God is faithful and He is doing it!

I want to share with you about what God is doing in your life and in the lives of all of His children who call on His name, seek His face and obey His voice. Far too many Christians do not know what is available to them in Christ Jesus, or even if they do know they still do not live in His Presence and in the fullness of His blessings. Here are 7 realities that believers need to receive and live in:

1. God is at work in the lives of those who believe
2. His Spirit is present in those who are His
3. He may not be manifest (outwardly made known) if we are not abiding, resting, trusting, praying, listening, dwelling, etc.
4. His power and peace is at work in those who believe, especially when we avail ourselves thru prayer
5. He is making us into His warriors when we pray, whether we feel/know it or not (the condition here is humility and brokeness)
6. We can be those who live centered, abundant, overcoming, peace-filled, radiant, glowing, glory-covered and glory-filled lives if we will spend time in the presence of God, abiding always and praying without ceasing
7. The children of God are forgiven, cleansed, set-free, empowered, filled and sent

We need to live in what God has given and what He is doing in the present moment in the lives of His children. There are matter of fact things that God has done for and in believers that we still don’t think are present realities. My prayer for myself and other believers is that we would learn all that God has already done and receive all that He is now doing in us. This only happens in prayer, in listening to the voice of God, waiting upon Him, abiding in Him. Please, take the time in prayer and the Word today to receive all God is doing in you!

Learning to abide in His Presence

To be like Jesus, requires being with Jesus. To treat others with love and respect means spending time at the feet of Jesus receiving from Him love and learning from Him what is true. When we live in His Presence, His words and His Spirit not only minister to our hearts and bring us courage but also fill us up with hope, light and life. When we try to live out of our own effort and understanding we fall short. When we live in Christ and He lives in us, we have His grace/favor as a shield around us, we have His glory within us and His fire surrounding and protecting us, we have it grace and love poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit He has given us and we have our life truly on a solid rock. When we step back into our own ability, nothing but chaos and heartache ensues. So this week, today, every moment of this day, rest in Him, trust Him, rely on Him, pray to Him, ask of Him, depend on Him, believe Him and watch and see what He will do in and for and through you. Abide in Him and He will abide in you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Seek what it means to say “Jesus, Your Presence is heaven to me”.

Abiding

Definition from Google Dictionary: (Archaic) Dwelling

This world may feel that abiding is something archaic, old fashioned, obsolete, insignificant. However, abiding is what we were created for. Abiding is why Jesus came to the earth and died on the cross for our sins. Abiding is all about Jesus in us and us in Him. He abides in us as our hope of glory. We abide in Him as our refuge and strength. Peace, joy and contentment do not come from a station in life or an accomplishment or recognition. These come as we wait in His Presence. We are “worried and concerned about many things, but only one thing is needed”. When we wait before Him, He speaks to us, lovingly, tenderly. When we wait before Him, He lifts us up, embraces us, comforts and shields us. When we call on His name, our Abba hears us and answers with His perfect wisdom, all-sufficient power, and everlasting loving-kindness. Abiding is having the kingdom of God within us. Abiding is trusting, waiting, faithing, loving, worshiping, dwelling in Him! We are invited to abide always and everywhere. Abiding is available to us by the blood of Jesus. Please accept Jesus’ invitation to abide in Him.

Isaiah 30:15:  In repentance and rest (abiding) you will be saved. In quietness and trust (abiding) is your strength. (NASB – parentheses added)

By grace through faith

Scripture tells us again and again that it is by grace through faith that we are saved. Abraham’s faith was credited unto him as righteousness and the patriarchs listed in Hebrews 11 walked by faith while on this earth. I know that many of you are probably facing a myriad of struggles, trials and opportunities. Yet, what I am reminded of is that God’s grace is sufficient for whatever you face. If you will but believe and receive His grace for forgiveness and salvation, He will indeed save you. But furthermore if you will but believe and receive His grace for wisdom, provision, guidance, hope, restoration, and whatever else you are facing I know that He will also give you His grace in abundant measure for your circumstances. So today, realize that it is because of God’s love for you that He sent His son, who offered His life as atonement for our sins; it is because of His love that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us; it is because of His love for us that He sends His Holy Spirit to abide in us and it is His grace through faith that makes all things possible!

The allure of busy-ness vs. the peace of His Presence

We all complain about how busy we are. And fret and bother and even present ourselves as martyrs because of the many demands on us. And yet truth be told, many of us are addicted to our busy-ness. We truly can’t live without it. Furthermore we really aren’t trying to. When things slow down and we begin to sabotage ourselves and the time God is creating for us to have sweet communion with Him, STOP! Let go of all the stuff. Let go of the constant need to be doing something! Let go of the insecurities that drive you.

God is calling us to come and sit as His feet. He is calling us to be “Mary”s who choose the “one thing” of ever-always being in His presence and utterly-desperately-depending upon Him for all things.

