God of My Proclamation

“Jesus said, ‘Did I not say that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40 [NASB])

We say we believe in Jesus and have faith that God will take care of us. We spend times in quiet on the mountain communing with and listening to God. Then, the day arrives when we must go back down to the valley, the world in which we live, and do just that, live our earthly life. Oh, it would be phenomenal to live on the mountain with God all our earthly days, but what good would that do? What glory would that bring to God? Our praise of God would be the only voice heard by Him if we did not leave the mountain.

When we return to the valley and proclaim the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Savior who died to save us from sin, then others can hear and will come to know Him as their own Savior. More voices will be raise praise to God and glorify Him. Our mountaintop experiences are wonderful and sought. We should spend time with God there to rejuvenate our spirits and body and reconnect on a deeper level with the Lord. That doesn’t mean we can only spend time with God on the mountain.

Still, while in the valley proclaiming the Lord, answering people’s questions about Him and His salvation, we will also experience difficulties-trials, persecutions, and hatred. Will our time on the mountain sustain us through these difficulties? Will the growth we had while on the mountain keep us trusting God? Or, will the faith we proclaim not remain strong and our testimony of His faithfulness, love, and mercy falter as we wade and gasp in the raging waters of the storm?

What we learn with God on the mountain will be made stronger through the fires of trials. Or it could if we maintain our trust in Him.

Our situations are not beyond God’s ability to handle. God’s abilities are beyond our understanding.

Situations do not define God. God defines situations. 

He is all-powerful.

Don’t let your limited perspective keep you from trusting in the limitless strength and power of faithful God.

Had it not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say,

‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us,

then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

then the waters would have engulfed us, the stream would have swept over our soul;

then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.’

Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.

Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper;

the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124 [NASB])

Lord, I love spending time with You. I don’t want to leave, but eventually You push me like a chick from a nest to return to the world and work. Fires and storms arise while I am in the valley and at times seem to overwhelm me. I feel like I am barely standing against the onslaught. Lord, help me remember You are my refuge and strength. Just because I am not on the mountaintop with You does not mean You aren’t in the valley with me. Help me seek You. Use me to proclaim Your greatness and fame so others will come to know You. Keep me strong for Your glory so others can see You and will seek to follow You, too. Keep my mind from small things and instead stay focused on You, great God of unfathomable power, love, and grace. You will never let me fall. I can rest in You. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Glory and Grace

“Father, glorify Your name,” some heard Him say.

A cry from His heart, the Father’s greatness proclaimed.

Sound like thunder; an angel speaking;

Lack of understanding; lack of believing.

A week before His sacrifice, the Savior’s purpose drew near;

His mind in anguish, in His heart, the people He held dear.

For these He gave up His claim of royalty and fame;

For these He took the name Savior for their sin He came.

Not His hour when as man He would want to dash away,

But in the Father’s hour, as the Son, His love to proclaim.

Soul troubled, Father’s glory, Jesus gave His everything

So each person who believed, His love each would receive.

Love more than mere sentiment, more than coins, He gave;

Love most expensive that required a heaven-sent only God could pay.

A love undeserved no mere mortal could ever repay;

Love from God stamped on each believer, “Balance zero, debt is paid.”

Reluctantly we question whether to “give up” our plans

To accept this deep love, this grace, with Him take a stand.

For this purpose, He said, He came to that hour;

For this purpose, we each must choose Him or to cower.

Life in our own strength with our own design and purposes

Can lead us through darkness, sin-stain, roads never certain.

With fear, trepidation, anxiety, and pain

We walk life alone instead of calling His name.

Our pride, our sin, our pushing and shoving Him away

Causes us to falter, to fall, to question the way.

Yet, life full and certain, darkness chased away

Comes with humility, repentance, accepting His pain.

His pain chosen freely because of the Father’s love;

His love given freely, He came down from above.

A love so extreme, for each person so certain

Because He’s Creator, Savior, the breaker of sin’s curse.

How can we fathom a love so great and free

When we never knew, never gave, could not conceive?

It’s more than a statement, more than a lavish, extreme gift.

