Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

Great Expectations

    My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him (Ps.62:5).

A man came into some money and was considering how best to invest it. He had always wanted to have an apple orchard yet never thought it would be possible. Since he really knew very little about raising apples, much less a whole orchard, he decided to start small with about ten to twenty trees and work his way up. He purchased the land and purchased the apple tree saplings, and soon planted and cared for the trees to raise them up healthy and strong. Imagine his surprise when his apple trees began to produce peaches. It seems that his saplings had been packaged wrong at the time he bought them, and since he didn't know an apple tree from a peach tree, he got peaches.
The peach trees naturally produced what was in them to make. And no matter what the man expected from the tree, it could only naturally produce what was in it to produce. Jesus spoke of this when he said, "Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Mt.7:16). He went further to describe that in the same way, that which is in people to produce is what will come out. If we abide in Him, he tells us we will produce good fruit. But as we know, abiding may not be the easiest thing for us to do. For even if the world and the cares of this life do not steal our attentions from Christ, something else usually does.
More subtle than evil are the good intentions that beset us. Our desires to be righteous are often our stumbling stones as they become our guide above Christ. We see things that need done to serve and to minister, and while these things fill us with good intentions and noble desires, they can often be the very things that pull us out of the will of God. We can easily become consumed by good works. So much so that we take our eyes off of Christ and get wrapped up in our work until one day we look back and realize that we left Christ at the starting gate, or somewhere behind.
It is often that God begins to direct us, and we take what He has told us to a point and then run with it. We see only in part and then jump to our expected conclusions and we tell God, "OK Lord, I got it. I'll take it from here." Then we wonder why we get peaches out of apple trees.
If we are not careful, we can become ruled by the expectations we place on ourselves or by expectations that others or the church place upon us. We then lose sight of Christ as we have left him in our super spiritual up-kicked dust, and we venture ahead out of our own strength or abilities. We do so until we grow tired and cannot go another step. We may get physically sick or mentally exhausted. Mind and body are drained by self-effort to produce the expected fruits until we have to stop, and sit down, and rest. Christ then catches up to us (at His pace) to find us worn and weary. He then picks us up to walk with Him again and we begin to produce the natural fruits once more.
It seems no matter how hard we try, or how much we or others expect from us, we cannot force a peach tree to produce apples.

    Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her
    (Luke 10:38-42).

[Soldier4Christ]

Hearts of Lamentations

    Blessed are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted (Mt.5:4).

Ecclesiates tells us that "in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow" (1:18). There is no one I can think of who grieved more for fallen humanity than Christ Himself. He knew what was in man (John 2:25). He walked among humankind daily, knowing what was behind the masks they put on for everyone else. He knew their secrets, ambitions, desires and thoughts. Yet, He did not run away from that sorrow--he bore it. He faced up to it, even though it grieved Him, so that all mankind could know joy.
Jesus tells us that to whom much is given, much is required. We have been given eternal life, His joy, and the gift of His indwelling presence (to name a few things). We have also been given a great responsibility. We are to look humanity in the face and not wince. We are to see the wickedness of mankind and not run. As we draw closer to God, we cannot help but feel His pain for a fallen people. We cannot help but fall to our knees and yearn for God to bring Light to those who dwell in darkness.

Mourning Walk

        Early morning silence embraces,
        his footsteps softly traverse the hall.
        Bluish tinted walls lay left and right,
        a wake within the peripheral of night.
        The couch waits in the darkness like a friend.
        And meets him as he bends his knees beside,
        He lays, head on arm, across the cushion,
        as though within the stillness he would hide.
        His heart beats into his eyes
        and forces tears to fall to arm and couch.
        Bemoaning what has driven man from God,
        He pleads for Light,
        and waits with longing for the Morning Son.

A very familiar song tells us that "People Need the Lord." We must allow ourselves to feel some of the Father's pain that He feels as He watches His children do things that are hurting them. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted." It may be painful to experience the kind of knowledge and wisdom that Solomon speaks of--the kind that brings us grief and sorrow. But God assures us that we will be comforted. And in this process, we may discover that the depressing thoughts of a fallen people may be worth having--they may be the very thing that compel us to fall to our knees and lift up a fallen soul to the God who can lift them up.

    ...how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Mt. 23:37).

[Soldier4Christ]

A Place of Honor

    Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase (Pr. 3:9).

