The Risk of Believing

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

As a follower of Jesus Christ I find that my life experiences often cause me to question the many mysteries of God. I am looking forward to the day when I can sit with Jesus and ask him about some of the things that I find perplexing in this life. I have found that the more I pursue my Savior, the more he reveals tiny glimpses of heavenly truth. Today my heart is longing for more understanding. The garden gate only needs me to open it and step onto the path that leads to the garden of my heart. Today the thought of spending time with the Gardener fills my heart with both eagerness and joy. My step quickens as I swiftly make my way along the colorful floral pathway that leads to my favorite bench in the garden. My eyes are searching far beyond my steps as I anticipate seeing my Lord. Ah ha! There he is, standing near our spot, as always, awaiting my arrival with a smile.

 

On this beautiful day I waste no time as I begin our conversation by asking him, “Why is it so hard for non-believers to grasp faith? Lord, I find that so many are curious about you but faith in the unseen seems to be the stumbling block. The educated mind of man requires proof. Lack of physical proof causes many to doubt your existence and proclaims that eternal life is a fantasy. Their unbelief wants to see evidence they can see and touch. They want facts. They are not going to put themselves in a position of looking stupid because they presume themselves to be far more intelligent than that!”

 

Then Jesus begins to teach me about simple faith. “Faith is revealed when an individual takes the risk to believe in me. Before that moment their eyes are blind to the truth.” Then he reminded me about Thomas, who was one of his followers. Thomas had been privileged to walk with him during his earthly ministry. He had heard Jesus teach. His eyes had seen both Jesus and his miracles. Yet Thomas had allowed the despair of Jesus’ death on the cross to blind his eyes to the truth of his resurrection. After the ten other disciples had seen Jesus they told Thomas that Jesus had risen. Thomas’ reply was that he would NOT believe it unless he could see and touch Jesus’ wounds. Jesus in his love and goodness gave Thomas that opportunity and then Thomas believed. After Thomas’ physical senses had been satisfied, Jesus spoke these words to him. “Because you have seen me, you believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29 NIV These are amazing words of hope and blessing to us who did not have the earthly privilege of walking with Jesus.

 

God's Word is clear that believing is a risk we must take before we can experience the opportunity to exercise faith. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV  Every individual must recognize that God is the creator of all and that he or she needs God in their life. After one acknowledges they have a need for God, it only requires faith the size of a mustard seed for them to ask God to meet that need! After we take the risk of believing this truth and ask God to forgive our sin and ask him to guide our life, he does. Then the Holy Spirit comes into our life and takes up residence. We never see him, we simply hope for what the Holy Spirit begins to reveal to us. It is not a hope that is shrouded in doubt, but rather it is a hope that is illuminated with promise. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever (takes the risk) and believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV These words are God’s words of promise to every individual who chooses to believe that their Creator loves them and that he cannot lie. Yes, this is a risk worth taking! People must not stumble over their inability to understand faith because faith that hopes follows belief and faith that hopes will be revealed beyond the risk.

 

Faith beyond the risk is a choice we make as a Believer because we choose to trust God. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 NIV The faith that is needed for God’s grace to flow through our life is small. Our life before experiencing God’s forgiveness is a mountain of sin and if it were not for God’s grace, that sin could never be removed. I am so thankful that God does not insist that we understand all of his ways before we can experience his way. When Jesus spoke of faith he did not insist that we drum up huge amounts of faith. He knows that we are weak and are made of dust. In Matthew 17:20 he simply suggested that when we have faith the size of a mustard seed, that small amount of faith is all that would be needed for us to remove mountains. God’s ways are feasible not impossible!

 

After taking the risk we begin to see things we have never before seen. Our belief has now opened the door for us to experience a strong unshakable faith.

• By faith we believe that the universe was formed at God’s command not out of things that were visible. Hebrews 11:2
• We learn that without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6
• We know first hand that our righteousness comes only by placing our faith in the only one who is righteous, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11:7
• By faith we look forward to the city (the New Jerusalem) with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10
• By faith we believe that the giver of all his promises can be trusted. Hebrews 11:11
• By faith we believe that what God has promised will come to pass even if we don’t see it in our lifetime. Hebrews 11:13
• It is by faith we have the courage to trust God in all things. Hebrews 11:17-19
• It is by faith we trust God with the future. Hebrews 11:21
• It is by faith we choose to align our life with God’s people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time because by faith we look ahead to our non- perishable reward. Hebrews 11:24-26
• By faith we do not fear what man can do to us because we know that God has planned something better that will last for all eternity. Hebrews 11:40

Simply put, faith for a non-believer is an unknown commodity. Their eyes are blind to faith. They do not understand it! But as soon as they take the risk, faith is within their grasp and they begin the process of understanding the mystery of faith. It is a precious thought to know that God has chosen to reveal things to his children that others do not see. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals and gives understanding to each new Believer in small doses as he is able to understand. This will continue throughout the life of all Believers. Spiritual knowledge will not be completely understood until we reach heaven. Here in the garden today, I am overcome with the many blessings that are mine though being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not see. For me it has been, is, and always will be well worth taking the risk!

 

Questions:

1. Are you someone who is contemplating taking the risk of trusting Jesus?
2. What was the last risk in life that you took?
3. Before taking that risk did you have all the information that would assure you that things would end well?
4. Did you learn more after taking the risk?
5. What will be the consequence for you if you refuse to take the risk of believing in Jesus Christ and his forgiveness?
6. If you have already taken the risk, what do you love the most about your faith?

