I feel like I'm not the only one who gets the post-Monark blues. For me, at least, Monark is essentially the greatest time of the year. It's a refreshing time to come to the Lord and seek to have His will in my life. Certainly, God was faithful again to meet me at every point where I needed help. Monark encourages, instructs, leads, and boosts us -- but it's only 10 days long. Make no mistake, it makes me tired, but those 10 days go by pretty quickly for me.
Every year I struggle with the battle of finding help and encouragement at Monark and then proceeding to allow the cares of life to get in the way and limit the blessings I receive once Monark is over. Every year, it seems, I purpose to ward off those hindrances, but sometimes fall short.
God has done very special things for me this Monark. He's met me in places where I was too afraid to go before. He illuminated my needs in a way that made them appear as though they can be conquered. I believe that's not just an appearance, but a reality. God does have victory for me. He showed it in the meeting. It's up to me, now, to have faith that He really DID meet my needs and to continue to live in that faith. I was reading in Colossians as I reflected on some of the notes I took during the messages, and I stumbled across Colossians 2:6-7, which says:
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: [7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."
The first part is interesting. It talks about receiving Christ. As I pondered the verse, God opened my eyes that there are more ways to receive Christ than simply to accept His offered gift of salvation. We can accept His will in many other ways. We can accept a walk of humility. We can accept a walk of longsuffering. We can accept a walk of patience. Likewise, we can accept Christ in His various dealings in a meeting. There was a lot of altar work at Monark, and many young people sought help there just like I did. We can accept the help we get there. That's how we can receive Christ. Being receptive to His dealings is vital to our success as a believer. Receiving Christ isn't limited to a one-time work of salvation. We must receive from God all throughout our lives.
But, the verse doesn't stop there. We've received Christ, so we must walk in Him. That can be tricky. What does it truly mean to walk IN Christ. In my feeble understanding, it signifies embodying the traits and characteristics of Christ -- and making a practice of the things He has revealed to us that we have received. If God deals with us about being more patient, walking in Him is to live that out, as Christ did. Walking IN Christ means conforming to His dealings -- not just receiving them intellectually -- but to live them out. That's something I struggle with. Most messages I hear I understand from an intellectual standpoint. I recognize the instruction God wants to give through them, but I struggle with part two -- conforming my lifestyle to accommodate Jesus' principles in my everyday walk. This part of the verse challenges me to that end.
The next verse begins by instructing us to be "rooted and built up in Him," which is a remarkable metaphor. A tree has roots, and the deeper the roots go, the stronger the foundation and the more sturdy the tree becomes. In the same way, the more we are rooted into God, the better our defense against the storms of life become. If a tree didn't have roots, it would blow down at the slightest breeze. So we can be carried away at every "wind of doctrine" if we aren't rooted down (Ephesians 4:14).
We must be established in the faith. An established business is one whose presence is well-accounted for. We want our lives to be accounted as Christians and something not easily moved. It also mentions that we're established as we have been taught. For the most part, we have all had a wonderful education in the things of God. That is especially evident at times like Monark. We have been taught truth and we have been taught life. That teaching is essential to our establishment as children of God. We can't neglect that blessing.
The last part of the verse is something I really feel like I need to work on. It says to be abounding in thanksgiving. I thought of the word abounding. It means active and plentiful. Our praise and thanksgiving needs to be characteristic of that passion. God has blessed us with SO much. He continues to bless us more than I can imagine. The simple fact that He cares enough to teach us lessons like these is truly incredible. As Bro. Darrell explained, God wants more for us than a religious rules and regulations. He desires to give us revelations and a living gospel. I am so thankful God revealed these verses to me in a special, personal way, and I pray it can be a blessing to you all as well.
Listen, I know these next few weeks are going to be tough. I've already battled with things God dealt with me about at Monark. It's not going to be easy to move on from Monark, and we can be sure the devil will be right on our trail. But let's take the same energy we put into Monark out of it. It's not the beginning of the thing that matters, it's the end. Let's be encouraged to receive Christ in whatever capacity He chooses to reveal Himself and then walk in Him. He has a special blessing for all of us.
I pray to see all of you next year at Monark (and hopefully sooner!) with a testimony of God's faithfulness and keeping power. I need those same prayers that I can have the same testimony. We're God's church, let's be faithful to Him with our lives.
Keep encouraged!
