Heirs of the Promises

" Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised." 
                                                                                                             ( Hebrews 10:35-36)




     There are literally thousands of promises contained in God's Word that are just waiting to be claimed by faith.  Because the Scriptures are inspired by God, every word can be powerful and life changing.  No matter what circumstances we may face, the Bible contains the answers and solutions we seek.  " It is because of His glory and excellence, [that] He has given us great and precious promises." ( 2 Peter 1:4a).

     When we think in terms of a man of great faith, Abraham is the one that easily comes to mind.  When God first spoke to Abram, He said, " Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you." 
( Genesis 12:1-3).

     God told Abram to do one thing- "Leave"- and in return, God would do eight wonderful things for him. This required Abram to live by the promises of God, as he responded in obedience to the call of God on his life.  These promises paint a portrait for us of the graciousness and goodness of God.

     Abram did have to leave his comfort zone in order to move on to something new that God had in store for him.  The source and the initiator of these promises was God and this is what sustained Abram as he continued to follow God's lead.  Power comes through the channel of grace that releases God's promises.  This is because it is His promises that bring hope when one responds in faith.

     Abram journeyed toward Canaan, though he knew not where he was going.  This required a great deal of faith and trust in God.  The difference between belief and trust is that trust requires a risk.  It is only when we risk something that we can truly see God come through for us! But this is also where the true reward is found.  Charles Spurgeon said, " A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul."

     Abram had great faith.  This is defined as " a firm persuasion; a conviction based upon hearing".  In other words, Abram was convinced that what God told him was true and that there was no way God's plans could fail.  He was happy to step out not knowing where he was going because he knew who was going along with him.  Because of this, Abraham is now known as " the father of all who believe,... the father of [those] who also walk in the footsteps of faith,... our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed,... the father of many nations." ( Romans 4:11-12, 17-18).

     Abraham is the father of all who believe God's promises.  As Christ followers, we are grafted into the lineage of Abraham.  We receive God's promises not because we obey God's laws but because we "trust God to keep His promise(s)." ( Romans 4:13).  "That is what the Scriptures mean when they say that God made Abraham the father of many nations.  God will accept all people in every nation who trust God as Abraham did." ( Romans 4:17).

     What God did in Abraham's life was not about Abraham.  It was all about God and His desire to bless His people.  God's desire in all our lives is to engage in a love relationship with us so that as we grow in intimacy with Him, we will also grow in likeness to Him.

     This inevitably means that, at times, our faith will be challenged.  Possessing a strong faith does not mean that doubt will never come to us.  True Biblical faith is one that perseveres even when doubt does arise.

     Endurance is more than just 'doubling down" and believing more.  It is persistence in both trusting and obeying when you cannot see the outcome ahead of you.  This is how we persevere through our doubt.  When disbelief rears its ugly head, we kill it by trusting God and obeying His call on our lives.

     Faith is fluid.  Abraham's faith continued to grow as he continued to walk with God.  "He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing [Isaac] even before it happened.  He was completely sure that God was well able to do anything He promised.  And because of Abraham's faith God forgave his sins and declared him 'not guilty'". ( Romans 4:20-22).

     " Now this wonderful statement- that he was accepted and approved through his faith- wasn't just for Abraham's benefit.  It was for us, too, assuring us that God will accept us in the same way He accepted Abraham- when we believe the promises of God who brought back Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God, filling us with God's goodness."
( Romans 4:23-25).

     Once we are made right in God's sight by faith in His promises, we can have peace because of what Jesus has done for us.  Jesus brings us to the " place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be." ( Romans 5:2).

     Whatever God promises to us will happen.  Let us not for get that " He who promised is faithful". (Hebrews 10:23).  Indeed, " not one word has failed of all His good promise." ( 1 Kings 8:56). Not only is God Faithful but He is also able- there is nothing that He cannot do.   Our job is merely to BELIEVE!!!!


                                         " Let God's promises shine on your problems."
                                                                                     Corrie Ten Boom

Great Expectations!

