Finding God Within

The world teaches that looking within is selfish, or conversely, that one can conjure up supernatural strength from analyzing one’s own heart.  Neither is true. When the most Holy God has been invited into the human heart, introspection can yield rich reward. Only as you understand who you are in the Lord can you minister effectively to others. Only as you become acquainted with your own spiritual gifts can you learn to use these gifts to minister to others in order to bring about God's will for their lives. This has been a time of introspection for you, and you have been apologetic about it. Don’t be. You possess weapons you have not learned to use and strength that has not been tested. You will be a more powerful blessing in the lives of those you love because of this blessed time of looking within. 

Planting Precedes Harvest

Obedience brings blessed outcomes, but do not confuse the fruits with the act. The act of obedience entails centering your focus upon the Lord, turning away from worldly influences.  It is ever the human inclination to seek the fruit of obedience as a goal, bypassing the work of obedience, which is placing God first in all things. 

Seeking the results of obedience—the physical health or happy relationship or prosperity you desire—is akin to hoping for fruit when you have not done the work of planting the seed. 

Obedience entails the work of daily planting seeds of faith in your Savior through praise and worship, prayer, and seeking His face through Scripture. 

Bringing forth fruit is God’s work, not yours.

Scripture:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

The Antidote for Malice

When we are mistreated it is ungodly to respond in kind.  It is wrong to attempt to get even.  It is equally wrong to examine and enumerate the exact nature of the wrong suffered and thus to attempt to correct the person who has hurt us.  This is the equivalent of judgmental criticism.

The Bible says "Judge not"  (Matthew 7:31, Luke 6:37). We become sinners when we attempt to correct the wrong ourselves. "Vengence is mine, saith the Lord"  (Romans 12:19). 


It is ineffective to ignore the hurt.  A decision to ignore a hurt dealt by another human being raises a wall between us.  Ignoring becomes ignorance. We close our ears and hearts to the one who has caused harm in order to be ignorant of any hurt they might send our way.  We cannot listen to or love one whom we have decided to ignore.


 Love is the only agent that can neutralize the poison of vindictiveness.  Acts of love toward a person who has done us harm flow like a river at flood stage, and the debris of mockery and malice are washed away. Love is stronger than any force that come against us.  If God is for us who can be against us?  (Romans 8:31)


When Jesus was mocked he did not say a word. "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23).


But watch what Jesus did.  He committed the greatest act of love that has ever been given to humankind.  He died for us.  And by the Power of God through the Holy Spirit, He Has risen for us, that we might extend His love to others.


When someone commits a hurtful act against me, it is my responsibility as a forgiven sinner to commit an act of love toward them.  "We love, because He first loved us"   (1 John 4:19).

Seek the Lord First

You have suffered a heart blow today, but this hurt is not a punishment for your failure to carry your friends; you are not strong enough to carry them, or they you. Today's hurt is an inevitable result of turning to your fellow human beings for encouragement and help ahead of the Lord.   

The Lord does not chastise a little child for being unable to reach a locked door even though someone has requested the child to do so. Other human beings do not have what you need. Likewise, you are not in possession of the key that would unlock the door of blessing for your needy friends. 

Scripture: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28).  

The Grace Place

If the Lord’s grace was inadequate to cover any portion of your past, present, or future sin; you would be without hope; Calvary REALLY DID cover it all. You don’t have to fix anything, earn anything, or prove anything in order to abide in His grace right now and for every minute for the rest of your existence, which is eternal because of Him. 

You can give up the fear-push to obey, the “If I don’t get my act together and start doing things right something terrible is going to happen to me and I’ll deserve it” dynamic. You can give that up completely and just revel in His grace. The backwash of such grace (of really believing it and the wonderful freedom of living in it) is incredible love and gratitude for Him who purchased this freedom for You at great cost. This is the grace place; the source from whence true obedience can flow.

Discipline and obedience seem to be restrictive things but in truth, they deepen your capacity to experience joy.  Embrace discipline, revel in obedience; and thus you can prepare a deeper well for joy to fill.  However, because you have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and live in His grace, joy will overtake you whether you prepare or not.  Rest in this promise, rest in this sure fact; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.  

Isaiah 35

Fear Needs to Go

It is not that you need to abide more closely so as not to feel fear, but that fear needs to go so that you can abide more closely. 

The Lord will allow you to undergo a process of discipline and drawing near to Him that will bless you and those you love. 

Freedom from fear will liberate not only you, but also your loved ones. 

Your love for God's word will bear fruit that will bless not only you, but those you love. 

The Lord is rich in mercy; able to sustain that which has been entrusted Him. So often you come to Him because of fear, fear that your sins will be punished as they deserve. Let go this fear, and do not continue in sin so that grace may abound. The Lord Himself sustains you.  

Scripture: "He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him" (1 Thessalonians 5:10).