In a dream, you see yourself seated at an immense banquet table in what seems to be the biggest, most beautifully decorated banquet hall you have ever seen. The table you are seated at seems to go on forever. It is large and round, and seems to have thousands of people seated at it, many of whom you can barely make out as people at all. In fact, if not for their movement, you are certain they would blend into the background. You then notice someone seated at the place of honor--it is God Himself. You can hardly believe it and you can hardly wait to see what will happen next.
One by one people begin to stand and make their way to the podium to speak. Each one tells of what God has done in their lives, the wonderful lessons taught, life saving and life changing events. There are heartfelt words about God's grace, and tearful words about His mercy. One by one, each tells the rest what God meant to him or her personally. Then you notice that it's your turn. You stand. You make your way to the podium...
What do you do? What do you say? How long will your time of honoring be--or how short? Does a warm smile come to your face as your heart melts in joy to tell of God's love for you and the wonderful times you have spent together? Or do you grow anxious--worried how your story will compare to the rest?
What does it mean to honor God? Proverbs 3:9 tells us to "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase." In other scripture, we are instructed that honor goes far beyond righteous acts, it is a matter of honoring God in our hearts as well (Isa.29:13; Ps.78:36; Mk.7:6-7). The Bible does not focus merely on tithes, offerings and righteous acts, it focuses more on the condition of the heart when we are doing those things--and when we are not doing them.
Honoring God with your "substance" (or wealth in other translations), is not referring merely to income. If we limit ourselves to this we are certainly defining who we are within narrow margins. Your substance is defined by everything you are and all you have to offer. I'm sure you agree that you have a lot more to offer than money. In fact, if someone were to limit what you have to offer as only having to do with money, you would more than likely be offended.
So why is it that when we hear words like, "Honor the Lord with thy substance," that the main thing that comes to mind is money? Perhaps God should be offended. After all, He made you to be, and to have the potential to be, far more than a walking bank account. You--aside from your net worth--are important to God. Who you are as a person is what is most important to Him. And the best way you can honor Him is by honoring Him in who you are.
As you allow Him to shape your life so that you can honor Him in it, honoring Him with money and righteous acts will be a byproduct, not the main product.

    For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise (Ps. 51:16-17).

[Soldier4Christ]

One Body: United in Christ, Like-minded in Purpose

    I appeal to you brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Cor. 1:10).

God has called us to be like minded, after the likeness of the mind of Christ; and in this that we might have unity and not division. So why then do we not only debate issues but have let them divide us, and continue to do so. Even as the early Church did, so do we today. For in Paul's time the church was divided; some saying they were of Paul, and some of Apollos, and some of Cephas, and some of Christ. To which Paul responded "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor. 1:12-13) And yet, have we not done the same today? For some say, I am Baptist; and some I am Methodist; and some I am Pentacostal; and some I am Catholic. To which the response remains, "Is Christ divided?" Is it God's determination that we divide ourselves in such a way as to join with those with whom we can agree? Or was it instead His intentions that we allow our differences to draw us together, to strengthen us, and to balance us? For as it is, we have divided the Body of Christ, placing an arm here, and a leg there. Each detached as though it were able to maintain self sufficiency. For we are not one within the Baptist, or one within the Catholic, or Presbyterian, or Methodist. But we are all one within the Body, even the Body of Christ.
Keep in mind that each group's truth within these issues is not founded lightly. They have searched and researched the scriptures and can support their individual beliefs with scripture. Not to accept anything another part of Christ's body believes is to be arrogant; and to ignore their thoughts and insights completely is simply ignorant. Holding to a denominational viewpoint simply because it is ones own is foolish, and stems from pride, and not from God. Their is no one denomination, group or individual that holds all truth, it is God's alone.
However, we must not agree to disagree, but agree that one day we can agree. Not that we might all compromise the Truth, but that we might discover it as a whole. And not that it should be one groups truth over another, but that we might be willing to put aside our individual truth, and embrace God's Truth in unity of heart and likeness of mind. Knowing the day will come when our thinking will come into alignment with one another's, as it becomes in alignment with God's.
So we then should draw together as one Body, enabling the Body to function as a whole, allowing each part to function within the Body according to it's design. Some parts for prophesy, some for tongues, some for healing, some for teaching, some for serving, some for administration, some for giving, and all for the Head of the Body, which is Christ. Working together as one in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. For the cause and the needs and the purpose of the whole far outweigh those of the individuals. Therefore, do not continue in division as to cripple the Body of Christ, but come together and serve His purpose as one.

    Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (Rom. 12:4-5).

[Soldier4Christ]

The Defense Rests

    Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels (2 Tim. 2:23).

Many areas of Scripture continue to surface in 'religious' conversations as an issue of debate. Although "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation" (2 Pet. 1:20); many continue to hold to the interpretations which best support their own personal ideology. While it is true that we can only with extreme difficulty, escape surrounding influences and personal biases, it is necessary for us to examine the scriptures apart from these influences to the best of our ability. This is not to separate ourselves to the point that we do not apply the Scriptures to our own lives, rather it is to enable us to discover God's truth, not ours, regarding His Scripture. And then to accept the truth--and then to apply it.
So what is truth? There is only one Truth and that is God's Truth. Only by seeking God's Truth can we truly align ourselves with Him in purpose and in heart. After all, we claim this very thing to be our goal. That is, to imitate the Father, and be like Him in purpose and in heart. This then being the intent that we claim, it is surprising that we do not seek God's Truth all the more. Sure, we say that we seek His Truth; but when it is given it is then that we often run the other way. For we seek to avoid pain more readily than to bathe in pain which accompanies Truth. "For the Word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). Knowing this very thing to be Truth, how is it then that we turn the more quickly to accept the pleasant truth. Which is really no truth at all but instead the bliss of ignorance. Ignorance is not living, or powerful, or piercing; but it is dead, weak, and dull. It seeks to pacify to the point of regression, and never promotes perseverance and growth.
As for those who claim not only to seek God's truth, but to also have obtained it. God's truth is not something to be obtained but applied. After all who's truth is it? Is it yours or God's? I cannot obtain it as to possess it. It is God's alone. So then, why the controversy? Why the debate? Did God give it to us for us to argue? Certainly not. So why then do we argue? Is it because we are defending God's Truth--or our truth? God's Truth is a defense to itself. It is a stable rock and does not require defense from the unstable. It is not in the Spirit then that we argue the truth. (Search your own spirit and see if this is not so). But it is more often prideful boastings that are being defended; and human intellect being exalted. For if it were for truth sake that we debate, the Spirit would be in it. As it is, the Spirit removes Himself when the quest for Truth becomes a debate of issues. The Spirit has no regard for points to be proven through lengthy discussion, but that the truth might be known, and to the edification of those who receive it. Therefore accept God's Truth as He reveals it, and apply it as He directs. For only in so doing can the truth become part of you.

    And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hop that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 24-25).

[Soldier4Christ]

Transforming Thoughts

    And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Rom. 12:2).

A writer of Proverbs tells us that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction. We live in a society that is propelled along by a self-seeking mentality. One that employs each of us to find our own way, get all we can out of life, to find the thing that makes us happy and make it ours. Slogans like, "Look out for number one," have become popular within the last few decades, encouraging us to push on toward success in this life. That is, success as defined by the world we live in.
Sad as it is, most of us have bought into the lies of our culture. So much so, that the difference between the church and the lost community is hard to see. Some of the solid lines that were drawn between perceived godliness and worldliness have become vague and in some cases, almost nonexistent.
So what's the matter? The matter is that as we grow up in such a culture, the culture becomes a part of us, so much so, that we are very much the product of our culture. Our philosophies, ideals, and desires are shaped, molded and carved out of the clay our culture consists of . As much as the people of this nation want to claim that we are all individuals, there is an awful lot done to look, act, dress and live according to the pre-established guidelines of cultural norms. Very few of us are indeed true individuals, unaffected by societal sculpting. Being such, how we think is very much influenced by the common societal mind-set. We think much like everyone else around us. And if we think like those around us, then how we act or react to a given situation will be much the same as those around us. How we solve problems, how we make a living and even how we raise our children are all impacted by the thinking-style that is part of who we are because of where we have grown up.
Needless to say, the thinking patterns that have become part of us have become intertwined with every part of our being. And they affect every facet of our lives. The problem is that much of the societal thinking which has infected us is not of God. Much of the how we transact business, raise families, engage in friendships, choose where we will live and work, etc. is thought out first in terms of our cultural thinking. Even our churches do most of their business and financial planning based on such reasoning. Often what seems to be the best business decision supersedes providential ministry.
Romans 12 tells us that we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That would indicate a change in our old thought patterns. We abandon our old ways of thinking, problem solving, business transacting, etc., and we adopt a new way of thinking as defined in scripture. It won't be easy. We are use to handling things a certain way, and giving that up takes hard work. Yet, if we are to find true successful living, we must learn to do it God's way and find the strength to question our usual ways of doing things--rejecting that which clashes with the Word of God.
Be certain that your so called "common sense" will take a beating. But I am sure that if you are willing to abandon everything you have ever known, and trust God to guide you, you will find the life that God has chosen for you--and you will know God's blessing in your life to the fullest.