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
Reaching Out
From Aubrey Sorrell:
Hi everybody! I thought I might share something that the Lord has been talking to me about for a while. Since the Guthrie campmeeting in May, the Lord has talked to me a lot on reaching out more. By reaching out I mean being a friend to those who are visiting the church, to those who don't really have a lot of friends. I'm not sure if I can quite put this into words the way God showed it to me, but I'll do my best.
During the Guthrie meeting, Bro. James Bell preached a message about being a first responder. He said something that really stood out to me: "Preach the gospel, and use words if necessary." Powerful, right? Our ultimate goal as Christians is to lead others to Christ, and one of the best ways for us to accomplish that goal is to be an example to others in what we say and do. But we have to take the first step (reaching out and being a friend) in order to be that example. If we will sacrifice our preferences, our excuses, our comfort zones, and reach out, we can then be an example and shine our light so that they can see Christ through us.
Philippians 2:4-8 is one of the passages that has really challenged me. Verse 4 says,
"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Reaching out and being a friend to someone you don't know can be really hard. I've found myself making the excuse that "I'm not very good at talking to people that I don't know very well" or "I'm really bad at making conversation" or "I'll just make it awkward, and someone else is better at welcoming others anyways." It can be really hard sometimes to ignore the excuses and to step out of our comfort zone.
But, to be completely honest, being a Christian isn't about staying in our comfort zone. We have to step out of our comfort zone in order to make others feel comfortable sometimes. When the Lord asks us to do something, that's the time to act, not later when we feel it will be more convenient. Maybe you don't feel comfortable reaching out to those you don't know, but if you'll do your part, God can then do His part and help you to know what to say.
Put yourself in their shoes. They could really need a friend, and maybe God wants YOU to be that friend. Don't let your own feelings get in the way of reaching out to them. Look for those who need a friend and ask the Lord to help you to be willing to reach out to them.
I'm not sure if I got this out exactly how the Lord showed it to me, but I hope that this was a challenge to someone else like it was to me. I definitely don't have this completely mastered, but I pray that the Lord will continue to help me grow in this area.
Isaiah 6:8
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."
~ Aubrey Sorrell
Hi everybody! I thought I might share something that the Lord has been talking to me about for a while. Since the Guthrie campmeeting in May, the Lord has talked to me a lot on reaching out more. By reaching out I mean being a friend to those who are visiting the church, to those who don't really have a lot of friends. I'm not sure if I can quite put this into words the way God showed it to me, but I'll do my best.
During the Guthrie meeting, Bro. James Bell preached a message about being a first responder. He said something that really stood out to me: "Preach the gospel, and use words if necessary." Powerful, right? Our ultimate goal as Christians is to lead others to Christ, and one of the best ways for us to accomplish that goal is to be an example to others in what we say and do. But we have to take the first step (reaching out and being a friend) in order to be that example. If we will sacrifice our preferences, our excuses, our comfort zones, and reach out, we can then be an example and shine our light so that they can see Christ through us.
Philippians 2:4-8 is one of the passages that has really challenged me. Verse 4 says,
"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
Reaching out and being a friend to someone you don't know can be really hard. I've found myself making the excuse that "I'm not very good at talking to people that I don't know very well" or "I'm really bad at making conversation" or "I'll just make it awkward, and someone else is better at welcoming others anyways." It can be really hard sometimes to ignore the excuses and to step out of our comfort zone.
But, to be completely honest, being a Christian isn't about staying in our comfort zone. We have to step out of our comfort zone in order to make others feel comfortable sometimes. When the Lord asks us to do something, that's the time to act, not later when we feel it will be more convenient. Maybe you don't feel comfortable reaching out to those you don't know, but if you'll do your part, God can then do His part and help you to know what to say.
Put yourself in their shoes. They could really need a friend, and maybe God wants YOU to be that friend. Don't let your own feelings get in the way of reaching out to them. Look for those who need a friend and ask the Lord to help you to be willing to reach out to them.
I'm not sure if I got this out exactly how the Lord showed it to me, but I hope that this was a challenge to someone else like it was to me. I definitely don't have this completely mastered, but I pray that the Lord will continue to help me grow in this area.
Isaiah 6:8
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."
~ Aubrey Sorrell
Monday, July 15, 2019
Above All
Sometimes a thought the Lord gives can be very simple but still very encouraging. That's the way this one is. There's a song that eloquently describes how God is "above all" things on earth, all wisdom, all power, etc. It proceeds to explain despite all of that, Jesus chose the cross and thought of ME above all else.
