We like to blame everything on everyone else...I mean ever since the beginning of time that has been the pattern; look back to Genesis 3 and notice how it was Adam who blamed Eve who blamed Satan. Even as Christians we like to minimize our sinfulness and magnify our godliness and somehow seem to think that there is "good" within us. What is so often the case among Christians today is to think that when we are tempted to sin or when we sin it is because some outside influence, or most commonly some scheme of the devil has "made us sin"...I once heard someone say when asked why they stole something, "the devil made me do it". Now, although this can be the case in many circumstances, this is only coupled with the fact that our hearts are where it starts, and that even as Christians they are wicked and deceitful, or as our high school pastor likes to say, "cesspools of wickedness" (Jeremiah 17:9).
I have been wrestling with why we, myself included, as chosen kids choose to sin! I mean I know that we are imperfect until the day of redemption but I guess my Spirit within me just doesn't get it. In Jerry Bridge's book he talks about how a Christian willingly sins because they are no longer in bondage but have been freed. Paul talks in Romans about how he does the very things he hates and doesn't do the things he knows he should do. So why, in light of the cross, in light of the insurmountable amounts of blessings we have, in light of who God is do we slip up all the time, but more importantly why do we CHOOSE to disobey?
I believe James 1:13-15 gives us good insight into this very idea, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. " So what do we see here? I think it is quite obvious from the passage that each one of us has certain "lusts" or evil desires in our hearts. With enticement these lusts stimulate our drive to sin. You can see that temptation in and of itself is not sin, it is when that temptation turns into a desire that sin is birthed. That means that there is a way to stop at the temptation and choose NOT to sin! And lets just get one thing down, nobody is ever going to understand their heart entirely. Jeremiah 17:9 says that only God can know the heart fully because of how wicked and evil it truly is. But that does not mean that we just give up and give into sin then. In fact, that should be a motivator for us to beg the Lord to reveal to us the wickedness within and purge it from our very being.
Nobody has ever had to teach any child to love themselves, it just comes natural. People, whether boastful or full of self pity are all full of pride and love themselves far too much. Because of that love for oneself we tend to overlook the wickedness within our own hearts and we fool ourselves into thinking we Christians really aren't that bad. We even sometimes start to compare ourselves to so-and -so at church or those pagans down the street. Elyse Fitzpatrick once said, "Sin speaks to us in our hearts telling us that the wrongs that we are planning is right". That is a scary thought, how self-deceived we truly are! Now coupled with the fact that we are self-deceived is the fact that in our areas of weakensses, in those areas of temptation the enemy will prey and look to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." He is looking to ally with the wickedness of our own hearts and seek to cause us to fall.
So just because we can never know the fullness of our deceived heart doesn't mean that we shouldn't strive with all our might to purge ourselves from the uncleanliness of it. In fact God's holiness and our love for Him shoudl be a motivator for us to beg the Lord to reveal to us the wickedness within and purge it from our very being. But how am I supposed to do this you might ask? Well here are three simple and practical ways that have helped me and that may enable each of us to better pursue holiness as we seek to understand our own sinfulness.
1. Be In The Word
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12
Only as we are in the Word will we be able to understand our hearts and more accurately be able to judge our thoughts and intentions. It is only here in the Bible that we can gain the wisdom we so desparately need. Paul himself in Romans 7:7 said that it was not until he was in the Word that he realized His covetous behavior was sinful. How are we to know what is right and wrong if we don't look to the one who commands it all? We must be saturating ourselves in the Word.
2. Pray, Pray and Pray Some More
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." -Matthew 26:41
We must humbly realize our dependence upon the Lord and ask God to teach us where our strong desires are (aka the ones that lead us into sin). We also want to pray that God would enable us to be alert so that when the time comes and our flesh is enticed we will resist that tempation.
3. Rely on the Spirit's Power
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." -John 14:26
Only the Holy Spirit can help you resist tempation. He is the most effective agent for change, it is by His power that we were made new in Christ and went from death to life. He is the one who convicts and convinces ous of sin and it is by His power that we are able to overcome sin in our lives. "You can be confident that as His Spirit trains you in truth you will grow in your ability to discern good and evil" (Elyse Fitzpatrick). Romans 8:13 tells us that by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body. And only He can bring about real and lasting change.