    . . .I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (Jesus, Jn. 10:10).

[Soldier4Christ]

Our Darkest Hour

    And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves; but he [Jesus] was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us; we perish (Mt. 8:24-25).

I once watched a seen on the television show, "Little House on the Prairie" in which the Ingles family were going through a desperate time. I do not really remember what was wrong, but I remembered one of the ways they chose to deal with their circumstances. One of the family members read from the Psalms while the others sat by and listened. This seemed to help give them hope in the midst of their darkest storm.
As I thought about this, I wondered how many of us today handle our darkest hour in a similar fashion. Do we come together and read aloud the scriptures, or do we withdraw to our own quiet corner in despair? Do we quickly come to God and ask Him for His help, or do we sit motionless, staring into space like helpless zombies?
The disciples were afraid because of the storm. And because of that fear they felt certain they would perish. Yet, even still, they knew where to run. They knew who to turn to.
Within our dark storms, the fountains of worry and fear spring up all around. We easily lose sight of God, because we get to where we cannot see anything but the problems. The more we focus on the problems, the bigger they become. They begin to overwhelm, and we soon find ourselves victims of circumstance. The situation becomes more and more powerful, demanding all of our energy, time and attention, until we are weak and unable to do anything but think about the unconquerable happening.
What can be done? For starters we need to force ourselves to move our focus away from the problem and toward the solution. Coming together with others and reading the Word of God is a way to provide hope, encouragement and strength. It is a way for us to take control of the immense problem and put it into perspective. It is nothing God cannot handle. It is nothing that took God by surprise. And it is nothing He cannot help us through. Compared to Him--it is nothing.
We have our own ways of handling painful and troublesome situations. If we are honest with ourselves, many of us might agree that our own ways usually draw us to wallow in pools of self pity, or cause us to retreat and lick our wounds. We do at times handle things fairly well. We get by. We make it through. Yet, there is a way that is best. A way that can bring the good, out of what may appear to be a bad situation. We just have to let go of our way and allow ourselves to be lifted up by the Hand of God.

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).

[Soldier4Christ]

The Paradox of Purity

    Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God (Mt. 5:.

Some time ago, I wrestled with a deep and troubling thought. It had occurred to me that a lot of good ministry is done for the wrong reasons. Some of the most enthusiastic Christians, clergy and lay people alike, were quite busy about the work of God, yet it seemed their motivations were less than pure.
Sure, we know about the TV evangelist caught in a scandal because he chose to line his pockets with the tithes and love offerings of the parishioners. But these are not of whom I speak. I am talking about those who are doing the work with what seems to be the best of intentions--outwardly. Yet inwardly, they are even deceiving themselves. Or should I say--we are often deceiving ourselves.
In order for a righteous work to be pure, many of us would agree that it should be done with no thought of self. Works motivated by self-gain or by desire to be recognized will quickly turn a pure motive to impure. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us that our reward is in doing our righteous acts not to be seen by people, but by God. And that if our motives are impure, we will have our reward. That reward will be the superficial recognition we desired, or perhaps a sense of satisfaction that we did our righteous duty.
Perhaps the most common impure motivation we find in our churches today is guilt. If we do something so that we don't feel guilty, we then are doing it for ourselves and not so much for another. We do it so that we can go to sleep with a clear conscience, so we can feel good about self. Otherwise, we may not feel good about who we are beneath our Christian label, that somehow we are not living up to what is expected of us. If we claim to be a Christian, "we should be..." Many things can complete that sentence. And many things that do are birthed from a sense of religious obligation, driven far too often by guilt.
The thing that struck me in all of this was to think about a young man who seems to be driven. He witnesses everyday, yet the people's faces and names slip away from memory. He feels he must continue, yet his genuine concern for the people he talks to seems fleeting. What if the only deep down driving factor for this young man is that he wants to feel better about himself as a Christian? The guilt is gone, but what else does he have? What is his reward?
Here's the paradox. If your motives are to remove guilt, to do religious duty or gain a sense of self-satisfaction, as Jesus puts it, "Verily I say unto you, [you] have [your] reward." But if you can look at yourself honestly and see that your motives are impure, and then you can determine "I will do what needs to be done even if I get nothing from it, because. . ." then you will have your reward. Simply put, "I realize my motives are often impure, however, I can choose not to let that keep me from doing what needs done--even if I don't believe I will get anything out of it." If I do what I do thinking there may be nothing in it for me, then there is truly something for me. But if I do it thinking about what's in it for me, then there is nothing.

