You have been conditioned

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
(Romans 8:28 NLT)

Not everything is for our benefit, we are free to make choices that lead away from God however, if we truly love God even when we fall to temptation and the devil means to harm and separate us from God our Heavenly Father can and will turn it around to work out for our own good. Even before we know God He reaches out to show us that we are loved and there is a better way. Remember Paul was Saul, you see people need to know their own need for God, they need to see where control over their own lives leads to, this is done by the law God gave Moses first and in Saul’s situation it took him being knocked to the ground and blinded until he was ready to truly see. He received a new name and new life but he did not forget what God had brought him out of, instead it was used to compel him toward the goal God had set for him. The point is God will get our attention and we will come face to face with a choice. If we make the decision to not change for a while God will keep showing up as our plans naturally fail and each time we will be presented with a choice but if we continue to turn from God eventually our heart grows hard and we stop hearing God’s call. However, If we decide at that point God knows the way better than we do change will come and then His forgiveness breaks the chains that bind but all that is past is not wasted but instead our weakness becomes His strength. Whatever you struggled with, whatever you have been delivered from, whatever you have battled and won that is where you will be compelled the most when speaking to others about what the Lord has done. Yes all things in this life do work together for our good if we love God and follow His calling for our lives. God does not take junk, meaning He wants our whole heart not just part. What it does not mean is that we have to clean ourselves up before coming to Him, we only need recognize we can’t do it on our own and He is good and true to complete the work He has started in us.

You are all I want

Too often people depend on someone else to meet their needs and it always ends in failure, hurting one and robbing the other. Sometimes it is a child looking to a parent, sometimes it is a spouse looking to the other but regardless only one person can meet all our needs and that is Jesus. What’s worse is when someone feels they’ve been let down by someone else then turn and start all over with another person to meet their needs but the closer they get the more they realize that person doesn’t meet their needs either and the same destructive behavior ends that relationship like the one before it. Worse yet are those who give up on relationships and walk around with gaping wounds, it would be as if the injured in a battle got up and started walking in the midst of the battle. In the end it isn’t the fault of the person being looked to but something is missing deep within one’s self. Though the soul cries out for relationship with Jesus, as Savior and provider getting past the wants of the flesh proves to be difficult. This endless searching maybe because of hurt or neglected as a child or just not being aware of the needs of something deeper but there comes an age of accountability and the message, the answer, will be made known and faith will be required to step through the doorway of truth. Either way a lot of energy is put into gaining back what was lost or never had but in the end it doesn’t matter, for either one will find Jesus or search for the rest of their life being tossed to and fro like a ship on stormy waters.

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6 NLT)

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat with My Father on His throne. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.
(Revelation 3:20-22 NLT)

Talking the talk

About four times a year I feel impressed to remind the reader these posts are uniquely one man's conversation with his Lord and Savior which has been recorded into written word so that others may be blessed and challenged as well as they allow God work in their own lives. The fact that a few criticize is only evidence God is in the message and it has convicted them but without a willingness to accept where it originated and that they are loved the devil twist it so they feel attacked, which is cause for concern but that is another matter. Whether I am talking about a particular person or not will never be known except for a few cases when I mention my children or my wife but the thing that matters is God speaking to the reader and if so is change allowed to happen?

Lately my prayer is that I become the man who writes these letters, more to the point that I live out what I talk about here. Now I can tell you that this has always been my intent but like every other person I struggle, hello. That maybe the reason why our relationship with God is supposed to be daily instead of the once and for all time attitude that seems so prevalent in today’s society. In the end eternity is decided based on a single relationship and on that terrible day everyone will be separated by God as a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

On judgment day many will say to Me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.'
(Matthew 7:22-23 NLT)

“I never knew you” does not speak of God’s knowledge or wisdom, no it speaks of relationship! Did God lead you, was He able to direct your footsteps or did you walk your own path based on what you thought was best? Being perfect is not where it’s at you can’t impress your Creator with your abilities but our faith to believe that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and will do what is best for us, even when it causes us to go through difficulties and our desire to listen and obey are the things that will matter when the race has been run.

