Seeking God's Favor for My Intentions

2 Chronicales 17:1 – 18:34 King Jehoshaphat was a blessed king because if followed God's commandments but his friend, king Ahab was not favored by God still he wanted the blessings Jehoshaphat enjoyed so he asked Jehoshaphat to join him in battle but when Jehoshaphat sought the counsel of God's prophet the two kings did not get God's blessing to proceed but instead a warning that king Ahab would die if he continued with his plans. What was done next should be a warning to the church today, king Ahab put the prophet in jail and did what he intended to do in the first place but receiving the warning Ahab thought he'd out smart God by letting his friend Jehoshaphat be the only one dressed like a king leading his army. It worked at first and the enemy started chasing Jehoshaphat but then he prayed and the enemy realized it wasn't Ahab. What happened next was God ordained. A soldier from the opposing army randomly shot an arrow into the sky and it came down and struck king Ahab in the joint between his armor plating. Ahab then ordered the chariot driver to take him home because he was badly wounded but before night fall he died, just as God told him he would if he continued with his own plans. I don't care how smart you think yourself to be, if God says don't do it you better listen. You only fool yourself when you try to circumvent God's commands, still God is full of mercy and grace but He is holy and one day we must answer for all that we do and say. We are not perfect and we fall many times but this only proves our need for Jesus Christ and the fact we cannot save ourselves. Many people say God doesn't speak to me and thereby feel reading God's Word irrelevant but at the very heart of the matter is the idea that they would rather follow their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas than ask God. The results are deadly and should you live to a ripe old age and think, “I did alright for myself” the truth is this life is but a small portion of your existence compared to eternity.

God's Plan for My Life

I believe God's great desire for my life is for me to be fully alive no matter what I choose to put my mind and hands to. If I'm turning wrenches great, then do it filled with passion to fix what is broken. If I teach then I should teach with the full knowledge of that subject, if I build then I am to do so with skill and understanding of the design. No matter what I do, if it's something that is within me and I've made connection with the core of who I am then I must do it knowing that the Creator of all life has purposed this and ordained it from the beginning of time specifically for me and in this moment at which it has been revealed to me.

Just like large buildings have many different aspects and each piece must come together for the structure to be raised only the designer knows how each piece fits and the time for it to be placed so do we also have a Heavenly Father who sees across all eternity who knows the beginning from the end, for He is the Great Designer and He sets in motion each piece at the exact moment in time and each person's dream He has placed within them for a purpose that we cannot see or understand yet.

What I was reminded of this morning is that we can either struggle to obtain the dream within our own strength, depending upon our own measure and dealing with our own limitations and setbacks; coming to terms with circumstances set in place by rules and regulations made up by someone who has settled for lesser things and dealing with others who try to hold us back because they are concerned about how they might look if we do succeed or we can plug into the source of power that comes from the One who has destined for us to become this and more. Not only is His strength unlimited but His blessings are full; not only does He protect us but also the dream He has placed within our hearts. For what purpose do we struggle then? To prove our worth to others? Why does their opinion matter? For we do not run this race for the applause of the crowd but for the gold. We do not set our eyes on how many are cheering us on but our focus is undivided on the game. We must set our priorities on the things God says matter – anything else is a distraction. And how will we know what matters if we do not seek Him first? We must remember we are not the ones who designed all of this, we are not in control but it is the God we serve that knows how all the pieces connect and at what time. Do not allow yourself to be fooled into thinking because you have this dream, the desire, the skills required, even the passion for this thing your heart is set on is within your own reach. Simply put if it is then the dream is not big enough, if it doesn't take God to make it happen then you're thinking too small. Who gave you the dream, the desire, the skills, and this passion? No to become fully alive you must get your strength from the Source. Just like the battery in our mobile devices hold a charge for a little while so do we have the strength to accomplish some things but like that battery we must be plugged into the source of power on a daily basis if we are to serve our intended purpose.

My Security, My Anchor

It’s funny how God can speak to you through relationships with others if you are practiced in listening with spiritual ears and know His voice. I wonder how many times the things that look like faults in others are not my own relational issues with my Heavenly Father?

