Christmas Blog 2013

This year has been one marked with many unexpected sorrows, and we have had to say goodbye to dear loved ones and friends.  We have seen God working through our pain and suffering in ways that have cut a swath through the sometimes deadness and lukewarmness of our hearts, and light a fire within us to reach out to unharvested souls for Him.  We have also seen the devil try and split churches through misguided theology but he has not been able to touch the fellowship and love of God that continues to bind us together.  We continue to pray for one another despite the differences.    

There is always a spiritual revival through pain and suffering, and God has strengthened us to go through the fire unscathed.  We have suffered personal loss, but we have gained immeasurably in our closeness to God, and we have realized how precious His spiritual gifts to us really are.  We see much more clearly that the things of this world are just that – things.  They hold no special purpose in our lives other than to use for whatever purpose and then let them go. 

In our losses, we have searched for answers, but instead have found a peace that passes all understanding.  We have discovered that our God is immeasurably wiser than any of our thoughts can even begin to imagine and that He is Sovereign.  All we have to do is trust in Him and take His Loving Hand as He guides us on this bumpy narrow path fraught with difficulty one step at a time, one day at a time. 

And now we are close to Christmas.  Some years it comes so fast and there is so much to do to get ready for it, it comes and goes like a blur.  Not so this year.  This year as I gaze at our beautiful and traditional well-lit Christmas tree, I find so much hope in what it represents.  God is a God of light, and when Jesus' birth was announced, "glory shone all around."  There was light.  Real light and symbolic light – people were in spiritual darkness until that time and then they saw a great light, the light of Jesus.  I love driving around just before Christmas and looking at how people decorate their houses with lights.  Some displays are really spectacular and people go all out.  In the darkness of winter nights, nothing is so hopeful as seeing Christmas lights.  And hope is what it's all about. 

When Jesus arrived, the world that Jesus arrived in was largely without hope.  Politically it was ruled by evil men, the same lot that would one day crucify Him.  All throughout Jesus' ministry, we read about people who had no hope and they turned to Jesus because they had heard about Him and there was something mysteriously different about Him. In fact, He was like no one they had ever seen or met before.  He was infinitely special. He was God. 

In our world today, we may think that we are advanced since those days, and because of the material wealth we enjoy in many parts of the world, we may be fooled into thinking we have hope and we don't need God.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  For all of our wealth comes with a price tag if it not used for the Kingdom of God.  In James it says,  

Jas 5:1    Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 

Money and wealth do not give hope unless they are used for the good and to help others.  Money and wealth cannot erase the sorrow when we go through loss, heartache and tribulation.  We cannot become too comfortable if we have been blessed financially or in any other way.  Everything belongs to God and He can take it or He can let us enjoy it, but it is never ours to possess and keep.  This has been an ongoing lesson for me throughout my life and I have learned through hardship that it's the things of God that really matter.  It is not the Christmas gifts that we unwrap that bring lasting joy.  It is the gift of fellowship with one another, and the thankfulness for the great gift of Jesus, God's own Son, whom we can turn to night or day. 

The joy of the Lord comes with Christmas, and our great hope if we have been suffering is that joy follows after a period of mourning.  His hope fills our emptiness and the purpose of our suffering starts to become clear as we are drawn so much closer to Him.  This year, through all the loss, hope is real to me, and the significance of Jesus' birth and life on this earth holds a special meaning: 

Luk 2:9    And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.Luk 2:10    And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.Luk 2:11    For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

Have a very blessed Merry Christmas and may God be with you now and throughout the New Year.

When is it Right to Rebuke?

If you have been reading these blogs and you've stayed with me so far, today's topic will be an even greater challenge than the previous one "The End of Self." Today's topic is a difficult topic and one that is often over-looked if not ignored altogether amongst Christians.  But because we are called to be holy and live righteous lives for Christ's sake, it is something we need to look at and not ignore.  I am talking about rebuking someone (or being rebuked) for something significant they've done or keep doing that goes against Scripture. 