Prayer:

 

Dear God,

 

Help me to realize that it is your character to love and redeem those you have created. I remember that once I was hopelessly lost and eternally separated from you. I was without a hope or a future before I chose to risk loving you. I still stand amazed that the God of the universe, my Creator, wanted to restore me back into his fellowship. I am astounded that you wanted me to risk coming to you so that you could place me under the umbrella of your personal eternal protection, which is none other than the sacrificial blood of your precious son, Jesus Christ. Father, I am so grateful that someone told me of your love and that I mustered up what little belief I needed to come to you and allow you to remove the sin that separated me from you. Father I thank you for your forgiveness and restoration. God, I pray for those who find it so impossible to embrace believing in you. I especially pray for those who allow their perceived intelligence to be a stumbling block that continues to separate them from you. Father, give them the courage to take the risk of believing without seeing or understanding. I pray that they will know the joy and peace that comes into their life at the exact moment when they take the risk of believing in you and what you can do in their life. Speak to those who do not know you and the power of your love. Create within their life a need for you and then call them to take risk. I pray that those you call will be obedient and then experience knowing the hope of eternal life.

 

It is in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Well Done

 

“Well done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few things;

Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Matthew 25:21 NIV

 

It is a fine morning in North Carolina! This morning as I head for the garden I am pondering the possibility of not hearing Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. I know as a believer in Jesus Christ that my salvation has been sealed and my name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. However, there is much responsibility attached to being a follower of Jesus Christ. As I am running life’s race, it is to my advantage to consider the very real possibility that I could become disqualified from the reward that is at the end of the race. Heaven awaits, but will my failure to hear “well done” leave me sorrowful at the Judgment Seat of Christ when I discover that because of my neglect, selfishness, and disobedience I am about to experience loss of my reward?

 

As I walk deeper into the garden I head for one of my favorite spots. It is a magnificent magnolia tree in the center of the garden. Fragrant blossoms surrounded by large waxy leaves provide another example of God’s amazing creation. I am anxious to speak to the Master Gardner because I want to discuss this business of “well done” and exactly what is required of me. As a believer, a little check up and accountability never hurt anyone.

 

The Master Gardner steps out from behind this beautiful magnolia tree and I notice that he has woven together a floral crown from the magnolia leaves. In my excitement I reach out to receive the beautiful crown he has undoubtedly made just for me. At this point he smiles and raises the crown up high over his head and says, “Not so fast Paula. The time has not yet come. I have laid this crown up for you in heaven, but only if you run the race well here on earth.” So I humbly bow my head and say, “Lord, what is required of me?”

 

Jesus begins to teach me some valuable and unchanging truths. I rejoice in knowing that hearing the Master say “well done” is well within the realm of possibility! It is not hopeless or impossible. In fact the Holy Spirit will be my constant companion and guide as I live out my days on this earth.

 

When I am reminded that “faith without deeds is useless” James 2:20b NIV my legalistic mind immediately rushes to thinking of all the things I can do to enhance my faith with works. But the Master Gardner, Jesus Christ, again stopped me dead in my over achiever tracks and said, only two things are required, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind an with all your strength. The second is this; ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 NIV  This message is not particularly good news for my doubtful ears. Truth be told, I simply do not know how to do this. Then Jesus begins to eloquently elaborate.

 

Jesus begins teaching me that although many believe in him, few have what it takes to follow him. Some will even accept him as their personal Savior but remain in new birth faith their entire lives. They never grow, they hear but don’t obey, and they choose to do life alone, their way, not God’s way. They are weak and ineffective believers. Others jump in and get involved with Jesus. These individuals desire a relationship with Jesus and they learn that obedience is a key part to having that relationship. These folks become participants in a life well lived, and their life becomes an example that influences non believers. It is a life that makes others desire to find and follow Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus teaches that if we love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and others as our self we will do four things. The first two are how we love “on” God. The last two are how we love “on” others. And the neat thing is that if we do this well, God rewards us!

1. Faithfulness – We must choose to persevere under the trials of this life. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love  him.” James 1:12 NIV
2. Integrity – We must choose to be a person of integrity and when we do we will live life unashamed and long for our Savior’s return. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV
3. Be Supportive to Other Believers – We must be counted among those who care for, encourage, shepherd, and mentor other believers. “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 1 Peter 5:4 NIV
4. Witness by Word and Example – We are to minister to non-believers. Our life must be an example that will cause others to see Jesus in our behavior and entice them to follow Jesus. “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”  1 Thessalonians 2:19 AKJV

Here in the garden I am beginning to visualize the crown that has been laid up for me in heaven. It has my name on it. No one else can take it. It belongs to me alone. Yet, unlike my salvation it is NOT a free gift! It is earned. It is only earned by my faithfulness to God in and through all circumstances. It is earned when I choose to live a life of integrity that brings glory to the Father. It is earned when I live in peace and unity with the body of believers, and when I reach out and encourage others as I endeavor to help them to stay focused on Jesus and when I offer care and support to them in their time of need. It is giving a cup of cold water to those in need as a reminder that God has not forgotten them. It is earned by living an irreproachable life of example that causes others to ask questions so that I may tell them about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is a pretty tall order! It is an order that requires me spending time alone with Jesus every day. It requires that I call upon the Holy Spirit to help me in my weakness. It requires selflessness, humility, and surrender to Jesus, one “Yes, Jesus” at a time. It requires me to be constantly accountable for my behavior. It requires me to manage my time and my money well. Let me just say right here, I am a constant work in progress on all counts!