[Soldier4Christ]

Meeting Needs

    Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26).

Time and again all throughout scripture, God promises us that He will take care of us. Matthew six makes specific references to food, water and clothing. Yet the context of scripture indicates that it is God who meets all of your needs. Philippians 4:19 tells us "But my God shall supply all of your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
We have a difficult time remembering that He supplies for the things mentioned in Matthew six, let alone everything else. For some odd reason, we think that by our abilities we get a job. And that by our work, we earn an income. And that by our income, we are able to have food to eat, clothing to wear and a house to live in. We take the responsibility to provide for our families seriously and believe that since working is what God expects of us, then His expectation is as far as He goes with us. Sure, we say God gives us this or that, but underneath it all we often feel it is us who has provided these things. This must be so, otherwise we wouldn't worry so much when we find ourselves out of work. Who we trust shines through when we are unemployed. We pray and everything, but we then scramble for classified adds and job applications--ready to take just about anything that means a steady paycheck.
Such situations are difficult to be sure, but they can be a lot easier to endure when we stop putting our trust in what we can do to provide and start looking to see what God has provided us to do.

He Knows

            When things are not as clear,
            as we thought that they might be.
            And our not so distant future's filled,
            with great uncertainty.
            It's then I need to cling to God,
            more fervent than before.
            And seek an open window,
            when it seems He's shut the door.
            For I know there are more avenues,
            than I can sometimes see.
            And God will never close the door,
            to just abandon me.
            At times my way of thinking,
            doesn't match His way divine.
            Or things I seek do not fall in,
            His way, His place, or time.
            So now I must determine,
            to let go of it all.
            And know that God is faithful,
            to make the judgment call.
            He knows the road ahead of me,
            contains some rocks and weeds.
            And He alone knows what it takes,
            to fill all of my needs.

God knows our needs, but He needs to know we trust Him to meet those needs. If we do trust Him with the faith of a child, then we can rest worry free in the interim.

    ". . .God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say in confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. . ." (Heb. 13:5-6).

[Soldier4Christ]

All The Things That Money Can Buy

    Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Heb. 13:5).

This is perhaps a very familiar verse of scripture to many of us. Probably due to one word that seems to stand out above the rest--"money." It is probably not surprising that it should stand out as it does, when we see the word all sorts of thoughts may come to mind. Perhaps even a feeling of dread as we prepare for the Bible to tell us that our thoughts toward money may be impure, or that we may have to give some up or give up wanting it.
Amazing as it may be, this verse is not so much focused on money as we might think. It probably just seems that way due to our cultural biases. Instead, the focus is toward the end of the verse, within the reason not to love money--"because God has said. . ."
Perhaps a paraphrase like this might be helpful:

    God will never leave you or allow your needs to be forgotten. Believe that, for it is so true. Because of this fact, you don't have to worry about running out of money or material wealth--He will see to it that you always have what you need. Be at peace with your current life circumstances, the Lord is faithful.