How do we know when a rebuke is necessary?  It is when we have done something Scripturally wrong and in many cases will continue to do it even though we may already know it is wrong.  It can be and will be potentially damaging to a Christian testimony and to that of others and/or a whole  body of believers, sometimes in a church setting, and it will need to be dealt with before too much damage is done.  Most importantly, it deflects the glory away from God and inhibits Him from freely working through the unsanctified (and sometimes unrepentant) believer, namely to reach the lost and to build up the Body of Christ.  It may mean a behavior that is not Christ-like such as, for example, stealing, lying, cheating, or spreading gossip.  Or, it may be bitterness and anger towards someone, refusing to forgive them.  All of Ephesians 4 is worth reading, but these are our instructions regarding Godly conduct and attitude:

Eph 4:22    That ye put off concerning the former conversation [life] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;Eph 4:23    And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;Eph 4:24    And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.Eph 4:25    Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.Eph 4:26    Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:Eph 4:27    Neither give place to the devil.Eph 4:28    Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.Eph 4:29    Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.Eph 4:30    And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.Eph 4:31    Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:Eph 4:32    And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

It could be an action that goes directly against Scripture, like having sex before marriage, and in the case of Christians doing this, continuing to attend church and participate as if nothing is wrong, rather than do the right thing and stop, or get married first.  There are several different passages dealing with fornication, but I will share this one:

Eph 5:3    But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Now at this point, it would be easy to read this and think to ourselves that these are some pretty outdated ideas.  After all, nobody's perfect.  That may be true, but when we see our brother stumble and fall, do we not care enough about them to try and help them?  And do we not want to live by God's Word and obey the One who gave His life for us?  For in doing so, we show that we are honoring God and His Word, and we are also loving our brother or sister.  In fact, God expects it of us.  It is encouraged in His Word:

Luk 17:3    Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  [Jesus' own words]

Mat 18:15    Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.Mat 18:16    But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.Mat 18:17    And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Eph 5:11    And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Here we have it again, only this time, it shows the kind of attitude we need to have when we "instruct" those that are in error.

2Ti 2:24    And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,2Ti 2:25    In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;2Ti 2:26    And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

If we know the Word well, we are to preach it, use it to reprove, rebuke and exhort.

2Ti 4:2    Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Elders are instructed to rebuke those in error when necessary:

Tit 1:9    Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.Tit 1:10    For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:Tit 1:11    Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.Tit 1:12    One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.Tit 1:13    This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Now that we know it is expected that there may be times we need to be rebuked or a fellow Christian does, we need to discuss the fall-out that can happen when this occurs.  An immediate reaction we may have if we are NOT open to rebuke, admonishment or honest reproach from a fellow Christian is that we immediately get our back up and think, "Well who do you think you are to tell me what sin I have in my life?" We might feel judged and then wonder how they could do this to us since they're not perfect either.  True enough. None of us are perfect, but still, if Scripture admonishes us to rebuke when necessary, than we must obey the Lord and do so, and not be afraid of man.  Let me put it another way, if we witness to a non-Christian friend that they must be saved by the work that Jesus did on the cross and their own works are not good enough, what do we do if they get mad at us?  Do we fail to tell them the truth that they're going to hell if they don't repent and turn to Jesus because we are afraid they won't like us any more? If we don't say something, then aren't we responsible for failing to warn them of what lies ahead if they don't repent?  And if we also neglect to rebuke a fellow Christian, aren't we also responsible for winking at sin even though the Bible clearly condemns practicing the sins of the flesh for a Christian who knows better?

This may seem harsh, yet Scripture teaches that in the case of Christians who do not receive God's Word or warning, rebuke or admonition, we are to part company with them:

2Th 3:14    And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.2Th 3:15    Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

In the following passage, we have very clear instructions on what to do when someone continues to live in error.  It is up to the church to deal with that person and God expects it or He wouldn't have included it in His Word.  Look at verses 12-13, which are saying that it is up to the church to handle the matter.

1Co 5:9    I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:1Co 5:10    Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.1Co 5:11    But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.1Co 5:12    For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?1Co 5:13    But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Now let's look at what would be an ideal response when we are confronted with a rebuke from someone or what, ideally, their response to the rebuke should be if we are doing the rebuking.

