Our Problem with God’s Will

I appreciate God’s will. I’ve seen it guide, work, and lead in many situations. The will of God has led me as much as I’ve seen it lead anyone. I’ve seen God speak when I had questions, showing me his will. I’ve watched God’s will work in the lives of others. I’ve seen the blessings of those who followed it, and the horrible consequences of those who did not.

I’ve never believed God’s will was a mystery. I always believed that if you truly wanted God’s will, God would show you what he wanted. People act sometimes like God is playing hide and seek with his will, like he gets some sort of pleasure out of seeing you distress over what he might want for you. I don’t believe my Lord does that.

But there is something about God’s will, that, if you don’t understand it, you could be greatly discouraged and disheartened. This concept is called God’s timing! Revealing his will is an art that only God understands, and it’s where faith comes into the picture. There is a beauty that turns the head of God Almighty, and it’s faith.

God does not show you his complete will. He only shows you what he wants you to see. I used to deeply wonder at why he would do this. One night, as I was meditating on this, I asked God why he wouldn’t tell me some important things I felt like I should be able to know. I simply asked God to show me why he wouldn’t let me see the whole picture, or at least more than I was seeing at the time. Then, whether by divine inspiration or common sense I don’t know, it occurred to me that what I knew about God’s will, I would prepare myself for. What I didn’t know about God’s will for me, I could not try to prepare for. Maybe God didn’t want me to try to prepare for my own future instead of letting him prepare me for my future.

And here lies the problem. Are we content to only see as much of God’s will as he allows us to? Do we allow our wishes to see too much of his plan deter us from doing his immediate plan. Could it be that your misconceiving that God is not showing you his will when in reality his will is for you to do nothing. You can’t see everything at once; it would take away from the sovereignty of God, as well as our dependence on his guidance. Don’t allow the road signs miles down the road that you can’t quite make out distract you from adequately obeying the road signs right in front of you. Focusing on God’s will in 5 years may cause you to lose focus on God’s will for you right now.

Faith is taking the first stair when you can’t see the whole staircase. Faith is trusting God to only show you what part of his will he wants you to know for now and being content with it. I say this not because I have conquered it completely. Rather on the contrary, I have been chastened on this quite recently. Without realizing it, you can build up a grudge against the Lord about something you don’t or can’t understand. Don’t allow that to happen. Be content with only a piece of the puzzle. One day, when the picture is all complete, you will enjoy the beauty of it tremendously, because you know every mountain and valley of each piece.

Just something to think about.

When you don't understand, just understand!

Sometimes we have a thought processes that lead us to believe that what we think is important. "I think....", "I believe...", etc. I have come to the conclusion that what we think is not only unimportant, but also unnecessary. We think too much instead of focusing on what we know.

In the military, it doesn't matter what you think. It matters what you know. In the academy where I work, there is a chain of command from the top to the bottom, and it doesn't matter what you think, it only matters what you know. The Christian life is no different.

In a battle situation for the military, you thinking could cost lives. It's not your job to think, and it's not your job to weigh options, it's only your job to act on what you know is right. Do. Quit thinking! When the order comes, don't think about it...just do it. It comes from the top, and you aren't going to be held responsible for the right or wrong of the order, only whether or not you obeyed.

That brings me to the point of this post. Sometimes things don't make sense. There always will be things that don't make sense. But when you don't understand, just understand this: you understanding is not a priority! When you understand that, understanding everything else becomes a commodity. We need to quit thinking like we as Christians have to understand things that happen.

I think of David...he was completely misunderstood. He did not understand why he couldn't be king from the day that God annointed him. But the important thing was he didn't let his lack of understanding God's doings get in the way of him allowing God to work on him. There are things you will never understand...and there are people who will never understand you. They misunderstood David and read into his actions because they had a plan. Others around him had reason to read into his actions so they could call him subversive. This was a plot to find reason for Saul to kill him.

There is not one whose actions have not been misread or read into. Everyone has been misunderstood at some point. None was misunderstood and misread like our Lord, though. He was killed for claiming to be who he was, being charged with blasphemy.

Like Christ did, and like David did, we should not worry about what we can't control, what others think, what we think about things we don't understand, and focus on what we know. And Christian, you know what's right! Quit thinking...just do right. If you do that, your misunderstood and misread actions will be explained by your steadfastness in what is the truth.
What's right? Do it...and leave the rest up to God to sort out.

