of flowers, or protect a hive of bees, or turn a lanky and very shaky foal into a sleek race horse. It should be easy to pray about everything as long or only once.

I can trust Him to forgive my sin and give me eternal life — and “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) For those who are perishing, the word of the cross is folly, but to me it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Jesus died in weakness but rose again by the power of God. I am weak yet live and will live forever in the power of God (2 Corinthians 13:4). Why then do I not pray about everything since God can do anything? Is it not because the sin nature so easily rules? The sin nature simply wants to be lord of my life. Compared to what God can do, how foolish is that! If I do not pray, is it because my sin nature assumes I can handle all things?

I woke this morning with an agenda. But the dishwasher needed to be unloaded. The words “Do the right thing” ran through my head so I unloaded it. I have a role in a nonprofit group and saw an email that needed a response from my position on their board. A voice in my head said “Answer this now” and again, “Do the right thing” and no worry of responses for my response was a rebuke of sorts. At the same time, I knew this was the Holy Spirit telling me what to do, not my agenda.

I’ve been complaining how my to-do list runs my life when I have the God of the universe standing by and quite willing to take on that role. I do not alway listen. How foolish is that?

Once someone said to me that God was to be relied on the big stuff, like the wars in the world and the weather and anything else we cannot control, but we are not to bother Him with things we can do ourselves. I do not agree. That person has never felt helpless or unable to take on the challenges of life — a weakness that God allows to those of us who stubbornly insist on managing our own lives without Him. Doing the right thing means doing what God tells me to do, not what I want to do. Sadly, my ‘I wants’ are the essence of sin.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6, italics mine)

PRAY: Jesus, I hear You loud and clear. The bottom line for me today comes from this seldom preached verse: “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17) Keep me hearing it. I’m tired of trying to do my own thing and even if my actions are not what others might consider sinful, if I am not doing what You tell me, then I am sinning against You.

Facing Giants

 
Planning a family reunion that could involve up to a hundred people from various parts of the world is for me a huge task. I’ve felt like David facing Goliath at times, but the Spirit would not let me give up. I went searching for help and several volunteered, some that I did not expect, even one that his mother told me he would never come. These have become the stones in my sling when I began this task. Having never done anything close to it, I’ve felt small and unable — which is a good way to feel when taking on anything. The Lord keeps saying to me:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

This week, one of those ‘stones’ that volunteered showed me the faithfulness of God. In trying to trust Him, I’ve struggled, but with a cousin’s cheerful help, my feeble faith is being strengthened. We have not totally slaughter that huge task, but the plans made it seem less threatening.

Today I read of David’s attitude toward the giant that he faced. He talked to King Saul this way:

Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God. (1 Samuel 17:34–36)

Through faith in God David conquered a lion and a bear, and afterwards overthrew the mighty Goliath. When that lion came to take out sheep from his flock, David considered it as an opportunity. If he had failed or faltered he would have missed this and other challenges and may never have come to be God’s chosen king of Israel.

Most of us do not consider the lions or giants that come into our lives are a special blessing from God. They seem more like enemies, threats, and at least an occasion for alarm. However, in David’s case, that threat was an opportunity from God in disguise. I know that every difficulty that presents itself to me, if I receive it in the right way, is God’s opportunity, even every temptation as well.

One writer reminds me that the OT tabernacle of God was covered with badgers’ skins and goats’ hair. This did not suggest there would be any glory in that place, but the Shekinah of God was manifest under that crude, even ugly covering. I need God to open my eyes to see Him, whether in temptations, trials, dangers, or misfortunes, or in huge responsibilities that I cannot do all by myself as mere coverings for God’s glory.

I also realized as we planned that not everyone will appreciate our efforts or even show up to this event. Another writer reminded me of Paul’s idea of service putting it like this: “I will spend myself to the last ebb for you; you may give me praise or give me blame, it will make no difference. So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does.”
Paul’s service is not love for men, but love for Jesus Christ. If I am devoted to the cause of humanity, I will be disappointed because so many are never grateful for anything. Yet if my motive is to demonstrate my love for God, no ingratitude can hinder me from serving others.