The good news is that Jesus wants all of us to earn our crown! It is a gorgeous crown made up of his faithfulness and our faithfulness to him in return. It has blossoms of our righteousness which is only possible because we are clothed in his righteousness alone. This crown shines with his glory, and has beautiful colors, shades, sounds, and fragrances of heavenly rejoicing that we cannot even imagine! I for one do not want to become disqualified from earning this crown. If we are a Believer, our crown has already been set aside for us in heaven and it is worth all our effort as we endeavor to walk with Jesus. He has done so much for me. How can I do any less for him? Falling in love with Jesus over and over again opens up our heart to obedience. Obedience requires the discipline of training as we run the race. So we read the Word, we learn from other teachers of the Word, we spend time in prayer, and we train ourselves to listen for the soft gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. We walk in blind faith and we worship our awesome Maker. These are the things that will equip and enable us to be obedient children out of a heart of love rather than obligation or fear. Obedience as we run the race will end in earning the prize and hearing Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

 

And then last but never least; we may choose to follow the example of the twenty-four elders as they lay their crowns at the feet of Jesus because he alone is worthy! Revelation 4:9 NIV  It is not hard to imagine that we will desire to give something to the one who gave his all for us. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain! Our crown will be our reward given to us by Jesus. I don’t believe that Jesus will demand that we return our crown, but I can imagine that our hearts will be so full of gratitude that most likely we can do no less. How very sad it would be for me not to have crown to lay at the feet of my Savior.

Questions:

1. What are some of the things in your life that if left unchecked could disqualify you from earning your crown?
2. Name two things that you are currently doing to foster and develop your relationship with Jesus.
3. Is there something else that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do?
4. How important is it to hold yourself accountable for staying focused in this race of life?
5. What temptations and selfish desires are pulling you away from the Father?
6. Have you learned to rely on the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to help you in your time of weakness?
7. Do you long to finish life well and hear Jesus say "well done"?

Prayer:

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

Oh how I long to hear you say well done. Father, I admit that the race is hard, exhausting, and dangerous. It is so much easier to blame, curse, and become angry with you when I experience trials and sorrow in life. Forgive me and help me to embrace your goodness and remain faithful to you in all circumstances. Lord, I also confess that my integrity can be challenged in a heartbeat, especially if no one is looking. Jesus, you know how busy I am and how the challenges and responsibilities of life pile up on me leaving very little time to fellowship with other believers, let alone having time to be a supportive, encouraging person to your children. It is so easy for me to be self-absorbed and neglect my responsibility to shepherd and mentor others. This world is always tempting me to spend my time and money in all the wrong places. If I am not careful I allow myself to become tainted by the world’s value system and then find that I have become bankrupt in my own spirit and have nothing to offer to non-believers. I fear that when I look in the mirror I will discover that I have become more like them and less like you. Forgive me Jesus. Help me Lord, to rely on the Holy Spirit in all of my times of weakness. Help me to fall deeper in love with you and run this race of life well. I pray that I will never forget that this life counts for eternity. I want to finish the race well and receive the crown that have been reserved for me. Lord, I pray I will remain strong and never become disqualified. Father, my hope is in you alone. Oh the joy and hope of heaven and all of its rewards!

 

In your name, the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Judge Not...

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

For in the same way you judge others,

you will be judged,

and with the measure you use,

it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 7:1-2 NIV

 

My qualification for writing this piece is not because I have mastered the art of NOT being judgmental, but because I am a master at judging! I am ashamed to admit that often I have passed off judging others as recognizing the obvious, being opinionated, being discerning, or simply evaluating the evidence.

 

I began to learn the art of judging at a very early age. Being brought up in a legalistic church and home I learned that if you did certain things you were a Christian and if you did other things you were not a Christian. I don’t mind telling you that the grace of God does not support either view. Very simply, we are saved by God’s grace that he alone chose to pour out upon very undeserving people. We either accept this truth or we do not.

 

I hate when I find myself falling down the very slippery slope of judgmental thought patterns! I know that Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2 NIV Oh how I want mercy from the Father instead of judgment! Therefore, I must learn not to judge.

 

The truth is we are not blind people. God gave us eyes. We see and we observe. Often we see the obvious. Recognizing a flaw or a sin in another person’s life is not the problem. Determining what we will do with what we see is the problem!

 

I have discovered that I am not much interested in confronting a person about sin or even trying to show them a better way. I am much better at passing silent judgment or verbal judgment to another individual about the person setting in the judgment seat. The Holy Spirit is beginning to endeavor to teach me that I must not evaluate that person but rather evaluate my choices on how I will respond to what I see. My knee jerk reflex is to go into “judgment attack mode”, but the Holy Spirit convicts me of that behavior and points me in the direction of the “grace mode”.

 

I confess that having that knowledge is pretty void of application unless I can have some practical tools to assist me in this process. God is so good. When we ask him for godly wisdom he gives it abundantly. It is always his perspective that I need when I am dealing with the sin of judging others.

 

This morning my time in the garden is not one of condemnation, but a sweet time with Jesus as he begins to teach me some practical ways I can deal with judgmental thoughts. In this setting of gorgeous roses, God reveals to me once again that his way is again higher than my way and his thoughts are far above my thoughts. And so his work in my heart begins as he unfolds the petals of his abundant wisdom like the petals of a beautiful rose.

 

In order to not speak the obvious, offer an opinion, or point a finger here are a few things I need to consider:

 

Step #1 – Place value on the life of the one I am about to judge.

__________, (insert the persons name) is worth far more than I could ever imagine.

 

Step #2 – Consider the very real possibility that God is using this “wart” of sinful behavior in this person’s life as a means of showing them their need of him.

 

Step #3 – Take a moment and pray immediately for this person. Pray that they would be responsive to God. Remember the Holy Spirit does an amazing job of convicting.

 

Step #4 – I must never overlook the fact that I may not know where this person has been, how they grew up, what their insecurities are, what sins and tragedies have been present in their life, what values they have or have not been taught, or if they even realize that what they are saying or doing is wrong.

 

Step #5 – I must always take time to identify at least one area of sin in my own life. A good place for me to start would be with the sin of being judgmental.

