Sometimes God Says Not Yet

In summary of Hebrews 10:36-37 it says, "Don’t cut and run, quitters will lose out.  Patient endurance and perseverance is what you need, stay and survive trusting all the way so that you will continue to do God’s will.  Then you will receive all that he has promised.  For in a while the one who is to come will be here."

Bottom Line:
You must never give up, a patient endurance / perseverance is what you will need.  You need to stick with it and trust all the way so that you can continue to do God’s will.   If you do this you will receive all that he has promised.  It won’t be long before the one who is to come will be here.

What this means to me:
God has good things in store for me.  He wants me to receive all that he has promised.  But he’s also interested in training me.  This will include trials, tests and delayed answer to prayers along the way to build my perseverance and faith.  My natural tendency when things get tough or not the way I want is to bail, however when I stick it out and learn to practice patience I do experience the good stuff God has in mind for me.  Scripture reminds me that the time is coming quickly in which Jesus will return for me.  So part of my maturity in faith includes learning the difference between ‘no’ and ‘not yet.”  I need to understand that a delay to prayer does not always mean a denial from God, it could just mean ‘not yet’.   The delay may very well be a test of my patience.  I can be patient from time to time, however I need to learn to be patient over and over again so that I can learn to know my level of faithfulness and commitment over time.  I just need to remind myself that God teaches me patience during all delays.  If I find myself getting discouraged I need to ask him to help me turn it to patience instead.  One area I find myself in need of more patience is seeing the bigger picture of what God wants me to be involved with in the future (should I stay in the area I live in today or should I be open to perhaps see things I may be blocking just because it’s comfortable.)  So I’ll ask God for continued patience in this area and trust in his sovereignty and timing.  He will reveal to me in his timing and I'll trust that when that time comes it will be clear.  Until then I will do what he has already outlined for me in scriptures.

From Condemnation to Confidence

In summary of Romans 3:23-24 it says, "All have sinned and fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet God, with undeserved kindness and sheer generosity declares us ‘not guilty’ and has put is in a right standing with himself (makes us righteous again) if we trust in Jesus.  This is a pure gift.  He got us out of the mess we’re in and restores us to where he always wanted us to be.  He did it by means of Jesus Christ and his redemptive work."

Bottom Line:
All of us seriously fall short of God’s standard.  Yet God provides us with an undeserved kindness and generosity and will declare us ‘not guilty’ if we trust in Jesus.  This is not something we can earn or work towards, it is a pure gift from him.  He did this by means of his son Jesus Christ’s redemptive work.

What this means to me:
God cares for me so much he developed a plan to make me right again with him.  It is not something I could have ever earned, it is purely a gift.  His plan included the use of his son here on earth to testify to the truth and to act as my (our) ultimate redemptive sacrifice and take the penalty for my (our) wrongs.  So daily I can come to God and simply ask him to forgive me for the things I’ve done wrong and to look straight ahead with an honest confidence of his forgiveness and grace.  When past failures come to mind, I will ask you to help me to remember that you’ve already forgiven me for these.  When old wrongs come to mind, I will turn those feelings into a prayer of gratitude.  Today I will focus on the joy that comes from being forgiven and right with him, a son of his who will ultimately enjoy fellowship with him through eternity.

Allowing Christ To Live Through You

In summary of Philippians 2:12-13 it says, "Friends, as you had always done when I was with you, continue to do even more (double your efforts) in my absence.  Responsively and obediently work hard to show the the results of your salvation.  Do so with reverence, fear and trembling obeying God.  For it is God who works within you giving you the desire and power to act in order to fulfill what pleases him (his good purposes.)"

Bottom Line:
As you have in the past, do so even more (double your efforts) to continue being responsive in showing the results of your salvation.  Do so with reverence and obedience to God.  For it is God who works within you, he gives you the desire and power to act in in order to fulfill what he has planned for you.

What this means to me:
God is the one who is at work through me to do what pleases him.  He wants to do things that he can only do through me.  I understand what he guides me in by spending time with him daily in prayer and in his Word.  As I do so, I am motivated to live my life no longer for myself but for him who is deserving of having all of myself.  God uses the Holy Spirit’s power to make changes in my life, becoming more like Christ.  What I’m learning is that becoming like Christ is more than  imitation, its inhabitation (allowing Christ to live through me.)  Doing so affects the choices I make.  I choose to follow Jesus and trust God’s Spirit to give me his power, love, faith and wisdom to do it.   God reveals to me various aspects of who he and what he desires is each day as I read his word.  These verses today remind me I need to allow the Spirit to infuse Christ living in me to affect any choices I have today.  Also, I need to live my life in a way that I can be an example.

God’s Load Is Light and Leads To A Much More Fulfilling Life

In summary of Matthew 11:29-30 it says, "Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  Walk with me and work with me -- watch how I do it.  Learn unforced rhythms of grace.  For the yoke I will give you is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on your.  Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly."