One such thing was brought to my attention early this morning just as clear as rays of sun shining through tree branches deep in the dark woods as it rises in the morning. His mercy is new every morning the question is will I receive it? Sometimes the things I hold onto for the purpose of security are the very things that keep me from knowing Him better and therefore impact my faith, my ability to love unselfishly, even my spiritual vision and purpose. My ability to give away freely that which has been given to me requires that I remember this. I am reminded those things that make me feel secure keep me from growing and anchor me. The familiar often is the enemy of faith and the freedom that comes from knowing Christ Jesus.

Christ is to be my anchor in the storms of life, for that is who we’ve all been made to be and also the reason why we sometimes feel the need to anchor to lesser things (if we don't chase after Him with all of our hearts we are left to our own devices). You see we want to anchor to things we trust in and the battle is this - our flesh tells us to hold fast to our careers, retirement plans, bank accounts, the cars we drive, even what seems good and right like giving back to the community with "our" time and money. Yes the enemy of God is sneaky and his plans are only revealed when God shines His light through the trees in the woods of our spiritual lives. All these things give us a sense of security and they tell us, “I’m good and of value". Like the rich man who tore down his barns to build bigger ones (Luke 12:18) I have a plan for the future but without Christ the value I bring is worthless and one might even say this way of thinking stirs God’s wrath against us, at least in the parable of the man who trusted in his money more than God as Jesus told.

Our value is not in what we do but who’s we are (if you belong to Jesus). When we are saved our value changes and no longer depends on how good we are. This morning I think God is telling me, “My son let go of these things then trust and follow me.” For I know the place I want to be can only be found by following the unseen. Yes I must walk with my eyes closed and learn to listen to the footsteps of the Master in order to see where I am going. It’s not easy but this one thing I know, my Redeemer will not crush me for trying and failing. If I belong to Christ then I must harbor hope within me at all times for this hope is the prerequisite of faith and we know without faith it is impossible to please God.

Spiritual Maturity

Spiritual maturity does not come from how long it’s been since we’ve received Christ Jesus as savior but instead spiritual maturity is only made known by the fruits of the spirit being developed and displayed in our own life. What are these fruits?

Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

In this life we face many trials and test, most often these come about because of our own sinful desires. If we choose to stand for Christ Jesus then our spirit is strengthened and we mature but should we give in to the ways of our flesh with bitterness, strife, envy, greed, unforgiveness, anger, hatred, and lust then we tear down the very thing which God has purposed in our lives for good and we do not know Him. It is for this reason there is a falling away from Christ Jesus.

Being spiritually mature does not mean we are never tempted but instead it means when these temptations come we choose to feed the spirit and not our flesh. What we feed is what becomes stronger. If you want to be spiritually mature then feed your spirit and there will come a time when these temptations will no longer have the same pull on you; no the temptations will not leave us in this life but if you feed the spirit and not the flesh they will lose their power over you.

You want a strong prayer life? James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” The earnest prayers of the righteous has great power and produces wonderful results, are you hearing this, for this is good news! The Holy Spirit gives understanding, is the Bible difficult to understand or is it that we’ve been feeding the flesh for so long we have starved our own spirit and its in a daze and can no longer comprehend what the Spirit of God is saying? How can the blind lead the blind? For if we are to make it home in the spirit realm we need a guide.

Wake up you mighty men and women of faith! 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” Do not let the enemy of God hold you down any longer. For it is faith that moves God to action. When you pray do it as a child of the King, do not beg or plead but simply ask and by faith and with expectation look for God’s hand to move in your situation. How would it make you feel as a parent if your child continued to beg you for something yet you told them you would do it? You might be sad that they don’t believe you will do what you said or it could cause you to wait until they were ready to receive. The waiting is a test to see if we will trust, are you passing the test? Turn it around how would you feel as a parent if your child asked, you said you would, and before they received what they asked for every time you saw them they were thankful, even though it had not come to pass yet. Would that not make you want to give it to them all the more? How much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask? (Matthew 7:11). James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe that God will do it. You must not doubt and think, `Perhaps God will not do it.' A person who doubts is like a wave on the sea. The wind drives it this way and that way.”

We must understand when our heart is right (earnest) and we have put ourselves in alignment with God’s will (we know His will by our relationship with Him, which comes through prayer and the reading of His Word) it is His great pleasure to answer those prayers, for it is by this that our faith grows but understand He loves us too much to always say “yes”, our hearts must be set on pleasing and following Him even when the answer is “no”. As our Father He knows what's best for His children, again are we trusting Him?