 

Step #6 –If I per chance find that I am sinless, (good luck with that one) I am then free to cast a stone if I still feel so inclined,  Jesus said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7b NIV

 

Step #7 – I must always give thanks to God that he loves me enough to continue to call me to climb higher in my walk with him.

 

God always wants us to identify the sin in our own life and begin the hard work of choosing to repent and change. We often think that our sins are limited to our deeds. But the fact is that our sinful thoughts become sinful words and those words become sinful deeds. All sinful thoughts, words, and deeds need to be confessed to our Savior.

 

Some of us may be able to quit this sinful habit of judging others “cold turkey”, but for most of us it is a process of deliberate obedience one judgmental thought at a time, one day at a time. Today God also reminds me that “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7b NIV Good to know! Excellent example to follow! My thought today is Lord, help me to push aside the behavior I am observing in another and give me the courage to unfold the layers of life that has enveloped their heart. Give me your eyes so that I may gaze deep into the heart of this one who you value and love. Help me not to point shameful fingers but rather open arms of grace. Give me your words and your actions to point them to you.

 

As a Believer, I am especially convicted of my judgmental thoughts and words. Believers should know better. People who do not profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ are behaving on the instinct of their sinful nature. God has not revealed to them godly behavior. But those who follow Christ are called to rise above their sinful nature. We have been given the Holy Spirit to help us in our time of need. His Spirit empowers us to overcome our natural sinful bend. Our salvation is free but God’s Word tells us to work out our own salvation. You might say from the inside out. “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:12b-13 Our “free” salvation should shine through us. Our actions should be such that God’s good purposes would be revealed to show others the way. God works in us to change our will to his will so that we can act in a manner that will glorify Him now and forever.

 

Refusing to give in to judgmental thoughts is one of the many ways we can let Jesus shine through us from the inside out. Working out our own salvation is not to be taken lightly. We are accountable to God. God hates all sin; therefore, we stand before him with fear and trembling when we refuse to obey. My God is a God of love. I can hardly type the words that would suggest otherwise. Yet, it is because of his great love he cannot and will not tolerate sin in any form. What a privileged we have to give him both our sin that separates us from him forever and our sin that hinders our sweet relationship with him.

 

Questions:

1. Who are the people in your life that are always under your microscope of judgment?
2. Is God speaking to you today regarding judgmental thoughts?
3. Are you like me and long to be free of these thoughts?
4. Are you willing to walk with me as we endeavor to practice these 7 steps that will lead us away from judging others wrongly?

 

Prayer:

 

Dear Jesus,

 

Today I come to you with a heart that begs for forgiveness for the sin of judging others. How I long to be free of this sinful habit. Father, I want to bless others not judge them. Help me to remember the very sobering truth that I will be judged by you in the same manner and measure that I judge others! Father, I know that you love me and that you will never love me more than you do this very day. I thank you for that love and for the undeserving grace you have shown me. Now Lord, I pray I will show that grace to others by refusing to judge them. I thank you Lord that you see my failures as opportunities to call me to climb higher. Lord, I pray this day I would be obedient as I endeavor to trash the “judgmental mode” that so frequently rears its ugly head, and trade it in for your “mode of grace” day by day.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen. 

Hearing From Heaven

“And the words of the Lord are flawless,

like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

Psalm 12:6 NIV

When God is about to speak to us he sometimes does something to get our attention. In Moses’ case it was a burning bush. We too may experience our own burning bush. It may be something that has caused us great pain and sadness. Other times it may be the loss of someone or something in our life. It is also possible that God may be bringing us to a new place of blessing or he may be sending someone to us to share his message of love, or perhaps teach us new truth. This blessing, this new knowledge, fills us with joy. No matter what our circumstance may be, the burning bush in our life is real and ablaze. Do we see the bush with eyes of fear or opportunity? Do we see this bush that will not be consumed as the holy fire of our Sovereign God?

 

Just like Moses, we must pay attention to all that surrounds us. At first when we encounter something unusual or different in our life it may peak our curiosity. We may feel compelled to investigate that which we have not seen before. Moses’ first response to his burning bush was curiosity. He had never seen a bush burn without being consumed.

 

Hundreds of years have passed since Moses heard the voice of God calling to him from heaven. God called him by name, “Moses! Moses!” To this Moses replied, “Here I am.” When God calls our name, it is important that we listen. God may use your name or he may simply place you in a spot where you become intensely interested in what is happening around you. He may place a new desire within your heart or give you compassion for someone or some ministry.

 

If we continue to ignore the voice of God he may find his servant elsewhere. God is looking for available believers to do his work. We will miss personal blessings if we fail to answer. We must say “here am I” if we are to get further instructions.

 

After Moses responded to God, God continued to speak to Moses. His instruction to Moses was, do not to come any closer! God establishes his boundaries as part of the assignment we are about to participate in. He tells us when to go and when to stay put. God always wants us to know that he is to lead and we are to follow. God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Exodus 3:5 NIV We are not to take lightly God’s call because we too are standing on holy ground. It might even be a good idea for us to take off our shoes until God is finished speaking. I wonder, why did God have Moses remove his sandals? Maybe it was because he didn’t want him running off while he was still talking! Maybe it was designed to be an act of humility and respect. Maybe it was symbolic of God’s authority over Moses. I would not be surprised if it was all three of those reasons.