Rebuking someone in an attitude of Christian love wins in the end:

Pro 28:23  He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

A true friend cares about you and will be honest with you:

Pro 27:6    Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Pro 27:5  Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Another thing is that if they are truly seeking God's best, they will receive the rebuke as a good thing, but if they are really not interested in the things of God and how they can please God, they will likely not receive it, and may even deny that they have done anything wrong.

Pro 9:8  Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.

Pro 13:1  A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

If we are the ones being rebuked, as hard as it is, it comes down to how secure we are in our personal relationship with God.  If we are close to Him and want to live a life that is pleasing to Him, instead of shutting down and being angry at the person (or even God) for the rebuke, or justifying what we've done, we will not be offended at all, but determine to straighten things out and make them right before man and God at the first opportunity.

Psa 119:165    Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

And depending on the rebuke and the timing of it, if a person rebuked is near the end of living a life unto themselves and ready for a change to grow much deeper in their walk, they will readily repent, forsake the sin they are being rebuked for, and be all the better for it.  They will pray like David:

Psa 51:1  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.Psa 51:2    Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.Psa 51:3    For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.Psa 51:4    Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.Psa 51:6    Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.Psa 51:7    Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.Psa 51:9    Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.Psa 51:10    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

What happens when we confront one another with our faults?  We will be restored into fellowship with God and fellow believers, and we will be healed.

Jas 5:16    Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Being rebuked or rebuking someone is never easy, which is why most Christians will not get involved.  We hope that the pastor of the church will preach on it and perhaps the right people will hear it and forsake their evil ways.  But I would think that this rarely happens.  Instead, we need to be honest with each other and prayerfully consider what might need to be said to them, then act on it.  And if we are the ones in error who are blessed enough to be rebuked, we need to thank God that we have been given an opportunity to change and someone cared enough about us to take the time to talk to us.

 

The End of Self

An interesting thought came to me after I wrote the previous blog, "How to Handle Change."  I looked over my previous blogs and realized I was writing very similar messages.  The message I've been getting and writing about has to do with being led of the Spirit and the importance of listening to God.  So I prayed about that and I believe the Lord impressed on me that when the message He is giving is repeatedly the same, this means that we really really need to pay attention to it! 

Have you ever talked to your spouse or another person and you knew they were not really listening, but were distracted by something else or perhaps other thoughts?  I am sure we have all experienced this and have done this ourselves, perhaps innocently enough, but if we repeatedly do not listen or take to heart what a loved one or friend is saying, we won't have much of a relationship with them, will we?  And sometimes chaos ensues when we have not been paying attention, especially if we have made plans that are about to unfold, and we have failed to tell our spouse!  When God speaks to us, there is always a very good reason, and if He is repeating the same thing over and over again, then we better start paying attention! 

What happens when the Lord is trying to get a message across to us and we're simply not hearing, or listening or responding?  Usually it is a crisis, something very dramatic or traumatic, or something that causes us to stop what we're doing.  We may feel like we are backed into a corner and we have no other choice but to finally quiet ourselves down and take the time to pray AND listen AND respond.  This has definitely happened to me more than once when God was trying to get a message across to me.  In fact, the first time I was a teenager and  I had turned so far away from God that I was sure my life was over.  And in a sense, it was. I had really come to an abrupt end of myself and my ungodly lifestyle of living according to my own desires, or according to the "flesh," as the Bible calls it. 

Have you ever heard of testimonies of people who seemed the least likely to turn to God, or had reached their end and then had a miraculous turn-around that set them on the right path with God?  The Bible is filled with such examples.  When God confronts us, it changes us forever and we never want to go back to the life we once had.  But this always comes at a great cost – the cost is giving up our "self" life and submitting ourselves to Him for His purposes and plans. 

The question is, do we have to reach an end to ourselves before God can get ahold of us?  When I was researching all those many years for the book on backsliding that I wrote and published, one of the verses that kept coming to mind is the following: 

Pro 14:14    The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. 