It was a great encouragement to me. Jesus is infinitely more powerful than even the most intelligent minds could comprehend, and yet, Jesus thought of my salvation above all else in the world. While it is an encouragement, it's also a challenge. Jesus put everything on the line for me, and I don't want his death to be wasted on me. I know that He would have died for anyone even if there was only one person to save, but I don't want to waste the opportunity He gave me. I want to serve Him and love Him with all that I have.
There's a passage in Ephesians where it details how we in times past were full of lust, "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind," and in general were displeasing to God. All of these sins separated us from the Father. The story doesn't end there. Ephesians 2:4-5 says:
"[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;)."
He thought of me above all. He knew our fallen state but loved us enough to come to our rescue. We owe our whole life to Him.
I know this thought is simple and may not resonate with some as it did with me. But, it's a blessed thing to realize that God is above all of the earth. He's above all of our problems and hurts. Despite His majesty and ability, He chose to come down to earth in a lowly manger and die a horrific death to save us from sin, from troubles, from hurts, and ultimately from ourselves. I don't want His sacrifice to be in vain.
Another verse he has recently inspired to me is Joshua 23:14. This verse is Joshua speaking near the end of his life. He had been through all of the miracles God had performed during his life and had experienced incredible things God had done during that time. It reads:
"And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof."
Even after all of the things that assailed him in life -- the Israelites doubting, the Jericho walls, and the battles, Joshua's testimony was that the Lord had not failed of ALL the good things He promised His children. He also reminded the Israelites that they knew in their hearts and souls that this was true. It's easy to get caught up in the times of disappointment or doubt. The Israelites doubted Joshua and Caleb's report that the land was theirs for the taking. I'm sure they were weary of marching around the walls of Jericho. They might not have had faith that they could come through to the other side of the battle victorious every time.
Yet, as Joshua pointed out, they KNEW that God had always been above all of those things and had been faithful to keep His children. I'm thankful that I, too, can cling to that promise. Maybe I get tired at work and feel like nothing is going right. I know that God is above all. And when I'm old enough to actually look back on life and reflect, I will also be able to testify of the Lord's faithfulness to me if I stay saved.
I never want to forget that God's power and wisdom means He is above all in this world. This story is a needful reminder of that.
Here are the words to the song:
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what you're worth
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all
Above all troubles
Above all hurts
Above all problems we have here on this earth
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgdU-9I_YI
Keep encouraged!
It was a great encouragement to me. Jesus is infinitely more powerful than even the most intelligent minds could comprehend, and yet, Jesus thought of my salvation above all else in the world. While it is an encouragement, it's also a challenge. Jesus put everything on the line for me, and I don't want his death to be wasted on me. I know that He would have died for anyone even if there was only one person to save, but I don't want to waste the opportunity He gave me. I want to serve Him and love Him with all that I have.
There's a passage in Ephesians where it details how we in times past were full of lust, "fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind," and in general were displeasing to God. All of these sins separated us from the Father. The story doesn't end there. Ephesians 2:4-5 says:
"[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved;)."
He thought of me above all. He knew our fallen state but loved us enough to come to our rescue. We owe our whole life to Him.
I know this thought is simple and may not resonate with some as it did with me. But, it's a blessed thing to realize that God is above all of the earth. He's above all of our problems and hurts. Despite His majesty and ability, He chose to come down to earth in a lowly manger and die a horrific death to save us from sin, from troubles, from hurts, and ultimately from ourselves. I don't want His sacrifice to be in vain.
Another verse he has recently inspired to me is Joshua 23:14. This verse is Joshua speaking near the end of his life. He had been through all of the miracles God had performed during his life and had experienced incredible things God had done during that time. It reads:
"And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof."
Even after all of the things that assailed him in life -- the Israelites doubting, the Jericho walls, and the battles, Joshua's testimony was that the Lord had not failed of ALL the good things He promised His children. He also reminded the Israelites that they knew in their hearts and souls that this was true. It's easy to get caught up in the times of disappointment or doubt. The Israelites doubted Joshua and Caleb's report that the land was theirs for the taking. I'm sure they were weary of marching around the walls of Jericho. They might not have had faith that they could come through to the other side of the battle victorious every time.
Yet, as Joshua pointed out, they KNEW that God had always been above all of those things and had been faithful to keep His children. I'm thankful that I, too, can cling to that promise. Maybe I get tired at work and feel like nothing is going right. I know that God is above all. And when I'm old enough to actually look back on life and reflect, I will also be able to testify of the Lord's faithfulness to me if I stay saved.