This writer even said, “I was before a perjurer, a blasphemer, an injurious person” — and that is true for me too. No matter how others may treat me, they will never treat me the way I once totally ignored Jesus. He serves me even in my selfishness and sin. With His attitude, nothing others do can change my determination to do whatever is required in serving people.

PRAY: Jesus, I realize a tiny bit of what is needed to bravely serve others in Your name is a big dose of Your great love. Open my heart to do this with grace and great faith in Your ability to use it to bring glory to Your name. Enable me to overcome all anxieties about responses or lack of responses and trust You to make of this family reunion a blessing both to You and to those who arrive and participate.

Faith like a Child

 

The past two days have had a measure of great satisfaction and ridiculous frustration. First the frustration — definitely a first world problem. Normally my computers work in my car. It is an older vehicle but if my android phone is on, I have Wifi even traveling a couple hundred miles from home. This time, we took my hubby’s newer vehicle with all sorts of bells and whistles. His phone calls and texts come through the cars technical screen. BUT mine would not. I tried everything and wound up not able to read my devotions or enter them in my word processor, never mind get on the Internet to post them. The same held true as we drove home, I could play Solitaire but not read or write in the care — just like the day before.

However, it was an incredible day with my cousin. She is my age and the two of us have been lifelong friends. We put together the plans for our July family reunion. All the agenda, funding, and venue details, plus the caterer came so the food is figured out too. What fun we had doing it. Then we stayed in her home, watched sports on TV, looked at scrapbooks, and reminisced our childhood. It was a total blessing.

Tonight, at home, my tech stuff works just fine, just at it did at my cousins’s home. Today’s devotional is about the carefree life of a young child, which was already on my mind from the joyful visiting yesterday and talking about the things we did when we were little. The devotional compares that to the Christian life.

The chief characteristics of a young child is living by faith and in freedom from care. Back then, when we were little, our lives were one long trust from year’s end to year’s end. We trusted our parents, teachers, and sometimes even people utterly unworthy of trust.

Our parents took care of us, providing everything. We took no thought for anything, made few plans (just to go swimming at the mud hole) and yet life was incredibly good and much simpler than it is today. It is wonderful to remember the carefree life we had.

The life of faith is to be like that — a child in our Father’s house, our weary, burdened life transformed into one of blessedness and rest, leaving ourselves in His hands…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7)

PRAY: Lord God, the reminiscing was both a great delight and a sort of sadness and we wished it was not so far from what we know now. Our days are often filled with busyness and responsibility, yet these verse become a wonderful reality when I slow down and remember that You want my childlike faith and trust. When it is in place, I can be that carefree youngster all over again. Belonging to You need not be frustrating at all, but a joyful satisfaction. Thank You for caring for us, Your children.

Be careful little mouth what you say…

Life has learning experiences that I do not want to miss. After yesterday’s revelation, I can better understand what Job experienced, but also better understand the danger and even foolishness of trying to figure out the problems of others. People can get to a place of confusion or despair many different ways, but when anyone gets there, hope for improvement vanishes. This hopelessness takes people as close to insanity as possible without falling off the edge. In other words, despair is the hopelessness that overtakes a sane mind when it is pushed to the extreme in grief.

Job is up against the religious pose of men who do not begin to understand where his sorrow lies. Finally after all their supposing why he suffered, he said, “I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all. (Job 16:1–2)

Job refused to say he was guilty of what he knew he was not guilty. He says, “I am not suffering because I have committed sin; I do not know why I am suffering, but I know that is not the reason.”

Many Christians would begin to assume they must be guilty or deserve this is some way, but it turns out that Job was not revolting against God but against the presentation being given of Him.

Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? But now He hath made me weary: Thou hast made desolate all my company. (Job 16:6-7)

This is what happens when the person in despair is counseled by someone who has no idea what they are going through. No comfort. More desolation. These friends could be helpful only if they had been where Job was — not the same events that he experienced but the same despair.

One writer says this: The only thing to do is to be reverent with what we do not understand. The basis of things is tragic; therefore God must find the way out, or there is no way out. Human reasoning and a human diagnosis of things will do exactly what Job’s friends did — belittle the grief.