Backsliding is turning away from the Lord, and what the verse showed me is that when we choose our own way, we actually become enslaved by the constant desires of the "flesh."  The Apostle Paul talks about this at length in the book of Romans.  Only the Lord can set us free from our own selfish motives and our sinful desires, and bring us to an end of the demanding and futile self-life. 

Then the Bible talks about being stiff-necked and in the same verses it talks about hardening our own heart. 

Pro 29:1    He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 

What happens when we become hardened to the things of God?  When Christians especially are not heeding the call and messages from God to honor Him and His Word and repent, iniquity will take over, and Satan has a heyday.  This doesn't happen overnight either.  It is often a slow and gradual process, as one by one, we compromise, excuse our sin, let things slip, and gradually the moral ground beneath our feet collapses and we fall.  This is a very serious matter that affects not only us, but whole families, societies and nations! 

The Old Testament is filled such examples, especially pertaining to the children of Israel and Judah in particular.  If we take a look at Jeremiah, God uses the prophet Jeremiah to plead for His people to turn from their backsliding ways and return to Him, but they refuse to listen!  

 Jer 2:19    Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. 

Each time the children of Israel backslid and turned away from God (most notably they had gotten into idolatry and began worshipping pagan gods and followed their ways), they would be taken captive by their enemies.  Then they would find themselves in such a mess that they would cry out to God to deliver them, and He would out of His immense love and faithfulness to them, but astonishingly, their hearts did not change!  They wanted to go back to the pagan ways.   

How does this relate to us today?   God is looking for us to be faithful to Him and put Him first in our lives.  He is looking for empty vessels (empty of self) that He can use to show others how loving and gracious He alone is!  He has set us apart, like He did with the children of Israel, and He wants our complete devotion to Him.  If we are too distracted by our own selves or the things of this world, we will not be paying attention to Him, or worshipping Him in a way that He deserves and that is honoring to Him. 

In my last blog, "How to Handle Change," I talked about the many losses and trials me and my husband have been experiencing.  There have been many more losses I never even mentioned.  For me, God has set me on a definite path to follow Him and it has not always been an easy road.  Where I wanted a life of ease, God led me down a difficult path fraught with uncertainty and disappointment where I had to trust in Him.  Of course, He's always brought me through and my life is always better because of the difficulties, although I can't see it at the time. 

Many years ago, when I was still single and feeling lonely, watching all my friends get married and move on in their lives, I wondered what my future held as year after year I was met with so much disappointment.  I wanted to write, but had to support myself with work that wasn't fulfilling; I wanted to be married, but the right one didn't come along.  My dreams and desires were set aside time and again because I had to wait.  During that long waiting period, God was working on my heart and refining me, then just before He opened the doors of my heart's desires, He challenged me to see if I would be faithful to Him even if He never opened the doors to fulfill my heart's desires.  It was a most sobering experience.  While others may have thought that since I was young I should be out having a good time, God was working out the deeper, meaningful things of my heart so that He could later use me and my writing for His purposes.  During that time, when I was questioning why things weren't working out for me, I read the following:   

2Co 7:10    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 

Jas 4:9    Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.Jas 4:10    Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 

I certainly had sorrow in my life, and things were pretty serious, hardly the picture of a care-free young woman enjoying a husband, family and career of my dreams!  I came to realize that the mourning and the sorrow were necessary to end the life of self that I too often gave preference to and didn't even realize it!  Were my dreams and my heart's desires greater than my desire to love and serve the Lord?  That was the final test before He opened the door and granted me the desires of my heart.  Like Abraham being asked to sacrifice his long awaited son, I had to lay down my heart's desires and be proven that the Lord would always mean more to me than anything else in this life!  This is a life-long lesson since as humans, we fail, and we can't trust our own heart when it comes to the things of God!  Only God knows, so He will test us and refine us and make us more like Him.   

Perhaps today you find yourself in a similar situation as mine, and you can't understand why things aren't working out the way you hoped and planned.  Or perhaps you are in more serious circumstances and you are up against a wall, not knowing how to get out of your situation.  Seriously, now it is time to pray and really listen to what the Lord wants to say to you or teach you through it all.  And if you are a child of God, and you really want to serve Him, then He will continue working with you bringing you to an end of the self-life so that you can be made better and find true meaning and purpose in your spiritual life.   