It came through a Life’s blood, puncture, and anguish.

What greater love can we deem of such great a depth,

Than what Jesus said, a life for a life, a breath for breath?

Still our life for another’s isn’t enough to redeem;

Only Jesus’ life offered can a person make clean.

Cleaned from the stain of a person’s wrong choices.

Washed from the darkness of guilt that haunts us.

Better breathing anew with light for the dark way;

Jesus’ death gives new life, guidance, protection each day.

A death of one sin-free, no need to endure pain,

Yet, He chose because of love to provide a way

For people travel-weary, guilt-laden, sin-stained,

To live with God, be released, proclaim His great name.

This kind of love, once-given, no remittance required

Comes from depth of heart only God can provide.

We receive what’s undeserved, unable to remit;

We give what we have, a grateful heart, love, and obedience.

This depth of love is grace, undeserved and free

For the sin-stained person who turns, repents, and believes.

Jesus, the Son of God, come down because of love

Saves from sin, redeems from death, renews us within.

Grace so much greater than all our sin,

Once given, never rescinded, gives new heart within.

Love only God could provide in such unfathomable depth.

Jesus, His purpose, to that hour, God He glorified to His last breath.

Though unable to offer love at the depth of His grace,

We show our love, His love, with our obedience.

Whether lifted up or cast down by troubles and trials,

As Jesus’ followers, our voices lifted, God glorified.

Oft considered foolish and weak by people refusing to believe,

God’s people, Jesus’ followers, allow His wisdom to be seen.

What’s folly to one man, for others is wise.

What’s weakness in stance is God’s greatness in other’s eyes.

God’s grace given, His love perfect and free

Came through the Son’s death upon crossed-tree.

A love shown with His life at greatest of price,

Requires nothing of us but faith, confession; our heart and life.

He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken.

And it will be said in that day,

‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’  Isaiah 25:8-9 [NASB])

 

(For more, read John 12:27-50, John 15:13, & 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

Peace, I Give

Things which eye has not seen

And ear has not heard,
            And which have not entered the heart of man,
             ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit;

for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?

Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 

Now we (Christians) have received,

not the spirit of the world,

but the Spirit who is from God,

so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 

which things we also speak,

not in words taught by human wisdom,

but in those taught by the Spirit,

combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,

for they are foolishness to him;

and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 

But he who is spiritual appraises all things,

yet he himself is appraised by no one. 

For who has known the mind of the LORD, that he will instruct Him?

But we have the mind of Christ.

                                                            1 Corinthians 2:9-16 [NASB]

Why do Christians have the mind of Christ?

When we became followers of Jesus, His Holy Spirit came to live in us. In John 14:18-30, Jesus said He did not leave His disciples as orphans. Even though they (and we) will not see Him on earth again until His return, He will live in us through His Spirit and we will live eternally with Him. We have the mind of Christ because Jesus loves us and we love Him, just as He and the Father love and abide with each other. For this reason, followers of Jesus can always have peace, His peace, not the worlds, since the Spirit lives in them. Christians do not have to fear. Jesus is always with us through His Spirit and so we can have His perfect peace, a heart peace which nothing can alter or destroy.

How does this mind of Christ, which Jesus gave, help us?

In Matthew 10:24-25, Jesus reminded His disciples a student is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master. If a person would deign to malign a leader, that person would have no problem maligning the student or servant either. We are no greater and should expect nothing less than what our Master and Teacher experienced. Yet, we need not fear what may happen. Why? We don’t need to fear because we have the mind of Christ, the Holy Spirit, within us and can live with true peace recognizing that though our bodies and spirits may be tormented in one or many ways, nothing can take our salvation and hope from us. We each are more valuable than sparrows. So, be brave and courageous, and continue to confess, teach, and preach about Jesus to the world. (Matthew 10:26-32)

Peace Jesus gives to each of us who believe in Him as Lord and Savior.

Peace we can have as we live each day of our lives whether in joy or trial.

Peace we must choose to hold on to when storms batter and fray.

Peace is what Jesus gives.

His love gives peace.