The verse does not focus on the money as much as on the reason why people seem to love money, or seem to lack contentment with what they have--they simply fear not having it. Why do people love money? It makes them feel secure. The more they have, the more they feel secure. We seem to think that if we have enough money we won't have to worry about things, like, where our next meal is coming from, or will I be able to pay the rent this month. But money is not a sure thing--just keep an eye on the stock market. Watch the fluctuation of the value of a dollar. Take a good look at empires (such as Russia) that collapse economically.
Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and [money]" (Mt. 6:24). We like to feel secure, and we will tend to love that which can make us feel secure. We will tend to "hold to the one" that provides security "and despise" the one that does not. It is not a matter of what you say you believe, but a matter of where you demonstrate that you have placed your trust.
Money fluctuates. God is stable. Money is not a sure life-long investment. God is sure to be invested in your long life. We say that our paychecks are spent before we even get them, and leave us wanting. "But my God shall supply all of your needs."
Who is it that supplies all of your needs? Which one have you put your trust in? Ask God to search your heart and show you matters of security that you have trusted money to provide for, and ask Him to help you trust everything to Him alone.

[Soldier4Christ]

Managing God's Resources

    He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous [money], who will commit to your trust the true riches? (Lk. 16:10-11).

How many times have heard someone say, "If only I had more money, I would. . ."? Maybe you have said it yourself--I know I have. By the look of many things, it would seem to be much more feasible to do some things if we had a larger net worth.
My dreams have included things like Christian clubs that provided a wholesome environment for Christians of all ages to come and fellowship. I once thought I would like to have enough money to buy a large apartment complex and make it a home for the homeless--no cost to them. Those are just two of the many desires I had, "had I only had more money."
But my thinking was jarred by a familiar passage of scripture where Jesus fed the 5000. He didn't sit on the grassy hill side and mutter to himself, "If only I had more money, I could feed every one of these people." What He did was take what He had, gave thanks, and trusted God to meet the existing need. He didn't need more resources, He knew God could help him to make do with what was available.
The major difference here is that I had looked at what I could do--"if only." Jesus looked at what God willed to do. It was God's will to feed the multitudes, Jesus just followed through with what needed to be done, trusting God to provided the resource to make it happen.
What would we do "if only"? Who's will would we follow? It is not for us to decide what God's will is, but to find and follow it. If we have a predisposition to do a particular ministry given enough resource, then when the necessary resources come along we will probably apply them toward what we have willed to do. But we could be forgetting to see what God has willed for giving us the resources. He may have an entirely different direction for us to take that we may never see if our ambitions cloud our vision to see His will. Maybe what we think would be a good use of money is not what God's good use is. We may want to pay off a new church building project with an inheritance, when it is God's desire to have a church body built by coming together to pay for it.
Jesus showed faith in the apparent lack of resource to meet the need. We are to do the same, trusting God to provide. Yet, we are also to trust God when we have an apparent abundance that He already has in mind what we are to use the excess for.
We may have some great and worthy ambitions, yet if they fall outside of God's will then they need to be abandoned. God is not so much wanting to see what you can do "if only" you get what you think is needed to do a ministry or other work, as He is interested in seeing that you are faithful to do what He gives you to do with the little you have. If we are not following God's will for us with what we already have, why should He entrust us with any more that He has already given us?

Doing God's will may sometimes mean holding back when much is held, at other times, giving from what cannot be seen.

[Soldier4Christ]

Practice, Practice, Practice

    He [Christ] replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice (Lk. 8:21).

I once had a Christian friend tell me that the Sermon on the Mount was an ideal, but nothing we are to try to live up to because we would most certainly fail. I was not quite sure I understood what he meant. But what I think he was getting at was that he believed that Christ was presenting us with the truest standard of measure by which we would have to live in order to please God--a standard of righteousness and purity that is beyond us.
The people of the Jesus' day were trying to live up to the Law as their religious leaders had interpreted it. Needless to say, over time the interpretations of the Law fell prey to human reasoning and religious rhetoric. Jesus, however, brought forth from the mangled misunderstandings a clearer representation of what the Law was intended to be.
My friend's understanding was most likely founded in an understanding of God's grace in his own life. A grace that goes beyond the Law in that we are not able--without the grace of God--to live up to the standards of truest righteousness. To see the Sermon on the Mount as the ideal of what should be, yet cannot because of our inadequacy, leaves us depending on nothing of our selves but entirely on the merciful grace of God. My friend would more than likely contend that what Christ was drawing us to was not so much the unreachable standard, as He was drawing us to an understanding of our complete dependency on the grace of God.
But to stop there would be inconsistent with the message of the Scripture. For although we are inadequate and therefore under grace, we must never give up striving toward the righteousness Christ spoke of. The apostle Paul knew the struggle with sin and selfish desire (Rom.7:15-20), yet he states "I press toward the mark for the prize. . ." (Phil. 3:14). The writer of Hebrews similarly encourages, "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb. 12:1-2). The truest Christian Ideal is that we realize the ideal is one that may elude us from time to time, yet we strive for the goal of righteousness found in Christ and through His strength alone.
The ideals of the Sermon on the Mount may be difficult to understand, swallow or practice, yet Christ ends His sermon with the illustration of the foolish builder and the wise builder. He tells us:

    Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. . .But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. . ." (Mt.7:24-27).