PRAY: Lord, how little I realized how much my diagnosis of despair can hurt those who are suffering already until You allowed me to suffer. This was a painful class but a much needed lesson for which I give You thanks.

Faith relies on facts not feelings

 

The past few weeks I’ve struggled with up/down emotions concerning my responsibilities. Some days they are challenging but doable. Other days I feel totally overwhelmed and want to sleep all day. This is a new experience for me. For years, I have felt confident in taking on most things, but God is working in me to remove self-confidence and rely on Him only. For this, He used a month of trauma.

Today’s devotional expresses it this way: “It is all very well, perhaps, to rejoice in God’s promises or in the revelations He may have granted us or in the experiences we may have realized; but to rejoice in the Promiser himself—Him alone—is the crowning point of Christian life. This is the only place we can know the peace which passes all understanding and where nothing can disturb.”

This is difficult to describe, but as I read the rest of it, the lights came on. That sense of God being enough is wonderful, but if that sense is not there, that indicates that I have been relying on my feelings or view about Him and that is not what “God is enough” means.

The author of the devotional puts it this way: sometimes what satisfies us is not the Lord but our own feelings about the Lord. Usually we are not conscious of this, but our feelings fail, we think it is the Lord who has failed. At that, despair easily follows. Of course, this is foolish, yet it is such a common experience, that very few realize what has happened.

An illustration likens the Christian experience to a train. Fact is the engine pulling it. Faith is the the coal car that fuels the engine, and feelings are the caboose that trails along behind. Although it trails, the caboose is important – it is where the train crew lives.

However, it does not work to put faith or the caboose in the lead. When that happens, the facts are not the main source of living. As long as faith and feelings are solid, all is okay, but once they take a dip (and they often do) facts need to be put in place. This has never been a problem for me until this past while. And like the devotion says, I couldn’t figure out what was going on so prayed that God would show me, and He did. My caboose was taking the lead.

This past few weeks I’ve had three big projects happening, plus being very ill, plus two deaths, plus no ladies prayer time or small group Bible study meetings (leader is on holidays) and I’ve stayed home too much. The family of God needs each other to keep on track, to be fact-checkers for one another. This devotional reminded me of these verses:

But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. (Psalm 73:16–17)

My struggle is not the same as the psalm’s author who was concerned about the prosperity of the wicked, but the solution is similar; he sought discernment in the place where the people of God gather to worship. I need Christian fellowship, not coffee and cookies but sharing truth about God. Truth is the facts that pull the train. Too much time alone opens the door to other visitors, like burdens, difficult experiences, emotional issues, etc.

PRAY: Knowing that You have not abandoned me even when I feel as if You have is important Lord. Having other Christians remind me that You are here, or even me being the one who does the reminding for them is the way to keep that fact engine pulling my faith and keeping my feelings square with the facts. Thank You Jesus for being the way and the TRUTH and my life. This is going to be a good day! (Later: and it was!)

God’s Wisdom

 

I love the surprises of God. Sometimes they are little things like all the lights are green when I need to get somewhere on time, or I find a bargain that I’ve prayed to find, or someone calls that I needed to visit. Sometimes He surprises me with unpleasant news. I didn’t expect my sister to die so soon and so quickly. Or Sunday’s sermon ties in to a convicting devotional with both challenging me to unwelcome change.

The point is, I cannot predict what God will do, except those times when I pray with absolute assurance that He is going to answer the way I’m hoping. We once tried to rent a house only to be told it was taken, but I knew we were going to live in that house. The person who planned to changed his mind and we were given the house.

Another time I knew that I should call a store and confirm a sale price, even though it was printed in the newspaper. I did, went to the store, and was told the sale was over. I said, “But I called…” and the clerk said she remembered that call and gave me the item for the sale price.

More recently, I was praying for a prodigal and a song came to mind that he would soon be “coming home” and I was so certain of it that I just kept singing that song. Within a few days, he called to share he was again actively following Christ.