Don't think. Do right.

All My Needs

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:19

I believe this verse is one of the most doubted verses in the Bible for Christians today. You show what you believe by what you do. Belief inspires action. If you believe God supplies all your needs, you will depend on him; if you do not believe that God supplies all your needs, then you will seek to supply your own needs. Belief inspires action.

I know that until I leave my fathers home, I can depend on being able to eat here. I know that the need of my stomach will be filled with groceries from this house as long as I live here. My action based on that belief is that I will eat here and not worry about it. If I was worried about it constantly, I would be showing my belief that my father was not sufficient in providing groceries by going out of the way to provide for myself.

I see people on a regular basis acting as though God does not see their needs, when the truth is, their "needs" are not what God sees as needs, but wants. Why does our lack of faith take over a situation that is simply God's job? Why do we act as though the need is not going to be supplied by our heavenly father? If my earthly father is faithful in supplying earthly needs to me, how much more is my heavenly father capable of supplying my needs? Not only does he supply my needs, he has an advanced knowledge of my grocery list! I do not even need to tell him what I need for him to know. He already does. Before I even ask for it, he is preparing to provide it.

Are his riches in glory ever going to be insufficient? Will he bounce the check of heaven on my little problems? There is no way, and it would be mad to suggest it! However, modern Christianity lives in an independent lifestyle that seeks a faithless provision to our needs by seeking to meet them through fleshly means. Do you realize that Satan is waiting for your independence from God's way so he can attack you with vices that you alone cannot handle?
Your self-dependent attitude makes you completely vulnerable to situations that only the power of God can help you through! Do not become self-sufficient and self-dependent, thinking that you can somehow manage this Christian life without the help of Christ, who was the ultimate example. Do not think that you can live a supernatural Christian life, following his steps, without Christ' power. That is simply mad!!

So that brings me to the point of this post.

Let God supply your needs. I am in a situation right now that requires ultimate dependence on God. I have no control, and therefore I am naming and claiming Phillipians 4:19. I need him to supply the need. I could make a knee-jerk decision to try to handle it myself, but that will only make matters worse. I need to depend on God!

Do you need money? Does God know that? Of course he does!! What doesn't he know? The answer is not to take matters into your own hands! If you're right with the Lord, pray and ask God to take control, admitting your incapability to handle the situation.

Now, God is not a bell-hop either! God does not watch his children muddle around and mess up a situation, only to run and bail them out when they realize what a mess they've made. If you have not honored God, do not expect him to save you from the consequences of your sin. That is not what is being written about in this post! I am talking about you being in situations that you cannot control and allowing God to do his job as your father.

Do you need a husband or wife? Who would know best when and who you need? Of course, God would!! If God knows best when you need to be married, and he knows best who you need to marry, shouldn't you just claim the promise of Phillipians 4:19 that God will supply that need?
When it's time, God will give you who you need, when you need them. And trust me, he knows best. I believe that. I personally have asked God to pick me out a wife! I'm not smart enough to know how to do that, and so God is in charge of it. He is well able!!

If I believe that promise, why should I try to "help" God out by taking steps outside of his guidance? Why would I flirt with someone, knowing that God has a very special young lady that he has chosen for me? Why would you? Is God not able? If he is able, and he has not given you direction on it, then you should not be meddling; it is obviously not the right time!

The best part is, when God supplies, you know it was God! When my financial situation pans out just fine, I know who to thank! "Thank you, Lord, for your help!"
And when God puts his approval on Miss Wonderful and says, "Psst! She's it!" I'll know it's God's doing. Because, after all, isn't it he that supplies these needs?

It's as simple as this: Let God be God! Let God supply your needs! He's surely worth trusting.

If It's Right, Then What Else Is There To Know? Pt 2

"Why?" He asked politely. He wasn't being rude; he sincerely wanted to know. "Why do you wear long pants to play basketball in? I'm telling you--and it ain't just me--shorts are way more comfortable!" I nodded. "You're right it ain't just you, it's just about everyone in this gym." I replied with a grin. "In fact, it's me too!"

I've known Vince almost since I started going to this gym to work out and play basketball. He's not saved, but he is very respectful of our beliefs. I've tried with no success to get him to come to church. Actually, there are several guys down there that I've tried to get to come to church. People just have no time for God, it seems.