Let God speak to you. Let God sit a while with you and you with Him. Call out to Him and let Him truly be your peace! Being busy doesn’t fulfill, nor does it bring peace or contentment or true success. Being with the Lord is what ultimately brings life abundant and the only side effects of being with Him is a greater awareness of His moving, a greater sensitivity to His revelations, a greater compassion for the lost and a greater inner sense of love, joy, peace and rest. Why don’t you lay down your busy-ness and sit a while with the Lord?

We need the Lord

So, this is a common theme in my writings recently. And I won’t apologize for it. And I don’t get tired of stating something so profound and simple and yet so important. We need the Lord. We need Him more than we need air, food, water, clothing, shelter, and on and on the list goes. We need God for it is only from Him and in Him that we truly have love, joy and peace. Love is not known because of some human emotive response to outside stimuli. Love is known as God is known. Love is, because God is. The apostle John reminds us in fact that God is love. Love is the selfless, gracious, merciful, beneficent, compassionate and good DNA of God and it is from His revealing and sharing of Himself with us that we know and experience love. Furthermore love manifests from and through a choice. A choice to give and a choice to receive. The same can be said of joy and peace. God’s essence is joyful because in Him there is no darkness, no sin, no despair, no guilt and no shame. In Him, all are completed and find their true meaning and eternal love, joy and peace. Love, joy and peace (and their many offshoots) are not learned, but rather are received, dwelt in and willfully shared with others. If you feel as though you have a lack of love or joy or peace in your life, there is nothing and there is no one that can fill that desperate longing except the Holy Spirit of God. You may have glimpses of these things by God’s prevenient grace and His omni-presence, but only as God dwells in you and you in Him will you ever find true contentment that will never fade away. As long as you are pressed into the heart of God you will feel, hear, receive, know and experience love, joy and peace that is both inexpressible in words and yet simultaneously overwhelmingly full of glory! So please, take my advice: press into the heart of God through prayer and worship and make sure to be still and know that He is Your love, joy and peace forevermore!!!

God’s greatest tools for shaping and forming us

God has been showing me recently that He uses three tools over and over in order to shape and form us into His likeness and image. Those three tools are suffering, lack and delay. And yet perhaps God would call these things training, discipline and appropriate timing. But nonetheless God allows things to come into our lives in order that we might be shaped to be like Him. He allows us to be tested and tried. He allows us to experience difficulties that are too much for us to bear. He withholds things from us in order that we might look to Him for provision and understanding. And He calls upon us to wait for His perfect timing rather than trying to force an imperfect “solution”.

In my life I find that I often complain about these things. Often from my limited (and selfish, pride-filled perspective) I believe that God is putting on me more than I can really handle or He is withholding the supply that I know He has but isn’t releasing or He isn’t coming soon enough with the solution that I have asked Him for. But as these three things keep coming at me again and again I am beginning to believe that God actually desires that we have all of these occurrences in our lives in order to cause us to trust Him more and become more like Him!

So when you face something that seems to beyond you, it may very well be that God is using things in your life to bring you to a place of brokenness and emptiness in order that you might call out to Him in desperation and allow Him to shape you in humility and holiness. This week when you wonder why something is happening, change your questioning into a patient observance of God at work making something beautiful in you!

No one else can do it for you

No one else can choose for you. No one else can think, feel or act for you. We each must choose for ourselves who we will serve (Joshua challenged the people of Israel with this choice). We each must choose for ourselves how we will live.

When circumstances are especially difficult and we ask the Lord to help us, one thing we must know is that we cannot sit passively back and let someone else just “sort it out”. God is able to do things in and through us, but only as we choose to allow Him to. Remember: when we seek the peace and joy that God gives we must choose to receive it from Him. He is not going to force His peace and joy upon us.

Many times in our lives we find ourselves in the middle of a “bad day”. And then we wish or dream or hope or pray that things will get better. We long for the moment when things will once again be “good” and we will be happy. And yet we often wait for God to somehow magically change our attitude even while we are sulking or complaining. God has the power to anything and yet He has given us the gift of free will and therefore won’t go where we don’t allow Him to. If we ask Him to make things better but don’t make the choice to allow Him to change us, will things really get “better”? If we ask Him to guide us through a particularly trying circumstance but we don’t allow Him to shape, form and re-tool us so that we personally can be victorious, will anything really feel  better or complete? What good are changed circumstances if we are still broken within?

No other person can make your choices for you:

  • No other person can choose to eat, sleep, work or play for you
  • No other person can choose joy, peace, love, hope, contentment for you
  • No other person can choose or have a good attitude for you
  • No other person can choose or live out Christlikeness for you
  • No other person can worship, pray, serve or become a disciple of Christ for you

In all of life no one can do it for you, though Christ can live life in you and through you!

Only Jesus can bring you hope, peace, joy and contentment, but not through the changing of our circumstances but rather through the changing of us. And He won’t change us unless we let Him.

