Hebrews 10:36 (NLT) says: "Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised."
Easy to be patient when all is going well. Then you become ill, experience a job loss or have family difficulties. That's when patience runs thin.
Our prayers often start off bold and confident that God will get us out of the circumstance we find ourselves. Soon enough though our voice seems muted as if God can't hear. Things seem go from bad to worse.
And this is the danger we can run into when we find ourselves impatient with God.
We quote Scriptures, we fast and ask others to pray but there seems to be no movement or evidence that we are being heard or will be helped by God. We can easily accuse or blame Him for coming up short.
Patience in discomforting times is challenging but we must allow God to speak to our hearts. Often in the lowest times, we are more open to hear Him - usually after we exhausted our human efforts. He's been trying to get our attention to something in our hearts that isn't right and sometimes for a very long time.
Recently, my health has decline so I made a Dr.'s appointment. But it followed a moment of frustration. Some days I do well and praise the Lord for the healing only to take a nose dive the next day. I found myself confessing to God frustration and impatience. Everything I've learned about healing and the authority of the believer seemed to do very little or so I thought.
Until the Lord reminded me this is about faith. Faith more precious than gold that is tried by fire (I Peter 1:7). Can I really trust Him with unexplained pain or unanswered questions? When my own prayers seem to mock me? And can I still love Him more deeply than the day before knowing God will never leave me?
Yes, yes and yes.
Friends, many believers all around the world are going through painful times. But there is one truth that helps strengthen our patience in the Lord who is working His life in and through us.
He is good. To fulfil all His promises.
Always.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Age And Maturity
This past September I turned fifty years old. Age and maturity is very different. A twenty year old might behave like a forty year old while someone in their sixties like a teenager.
Spiritual maturity and physical age don't always run concurrent. A child can speak wisdom that astounds us.
In the letter to Philemon, the Apostle Paul appealed for Onesimus. Onesimus was a runaway slave who later encountered Paul. He became a believer and served Paul (verse 11).
The depth of Paul's spiritual maturity is expressed verse 9, "...I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus " (NIV).
As we grow in Christ a deeper understanding of God's grace gives us a different outlook. We desire to reconcile with relationships although it can be very difficult. Even Paul had a break in his relationship with Barnabas but Colossians 4:10 indicates the relationship was mended.
While we physically age, let's hold onto the hand of God who held us from birth. Each passing moment should grow sweeter and stronger. Yes, there may be trials and difficult times. But something about walking with God daily keeps us anchored to hope. We understand this life is temporal. We'll see the Lord one day and how we lived right up to that last moment matters.
Do you want to be found acting foolish and childish or an aged spiritual giant like Moses, Abraham, or David?
Friends walk with Him. The more we do we become like Him and less than our foolish selves.
Spiritual maturity and physical age don't always run concurrent. A child can speak wisdom that astounds us.
In the letter to Philemon, the Apostle Paul appealed for Onesimus. Onesimus was a runaway slave who later encountered Paul. He became a believer and served Paul (verse 11).
The depth of Paul's spiritual maturity is expressed verse 9, "...I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus " (NIV).
As we grow in Christ a deeper understanding of God's grace gives us a different outlook. We desire to reconcile with relationships although it can be very difficult. Even Paul had a break in his relationship with Barnabas but Colossians 4:10 indicates the relationship was mended.
While we physically age, let's hold onto the hand of God who held us from birth. Each passing moment should grow sweeter and stronger. Yes, there may be trials and difficult times. But something about walking with God daily keeps us anchored to hope. We understand this life is temporal. We'll see the Lord one day and how we lived right up to that last moment matters.
Do you want to be found acting foolish and childish or an aged spiritual giant like Moses, Abraham, or David?
Friends walk with Him. The more we do we become like Him and less than our foolish selves.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Living Water
It seems lately that I've been drinking more water. The downside is more trips to the restroom. At night this disrupts a good sound sleep. Natural water as good and necessary for the body still has its limitations.
There's a spiritual water described in John 4:14 that says "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (NLT cf John 7:38).
The key question is how thirsty are you for the things of God?
So often we fill our lives from morning to evening with various activities. The American culture seems driven by an innate fear never to be empty but always full and active. So many of us are parched, dry and spiritually withered. This is a result of the natural business over taking the spiritual life.