When the din of the world assaults our ears, we can go to our quiet place within ourselves and hear Jesus’ voice anew,

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27 [NASB])

We have the mind of Christ because Jesus loves us, and we love Him.

God's Fame or My Name

The Pharisee and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4 [NASB])

Consider a boat. What makes it seaworthy? Does the name of the company that owns it give us confidence in the boat or its actual construction? We must consider that with our lives and people who teach us in our world.

The main question that arises from this passage is for what kind of sign are we looking? Do we want a sign so we can tell others the meaning and gain recognition and followers? Or, do we seek a sign so we can praise God and lead others to Him? Jesus raised this question in Matthew 16:1-4.

In this passage, we need to consider two things, the people of the story and the signs of which each speaks. The people include the odd joining of Pharisees and Sadducees to remove Jesus’ power over the people, and then Jesus Himself. The signs in this passage speak of how this group of men sought to trick Jesus and what they themselves did not understand of Jesus’ purpose on earth.

The Pharisees were the Law givers and upholders of the Jewish Law. They believed God provided the Jews with the written Law and the oral Law. The Pharisees were known for their personal piety and their teaching Jews should obey all 600+ laws in the Torah. They were a minority in the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council) yet they seemed to control the decision-making because they had popular support among the people. Because the Pharisees considered the oral tradition as equal to the written tradition, it evolved over the centuries as they added to God’s Word, which He forbade in Deuteronomy 4:2. In Matthew 9:14, 15:1-9, 23:5, 16, & 23, and Luke 11:42, the Gospels give examples of the Pharisees considering their traditions as equal to God’s Word. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and an afterlife. They believed in the Messiah setting up His kingdom on earth. Because Jesus came to earth not to set up the earthly kingdom with power and might that would overthrow their current rulers, the Romans, and because His teachings were contrary to theirs, the Pharisees feared Jesus decreased their power and leadership among the Jews, and so wanted Him gone.

The Sadducees were a part of the Jewish leaders and of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin. They were the aristocrats of the Jews and known for corrupting their religious devotion. The Sadducees controlled the Jerusalem Temple, known as Herod’s Temple. They only accepted the written word of Moses. The Sadducees rejected the oral tradition as being equal to the written word. They rejected the supernatural, including angels, demons, heaven, hell, and bodily resurrection. The Sadducees believed the soul died with the body. They held strongly in ritual purity as prescribed by God through Moses. Because the Sadducees didn’t believe in a heaven, hell, or bodily resurrection, they had no need for a Messiah as spoken of in the works outside the written tradition and as Jesus preached.

With this understanding of the actors in these four verses, let’s consider closer what these men said. The group of men confronting Jesus asked for a sign from heaven. Jesus challenged them on that and spoke of the sign of Jonah. Were these men speaking of the same thing? The answer comes from the ultimate motive of the questions. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus. Were they testing Him to determine if He was blaspheming? Jesus will show us the truth of that in verses two and three.

First, consider what the Pharisees and Sadducees asked. They asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven. This word for sign comes from the same Greek word for sign as Jesus spoke of in verses three and four, semeion, which typically means a miraculous sign to confirm or authenticate something. The motive of these religious leaders was overtly to prove Jesus was a blasphemer, but by doing that, it would prove their authority as the religious leaders of the Jews. The covert reason, Jesus would bring to light with His statement.

What was the real reason for the religious leaders asking for a sign from Jesus? In verses two and three, Jesus asked them, while the surrounding crowd listened, if they knew how to read the sign in the sky telling people when it would rain or be a fair-weather day, how did they not know how to discern the sign of the times? Jesus basically said these leaders of the Jews could read the physical signs of earth, but even as spiritual leaders, they were unable to discern the spiritual sign of the times. This statement by Jesus proved the sign for which the Pharisees and Sadducees asked of Jesus was a way people used to prove the cause they pleaded was God’s when actually they did not do that. The religious leaders asked the question to put them in an exalted place where people would continue to look at them as their leaders for disclosing Jesus as a non-Messiah and a blasphemer.

