dailywalkinthelight

A Daily a Walk in the Light of God's Word

Archives for November 2018

Christ Crucified, (The Power of the Cross)

 

This morning as part of my study I read Oswald Chambers devotional, “Utmost for His Highest.” The devotional was for November 26 and was titled “The Focal Point of Spiritual Power.” As I read the text, I could not help but think of Christ crucified and the real agony He must have experienced for me on that cross.

Chambers referred to 1Corinthians 2:2

1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV)

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

As I pondered that verse for a bit, I could not help but be drawn to what it really meant.  Christ Jesus died a most miserable death carrying the weight of my sins.

A bit further in the devotional Chambers quotes Isaiah 45:22

Isaiah 45:22 (ESV)

22 “Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

I let Chambers’ words and these two verses just kind of intermingle for a while.  As they did, I became more fixated on the cross, and Christ Jesus crucified.  No one forced Jesus to do what he did for you and for me.  No one threatened Him with punishment if he did not comply, He did it all out of love and obedience. He took on the sin of the world for us all.  I could not get that out of my head this morning and I started searching the scriptures to see where they mentioned that action.  The first was 1 Peter 2

1 Peter 2

First Peter was written to the Church at a time when they were experiencing persecution.

 1 Peter 2:22-25 (ESV)

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls

Reading this passage, I am so humbled.  Jesus is fully man and fully God.  Just think about that for a moment.  His human body feels the crippling pain of the cross.  His humanity feels the shame, but God, who he is, has taken on the sin of the world.

God cannot stand to be around sin, yet for us, he took it all to the cross.  No person could have made Him do that.  He did it out of obedience and love.  John also spoke of it.

1 John 2

John in his first letter to the Churches spoke of the cross as well.  He was writing this letter to speak the truth of Jesus, life, death and resurrection to combat false teachings.  In chapter two he reminds the Church of what Jesus had done for them.

1 John 2:1-3 (ESV)

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

I had to look up the word propitiation to be sure that what I thought it meant was correct.  Turns out that I was.  It means atonement or atoning sacrifice – Christ Jesus dying for our sins.

Isaiah 53

Isaiah also foretold of Jesus in chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (ESV)

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah spoke hundreds of years before Jesus, yet he knew the plan as the Father had laid it out to him and he proclaimed it.

Reflection

There was another powerful thing that the Lord helped me see this morning as I read these passages.  The cross showed me the lengths that God went to bring those of us that believe, home with Him, but in addition to that, with the cross, each revealed the hope we have in Jesus.

In the letter from John, Jesus was our advocate.  In Isaiah, Jesus was the peace and healing.  In Peter, He was the Shepherd. With Paul, He appeared a bit later in the text but He was the Spirit of Power.

1 Corinthians 2:2-5 (ESV)

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

It is just amazing to think of this instrument of death, the cross, can be such a powerful witness to the power of Jesus.  He died for you and I taking on our sin overcoming death.  Paul puts it so well in Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2

I read this passage a lot and each time it just blows my mind…

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I do not know about you all, but I know I surely lived out the verses, Ephesians 2:1-3, before I became a new creature in Christ Jesus, thankful for His love.  2 Corinthians 5 is another passage that comes to mind.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

How awesome is our God that He would have a plan such as this to save me regardless of how far I might have strayed.  Then once born again He compiles His Word that I might have the means to grow closer to Him every day.  Today the Word through Paul’s letter to the Philippians was the reminder that I needed.

Philippians 3

Paul spoke of the threat of evildoers and the fact that there is no strength to be found in our knowledge.  Our strength comes through faith.

Philippians 3:8-11 (ESV)

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Paul goes on to remind us that he has not obtained the goal of perfection.  Instead, he strives for it daily as we should as well, setting our eyes on the call of God.

Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV)

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

This is where our hope comes through the cross and the sacrifice that Jesus willingly made for us that we might live in him and he in us.

Closing Thoughts

What an amazing gift we have been given.  Only by the love of God by grace through faith has this come.   He gave his all for us and suffered not only physically, (which is beyond my ability to grasp), but on a spiritual level taking on the sins of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (ESV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

This message of reconciliation is the message of the cross.  We cannot get to the resurrection without the cross.

Prayer

Father, thank you for a love that I cannot fathom and a sacrifice that was greater than anything I can imagine except your love.  Thank You for Your Love, Grace, and Mercy.  Thank you and Praise be to You.  In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

 

 

Thankful for God’s Word

So, in yesterday’s sermon, my preacher Terry was teaching out of the book of Acts; specifically, chapter sixteen.  It was a wonderful sermon that I will not try to cover here.  You can always go to the Ninevah Christian Church Website and watch the sermon “Whatever It Takes” (preached November 18, 2018).  It should be published by November 21, 2018, and it is well worth the time.  The part that struck me, and prompted this post, came just a few minutes into the sermon.  Terry referenced two passages out of 2 Timothy.

