1 Corinthians 2:9
We’ll never know the things that God has in store for us or
the things that God has prepared for us or purposed for us unless and until we
put our faith squarely in Him and take that first step of faith. We can’t even imagine!
This isn’t just the blessings or the material things that
come from trusting God, but this is in our spiritual journey with God, we’ll
never know or experience the fullness, the weight or the depth of our purpose
in God without a promotion of faith.
Despite the severity of our personal situations or the uncertainty of
the current situation of this country in which we live or, indeed. the world
today, we have to stick to the task and the journey at hand. We step out as far as God directs us and then
we allow Him to take over. In other
words, whatever God says do, we do it – to the T – then watch Him work. Nothing more; nothing less.
When I read the passage of scripture found in Ezekiel 47:1-5 & 9, where Ezekiel is being lead through the waters by God, it makes me see how far the church has drifted from God and how close it has come to the world – we’re doing the exact opposite. Sadly, the church – as a whole – has slid so far from the narrow path that we’re looking for and seeking things that God never intended. We’re striving for fame and fortune; for our name to be in bright lights; it’s not enough to have a comfortable life style anymore, we want more and more. There was a time when we would be distracted by ‘not enough; the lack of’ but now it’s ‘I have enough but I want more, I deserve more’; even when it comes to the things of God. I know I’m going to lose friends and make enemies when I tell you that God didn’t and doesn’t save us for bright lights and an entourage; a mansion and 10 cars and maybe a jet, Hollywood status fame. But in many places, that is what it’s come down to. That mindset is not God-worthy; it doesn’t support the standards of God and it certainly does not magnify God or bring Him glory; it actually does the opposite. People no longer see God, they see you! We have to get back to the straight path. We choose our way and run with it; we don’t wait for God to lead us. We don’t read in the text where Ezekiel questioned God as to the route he was being led or suggest a different way; he followed as God led him. The best we do is hope that God blesses us along the way. The more ‘woke’ the world becomes – blatantly giving in to what Apostle Paul refers to as the works of the flesh – it seems as if the more the church slumbers as if we don’t see what’s going on. But as heirs to the kingdom, as God’s children – as the body of Christ – we have to wake up to God; be focused on Him and His will and promote our faith in God and His word.
Because God gave us His spirit, we ought to do more than
have a superficial relationship with Him.
It can't just be Sunday morning worship experience, a prayer here, a
prayer there. Those things are good, but we
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must be equipped to go deeper in God;
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must have faith that defies human understanding;
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faith that goes totally beyond what we think
could happen;
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must know when God has called us to do something
He has already given us the ability to do it or paved the way to do it.
We can’t doubt God or the
ability that He places in us. We can’t
waver in our belief. Double mindedness
will keep us in the shallow place and not allow us to launch out into the
deep. Fragmented loyalty shatters our
trajectory and leaves us dizzy and confused.
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8
When God has complete control, we can't leave until our assignment is done, we can’t become distracted with the thoughts and ways of the world, our flesh or the enemy.
When God is leading us, He doesn't leave us where we are. He beckons us to follow His lead. No more can we settle for being average and mediocre, shining dull lights.
If ever there was a time to take on His nature and characteristics especially in our dealings with situations and people, it’s now! We have to learn to forgive even as Christ Jesus forgives us and instructs. There’s something about being associated with God that transforms everything about us. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
√ Allow our self to grow up in God. When we don't get to a place where we can
forgive people, we limit our own growth in God.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought
as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1
Corinthians 13:11
In that same manner, we need to grow up spiritually by
putting away the childish things like allowing our flesh to minister to us and
manage us, carnality, worldly influences and standards that stunt our growth
and keep us in a child-like state spiritually.
√ Don't go to hell from the church. Again, church attendance, paying tithes,
being a part of ministries doesn’t guarantee our entrance into heaven. There must be demonstration of our faith unto
God by obedience to His will.