" The people who get on in the world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."
                                                                             George Bernard Shaw,  Great Expectations



     In Charles Dickens' thirteenth novel, Great Expectations, the author focuses on the life of the main character whose name is Philip Pirrip ( nicknamed Pip).  This orphan, named Pip, could only dream about rising above the humble station of life to which he had been assigned.  After an apprenticeship as a blacksmith, Pip was ultimately able to acquire wealth from an anonymous benefactor to become the gentleman that he desired to be.  His victory was short-lived, however, due to his final disillusionment when he discovers the source of his fortune.  Slowly, Pip realizes the vanity of his false values.

     While this novel is not an autobiography, there are some certain parallels between the life of Pip and the life of Charles Dickens.  When Dickens was only twelve years old, his father was sent away to a debtors prison.  Charles was relegated to work at a blacking factory- chained to a convict!

     Disappointments in love interests were also a commonality.  After Charles married Catherine, more unhappy secrets ensued as Dickens pursued an extramarital affair that ended badly.  After twenty-three years of marriage, Catherine divorced Charles. It was right after his unwanted divorce that Charles penned the words found in Great Expectations.

     Disillusionment probably prevailed as he wrote this novel.  The original ending of his book was so sad that he was counseled to re-write the ending.  Even so, he ended the story ambiguously.  The reader can never be certain if the story ended happily or not.

     A similar biblical story exists to illustrate the pursuit of worldly gain.  Known as the son of the "man after God's own heart", Solomon voraciously pursued both wealth and women.  In the end, he concludes, that if we don't serve God wholeheartedly, "All is futile... utterly futile."  (Ecclesiastes 12:8).

     These examples show us the futility of serving ourselves and our own interests.  They may bring to us a season of enjoyment but they will never fulfill our lives in the way God intended.  And, they will never bear the eternal fruit that will satiate later.  Eternity lasts much longer than our short temporal lives, so wisdom would point to that which is eternal.

     When we allow God to write the story of our lives,  God intends that every circumstance would have significance and relevance.  In fact, He weaves His gold thread of redemption through them all.  The things we prefer to ignore or run from will become the places of God's greatest glory if we allow Him to imprint them with His fingerprints.  Redemption never shines brighter than when God touches, heals, restores, and now bears His reflection.

     Our passions and desires are also gifts given to us from God when they are directed toward His glory.  If it is our own glory we seek, we will be found wanting.  However, when we passionately seek to advance His kingdom there are no limits to what God can and will do in our lives.

     The enemy of our souls wants to bring discouragement and disillusionment through these difficult places of our lives, but God's intent is always victory.  He is in control.  And, when we allow Him access to all, He will be victorious over all darkness and evil that would attempt to loom...

     Hope and faith conjoin to bring forth that victory!  The author of Hebrews tells us, " Now faith is the assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen."  ( Hebrews 11:1).  The Holy Spirit will lead our attitudes and the words we choose, if we allow Him to.

     Biblical hope is a joyful expectation and desire for something good in the future.  Hope is the reason we think our desires may be fulfilled.  It is waking up everyday expecting something good to happen.  It is not wishful or fanciful thinking and it is not finger-crossing.

     Our hope is a necessary part of our biblical faith, which is rooted in trust of our Heavenly Father.  It is a rational sense of certain expectation that is founded on truth.  This results in a knowing and conviction in the promises of God and in His character.  It is grounded in the truth of God's Word and the truth of who He is.  Faith is larger than hope because it is a conviction of those things that are not seen.  Faith is the full assurance of our hope.

     Hope does not waver because it is rooted in the faithfulness of God.  No matter what the circumstances may be, it is impossible for God's faithfulness to fluctuate.  The will and purposes of God are like iron, not chalk.

     Our biblical reality is that the worse our situations and circumstances become, the more likely we are to see God move on our behalf.  Historically, when there were famines, God provided for His people. When there were wars, God gave strategies and delivered His people.  It is not different for us today. We serve a living and active God who is very much involved in the lives of His people!

     Our God is also a "God of hope".  ( Romans 15:13).  Biblical hope has moral certainty because it is never based on what is possible with man.  In fact, it looks away from man and toward the promises of God.  The gospel of Mark tells us that " All things are possible to him who believes."  (Mark 9:23).

