Don't Do Something So You Can Be Something - Do Something Because You Are Something

My Utmost For His Highest 

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. —John 13:17

{CHAMBERS} “Be determined to know more than others. If you yourself do not cut the lines that tie you to the dock, God will have to use a storm to sever them and to send you out to sea. Put everything in your life afloat upon God, going out to sea on the great swelling tide of His purpose, and your eyes will be opened. If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the calm waters just inside the harbor, full of joy, but always tied to the dock. You have to get out past the harbor into the great depths of God, and begin to know things for yourself— begin to have spiritual discernment. When you know that you should do something and you do it, immediately you know more. […] The counterfeit of obedience is a state of mind in which you create your own opportunities to sacrifice yourself, and your zeal and enthusiasm are mistaken for discernment. […] “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…” (1 Samuel 15:22).”

{ELGIN} Knowing is not the same as doing. You can memorize scripture all you want or are able, but if don’t obey the scripture, it is to no avail.  It has not accomplished its purpose.  James wrote “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only” (James 1:22) We conjure up all kinds of substitutes for obedience to the Word.  The primary reason is .. well … it’s us.  We do not want to give in or give up … lay down .. turn away … or submit … we prefer to be in control … to not be is frightful .. so it is really an issue of trust and faith.  We don’t really trust God … our faith is not in Him but in ourselves. We have to protect ourselves … for many sad reasons … So what is the solution?  I have shared this before .. some time ago.  I can’t draw in this BLOG but if I could, I would show you the Navigator’s Wheel.  The Hub is Jesus – at the center.  There are 4 spokes..  The vertical spokes are meditation on the Word and Prayer.  The horizontal spokes are Witnessing and Fellowship with other Christians.  The rim of the wheel is the Christ Centered Life.  Each of the components of the wheel require us to do something.  Not do something so you can be something … be do something because you are something.  It starts with an intimidate relationship with Jesus and goes from there.  Works as a result of faith … not faith as a result of works. The Christian life is supernatural and dependent upon the Spirit of God – faith in Jesus and a willing – submitted heart.   If you are struggling with this .. there is no better time than today to turn the corner.  Stop trying to change on the outside and let God change you from the inside.

Being Like Jesus Is More Than Just Being Good

My Utmost For His Highest 

Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do… —John 14:13 

{CHAMBERS} “Am I fulfilling this ministry of intercession deep within the hidden recesses of my life? There is no trap nor any danger at all of being deceived or of showing pride in true intercession. It is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit through which the Father is glorified. Am I allowing my spiritual life to waste away, or am I focused, bringing everything to one central point— the atonement of my Lord? Is Jesus Christ more and more dominating every interest of my life? If the central point, or the most powerful influence, of my life is the atonement of the Lord, then every aspect of my life will bear fruit for Him. […] Am I willing to give one minute out of every hour to concentrate on it? “If you abide in Me […] Am I abiding? Am I taking the time to abide? What is the greatest source of power in my life? Is it my work, service, and sacrifice for others, or is it my striving to work for God? […] It is not on what we spend the greatest amount of time that molds us the most, but whatever exerts the most power over us. We must make a determination to limit and concentrate our desires and interests on the atonement by the Cross of Christ. […] Does it appear to contradict sound logic or seem totally absurd? Yes, but what a glorious truth it is to a saint of God.”

{ELGIN} God’s intent is that we me conformed into the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29) “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”  What exactly is that … the image of His Son, I mean?  We tend to limit it to Jesus as He walked on terra firma … the earth.  But what if it goes beyond that?  What if it extends into the heavenlies.  (Romans 8:34) “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”  Just as Jesus is interceding with the Father for all of the saints … we too should be interceding for others with the Father. (James 5:16) “Pray for one another ….. The prayers of a righteous man (person) are powerful and effective”  Intercession. 

Jesus is our high priest.  (Hebrews 4:14-16)  “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” A priest makes intercession on behalf of others and if we are to be like Jesus, we should be willing, even eager, to stand before the Father on their behalf.  Today would be a good day to start.

What To Do When God Gives You Opportunity

I normally don't post except for my morning devotions, but I thought I would share this happening as a way to encourage you in your faith.

(2 Timothy 4:2) "Preach the word!  Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching." You never know when God is going to give you the opportunity.  Be ready.  As it happened I was reading Ecclesiastes chapter 3 this morning.  There is a time or season for everything.