Yes, we all start in Christ as babes, we start with the
sincere milk of the word as Peter tells us:
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2
so that we can grow and tolerate the meat of the word. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, . . . 1 Corinthians 3:2
But as a babe, taking in the milk, we can be observant of those that are living by the meat. We drink the milk and observe those that are living out the word of God. Think about the infant; the toddler that observes the parent and begins to imitate the parent’s actions. My prayer is that the parent is giving the child a good example to follow and likewise, those that have spiritual maturity are setting good examples for the spiritual babes behind us. The bible says: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1
√ Don't let getting outside of God's will cause you to leave prematurely. God is saying come on up higher, lose your control and let Him have control. We have to be careful to be clothed in God; in His holy Spirit everywhere, we go. Our presentation must be God-worthy at all times.
so that we can grow and tolerate the meat of the word. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, . . . 1 Corinthians 3:2
But as a babe, taking in the milk, we can be observant of those that are living by the meat. We drink the milk and observe those that are living out the word of God. Think about the infant; the toddler that observes the parent and begins to imitate the parent’s actions. My prayer is that the parent is giving the child a good example to follow and likewise, those that have spiritual maturity are setting good examples for the spiritual babes behind us. The bible says: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1
√ Don't let getting outside of God's will cause you to leave prematurely. God is saying come on up higher, lose your control and let Him have control. We have to be careful to be clothed in God; in His holy Spirit everywhere, we go. Our presentation must be God-worthy at all times.
That’s promoting our faith; rather it be ankle, knee or waist deep – Lord I don’t know where you’re leading me today, but I’m ready. Just look at Jesus, as a child; in a temple teaching for hours; doing something that had not previously been done by a child. But the leading of the Holy Spirit will have you doing and saying things that on your own, you either thought were impossible or you just never saw yourself doing! Things that even those closest to you may not be aware, like Jesus’ family. The bible says about the child Jesus, having discourse on the word in the temple: But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Luke 2:44-46
He did this without any acknowledgment to his parents. We can’t be afraid to step out in faith and believe that God will work with us and through us. Have faith to make that life altering step that will change you and cause you to spring forth. It's hard – not impossible – It's hard to come into contact with God and still be the same. Remember the woman with the issue of blood [Luke 8:43-48] - that contact she had with Jesus changed her life – made the impossible possible: And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.
If we believe to the point that we have all the confidence
in the world in God, then we’ll do anything and everything God tells us to
do.
King David is an excellent example of someone launching out
in faith against all of the obstacles that had beset Him. We find this account in 1 Samuel 30. His entire camp had been burned down, the
wives and children taken. The men that
he commanded upset and thinking about stoning David. The bible says that as distraught as he was
over what had happened, he encouraged himself in God and he consulted God as to
what he should do. Spiritual maturity;
he didn’t let his flesh minister to him.
God tells him to pursue but not who to pursue. Without question, David got his men together
and headed out. When I tell you to trust
God that He can and does do far more than we can even begin to imagine. God put in David’s path a young servant that
had been discarded by his master who witnessed everything that had happened and
was able to tell David exactly where to find the Amalekites. The bible says: And David smote them from the twilight even unto
the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four
hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. And David recovered all that the Amalekites
had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. And there was nothing lacking to them,
neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any
thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all 1
Samuel 30:17-19
The point here is that David stepped out in faith; not knowing who he was looking for or where they were but knowing that since God said pursue, He was going to be victorious. God doesn’t set us up for failure!
Get a desire for the things of God. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give
thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in
him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Psalms 37:4-5
Despite what our inner man may tell us, because we savor the things of God, we’ll do what He asks of us, we’ll obey His commandments as written in His word. We’ll do that instead of what we choose to do, we’ll do what God tells us to do. This includes doing those things that may not be popular to our friends, family or acquaintances – those things that show us as peculiar treasures of God!
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: Exodus 19:5
Remember, if we refuse to be as God calls us to be, we’re no different than those people that we read about in the bible who believed in God but because they feared the Pharisees, they kept it secret, so they wouldn’t be ostracized by the assembly of the Jews. They loved the glory that men could give them rather than the glory that came from God!
But, when we savor the things of God above the things of this world or people’s opinions, we can freely move forward. Not only that, our focus should be on the eternal things of God and not the temporal things of this world. Yes, we know that the world is in a horrible state but we should set our focus on the eternal things of God and not the temporal things of this world. We know that the world is in a horrible state but we should not be surprised about it. The word of God expressly informs us of end time behavior of this world.
Just as there is end time behavior upon us, we need to be in end time behavior through our prayers, praise, worship and faithfulness to do the will of God. Talk about understanding the times; the world has most definitely upped it’s evilness, and likewise so must the body of Christ up our presentation of faith toward God! We can’t get so caught up in the things of the world that we lose focus on who is sovereign.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2
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