These things are wonderful when they happen, and when they do not, I feel like a starving person. When the devotional writer says we need to be careful that we are not worshiping the gifts more than the giver, I am convicted. Yet how can the two be separated? It is the same with our dearest friends. They give us reasons to consider them dear, and those reasons cannot be laid aside. They define who that person is.

The devotional writers says if we wiped every promise out of the Bible we would still have God left and God would be enough — but without the things that God does, how would we know that He is enough? If He just surprised me all the time, prayer for help in a crisis or guidance in making decisions would be pointless. I would have nothing to base my hope and confidence on if I didn’t know that God makes and keeps His promises.

It seems the devotional writer is saying I should not assume that God will do whatever I want Him to do or be presumptuous in any way. I can remember a plebiscite taken in a town we lived in and a Christian was certain the vote would go God’s way. I thought of sports pundits and news people who predict winners and are often wrong, but did not say anything. How can we mere mortals be certain what our God of surprises is going to do? In this case, the plebiscite was voted against what that person was so sure would happen and I learned something about God. Again, who can second-guess Him?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9)

Still, God is enough, yet this is the gist of it — not that all that God does is missing or unseen, but  His way of thinking and dealing with the world, the mess in the world, and the sinners that seem happy and in control is beyond my way of thinking. I don’t need a specific promise nor do I need a more solid doctrine, or deeper understanding. I just need to remember that He is able and my inability to see or deal with any of it with insight and understanding will always fall short. God’s ways will always be beyond my comprehension and that is precisely why I can trust Him. My ignorance of what God is doing is actually a form of proof for His greater power.

PRAY: Jesus, You know how I want to be a know-it-all who can figure out the reason things happen and the possible solutions that You will bring to those things. That is sheer arrogance on my part. It shows up in my pouting when it becomes apparent that I really have no clue what You are doing. Forgive my pride and lack of letting go of my suppositions, even if they are based on Your prior revelations of Yourself. I should have learned by now that even though You are faithful and reliable, You are also not likely to do the same thing twice. You will always surprise me with Your answers to my perplexities.

Walk by faith, not by sight or…

Since having pneumonia, changing to a Mac instead of a PC (learning curve) and having challenges come at me one after the other, I’m realizing a helplessness that is important to Christian living but I’m not enjoying it very much. Being dependent on Christ alone is not as easy as the words to many of our hymns and songs claim it to be.

Today’s devotional says many Christians sing words like: “Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in Thee I find” but the author doubts if we could honestly say those words express the reality in our experience. I get that. Recently being several times in situations of helplessness, I’ve felt like being in a foreign land where I don’t know the language, have no one to guide me, and the map isn’t making sense. Lost, no routine, not even a friendly face.

Yes, that is an exaggeration, and I do realize that this is part of the sanctification process. I do want to honestly say God is enough, but my experience has been pushing me in many directions. I would like a constant realization of His presence, a sense of His love, and consistent answers to my prayers. Even so, I’m not sure what ‘Christ alone’ looks or feels like. Maybe David didn’t either when he wrote these words;

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. (Psalm 62:1–2)

It might be easier to describe what this means by what it does not mean. I do trust Christ alone for my salvation. Helplessness adds to the truth that in ourselves, we are not able to be godly people, never mind set ourselves on the way to heaven or gain eternal life. This is a given.

However, to say that God is enough is not about having sound doctrines. While having them challenged does not make them unsound, it does wipe any cocky confidence out of my heart. I cannot rely on every jot and tittle in my beliefs when helplessness also mocks them. If I know it all, why then do I suffer as if I know nothing?

God is enough is not about good feelings either, no more than I can rely on ‘my feelings, or on any righteous works, or fervent prayers, or earnest striving’ as the devotional writer says, because waiting on God can seem like building on the sand. He cannot be second-guessed. That means “God is enough” is not being sure about much of anything else.

At the same time, in all that uncertainty, I cannot put my trust in God alone because all else fails and there is nowhere else to go. I need to trust Him alone just because God is God — whether I can hear Him speak, or see Him at work, or know for sure that He is answering my prayers.

PRAY: Lord, it is easiest to trust You when You speak and when I can see You in action. Yet when I cannot, You have not changed. You are who You are and faith means knowing You will do what You do whether I am in on it or not. Keep me close.

