God Communicates

When we moved into this new home, one large piece of furniture would not fit. Where we put it was functional but awkward. I began praying for a solution. Then, last week while visiting our son, he was excited about a small addition to his new home. It didn’t register then, but a day or so later, I woke up praying again about my dilemma and the Lord put two and two together. I was awake and saying “Yes, that’s it!” This woke my hubby and we spent yesterday moving furniture. The dramatic change was celebrated with apple pie and ice cream.

We knew this idea was an answer to prayer. Our son’s actions were part of it, but he had no idea that he was so helpful. What happened is another example of the power of God to communicate answers to prayer in surprising ways.

This is a small example. A bigger one is how He is working in parts of the world where Christianity is a crime and becoming one leads to severe persecution, even death. Those who are free to do so are praying for salvation for those people groups. But how can they be saved if they cannot hear the gospel? Some verses seem to say this is not possible. . . .  

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (1 Peter 1:22–23)
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

Skeptics often ask the same question; what about those who never hear or who cannot read a Bible? God blessed me and my hubby with a clue. We talked with a woman who came from one of those ‘closed’ countries. She told about her family being in the living area of their home one morning. Her father was upstairs. She said when he came down, they knew something had happened. He was glowing, his face shining in great peace. He had experienced an encounter with Jesus Christ, prior unknown to him, and he was transformed. Now a Christian, he took his family out of their home. They fled to a safer country, all becoming believers in Jesus — without a Bible or a sermon.

Since then, we have heard many stories like that. It gives no excuse not to preach or share the gospel, but it does assure us that God is able to reach anyone with truth about Jesus and redemption, with or without us. Some might argue that this cannot be a ‘real salvation’ yet changed lives and a deep love for Jesus say otherwise.

Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit saying, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8) In my first encounter with Jesus, I did not physically see Him, yet I knew He was with me. Others testify to seeing Him, even being hugged by Him. Dare we limit God to what He can do to reach sinners?

Not only that, the NT church did not have the NT! They eventually had Paul’s letters, but none of them were written declaring the gospel until later.

Faith came by hearing — and anyone who knows Christ knows that the Holy Spirit is capable of speaking to the human heart. He convicts of sin, speaks of righteousness, and warns us when we forget or err in what we do. God even speaks of sending His Word to do His will:

So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Again, this is not license to sit back silent and merely pray for the lost, but it is assurance that no one who is chosen by Jesus will be lost. Another truth is also illustrated: when the Spirit speaks to me, I must listen. I have the Word to make sure what I am hearing is written by God also, yet Isaiah tells me that obedience is part of His success in His will being accomplished by those who hear Him.

PRAY: Jesus, Your great power to make Yourself heard makes my ability to listen and obey a partnership with what You are doing. I’m deeply humbled yet must never be speechless. You are the Savior and this is what You want me to say, loudly and joyfully, and deeply in awe. Yet I know that You have the power to speak in other ways besides using my mouth.

 

Truth transforms my life

My sister became a Christian in a far-away country where Christianity was and still is illegal. She came home to discover that I also had become a Christian. She told me to have daily devotions using the method taught to her by a missionary (who was also not legally allowed in that country).

Her instruction was simple: Read John five times and Romans twice, then the NT and the OT. Read until God speaks to me then write the date, Bible reference, and what I understood from the reading. This served well for many years.

After a time, I realized that every line in the Bible was truth from God, even the parts that describe human sin. It was written in the Bible because God wanted it to be there and wanted me to know it. While many people pick and choose the parts they want to believe, or only believe the parts they understand, I can see this book is not a manual for theologians or even casual reading. It is truth revealed that I might know God.

Understanding this may have come easy for some, but my mind is wired to solve puzzles, enjoy mysteries, seek answers, and find reasons for everything. I’m a ‘hard sell’ in that if someone tries to convince me that I should have a product or do something, I will resist it. I want to discover for myself whether the sales claims are true and the more I am pushed, the more I resist. I’m the opposite of gullible, but at the same time, once convinced, stick solidly to what I believe.

Sadly, if convinced a lie is true, that causes me great conflict and pain — showing me the reality of why I need Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Without God’s saving power, who knows where I would be and without the Book of books, who knows what I would believe.