"You're kidding! Why don't you wear them, then?"
"Cause it's not right, Vince."
"So, this is a religious thing!"
"NO, this is about pleasing God and having a good testimony."
"Whatever."

Honestly, I like Vince, but he will never understand me or why I do things.

"It's right" doesn't seem to satisfy those that are lost. However, it never ceases to amaze me that many claiming Christians are the same way. They claim the name of Christ, but they do not represent God's children. They say they are saved, yet, personally, I would mistake them for the devil's kids! Church folks will criticize you as much as the lost nowadays.

I would love to wear shorts....if it wasn't nakedness, sin, displeasing to God, etc. My flesh thinks, "It's easier to move around in, more comfortable, so why not?" But like I said in part one, it's not about those factors. It's about what's right.

What about the things you watch? Do they please God or your flesh? What about your music? Is it uplifting to the Lord, or does it cater to the carnal man? You cannot share qualities! An action or deed cannot and will not please God and your flesh at the same time. Impossible! God will not be honored while the flesh is being gratified. Never!

Jesus asked the question of the Pharisees in reference to John's baptism, "Is it of heaven, or of men?" You know from the Bible account that they would not answer Jesus.

Do you know that every action can be judged by that same question? Music, movies, hobbies, clothing: "Is it of heaven or of men?"

It is one or the other. Does your music please God? Then take it to church and pass it on to other believers for encouragement. Your movies? Let's watch it at church! Wear those clothes that you struggle to justify unscripturally to a church activity, and see if you feel comfortable. Any man that has the spirit of God dwelling in him will know that something is wrong.

"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. 2:19

Anyone that loves God and desires to please him will consider their actions in light of God's thoughts.

I know those who are called to preach. They are not right with God unless they're preaching or preparing for it. It's what's right. Some are called to the mission field. They're not right with God unless they're obeying their call. What has God told you? Do the right thing, Christian.

"A servant of God."

I read this in my Bible today. Paul says in Romans 1:1, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ..." Throughout the Bible, Paul's epistles especially, you see this theme of being a servant and the value that God puts on it, as well as the honor God grants to servants who are faithful. I am a servant of God as well! If you're saved, you should be too. If you are a servant of God, it will make you a servant of others as well. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:19, "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more."

I will not take the time to go through all the references about servanthood and slavery in the Bible. But you all know people that you have come across or worked with that you could say, "they're a servant!" First of all, this is not popular. Servanthood is frowned upon by society today. If you are a servant, you are almost the opposite of success in the worlds eyes. They look down on folks who live for others. But, as a child of God, doesn't this lifestyle mirror the life of Christ? He said, "I am not come to be ministered unto, but to minister."

It's easy to talk about it, and it's easy to show others how to be a servant. Much harder, though, is showing yourself how to be a servant. When you really show your servanthood, you will do something that you really don't want to do. Don't you hate it when there is almost an uproar in your flesh over something it does not want to do? A lot of people go out of their way to do a job that needs to be done, but it seems like it is always something that they enjoy doing. It takes a lot of character to do something you hate.

Character in servanthood is not shown on the plateau's and pulpits of verbal professions. It is shown behind the sink of personal character, or at the tub of self control in an unwanted job, or at the feet of Christ, simply washing feet. Oh, it will not appear as Christ! It will appear as one of the staff at the academy where I work needing me to take their shift. It will appear as vacuuming a car because someone else was careless and made a mess. It will appear as a run to the grocery store to help someone with a vehicle problem that broke down in a parking lot, thus ruining my whole afternoon. By the way, those three things happened to me in the same day!

Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Aha! It will not always appear as if you are doing it for Jesus, but he says that you are! We better remember that when we are inconvenienced and want to throw our mental tantrums about how bad we have it! The Lord is watching you. How do you react in those situations?

David Gibbs said this: "Servanthood is not the stepping stone to greatness; servanthood is greatness!

It is when you become a servant that you realize what happiness is all about: doing for others. When you get busy making yourself available to serve, you will forget about your petty problems and aggravations. You won't have time. I think of people in the Bible that were a servant when it was inconvenient. Remember the Shunemite woman found in 2 Kings 4? That is the only place in the Bible a woman is called great! Why? Because she sacrificed of herself for the man of God.