The first passage was 2 Timothy 1:5 and the second was 2 Timothy 3:14-15.  These two passages touched me, and I knew that I needed to look further into both, so I marked my sermon notes on my bulletin to make sure that I did not forget to go over them in this morning’s study.

2 Timothy 1:5

The first passage from chapter one touched my heart.  Paul began the letter telling Timothy of his thankfulness for him and the prayers that he prayed for him daily and the joy he had in Timothy’s faith, but then he remembers Timothy’s Grandmother and Mother.

2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV Strong’s)

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

As I heard these words I am reminded of my childhood.  I am reminded of the times my parents drug me to church when I did not get it.  I remember summers when my Grandma Dunnum “practiced my reading” by having me read from the King James Bible and tell me how she did the same with my father and his brothers.

These things did not stop my rebellion when I turned about 15 or 16, but I do believe that these things along with prayers from my family, friends and my wife influenced my return at 52.  But that is just the first step of the blessing that God showed me this morning.  The second passage was 2 Timothy 3:14-15

2 Timothy 3:14-15 All Scripture Breathed Out by God

In this passage, Paul spoke to Timothy and his knowledge of the scriptures.  He reminded Timothy that he was blessed by his knowledge of the Word.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 (ESV Strong’s)

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The part of this passage that strikes me is that Paul notes that Timothy was acquainted with the scriptures from childhood, but he should “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.”

Reading this passage, I am impacted by the importance of all scripture.  Even that which Timothy learned as a child would, “ make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

I could not stop there.  I continued through verses 16 and 17.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture Breathed Out by God Continued

After Paul talks about the importance of scripture making you, “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”, he goes on to further define the value of God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV Strong’s)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

He explains that ALL scripture is “profitable.”  He does not say some of it or only this part of it, he says ALL of scripture is “profitable.” That “ALL” reminds me that I need to be immersed in all of God’s Word, but now for two reasons.

  • One is that this knowledge can make me wise for salvation through faith in Jesus.
  • Two is that all scripture is God-breathed and suitable for teaching and that I may be equipped for every good work.

These two points generated some significant reflection.

Reflections

I had read these passages many times, but I am not sure that I ever really got these specific points wisdom for salvation or equipped for every good work.  I understood that every word of the scripture was God-breathed and it was suitable for teaching, but that was as far as I remembered in the book in 2 Timothy.

But as I mull over these points, I could not help but wonder what else I was missing in this letter, so I went forward and backward in the text to get more context of what Paul was saying.  I first went to 2 Timothy 2:22-26

2 Timothy 2:22-26 A Worker Approved by God

In chapter two Paul reminds Timothy to be “strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2Tim 2:1b).”  He talks about being a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  He also speaks of being a worker approved by God.  One of the things that stick out to me is near the end of chapter two.  Paul explains the type of teacher to be.

2 Timothy 2:22-26 (ESV Strong’s)

22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Verses 14-26 speak to the futility of arguing.  Paul uses some graphic analogies to make his point.

2 Timothy 2:14-17 (ESV Strong’s)

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene.

That is a powerful charge that precedes verses 22-26.   Paul is serious about not being quarrelsome.  Just look again at 2:24-26.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 (ESV Strong’s)

24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

These verses are a very powerful teaching.

Further Reflection

Just think about what Paul is saying in Chapter two.  Paul reminds him to be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus.  He tells him that it will not be easy, but he explains the most effective way to communicate the Word of God.  It is an issue of unity and peace.  It is not a battle between believers.  Verse 14 was one of the verses that forced me to pause and take inventory.

2 Timothy 2:14 (ESV Strong’s)

14 Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

I cannot help but think about my own discussion and wonder if I might have “ruined hears.”  How often do I get caught up quarrels over words?  I am sure it has happened, but now seeing this passage now it is one more thing that I must strive not to do so that I might be a worker approved by God.

2 Timothy 4:1-2 Preach the Word

Now I went back to the beginning in 2 Timothy to get a grasp on the whys for chapter three and once that was done, I needed to move forward and that took me to chapter four.  Chapter three ended with a man “equipped for every good work.”  But what was that good work?  To preach the Word.  I love how the chapter begins.

2 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV Strong’s)

1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Paul pulls no punches.  He tells Timothy and US to be ready to “preach the word” and he does not leave us any time when we can take a break.  We must be ready “in season and out of season.”

Paul also reminds us that we do it with “complete patience.”

He adds that things are not getting any easier as the time grows short.