I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1–3)

The most worthy goal

This week we received a video of a couple in their nineties dancing — fast jive with dips and twirls — for over two minutes. Inspiring, yes. A goal I want to set, not likely. If I were a few dozen years younger, I might. Dancing like that isn’t something to start now, with a pacemaker. It is good to have goals though.

Right now, I have a few. Declutter and simplify our home. Keep cooking interesting recipes. Exercise daily. Use up as much of my fabric stash as I can. Keep in touch with family, especially grandchildren. Pray often for all things. At the top of this ‘list’ is grow in faith and become more like Jesus.

Today’s devotional is about that goal. It begins by saying that truth about Christ should fill my heart, but more than that — Christ Himself must fill my heart — and it totally belongs to Him.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14–19)

Reading Jesus words make this seem impossible: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) This means spiritual maturity, being like Jesus using  all things to accomplish that purpose:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Romans 8:28–29)

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)

Unlike dancing or my other goals, this one can be accomplished only by the power of Christ. Becoming like Him is by His working in me, not by me working on myself. When it seems that this purpose of God will never happen, I must remember that God is not done with me yet.

Also, when I groan with my slow progress, so does the whole world.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:19–23)

Yet the deliverance and fullness of God’s goal will come. And this promise is my hope and assurance:

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

PRAY: God, perfection seems impossible, yet You have the power to transform me and that perfection will come, and sooner rather than later as I get closer to the end of life here. In the meantime, I take all other goals to You in prayer and marvel at how You help me with progress in them. The assurance that spiritual perfection will also be mine gives me the encouragement and even the energy to keep at all that You have given me to do and more.

Maturity is not about age…

 
The few people I know that are afflicted with bi-polar problems struggle to explain what life is like for them. This is a difficult condition to understand. For me, the spiritual version is easier to understand. As a Christian, I have a new nature from Christ. My old nature is said to be “dead” meaning it is separated from God (and always has been) and cannot live like a godly person.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3–4)

However, that old nature is a stubborn tenant and tries to remain in charge even though new life from Christ means that I have another way to think and live. My new preferences and purposes are like Christ’s desires. If this were not so, I could not call myself a Christian. I am defined by the divine nature of Jesus.

The goal of God is that I cease from my own efforts entirely and by faith put on Christ, letting Him live in me and work in me to both desire and do His will. The idea is to abandon myself entirely to Him. He is my life, my destiny and I am to be entirely committed to let Him rule my thoughts, words, everything. The NT describes it like putting off an old garment and putting on this new life.  

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:9–10)

The problems come with shedding those old habits. Pride and practice make many of them seem ‘good enough’ or the old habits so easily happen without thinking. For instance, I grew up on a farm where every meal had a dessert. We worked hard and ate well. Now that the physical labor is not so vigorous, I don’t need that much sugar, but the habit has me craving a dessert after a meal. Mentally I know better but the habit is hard to put off.

It is the same with many behaviors. The new life in Christ wants me to think like Jesus but the old life fights it, along with the help of the world (all those TV commercials about food and recipes for yummy looking cakes and cookies, for instance) and the liar who tries to convince me that ‘everyone does it’ or that ‘just once won’t hurt’ or some other excuse to abandon old habits. But the Bible says:

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

This is precisely why I need a Savior. The battle is hopelessly lost without the divine power in the new life of Christ. I need to trust Him for whatever is needed to put off those old ways and live for Him and be like Him.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12–13)

PRAY: Jesus, we who are getting older complain how much longer it takes to do normal chores and how much more difficult they get as our bodies become less cooperative. I recall the young man who said to me, “Getting older must make it easier to be a Christian.” I laughed, but there are days when this is not funny. The weakness of aging is one thing that discourages putting off the old and putting on the new. I am thankful that your “strength is perfected in weakness” — otherwise I fear this would be a losing battle.

