* It's Not too Late to Begin Where You Are

 

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Sometimes we have good ideas or we may feel led by God to do a certain thing and yet it is not panning out for us the way we thought it would go.  Could it be that we forget that it is God who is in complete control and if we want to be successful in Him, we not only submit our plans to God, but we commit the works of our plans to Him.  Whatever we do, we do it as service to God who will guarantee our success.  Have we set God as the center of our life?  That’s a concept that we often fail to grasp and hold onto.  Many of us, including myself, are controlling when it comes to our life and won’t relinquish that hold to anyone.  And as an adult I understand that, but God is not anybody – He is the sovereign one that is always moving and working – oftentimes – behind the scenes; the landscapes of our life.   And because we don’t realize that, we think we’re fighting the enemy when in reality we are striving against God operating in our lives – orchestrating things according to His will.

It takes faith to believe that when we put God in charge of our work, then what we’ve planned will take place.  The other piece to this is that even when control issues are not the problem, we come up against the feeling of unworthiness because of things we may have said, done or thought in the past.  But let me assure you God lets us know through His word:

It's because of the Lord's mercies that we’re not consumed, that his compassions fail not.  They’re new every morning: great is His faithfulness towards us.  Lamentations 3:22-23

As long as we’re breathing, don’t ever think that you’ve done so bad or waited too late to live out your spiritual desires or act on the plan that God has given you.  Sometimes we need a ‘God’ moment or an ‘aha’ moment or a ‘come to Jesus’ moment; whatever moment it may be, we should do our due diligence, like the prodigal son and repent of any wrongdoing – for not trusting God; for striving against Him – and confess and ask God for forgiveness and return back to your rightful place in God; that place where you got off the path in your actions or your thoughts so you can get back on the right tract.  Just think about it; if you don’t know where you went left, how can you get right?    If we know where we went left and don’t go back and correct it, we’re still not right.  As long as we’re breathing and receiving of the new mercy that God gives every morning, we have the opportunity to get on the right tract. 

You may be thinking ‘but I haven’t done anything wrong’ and yet things are not coming to fruition.  I still say hold on and wait on God; commit your thoughts to Him and it will come to pass according to His will; if it is to be.  Remember, it’s our work that we commit to God but we do it according to His will.  No time is ever lost in waiting for God to reveal or execute His plan for us when we’re sincere in our efforts, faithful; loyal to God.  By patiently waiting, by the mercy of God and the truth of His word, iniquity is purged: and in this meantime, we move further and further from ungodliness [Proverbs 16:6] and position ourselves to move forward in God.

All along the way, as we traverse this journey, leaning on God each step of the way, we stumble, we faint, sometimes we fall, we repent, we get back up, sometimes we fall again and we get back up again, but we’re transitioning ever more into the image of God; that time was not wasted as God matures us in Him; as we’re being converted.  We can look at men in the bible who despite what they went through; what they experienced, how they waited on God to show up, lead and guide them in the way that they should go. 

Men like Joseph who waited in prison for two years, but then emerged to save a nation.  He was being transitioned from the spoiled son of a rich daddy to a man of integrity; so that when he was set in a place of power and authority and God’s chosen was in need of help, he was able and willing to provide the necessary aid without deceit, malice or anger.

We can always look at Moses, a man who was swathed in luxury from infancy to manhood; how he fled his home and waited in the wilderness of Midian for 40 years, but emerged to lead a nation in a great spiritual exodus from slavery to freedom. 

These 2 men walked carefully before God.  They developed a relationship with God just as we should.  The bible tells us that we should be careful how we live; to be mindful of our steps. We shouldn’t run around foolishly like the world does. Instead, we’re to walk as the wise; those that reverence God.  We should make the most of every living, breathing moment we have because these are evil times we live in. We need to understand and be confident in God’s will so that we don’t live thoughtlessly.  [Ephesians 5:15-17]

We can’t and shouldn’t wait until we feel like we’re perfect in our own eyes, we should begin right now, today,

Ø               BEGIN RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE:

          √       Obey God daily in the little things of everyday life

This is what Samuel had to tell King Saul about his disobedience:  . . .Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, it’s hard to obey God when we’re not clear on what He is saying but we still have no excuse because He also says and to hearken than the fat of rams.  (1 Samuel 15:22) Hearken means to listen carefully, to give due attention, to give strict mindfulness to.