Well, I just got done doing the dishes before I sat to write this post. I didn't want to. I had washed dishes twice today already, and I happen to wash about 80 percent of the time. I was sick of it tonight. I tried to get one of my brothers to do it to no avail. =D That's ok. Now that it's done, I'm glad I did it. It builds character. =D Besides, no one wanted to do it, and it had to get done. I'm glad that my two busy brothers were not inconvenienced by washing dishes tonight. In fact, they're in bed right now trying to rest for the day tomorrow. It's a packed schedule this weekend, so they'll need it. Just maybe a little extra service wasn't so bad after all.

Phillipians 2:5-8
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Ask the Lord to help you be a better servant. Just a little from my devotions this morning...hope it helped you.

The Word of God

I have always loved Psalm 119. It's the biggest chapter in the Bible, and it talks so much about God's word. Out of 176 verses in the chapter, 167 of them refer to God's word. Words such as "statutes, ordinances, precepts, words, commandments, judgements, laws, and testimonies" are all used to describe the Word of God in the chapter. It is the overwhelming theme of the chapter.
And I cannot read it without a great depth of gratitude to God for my Bible!!

The King James Bible is the only one. Changes to it are perversions.

What a joy that while we don't have prophets and preachers doing miracles as they did in times of old, the preserving of our Bible is a miracle in of itself. "That which is perfect" is here. (1 Cor. 13:10) I love my Bible! It is my most cherished earthly possession. It is the only earthly possession I have that bears heavenly significance. Here are some thing I thought of that describe my Bible:

1. My Orders

As a soldier, my orders for battle are found in it's pages. It strengthens me to fight "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." It reminds me that I'm in a battleground, not a playground.

2. My Love Letter

It is through the Bible that we find Salvation in Jesus Christ; without God's word, we would all be lost. Thank God for the love of God that saved me, the love of Christ that constrains me, and the love of the bridegroom that shall soon resurrect me.

3. My Comfort

Sometimes only my Bible can solve my problems. It soothes my broken heart, it's the balm of Gilead to my troubled soul, and I run to it my darkest hour.

Psalm 119: 9
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."

Psalm 119:36-37
"Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way."

It keeps me clean. The more I read, the cleaner my mind and heart is. Someone in sin will not read the word of God; it cleans them. The longer I am in God's word the more it cleans me. "God's word will keep you from sin, but sin will keep you from God's word."

Psalm 119:24
"Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors."

Psalm 119:59
"I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies."

Psalm 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

It leads me. When I don't undertand what to do or how to act, I turn to my Bible. I have great friends and counsellors, but the word of God excels them all! I can always trust in the counsel of the Word of God. It shall never fail me.

Pastor Hank Thompson said on his death bed, "I’ve lived my life upon the Scriptures. I’ve slept on them. I’ve fed on them I’ve given my whole life to the Scriptures; they’ve never failed me. They’ve kept me and led me. They’ve been my life. Don’t ever forsake them..."

Psalm 119:63
"I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts."

It associates me with the right people. When people have God's word in common, it seems like most other things fall into place. I have the most awesome friends anyone could ever have, and I have the Word of God to thank for that! It made me who I am, and it made my phriends who they are! It is how iron can sharpen iron, it settles disputes, it corrects mistakes, and it stays you when you misunderstand those around you.

Psalm 119:71
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."

Psalm 119:114
"Thou art my hiding place..."

It strengthens me in the battle.

When I am weak, and tired, and overwhelmed, I can run to the refuge of his words and find comfort, help, and peace for my soul. This world can tear you up! Especially in the ministry! But God is my refuge, he is a very present help in time of trouble. In affliction, it draws us to know God's words even better, and to love and cherish them even more.

Psalm 119:103
"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

Psalm 119:130
"The entrance of thy words giveth light."

It is sweet. I love to sit and meditate on the words of God! It is a past time that you will surely not regret. "Where the word of a king is, there is power." I love the sweetness of the fellowship of God Almighty as I read his word.

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

It grants peace. What can you do with a man who is so founded in God's word that this world cannot offend him? Want peace in the storm? Turn to God's word.

This is not by far all that I gleaned in Psalm 119 this morning. As I drank my Dutch tea and read my Bible, I was simply thankful to God for allowing us the priveledge of holding his word. I pray that I never fail in my faith toward it. I pray that I live it, love it, and proclaim it as long as I live.