Putting Doubt on the Altar

Lately I’ve wondered if the average Christian considers doubts and unbelief concerning the promises of God to be sins. Doubt gets labels such as worry, concern, fretting, anxiety, even burdens, that should be prayed about…

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5–7)

Yet doubts should be seen for what they are: failure to trust God. I can call them whatever I want, but must remember that if someone is not trusting God at all, the Bible labels them as sinners. For a Christian, the only way to deal with sin is this:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Instead of praying, if I am in a dither, why is that? Do I think I am responsible for the needs all around me and must ‘do something’ to fix them, as if I could? Or do I say I’ve not heard a direct order from God about taking action, so don’t even pray but still worry. Or am I using an excuse to avoid getting involved but still feel anxious? Or feel nothing and do nothing?

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (Luke 10:30–32)

Their excuses are not given. Maybe the priest had an appointment or the Levite didn’t hear God tell him to stop. Maybe both of them said helping victims of crime is not my job. I can hear myself in this story saying I don’t have time, or such and such is more important, or I have no skill in dressing wounds, or something other than faith to ask, “God, equip me, fill me with Your Spirit so I know what to do and how to do it”?

I’m not certain all disobedience boils down to doubt, but it likely does. Today I sense my doubts in procrastination. I’m responsible for three looming tasks that do not match my skills or experience. I need God’s input. I have experience in getting His help in the past — for many challenges. Why am I faltering on these three? Is it because I don’t think He will help me?

To be free from unbelief, the most effectual process is to lay those doubts, just as I lay other sins, on God’s altar and totally surrender them and myself to Him. I must give up all liberty to doubt and instead consecrate my faith to Him, trusting Him to keep me trusting Him and refusing to question His love and faithfulness. He says He hears and answers, so why hesitate? I excuse it with laziness — but that needs to be confessed too!

The temptations might sound like, “God isn’t concerned that these get done” or “Perfection is required and I’m not up to that” or “I need human help but there is none” and blah, blah, blah.

God tells me to turn a deaf ear to all that, confess what is sin, then just jump to it, trusting Him with the first steps (which are usually very simple) and see what happens. The fight to do this seems severe, even impossible, yet today’s devotional reminds me of Job who faced far greater challenges than mine. He complained much (I can relate to that) but he also said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

PRAY: Lord, forgive my fears and doubts that You will hear and help me. If you don’t, maybe these three things are not important right now (or is that another excuse?) but if You do, You will be glorified. Certainly this fight with doubt is part of the enemy’s strategy to keep me from both praying and just moving ahead in faith, trusting His supply and bringing Him glory.

Say NO to Doubts

Many years ago, our daughter was reading at the kitchen table. The book was something about the power of choice. She suddenly said, “It is about motivation. I could say I will not or was unable to do something, but if a gun was put to my head, I would do it.”

My memory could be wrong. She may have illustrated with a negative, something like, “If I said I could not stop eating ice cream, I could stop if there was a gun to my head.” Either way, she made a point that I remember. It is easy to say “I have no time to restart exercising every day” or “I can’t resist eating chocolate” but her statement reminds me that God has given choices. In my own strength, I may not have the will or the power to do what He asks, but today’s devotional takes me back to what my daughter said — I can choose:

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

These were God’s people and given a choice between obedience to Him or to the gods in their world. They had a decision to make. The OT is full of warnings about the consequences of their choices. It is obvious as His people, they needed to make His will their priority and be blessed, but  disobedience would give them problems.

It is the same for NT believers. We are told to trust and obey, yet the trust part is easily smeared with doubt, especially if those OT benefits stop happening. When life hands me lemons, my faith may go sour. Part of that comes from thinking the “good life” comes from good behavior and like Job, we wonder why what happened when our comfort zone is violated. Did God forget me? Why did He stop blessing me? I easily assume obedience will feel good, yet Jesus was made perfect by suffering so why not me?

Sometimes I doubt because a voice in my head says I’m guilty but that voice is vague. I know the Holy Spirit is specific. I must remember that the devil will try to make me doubt with that accusation. However, God says this enemy is defeated:

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:10–11)

Whatever makes my faith waver, I can choose to say NO to it  — based on the Word of God. Like any sin, I do not have to give into it. If I’m thinking God does not love me, I can say, “Nonsense. Jesus died for me.” If I’m thinking God does not hear my prayers, I can say, “Jesus says He does so am I willing to call Him a liar?”
Whatever the doubt is about, there is a biblical answer that counters it. The answer may not be easily seen or seen at once, but if God said it and I’m doubting it, then I am accusing God of lying — not very wise of me!