 

When God calls us to do something no matter if he is asking us to go to Africa or to bake muffins for a neighbor, we need to realize that we are hearing that assignment from heaven and the ground we are standing on is holy ground. God always has a reason and a purpose for what he is asking us to do. The voice of God is challenging as he invites us to join him where he is already at work. His voice can be convicting as he endeavors to keep us focused on him and not our self. Just like Moses, we may hear God’s voice, but what we hear may clearly pull us away from our comfort zone. Just like it was with Moses, God will never ask anything of us that he does not enable us to do. Moses argued with God, saying he was slow of speech; BUT God gave Moses someone to speak for him. Moses wondered if the people would believe he was sent from God to lead them out of Egypt, BUT God gave him the staff which proved to be miraculous, showing God’s authority as he endorsed Moses as his man of the hour.

 

Today in the garden I am peering over the back fence. The mountains are calling me come and experience something different. They are majestic! God says, “Come, climb higher, trust me to get you to the summit.” I am afraid. It is challenging, I am out of shape, and this task is certainly not in my comfort zone. I question, “Is this really the voice of God?” In my mind I question if it is God speaking. Surely God would keep me within the safety of my garden. It must be Satan calling me to venture out beyond the safety of the garden. So I step back. Then God reminds me that Satan would not challenge me to climb higher in my faith. No, Satan wants to stifle me and keep me right where I am. Yes, I’m sure it is God who is calling me to climb higher. Do I dare respond to God by answering as Moses did, “Here am I?”

 

Satan’s voice speaks lies, God’s Word is truth. Satan never points out sinful behavior. In fact, he applauds it! He encourages it! Satan also speaks words of condemnation and failure. God speaks words of conviction and forgiveness. Satan instills fear and plants seeds of doubt but God is love and when we obey he fills us with his peace. Satan, the father of all lies, points out that we are inadequate and gives us many reasons why the assignment is impossible to complete. Satan predicts nothing less than our total failure if we are silly enough to attempt to do what God is asking of us. But God says, with me all things are possible and I have chosen you because you are my instrument of choice for such a time as this. Satan says you deserve to stay right where you are – comfortable and confident. God says, follow me, you won’t be sorry. Satan wants us to trust our own instincts but God wants us to trust him. “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. Psalm 12:6 NIV

 

When it is time to begin, Jesus never says, “Now get up and get going!” Instead he says, “Follow Me.” So today in the garden I am going to choose to follow Jesus. I look up ahead and he is climbing over the back fence. He shoots me a grin over his shoulder as he goes on ahead. I am running to catch up and the next thing I know I am tumbling over the fence. Jesus is a good bit ahead of me and I fear I may never catch up! As he walks across the flat table-land toward the mountain I hear his loud voice shout loud and clear. It echoes off the mountains and continues to bounce back to my ears. “Paula, don’t worry about catching up because I am walking into the future. You my child are walking in the present. Simply keep your eyes on me and you will be just fine!”

 

When God speaks we will know without doubt that we have heard from heaven. Today I have heard the voice of God calling me from heaven. I saw my burning bush in the middle of my circumstance. I took off my shoes because I was indeed on holy ground. The call to follow him into my next assignment was clear, “trust me”. So I grabbed my shoes and took off running barefoot. I’m hoping that at some point Jesus will stop long enough for me to put on my shoes, but until then I must keep my eyes on his backside. I may long to see his face along the way but even when he is too far ahead for me to see his face; I will still choose to trust him. I have heard from heaven and there is joy in my heart as I run from the comfort of the garden into unknown territory.

 

Questions:

1. Have you ever heard from heaven? Reflect upon that time.
2. Has God asked something of you? Are you procrastinating?
3. Are you unclear as to whether or not it is God’s voice or Satan’s voice?
4. What thoughts are bouncing through your mind? Are they God’s words or Satan’s words?
5. Do you believe that simple obedience is the path of blessing?
6. Does it sober you to know that when God speaks from heaven you are standing on holy ground?

Prayer:

 

Dear God,

 

Oh how I long to discern your voice. It is amazing that you are still calling mere humanity to assist you in your heavenly work. I pray that I would hear your calling and be willing to be used by you. I know that I am not called because I am special in any way. I have many reasons why I feel I am not suited for this assignment or up to the task, but you say that being available to serve is all that is necessary. I know that you have either already equipped me with the gifts and talents I will need to accomplish your assignment or you are in the process of sending me whatever or whomever I will need to do your work. So today it is with a tiny mustard seed of faith I choose to step out in simple obedience because I know I will never regret following you. Your Word is clear that by following you there lies the path of eternal heavenly blessing and joy. And if you are willing Lord, I know that I may even experience a foretaste of that blessing and joy in my life right here in this strange and troubled land.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Good Morning Lord

“Blessed be the name of the LORD

from this time forth and for evermore

From the rising of the sun

unto the going down of the same

the LORD’s, name is to be praised.”

Psalm 113:2-3 NIV

I have known about the Lord for as long as I can remember. At age twelve I began to want to be counted with those who called themselves Christians. In my twenties and thirties I began to want to know the Lord, and in my forties I wanted to please the Lord. In my fifties I began to want to walk with the Lord. Today I find that I still want to walk with the Lord every single day. I remember when my thoughts about God began to fill more and more of my day. I am now at a point that even before the sun comes up, most of the time I wake up and my first thought is of the Lord. When I end my day he is also my last thought before I fall into deep sleep. Over the past few years, it seems that God is not just satisfied to have a good portion of my daytime thoughts, but now he is milling around through my mind as I sleep. Sometimes he even wakes me up and I feel an immediate urge to pray for the person he brings to my mind. Or if I am having a fitful sleep, God wakes me up so that I can give my fear to him in prayer.