The chains that bind

You struggle to be free but you don’t know what you are struggling against. It’s not as it first appears because the enemy is cunning and does his best to hide the truth from you but that is why God says that Truth shall set you free (John 8:31-32). You must recognize and name those chains before you can experience true freedom, cast down the denial and then understand it was your choices that brought you here in the first place.

We are powerless to change on our own but God loves us so much He has promised not to leave us in the mess we’ve made. Change comes and freedom is known when we begin to trust God will do what He has promised and we make the decision to turn from the way that seems right to us. A pastor friend of mine says, “If you take the first step Jesus is faithful to take the rest with you.” And it’s true freedom has been waiting all along but we must take the first step, as much as God loves us he’s not going to do it for us. Just like a child who doesn’t want to take out the garbage, the good parent won’t do it for the child because the parent wants the child to learn something and so it is with God and us. Freedom is waiting but the choice is yours, if nothing changes, nothing changes.

A way that seems right

There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
(Proverbs 14:12 NLT)

No matter what class, race, ethnicity, alcoholic, drug addict, sane, deranged, financial stability, or beggar on the street people do what they feel is right and then justify it through their own limited ability to reason but not all is lost.

The better control we have, the more successful we appear, the more we can turn situations to our advantage the harder it is to see how limited our sight really is. Sure we become master game players but how do we position ourselves when the game board stretches through all eternity if we can only just see in front of us? The problem is we are all lost and don’t even realize it, to further complicate it this life is a test and whether we pass or fail impacts all of eternity.

We have been given the truth and it is our decision alone to either listen or turn away. Not only do we have God’s Word but He sent His Son so we might see with our own eyes what it looks like to walk this elusive path, yet few listen, and fewer still obey. I have seen people who are on a steady decline, the more they struggle the more tangled they become and still they struggle. Not realizing the situation they are in has come about because of their own doing and in their reasoning they don’t understand why bad things keep happening to them or why they are so unlucky but if they just try harder it will all work out. Their sights are set on those who appear to be “successful” but those players who seem successful set their goals on those who make more money so they can have more stuff. I have also seen those who have made something out of nothing and appear to have really done something but unknowingly struggle just the same. Somewhere deep inside man’s heart God’s voice calls out to turn from his own reasoning. Mankind is intelligent and can do whatever they set their minds to, for we have accomplished many things throughout our time here on earth. We can change our situation so that our label turns from the scarlet letter to being placed on a pedestal, at the extreme we can become the envy of everyone who has less but has anything really changed? I offer that this person has gone from the soupy swamp in danger of drowning to a heart that has crystallized and turned to granite who’s feet are still on shifting sand and in danger of toppling and being broken.

But to those who have had the spiritual insight to see their own situation from God’s perspective (made possible through the Holy Spirit of God) realize Jesus came to save all of us from ourselves and set us free from all that entrap us. I teach a recovery class of which I am both a graduate and still a student of God’s delivering power. I have taught several times that those who are broken are closer to salvation and those with the scarlet letter on their chest have been given the opportunity to start something new but unless they stop struggling and turn everything over to God that split moment of tenderness turns once again to stone and new levels of darkness will be known. No one is exempt and it’s all because of our own blindness and refusal to listen, problem is the time is coming when we have to put down our pencils and turn in our papers but unlike school we don’t get to repeat the grade, for we only have one shot at this life and the result of which is eternal.

All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
(Matthew 25:32 NLT)

Doing it on your own

You can either make decisions based on what you know or you can live your life based on truth but what is true? If it is not what you believe to be true then how can you know it? More to the point what is your anchor, what is true north? Is your life line depended upon how you can play the game or is it dependent upon what the Creator of all life says? Why would anyone want to play games when the cost is so high? Is it because, apart from Christ we don’t understand what the costs are? We have a Creator who not only gave us this life we know and love but gave us also eternal souls and the cost is eternal separation from God.