     The darker the world becomes, the brighter God will shine His light.  We are a generation uniquely positioned to have great impact.  To do that, we must have great expectations.  Because God is great, " let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."  ( Hebrews 10:22-23).

     Like Abraham, we will inherit God's promises if we do not waver.  The Bible tells us that " This is why Abraham's faith is 'reckoned to him as righteousness.'" ( Romans 4:22).  His faith was strongly confident in the reliability of God's Word; his hope was strongly confident in the fulfillment of God's promise.

     This time, beloved child of God, is not the time for disillusionment or discouragement.  This is the time for strong confidence in God's Word and in the fulfillment of His promises. This is the time to step out in faith and expect for God to meet you in that place.  This is the time for exceedingly great expectations!


                                                "Expect great things from God."
                                                  William Carey, known as "the father of modern missions"

The Truth

" From the liberality which says that everybody is right;
                      From the Charity which forbids us to say that anybody is wrong;
                                       From the Peace which is bought at the expense of Truth--
                                                          May the Good Lord deliver us."
                                                                                                                                 J.C. Ryle




     The conflict between two kingdoms at war within our culture continues to intensify.  What we witness in the natural realm illustrates truths we find in the spiritual realm.  On the one hand, we see the kingdom of darkness, death, and deception is abundantly thriving.  On the other hand, we see the kingdom of light, life, and truth penetrating the darkness.  Each one of us must decide to which kingdom we belong.

     Some people assume that our conflicts today are primarily political.  They are not.  Others assert our struggles are cultural, but this assertion falls short, as well.  The Bible clearly delineates what the issues are today when it states that, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." ( Ephesians 6:12).

     The war is between God and His ways and Satan and his ways.  As followers of Jesus, we are to be fighting alongside Christ.  When we live out the kingdom worldview of Jesus, we are engaging in a spiritual conflict to overthrow satan's kingdom and establish Christ's kingdom in its place.

     Through recent events in our nation, cultural Christianity has been declared "dead".  Suddenly, there is a cost assigned to our faith.  Despite this, it is time for the true believers to rise up and be counted.  The book of Ephesians tell us to "let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]."

     Not with spin and propaganda ( as the world does), but in the way that Jesus exemplified truth in His life on earth.  Jesus was always direct, and never deceptive.  Paul tells us in his letter to the church in Corinth, " We refuse to deal craftily ( to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly).  And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man's conscience."  ( 2 Corinthians 4:2).

     In such a rapidly changing world, some people believe that we should continue to "evolve" in our thinking and change what we believe to be true.  The problem with this reasoning is that truth is not an intangible, nebulous concept.  The Truth is a person.  Jesus said, " I am the way, the truth, and the life."  ( John 18:37).

     Jesus is still a King of a kingdom with a totally different set of basic assumptions- assumptions based in truth, which bring a different set of priorities, values, and behavior patterns.  He told Pilate (just before His crucifixion), " I came to bring truth to the world."  ( John 18:37).

     The problem is, His truth is in stark contrast to the basic assumptions of this present world.  On the very first day of Jesus' public ministry, He began to preach, " Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the kingdom of Heaven is near."  ( Matthew 4:17).

     The truth that Jesus preached was not about power and politics, earthly authority and thrones, or a permanent homeland and occupied territories.  Jesus' truth was about the heart and the sin nature, attitudes and actions, love and relationships.  His message called for a complete transformation of a person's life.  And that life change was radical!

     Jesus' worldview accurately sees what sin and separation from God have done to humans and the natural world.  Believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit can also see and understand these truths.  The apostle Paul explains that "people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit.  It all sounds foolish to them."  1 Corinthians 2:14).

     Even though the kingdom worldview is spiritual in nature, it affects every area of our lives.  It unlocks a very specific way of life, a way of knowing what is true, a picture being what God meant us to be, and the power to live that out based on our relationship with God.  This is what combats darkness, injustice, and evil within the world.  That, in turn, brings solution to the physical, economic, social, moral, ethical and environmental problems of life.