 

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same” has taken on new meaning for me! As I open my sleepy eyes first thing in the morning my first thought is, “good morning Lord” and my next thought is thank you Lord for the gift of rest. My next thought is coffee – coffee – coffee! My heart then goes to delight because I am anxious to sit in my cozy chair, or go out on my back porch and spend time with Jesus. “Quite Time” used to be an activity of duty for me, a job that I must do if I was to please God. But now it is the time that I look forward to each day. The garden of my heart is a place where I can connect through the power of the Holy Spirit with the God of the universe. I have no need of a minister, a priest, or any other mediator. In simple conversational prayer I boldly approach the throne of grace. I pray…God listens. I listen…God speaks. I read his Word…he speaks again. I question…he shows me how I can apply the message found in the Word to my life. I am challenged by the Holy Spirit…I respond. Mental imagery also allows me to sit and talk with Jesus, the Master Gardner, who resides in the heavenly garden of my heart. I look forward to this time with God and I feel cheated if life interferes and I have to miss spending time with my Lord. For me I need this time at the top of my morning because if I am anxious…he calms me down. If I am fearful…he suggests that I trust him. If I am angry…he says I must forgive. If I am in need…he promises to provide. If I need love or comfort…he is more than enough. If I am sad…he gives me joy. If I am stressed…he gives me peace.

 

I used to feel guilty that I spent too long reading, praying, writing, or studying God’s Word. I no longer feel that guilt. It is true; I am in another season of my life now. There are no toddlers to feed, children to put on the bus, or a job to rush to. During those days, God met my needs in other ways. I learned to pray quickly in short phrases like, “Help me God!” “Please take care of _____.”  “Forgive me Lord.”  “Please don’t let that person take my parking place.” “Help me to find some inexpensive clothes for my growing children.” “Please take this headache away.” It was always more about my immediate needs and the needs of my family. I also learned to carry a small devotional book in my car so that I could grab a bit of the Divine as I waited, and waited, and waited. There always seemed to be so many things to wait for. I waited for doctors, orthodontists, children to come out of school or their many other activities. Thank goodness for those days when books  filled my time instead of cell phones. I know for a fact I was living the “grab and go” lifestyle for my Christian life. Praise and worship songs on the radio served as my springboard for praise. Sunday wouldn’t be much different. It was full of rushing to and from church. Serving at church, making dinner and then rushing back to church in the evening! I soaked the sermons up like a hard dry sponge that was begging for water. Still, God was good and I seemed to grow in my faith.

 

I am so thankful that God leads his children along. He knows which life cycle we are in and exactly what we need to equip us for our life stage. But life is ever changing. It makes perfect sense to me that the amount of time that I am able to spend walking with the Lord should also be adjusted to fit the next phase of my life. There is always more to learn and new ways to learn what God so anxiously wants to share with us.

 

Our “quiet time” which can often be less than quiet, needs to undergo God’s spiritual scrutinizing from time to time. If we are to step up the pace and raise the bar in our spiritual life it will require us asking God how we should be spending our time with him. Simply ask him if you should remain in the “grab and go” phase, or if it is time to move on to  the “semi-quiet time” phase, or climb higher still by entering the very “private closet of quiet time” phase, or if it is time to accept the challenge of the “dig deeper and study” phase. It might also be good to spend a little time evaluating your prayer time. Is God calling you, as he does me, to spend more of my prayer time in praise and worship and less of my prayer time asking? Has God given you a particular burden to hold up in prayer? Or have you learned the blessing of silent prayer as you wait for God to speak? Without a doubt, God always wants us to bring him all our concerns. I have found that when my prayers are self-centered, God misses out because my praise and worship is non-existent. The truth is when our praises and worship goes up to God, he responds and his blessings fall down upon us and our fellowship is sweet.

 

It is the Holy Spirit that prompts us to raise the bar in our “Quiet Time”. He knows when the time is right and when our heart is ready to receive more. He doesn’t want us to stay in the “grab and go” phase forever. God's prompting is his invitation for us to learn more about him, experience a new life changing spiritual truth, and enjoy a new level of fellowship with him that often blows our socks off! I don’t want to miss this learning experience. Do you? I want to always be sensitive to these promptings. We should be honored and excited when God invites us to climb higher. He invites us to  allow our heart to dance with him as we are caught up in the heavenly presence of His spirit.

 

Today my heart sings. Good Morning Lord! “From the rising of the sun, to the setting of the same.” Thank you Lord! Good night, Lord! “May your name be praised.” The sunrise reminds me of all the hope I have as a believer.  The sunset is a visible reminder of God’s faithfulness to me even when I am in a “grab and go” situation. “The Sovereign LORD has given me his words of wisdom…morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.” Isaiah 50:4 NIV

 

No guilt, no excuses. Simply know that God loves you and the first chance you get he is waiting eagerly to reveal more of his truth to you. He is anxious to fill you with his love, joy and peace. He desires to walk with you through your day in a sweet spirit of intimacy. God has a plan for your life and he needs you to sit with him a spell so he can reveal it to you event by event. If you are discouraged or overloaded, God wants to love on you and encourage you. God wants to redirect your thinking when you are loosing your focus, and he wants to replace the stress you feel with his peace.

 

Not one of God’s children has ever reached the summit of “quiet time”. There is always more to be learned and experienced. This friendship with Jesus is real and it is yours for the taking. So as soon as you hear his call, draw near to God and know with assurance that God will draw near to you!

 

Questions:

1. Which “quiet time” phase best describes you?
• Obligation
• Learning How
• Grab and Go
• Semi-Quite Time
• Private Closet
• Dig Deeper
• Can’t Get Enough!
• What changes could you make in order to get the most out of your current level of “Quiet Time” 
2. Are you satisfied with your level of “Quiet Time”? Do you want more?
3. Will you find time to ask God if he wants you to remain where you are or if he is ready for you to move to a new level of blessed and exciting fellowship?
4. Will you prayerfully ask God to help you obey the promptings of his Holy Spirit?