Bottom Line:
Jesus tells us to take his yoke, learn from him.  Jesus is humble and gentle at heart.  In doing so you will find rest for your souls.  So walk with and work with him.  What Jesus will give us is easy to bear, its burden will be much lighter.  Keep company with him and you’ll learn to live a free and lighter life.

What this means to me:
Jesus is telling me there is a much better way to live life.  When I accepted Jesus’ offer and took on his yoke he began teaching me a much better way and I find I much more at peace.  He promises me a much easier burden and when I do follow it has turned out to be that way.  The key for me is to remember this and to daily take on his yoke.  Often I go into automatic mode, doing things in my own strength and by carrying a yoke of my perceived notion of others (my team members, co-workers, family members) expectations or unrealistic expectations of myself in trying to prove that I matter or that I’m important.  What i’m learning is that God has already told me that I am important.  He created me to be with him and fulfill a unique mission with my life.  Given this Jesus would intend for me to take his yoke (follow his purpose for my life.)  When I work to do that, things work out a whole lot better.  I almost always hit a brick wall when I do things my way. What I need to realize is that living in the center of God’s will is a much lighter load than to live outside of God’s will.  It is a much more relaxing and enjoyable load that any way I can choose.  Moving forward, I need to take inventory of the things I’m doing in life and ask God to help me identify the things that God never intended for me to do.  So that I can live completely in his will and to experience his lighter load daily.

You Don’t Need To Please Everyone

In summary of Proverbs 29:25 it says, "Fearing peoples opinion of you is a dangerous trap, it disables you.  Trusting in the Lord provides you with a layer of protection."

Bottom Line:
It is dangerous to be concerned or to fear about what others think of us.  To do so disables you.  However, putting your trust in the Lord will provide you with a layer of protection.

What this means to me:
God wants me to trust him.  I’m to look to him for approval.  Doing so will provide protection. I have to admit, that  I do find this to be difficult as I really like receiving approval from others and knowing that they think highly of me.  What I need to realize is that if I worry about what others think, then in essence I’m letting them control me.  It's really just a waste of time/energy trying to figure out what other people would want me to be and then trying to be it (something that deep down inside really isn’t me.)  Pursuing what others think will likely lead me to cave in to their criticism or worldly ways.  This can lead me down a path where I may not be always doing the right thing.  Doing so would keep me from missing out on God’s best for me.  It would be more productive for me to stop and think about what God would want me to do (God knows what’s best for me.)  I just need to remind myself that I can’t please everyone (even God doesn’t please everyone) and that it’s not really necessary for me to please them.  My happiness doesn’t come from pleasing them but more from God.  Moving forward I need to keep in mind what I have been learning; nothing I do will make God love me more or less.  He loves me completely just as I am.  I just need to be the person he wants me to be and to do what he has in mind for me.  The only way to find that out what he wants for me is to spend time daily in prayer and in his Word.  I will strive to do this each weekday and to continue to journal what He has taught me.

God Really Understands You

In summary of Psalm 103:13-14 it says, "Just as a father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor him.  He knows us inside and out and what we are made of (essentially just dust.)"

Bottom Line:
God is just like your father, kind to his kids; those who honor him.  He really knows every bit about us and still provide his kindness (grace.)

What this means to me:
God is extremely kind to me.  It's only through my close relationship with him that I can recognize this.  He is fully aware of my humanity, he know what makes me tick.  He knows my faults, my fears, my failures and all of my frustrations.  Still he doesn’t expect me to be perfect.  God loves me at each stage of my life. What he has told me through his word over and over again, there is nothing I can do that will make him love more that he does right now and there is nothing I can do that would make him love me less.  God’s love for me is unconditional; it’s not based on what I do or don’t do.  God no longer sees my sins, he just sees Jesus at work in my life.  I know that today and into the future I can relax in knowing that I will always have God’s grace.

Learn To Think Like Jesus

In summary of 1 Peter 4:1-2 it says, "Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, arm yourself with the same attitude he had, learn to think like him, and be ready to suffer.  This way you won't’ spend the rest of your lives chasing your own passions and desires, but instead anxious to do the will of God."

Bottom Line:
Jesus lived a human life and when through everything we are experiencing and more.  We should arm ourselves with the same attitude he had and learn to think like him.  He was ready to suffer, readily give up all for God’s purposes.  If we do so, we won’t spend the rest of our lives chasing after things only for ourselves, but instead ready to do what God has in store for us.

What this means to me:
God has a plan for me and what he wants to accomplish with my life.  Looking to Jesus as an example; he went through everything I’m experiencing and more.  I am to learn to think like him, adjust my attitude and be ready to suffer to do what God has in mind for me.  This means I need to give up going after what is my own personal desires or passions.  My goal is to ready myself each day to do the will of God.  In order for me to do this, I need my daily time in prayer and in his word to continue to allow me to focus on him and learn what his will is (without this I will stray to my own desires.)  I have found that what ever occupies my mind is what will consume me, so I must make it a habit and a priority to spend this time with him each morning.  Each morning (and throughout) the day, I should ask God to help me turn my mind from worldly things and instead be filled with what he desires; a relationship with him, and loving/serving others.