     Someday, there will be an all-pervasive world order established in a new heaven and a new earth where there is no more sin, pain, sorrow, or death.  Until then, we are to be His witnesses, combatants against the spirit of darkness, and the messengers of Jesus' worldview, which is to be lived out for all to see.  This is definitely not the time to shrink back but to " always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but [to] do it courteously and respectfully." ( 1 Peter 3:15b).


                                             "Peace if possible, but truth at any rate."
                                                                                             Martin Luther
  
                                                                                  

   

The King's Manifesto

" Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying:
          'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
          Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
          Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
         Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
          Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
         Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
        Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
        Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against           you because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the     same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"
                                                                                                                          (Matthew 5:1-12)




     In Jesus' first, longest, and most beloved sermon in the gospels, He speaks to those who are heirs of God's promises.  He pours out His heart as He unveils the foundation and character of life within His kingdom. These teachings were not aspirational; they were directed to real-life circumstances that the hearers were experiencing.  The overall focus of these teachings is walking in righteousness.  His words instruct us that these promises are partly fulfilled now and will be completely fulfilled in the future.

     Prior to these declarations, Jesus preached a message of repentance.  This is important because salvation was the prerequisite for the fulfillment of these promises.  These teachings describe a righteousness that flows from within us, as opposed to the Pharisaical teachings that emphasized outward conformity.  In other words, Jesus wanted us to understand that true transformation begins in our hearts.

     With every promise Jesus gives to us, He begins by using the word "blessed".  The Greek word that is used in this passage means: " perfect happiness; fortunate; to be envied; inner satisfaction; spiritually prosperous- with life-joy and satisfaction, regardless of outward conditions".  Because these are the things that God values, we are instructed to give them value, as well.  When viewed correctly, we will obtain an accurate eternal perspective, as well as hope for today.

     The first four beatitudes deal with the longings in our hearts.  The Bible teaches us that " God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble". ( James 4:6).  Authentic humility is the framework of: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

     The "poor in spirit" recognize their inability to be whole without God.  It is an honest acknowledgement to realize our inadequacy- that is, we are not all we could or should be without Jesus.  This is a condition that should be embraced because it is in our insufficiency that we receive the sufficiency of the kingdom of heaven.

     When Jesus refers to "those who mourn", He is referring to a penitent people who are sorrowful of their sin.  This mourning is truly a gift because it points us to the solution, which is the Cross.  This can also include mourning to the sinful conditions around us, but it must be associated with a broken heart or else that is self-righteousness.  When we are truly sorrowful over spiritual bankruptcy, God's grace and forgiveness fills the void.  Jesus assures us that the mourners will be comforted.

     The "gentle" or "meek" that Jesus references are not weak people.  These are people who have responded to God's training and use their maturity and grace for constructive purposes.  These are powerful people who utilize their "strength under control".  Oftentimes, meek people are not accurately understood by others but are definitely celebrated by the Lord.  The promise for these is that they will inherit the earth.

     When a person "hungers and thirsts for righteousness", they desperately long to see God's standards established in the earth.  This includes personal righteousness, as well as righteousness throughout our culture.  True restoration will always begin in our own heart and flow outward toward others.  Additionally, we also have the assurance that God's righteousness will totally be fulfilled.

     The next three beatitudes have to do with the tenderness of our hearts.  Love is the driving force for: the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.  John R. W. Stott describes it this way: "Christian love is not the victim of our emotions but the servant of our will."

     When we serve the King, our hearts should reflect His.  Since we have been recipients of God's mercy, it should be our desire to extend that mercy to others.  We become generous with our forgiveness and compassionate towards all suffering.  The promise for these is that if they dispense mercy they shall also receive it.

     To be "pure in heart" is to be clean and pure morally.  This encompasses more than just pure motives- it also includes moral uprightness.  Once again, the focus is on our hearts because it is very possible to be  involved in holy activities and still possess a carnal heart.  Jesus stresses internal holiness, which is an honest devotion to God that only comes from following Christ.  It is the blood of Jesus that continues to cleanse us.  The promise for the pure in heart is that they will see God and enter into His presence.

     Peacemakers are the ones who work for wholeness and harmony- not strife.  The reason Jesus came to earth was to establish peace.  This is the very heart of God and it is why we exist.  This peace will flow naturally out of the love we have for others.  The promise for peacemakers is that they shall be called sons of God.