I never want to forget that God's power and wisdom means He is above all in this world. This story is a needful reminder of that.
Here are the words to the song:
Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what you're worth
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all
Above all troubles
Above all hurts
Above all problems we have here on this earth
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose, trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsgdU-9I_YI
Keep encouraged!
Monday, June 3, 2019
Fixed & Willing
School is out for the summer, and the campmeeting season is upon us -- I couldn't be more happy. College makes life busier than I hoped, and I have found it a difficult task to find time to write. But, the Guthrie meeting is over now, and I'm so thankful I was able to go. The meeting was special to me, and I hope the blessings I received will be long-lasting. I went to Guthrie knowing I had needs in my life. I wanted more of God and admittedly had been struggling to find God and find my way to Him. As He always is (and I'll revisit that later on), He was faithful to give me what I needed.
Bro. Marty preached a message on the first Sunday night that really spoke to me. He talked about having a heart that is fixed on God. We all entertain the idea of being sold out to God, and all of that is well and good. But some of the real-world examples he gave in the message caused me to think about how grounded I really am. He asked if a runner didn't care whether he won the race of not, how successful would he be? If a mechanic was working on a car and didn't care if it ran or not, how successful would he be? If someone owned a business and didn't care if anyone bought their products, how successful would they be?
The resounding answer to all of those is very little to none. To be successful, you have to care. That extends to any area of life, but it especially applies to your spiritual walk. I don't want to be accused of lacking motivation for God. The reality is, we can't put 100% of our effort into many things. We can only give our all in a few things. I want the first of those to be my spiritual life.
He also mentioned how the devil is constantly trying to loosen our relationship with God. He has a crowbar and is prying what holds us together, hoping to break it apart. We need to be invested in what God has for us and be willing to make it impossible for the devil to separate us from God.
Psalm 57:1 says
"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."
We want to be fixed in a place that is safe. In the shadow of the Savior's wings is the safest place we could ever find.
He also pointed out how God's will and our will inevitably conflict at times. At that juncture, one of the two has to diminish to give place to the other. It's a challenge to me that I always sacrifice my will to allow God's cause to advance -- in whatever way that situation dictates. I don't want to be a hindrance to God's cause for me and my life, so I have to be willing to humble down and diminish what I want. In reality, that's HOW we fix our heart. We have to give up our way and realize God's way is what is best for our life. Just like a mechanic has to care about fixing a car that won't run, we have to care about the process that will take us to a successful life. That process involves allowing God to work on us.
This message was such a challenge to me and it helped me realize there were areas in my life where I hadn't allowed God's cause to advance. I wasn't in fixed place as much as I should have been, and it was manifesting itself in how I allowed God's cause to diminish and mine to increase.
As John the Baptist said in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." That's the key to fixing my heart for God, being firm in the commandments the Bible teaches and being willing to do what God wants from my life.
But, that leads me to the second message that really stood out to me during this meeting. It was the last Sunday morning when Bro. Ed preached about Psalm 110. I definitely encourage you to listen to this one, it was such a blessing. The entire message is very good, but the primary part I got from it is Psalm 110:3:
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."
"Thy people" is in reference to Jesus' people, or in other words, Christians or saints. The day of thy power is the time of the salvation. The gospel is powerful and compelling, and this prophesy describes how the saints will be willing vessels in the gospel time, dating back from Jesus' resurrection until the judgment.
We are saints. We can be part of the willing vessels for God's service right now. It describes them as dressed in the "beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning." I feel incapable of describing it the way God showed it to me, but this paints a beautiful picture of what God's people are intended to be. The encouraging part is that we all can be part of this wonderful illustration if our heart is fixed on doing God's will.
The womb of the morning refers to renewal and refreshment. We are born again and alive in Christ, and that freshness can be true of our spiritual life. We have the dew of youth, a fountain of energy and vigorous for the cause of the heavenly kingdom. The holiness which our lives can reflect is beautiful. It is such an encouragement to hear both the prophesy in the Psalm as well as the challenge it is to us. The Bible tells us such Christians will exist in the time of the gospel. It is up to us to be the fulfillment of those words and to fully embody the life of a fixed and willing Christian.
I don't know how to adequately express the beauty of God's plan as it is described in these verses. Yet, I know that God calls us to a place where our heart is fixed and our spirit is willing to use us, even in our youth, as a critical member in His body.