An Olympic Ice-skater must practice very hard every day. Rest assured that person does not hit the ice perfect the first time. Many setbacks occur--and lots of falling down. Yet the skater is determined to get back up and press on toward the goal. Christ wants us to put into practice the words in the Sermon. He knows full well we will fall down a number of times, yet He encourages us to get back up and keep at it. The more we practice, the fewer setbacks we are likely to experience. We will discover the blessings of perfecting God's will in some areas of our lives, while we gain a greater awareness of His grace each time we fall down and He reaches His hand to us to help us up--and to help us try again.

[Soldier4Christ]

What Is Not Seen With Human Eyes

    The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).

My wife and I joined a local church after searching for about six months for the church where God wanted us. We looked at a number of churches, each one had some outstanding characteristics that separated it from the rest. One we visited was renovating and looked more contemporary than the rest. Another seemed to be very traditional, including the cathedral ceiling and choir robes. One seemed to fall right in the middle. One was large, another small. One sang upbeat songs while another the old hymns.
I was at a point where I had had my fill of "traditional churches" feeling that they were stuck. It seemed they had fell into a routine of "doing church" the way they had always been doing it. There seemed to be a stagnate heart about such churches, which to me seemed unwilling to change even if God Himself were to speak audibly to them and tell them to do so. I believe Jesus addressed such an attitude when He said (speaking of the Pharisees) that they teach "for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mt.15:9). Such churches seemed more directed by budget and bylaw than by Christ. They seem to do business according to the dollar sign and Robert's Rules than by the guidance of the Head of the Church which is Christ.
One of the churches we visited seemed to be rooted in tradition. It held the traditional sanctuary decor, along with choir robes and mostly old hymns. Yet, to my amazement this was the church for us. We were at our first Sunday service at the church and it was not long before we discovered something wonderful. This church had a vision. It had direction. And it had purpose. It was one that seemed motivated by a deeply seated desire to see God's work done, and was driven to act on the same. Not to glorify the church but what God was evidently doing in it, through it, and with it.
Sometime during the process, God showed me an example of a great truth. Just as in all things, you cannot judge the heart by the exterior. And you cannot let the exterior guide your actions. What appears to be right, good and best is not always right, good and best. We know this truth well. Yet, for some odd reason so many of us continue making more of our decisions based on outward appearance than on inward reality.
By the grace of a loving, guiding God who opened my eyes, I have found a church home for me and my family. Had I allowed my human eyes to guide me I would have certainly gone elsewhere. Yet God allowed me to see beneath the traditional coverings of this old church--to see a young, vibrant heart beating for Him.
Imagine how much we miss out on because we allow our choices to be influenced by appearance. We may miss out on a relationship with a wonderful, godly person because maybe they seem a little odd. Or maybe we miss out on working a job where God knows we would be happiest, because it doesn't seem to pay what we think it should. Perhaps we miss out on leading a soul to Christ because of the apparent lack of time, money, etc.
It is time we stop looking with the eyes of flesh and start looking through the eyes of God. Only then will we experience His will perfected in us, and have the abundant and full life that He wants for us. Only then will we be able to beyond what seems to be to what is.
How can we do this? We must question our first impression. Before we even give way to wrong thoughts we must back up and see if what we are thinking is Christ-like. We must take our thoughts before God in prayer and ask Him to help us to see His truth in the matter. And we must base our decisions upon what He shows us to be, and not what we think that we see. Until our nature learns to respond more like Christ, our greatest enemy is our first response.

[Soldier4Christ]

Falling Down

    I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (Rom.7:15).