So our hearts are wicked and deceitful and really impossible to understand. We constantly deceive ourselves and yet we somehow think that there is good within...how discouraging can this get?! BUT GOD in His grace and mercy has redeemed us from the bondage of sin my brothers and sisters!!! He has freed us from the power of that bondage and has given us His Word to guide us, the ability to ask Him for the help we need and the Spirit's power to say NO to sin and willingly choose to obey our Father in heaven! How great the blessing it is to be a child of the most Holy One. May our hearts break for the very things that break His and may we truly desire to understand the heart that we have been given and by His grace choose to say no to the sin that so easily entangles it (our heart that is)!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
God's Stepping Stones
"Trusting God does not mean believing that He will do all that you want, but rather believing that He will do everything He knows is good." -Ken Sande
"An evidence that our will has been broken is that we begin to thank God for that which once seemed so bitter, knowing that His will is good and that, in His time and in His way, He is able to make the most bitter waters sweet." -Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Over the past seven months God has done a lot of refining in my life; refining both that has been painful yet pleasurable and in the midst of it I have learned more and more personally the struggle of trust and patience. I know that I have spoken often about these two topics as they are continual battles in my own walk with the Lord; yet I have been so encouraged by the past few months and how God has radically, and I mean RADICALLY refined me in these areas.
Looking back just two years ago I was the typical type-A personality figure, the person who looked like she had it all together, and thought she did too. I was strong willed, and although a child of God, pretty driven as to what "I" wanted in my life. Although God had broken me of many things up to that point, I still seemed to think I had some amount of control over my dealings despite my belief in a sovereign God. I guess I just couldn't wrap myself around the idea of sovereignty, and that to this day I still don't understand fully. I remember expecting so many things to go certain ways and as God began taking "my" dreams and "my" desires away, He began refining me in ways I never imagined. My passions and desires began to change in varying degrees and the idols of my heart began to be knocked down. I realized that the brokenness of a contrite spirit was precious in His sight. I saw how in my moments of weakness and utter dependence, or I should say reminded of my utter dependence, is when I saw the power and majesty of our good God. He began a process of refashioning me that is still taking place up to this point, and I am sure will continue on until the day I meet Him face to face. Looking back I can see His hand moving yet in the moment I saw nothing but the step right in front of me, the obedience that was being commanded and the hope and belief that He was sovereign, although God knows there were times I didn't know how it would really work out for my good. Yet He did, He was always faithful. Jerry Bridges once said, "[God] is at work in all the circumstances of your life to bring out the good for you, even if you had never heard of Romans 8:28. His work is not dependent upon your faith. But the comfort and joy that statement is intended to give you is dependent upon your believing it, upon your trusting in Him who is at work, even though you cannot see the outcome of that work." How true this became in my own life!
Jeremiah 29:11-14a
"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, ;plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord."
All throughout Scripture we read the promises of God. Many of us have seen this specific verse on cards, calendars and graduation announcements and chances are that many of us have even used it to encourage others or even ourselves; it is the promise found in Jeremiah 29 that brings both hope and assurance that the God we love and trust is working all things together in His providential faithfulness. We may even liken the promise found here to that of Romans 8:28-29 as we are reminded that God is working everything for the good of those who love Him. I personally have always been extremely encouraged by this passag in the Old Testament and have always reminded mysef of His faithfulness through passages like this.
So that brings me to today, to Jeremiah 29 and to the promise I want to encourage you with and the lesson God has so graciously taught me that I hope you too will be privleged to learn...taking it once step at a time and trusting God to lead! What I mean is that, God leads only one step at a time and asks us to trust Him. I am reminded of the stepping stones I used to have on the side of my house when I was little, you jump from step to step hoping that there will be enough, in fact expecting that there will be enough to lead you through the mud and back onto solid ground, but you don't see where its leading, you know the final result but you don't know what will come up along the way on that path of stepping stones. Same thing goes with God, we don't see where He is leading us specifically, we know that in the end we will end up in heaven with Him but we don't know where our lives here on this earth will end up. I don't know where I am going to be in two years from now just like two years ago I didn't know where I would be today but I know the promise of Jeremiah 29, and although this may not be specifically for us as it was written to the captives, it is a promise that is true of the character of our God for ALL of His kids.
It is really exciting when God sanctifies you to a point of actually REALIZING that you are completely dependent upon the Lord. Now obviously we are all dependent on Him, whether you realize it or admit it or not. Obviously God is sovereign and in control of all things, again whether you realize it or not. But there is a sweet sweet peace and fellowship with the Lord that comes when one of His kids comes to the realization and understanding of this Truth, when God sanctifies you to a place of truly being eager to take each step not knowing where the stepping stones may lead. It is exciting to be taught of the Truth of this and actually desire it! I can honestly say I am at a place where I desire to be leading a God that I can trust but don't know where I am going, I honestly can say that I like being in the place of the "unknown" so to speak; it is leaving me more and more in awe of my Father in heaven and making me long for Him more and more day by day.
So whether you are in rain or sunshine, whether you see the two steps in front of you or you can only make out the edge of the one right ahead, I urge you to Trust Him, be patient my friend, take hope in His Word and in the character of the God of Jeremiah 29 and remember that each stepping stone has been laid perfectly by the hand of the all-powerful and all-mighty God...you have nothing to fear! And Iremember , "God’s plan and His ways of working out His plan are frequently beyond our ability to fathom and understand. We must learn to trust when we don’t understand." (Jerry Bridges)
"An evidence that our will has been broken is that we begin to thank God for that which once seemed so bitter, knowing that His will is good and that, in His time and in His way, He is able to make the most bitter waters sweet." -Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Over the past seven months God has done a lot of refining in my life; refining both that has been painful yet pleasurable and in the midst of it I have learned more and more personally the struggle of trust and patience. I know that I have spoken often about these two topics as they are continual battles in my own walk with the Lord; yet I have been so encouraged by the past few months and how God has radically, and I mean RADICALLY refined me in these areas.