I took Martie's car in for a service this morning.  It was going to be a wait so they offered to drop me off at a store or restaurant and then they would pick me up.  The young man who drove was talking with me - idle banter - when he asked me what I did.  I told him and he said that he was from Salt Lake City and new a number of missionaries.  Although I did not ask, I assumed he was Mormon.  We chatted a bit about the life God has called Martie and me to.  As it happened, he also picked me up.  Our conversation led to discussing how to love your wife and how to deal with conflicts - differences of opinion.  I pointed him to scripture.  Before I got out of the car, he asked me if I was doing OK, if I was having trouble.  I told him that when you are in the center of God's will, you are always doing OK.  God provides. I gave him my card and encouraged him to look us up on the Web.  planting seeds.

It doesn't end there.  It took a while longer on the car service so they asked if they could take me home and they will come back to get me when the car is done.  New driver.  We talked about our being from Alabama and why.  About how hot it was and I added that we were used to it having lived in Haiti for 4 years.  He asked if the Haitians were open to the Gospel.  That surprised me.  So I talked to him about Christians in Haiti and the openness to the Gospel there.  That morphed into a conversation about the small church he attends and the fact that they don't do much with missions.  I talked to him about Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts.  I encouraged him that his little church should be faithful in Jerusalem and trust that God will bring the increase and ministry direction.

All of this just because Martie's car needed a service.  My point to you is be ready .. but more be willing.  You never know when and where God will give you opportunity to speak life into someone.  Maybe today!

Struggling With SIn? The Only Way To Win Is To Say Chieu Hoi - I Surrender!

My Utmost For His Highest 

…work out your own salvation…for it is God who works in you… —Philippians 2:12-13

CHAMBERS} “Your will agrees with God, but in your flesh there is a nature that renders you powerless to do what you know you ought to do. When the Lord initially comes in contact with our conscience, the first thing our conscience does is awaken our will, and our will always agrees with God. Yet you say, “But I don’t know if my will is in agreement with God.” Look to Jesus and you will find that your will and your conscience are in agreement with Him every time. What causes you to say “I will not obey” is something less deep and penetrating than your will. It is perversity or stubbornness, and they are never in agreement with God. The most profound thing in a person is his will, not sin. The will is the essential element in God’s creation of human beings— sin is a perverse nature which entered into people. In someone who has been born again, the source of the will is Almighty God. “…for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” With focused attention and great care, you have to “work out” what God “works in” you— not work to accomplish or earn “your own salvation,” but work it out so you will exhibit the evidence of a life based with determined, unshakable faith on the complete and perfect redemption of the Lord. […] Do I believe that Almighty God is the Source of my will? God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it.”

{ELGIN}  Paul addresses the battle that rages between wanting to do the right but choosing the wrong instead in Romans chapter 7.  In the end he says “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:21-25)  Our struggle with our old nature is a spiritual battle.  Many just give up feeling that trying to resist is futile – hopeless.  They resolve to be content with the presence of sin in their lives.  Instead of seeking Jesus out and letting the Spirit change them from within, they assume an air of spirituality and let that be their substitute for their new life in Christ.  We can never overcome our old nature through self-effort, only through total abandonment to Jesus.  It is a question of surrender. 

During the war in Vietnam there was a repatriation program named Chieu Hoi (chew hoy).  The original name of the Chieu Hoi Program was Phong-Trao Chieu-Tap Khang-Chieu Lam  Dong, or The Movement to Regroup Misled Members of the Resistance. Amongst the US forces the name eventually came to mean – “I surrender”.  The idea was that the Viet Cong (VC) could be restored – repatriated.  The VC would raise their weapons above the heads and say “Chieu Hoi” – I give up.  My point? In a similar manner we must raise our will above our heads and say “I surrender”.  It’s the only way to win.  I have quoted this before … it’s from the Focus on The Family study “The Truth Project”  Dr. Del Tackett asks the question “Do you believe that what you believe is really real?”  If you don’t really believe God and the Bible and willing to act on that belief then you are bound to struggle … because what you are attempting to do requires the power of God.  That can only be happen if you are willing to say “Chieu Hoi!”

What To Do When You Are Tempted To Hide In A Cave When Trouble Comes

My Utmost For His Highest 

He Himself has said….So we may boldly say… —Hebrews 13:5-6

{CHAMBERS} “My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. […] The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.  What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ‘The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you….’ ” Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never…forsake you.””