2 Timothy 4:3-5 (ESV Strong’s)

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

What a powerful charge but it is not without foundation and I do not think it is limited to those that preach from a pulpit.

Closing Thoughts

I am not a preacher.  Part of the remnants of my strokes is poor speech under pressure, but that does not leave me with an excuse.  I can write, and I can talk in smaller less stressful circumstances.  And besides, Jesus listed no exceptions in Matthew 28:18-20.

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV Strong’s)

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We all have the task to make disciples.  If that is not enough, Moses complained about his speech and it did nothing to get him out of his task.

Exodus 4:10-14 (ESV Strong’s)

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Moses got a little help from his brother.  He already had all the help he needed from God.  We already have our help in God’s Word and through the help of the Holy Spirit.  All we need do is to step out in faith.

I do not get out as much as I once did, but if you are a tradesman that is going to work on my home or do anything around our home you will hear my testimony.  I pray that others might find encouragement in these writings as well.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for this day.  Thank you for my church and your Word that every day I might grow closer to you.  Lord, I pray that these words might help another find confidence in you and help them share your Word.  I pray all these things in the name of your blessed Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

 

The Gift…The Mystery

I have been participating in a small group study at my church on Wednesday nights the past several weeks.  The study covers two of Paul’s letters.  The first half was Galatians and the second half is Ephesians.  We have been in Ephesians the past two weeks.

If I had to pick a favorite letter of Paul’s it most likely would be Ephesians, (at least 8 times out of 10) because it is filled with passion and practical instruction.

Today I want to talk about the passion that I find as I studied chapters two and three.

First Thoughts

In these two chapters, I hear Paul preaching the Gospel to a group of believers.  It is clear to me from the way he begins the letter he is confident that they do believe.  There does not appear to be any ill words, but instead encouragement and reinforcement of the Gospel.  I like how he reminds them of the promise in Ephesians 1:13-14

Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV Strong’s)

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

For this reason, Paul prayed for Ephesus always giving thanks for them, and as he ended the prayer for them, he took the time to remind them where they came from.

By Grace Through Faith

He reminded all the readers that before the good news they had no hope.  They had nothing.  Their lives were lost following the adversary.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV Strong’s)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

When I read this passage… this reminder of my past… I am conflicted.  There is this fleeting moment when my heart aches when I consider the person that I was, but then I am reminded that I am no longer that person, and that is not because of things I did but because of God.

Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV Strong’s)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

That wonderful reminder of God’s “rich mercy” washes away that sadness and fills my heart with this love that comes from knowing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave His life to pay my debt even when I was covered in the filth of my sins.  But Paul does not stop there!

One in Christ Jesus

We had no hope as sinners lost in this lost world, and we were not part of the promise.  Before Jesus, we had nothing.

Ephesians 2:11-12 (ESV Strong’s)

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

But Paul reminds us that we are no longer “children of wrath,” but children of God, adopted into His family.

Ephesians 2:13-19 (ESV Strong’s)

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

What an amazing gift this is to the world, but especially to those of us that are gentiles because without Jesus we were without hope.  But think about this for a moment.

For thousands of years God’s chosen people were set apart, and now Paul was telling them that the Gentiles were entitled to the same promises.  That had to be difficult to grasp. I think that might be part of why Paul emphasized these things to the Ephesians, and now to us.

The Mystery Revealed

In verses nineteen through twenty-two of chapter two he clearly defines who we are as followers of Jesus.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV Strong’s)


19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

 

Paul wants to make sure that we all understand that the Gospel is for the Jew and the Gentile.  He wants us to understand that Christ Jesus is our hope.  He also wanted us to know that this was new teaching that had not been taught before.  It was a mystery, and the first-century church was the first to receive it, and Paul was charged with delivering it to the Gentiles.

Ephesians 3:1-6 (ESV Strong’s)

1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.*

What an amazing gift we have in Jesus.  What a wonderful message Paul shares with us in his letter to the Ephesians.

Closing Thoughts

When I read these first three chapters of Ephesians, I see in them the message of the Gospel.  Paul is speaking to fellow believers.   At the beginning of this text, he reminds them of who they once were, but only briefly, and then reminds them of all that God did for them through Christ Jesus on the cross.

Every word of this letter is the living Word of God.  What Paul wrote to the Ephesians applies to us. Every word that we read gives us the gospel to share.  It is impossible to grasp in human terms, but all things are possible with God, and for that I am thankful.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for all your promises and for your faithfulness in all that you do.  Thank You, Lord, for the gift of hope and salvation that comes to us through Jesus Christ, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Father, it is in Jesus name that I pray, Amen.

*Emphasis added

Testing Your Faith

The past few weeks things have been very quiet.  I am uncertain as to the cause; I am only certain that my prayers and my studies were not as fruitful as they had been or should be.  I will not deny that it has been difficult.  At times I did not even feel like prayer or study, but I continued, even when I did not “feel” like it.