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

 

 

How to Handle Change

I am writing this, not as someone who likes change when it is thrust upon me, but as someone who is searching for the best ways to handle it when it does occur.  This past year, me and my family saw many changes.  Some of those changes involved losing a few loved ones, and also, several friends.  It seemed that there was nearly one person a month that passed away, and in some cases, one a week.  It was very traumatic to have to deal with so many losses.  Every time we lose someone close to us, it changes our life in some way, and leaves an emptiness that just can't be filled.  And we must learn to deal with it and move on in our lives. 

There have been other major changes as well.   My husband and I have been in a state of moving for nearly two years now, and there are no simple solutions.  Our one place has not sold yet (in the city), so we've been packing and unpacking going back and forth to the other place (in a rural town where we used to live), unsure of where we are to settle.  Trying to find things is nearly impossible.  We are looking for direction career-wise as well, wondering how we will continue with two lifestyles with the cost of living rising while wages remain the same.  As I've thought about these frequent changes and also living in an almost constant state of uncertainty, I've had to examine my own heart to see what God is wanting to teach me through all of these changes, and to see if I am handling change in a way that is both Biblical and beneficial to the things of God and adding or subtracting from my spiritual walk.   

Too much change can be exhausting and stressful, especially when you have to deal with the grief of losing a loved one.  Second highest in the stress level is moving.  Thirdly is financial.  We have had many unexpected repairs in both places that needed immediate attention.  Our vehicles have needed fixing.  We've had major dental and various medical bills not covered by insurance or Medicare.  Suitable employment for me (other than all the things I already do) has been difficult if not impossible to come by.  Extra work for my husband has fallen through.  So we have to deal with all three of these highly stressful situations this year and in the past few years.  We have seen our hopes and dreams fade, and our future plans put on hold.  We have prayed and prayed and are still waiting. 

One thing I have learned through it all, is the importance of daily praying and asking God for very specific direction in my day.  I have written other blogs about this and mention it frequently because I believe it is the right thing to do in obedience to Scripture and also because my own life seems to be in such a flux.  I couldn't get through a day without consulting God about it.   I can't imagine that there is anyone alive out there who cannot relate to this because change happens to us all whether we like it or not or are prepared for it or not. 

Another thing I've learned is that you can't necessarily live according to your own dreams and plans, for if you do, you will surely be disappointed.  Have you found this true in your own life?  We may plan things, but something always seems to come along to throw a ripple or a tidal wave into it. We get too comfortable, and BAM, our plan is upset.  How do we handle things when this happens?  I think that this is something God uses to test our attitudes and faithfulness to Him. 

Dreams are another thing.  Are our dreams ordained of God, or are they whimsical self-made dreams that God never intended for us to pursue?  These are not easy questions to answer, but when faced with one change after another, and we see our plans and dreams not materialize, we must seek God and find out what HIS dreams and plans are for us instead.  Don't get me wrong – I don't believe it is wrong to plan and dream.  Like most people, this is something I do frequently, but when dreams and plans fail to happen or doors seem to remain shut, I have to ask God if they are of Him or if I simply have to continue to wait for the doors to open in His timing instead of my own. 

Another huge lesson I have learned, and probably the greatest life lesson there can ever be is: 

WILL I STILL LOVE GOD AND TRUST HIM WITH MY LIFE IF I LOSE EVERYTHING?   

The "everything" includes people that I love.  This has been the hardest - the thought of losing people that I treasure and who add so much meaning and purpose to my life.  I think of Jesus question to Peter: 

Joh 21:15    So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.Joh 21:16    He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep.Joh 21:17    He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.Joh 21:18    Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.Joh 21:19    Now this he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

The passage is simple to understand, but profound if we apply it to our own heart:  Do we love Jesus? If yes, then we will feed His sheep, and we will follow Him. 