As I mentioned earlier, God is ALWAYS faithful. I know He has been my support so many times and has sent exactly what I needed. It's wonderful to know the Savior is on my side, seated at the right hand of God, petitioning my case before the Father. That's how I know He'll continue to be faithful to teach me and instruct me as long as I am fixed on His cause and willing to go where He takes me.
Keep encouraged!
Bro. Marty preached a message on the first Sunday night that really spoke to me. He talked about having a heart that is fixed on God. We all entertain the idea of being sold out to God, and all of that is well and good. But some of the real-world examples he gave in the message caused me to think about how grounded I really am. He asked if a runner didn't care whether he won the race of not, how successful would he be? If a mechanic was working on a car and didn't care if it ran or not, how successful would he be? If someone owned a business and didn't care if anyone bought their products, how successful would they be?
The resounding answer to all of those is very little to none. To be successful, you have to care. That extends to any area of life, but it especially applies to your spiritual walk. I don't want to be accused of lacking motivation for God. The reality is, we can't put 100% of our effort into many things. We can only give our all in a few things. I want the first of those to be my spiritual life.
He also mentioned how the devil is constantly trying to loosen our relationship with God. He has a crowbar and is prying what holds us together, hoping to break it apart. We need to be invested in what God has for us and be willing to make it impossible for the devil to separate us from God.
Psalm 57:1 says
"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast."
We want to be fixed in a place that is safe. In the shadow of the Savior's wings is the safest place we could ever find.
He also pointed out how God's will and our will inevitably conflict at times. At that juncture, one of the two has to diminish to give place to the other. It's a challenge to me that I always sacrifice my will to allow God's cause to advance -- in whatever way that situation dictates. I don't want to be a hindrance to God's cause for me and my life, so I have to be willing to humble down and diminish what I want. In reality, that's HOW we fix our heart. We have to give up our way and realize God's way is what is best for our life. Just like a mechanic has to care about fixing a car that won't run, we have to care about the process that will take us to a successful life. That process involves allowing God to work on us.
This message was such a challenge to me and it helped me realize there were areas in my life where I hadn't allowed God's cause to advance. I wasn't in fixed place as much as I should have been, and it was manifesting itself in how I allowed God's cause to diminish and mine to increase.
As John the Baptist said in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." That's the key to fixing my heart for God, being firm in the commandments the Bible teaches and being willing to do what God wants from my life.
But, that leads me to the second message that really stood out to me during this meeting. It was the last Sunday morning when Bro. Ed preached about Psalm 110. I definitely encourage you to listen to this one, it was such a blessing. The entire message is very good, but the primary part I got from it is Psalm 110:3:
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."
"Thy people" is in reference to Jesus' people, or in other words, Christians or saints. The day of thy power is the time of the salvation. The gospel is powerful and compelling, and this prophesy describes how the saints will be willing vessels in the gospel time, dating back from Jesus' resurrection until the judgment.
We are saints. We can be part of the willing vessels for God's service right now. It describes them as dressed in the "beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning." I feel incapable of describing it the way God showed it to me, but this paints a beautiful picture of what God's people are intended to be. The encouraging part is that we all can be part of this wonderful illustration if our heart is fixed on doing God's will.
The womb of the morning refers to renewal and refreshment. We are born again and alive in Christ, and that freshness can be true of our spiritual life. We have the dew of youth, a fountain of energy and vigorous for the cause of the heavenly kingdom. The holiness which our lives can reflect is beautiful. It is such an encouragement to hear both the prophesy in the Psalm as well as the challenge it is to us. The Bible tells us such Christians will exist in the time of the gospel. It is up to us to be the fulfillment of those words and to fully embody the life of a fixed and willing Christian.
I don't know how to adequately express the beauty of God's plan as it is described in these verses. Yet, I know that God calls us to a place where our heart is fixed and our spirit is willing to use us, even in our youth, as a critical member in His body.
As I mentioned earlier, God is ALWAYS faithful. I know He has been my support so many times and has sent exactly what I needed. It's wonderful to know the Savior is on my side, seated at the right hand of God, petitioning my case before the Father. That's how I know He'll continue to be faithful to teach me and instruct me as long as I am fixed on His cause and willing to go where He takes me.
Keep encouraged!