Looking back just two years ago I was the typical type-A personality figure, the person who looked like she had it all together, and thought she did too. I was strong willed, and although a child of God, pretty driven as to what "I" wanted in my life. Although God had broken me of many things up to that point, I still seemed to think I had some amount of control over my dealings despite my belief in a sovereign God. I guess I just couldn't wrap myself around the idea of sovereignty, and that to this day I still don't understand fully. I remember expecting so many things to go certain ways and as God began taking "my" dreams and "my" desires away, He began refining me in ways I never imagined. My passions and desires began to change in varying degrees and the idols of my heart began to be knocked down. I realized that the brokenness of a contrite spirit was precious in His sight. I saw how in my moments of weakness and utter dependence, or I should say reminded of my utter dependence, is when I saw the power and majesty of our good God. He began a process of refashioning me that is still taking place up to this point, and I am sure will continue on until the day I meet Him face to face. Looking back I can see His hand moving yet in the moment I saw nothing but the step right in front of me, the obedience that was being commanded and the hope and belief that He was sovereign, although God knows there were times I didn't know how it would really work out for my good. Yet He did, He was always faithful. Jerry Bridges once said, "[God] is at work in all the circumstances of your life to bring out the good for you, even if you had never heard of Romans 8:28. His work is not dependent upon your faith. But the comfort and joy that statement is intended to give you is dependent upon your believing it, upon your trusting in Him who is at work, even though you cannot see the outcome of that work." How true this became in my own life!
Jeremiah 29:11-14a
"'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, ;plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord."
All throughout Scripture we read the promises of God. Many of us have seen this specific verse on cards, calendars and graduation announcements and chances are that many of us have even used it to encourage others or even ourselves; it is the promise found in Jeremiah 29 that brings both hope and assurance that the God we love and trust is working all things together in His providential faithfulness. We may even liken the promise found here to that of Romans 8:28-29 as we are reminded that God is working everything for the good of those who love Him. I personally have always been extremely encouraged by this passag in the Old Testament and have always reminded mysef of His faithfulness through passages like this.
So that brings me to today, to Jeremiah 29 and to the promise I want to encourage you with and the lesson God has so graciously taught me that I hope you too will be privleged to learn...taking it once step at a time and trusting God to lead! What I mean is that, God leads only one step at a time and asks us to trust Him. I am reminded of the stepping stones I used to have on the side of my house when I was little, you jump from step to step hoping that there will be enough, in fact expecting that there will be enough to lead you through the mud and back onto solid ground, but you don't see where its leading, you know the final result but you don't know what will come up along the way on that path of stepping stones. Same thing goes with God, we don't see where He is leading us specifically, we know that in the end we will end up in heaven with Him but we don't know where our lives here on this earth will end up. I don't know where I am going to be in two years from now just like two years ago I didn't know where I would be today but I know the promise of Jeremiah 29, and although this may not be specifically for us as it was written to the captives, it is a promise that is true of the character of our God for ALL of His kids.
It is really exciting when God sanctifies you to a point of actually REALIZING that you are completely dependent upon the Lord. Now obviously we are all dependent on Him, whether you realize it or admit it or not. Obviously God is sovereign and in control of all things, again whether you realize it or not. But there is a sweet sweet peace and fellowship with the Lord that comes when one of His kids comes to the realization and understanding of this Truth, when God sanctifies you to a place of truly being eager to take each step not knowing where the stepping stones may lead. It is exciting to be taught of the Truth of this and actually desire it! I can honestly say I am at a place where I desire to be leading a God that I can trust but don't know where I am going, I honestly can say that I like being in the place of the "unknown" so to speak; it is leaving me more and more in awe of my Father in heaven and making me long for Him more and more day by day.
So whether you are in rain or sunshine, whether you see the two steps in front of you or you can only make out the edge of the one right ahead, I urge you to Trust Him, be patient my friend, take hope in His Word and in the character of the God of Jeremiah 29 and remember that each stepping stone has been laid perfectly by the hand of the all-powerful and all-mighty God...you have nothing to fear! And Iremember , "God’s plan and His ways of working out His plan are frequently beyond our ability to fathom and understand. We must learn to trust when we don’t understand." (Jerry Bridges)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Love of God
"What could God give us to enjoy that would prove Him most loving? There is only one possible answer: Himself! If He withholds Himself from our contemplation and companionship, no matter what else He gives us, He is not loving." -John Piper
Have you ever wondered if God really loves you? Have you ever "felt" during certain periods or at certain times that maybe He wasn't loving you the same or maybe at all? Do you ever wonder if something you do might change that love? Is it hard for you to grasp the reality of His love?
