Category: Spirit

Continually Continuously Praying, Rejoicing, and Giving Thanks

Something I have been meditating on lately: how often is:

“Rejoice always”

and

“Pray without ceasing”

and

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Paul gives these exhortations and commands to the Thessalonian Church… and to us as well. I have heard many sermons that cite one of the above and expound on it… and rightfully so… but they (the three statements) seem so much more powerful when taken together. They are, after all, all in the same sentence. The words continually, continuously, consistently, intentionally, determinedly, and obediently all come to my mind. Yeah, all adverbs. What I mean is, those words come to mind as inferences from Paul’s statements of how those things: rejoicing, prayer, and giving thanks, should be done.

Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks… always, without ceasing, and in everything. Being able to commune with God is an incredible gift to us. Being able to be known by Him and know Him and to be bound to Him in prayer is a wonderful mercy to us enabling us to be intimate with Him.

Some people say God doesn’t care about the little details of our life, that is, where we go for the day, who we do business with, what we do with our lives, and how we “depend”… (how and what we depend on for our doings and dealings).¬†

Looking at the communication through scripture shows that God cares about all things in our lives. David can ask God if he should go up to the tribe of Judah and God will tell him to go up. Then David can ask to which city should he go and God will tell him Hebron. On the other hand Paul can ask the Lord if he can go to visit the Romans… if it be in the will of God (Rom 1:9-10).

Oh the rebukes that are in scripture when men and women do not ask or inquire of the Lord in all sorts and manner of dealings… and what great evidence of blessing can be seen when men and women inquire, seek, and ask the Lord for all sorts of things like travel plans (Paul, David, Samuel, Saul), sickness (Paul, Azariah), and babies to be born (Hannah, Isaac). There are countless of examples of people praying throughout history and God hearing and respecting all sorts of situations… that I find amazing. I believe one of the key purposes of prayer (not the only purpose) is to bind our will to the will of God, whatever that may be… whether it be death or sickness or health or prosperity or suffering or poverty or life.¬†

Rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in everything… that is the will of God for us… as we walk in all of the situations that we walk in.¬†

There is obviously more to be said, there always is, but I must stop. This verse comes to mind, speaking of a parable Jesus spoke in Luke 18 “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart“

The Power Of Being Enraptured

Something I have been thinking on lately is the power of being enraptured. That is, the power of delight, joy, pleasure, wonder, and awe… all tied up together.

Growing up in church and hearing and seeing so many people struggling with so many things it makes you think about how people battle those things. Many people are determined and disciplined. Both of which are good things. Others continually pray and quote or memorize scripture… both of which are most excellent things. Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man cleanse His way? By taking heed according to Your word.”

What I have noticed though is that there is so much more power in delighting in the Lord and being enraptured in the Lord. Surely this also is a mercy from the Lord, just as prayer is and just as His word is. Also, I think they coincide… that is, knowing His word, communing with Him, and delighting in Him… and in that harmony there is incredible power against the flesh.

So now it leaves me asking, how? How do I, how do we get swept up in God such that our delighting, our pleasure, and our duty make light and easy work of defeating sin and the flesh? It is a gift from God. I do believe that discipline puts one in line to receive it. Discipline in reading God’s Word, discipline in prayer, discipline in edification of reading, writing, listening, and learning (that is the discipline of our environment – what do we watch, read, and listen to). Garbage in, garbage out, God within, God without. God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, he will also reap.

So I think the discipline comes first. I know that I have by no means “attained”, but I am on a journey and undergoing a process. I can see that as God is changing me, as He is setting me apart, as He is sanctifying me, that, the power of me being, not only in awe of who He is, but also delighting in Him and being swept up in Him (I would want to be as much as I can at all times) is so great in defeating the allure of anything that is not right. The allure of temptations is continually there and even though it trips us up many times, it is far easier to see sin for the destruction that it truly is, or as I like to think of it, the “fake food” that it is, especially when you are savoring the “gourmet delights” of God.

On understanding the Bible

Hmm… some thoughts. Let me first say that I think it most profitable to learn and study the original languages of the Bible. I also think it most profitable and important for people to be guided by those who labor in the Word of God and prayer and who have been trained to expound the Word of God.

Having said those things I will say this:

The Holy Spirit of God is the best teacher. The Holy Spirit is a counselor who guides the child of God into all truth. It is important to ask God for His Spirit so that we may understand truth. Everyday. Many times God will use someone who has understood the Bible by the Holy Spirit to speak to us and the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the truth through the speaking of someone whom He has done the same with.

Secondly, to say that the ancient writings of the Bible, and the ancient understanding of the world, and the original languages of the Bible make it difficult to judge the true weight of expressions and language in the Bible is nonsense. As I mentioned at the first, having skill in such things will doubtless aid in understanding; however, never fail to consider that God who is behind His Word gave His Word for us especially. It is for everyone who would believe of all types and classes and peoples. Not many noble and not many wise (according to the world’s standards). God is able to perfectly communicate across any and all time and language barriers, so that His Word, which will endure forever, can be understood by the mind that is enlightened by His Holy Spirit, who is the most excellent of teachers.

The inclination can be in natural man to use all sorts of systems and methods of interpretations in order to avoid the weight of scripture as well as to achieve ideas that suit one’s own thought and devices.