{ELGIN} Courage is not the absence of fear, but action in the face of fear.  (Joshua 1:8-9) “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  That is what the Lord told Joshua as Joshua was called to leadership and mighty acts that could only be accomplished by the power of God as Joshua walked in obedience to the Word of God by faith in God.  It’s one thing to read or hear about others facing lions .. it’s quite another to feel the lion’s breath on your face.  That is how it often is when we read about the success stories of others, or hear testimonies.  But when we face challenges in our own lives, we get weak in the knees, we want to find a place to run.  That is how it was for Elijah (1 Kings 19:8-10) “So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. The Lord Appears to Elijah And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”” 

Elijah had just experience a great spiritual victory and had seen God show up as Elijah faced a people hostile to him and God.  Now he was hiding in a cave … fearful for his life.  Some peoples faith goes on and off like a light switch.  One minute they stand in the bright light of the glory of God and “click”, the next they are in the dark pit of despair.  (1 Kings 19:14,18) “He [Elijah] replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” [God said] “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal.”  

Listen – Elijah felt alone – but He was not alone – Elijah chose to be alone.  That is a mistake that many Christians make.  They need to draw close to other Christians, yet, instead they choose to hide in a cave.  They do exactly the opposite of what they should do.  Their fear captivates them.  They even fear other Christians.  Maybe you are struggling with the issues of life.  You are hiding from God and avoiding other Christians .. exactly the opposite of what you should be doing.  You are in darkness and dominated by the old nature.  Or perhaps you know someone who is.  I tell people that it is hard to hug a porcupine … you are going to get stuck by the quills … but you need to hug them anyway.  Think about it and reach out to someone.

The Insanity Of Trusting In Yourself

My Utmost For His Highest 

He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." —Hebrews 13:5

{CHAMBERS} “What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6).[…] “I will never…forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. […] … as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.”

{ELGIN}  In my experience the greatest enemy facing my and my desire to follow God and yield to His leading and ways is, well…. It’s me.  I find it so easy to agree with God and acknowledge His precepts as right, and yet, when faced with life I turn to me and not Him.  The phrase Living by Faith is meant to be a plaque on the living room wall … or merely a pleasantry that we acknowledge as being right.  To live by faith – in God – means to trust Him first.  Living by faith is not like one of the bodily functions controlled by the autonomic nervous system .. like breathing and heart beats … something that you don’t have to think about … Living by faith is intentional … an act of the will.  If you are struggling in your faith, it is most likely that the source of the struggle is you .. not your circumstance.  Like the man who said to Jesus “Help me with my unbelief”  (Mark 9:21-24)  “Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!””

In this life on Earth, we are not spared form hardship or heartache, but … we can endure whatever life brings our way if we will only have faith in the One who sent His Son … Who created us from dust and breathed life into us.  Once in our natural birth and then again in our rebirth when He sealed us with His Spirit – the Breath of God.  I know that trusting God in the midst of the turmoil of life can be difficult .. maybe you think impossible … If Christians neglect the disciplines of the faith … if Sunday is the sum total of the time they spend with the Father … then when the test comes . .and it will come, they will likely get a failing grade.  Not because God was not able to sustain them, but because they chose to ignore Him and trust themselves.  Why is something that seems so simple, so hard to do? Because its our nature to trust ourselves even if it always leads to failure.  Remember that is the definition of insanity.

Resist The Temptation To Hide Behind The Veil Of Feigned Holiness

My Utmost For His Highest 

He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" —Ezekiel 37:3

{CHAMBERS} “Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer— “O Lord God, You know” (Ezekiel 37:3). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, “Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done.” It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. […] We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience.[…] When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace. […] “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.”

{ELGIN}  No one, except God, knows you like you do.  I am referring to the things that remain unrevealed to others.  I think most if not all of us prefer that people believe we are more spiritual than we really are.  We can behave really well on Sunday mornings .. for an hour or so anyway.  Most  of us struggle to be more righteous in our thinking and doing.  We learn to be content with our current level of sanctification.  It’s the best we can do!  It’s our old nature at work in us.  A constant struggle.  During the great revivals it was not uncommon for people to publicly confess their sins having come under great conviction by the Holy Spirit.  (John 16:8-9) “When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me (Jesus);”  For that to have happened publicly there must first come conviction and brokenness privately.  When we hide behind a veil of feigned holiness, fearful that people will reject us if they really knew what we are made of, we cripple the new man.  I am not suggesting that we stand on a street corner and shout out every sin … but I am encouraging you to not let the fear of what men may think of keeping you from submitting to the conviction of the Spirit and confessing your sins to the Father.  Don’t show more respect or fear for men than you do for the Father.  (Matthew 10:28) “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”  (Psalm 118:6) “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”  To do that requires faith … faith that comes from your pursuit after God.