I think that as humans we have all had our moments of weakness when it comes to believing in the love of God. We can read countless verses and yet there seems to be something within us that makes us believe that somehow He really doesn't, or that He is far off. At TrueNorth (the HS ministry of CBC) we have been reading through the Psalms and boy has it opened up my eyes to this truth, GOD IS LOVE...and that my friends is a fact! The book of 1 John is a great reminder of this, in fact 1 John 4:16 says, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." Once we grasp that reality we can have freedom from the captivity our feelings hold us in! Our feelings come from deep within our hearts and as we know, from Scripture, our hearts are wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and consistently lead us astray; in fact Solomon in Proverbs 4 exhorts us to "guard our heart"...not guard it from the world, but guard it in the sense that it could easily cause us to stumble and fall. In our moments of weakness where our feelings are telling us that God doesn't love us because we don't "feel" the warm tingly fuzzies, the closeness of His presence, or whatever longing you may be needing, we need to remind ourselves of this foundational fact..GOD IS LOVE!
Do you realize that God has never and will never love you more than He does right now??!!? He loves you with infinite greatness today, as much as He ever could, and He always has and always will. In fact God loved you WHILE YOU WERE A SINNER; we read in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." That is soooo encouraging! Think about that for a moment; the greatest act of love in all of history was accomplished because God loved YOU (if you are His) while you were a sinner! And His love that compelled Him to the cross was that same love that loves you two months after you are saved, fifteen years later, and the day you enter into His presence...it NEVER EVER CHANGES. Nothing you do, say or don't do or say is going to change His love for you! That is another truth you can mediate on and believe me when we start to think about the reality of that it blows our minds!! Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Do you really believe that?! Do you really believe that NOTHING in this world or within you can EVER separate you from His love?? This is the Truth of the Bible!
And lastly, John Piper asked a rather good question, "Do you feel more loved when God makes much of you or do you feel more loved when God at the cost of His Son allows you to make much of Him?" If you notice, it is in times of you realizing God's glory, His majesty, your dependence on Him and when you make much of Him in those times that you find more joy in the love He has for you, in fact it probably overflows. In our lowest moments we often see God's grace at a greater level and find so much peace in the love He has always had and will continue to have for us, His kids!
So remember, "In Himself, God is love; through Him, love is manifested, and by Him, love is defined."
Have you ever wondered if God really loves you? Have you ever "felt" during certain periods or at certain times that maybe He wasn't loving you the same or maybe at all? Do you ever wonder if something you do might change that love? Is it hard for you to grasp the reality of His love?
I think that as humans we have all had our moments of weakness when it comes to believing in the love of God. We can read countless verses and yet there seems to be something within us that makes us believe that somehow He really doesn't, or that He is far off. At TrueNorth (the HS ministry of CBC) we have been reading through the Psalms and boy has it opened up my eyes to this truth, GOD IS LOVE...and that my friends is a fact! The book of 1 John is a great reminder of this, in fact 1 John 4:16 says, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." Once we grasp that reality we can have freedom from the captivity our feelings hold us in! Our feelings come from deep within our hearts and as we know, from Scripture, our hearts are wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and consistently lead us astray; in fact Solomon in Proverbs 4 exhorts us to "guard our heart"...not guard it from the world, but guard it in the sense that it could easily cause us to stumble and fall. In our moments of weakness where our feelings are telling us that God doesn't love us because we don't "feel" the warm tingly fuzzies, the closeness of His presence, or whatever longing you may be needing, we need to remind ourselves of this foundational fact..GOD IS LOVE!
Do you realize that God has never and will never love you more than He does right now??!!? He loves you with infinite greatness today, as much as He ever could, and He always has and always will. In fact God loved you WHILE YOU WERE A SINNER; we read in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." That is soooo encouraging! Think about that for a moment; the greatest act of love in all of history was accomplished because God loved YOU (if you are His) while you were a sinner! And His love that compelled Him to the cross was that same love that loves you two months after you are saved, fifteen years later, and the day you enter into His presence...it NEVER EVER CHANGES. Nothing you do, say or don't do or say is going to change His love for you! That is another truth you can mediate on and believe me when we start to think about the reality of that it blows our minds!! Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Do you really believe that?! Do you really believe that NOTHING in this world or within you can EVER separate you from His love?? This is the Truth of the Bible!
And lastly, John Piper asked a rather good question, "Do you feel more loved when God makes much of you or do you feel more loved when God at the cost of His Son allows you to make much of Him?" If you notice, it is in times of you realizing God's glory, His majesty, your dependence on Him and when you make much of Him in those times that you find more joy in the love He has for you, in fact it probably overflows. In our lowest moments we often see God's grace at a greater level and find so much peace in the love He has always had and will continue to have for us, His kids!