We will FOLLOW HIM.  His ways and His plans are far above our own.  He may lead us where we don't want to go.  Our path may be narrow, difficult, and filled with adversity, marked with change, but He will be leading us.  What is more important, that we get our own needs met and live in a comfortable bubble, or is it more important that we follow Jesus in spite of the difficult path we are called to walk? 

I have been reminded many times that I need to change my thinking: 

Isa 55:8    For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.Isa 55:9    For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 

Sometimes our thoughts need to be brought to light, and sometimes God uses adverse change and adversity to discipline us: 

Psa 94:11    The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.Psa 94:12    Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 

I think of Job.  Who in the Bible has suffered more than Job?  What was the purpose of Job's suffering?  To see if he would pass the acid test of handling insurmountable trials and adversity and still love and serve God: 

Job 1:6    Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.Job 1:7    And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.Job 1:8    And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?Job 1:9    Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?Job 1:10    Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.Job 1:11    But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.Job 1:12    And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 

So Job lost everything.  Talk about changes in his life!  His whole life as he knew it was taken from him, except he was allowed to keep breathing!  He was not a picture of health either because his body was covered in festering boils.  How does Job's story end?  Let's look at Scripture: 

Job 42:1    Then Job answered the LORD, and said,Job 42:2    I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.Job 42:3    Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.Job 42:4    Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.Job 42:5    I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 

Are we so caught up with our troubles and that our lives have changed so much we hardly know where to turn?  Perhaps we have become blinded by the hurricanes of dust on the road and we no longer see the Lord going before us.  Job finally saw the Lord in it all, and the Lord became even more important than all that the Lord then restored in his life.  Hmmm, is there a lesson here for me and you? 

In this life, change is inevitable, but there are many constants too.  If you are a child of God, God will lead you and go before you, He will guide you into all truth, He will love you forever, He will never leave you or forsake you.  To me, these, and all of the many more promises in the Bible are the constants that keep us on a solid rock through all the changes of life, which will be many.  Are you standing on the solid rock with Jesus today?  If not, and you are looking to the things of the world for your answer, it is a guarantee that you won't find lasting stability there.  Only with Jesus can we find the peace, safety and certainty that everything is and will be okay. 

Psa 61:1  To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

Psa 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psa 61:3  For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

Psa 61:4  I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.

Psa 61:5  For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

Psa 61:6  Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations.

Psa 61:7  He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

Psa 61:8  So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Being Led of the Spirit

I recently read an article from someone who didn't believe that we should make a law out of being led by God and only do things once we have heard His voice about which direction to take in life.  This included whether we should stay at a job we really don't like, who we should marry, and so on.  He went on to explain that the following two verses have to do with Christian conduct, and not specific decisions we make in life.   

Gal 5:18    But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 

Gal 5:25    If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

The article went into a thorough exegesis of these two verses and he added some extra Scripture from Romans to explain that in these contexts, it does not mean it has anything to do with being led of the Spirit to make decisions.  Yet, as I was reading, there was something amiss, which he failed to mention and so I began to question the validity of the article (not necessarily the validity of his exegesis of the two verses).  So my question is:

Does the Spirit lead specifically or has He left most of life's decisions to us?

Then I began searching Scripture to answer this question.  From the many Scriptures I found and from my own life-time personal experience and that of so many others, this is what I came up with.  While the Spirit will always lead us into righteousness and the life of the Spirit, I believe He also wants to lead us when it comes to making specific decisions in life.  We cannot separate the life of the Spirit from the life of the flesh when it comes to making decisions, can we?  Should we even consider it?  Look at what Scripture says: 

Pro 16:25    There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

If God knows all things and has warned us which way to avoid and which way to take, wouldn't we be wise to consult Him about absolutely everything in life in additon to our spiritual state, although this is by far the most important one? 

From the beginning of man's creation, it is clear that humans could not make the right decision independent of God's Word and God's direction.  He sinned and this led to death.  Yes, he had lots of freedom since he could eat of every tree, but still, he failed and ate of the one tree that was forbidden. 