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

I am both relieved and excited to know that you have a plan for my “quite time”. I am reassured to know that you are always willing to meet with me regardless of my phase of life. You know my schedule. Thank your for being a very present help in trouble and meeting all my needs throughout my busy day. When it is time for me to begin or move on to the next phase of my quiet time, I pray that you will place a desire in my heart to know you more. I pray that I will hunger and thirst after you and that I will not push you aside. Help me not to procrastinate. Lord, I am confused. Sometimes I do not feel qualified to learn on my own. Lord I am afraid I will become frustrated when I don’t understand something in your Word. In addition, there are so many Bible studies, good Christian books to read, sermons to listen to, and praise and worship music to sing to, and of course there is that big thick Bible that I need to read from cover to cover. God, I am overwhelmed! My time is so limited, what should I do? Lord, I will lay out my Bible and all of the other printed devotional books and Bible studies that I have been collecting. Now Lord, I will humbly ask for your guidance. Holy Spirit please impress upon my mind, your top two choices to be used for developing my “Quiet Time”. Father, you know what lies ahead of me in the near future and you know exactly what I will need for the journey. I trust you to choose wisely for me. After I have been led by your Spirit, I will do my best to obey. Lord, you have promised that if I will seek you I will find you. I am going to trust you for understanding. Tomorrow is a brand new day. I can’t wait to say…”Good Morning Lord!”…then see where you will lead me.

 

It is in your name I pray. Amen.

Come To The Garden!

“The mind of sinful man is death,

but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

the sinful mind is hostile to God.

It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

Romans 8: 6-8 NIV

Today the invitation from the Master Gardner is clear. He beckons, “Come to the garden!” The same invitation was issued yesterday and he will invite me to come tomorrow. In fact, Jesus offers me a standing invitation to come to the garden every single day of my life. Come to the garden! It is not just a suggestion. It is a loving plea from Jesus. Jesus’ invitation to come to the garden is different from a casual invitation that we might get from a friend or family member. We often say, “Call me if you get a minute,” “come over on Sunday day if you don’t have anything better to do,” “stop by sometime,” or “we need to get together soon”. Our Lord’s invitation is not a casual suggestion nor is it an enforced command. It is a loving invitation to spend time alone with him. It is hard to comprehend that the One who made us desires to spend time with us. He desires our praise and worship and loves to know that we love him. Our words of gratitude are music to his ears. He also wants to love on us, comfort us, and teach us new truth. He wants us to leave the garden with a heart full of joy and a mind that is at peace.

 

Sometimes the term “Quiet Time” is misunderstood. In a legalistic mindset “Quite Time” is a place for one to gird up their holy robes and falsely feel holier than another person because the other person is not keeping the “Quiet Time” law. I used to view “Quite Time” as an obligation and feel guilty if I missed the daily legalistic ritual. Part of the problem is that every day has its own special set of circumstances. Most days these circumstances are busy, loud, demanding, timely, and intrusive. The thought of “Quiet Time” may often sound like it is a place off in a far away county situated across the ocean of life with not even a row boat to carry us there. Satan would ask us to believe that “Quite Time” is an impossible journey. Oh, we would like to visit that garden but for now we are convinced that we must be satisfied to simply look at the travel brochure.  That type of thinking, my friend, is a victory for Satan! It is God’s desire that we come to the garden out of love for him, not responsibility or guilt.

 

When life is busy and hard, why does a loving God continue to call us to the garden no matter what we are experiencing? Doesn’t an all knowing God know that we are busy and that we have more on our plate than we can possibly do? Yes, he does. Nevertheless, Jesus Christ stands ready to help you custom make your “Quite Time” to fit your needs no matter what life stage you are in. For me, recognizing my continual need for more of God made me realize that going to the garden was no more of an option than going to the grocery store for food. It was something I needed to do for spiritual survival.

 

I need to go to the garden because the mind of sinful man is death. The mind of Christ is exactly the opposite of the mind of man. God calls men and women out of his love for us. We often react to God and our life experiences from our humanistic, emotional data base. This is extremely dangerous because our sinful mind leads to death. This can be death of a relationship, the death of reputation, the death of our spiritual joy, or premature physical death. I am finding that my “Quiet Time” should not be the place I go to read a verse of scripture and give God my list of needs and desires for the day and then rush out of the garden. No! “Quiet Time” is a time for me to be still in the presence of my Creator and know that he is God. When I become still before God he stands ready to forgive, comfort, sustain, and empower me with his grace and love. God always knows what I am going through, he knows what it is that others expect of me, he is aware of my busy schedule, and he sees my raw emotions. “Quiet Time” is the place where God begins to rein me in because he knows that I’m like a loose cannon capable of going off at any given moment! God wants me to give him a few minutes at the beginning of each day and a few more minutes throughout my day, and a few minutes at the end of the day. “Quite Time” is indeed that private time alone with God without interruption where we seek to know his mind in solitude. It can also be those unsuspected moments when we quickly turn our minds heavenward in the heat of the moment and ask God for his mind. “Quiet Time” is a place for seeking God’s response to all that concerns us and when we lay aside our first response and choose to take on the mind of Christ, he then rescues us from our sinful thoughts that can only lead to death.

 

I need to go to the garden because the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Our Heavenly Father walked this earth for thirty-three years. He understands what it is like to have people crowding in on you, having people misunderstand you, and feeling tired and needing a nap. So if we are to know his mind and follow his example we will make a time and a place to be the recipient of his peace and rest. A mind that is controlled by this world and its expectations is a life of stress and anxiety. Jesus calls us to “Quite Time” so that our life will be controlled by the Spirit. Jesus knows that those who are made of dust are in need of restoration. “Quite Time” is meant to be a time to redirect our thoughts from things below to things above. Jesus knows that we need to learn his way of peace so he says, “Come away from the whirlwind of life, come to a quiet place, and come to the garden!”