So remember, "In Himself, God is love; through Him, love is manifested, and by Him, love is defined."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Just Passing Through- Heaven is My Home
"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." -John 15:19
As I sit around the people I am in contact with on a regular daily basis, those in the world on my job, I realize more than ever that I am not at home. I don't think I have ever realized this so much. It is so bizarre to me, although I am content in the fact that God is providing for my needs etc., something is off; the things that I desire, the passions I have and the motivation and will I have to live is far different from those around me. They talk of riches, drinking, sex, and all other worldly things; their joy is wrapped up in the moment and in everything temporal, their home is here. I look around at the things of this world and I can't help but ache in my heart for the lost, for the hopeless and for the sin of this world...it literally breaks my heart. And then I wonder why I feel so out of place.
Recently I have been confused as to what on earth God wants me to do with my life...I am 22 years old, single, graduated from college and what am I doing with my life? Working at a bank!!!! Whatttt??? That is exactly what goes through my head almost weekly, I don't understand at times what on earth I am doing here and worse I question God's goodness. Now I know in my head He is faithful but so often it doesn't translate to my heart. I know that He wanted me here for a time because I have had the opportunity to share Him with those who don't know Him around me, and this opportunity has opened my eyes to many things I have never seen and built character I had never had to build. I thought coming into this season of my life that I would just "be faithful" and then God would move me on, but I wonder often why after being "faithful" to where He has called me why He hasn't called me out yet. I mean I have shared the Gospel, I sit all day and write, read and pour over sermons and Christian literature feeding my brain with every piece of knowledge I can get and then I wonder often why the passions and desires that I have within my heart aren't being used! I sit all day at a bank and I am waiting...waiting for God to get me out of here, waiting for him to use me, waiting for God to fulfill the desires of my heart, to take the talents and sanctified desires He has given me and use them for His glory! But here I sit, waiting.
Now back to my original thought, I promise this all ties in :). So as I sit here waiting and wondering what on earth God is doing with my life, why I am here and why I feel so out of place I realized a most reassuring Truth...I am just passing through! That's right, this isn't my home! No wonder I feel out of place around those who don't know Him, no wonder I don't find joy in the same things they do, no wonder I don't desire the same things they do but in fact the exact oppostie almost, no wonder I long for God to use me for His glory, no wonder I ache for the lost sinners of this world, no wonder! I wasn't made for this earth, I was made for a heavenly kingdom...and my treasure, my home, my joy is in Him and Him alone.
I know how terribly wrong and skewed my thinking has become, and I have to keep preaching to myself the Truth that God knows exactly what He is doing and He has me here until He leads otherwise. I will continue to be faithful because He who has called me IS faithful! I was reading John 17 and I was so encouraged by the fact that JESUS PRAYS FOR US! He is praying for us and intercedding for us to the Father. He prayed for the disicples who would be left on this earth, not that God would remove them but rather that He would protect them. In John 17:6 we are reminded that "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." So although we are not of this world we live on this world and we can trust in a Father who is guiding us along the way. We must be faithful to where He has placed us and keep our eyes fixed on the goal, all the while remembering that we are simply passing through. When we don't feel at home, when we feel out of place in our works or schools, when we are grieved by the sin of this world and of our hearts, when we are confused about the plans of the Lord and what we see happening around us, we can cling tightly to the promise and Truth that we are not at home here, but simply passing on through. And we MUST keep that perspective; oh how dangerous it can become if we start getting comfortable with this world and giving into the desires of our flesh. We must battle that until the day it dies...the flesh and all its desires that is.
And I and you must remember that He in His timing will put me or you where He wants us, but until then we can cling tight to the promise of our hope, Jesus Christ, and that we are just passing through because heaven is where we belong. C.S. Lewis said it well, "The Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have begun thinking less of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you get neither."
As I sit around the people I am in contact with on a regular daily basis, those in the world on my job, I realize more than ever that I am not at home. I don't think I have ever realized this so much. It is so bizarre to me, although I am content in the fact that God is providing for my needs etc., something is off; the things that I desire, the passions I have and the motivation and will I have to live is far different from those around me. They talk of riches, drinking, sex, and all other worldly things; their joy is wrapped up in the moment and in everything temporal, their home is here. I look around at the things of this world and I can't help but ache in my heart for the lost, for the hopeless and for the sin of this world...it literally breaks my heart. And then I wonder why I feel so out of place.