All that we see and know that is good and true has been given to us as blessings from God, the mind cannot comprehend existence without God’s mercy, His love, and His grace. “For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45 MKJV). Do we really want to know what life is like without God’s intervention? Do we want to gamble on finding out and then living with our decision for the rest of eternity?

God loves us too much not to change us. When you are left alone with yourself, meaning when you come face to face with the reality of who you are without Christ are you satisfied with what you see? Really, all humanity is the same read Psalms, king David struggled with who he was without God. David’s son Solomon who wrote Ecclesiastes did not want for anything and had wisdom beyond his own understanding yet he said, “Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What is the profit to a man in all his labor which he labors under the sun? A generation passes away, and a generation comes; but the earth remains forever.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 MKJV). If ever there was a man who obtained everything it was him still there was a hole inside himself he could not fill. Do we not know God’s Word, are our spiritual ears filled with wax that they cannot hear what the Spirit of God is telling us? Then why do we strive, why do we keep pushing forward if the road leads to nowhere? What is it we are looking for? Might it be we were created for something bigger than ourselves and therefore that which we seek does not come from within but without. Humanity was not created to be complete apart from God and until we awaken to see that we will continue to be tossed on the stormy sea of life this way and that but with God as our anchor and Christ as our north star we will reach our destination.

Fear of looking down

Without knowing the depths of the dark canyon below the full impact of God’s grace cannot be known. The more light that is allowed to shine on this great divide the tighter one clings to Jesus.

One does not share the experiences of the heart only to help others but also to reassure one’s self of God’s presences, for many times I would have fallen if it were not for the things God has done. For the path of the righteous is narrow and few ever reach their destination. If it were simple we would not require God’s leading and if the path were smooth our armor would not include shoes of peace that come from God’s good news.

But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
(1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT)

Like Paul told Timothy, “Faithful is the Word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:15). I do not share with the intent to show myself better than anyone else but rather to show God’s kindness and mercy. Without Christ my life is unmanageable and destined for destruction but in Him there is hope, in Him peace can be known, in Him true life can be found. I share because Christ Jesus is all that is good within me and the only thing worthy of sharing. He has allowed me to see the deep dark crevices I try to hide, even from myself.

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."
(Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT)

Paul goes on to say, “But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.”
(1 Timothy 1:16 NLT)

How can you tell others that you have been saved if you are not willing to tell what you’ve been saved from? The thing that struck me about Paul is that he did not say he was the chief sinner but he spoke in present tense, “of whom I am chief”. For I believe Paul knew to step outside of God’s grace would be to step squarely in the center of who he was without Christ. You see Paul knew the depths of the deep canyon below and was reminded of it often but that did not cause him to fear, rather he boasted of the things Christ has done in his own life realizing He can do the same for others. Then why is it when we step away from God, motivated by our own wicked hearts that we come to despair? Life is about decisions, consistently make bad ones and your path will lead you to a test; fail the test and you will know new levels of the darkness below. With each bad decision you only make the hole you will later have to climb out of deeper but fear not for even in this there is purpose. God wants your trust, if you take Him for granted you are not trusting Him you are using Him for your purpose and your soul is in danger of hell. However, if we know His mercy and love our eyes He will lift so that we see His face and our souls will be saved.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
(Ephesians 6:12-18 NLT)

Don’t become consumed by fear, even though we are sinful but instead look to Jesus who was made sin for us so that we might live. Like the Israelites who sinned against God and were dying as poisonous snakes bit them their own fears forced them look down and all would have surely died but for God told Moses to make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole for all to see and those who simply look at it will be saved. Today if we simply put our eyes on Jesus He has the power to save us. (read Numbers 21)

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
(2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)

So the next time someone asks what does it mean to be saved tell them. Tell them of how you were dying, tell them of the darkness that is kept at bay because of Jesus’ light, tell them how even today you are reminded of your need for a Savior, and tell them how Jesus took your spot and paid your debt so that you might be called a lamb of God. Secondly, live out what God has called you to be, put on the armor of God, boldly proclaim what God has done in power, love, and self-discipline and never forget the deep dark place God has brought you from so that you might trust Him more.