 

I need to go to the garden because the sinful mind is hostile to God. When we avoid the garden we give Satan a foothold in our life. We become stressful, anxious, self-centered, and hostile to others and that is offensive to God. We label our negative thoughts, actions, and reactions as “mistakes” that are made in the heat of the moment. But God calls this behavior sin, and that sinful behavior is hostile to God. God’s Word cautions us, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” I Peter 5:8-9a NIV It is in the garden of “Quiet Time” that the Holy Spirit equips us to exhibit control over sinful behavior. It is in the garden that we sharpen our senses and become more alert so that we can recognize the enemy when he strikes. "Quiet Time" is where we learn how to stand firm in our faith and walk away from sinful responses.

 

I need to go to the garden because it is impossible for this type of sinful thinking to submit to God’s law. God calls us to “Quiet Time” so that we can learn about humility. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7 NIV Humility is not the ability to put our self down. One with a humble heart simply knows they have a huge need for Jesus. Humility is being open and vulnerable before the Lord. Humility is honest. A humble heart recognizes that the focus of their thinking must move beyond oneself. Humility gives credit to our Maker for all that is good in our life, for all he provides us with, and for sustaining us in all of our times of need. A humble heart identifies us as a true follower of Jesus Christ. Humility allows us to fall deeper in love with Jesus and then be obedient because of our love for our Savior. I know no other way to find this level of relationship and fellowship with Jesus outside of intentional “Quiet Time”.

 

I need to go to the garden because if we are controlled by our sinful nature we cannot please God. If I am to please God I need a safety lock applied to my heart daily. Every day I need a fresh anointing of the oil of the Holy Spirit upon my head drenching me from head to foot. I need to study the example of Jesus and begin to learn his way of thinking. I need a special time to worship and praise my Lord. I need to express my gratitude daily. Otherwise I might become a bitter, ungrateful, complaining child. I need the Holy Spirit to apply hot coals to my mouth because an unbridled tongue above all things is sinful.

 

Everyday when I hear the gentle whisper of Jesus calling me to come to the garden, I must go! I would like to suggest that when we disregard and ignore the call to come to the garden it is entirely possible, as time goes by, the whisper will become fainter and fainter until we can no longer hear Jesus calling. Of course, he still stands ready to meet us in the garden but our daily reminders that are for our own good seem to disappear from our ears. Then out of nowhere some fine sunny day the rug gets pulled out from under our feet and we find our self flat on our kiester! Now it seems we can’t get to the garden fast enough. God is good. He will be waiting at the garden gate with open arms, anxious for us to enter. But never underestimate the personal loss of blessings that we miss or the personal cost we encounter from living our life apart from the sweet fellowship with Jesus that is to be found only in the garden. The garden is NOT a place of obligation it IS a place of privilege, divine guidance and blessing. It is a habit that only gets only sweeter as time goes by. The argument of not enough time, seems to go away when you learn how sweet connecting with the Lord really is. It is not a matter of how much time you spend in "Quiet Time", but rather what happened between you and God during this time. When you left the garden was your heart full and your mind at peace? 

 

It is God’s hope that you will always want to return to the garden and spend time alone with him and it is his joy when you do! The garden is a special place of intentional, uninterrupted fellowship with God. However, when I leave the garden, the One who lives inside me goes with me out into the world of responsibilities. He is always available throughout my day for continued fellowship. God loves receiving my brief thoughts of gratitude that I shoot up to his ears in a moment of joy. He welcomes a prayer for myself or another when those needs come to mind. God loves my phrases of trust when fear rears its ugly head. God hears my requests for instant help in my moments of temptation and times of need. Conversational prayer throughout my day is both an amazing privilege and a fantastic blessing!

Questions:

1. Do you have a special time each day when you meet with God to pray, read his Word, and listen for his voice?
2. Do you think it is absurd to suggest that Satan might delight in keeping us away from God’s Word by pushing us in the direction of other good Christian reading opportunities instead of reading God's Word?
3. Will you consider this scripture? “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thought and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV 
4. Do you believe this scripture is true?
5. Are you willing to pray and ask God to help you re-evaluate what you are reading?
6. Are you currently enjoying your time alone with God in the garden? If not, why do you think this is?

Prayer:

 

Dear God,

 

I confess that in the past I have been guilty of misunderstanding the purpose of “Quite Time”. Forgive me when I reduce this experience to a specific amount of time, a specific time of day, a place, a routine, or an obligation. I am reminded that Jesus went to pray when he felt a need for fellowship with his Father. He made time to pray before any major event in his life. Jesus blessed bread and called upon the Father for strength before performing miracles. Jesus instructed his disciples to stay awake and pray so that their faith would not fail. God, the idea that “Quite Time” should be the same time every day is valuable to all of us who live shrouded in human frailty. I thank you Lord that you allow me to set the time and place for our standing “Quite Time” appointment. I am confident that when I establish this time with you, I know that you will faithfully call me at that time and to that place every day. God help me to understand that “Quiet Time” is where I praise and worship you. It is where I express my gratitude for all that I am and all that you have provided for me. It is during this time alone with you that you allow me the privilege of casting my cares on you. “Quite Time” is where you will open my eyes and teach me your ways. It is the place where I will hear your voice. God, I am so blessed that you minister to me in ways that help me change my negative attitudes. I am so grateful that you meet me in this special place and administer your balm of healing to my emotions. God, I now understand that “Quiet Time” is the very special place where you fellowship with me and equip me for the challenges of this life, not a place of obligation. I thank you God that you love me enough to call me every day to come to the garden!

 

It is in your Son Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.