So, whatever you are facing, choose now to let Him change you. He might also change the things around you, but He is far more concerned with you than with passing circumstances. And when you ask God to make you feel better, have a better attitude, be more like Him, have more contentment, truly feel full and alive, realize that no other person can do that for you. Only God in you can make it happen and then only with your permission and your partnership. He won’t do it alone. You have to work with Him.

So stop waiting for some other human to make you feel better. Seek the Lord with all your heart. Ask Him to change you. And then personally agree with Him and partner with Him in whatever He wants to work in you!

A prayer for God’s presence and His people

Oh Lord, we need You now. We need You to guide us. To instruct us. Oh Lord we need Your Spirit, Your Presence and Your Glory to be on us, with us and in us!

Lord, break our hearts for lost people, dying churches, hopelessness, hurting, sorrow, grief, sin-laden and imprisoned people. May we care more about You and Your people (both lost and found) than our institutions, programs, ministries and efforts.

Lord, may our hearts carry Your burden for people that none would perish, but all would come to You for salvation and new life! Lord deliver us from our own selfishness and self-absorption that blinds us to the people and needs around us.

Dear Jesus, please make us to truly be desperate for Your Presence and actively partnering with You in Your mission to seek and save the lost. Thank You Jesus for loving us! Now please fill us with that love and flow through us to the world.

In Jesus’ name,

AMEN!

What shall we receive from God?

“Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” – Job 2:10

There seem to be four things in our lives that are complex in how they are intertwined together and yet collectively they seem to account for much of the stress, fear, anxiety, doubt and discouragement in our lives.

These four things are:

* Judgments
* Complaining
* Absence of the Presence of the Lord
* The concept of busyness and what is important

I know at first glance you are probably at a loss. Let me take a moment to explain.

In our lives there are always occurrences, circumstances, experiences and occasions. In other words: life happens. For some unknown reason we seem to always want to designate these happenings into one of two categories: good or bad. We do this with people, attitudes, emotions, circumstances and so on and so forth. We get it in our head that somehow we are able to determine through our own wisdom and knowledge what is good or bad, and what is harmful or helpful. Not only this but we seem to be quite good at it. We make snap judgments about things, circumstances and people and “know” within a few seconds, moments or hours how what we see before us is either good or bad. Furthermore we (subconsciously?) place the good and bad things on an imaginary scale in our mind and when the balance tips so far one way or the other we are then able to make judgments about whether our life is good or bad. This is foolish, stressful and dis-honors God. Yet we do it.

As a result of what we see as an accumulation of bad things in our lives and the subsequent “tipping of the scales” that “clearly” shows that our lives aren’t going well then we turn to God (and others) and begin complaining about how unfair it all is. We moan about how we don’t deserve these things and that clearly our own motives and good choices/deeds should demonstrate that God should be doing more nice things for us instead of heaping all these bad things on us.

Coupled with our judgments and our complaining is a disastrous third reality, and that is that much of the time there is an absence of the manifest presence of God in our lives. Indeed God gives us the Holy Spirit as a deposit upon our salvation and furthermore He cleanses us and sanctifies us as we journey on with Him in surrender and consecration however much of the time we find ourselves simply too busy to stop and call on the Lord. And in case you hadn’t noticed: even though He fills us, we leak.

And there is one more deadly behavior in our lives and that is our constant busyness and our personal viewpoint of what is important. We stay so busy because it makes us feel important, accomplished and like our lives have meaning. We stay busy because it brings us accolades and acceptance from people around us. We stay busy because then we don’t have to listen to God’s still small voice or finally deal with some of the things that He has already told us have been eating us alive. And so we grab on to what we think is important (judgments again?) and we stay busy. Too busy to pray. Too busy to listen to God. Too busy to read His word. Too busy to obey.

When these four things converge, we self-destruct We worry and are seized by guilt and fear. Guilt for not listening to God. Fear of not being able to face the future because we aren’t sure God is with us because we have been ignoring Him. A lack of peace because we are not dwelling in the Presence of the Prince of Peace.

So what is the answer to all of this?

Not to down-play it, but I believe it is quite simple: receive everything in your life as it is (that really is the only way we can receive anything anyway). Then take those things to the Father in prayer. Wait desperately, hungrily, patiently for the Lord. Let God tell us what is good and bad. Let God reveal to us what is important and what we should be doing.

I believe that if we believed and followed these verses, God could truly deliver us from this wretched cycle of fear and self-destruction:

* “By myself I can do nothing. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just because I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.” – Jesus (John 5:30)
* “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
* “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” – Psalms 37:7
* “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” – Job 2:10
* “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.” – Psalm 40:1

So accept everything in your life as it is. Take is to the Lord in prayer. Wait patiently for the Lord and place all things before Him for His judgments and His loving influence upon all things. Don’t try and measure life by standards of importance and success, instead let God reveal His will. And then lovingly, cheerfully and faithfully obey. Be still in His Presence and let His peace and His Spirit give you life abundant and life everlasting!!

Let us say with the Psalmist: Oh Lord, “set me in Your Presence forever”. (Psalm 41:12)