The nature of faith a renewal of choice. As a sinner, all I could choose was sin and was without knowledge or desire to be godly. Being ‘good’ was always fake goodness for beneath any action that seemed good was a selfish motive. My sin made me blind to my sin.

On the other hand, the gift of faith includes the ability to see and choose His way. It is sometimes easy, somethings very difficult, depending on the challenge to my comfort, or the work required, or other plans I might have, or if doubts are present. Does God really know what is best for me? Does His way work? Will it turn out for good?

A big part of faith is knowing God well and rightly. Reading His word is the way to know Him yet many times the Bible is read to prove a point, to affirm an idea, to refute or accuse the ideas of others. Wrong motives raise doubts rather than getting rid of them.

PRAY: Jesus, saying NO to doubt might seem too easy, yet I know that without You, I would always be selfishly choosing what I think would make me feel good. Besides that, You often remind me that great things happened because You choose to say, “Not my will but thine be done.” I’m learning, slowly as usual but learning, to choose to say NO to doubt and a few other things that try to hold me in their grip. Thank You for the power of choice.

When doubt comes in

It began in a garden where the first couple had everything and they trusted God who gave them only one command: do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The snake suggested six things that would mess with that trust and encourage disobedience, suggestions that still work.

First Satan took their focus away from all that had been given them and put it on the one thing they could not have. How different this world would be if everyone could simply be thankful, but as the NT says: “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:21–22)

Second, Satan minimizing the Consequences by telling them, “You will not die” as if God lied. With their attention focused on the tree they forgot what God actually did say. This is why I need to daily read God’s Word — I forget what God says too.

The enemy’s next strategy was mislabeling disobedience. He suggested eating the forbidden fruit would expand them, make them more complete. He added to that lie by mixing good with evil saying the fruit was good for food, adding that it was also pleasing to the eye. His final lie was saying eating it would make them wise. They didn’t get it that he was calling God a liar and making his interest in their welfare appear greater than God’s.

In contrast, the NT tells me to get my wisdom direct from my Maker, not from forbidden stuff. Should I fall into that trap, I eventually realize how foolish that was. Instead…

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5–8)

An unstable person is up and down, trusting God one day and doubting the next. This makes me joyful then miserable, sure of God then unsure. It affects my moods, even my health. It certainly affects my prayer life.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:24–25)

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:21–22)

It also affects my spiritual growth, unity with other Christians and the health of the Body of Christ. Doubt never glorifies God but turns inward and shrivels my ability to praise Him.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:11–16)

The Bible says faith comes by hearing God speak of Jesus. While that builds faith, I find that any  doubt first must be confessed as sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

PRAY: Jesus, You also tell me, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8) Drawing near to You in confession of my doubts releases me from the enemy’s lies and allows that sweet surrender — an attitude of trust even in situations where life seems to make no sense. After all, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen and without faith it is impossible to please You, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that You exist and that You reward those who seek You. (Hebrews 11:1;6)

Modern Pharisees

Current thinking can be confusing. Some say there is no God; others are fully convinced. They cannot both be true beliefs BUT current thinking says, ‘What is true for you is not true for me.’ For many, truth has become a matter of opinion.

Christians can struggle with this same way of defining truth. Sometimes our differing interpretations cause divisions if we don’t dig deep enough to determine what biblical passages really say or mean. Failing to rightly understand Scripture can result in mild disagreement, or vigorous discussion, or church splits, and even be at the root of cults being formed.

Another issue is the concept of “rhema” where the term used for “word of God” means the Holy Spirit is using a passage to speak to the need of the moment. For instance, I may have read a verse many times about God’s abiding presence but during a period of loneliness, it felt like God was giving me a hug with that verse.

God also gives His people individual instructions. One NT incident is when the Spirit sent Paul and Barnabas to Seleucia (Acts 13) but forbid them to go to Asia and Bithynia. (Acts 16).