Always be thankful and with humility and boldness live life expecting God’s favor, all the while understanding our need for His provisions, for I am desperate for His presence in my life, at all times. When God’s people live in the favor of our Lord, our Father, and God the world will take notice and by this His name will be glorified through out all the earth. You are the Master's vessel and when we are serving His purpose we are fully alive and He is glorified.

A Parent's Prayer

Philippians 1:3-11 NLT
(3) Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.
(4) Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy,
(5) for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
(6) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
(7) So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.
(8) God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.
(9) I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
(10) For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return.
(11) May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Paul wrote this to the Philippians while in prison but it struck me this morning this is the prayer every parent longs to pray over their children. Did you notice the first thing he says is that when he prays for them it is with joy? Implying this is not always the case, which speaks of those who are not doing the will of God. You see Paul considers himself a spiritual father figure to all he has brought the gospel to and who have accepted Christ Jesus as savior. While the hope is that each group will be a source of joy to him because of their servant attitudes towards the things of Christ, that is not always the case. Just like a parent with several children, not all align themselves with the commandments of Christ and though he loves them all sometimes a rebuke is needed instead of a blessing – something that is difficult for us parents to understand. Not all of his prayers (for his children) are easy to pray and so it is as a parent. Paul talks about being spiritual partners with the Philippians as they work with him and each other to spread the Good News of the gospel and he speaks of the maturing the Lord is doing on the inside of each one of them because he recognizes it as the same thing the Lord has done for him. As a parent is proud of their children when they are pleasing to the Lord, so is Paul of the Philippians and because of their partnership the experiences Paul has he gladly shares with them so that they may grow in faith as well, aligning not only himself with God's will but those he birthed to Christ Jesus as well. The bottom line is that regardless of Paul's praise or rebuke his hope is that all his children would choose to live pure blameless lives before Christ Jesus until the day of the Lord's return and Paul wraps it up by pointing their hopes not in him, as a matter of fact Paul prepares them for his passing, but to the worthy ambition of giving glory and praise to God with their very lives.

A New Day Dawning

2 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NLT
(1) Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet Him.
(2) Don't be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.
(3) Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed--the one who brings destruction.
(4) He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
(5) Don't you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you?
(6) And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.

Do not fear for our Father in heaven knows the business of man and the tricks of the enemy are not hidden from Him. As we watch lawlessness rise up in this Christian nation we who hope in the Lord God Jehovah know that these things must happen before Jesus returns. To those who think His returning will happen while everything is going great, blue skies, and sunshine you are sorely mistaken. In fact those who have prepared and keep their lamps burning for the Bridegroom will know His coming is near because of the darkness that surrounds that time. Look at verse three again. “Don't be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction.”

Lord, thank you for the hope you give and the strength that is beyond my means. Please help me to be ever watchful for the signs of your return. Help me not to lose myself in matters of this world but be ever mindful of your presence. May I be an empty vessel to be used for your purpose so that my life may be poured out for your glory, not my own. Be near family and friends and help me to encourage them in times such as these. In Jesus' name, amen.

Test yourselves to see if you know Christ

John 1:1-14 NLT
(1) In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(2) He existed in the beginning with God.
(3) God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.
(4) The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone.
(5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
(6) God sent a man, John the Baptist,
(7) to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
(8) John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light.
(9) The One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
(10) He came into the very world He created, but the world didn't recognize Him.
(11) He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.
(12) But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.
(13) They are reborn--not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
(14) So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.

How do we know if we really have relationship with God's Son? Ask yourselves this question, “Am I a good person?” Simply put if your answer is “yes” then you have not known Him. If you are good then you have no need for a savior, still our hearts cry out for one. Why is it Marvel movies make over one billion dollars each? Whether we know it or not our hearts recognize the need for a hero but society tells us to pull ourselves up by our boot straps and earn that position and title, make people take notice but all along we leave behind the truth that tells us we need Jesus (BTW that's the Holy Spirit of God). So have you become a “good person”? Working to do what's right, still quietly falling short of where a true hero stands? Have you eliminated your need for a savior? John 1:12 But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.”

Lord, even if it means that we come face to face with our own shortcoming please show your children their need for Jesus, still do not crush us but let us find hope in your Son. Let us be reminded daily that though our righteousness is as dirty rags Jesus, the one who knew no sin, covers us and if we only believe in Him we shall be saved. Forgive me Father for trying to make it on my own and teach me your ways, lead me and guide me all the days of my life so that I may be called yours. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.