As in Martin Luther’s day, scripture is not for scholars only. It is for all people. To those who would understand it however; it must be understood by the enlightening of the Holy Spirit alone. Those who understand otherwise do not truly understand for the words are spirit and life and must be understood by the spirit. God is spirit and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).

Perfect Parenting

“My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father¬†corrects¬†the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;¬†FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.¬†It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?¬†But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.” Hebrews 12:4-8

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” Rev 3:19

It is amazing to see how many scriptures refer to the discipline of the Lord. These are only three amidst many. It is also interesting to note how the thread runs throughout scripture and in each case it is addressed to sons even though one was written from Solomon to his son, another to the Hebrew Christians, and another to the church of Laodicea. The overarching theme is that God disciplines His children and if a “child” does not receive discipline then that child is not really a child of God, but is “illegitimate”.¬†

When addressing the religious leaders of His day, Jesus, in John chapter 8:37-47, calls them the seed of Satan. He says, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” He also says in verse 47 “He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

I find this remarkable in that they were Abraham’s descendants and yet they were of their father the devil. I believe this is because, as Paul stated in Romans 9:6-7 “not all Israel are Israel” and “nor are they children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God…”

So God being the perfect Father knows how to perfectly discipline and guide those that are His. He does not discipline those that are not His sheep. They do not hear his voice or know him. Many claim to know Him and in the day they stand before Him they may say “we knew you”, and in return Jesus will say “I never knew you”. Along with this I remember how Jesus told the religious leaders in John 5 “you search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

They were not willing because they were not His. We may grow up reading the scriptures all our life but not only must we hear, read, and know the Word of God, but we must also be awakened to it. Our spiritual eyes which have been blinded must be opened by the power of God (the Holy Spirit) so that we can understand. For the natural man does not understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned, indeed, they are foolishness to him (I Cor 2… I think).¬†

So what great mercy God displays to us when he awakens our hearts, opens our eyes, and enlightens our minds to His salvation which is before us. So as mankind, throughout history has displayed this moral or spiritual inability to incline their hearts to God, He has shown great mercy and generosity to us that we may see and taste and have life… and that more abundantly.

While going through life and experiencing hardship/trials, persecutions, and discipline… it can make one wonder which it is… for God uses all of them and all things to conform us to the image of His Son Jesus. In the midst of all three though the response is the same. A wholehearted trust and devotion to God and seeking His will in our life, along with growing in His grace and knowledge. Through the difficult times it seems we grow the most and the roots are the strongest… able to endure the erosion of the years, able to endure amidst future droughts, and able to endure violent storms.

I am hesitant to say it, but I believe God will honor it still. I remember praying years ago that as God disciplines me, and as He brings trials in my life, as I know that He will… I ask that I can learn the easy way and not the hard way. I ask that I will be a child with a soft heart that can learn with a glance of His eyes and not with a backhand to the bum. I believe that He has answered that prayer and that He is able to conform us in numerous ways according to the unsearchable wisdom of His mind. Ways which are different for each individual according to the mercy and grace granted to them. It may involve the same internal struggle and emotions but not necessarily the external circumstance. Some people may be agonizing in their body to bring their spirit to where God wants it while others may agonize in their spirit only. It is not a difficult thing for God to conform us… it is difficult, most of the time (it seems) for us to receive it. May we receive it (the process) with a cheerful readiness.

So whether we experience good times or difficult times (in the flesh), may we always submit the lesser loves to the greatest Love, and put away anything that might raise itself up in our minds in the place of God. As Corrie Ten Boom talked about not holding too tightly anything of this world because then God prys it from our fingers, I think we must hold alone to Him tightly for then we can endure all things. When He sees us holding other things so tightly He knows we cannot endure whilst holding those things. Being the Perfect Parent that He is, He does what good parents do. In fact, there is no one good but God.

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11. I like the exclamation point.

Faith Can Be Frustrating

Something I struggle with is the difference between “stepping out in faith” and “acting in faith”. From studying scripture I think that both occur, but it’s just that… well… I see God giving such excellent instruction to those who have gone before us… those who are the great cloud of witnesses to faith.

I see how God instructed Gideon… and Gideon believed God’s Word and acted in faith. I see how God told Joshua to have the priests step into the Jordan and they acted in faith based on what God had said (they didn’t just step out blindly). I see how the kings, when they inquired of God were instructed as to what they should do.¬†

A striking and humbling story to me is that of Asa. It really shakes me actually. I see how he sought the Lord and turned Judah to seek the Lord and how he relied on the Lord for deliverance from the great Ethiopian army. But then. Yes, then he did not rely on God when Israel came against Judah.. instead he relied on Syria and God sent a prophet to rebuke him. Asa was angry and threw the prophet in prison. Then, just as striking to me, the scripture says that Asa became diseased in his feet, yet he did not seek the Lord but the physicians. II Chronicles 16:7-14 (or for his whole life chapters 14,15,16)

Do you see it. How the scripture rebukes him for not inquiring from the Lord but instead the doctors first. So sure we can go on to look at who we turn to first and where our trust is… but look at faith in action and it is based in what God tells us after we seek Him and trust Him.¬†

I am afraid too many times I lean on what I think or what society tells me or what is “feasible” instead of what God is telling me. I want to act in faith based on what He tells me. So like Philip, when an angel of the Lord told him to go down to Gaza… and in faith he went. Then the Spirit of the Lord told him to overtake the chariot… and in faith he did and preached Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch.

Oh that the Lord would give me ears to hear so that I may hear, trust, and obey