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do (Rom.7:15).
If you've ever watched a toddler learning to walk, you have probably noticed several things about the process. First of all, it's no easy task. It takes time to develop the muscle strength and coordination to even stand up, much less take off walking. Secondly, the child needs something to pull up with--something secure that he can hold on to as he gets to his feet. Often that secure thing might be the pant-leg of a standing parent. A third reality is that the child will fall down. Bumps, bruises and banged up body parts are often a result. And with that--falling down hurts.
You have probably already heard comparisons between our walking with God and our learning to walk as a toddler. Nevertheless it seems to be one of the best illustrations to describe the work that goes into learning to walk in the Spirit. It is no easy task. It takes time to develop the spiritual stamina to stand in your beliefs--much less walk. It is something we cannot do alone. We need something secure to pull ourselves up and help us to stay on our feet. We see that secure something as being our Lord. It is the "pant-leg" of our Heavenly Father that provides us the place to hold onto as we pull ourselves up.
The unpleasant reality is that as we learn to walk in the Spirit we will fall down. We will be knocked off of our feet by a troublesome sin that seems to keep tripping us up. Throughout our walk we continue to be threatened to trip over the shoelaces of selfishness, or lose our balance by being more concerned with what we see around us than keeping our mind on what we are doing. No matter how long we are on this earth we will experience times that it would seem nothing can stop us now, only to trip over an unnoticed obstacle.
Getting up is not easy. When we fall down we get hurt. A bruised ego or a bang to the complacency often results. Sometimes we seem to brush ourselves off, grab on to God's pant-leg and pull ourselves back up to try it again. But there are those times where we cannot find the strength to get back up--when it's easier to sulk in the pain.
The hard fact is: we will sin. We will mess up and we will feel bad. It's not a pleasant feeling to disappoint God and ourselves when we blow it. Nevertheless, God wants us to get back up and try again. It's not His will for us to beat ourselves up over our mistakes, but to learn from them and "press on toward the mark." Do you need a hand getting up? God is a secure place to grab onto. He will reach down and comfort you when you mourn over your sin ("blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted" Mt.5:4). He will also lift you to your feet when you have no strength to do it ("I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil.4:13). And He places people around you that can help you as well ("If one falls down, his friend can help him up" Eccl. 4:10).
It's OK to cry when you hurt. But there is always a time to brush yourself off and get to your feet. You cannot move forward in your Christian walk when your sitting in self-pity. God wants you to see your sin for what it is, be sorry for it and move (walk) away from it. He understands you feel bad, but beating yourself up is as much out of His will as the reason you are beating yourself up. Both things keep you from moving forward.

[Soldier4Christ]

Bad Roots

    Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Rom.5:12).

I once had received some shrubbery from a friend of mine who felt he had too many shrubs and wanted to get rid of them. I was looking forward to how they would add character to the front yard and soon began to dig holes to plant them in. But it seemed that in the transplanting process that the roots had become enormously damaged. Not to mention I really didn't know what I was doing as well. Yet I still tried to make it work.
I planted and watered and they looked great, that is, for the first week or so. But it was not long before the leaves turned brown and then the branches became brittle. There was nothing I could do now but to pull them up and throw them away.
We too have bad roots. Not to put it all on Adam, but it is true that our roots are tainted with sin and the effects thereof. God, of course, saw this condition and knew what to do to bring life back to us [For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned. . .much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Rom.5:17)]. God replaced the roots. Or should I say, He engrafted the branches onto a new root system--one that was full of life. Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches, if a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn.15:5). Jesus was God's answer to our bad roots.
But strange as it is, we continue to try to do so much on our own--out of self will and self determination. Referring back to the vine and the branches, we would think it odd if the branches on a plant suddenly jumped off, deciding they would go it alone for a while. Yet that is exactly what we do when we choose our way over God's. We stop abiding in the Vine (Christ), and somehow think we have the strength within ourselves to do all things--or at least some things.
The only way to abide fully in our Lord is to shed selfish will. Not an easy task. Yet we must remember that any time we go it alone we are depending on our own old, rotting root system. Not much life in that.
How then do we shed selfish will? By abiding in Him. How do we abide in Him? By surrendering self will to Him. But it won't happen overnight so don't get discouraged by setbacks. Confess it, get it right and get back in the right Root System of Christ.
Remember that it takes no strength to remain in Christ, for if we do then He is our strength. But when we do not remain in Him we will soon be sapped of all our strength, and become dry and brittle.