Thou Art God

Lesson of Faith - Be Still
Timrufus

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. With sight, one can probably buy his or her next step and what else do we need to prepare in advance for life but while Abraham left the land of civilization and made himself home among the hot canvas, Moses gave up a princely life with the Egyptians to stay identified with the Israelites. Although a bible commentary can seemingly help us to understand more of His word, but not until have we experience more and more of his grace and glory along the way, we cannot go any further down in a deeper walk with Him. The years of study in a child’s life is to prepare him for greater work in the society but instead of knowing God face to face, we may instead end up to understanding Him word by word. Hence knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Likewise, there are many thing in life that cannot be simply learnt through extensive long hours of study in a college’s library or simply by reading someone else's biography. For some faith is a gift, others as they grow gradually in the spirit, and a measure of faith is apportioned. (Romans 12:3) But what if someone say I have faith but no deeds? True faith are faith that has been thoroughly tested and endures, good works and good deeds can never justify the faith we have in God neither can it saves us on the last day.

In short, faith in action should enhance the work of our hands, the deed of our mouths, it is simply faith brought forth itself alive or faith itself metamorphoses - from faith to faith, from glory to glory. Compare to faith in its most raw form (Romans 4:22), it is the process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form and it requires more than one distinct stages. Self-assurance and self-delusion is no faith though one may claim to have faith for if faith can comes by understanding, it requires no work or action on our part. On the contrary, it does not means that we should take on the honor on behalf of God and struck the rock. The Psalmist had undergone it and he knew this and that was why he said, “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.” (Psalm 119:140)

God does not give vision to those who are not willing to take the first step out into the wavering seas. Faith without action is dead - I’ll show you a most typical example of what does it meant by to “walk by faith.” Firstly to walk by faith, one will need to take a cloth and have himself blindfolded. You may think it is very easy, but that was what Abraham did when he took to the mountain his son and the wood. It is the same for us, faith in God will subject us to surrender our fears, our worries, our concerns, our wants and our needs down at His feet. Then the real man begins to walk and as he walk, the Lord will stretch out His hand to hold the man’s hand. (Matthew 14:28-31) That is what Paul meant by “For we live by faith, not by sight” but faith without action is dead.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and faith is the evidence of things not seen. For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” and of David who knew grace apart from works. (Romans 4:3-8)

Verses for meditation: Genesis 22:1-7

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Way of God

The Way of God
Os Hillman

"If My people would but listen to Me.... Psalm 81:13

God has a specific training ground for leaders. There are three patterns of preparation that have been common among most of God's leaders. First, there is a time when the leader is separated from his old life. Consider Moses, Joseph, Abraham, and Paul. In order for God to mold and shape them into His nature, it appears that He had to remove them from the life of comfort.

A teacher once said, "You cannot go with God and remain where you are." Next, there is usually a time of solitude. God often brings leaders into a time of solitude in order to speak to them without other distractions. Hosea 2:14b says, "I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Paul was sent to Arabia for two years for a time of solitude. Joseph spent years in the solitude of prison. Moses spent 40 years in the desert herding sheep.

The third characteristic of God's preparation for leaders is discomfort. The setting in which the preparation takes place usually is not a place of comfort. Abraham traveled through the difficult deserts. David lived in caves fleeing Saul. Paul was frequently persecuted. Are you ready for the classroom of leadership preparation?

If God chooses to bring you into this class, you may have one of three reactions to the events. First, you may say, "I don't need it." Perhaps you know intellectually that you do need this, but God wants you to know it in your heart. Pride prevents us from entering this classroom. The second reaction may be, "I'm tired of it." You decide you've had enough. If so, this will disqualify you from leadership.

Finally, God's desired response from us in this preparation is, "I accept it." To accept it with joy is the place of maturity in Christ. God often keeps us in these places until we come to accept and agree that Jesus is enough. Is He all you need?

Like the people of Israel, I think we have something to do with the timetable of our education. "If My people would but listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!" (Psalm 81:13-14) Are you ready for the process required for being a godly leader? Ask for His grace to willingly embrace these times of preparation.

Unless the Lord Goes With Us

Unless the Lord Goes With Us
Os Hillman

"Then Moses said to him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.'" Exodus 33:15

Moses was in the middle of his journey through the wilderness, leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. The people had just sinned by worshiping the golden calf. Moses interceded for them and God spared them their lives. Moses then talked one on one with the Lord. He knew he could not lead this stubborn people without God's presence. He had come to realize that without God's presence, he could not do anything. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)

Moses did not want to move farther without the assurance that God was moving with him. He knew it was a life-and-death situation. He sought the Lord with his whole heart on this one matter. The question is a good one. If we are to be effective in anything we do for the Lord, the Lord must be in the midst of it. Unless the Lord's power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. Unless we manifest His life to others, they will see only good behavior that is easily counterfeited by moral people.

Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration. Ask the Lord today to assure you of His presence and power in your activities. Then you will be assured that you will be distinguished among all the other people on the face of the earth.

Have You Seen The Rabbit

Have You Seen The Rabbit
Author Unknown

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24

One day, a young disciple of Christ desirous of wanting to become all that God had for him visited the home of an elderly Christian. He had heard that this old man had never lost his first love for Christ in all the years he had known Him. The old Christian was sitting on the porch with his dog stretched out before him taking in a beautiful sunset.

The young man posed this question: "Why is it, brother, that most Christians zealously chase after God during the first year or two after their conversion, but then fall into a complacent ritual of church twice a week and end up not looking any different than their neighbors who aren't even Christians? I have heard you are not like that. I've been told that you have fervently sought after God throughout your years as a Christian. People see something in you that they don't see in most people who became Christians. What makes you different?

The old man smiled and replied, "Let me tell you a story: One day I was sitting here quietly in the sun with my dog. Suddenly a large white rabbit ran across in front of us. Well, my dog jumped up, and took off after that big rabbit. He chased the rabbit over the hills with passion. Soon, other dogs joined him, attracted by his barking. What a sight it was, as the pack of dogs ran barking across the creeks, up stony embankments and through thickets and thorns! Gradually, however, one by one, the other dogs dropped out of the pursuit, discouraged by the course and frustrated by the chase. Only my dog continued to hotly pursue the white rabbit." "In that story, young man, is the answer to your question."

The young man sat in confused silence. Finally, he said, "Brother, I don't understand. What is the connection between the rabbit chase and the quest for God?"

"You fail to understand," answered the well-seasoned old man, "because you failed to ask the obvious question. Why didn't the other dogs continue on the chase? And the answer to that question is that they had not SEEN the rabbit.

Unless you see the prey, the chase is just too difficult. You will lack the passion and determination necessary to keep up the chase."

The Goal of Spiritual Knowledge

The Goal of Spiritual Knowledge
Chip Brogden

"Always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:7

If in our quest for spiritual growth our idea is only to learn a few facts about the Bible, glean tidbits of information from this preacher and that teacher, fill our brains with facts and fill our libraries with more books and magazines, we run the risk of fooling ourselves into thinking that we know and understand God - when it could be that we are ever learning "truths" without knowing the Truth.

Have you met someone like this? They seem to have all the right answers, but they have the wrong spirit. They tenaciously cling to their minute opinions and cannot be persuaded otherwise. Their knowledge has not changed them, except to make them worse: for now they are puffed up in the vanity of their own mind (1 Corinthians 8:1,2). True spiritual growth is characterized by grace (not works) and an increased knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

And, we maintain that this knowledge of Jesus Christ cannot be obtained by study, but is only granted by way of revelation.

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Lord, I thank You that You delight in showing grace and compassion and that You have redeemed Your people through the work of Your Son.
I pray for a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of You.
In Jesus’ holy name I pray. Amen and Amen.

Dying for Lack of Knowledge

Dying for Lack of Knowledge
Os Hillman

"The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God." 1 Chronicles 13:10

A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, "If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God's Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God. God's Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life." The prophet Hosea tells us, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children" (Hosea 4:6).

God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. "...But they must not touch the holy things or they will die..." (Numbers. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God. Did David know this law or did he simply forget? Did Uzzah know this law? If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption. Many workplace believers I know take God's Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.

Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. "David was afraid of God that day and asked, 'How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?' " (1 Chronicles. 13:12) We must all have a fearful respect of God's Word. For truly, it is life or death. Do you take God's Word seriously? Is it life or death for you? Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.

Older is Not Always Elder

Our Spiritual Maturity
Chip Brogden

"Let no one despise your youth,but be an example to the believers in word,in
conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

An older person is not necessarily a spiritual elder. We do not look to the age of a person's physical body when determining their spiritual maturity. Of course, we owe a certain amount of respect to the aged by virtue of their seniority; but they may not necessarily be our elder in the things of the Lord. One can be older chronologically and be quite immature in spiritual matters. Likewise, a relatively young man or woman can have a deep relationship with the Lord and be light years ahead of those two or three times their age. A young man or woman who knows God is more elder than a senior citizen who does not know God. We cannot judge by the flesh, or we will be misled.

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Lord God, have mercy upon our frail and tender egos, so that we might be open and ready to embrace the discipline of constructive criticism in our lives. Grant us ears to hear and understand Your truth and love amidst it. Bless us with humility of spirit to embrace it and grace to be trained by it that we might continue to mature in the image of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in Whose name we pray. Amen and Amen.