Recently I have been confused as to what on earth God wants me to do with my life...I am 22 years old, single, graduated from college and what am I doing with my life? Working at a bank!!!! Whatttt??? That is exactly what goes through my head almost weekly, I don't understand at times what on earth I am doing here and worse I question God's goodness. Now I know in my head He is faithful but so often it doesn't translate to my heart. I know that He wanted me here for a time because I have had the opportunity to share Him with those who don't know Him around me, and this opportunity has opened my eyes to many things I have never seen and built character I had never had to build. I thought coming into this season of my life that I would just "be faithful" and then God would move me on, but I wonder often why after being "faithful" to where He has called me why He hasn't called me out yet. I mean I have shared the Gospel, I sit all day and write, read and pour over sermons and Christian literature feeding my brain with every piece of knowledge I can get and then I wonder often why the passions and desires that I have within my heart aren't being used! I sit all day at a bank and I am waiting...waiting for God to get me out of here, waiting for him to use me, waiting for God to fulfill the desires of my heart, to take the talents and sanctified desires He has given me and use them for His glory! But here I sit, waiting.
Now back to my original thought, I promise this all ties in :). So as I sit here waiting and wondering what on earth God is doing with my life, why I am here and why I feel so out of place I realized a most reassuring Truth...I am just passing through! That's right, this isn't my home! No wonder I feel out of place around those who don't know Him, no wonder I don't find joy in the same things they do, no wonder I don't desire the same things they do but in fact the exact oppostie almost, no wonder I long for God to use me for His glory, no wonder I ache for the lost sinners of this world, no wonder! I wasn't made for this earth, I was made for a heavenly kingdom...and my treasure, my home, my joy is in Him and Him alone.
I know how terribly wrong and skewed my thinking has become, and I have to keep preaching to myself the Truth that God knows exactly what He is doing and He has me here until He leads otherwise. I will continue to be faithful because He who has called me IS faithful! I was reading John 17 and I was so encouraged by the fact that JESUS PRAYS FOR US! He is praying for us and intercedding for us to the Father. He prayed for the disicples who would be left on this earth, not that God would remove them but rather that He would protect them. In John 17:6 we are reminded that "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." So although we are not of this world we live on this world and we can trust in a Father who is guiding us along the way. We must be faithful to where He has placed us and keep our eyes fixed on the goal, all the while remembering that we are simply passing through. When we don't feel at home, when we feel out of place in our works or schools, when we are grieved by the sin of this world and of our hearts, when we are confused about the plans of the Lord and what we see happening around us, we can cling tightly to the promise and Truth that we are not at home here, but simply passing on through. And we MUST keep that perspective; oh how dangerous it can become if we start getting comfortable with this world and giving into the desires of our flesh. We must battle that until the day it dies...the flesh and all its desires that is.
And I and you must remember that He in His timing will put me or you where He wants us, but until then we can cling tight to the promise of our hope, Jesus Christ, and that we are just passing through because heaven is where we belong. C.S. Lewis said it well, "The Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have begun thinking less of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you get neither."
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
A Sovereign God: Following the Example of Job
"God is wonderful in His design and excellent in His working. Believer, God overrules all things for your good. The needs-be for all that you have suffered, has been most accurately determined by God. Your course is all mapped out by your Lord. Nothing will take Him by surprise. There will be no novelties to Him. There will be no occurrences which He did not foresee, and for which, therefore, He has not provided. He has arranged all, and you have but to patiently wait, and you shall sing a song of deliverance. Your life has been arranged on the best possible principles, so that if you had been gifted with unerring wisdom, you would have arranged a life for yourself exactly similar to the one through which you have passed. Let us trust God where we cannot trace Him. " -Spurgeon
Do you believe God is sovereign? Do you believe He is in control of EVERY affair of not only the world but of your life? Do you believe that there is not a "mistake" in God's economy? Do you believe that there is NOTHING in this world or outside of it that can thwart His providential hand? Do you believe that He has been working from before the foundation of time to work everything together for the glory of His name? Now, like me you may be saying "yes" and "yes" and "of course"...but the question then becomes but do you live that way? Do you live in such a way that reflects that you actually believe that? The fact of the matter is is that we all as humanity, as sinful flesh, struggle with this very thing. Trusting God seems easy enough in our mind but when push comes to shove it is a constant battle that wages war on our souls, and oh how it grieves the Father to know that His kids don't trust His providential and sovereign plan and hand; yet it is a common reality for the believer. But what am I supposed to do you might ask? How on earth do I trust Him when my circumstances are falling apart all around me? Or maybe you say I want to trust Him but no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to. You may even be like me in which you grieve over your lack of trust...I can count on numerous occasions in which I have sat broken at the foot of the cross begging the Lord to give me the ability to trust Him because I deeply long to. The battle may be one which will endure for the rest of our earthly lives but it is one that should become easier over time as we put on the strength of the Lord and prepare for it!