     The last beatitude is given for those who are persecuted for doing right things.  This is when other people target those for righteousness sake.  The persecuted have the applause of heaven and a great reward eternally.  The promise is that the King of heaven will Himself provide a place of security, safety, and validation for those who have endured for His names' sake.

     The reason Jesus preached this sermon was to instruct us not to fight the conditions in our lives, but to welcome them as from the Lord.  The beatitudes are an expression of God's grace and tender mercies to us.  His promises are sure and faithful.  It is as if Jesus puts His arms around each one of us and whispers: " It is not for nothing; it is for something."



" God often comforts us, not by changing the circumstances of our lives, but by changing our attitude toward them."
                                                                                                                             S.H.B. Masterman

Unchangeable Purpose

" For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him?  His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?"                                                                                                
                                                                                                                         ( Isaiah 42:17)




     Over approximately a twenty-four year time span (1589-1613), William Shakespeare produced: 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 long narrative poems.  Today, his plays have been translated into every major language and are performed more than any other playwright.  He is currently regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

     These accolades, however, were not given to Shakespeare during his lifetime.  Contemporaries referred to Shakespeare as "common" and "second-rate".  They also accused Shakespeare of trying to reach above his rank by competing with university-educated writers, such as: Christopher Marlow, Thomas Nashe, and Robert Greene.

     Despite his critics, Shakespeare was not deterred in sharing his talent.  Over time, he did, however, shift his focus and change the genre of his writings.  His early writings consisted of comedies and histories.  He then transitioned to tragedies and finally to tragicomedies, which are also known as romances. The complexities of both issues and plots intensified in his latter years.

     While it is documented that Shakespeare had some religious influences in his life, it is unclear as to his personal beliefs.  Biblical references are intertwined in his subject matter, but he seems to vacillate between both ideas of free-will and fatalism.  He certainly never points to God as a Sovereign, loving, and merciful Father.  Instead, he focuses on social mores and moral obligations that war with one another to produce angst in the souls of man.

     In one of his early comedies,  As You Like It,  he portrays people as pawns in the game of life.  One of his most famous monologues is in this play, where Jacques states,  " All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts..."  ( Act II, Scene VII ).

     Shakespeare was gifted with extraordinary insight in seeing the world from a carnal man's perspective.  However, it would seem that his enigmatic writings lacked the personal knowledge of an intimate relationship with his loving Father in heaven.  The one absolute he leaves with his readers is that his faith is concealed to be a divine mystery.

     As believers, our lives are never left to chance (or fate).  God desires to show us convincingly who He is and the unchangeableness of His purpose and plans for our lives. We are all created with untold purpose and fashioned by God's own loving hands.  We are unequivocally and passionately loved. No matter how we feel, what we are suffering, or even what we are hoping- the Bible gives us a clear Word and direction to provide the guidance that we seek.

     God, Himself, is described as "the same- yesterday, today, and forever". (Hebrews 13:8).  His attributes, character, words and promises do not change.  They are eternally immutable and unwavering.  Through reading the Bible and through prayer, we have access to Him personally.  The author of the book of Hebrews says, " let us go right to God Himself with true hearts and fully trusting Him". ( Hebrews 10:22).

     It is possible to see the world from God's vantage point.  When we seek Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, His Word promises us that He will give us wisdom and clarity in our lives.  God would never give us over to confusion and duress when He is what we seek.  It is also impossible for God to deceive us when we flee to Him for refuge.

     He also gives us strength and encouragement so we can grasp and hold fast to the hope appointed for us.  He sets before us two unchangeable things- His promises and His oath to us who believe.  Hope then becomes the steadfast anchor of our souls.

     Before we ever see God move on our behalf, He will give us assurances.  These assurances provide a complete and peaceful confidence in a particular matter.  Often, God will use others to give us a scripture regarding a matter in which we have been praying.  He always confirms His Word.  Paul, and his contemporaries, tell us, "What we told you produced a powerful effect on you, for the Holy Spirit gave you great and full assurance".  ( 1 Thessalonians 1:5).