My prayers became ones solely of thanksgiving and repentance.  Sometimes my heart just would ache, uncertain as to why it was so quiet.

As I plodded along the darkness and sadness of the world began to seep in as well.  The wickedness was hard to fathom.

Promises

As this situation continued I made some promises to God and myself.  I knew that I needed to continue to study, pray and participate in things with other believers.  I promised these things, but I did struggle to keep the promises.

The first commitment was to a men’s small group I am involved in on Tuesday nights.  I promised that no matter how I felt I would always be there and be prepared.  That turned out to be the easiest to keep even when like this week when only two of us showed up.  We had some great fellowship.

The next was study.  I started pushing to study more again, but I was still having trouble.  I started listening on bible gateway as I read.  That seemed to help me keep my focus.  But even that was difficult.  So, in all this mostly I prayed.  Writing, something I loved, seemed elusive and at best sporadic.

The Rising Son

As dark and quiet as it has been this week the Son has risen again.  I cannot explain it. I can only say that it is brighter again.  The darkness in the world has not changed.  The challenges are still out there and will be, but the perspective has changed.

I did nothing different this week.  I think it can best be said that I got my appetite back.  The distractions did not seem as alluring, and the Lord opened the Word to me again fresh and new.  As I sit here reflecting I am reminded the first verse that caused this transition was in Matthew.

Matthew 11

I was talking to a friend.  A young man doing some work for me, and we were discussing life’s challenges and the importance of faith, (he is a young Christian), and I thought Matthew and the yoke of Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV Strong’s)

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

We talked over several days that they were working and discussed the challenges of a business and a young family and God.  We talked about how finding balance is difficult.  But God wants us to lean on him.  We are not alone.  The Holy Spirit is with us always.

Ephesians 2

Somewhere in this mix, I was getting my hair cut and started talking to the young woman cutting my hair about God.  She explained she had two teenage sons and she would like to get them in church.  We talked, and I gave my testimony and talked about how Jesus saved me at 52 years of age, and I brought up one of my favorite passages from Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV Strong’s)

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

One through three describes how filthy we were in our sins.  We were sons of disobedience in full rebellion against God.  Our only desire was the world and the flesh. But then in verses, three through seven Paul speaks of God’s rich mercy.

Ephesians 2:3-7 (ESV Strong’s)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

I read these seven verses and I am filled with thanks and praise.  There is nothing that I can add to this.  It is such an immeasurable gift.  My God is so Large, and I am so small, yet his arm is not so short that he cannot reach out to me… Praise God!

Yes, I am overwhelmed, but it does not stop there.  In the past few days, God has reminded me of so many things.

Philippians 1

First in Philippians he reminded me to pray always and not stop.

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV Strong’s)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Then he reminded me about our struggles and the short time they will last.

A Brief Time of Struggle

The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, reminded me that I must count struggles as joy… three times.

James 1:2-4 (ESV Strong’s)

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV Strong’s)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Romans 5:2-5 (ESV Strong’s)

2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

All these passages remind me that regardless of my circumstances God is with me, and as difficult, puzzling frustrating, or even painful He is with me, and I know He will bring me through it, for I know this to be true.

Romans 8:28 (ESV Strong’s)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

There is nothing too large or too small that God cannot overcome.

Closing Thoughts

You know sometimes it is difficult to define struggles that affect us.  It can be so many things.  Sometimes it will cut us to the bone.  Other times it will twist us into knots.  Some of the time it will be a single event.  Sometimes it will be a culmination of events that suddenly just become too heavy, and sometime the reason will not seem clear at all.  But there is only one answer to all of these and that is seeking after God.

Seek Him in the silence. Seek Him in the darkness.  Seek him in the confusion.  Seek Him in the heartache.  He never leaves us He is always there, but sometimes it takes us a while to open our eyes or adjust to the light when we come out of that dark spot that we have found ourselves.

Prayer

As I close this post, I am listening to Big Daddy Weave “I am Redeemed,” and I am reminded that I am Redeemed.  I am just thankful that God is always there even when I might lose my focus.  That trial in that quiet place was difficult.  It was a lonely place.  It seemed longer than it was, and it was never as quiet as it seemed, but it was quieter than I wanted, and I am thankful for the reminder of how that quiet feels, even if it is not as quiet as it used to be.

Father, thank you, Lord for always knowing what I need to grow and draw closer to you.  Father, I pray a prayer of thanksgiving for your love, grace, and mercy.  Please Lord let me always be near to you.  Search my heart Lord and show me where I fall short so that I might repent and leave nothing between you and me.  In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

 

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