Job is one of my favorite characters in the Bible; not because I relate to him in any way (because let's face it we can't really because chances are none of you have lost everything, including your health) but because I look at him and am so humbled. I was reading through Job today and I couldn't help but shrink back in humility at my own sinful heart as I looked at the response of a man who couldn't be considered anything less than righteous, but because of the strength of God in Him. Picture the scene for a moment: God and satan are having a conversation in heaven in which God's sovereignty over all, even evil, is revealed. God GIVES satan permission to take from Job everything but his own health and life. In a moment Job is stripped of everything that he has ever known or loved. Think about it for a moment...EVERYTHING taken away...now from the world's perspective he had every reason to be angry with God, or to be in despair right, and maybe even from Christians he would get the sympathy card and the excuse to cry out in anger towards the Lord? But does he? NO! In fact he does the exact opposite, he praises God! He says in Job 2:10b " "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips". WOW! I can't even imagine what he must have been going through and yet he responded rightly, in a God-fearing way. After studying Job's response and everything he went through and God's dealing with Job, I think that he is one of the best examples for us of what it looks like to live a life of trusting God. We can learn a lot from Job in how to trust God, so here we go...
1. Eyes and Hope Fixed on Eternal Rather than Earthly Things
Job had the right perspective when it came to life and death, he realized as he said in 1:21 that "naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there". He knew that nothing on this earth would follow him into death, he came with nothing and he would return with nothing. What Job knew and had fixed His hope on was seeing the Lord and we see that in 19:25-27 "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will take His stand on earth"; you see Job was confident that after he was dead that His Redeemer would vindicate him and that he would enjoy perfect fellowship with Him. Job realized something that many of us don't realize until we are faced with a near death experience or until we are crushed to the point of brokenness and despair; it is what Paul realized in Philippians 1:8, that to live is Christ and to die is gain...it is ALL about Christ. Job was hoping in what He knew was true, the fact that He would spend an eternity with His Savior, His God and no matter what happened to him on earth it didn't matter because his eyes were fixed on what was eternal and not temporal. May we too have this perspective daily, that as Hebrews 12:1-2 says our eyes are fixed on the "author and perfector of our faith".
2. Talk Truth/Think Truth To Oneself
If anyone knows me they will tell you that "Think Truth" is a common saying from my mouth. I have those words posted in many prominent places in my home, car, and office because I so often forget and need to be reminded. Job sets an example for us in how we need to make sure that we are talking to ourselves rather than listening to ourselves. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, "Most of the unhappiness in your life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself." Do you realize that your thought life is very powerful? That you are constantly thinking and whatever you are thinking is more influential than anyone or anything in your life. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful (Jermiah 17:9) and they convince us of many things that aren't true. As you read the book of Job you can see that as he deals with his "friends" or I should say enemies, and with himself he is constantly trying to remind himself of the Truth he knows...fundamentally that His Redeemer lives and His hope is found in that. We too need to live this way. We need to be CONSTANTLY talking the Truth of the Gospel to ourselves no matter what circumstances or situations we are in! We NEED to be reminded because we so often forget. So stop listening to yourself and the agony of your wicked soul and start talking to yourself the Truth of Scripture...this I promise you will radically change your life!
3. Talk to God and Give Him Glory
Lastly, what we see with Job is that He cries out to God, He talks to God consistently even when He doesn't "feel" like it or "feel" like God is answering him. But boy does God answer back in his perfect timing (Job 38-42). It is amazing to know that the God of all the universe hears us, and not only hears us but answers us! Do you realize that God answers the prayers of His children? Now you might say well not mine! But the truth is, He does answer every prayer, just not always in the timing or way you may have expected. God delights in the petitions of His kids. Job 42:2 says, "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted"...Job not only talked to God but ascribed Him the glory due His name! God wants to hear from us, but even more so wants us to tell Him of His greatness and give Him glory!
Job will forever be ingrained in our heads as a well as God called Him, "a blameless and upright man". The way that he lived his life in trial is remarkable and something to be admired (and we know that he lived well in blessign as well because of what God refers to Him as). We may strive to have the kind of faith like a Job or a Daniel or an Abraham or Paul, but feel as though we are just loosing the battle of trusting God...and be tempted to despair. But trust HIM by fixing your eyes on Him and hoping in what is to come, by talking and thinking Truth and by talking to your Father in heaven! If I can offer you one piece of encouragement, wisdom or exhortation it would come from Psalm 42 and the man after God's own heart, v5 "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence!"
Do you believe God is sovereign? Do you believe He is in control of EVERY affair of not only the world but of your life? Do you believe that there is not a "mistake" in God's economy? Do you believe that there is NOTHING in this world or outside of it that can thwart His providential hand? Do you believe that He has been working from before the foundation of time to work everything together for the glory of His name? Now, like me you may be saying "yes" and "yes" and "of course"...but the question then becomes but do you live that way? Do you live in such a way that reflects that you actually believe that? The fact of the matter is is that we all as humanity, as sinful flesh, struggle with this very thing. Trusting God seems easy enough in our mind but when push comes to shove it is a constant battle that wages war on our souls, and oh how it grieves the Father to know that His kids don't trust His providential and sovereign plan and hand; yet it is a common reality for the believer. But what am I supposed to do you might ask? How on earth do I trust Him when my circumstances are falling apart all around me? Or maybe you say I want to trust Him but no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to. You may even be like me in which you grieve over your lack of trust...I can count on numerous occasions in which I have sat broken at the foot of the cross begging the Lord to give me the ability to trust Him because I deeply long to. The battle may be one which will endure for the rest of our earthly lives but it is one that should become easier over time as we put on the strength of the Lord and prepare for it!