What do I get out of that in terms of obedience is this:  Religious observance (in this case, the burnt offerings) without obedience is empty before God. The best sacrifice we can bring to God is a repentant heart.  I found in His word where it says:

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:16-17

and not only that, our bodies surrendered to His service for obedience:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  Romans 12:1

If we’re not faithful over the little things God gives us to do right where we are, He’ll not entrust a greater call or ministry to us.  That’s bible, read Matthew 25:14-30 regarding the management of the talents.

We can take that parable and apply it to our everyday life.  All we have to do is simply look around our city with "spiritual" eyes and think what God has commissioned us to do. Ask God to show us those in need of the Gospel.  This is something we, as believers, should always be doing; increasing the talents.  

Be willing to go and be used anywhere by God.  God placed a desire on Nehemiah’s heart but Nehemiah was beholden to the King and couldn’t just pick up and go where he pleased, but his desire was so great that He asked the king:

. . . If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.  (Nehemiah 2:5)

This was determination and a willingness to do what God had purposed for him.  He was unwilling to let anything stop him – no matter what the obstacles were; and there were many.  He didn’t stop, he continued on.

This might mean leaving our own area and going to another area to spread the Gospel. It might mean just walking down the street to share the Gospel with someone in need.  We do all this while we’re waiting on God to show up in our work.

          √       We should start or continue to study the word of God and                         seek Him concerning our call. 

. . . but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Joshua 1:8

          √       Spend daily time in prayer.  

Ask God to stir up the giftings inside you.  If you know your spiritual gifting, exercise it or them as God prompts you. 

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  Romans 11:29

Seek further training to prepare yourself.  Whatever area of your calling you feel you are lacking in, seek to improve in it.    

Ø               RECOGNIZE THE CORPORATE CALL OF GOD:

Remember no matter what our particular calling may be, every believer is called to share the Gospel with others right where they are.   Concerning the specific call on your life, there are certain principles by which we can be sure of the calling God gives us.   

 Ask yourself these questions:

*        Does what we desire to do agree with God's general plan as set forth in His Word? Is it Scriptural and does it contribute towards the goal of reaching the world with the Gospel?

*        Do the circumstances of our life agree with the leading of God? Let me caution you here not be led by circumstances alone, but examine these in terms of what you believe to be your calling from God.

*        Does the Holy Spirit bear continual witness with our spirit that this is the will of God? Lack of peace in our spirit is often a warning sign that we are making a wrong decision.

*        Are we still "called" when there is no challenge of adventure or glamour connected with our call? If called to an insignificant task or field of service, are we willing to go?

*        Are we willing to pay any price to fulfill the call God has given us? The price may range from obtaining further education to dying a martyr's death. It may mean leaving home, family, and friends. Are we willing?

Ø   KNOW THAT GOD HAS ORDAINED YOU

Jesus has chosen us to be part of His plan for reaching the world with the good news. He has ordained that we bring forth spiritual fruit from the harvest fields.  As we see things from a godly perspective, we can understand what Jesus meant when he said: 

. . . I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: . . .   John 15:16

Let me conclude by saying this:  Everything that we do is for the glory of God, the promotion of the Kingdom of God and the winning of lost souls to the Kingdom. 

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.  John 4:35

Everything that we desire to do for God should be based on this premise and most assuredly, everything God has for us to do is based on this premise.  He has promised to supply anything we need to enable us to complete the task:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that YE should go forth and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it we.   (John 15:16)

Commit your ways, your plans, your very life to God and wait on Him.