Jesus’ statement continued in verse four. He not only showed the Jewish leaders’ covert question, but He labeled them for the people who could not see what they did. He said in verse four, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” First Jesus revealed the leaders’ covert motive for the question, to raise themselves in the eyes of the Jews as spiritual leaders, and then overtly called them evil and adulterous. These Pharisees and Sadducees were evil and adulterous and leading the Jews to be the same. Jesus made the Pharisees and Sadducees a lesson for the crowds that followed Him and heard about His teachings and signs.

A lesson comes in this sign of Jonah of which Jesus spoke. The only sign the evil and adulterous would get would be what happened to Jonah. What happened to Jonah? Jesus explains this sign in Matthew 12:39-41. He said,

But He (Jesus) answered them (Pharisees and scribes) and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it because they )the Ninevites) repented at the preaching of Jonah; and something greater than Jonah is here.” [NASB]

The sign of Jonah, Jesus said, was his coming back to life three days after being taken into the deep. Jesus, like Jonah, would be dead for three days and then come back to life. He would be bodily resurrected. Jonah was a sign for the Ninevites sent by God and they repented, though later reverted to a wicked life. Jesus challenged the Jewish religious leaders. He asked how they could be spiritual leaders of God’s people when they could not read the spiritual signs of the time. They we so afraid of losing their fame and followers that they did not see the sign of God in front of them and lead the people to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. The Ninevites who repented would judge the Jews, who though they had the Messiah in front of them did not believe.

The sign of which Jesus spoke was a sign given to confirm His authority to preach, teach, heal, cleanse, and forgive. Its end purpose was to exalt the One giving the sign, God the Father. It authenticated Jesus and His eternal purpose by doing what man could not replicate or that for which man could not take credit. The Jewish leaders asked for a sign to authenticate Jesus as a blasphemer, not to exalt God but themselves so the Jews would continue to follow them. These leaders asked for signs to tell others about their abilities and greatness instead of seeing God and praising Him.

We have that choice to make every day, too. It comes down to what makes our boat seaworthy, the name on it or its Workmanship?

Will we ask so we can tell or see so we can praise?

Not all asking brings seeing God, but all seeing of God comes from asking of Him.

Likewise,

Not all telling brings praising of God, but all praise of God brings telling about Him.

Lord, so often I ask for You to show me Yourself, but then I don’t proclaim Who You are or what You’ve done. Please forgive me. Sometimes, if I am completely honest, I even claim a new insight learned, but don’t give you credit. Forgive me, LORD. I am not so smart to tell of You from my earthly insight. Help me always to see You to proclaim You. Help me realize I am but a created being who always needs to You to keep from sinning. I am weak and You are strong. If it were not so, I would not be saved now and able to proclaim Your goodness, mercy, grace, and love. You, oh Lord, are almighty and I am not. Thank you for Your love of me from the beginning of time. Thank you for Your plan to save me and for saving me from myself, my sins, and my due judgment. Lord, all I can do when faced with Yourself is prostrate myself on my face and praise You. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Drops

On that dark and gray-clouded day

“What happened, what occurred?” the people asked.

            The stranger in the crowd, “Who is that man?”

            The follower on the rock, “My teacher. What wrong has He done?”

            The mother gasping in heart-pain, “My son. What did He do?”

            The solder standing at cross-beamed timbers, “Surely, He’s who He said.”

Then a lone woman fell on her knees at the base of Life, looking up in wonder at the greatest miracle ever heard, ever seen     

            as anguish crossed his face

            as His eyes looked upward

            as His words rang out true.

And as His blood drops fell before my bent knees, “I knew I was unworthy to be in His sight.

            then anguish crossed my face as I considered my sin-stain unworthiness

            then my eyes looked upward, and I knew love

            then my tears fell before His feet.

Unworthy though they be,

            my tears dropped one, then two, three and four.

            first around His blood drops,

            then increasingly more

            as my heart broke at my sin

            as I looked on His glory

                        drops of pain, aware of my sin

                        drops of gratitude, aware of His love

                        drops of thanks, aware of my redemption

                        drops of love, recognizing this Man as my Savior divine

                        drops of Joy, aware of my new story to tell.

