God Will Answer!

 A simple verse in Psalm 38 states, "For I hope in You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God."   Hope, of course, suggests choosing to believe a promise of what someone will do in response to our actions, and is future.  Therefore, we could say that our whole life, all we are, all that we hold as truth, all that we do, depends upon God being faithful to answer and keep His promises.  Paul even suggests that if God doesn't do what He says, we are the most pitiable of all men.  

  My dad used to say that getting old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.  That same principle applies to choosing to believe God is faithful and will confirm His Word.  What is the alternative, to believe in man's thoughts and ways, being sort of a high-class animal with no purpose of life and nothing to look forward to?  However, we as believers have an assurance, a peace within our spirit, that establishes our relationship with the Lord Jesus to "know" Him and His character (which we often simply refer to as His name.)  We believe who God is and what He has done for us which gives an eternal future and a hope for each of us.  Hebrews 11:6 demands that those who come to God "must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."  Jesus spoke with authority pointing out that when we pray, fast, and give, God who sees in secret will reward us openly.  David declares, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." 

 It really isn't a blind faith as the skeptic would like to say, but rather a revelation, a "dawning" of light and understanding, that He not only is real but that in His love He freely died to deal with our sin.  Perhaps the key revelation that motivates us to choose faith is the honest realization that we have a sin nature, a strong tendency to selfishly do and think whatever pleases ourselves. In short, that we have done wrong and are guilty.  We need forgiveness.  On the positive side, Romans 1:20 states that all creation reveals the eternal power and divinity of God.  Then, the coming of Jesus Christ, and the record of His Word, not only show God is real, but that He loves us.  He is love Himself, choosing to lay His life down for each of us out of sheer love and commitment.  He deliberately and willing paid with His own blood for all the sin and evil we have ever committed. And to complete His mission, He has sent His Spirit to let us know for sure who Jesus is and what He has done.  John 16:7 uses the word "convict" of righteousness, sin, and eternal judgment so we know where we stand with God forever.

Therefore, each of us have been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3) and we can choose to receive this gift and exercise the power God has given us (life and death is in the power of the tongue) to settle it by declaring with our lips that Jesus is our (my) Lord.  The rest of peace that making this choice establishes in our hearts becomes the basis of believing that God is and also keeps all His other promises.  Yes, as our Psalm 38 verse declares, when we hope in Him, God will answer.  

God is good and He desires to answer prayer, waiting for us to ask so He can be gracious (Isaiah 30:18).  My encouragement based on this truth is that no matter where you are at, whatever the problem or circumstance, put your hope in the Lord (usually through simply praying with the faith you have and stating the truth of God's Word about the situation) and then rest in knowing "God will answer."  

 

Do you Write?

 Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11   Added to this request is the result that flows from God doing this good work in us.  "I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me."

When we let God teach us and we choose to receive His Word with meekness, our hearts are transformed or "healed" to realize He is worthy of all our affection.  Sometimes we let other things in our minds and hearts and simply forget what we read and how good He is. Therefore, it is necessary for God to unite the various desires of our heart, or at least refocus on what really matters, so we can praise Him with all our heart. 

Which brings me to my question for the day: Do you write?  God told Moses to write a book of remembrance.   In Habakkuk 2:2 God instructs the prophet to "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it."  Likewise, Psalm 103 reminds us to "forget not His benefits."  I suggest the reason God's Word tells us to "write" and "forget not" is because in the fallen human condition we do forget.  We can look in the mirror of God's perfect law of liberty and forget what we look like, according to James.

Here are two suggestions and my reasons for establishing this practice.  First, whenever I sit down to write this blog, it forces me to seek God and decide in my heart what I believe He is saying.  Writing it down and sharing with you actually settles the truth for me!  Secondly, as a high school teacher, I require my students to take notes rather than just think they are going to remember what is said.  Therefore, I suggest that having a notebook and jotting down the key points that the Holy Spirit is giving you is a powerful way to not only hear God, but then to "walk and live in Your truth."   This is also a helpful way to "let the Word dwell in you richly," as instructed in Colossians 3:16.

God's voice is so much closer than we think.  He lives in us and prompts our every thought and desire.  "In Him we live and move and have our being," according to Acts.  However, we are required to take every thought captive to obey Christ, because Jesus stated that we know the Shepherd's voice but do not know the voice of strangers.  This suggests discernment or choosing the right one and rejecting the wrong one.  Rather than just having a myriad of different thoughts or voices, writing, to the best of our discernment what we believe or determine is God's voice, helps us focus on the truth.  Writing this message down also reinforces our thought process to remember and think about what He is saying to us. 

 

Humble man asks and depends upon God to teach us.  However, we also want to be faithful like Mary "treasuring the word" and like Samuel who "didn't let a word from God drop to the ground."  Receive the Word, write it down, and let the Word dwell in you richly.  These simple steps will cause you to grow in wisdom, understanding, and especially in bearing fruit. 

Are You Prepared for the Fight

As the Colrado Avalanche defeated the Las Vegas Knights in overtime, the crowd began chanting "We want the Cup!"