     Once God gives us inner assurance, it brings a calming effect that settles our minds and spirits.  God's still, small voice prompts our perception that everything is going to be all right.  We find our confidence in knowing God's character, wisdom, and power will carry us through every circumstance we face.  This gives us the confidence to move from petitioning God to thanking Him in advance for our answers.

     The anointing of the Holy Spirit provides a peaceful calm that erases doubts and confusion.  This peace of assurance will always precede our breakthrough.  Isaiah 32:17 tells us, " the effect of righteousness will be peace [ internal and external] and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever."

     When God provides us with the assurance that He is, and He will be, moving on our behalf, the result is a mental, physical, and spiritual rest.  Hebrews 4:13 tells us, " For we which have believed do enter into rest."  When faith and assurance collide, we can be at rest even in the midst of the most severe storm.

     Jesus was able to sleep through a storm because He knew He was going to the other side ( Luke 8:22-25).  He enables us to do the same.  Jesus designed it so that danger would no longer bring fear to us,  but an expectation of divine intervention.   And, when our dangers are past, we give Christ the glory of our deliverance.

     In 1699, Jonathan Swift wrote, "Vision is the art of seeing the invisible."  God has a vision and a dream and a destiny for our lives.  To fulfill the calling He has for us we have to be plugged into Him.  We are to pray and look to the future with much expectancy.  Daily we are given opportunities to walk within the will of God. Paul describes it this way, " For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:10).

     What a comfort it is to know that all things, good and evil, are under Jesus' control and power!  How blessed we are to be under the care and initiative of a loving Father who has good plans and purposes for our lives!  How thankful I am for the peace, assurances, and rest that God provides for us!  He is always good and His goodness toward us is forever unchangeable!



" Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all."
                                                                                                                            ( 1 Chronicles 29:11)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

   
   

   

   

One Thing

" You are not a better person because you are praised; neither are you any worse if somebody denigrates you.  God knows what you are.  People consider actions, but God evaluates intentions."
                                                                             Thomas a Kempis, author, The Imitation of Christ



     God knows every heart, thought, and action of His created.  Most importantly, though, God examines our motives.  In fact, the Bible says that God even weighs our motives to determine if they are adequate or deficient.  The book of Proverbs tells us that, " All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but it is the Lord who weighs the motives."  ( Proverbs 16:2).

     I don't know about you, but this thought can be quite unsettling to me at times.  It would be nice to believe that we always have clean hands and a pure heart, but not quite realistic.  In fact, there is rarely a day that goes by in my life where it is not necessary to make a course correction in my attitude or my motives.  How grateful I am for God's abundant grace!

     Oftentimes, I have good intentions for the day at hand, but I don't always have the determination to see it to fruition.  This is because it is very easy for me to lose focus and not remain single-minded. It seems there are distractions, diversions, and detours at every turn.

     Thankfully, God faithfully provides us with examples of people in the Bible who successfully aligned their priorities with God. There are three that stand out to me who were able to keep the main thing the main thing : David, Mary ( the sister of Martha and Lazarus), and Paul. These three individuals understood the importance of communing with God.

     God refers to David as a man after His own heart.  In the 27th Psalm, David reveals what his top priority is.  He says, " One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His temple."  ( Psalm 27:4).

     Everyday, David took the time to fellowship with God and seek direction from Him.  David realized that the most important part of his life was the part that only God could see.  In spending time with God, David witnessed not only the glory of God's character, but also the richness of His goodness and favor to His people.  Meditating on the wonders of God's grace while he gazed on the beauty of his God, David surrendered his whole heart in complete abandon to his beloved.

     Another person who chose the best of priorities was Mary.  As Jesus and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem, they stopped at Mary and Martha's home ( Luke 10: 38-42).  Martha was frenetically working and worrying over preparing the dinner for them. Mary, on the other hand, sat on the floor absorbing every word Jesus had to say.

     This agitated Martha! When she tried to get Jesus to rebuke Mary for not helping her, Jesus rose to Mary's defense.  He said,  " Martha, dear friend, you are so upset over all these details!  There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it- and I won't take it away from her!"  ( Luke 10:42).