Sin-stain. Love-gained. Redemption made Free.

Risen from the grave

Risen from my knees

His story because of my story.

I must tell

            of a woman on her knees weeping into blood drops

            of so great a love given my heart and soul made clean

            of His great love shared for the world to return

Redemption provided

Blood-death given

So all could be cleaned

                           forgiven

                           redeemed

                           made new

To live now and eternally with the God who never gave up on me.

Blood drops. Tear drops now mingled.

The lone woman now redeemed.

Restoration

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” [NASB]

When we think of the word restoration, we think of an old house being renovated to look as good as it did when it was first built. Restoration does the same thing for people, too. It’s a sweeping of cobwebs (old sins and baggage) out of the corners of our lives and hearts and making way for the glory of the Lord to inhabit us and make us new.

Before getting to the point of being restored, we must recognize we do wrong things. We sin against ourselves, other people, and God. When we repent and return to God, we renew a right relationship with Him.

Still, sometimes we feel weighed down by grief, by regret, by sadness, and by embarrassment. These feelings can teach us and strengthen us against temptation. They can humble us to realize we are no better than any other person. But, when we continue to live through these feelings, we should wonder have we accepted God's forgiveness, or have we allowed Satan to continue to torment us because of that sin?

Jesus' sacrifice was perfect and continues to be perfect for cleansing from sin, unlike the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. His one-time sacrifice cleansed us from all our sins for all time. Jesus’ sacrifice cleansed us not just from the stain of sin, but the weight of sins, too. The blood of animals cannot remove the weight of sin; why else did Old Testament people continually offer animal sacrifices morning and night? Consider what the writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 9:13-14.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? [NASB]

Once we accept Jesus' redeeming sacrifice for our sins, the sacrifice that saves us from the judgment that would condemn us because of our sins, we are not just clean from the stain of sin; God cleanses our conscience, too. That means the guilt of those sins does not weigh us down. Then, like David, we can have restored joy because of God’s salvation (Psalm 51:12). 

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” [NASB]
 

We are like the old house being made like new. Its restoration brings joy and excitement to the people who own the house and brings wonder to the people who watch the process. Our being made clean and new, our restoration, by God will fill us with joy, wonder, and excitement because of the salvation we have received. We need only accept within our heart, mind, and spirit God’s forgiveness of our sins to experience complete joy. We can have this assurance of God’s favor that will bring us joy by letting go of the guilt and accepting that God has forgiven us. 

Don't let Satan continue to taunt you with your faults and sins.

Acknowledge God's forgiveness.

Experience again the joy of His salvation.

Lord, I sin. I will be completely upfront about it. Sometimes I still feel guilty and I live my life in a dark haze. I just don’t seem to be able to shake the shame and guilt I feel because of my sins. Lord, help me repent of my sins and receive Your forgiveness. Restore in me the joy of Your salvation. Help me live as Your redeemed child so that others will notice what You have done in me and will ask why I am so joyful. Use me for Your glory and Your purpose, Lord. You are great and merciful. You alone are worthy of all praise and honor. Thank you for Your forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Amen.

Unquenchable

                      “Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19 [NASB]

Throughout the Bible we read descriptors of God. Some passages speak of His omniscience. No one is more knowledgeable and can know all things happening at one time. God is omnipotent. No one and nothing can defeat Him. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at one time. God is indescribable. No one word or many words can thoroughly describe God. God is uncontainable. Nothing can hold Him down or defeat Him. God is unquenchable. Nothing and no one can crush or suppress Him.

When reading 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22, Paul imperatively taught the Thessalonians what to do or not do. Upon reading this list, you might think, “I can do this.” But when you stop to consider it closer, you realize two things: the list is long, and you are only human and won’t always do good. Paul, however, did not say or expect any person to do good from his or her own moral strength. Among the tasks in this list, he told the believers in Thessalonica how they were to do good, or rather, in whose strength they could live unquenchably.  Paul recognized people are incapable of doing good on their own. He knew and taught the believers of Thessalonica that doing good all the time is impossible in a person’s own moral strength, but is choose-able and made possible through the Spirit’s insuppressible strength.