This is the power of God’s Word. Because it is not a book of theories but of actual facts, it feeds my mind with the right stuff. As today’s devotional says, things are not true because they are in the Bible; they are only in the Bible because they are true. When it tells me that God loves me, this is a fact. Otherwise, it would not be in the Bible. Solomon wrote:

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (Proverbs 30:5)

Jesus and the NT point out that knowing the truth must be followed up by obedience to it. If told the truth that eating junk food would affect my health and I simply kept eating it, could I expect otherwise? It is the same with truth from God:

But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21)

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28)

The Word of God changes lives — as long as it is believed and obeyed:

You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

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)

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31–32)

PRAY: Jesus, it is one thing to read listening for a special word from You, and delightful that for the past fifty plus years You speak to me every day. I’m amazed at You. This truth is in place only because ALL of the Bible is You speaking. I cannot control or even be certain I will hear those special words — only be glad in Your faithfulness, but I can believe whatever has been written and know that as I read it and do what it says, You transform my life.

Complaining?

Attitudes are often evaluated by whether a person considers a glass half-full or half-empty. Yesterday I heard a radio sermon that judged current Christians by all our failures. It was a call for a revival and likely needed, yet I would rather the speaker had focused on successes.

For instance, Samaritan’s Purse is in place at world disasters to bring help and hope long before any other aid arrives. A local mission is feeding lunch to nearly a thousand students in over a dozen schools every day of the school year. Hundreds are being reached with the Gospel in the Middle East by Christians risking their lives to faithfully share Christ. A woman in a US state has a prayer room in her store where customers can pray, leave requests, and take the requests of others home to pray for them. Our church has brunch every Sunday and some of the several hundred who are fed do not attend the service. They come in at the end so they can eat and no one tells them to leave.

The song says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what the Lord has done.” Christians are blessed with new hearts, new life, a desire to live for Christ. As we follow His teaching and love His Word, He blesses and guides us into new and challenging territory. Consider how cooperation with Him brings blessing:

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. (Psalm 41:1–3)

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. (Psalm 112:1–3)

Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. (Psalm 128:1–4)

These blessings are linked to obedience. Take care of the poor, delight in His commands with an awe that produces obedience, and He takes care of us in illness and blesses our families! No wonder the psalmist wrote, “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!” (Psalm 84:12)

These OT material blessings are for this life yet God does not stop there. He says much more in the NT with these words: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 1:3)

The link between obedience and blessing is stronger in the NT also. When someone blessed another person, Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28)

Other NT verses repeat this verse, a favorite from the Psalms: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1–2) Here are a few more:

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:25)

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:14)

PRAY: Lord, You know that I woke today with a negative attitude. You gave me songs that lifted my spirits, and now these reminders of how much I am blessed. Who can remain crabby and praise God at the same time! In You is fullness of joy. That joy alone is a great blessing as it swallows up my petty complaints. You so often save me from myself. I am grateful.

PONDER: Count my many blessings, name them one by one . . . !

 

 

Perfect Freedom

 

While no one can earn their salvation by doing good, there is an element of pleasing God by our obedience. However, the Bible is clear — God is complete in Himself and does not need us to give Him pleasure. Consider what this verse says:

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:25)

God blesses me when I obey His Word! It begins by “looking into” which is a Greek word about bending down or stooping to examine something with care. This implies humility and a desire to see clearly. It is an attitude as well as an action.

This verse also sees the Word of God as a source of liberty or freedom. It is the “perfect law” because it is complete, sufficient, comprehensive, and without error. God uses it to tell us about Himself and how He meets all needs and gives me the desires of my heart. It is the “law of liberty” because the Holy Spirit enables me to apply its principles and thereby set me free from guilt and the bondage of sin. That is true freedom!

This verse speaks of perseverance. That means I keep at it, reading and studying, reading and receiving what it says in humility and obeying what I hear. Merely hearing, whether a daily reading or a Sunday sermon, is not enough; the blessing comes to those who act on what God says to them.

If I come to my desk feeling tired or anxious or some other negative, singing worship songs and reading the Word of God changes my mood to joy. Even when God shows me something in my life that needs to be confessed as sin, He gives that sense of well-being, a blessing from knowing that He is with me and wants the best for me. Looking into His perfect law and responding with obedience gives greater joy than anything else. And I am stunned that God uses this as a blessing; He is pleased by being able to bless me — utterly amazing!

PRAY: Jesus, may I never stop wanting to gaze intently into Your Word. May You never stop revealing any changes needed in my life and granting me grace to make those changes. Help me live more fully for You, to bring You glory and to be a blessing to those around me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24)

PONDER: Read Some say that the truth hurts, but God says truth brings freedom. If Jesus, the Truth, sets me free, I am free indeed. (John 8:36) Hebrews 4:12–13 tell of His Word power to show me things I might not realize. It prevents me from trying to hide from God. Meditate on that, and keep reading and doing what it says!