Job is one of my favorite characters in the Bible; not because I relate to him in any way (because let's face it we can't really because chances are none of you have lost everything, including your health) but because I look at him and am so humbled. I was reading through Job today and I couldn't help but shrink back in humility at my own sinful heart as I looked at the response of a man who couldn't be considered anything less than righteous, but because of the strength of God in Him. Picture the scene for a moment: God and satan are having a conversation in heaven in which God's sovereignty over all, even evil, is revealed. God GIVES satan permission to take from Job everything but his own health and life. In a moment Job is stripped of everything that he has ever known or loved. Think about it for a moment...EVERYTHING taken away...now from the world's perspective he had every reason to be angry with God, or to be in despair right, and maybe even from Christians he would get the sympathy card and the excuse to cry out in anger towards the Lord? But does he? NO! In fact he does the exact opposite, he praises God! He says in Job 2:10b " "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips". WOW! I can't even imagine what he must have been going through and yet he responded rightly, in a God-fearing way. After studying Job's response and everything he went through and God's dealing with Job, I think that he is one of the best examples for us of what it looks like to live a life of trusting God. We can learn a lot from Job in how to trust God, so here we go...
1. Eyes and Hope Fixed on Eternal Rather than Earthly Things
Job had the right perspective when it came to life and death, he realized as he said in 1:21 that "naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there". He knew that nothing on this earth would follow him into death, he came with nothing and he would return with nothing. What Job knew and had fixed His hope on was seeing the Lord and we see that in 19:25-27 "I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will take His stand on earth"; you see Job was confident that after he was dead that His Redeemer would vindicate him and that he would enjoy perfect fellowship with Him. Job realized something that many of us don't realize until we are faced with a near death experience or until we are crushed to the point of brokenness and despair; it is what Paul realized in Philippians 1:8, that to live is Christ and to die is gain...it is ALL about Christ. Job was hoping in what He knew was true, the fact that He would spend an eternity with His Savior, His God and no matter what happened to him on earth it didn't matter because his eyes were fixed on what was eternal and not temporal. May we too have this perspective daily, that as Hebrews 12:1-2 says our eyes are fixed on the "author and perfector of our faith".
2. Talk Truth/Think Truth To Oneself
If anyone knows me they will tell you that "Think Truth" is a common saying from my mouth. I have those words posted in many prominent places in my home, car, and office because I so often forget and need to be reminded. Job sets an example for us in how we need to make sure that we are talking to ourselves rather than listening to ourselves. Martyn Lloyd Jones said, "Most of the unhappiness in your life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself." Do you realize that your thought life is very powerful? That you are constantly thinking and whatever you are thinking is more influential than anyone or anything in your life. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful (Jermiah 17:9) and they convince us of many things that aren't true. As you read the book of Job you can see that as he deals with his "friends" or I should say enemies, and with himself he is constantly trying to remind himself of the Truth he knows...fundamentally that His Redeemer lives and His hope is found in that. We too need to live this way. We need to be CONSTANTLY talking the Truth of the Gospel to ourselves no matter what circumstances or situations we are in! We NEED to be reminded because we so often forget. So stop listening to yourself and the agony of your wicked soul and start talking to yourself the Truth of Scripture...this I promise you will radically change your life!
3. Talk to God and Give Him Glory
Lastly, what we see with Job is that He cries out to God, He talks to God consistently even when He doesn't "feel" like it or "feel" like God is answering him. But boy does God answer back in his perfect timing (Job 38-42). It is amazing to know that the God of all the universe hears us, and not only hears us but answers us! Do you realize that God answers the prayers of His children? Now you might say well not mine! But the truth is, He does answer every prayer, just not always in the timing or way you may have expected. God delights in the petitions of His kids. Job 42:2 says, "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted"...Job not only talked to God but ascribed Him the glory due His name! God wants to hear from us, but even more so wants us to tell Him of His greatness and give Him glory!
Job will forever be ingrained in our heads as a well as God called Him, "a blameless and upright man". The way that he lived his life in trial is remarkable and something to be admired (and we know that he lived well in blessign as well because of what God refers to Him as). We may strive to have the kind of faith like a Job or a Daniel or an Abraham or Paul, but feel as though we are just loosing the battle of trusting God...and be tempted to despair. But trust HIM by fixing your eyes on Him and hoping in what is to come, by talking and thinking Truth and by talking to your Father in heaven! If I can offer you one piece of encouragement, wisdom or exhortation it would come from Psalm 42 and the man after God's own heart, v5 "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence!"
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