     Mary understood that what she did with Christ was far more important than what she did for Christ.  Defying society's conventions, Mary cared more for the Lord than doing what was culturally appropriate. Mary's priority was Jesus first, followed by her concern for others, leaving herself as the third priority.  As Christ followers, we are ambassadors, neighbors, and worshippers. The greatest of these three is to be a worshipper.

     The apostle Paul is the third example of someone who was closely aligned with God's priorities. Even though he got off to a rocky start,  Jesus told Ananias that Paul was " a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel". ( Acts 9:15). God would then allow Paul to pen fourteen out of twenty-seven books in the New Testament.

     In the third chapter of Philippians, Paul describes himself as an athlete for the sake of the Gospel.  He addresses his spiritual vigor as he presses toward the finish line in the Christian faith.  While he admits he has not attained complete satisfaction in his spiritual journey, he emphasizes his most important accomplishment.

     He says, " One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  ( Philippians 3:13b-14).

     In other words, Paul had decided that he was going to run the race in such a way that he would win.  He chose to respond to the upward, onward call on his life with his whole heart.  His concern was not to compete with other believers, but to continue to grow into the likeness of Christ.  His eyes were on Jesus and he was passionately pursuing becoming like Him.  He was willing to give everything he had in order to accomplish this goal.

     Despite the obstacles Paul had encountered, he was determined to finish strong.  The life he had been given paled in comparison to the goal set before him.  He stated, " Neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (gospel) of God's grace."  (Acts 20:24).

     If you were to evaluate the lives of : David, Mary, and Paul to determine the "one thing" that propelled their lives, I believe it would be their passionate, relentless pursuit of God.  Each one of them loved God with a fiery zeal that fueled their existence.  Their motivation and intention was to give God their whole heart and trust Him to sort out the other details.  As a result, they fulfilled God's purposes for their lives.

     Determining our "one thing" is very crucial to our faith.  It poses the following questions:

       * What is the "one thing" that drives your life?
       * What is the "one thing" you lack to be everything God has called you to be?  ( Mk 10:21)
       * What is the "one thing" you know when it comes to your relationship to Christ?  (Jn 9:25)
       * What is the " one thing" in your life that you love the most?  (Rev 2:4)
       * What is the "one thing" to which you are willing to devote your life with everything that is in you?


     If we want power in our lives, we have to concentrate and focus on the main thing.  If a river is allowed to overflow, it will become a swamp.  But, if that river is dammed up and controlled, it becomes a source of power.  It all comes down to a matter of our values and priorities- that is, living for the "one thing" that matters the most.



When Jesus was asked about the most important thing, He replied, " You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. "  ( Matthew 22:37).


   

 

Trusting God's Timing

                              God not only orders our steps; He orders our stops."
                                                                                                George Muller




     God is the author of each one of our grace stories.  Every detail is completely intentional and purposeful.  When all is said and done, and we have completed our journey on this earth, we will be able to understand every nuance in our lives with certainty and clarity.  We will also be able to know, with assurance, that God's timing in each and every matter was flawless and orchestrated in complete perfection.

     Before we were ever born, God numbered our days and ordered our steps.  He created us in His image and planned every detail of our existence.  There is nothing or no one that could ever thwart God's purposes and plans.  The prophet, Isaiah, tells us, " The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, 'Surely, as I have thought and planned, so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand'...   For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who can annul it?  And His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?"  ( Isaiah 14:24;27).

     In eternity, we will not have a problem understanding God's will, God's ways, and God's timing.
The problem we have sometimes lies in the here and now.  There can, at times, be a disconnect because God tells us, "' For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' says the Lord."  ( Isaiah 55:8).

     There are even times that we can be caught completely off-guard with the things that happen in our lives and in our world.  But, God is never surprised.  Every occurrence that happens to us has first been sifted through the loving hands of God, our Father. From the time of creation until the second coming of Christ, God is scripting the plan that allows both the fullness of righteousness and the fullness of evil to come to fruition. As A.T Pierson used to say, " History is His story."

     As much as I long to completely trust God, I have to admit that sometimes my biggest frustration in my walk with Him is understanding His timing.  While we have seen God answer many prayers in astonishing ways, we still have some items on our prayer list about which we have continued to pray  for years. Even decades.