Then there is also the issue of "calling" that we must consider. The Bible talks about calling in many different places and contexts.   Moses was called, Abraham was called, the children of Israel were called, and in the New Testament, the disciples were all called to follow Jesus.  They were in fact, hand picked. 

Luk 6:13    And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;Luk 6:14    Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,Luk 6:15    Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,Luk 6:16    And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Generally, just to clarify, in the sense of obtaining salvation, we are all called.  Once we are saved,  we are called to live a a life of righteousness according to the Spirit as outlined in the Bible.  We are also called to be witnesses and spread the good news of the Gospel.  We are called to bring forth fruit for the Kingdom.  And even in this general calling, we still need to be led to specific people and specific situations.  If God wants you to be a witness in your own neighbourhood, would you disobey Him and move to Africa instead?  Maybe He has called someone else to minister in Africa.

If we are having a struggle in a relationship, are we to abandon it, especially if it's a marriage relationship?  According to Scripture, we are to REMAIN in whatever calling we are in unless God indicated otherwise, and in this context it has to do with being married, where we work, etc. 

1Co 7:24    Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. 

One of the issues the writer of the article I read implied that should you stay in a job even if it's unbearable because God told you that you had to? He thought that this was living according to the "law" and not necessarily being led of the Spirit.  But sometimes, yes, that is exactly what we must do - stay in an uncomfortable situation because this is what God desires us to do.  For example, God  led the children of Israel in the wilderness to the Promised Land.

Why did He do this?  To bring them into their own land, something they never had, and of course, to free them from slavery at the cruel hands of the Egyptians.  But there is more insight into being called and led of the Lord in this particular Biblical account and that is that the big problem with them, and with us today is that they didn't want to follow when things didn't suit them. They sinned along the way, so they did not reach their destination.  This is what happens when we take things into our own hands.  We do not receive the best of what God has for us, and it will take a lot longer to reach the destination if we reach it at all.  It is important to follow "specific" directives from the Lord so that we reach the destination He has perfectly carved out for us. 

In addition, it is not true freedom to go off on our own and leave the Lord out of our plans, rather it is unwise.  Time is short, and God has a plan for all of our lives. We need to know what that plan is, and follow it.   

Eph 5:14    Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Eph 5:15    See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Eph 5:16    Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Eph 5:17    Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

How do you know if you are being led of the Spirit?  For one thing, He may put something on your heart and it won't go away until you respond to it. This is what happens to me when I am supposed to write something in a blog or write a book.  Many times, it is not something that I had systematically planned to do!  And in my creative life as an artist, I have an inspiration and an idea that will continue to persist until I create something out of it. 

 If He has given you something specific to do, you will know it without question.  Look at the following verses to see how important it is to listen to the Lord's leading in our lives, and then respond to it. 

Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (He will not remove what He has given you to do and it will not go away.) 

Psa 33:11    The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 

Pro 12:15    The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. 

Pro 19:20    Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. 

Pro 19:21    There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 

We often don't know which way to go.  The psalmist David prayed constantly for God's direction. In Psalms alone there are several verses: 

Psa 5:8  Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psa 25:5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Psa 27:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

Psa 31:3  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.

Psa 43:3  O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Psa 60:9  Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?

Psa 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psa 139:10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psa 143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

What was David talking about here?  Was it all in the context of conduct? No. He was seeking God for direction, physical and spiritual protection and sustenance, to name a few.  Many times we are confused and in need of direction not only because our knowledge is so limited and we don't know the future, and because God wants us to turn to Him and depend on Him! 

Another VERY IMPORTANT thing about being led of the spirit is that it is a sure sign that we are a child of God! 

Rom 8:14    For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

There are two verses in Proverbs that have meant so much to me when it comes to looking for direction in my life:    

Pro 3:5    Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6    In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

So far, from what Scripture teaches, I believe that we can't separate the life of the spirit from the life of the flesh when it comes to making decisions.  I believe that Scripture teaches that we are to consult God about EVERYTHING that concerns us, because if we are His children, we belong to Him and not to ourselves.  He loves us and wants the best for us.  To leave Him out of our decision-making is really to say that we know best, and self-efficiency is the sure road to a downward spiral away from God.  So let's make every effort today to ensure that we are being led of the Spirit and live a life that is pleasing to Him, not because it's a law, but because we love Him and a sign that we are submitted and committed to serving Him with our very best, using the gifts, talents, and directives He has freely and generously given us.