In the verses of this passage, as Paul neared the end of his letter to the church at Thessalonica, he taught how believers are to live. He gave a list of how to interact with people. Next, Paul gave a list of how to relate to and respond to God. He concluded this list with a general teaching that summed up each of these commands.

In the list of how to interact with people in verses twelve through fifteen, Paul told the believers to appreciate and esteem with great love God’s workers who have charge over them. Live peacefully with each other. Admonish the unruly. Encourage the fainthearted. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. Don’t repay evil for evil, but always seek good for one another and all people. Verse fifteen’s command sums up the first seven commands.

In the next section of Paul’s imperative commands, given in verses sixteen through twenty-two, he told them how to relate to God. He said rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything. Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophetic utterances. Though these five commands specifically pertain to a person’s relationship to God, the first seven commands from verses twelve through fifteen reflect a person’s relationship with God, too. A person cannot be related rightly to people all the time until he or she is related rightly to God all the time. It’s impossible within a person’s own moral strength to do these things. Only with God’s strength can a person be good all the time.

Because of the impossibility of a person relating rightly to people one hundred percent of the time, Paul made sure the people understood how they could “seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.” (vs. 15) His command of verse nineteen tells us how. Paul said, “Do not quench the Spirit.” This statement does not mean we can defeat and destroy the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is part of the triune Godhead and is omnipotent, remember. This statement also does not mean we can make Him smaller in stature or power. What Paul meant with this command is do not hear and disobey the Spirit as He seeks to lead you and keep you safe and helps you walk God’s “straight paths.” Don’t keep neglecting the relationship you have with God by ignoring His guidance and teaching. By doing these things, you quench the Spirit in your life. He will still exist and be near you, but you will have hardened your heart and won’t hear Him as He speaks in whispers to your spirit. Until you call upon God again, and seek Him with your whole being, the Spirit’s guidance in your life will be unheard by you. The Bible speaks of this in 2 Chronicles 6:37 and 7:14 and in James 4:10 and other passages.

If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 [NASB])

Each Christian must choose for him or herself to listen to and obey God through His Holy Spirit. Paul taught how we can make sure we stay tuned to the Holy Spirit in our lives with verses sixteen through twenty-two. He told them to rejoice at all times, pray without ceasing, give thanks in every circumstance, treat prophecies with regard, hold fast to what is good, and abstain from every kind of evil. Having this mind, this determination, we choose God over all else. This means we make sure He sits as our primary guide - the enthroned King of our life - and our reason for living. Hold fast to what is good. Only One person is good, God from whose character  the word good receives its definition. Abstain from all evil. Evil is the opposite of God.

To live as a Christian requires an active choice every day not to quench the Spirit. Though He is indestructible by nature, we can choose to snuff Him out of our lives. When we do that, we don’t hold fast to what is good. God leaves this choice to every person every moment of every day.

Will you quench the unquenchable Spirit in your life?

Doing so doesn’t make Him smaller than you. It makes you vulnerable to evil. You are unable to withstand evil in your strength. Only by humbling yourself and choosing the Spirit to be active in your life can you do good all the time.

Lord God, I am so weak and fallible. Sometimes I demand to do what I want and close the door to You guiding me. I act like a two-yea- old when I am not and should know better by now. Lord, please forgive me for my stubbornness. Forgive me for ignoring and abandoning You. My refusal to listen to You does not change who You are, but it changes who I am. It removes the shine of Your glory from me and makes it unbearably possible for me to do evil. When I choose to refuse You, I am choosing evil, not good. Lord, shake me when I choose to go my own way and refuse to follow You. Get my attention until I must listen to You. Forgive me my stubbornness and willfulness. Forgive me my sins. Remind me of Your great love for me and extend Your mercy and grace to me again. Make me strong to stand against the temptation to do what I want. Instead, make my heart’s desire be to do Your will so I live to bring You glory by doing good and not evil. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Faith-Grown

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 [NASB]

After you have lived a while, you realize our greatest opportunities of growth and learning come through our experiences. If we read and learn, the lesson becomes head knowledge. Only when head knowledge is tested, can it become life knowledge and grow and strengthen us.