This reminds me of a former pastor who announced he was leaving the ministry. Our church was confused and trying to come up with a reason for his decision. Did someone treat him badly? The confusion was filled with opinions based on experiences people could relate to, so finally I decided to ask him why he decided to resign. He listened to my question and concerns, then slapped his desk and said, “None of that applies. I am doing this because the Lord told me to do it.”

Does this mean that truth for one person differs from truth for others? In God’s leading and personal ministry it might — but not every pastor is told to resign. Whatever I hear, I need to make sure it fits with Scripture. I knew of a woman who thought God told her to divorce her husband for another man. That does not line up with the Bible.

During Christ’s time, there were religious leaders who measured truth by their interpretation of OT laws. If a law was not understood, they added another one to supposedly clarify it. This resulted in hundreds of regulations that nobody could possibly obey. These Pharisees vehemently opposed the teaching of Jesus. He was concerned with the human heart and being motivated by the Holy Spirit. They were more into outward appearance and impressing people. When Jesus claimed, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) He even  confused the disciples. Do we humans like rules? Are they easier to follow than listening to the heart of God and studying His Word?
We are saved by faith and are told to walk by faith. The Word guides us with truth requiring faith especially when God tells us to do something that makes no sense.

Consider Abraham. God told him to go to a land He would show him. The man set out without a clue about his destination but trusting God. Later, God told him to sacrifice his son. How would I interpret that command from God had I been Abraham or Isaac? What did that boy think as his dad tied him to the altar and raised his knife? Was there a “rule” that would make this command even palatable, never mind true?

This matter of rules can also be challenging when God puts His people in situations that call for us to follow Jesus even if others misunderstand the heart of His request. Some think we are breaking the rules when we show kindness to sinners — because it might look like we are approving their sin. Some suppose we are breaking the rules when we do things contrary to their personal comfort level. Bring like  Jesus can make us targets instead of examples.

This should not happen but it does. Instead of “loving one another” in the Spirit, judgment and criticism threatens our unity and fellowship and mars our witness to a needy world who need to see the grace of God rather than the ugliness of living by rules and self-righteousness.

PRAY: Oh Lord, You tell me to walk in the Spirit even though much of the world resists You and are convinced that their rules are better. I too can slide into that “I am right” attitude when it seems more comfortable than doing what You ask — especially when Your commands to me are going to upset or challenge the person sitting next to me at church. I’m encouraged by these words:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1)

May my only rule say this: Be like Jesus.

Getting in Sync with God

 

This morning my Fitbit stopped working, or sometime yesterday. I use it to hold me accountable to walk 7000 steps a day, but who wants to count them? So I went online to discover that my tracker is no longer syncing with its account. Apparently there is an upgrade that has not been downloaded and the tracker simply quit.

Funny how nearly everything that happens has a spiritual connection. I thought of how needful it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and not rely on my own devices or strength. To do that, I must be in sync with the Lord. That is, if I am resisting God, I cannot resist the devil or temptation at the same time.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

This idea of not being able to serve or yield to God and the enemy at the same time applies also to other things such as money and worldly pleasures.

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Luke 16:13)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:15–16)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

This principle not only applies to my relationship with God; it affects every part of life. I cannot pray without guarding against distractions that ruin all conversation with God. I cannot try to figure out problems His way unless my focus is on His way. This matter of yielding to God and making Him the center of my life goes even farther:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:31–33)

Eating and drinking are normal activities of life and yet not to be separated from worship or my witness to God’s glory. In the same line, seeking His glory is connected to pleasing others in an effort to win them to Jesus. Being in sync with God is not only required, it is required no matter what I am doing.

PRAY: Jesus, there are days where my mind is all over the place. To be in sync with You, I need Your Spirit and Your power. Such vivid focus is totally beyond my ability. That is the why for being yielded to You and filled with the Holy Spirit all the time, but it is also the only way to do Your will and live for You. Keep me in sync today. I’m not sure I’ll get that Fitbit working properly, but I know that You can do what needs to be done that I can worship and serve You and others as You want me to.