A worthy goal but certainly one requiring great physical battle yet to come.  Similar thoughts went through my head this morning as I read Joel 1 and 2, "Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of judgment of the Lord is coming" and "Blow the trumpet in Zion, set apart a fast, call a solemn assembly...let them say, 'Have pity and spare Your people, O Lord,"  As you know in the rest of the chapter, when all the people and priests cry out, God is moved with jelousy for His people and answers their prayer mightily. 

Likewise, in Luke 2, Simeon said to Mary, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through you own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."  To top off this thought, my reading in Psalm 2 talked about the kings of the earth casting off God's laws and mocking God.  It is given as a warning to them, that God has set His King on the throne and He laughs at their foolishness of thinking they could overthrow God.  But they will try. 

The point is that there is a spiritual battle going on, and as we draw near to the end time, it will only intensify.  Jesus is a sign that will be contradicted.  Christians will need to be prepared to stand in the armor and provision Jesus has given to see the Lord overcome (in and through us).  We will have to trust God when all else seems to be falling apart.  Persection is real in the world, and more people are losing their lives for the Lord Jesus today than at any other time in history.  However, nothing draws people closer together than laying down our lives to fight together and seeing God turn it all into victory.  Isaiah 60 speaks of the world covered by darkness and the peoples by thick darkness, yet God's light and glory are seen upon His people.  God's anointing and power will work in our lives beyond anything we have ever known, but it will be at a cost in the midst of a darkened world system that rebels against Him.    

God is faithful.  We will be led in triumph.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God, no power of darkness can take us out of God's hand.  These are more than sentimental verses, these are given as anchors of our soul which will keep us in faith and patience in the hard times.  We can count it joy when we walk through various trials, knowing God is using it all for good.  However, we do need to count the cost, to be prepared to fight the good fight of faith no matter what challenges lie ahead.  To whom much is given, much is required.  Through all trials God gives both the strength to endure and the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The Stanley Cup is the highest trophy in hockey.  We want the Cup, not the perishable one of the world, but the eternal crown of triumph uniting with the Lord Jesus over every power and attack of the devil and the fallen world.  Because of the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross.  God sets before us the ultimate Cup of knowing Him, knowing His mercy and glory forever.  It is worth the price.  Paul considered the suffering of this world nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed.  The church in the Acts, in the midst of trials, grew in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the fear of the Lord.  

Walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit and let the awesome awareness of His holiness in your life keep you from sin. Refuse to let go of the robe of righteousness and the garment of praise, no matter what the enemy is saying.  My prayer is that God continue to prepare us for every good work ahead, and that we don't lose heart in the season of heat and pressure.  The Lord bless you and keep you. 

But It's My String

  So many things seem out of control.  Work, long hours, pressure to succeed, bosses that demand more, need to bring home more money, co-workers who don't carry their weight, less qualified people being promoted, extra projects that aren't quite done, always feeling one step less than succeeding, etc., all which can cause stress and steal one's joy.  Then added to that are home responsibilities, spending time with the wife and children, making decisions, doing maintenance chores, fixing things that break, dealing with children and discipline, getting along with in-laws and relatives, keeping up with others, taking time for God or to even reflect on where I am really going.  Life has challenges.  How can the average person make it all work?   The key to this problem came to me during a special time in my life when I almost lost everything.

  When I first became a Spirit-filled Christian, nothing was impossible and God was so close and real that I didn't have a care in the world.  I was almost spoiled with the way God opened doors, released His power, and worked things out for me. On one particular experience, we were invited to share Jesus, His Word, and the power of the Holy Spirit with a group of high school seniors in another state. We were set for success.  We brought in a team of students that had some amazing testimonies of what God had done in their lives, and so on the first night they shared their heart in such a way that made the Lord so real and personal and inviting.  I sat in awe of how good God is.  Yet to my utter frustration, the young audience was not moved, but rather was throwing spitballs and jostling with one another.

 As leader of the team, it was my job to bring the pieces together and present the message that Jesus died for each one out of unconditional love.  My words were like drops of water bouncing off a flat rock.  I began to resent them and the more I tried to make the message clear the more their response was rejection or at least, complete disinterest.  Instead of loving them, I let myself become discouraged and totally frustrated.  So when we adjourned with the team for the night, all my emotions were spent and in my heart of hearts, I just wanted to get out of there.  I had had it.  I felt like God had deserted me.  Like a little kid running away from home, I made up my mind to get in the car and never come back. 

  God, being God, moved upon one of the team, the most unlikely guy who usually totally ignored me, to ask me to bless them before they went to bed.  I froze.  There was no way on God's earth I had anything in me to bless anyone.  I broke down and shared my hurt, letting them gather around and pray for me. Something was released and my heart and emotions were set free.  So the team went to bed and left me alone.  I turned to God and said, "God, don't you realize how close I was to giving up? I was one string from leaving forever."  That's when I heard, as strong as I have ever heard God's voice, "But it was My string."

Many waters have flowed over the damn since then, and at times the battle has grown in significance and intensity.  Yet the word hasn't changed.  Yesterday I saw on Youtube a video of Kathryn Kuhlman interviewing Cory ten Boom, in which Cory shared the message she received while in the Nazi concentration camp, that "No pit is so deep, that God is not deeper still."   Her testimony only verifies the word in 1 Corinthians 10:13, while talking about grace to bear trials, it declares, "God is faithful."  It is His string that holds you.