In John 4 Jesus was speaking to a broken and despised woman being a Samaritan. She had several failed relationships. However, like so many of us, she wasn't aware of her spiritual need for living water.
As believers, we don't sit long enough to evaluate our spiritual condition. Some of us may find it dry as a desert. And while some things can grow in such arid places, our lives should be fruitful.
Or does this describe your spiritual life?
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8 NLT)
Daily we should be more thirsty and hungry for God. There's a natural biting edge whenever you are thirsty or hungry. Likewise, press into God to satisfy you.
And more He fills us up it should always overflow to those in great need.
There's a spiritual water described in John 4:14 that says "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (NLT cf John 7:38).
The key question is how thirsty are you for the things of God?
So often we fill our lives from morning to evening with various activities. The American culture seems driven by an innate fear never to be empty but always full and active. So many of us are parched, dry and spiritually withered. This is a result of the natural business over taking the spiritual life.
In John 4 Jesus was speaking to a broken and despised woman being a Samaritan. She had several failed relationships. However, like so many of us, she wasn't aware of her spiritual need for living water.
As believers, we don't sit long enough to evaluate our spiritual condition. Some of us may find it dry as a desert. And while some things can grow in such arid places, our lives should be fruitful.
Or does this describe your spiritual life?
They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (Jeremiah 17:8 NLT)
Daily we should be more thirsty and hungry for God. There's a natural biting edge whenever you are thirsty or hungry. Likewise, press into God to satisfy you.
And more He fills us up it should always overflow to those in great need.
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Fear
We know fear is more than an emotional reaction. When thoughts cloud our mind and take our rest we understand there's a supernatural power at work. Many Christians can quote from memory 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (KJV).
But at the moment we are overwhelmed with anxious and troubling questions. We don't sense the power to bring fear under control or even a sound mind to think right. Satanic whispers seize the opportunity. "You are failure!" "Your not going to make it through this problem!"
Recently, in prayer I took this to the Lord. The source of fear and effect is so different for everyone. I looked back over my life to realize a lack of confidence in myself and in God created confusion. Confusion made me fearful of making choices because I was afraid to make the wrong one. But it went deeper still. I had little assurance God would act on my behalf though there are countless moments He did come through for me.
So I asked the Lord for full faith not this imperfect faith that must see some form of evidence to fully trust Him.
Friends, the best antidote to fear is go to the Scriptures and begin to read aloud Psalms of worship. Then begin to worship. Fear is like an inverted tornado that will try to pull you into a dark place and immobilize you. Worship is God centered and expansive. When we fix our eyes on Him the power of fear cannot hold us.
Also, I've learned to quote Scripture differently (not lightly). I declare aloud to spiritual powers using the words "It is written" then quote the Scripture. This is what Jesus did in the wilderness when tempted by the devil. We understand faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) and this is the source of our confidence.
The more we hear His word faith is strengthen and fears lose their hold on us.
But at the moment we are overwhelmed with anxious and troubling questions. We don't sense the power to bring fear under control or even a sound mind to think right. Satanic whispers seize the opportunity. "You are failure!" "Your not going to make it through this problem!"
Recently, in prayer I took this to the Lord. The source of fear and effect is so different for everyone. I looked back over my life to realize a lack of confidence in myself and in God created confusion. Confusion made me fearful of making choices because I was afraid to make the wrong one. But it went deeper still. I had little assurance God would act on my behalf though there are countless moments He did come through for me.
So I asked the Lord for full faith not this imperfect faith that must see some form of evidence to fully trust Him.
Friends, the best antidote to fear is go to the Scriptures and begin to read aloud Psalms of worship. Then begin to worship. Fear is like an inverted tornado that will try to pull you into a dark place and immobilize you. Worship is God centered and expansive. When we fix our eyes on Him the power of fear cannot hold us.
Also, I've learned to quote Scripture differently (not lightly). I declare aloud to spiritual powers using the words "It is written" then quote the Scripture. This is what Jesus did in the wilderness when tempted by the devil. We understand faith comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) and this is the source of our confidence.
The more we hear His word faith is strengthen and fears lose their hold on us.