James expressed this same thing in James 1:2-3 when he said, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” [NASB] Paul taught similarly in Romans 5:3-5 when he said,

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [NASB]

These disciples of Jesus taught going through hard times produces growth, or rather, it can, depending on how we respond and react to the difficulties.

Jesus taught much about growing in a relationship with God and told His followers how they can endure hardships. In John 16:33, He spent some time walking with and teaching His disciples before Judas betrayed Him. He told them, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Jesus’ primary teaching about living through difficulties was to ask the Father for anything in His name (vs 23). Jesus’ followers can have peace, God’s heart peace, while facing difficulties because God will be with them and will help them. God doesn’t leave a person when times get tough. He stays with them, gives them the strength to get through trials, and grows the person to be a stronger believer in Jesus Christ. As a person takes each small step toward growing more Christlike, that person’s belief in God and His desire and ability to strengthen him or her in and through the trial grows. That person becomes stronger.

Consider Matthew 19:16-26 when the rich young ruler asked Jesus a question. This rich young man asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (vs. 16) Jesus answered him by saying, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (vs. 17) The man’s reply to Jesus was he had kept all the commandments. Then he asked, “What am I still lacking?” (vs. 20b) This rich young man thought doing good would give him eternal life. Jesus told him only One is good. He told the young man, if he wanted to be complete (fully grown as can only happen by God), not just good, then he must not rely on what he can do such as making money and buying himself things. The completeness of which Jesus spoke can come only by God when He makes a person fully grown through stages. These stages of gradual strengthening take a person to the end goal of being completely Christlike. This strengthening comes through trials and difficulties, daily Bible reading and study, and prayer and communion with God. The rich young man chose not to go through this trial. He kept the commandments instead of giving himself to God. We can note this from his reply to Jesus. Recall what Jesus told this rich young man after he said he kept the commandments. Jesus said, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me.” (vs. 21) He, in essence, said stop relying on your own strength and plans, and rely on God instead. Give yourself to God totally and trust in Him. This rich young ruler heard Jesus’ statement, but went away grieving because he owned a lot of property. He didn’t want to give it up. This rich young ruler chose to rely on himself rather than follow God and trust Him for all his needs.

This moment in time was the rich young ruler’s chance to grow in his relationship with God. He could have gone from knowing about sins and Yahweh God to knowing God and being in a redeemed relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. This young man did not trust God to provide all things for him and so he did not grow in his faith. He wanted to be a follower of Jesus, but he didn’t rely on God’s strength and provision or his own learned understanding of I AM, the eternal One. At that moment in time, the rich young ruler could have come to know God personally through His Son, Jesus. He chose possessions over a relationship with God.

We each come to these places in our lives. Will we trust the God who created us and all things to take care of our needs? Will we trust Him enough to give us the strength to endure when we obey Him to go where He tells us to or do what He tells us to do? Will we believe what Jesus told Paul? In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul wrote saying, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Jesus gave the rich young ruler the opportunity to grow in his understanding of God and his relationship to Him. He encouraged him to step out in faith in God. Jesus gives each of us the opportunity to grow in our understanding and faith in God and to become more like Him. Each day we learn something and have the chance to trust God more, and to gain strength, endurance, and peace. Only you recognize what God is trying to teach you now. You understand of what God asks from you to learn that lesson fully and become even more like Christ.

Will you let go of your own understanding and grow in God?

Will you be home-grown or faith-grown?

Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:28-29 [NASB])

Lord, You have been patient with me. I don’t understand how you have that much patience waiting on me to trust you, but You do. You love me more than I realized. You are loving and gracious and keep calling me to follow You. Please forgive my doubts and lack of faith. Forgive my weaknesses and fears. Help me see and hear You only. Help me step out of my self-made boat and walk on the storm-tossed sea with You. Only by walking with You will I grow stronger. Lord, I want to be made complete and to have Your peace. I don’t want to be home-grown anymore. I want to be faith-grown by You. Please be patient with me. I love You.