     Trusting and waiting.  These are two things that do not occur easily for me. They elude me intuitively.  If they are going to be evident in my life, it will require intentionality on my part and empowerment from the Holy Spirit.  Determination is part of this equation for me.  The prophet, Jeremiah, describes such intentionality when he said, " I say to myself, ' The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.'"  ( Lamentations 3:24).

     There is great purpose in the wait.  When the power of the Holy Spirit is unleashed in our seasons of waiting, it will yield a bountiful harvest.  The fruit of this harvest is as follows: renewal, refreshing, revival, and revelation.  We might also see God's mighty hand of deliverance, provision, and protection as He becomes our refuge.  But mostly, we can be assured that God is preparing us for something greater to come.

     All of this requires both patience and perserverance.  In the book of James,  when the author talks about perservering in the midst of trials ( James 1:3-4), he is referring to a military term.  The meaning of his terminology is to stand your ground when you are in a battle and caught in a crossfire.  To achieve this, we are to be patient under fire, carry on the fight, and never give up, quit, or surrender.

     God empowered James to pen these words in the midst of severe persecution and martyrdom in the church.  This occurred during a time when the attacks were relentless and unbearable.  He explained that if we view our trials as an opportunity to "let endurance and stedfastness and patience do a thorough work" then we will " be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete."
( James 1:4).

     James also explained that such perserverance was an opportunity for us to experience the true joy that is found only in God.  This was not joy derived from present circumstances.  This joy would come from looking forward to and living in expectation of the coming of Jesus- our Blessed Hope.

     There are  three examples that James gives to us to outline the secret of patience while we are waiting for the Lord's return ( James 5:7-11).  First, he describes the patience of a farmer who is waiting for his harvest.  Next, he describes how the prophets displayed patience in their suffering.  Finally, he describes Job, who continued to trust God in the midst of sorrow.

     The farmer is a picture for us of someone who waits and watches for the return of Jesus.  Even while he waits for his crops to mature, he is never idle.  In a spiritual sense, he continues to : pray, intercede, witness, study, and give. He understands that God is continually producing a harvest in our lives.  He waits patiently for the latter rain because he knows the harvest will be worth the wait.  Even when he doesn't see fruit instantly from his labor, he accepts the fact that God continues to germinate the seed.

     The prophets provide us with a second visual to understand.  The lives of the prophets teach us that even when we are fully committed to obedience, there will be opposition and obstacles.  In fact, sometimes persecution is a direct result of our obedience.  Every one of the disciples also suffered for speaking the truth, but their suffering only made them stronger, not weaker.  They suffered so that God's power would be manifested in them. This power is what turned the world upside down for the sake of the Gospel.

     Job is the last example James gives to us.  Job is a person who shows us that we can remain faithful to God in the midst of suffering and sorrow.  Everything in Job's life turned against him- his circumstances, his wife, and his friends.  ( At times, he even thought that God had turned against him, too.)  He lost everything and went through excruciating pain (physically, emotionally, and spiritually).  Behind the scenes, God was weaving a tapestry for Job's good.  After God humbled Job, He honored his faithfulness and his suffering and gave him double for everything he lost.

     The choices we make in solitude while we wait on God are the most important ones.  When we completely trust God, we will endure and triumph victoriously.  What we become in our private battles is what we will become in our public battles.  D.L. Moody explains, " Character is formed in the dark."

     God's purposes are greater than we can even imagine.  When we trust in Him and in His timing, He will lift us up.  And, when He gives us victory and success, we are to respond in humility, gratitude, and wisdom.  Ironically, it is victory that will often reveal either the dross or the gold in our lives.

     The battle is the Lord's.  The victory is the Lord's.  And, the glory is the Lord's.  All things are only by the grace of God and for the glory of God.  James assures us that God's plans will always end in good, " for He is full of tenderness and mercy"  ( James 5:11).  Trust not only in God's plans, but trust also in His timing!


" If the Lord Jehovah makes us wait, let us do so with our whole hearts; for blessed are all they that wait for Him.  He is worth waiting for.  The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, excercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes.  The Lord's people have always been a waiting people."
                                                                                                                         Charles Spurgeon