How does God Speak to Us?

Psa 28:1    A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Psa 28:2    Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 

As Bible-believing Christians, we pray with an expectation that God hears AND answers prayer.  How does He do this?  How does He speak to us in such a way that we know it is Him?  We know it is through the Bible, God's written Word, but what about revelation?  Unfortunately today in some Christian circles, some people are hesitant to pay attention to anything that is "spirit" related because they do not believe it is of God.  They believe it must come straight from the Bible, which it does, yet without a revelation from God how can they know in their heart that God is speaking to them?   

What God speaks will always be consistent with His Word and with His character, but how do we know it is of God unless He reveals that it is from Him?  I would add that God is not limited to the WAY He communicates with us.  He spoke to Adam and Eve before there was ever a written word.  God also spoke through the prophets.  Jesus taught using only the Old Testament, and most of what He did was new, although He had fulfilled prophecy in doing the miracles through the words of Isaiah.  The miracles were a surprise to everyone, and when He rose from the dead, even the disciples didn't believe it was Him until He revealed to them that it was Him.  There was no New Testament as a written word until the disciples and Paul the apostle wrote it down.  Much of Jewish history was oral only, passed down through the generations.  Then the men who wrote the Bible were also "inspired" by God Himself to ensure that when we read the Bible, the penmanship of man does not interfere with the words of God. 

We must be careful that we are not so cautious that we become religious or ritualistic and rigid when it comes to hearing from God.  Before we are saved and become a child of God, we may read the Bible over many times and yet we do not hear from God - we don't hear and we don't understand because our spirits are not made alive or connected to Him.  In I Corinthians it says that the "natural" (un-regenerated) man CANNOT receive the things of the Spirit of God because he is spiritually discerned.  So we must not be fooled just because someone who claims to be a Christian simply reads the Bible, yet they have no life-giving, or inspired revelation from God!   

1Co 2:11    For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Co 2:12    Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13    Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1Co 2:14    But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

Without the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we have no understanding of the things of God.  In these last days where there is more and more deception, we must not only read the Word WITH understanding, we must always be ready to listen for the Lord to speak to us, to reveal His will and what He wants us to do, or what He wants us to know.  Then we must act on it. 

Before I was truly saved, I had a "knowledge" of the truth, but it had not changed my heart.  I had never heard the Lord speak to me in my spirit, so I  didn't have a relationship with Him.  I didn't even know He wanted to have a relationship with me.  I just thought that I was supposed to be a "good" person and try to live as best as I could according to my limited understanding.  I think this is what many people think.  They think that all you have to do are good works and avoid the really bad things like stealing, lying, killing, and not hurt anyone, and so on. It was only after I responded to the Lord to repent for my sinful life (sin as defined by God - anything that misses His righteous perfection) that my HEART changed.  Then a great realization sunk in deeply in my spirit - only Jesus is perfect and only through accepting Him into my heart could I achieve a clean slate and be declared righteous by God.  Then all of the Scriptures became clear to me because I had Jesus in my heart to teach me His Word.  I had entered into "relationship" with Him and my spirit became "alive" to the things of God. 

So after we are saved, this relationship must continue to grow and flourish so that we become mature in the things of God.  But if our hearts are closed, we will no longer be open to learning of Him or growing in our relationship with Him.  Also, it is imperative that we grow in our faith.  Reading the Word AND listening, and obeying, increases our faith: 

Rom 10:17    So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

Jas 1:22    But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Jas 1:23    For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24    For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jas 1:25    But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

Today, the Lord has a message for us: 

Heb 3:15    While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 

Let's keep our ears and hearts open to Him and listen to what He has to say to us. And if after reading this, you question your own standing with God and you doubt that you are a Christian (according to what the Bible says), please go to this link. You will find a few simple steps to how to become a new person in Christ.