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Now Know I
**Preface: This might be a little long, so I'm sorry if it tires or bores you... but I hope that maybe it will be a blessing to someone. :)
Christianity is a beautiful thing. We hear the gospel and we know Christ died for our salvation, but there are always mysteries to the story, unexplored lessons to learn along the way, and new revelations as we grow in our faith. Sometimes it doesn't always seems like life is a constant, upward trajectory. We go through spurts of substantial growth while other times leave us feeling sluggish. It's in the sluggish times where I find it difficult to learn or understand exactly what God wants of me and how to reach that place. I doubt I'm the only one who has struggled with that.
Christianity is a beautiful thing. We hear the gospel and we know Christ died for our salvation, but there are always mysteries to the story, unexplored lessons to learn along the way, and new revelations as we grow in our faith. Sometimes it doesn't always seems like life is a constant, upward trajectory. We go through spurts of substantial growth while other times leave us feeling sluggish. It's in the sluggish times where I find it difficult to learn or understand exactly what God wants of me and how to reach that place. I doubt I'm the only one who has struggled with that.
I look at it this way: God is infinitely wise, so we can never fully comprehend the entirety of His plan with our finite minds. Yet, He calls us to spiritual growth. If we are flexible with Him, life will present us with plenty of teachable moments. God is always in these plans to help us learn and make progress with Him. All of that is to say this: There are a lot of things I don't know -- about God, about His plan, and about life in general. That can be shaky ground, and it can cause fear and uncertainty to rise up. But, God is faithful... and I'm so thankful for that. He helped to comfort me and show me something from a broader perspective. I hope and pray that it will help me, and you, to better understand and deal with our unique, specific problems we face.
God showed me a verse a few weeks ago, and it was meaningful, but I didn't understand exactly how it applied to my life. It definitely was an inspiring verse, but there wasn't a specific situation at the moment that really clicked in my mind. When I read it today, it totally stood out to me, even more than when I had first read it. Psalm 20:6 says:
"Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand."
I don't know how meaningful that is to you, but it struck a chord with my heart. In this psalm, David affirms that he KNOWS the Lord saves those who live for Him. The anointed remnant will be heard by God, in heaven, and be saved by God's strength. Who is stronger than God? No one. No one comes even close. It's remarkable to me that a God so great and powerful is willing to hear the petitions of His children. That gives me confidence. David had shortcomings in his life. Some of them seem far more egregious than things I've ever struggled with. Yet, despite these issues he had a confidence in what God would do for those endeavoring to serve Him. It's encouraging to read the assurance of someone who experienced God's endless mercy. The next verse is also very special to me.
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
This is what I know now. Trust in other things will not sustain us. Chariots and horses are symbolic of earthly, human help. Those won't be our salvation. We can't let our trust fall in anything aside from God. Our call for help must be to our God -- He is the only deliverer. Too often I let that slip my mind. The person who has called us His own won't neglect our petitions. That's why Jesus' blood was shed for us. He fully intends for us to lay our problems, struggles, and fears at His feet so He can help us deal with our life that isn't as easy as we hope it will be.
It's not like God will shame us for having difficulties. Psalm 46 explains that God is a "present help in time of need." That indicates we WILL have struggles in our walk. What God longs for us to understand is that in those times we can turn to God for help. My flesh naturally wants to run from a vengeful God when I mess up or feel like I'm not doing what God wants of me. But, it's so important to remember that the same God who will be our judge at the end of our life is the SAME God who longs for us to let Him help us. He wants to be there for us when we're struggling. He wants to be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. He wants to illuminate the way for us. He wants to give us the strength we need to press on through the things in life that are really hard.
Now know I that the Lord saveth.
I know that. I believe that. And I trust that. The word saveth isn't exclusive to our initial salvation. It refers to that, but it also means He will save us from fear, from insecurities, from doubts, from the lies of the enemy, and from every imposition of the devil. Whatever you're struggling with, the Lord saveth from that. Everything I struggle with, the Lord saveth from that. The key is in the second verse, verse 7. Our trust has to be fixed in Him. We have to remember Him when those things come against us.
It's not easy to do. I know, at least for me, it's always hard to get around the fact that I've done something imperfectly. God is ultimately going to be my judge, and it's easy to be afraid that after a mistake, He'll want nothing to do with me. But that isn't the case. As long as we're willing to fix the areas in which we struggle, He's willing to help us do that. It's only by His power and His Son that we're saved in the first place. He wants to keep us free from the bondage that sin requires.
But, even when we know that God is the only fail-proof source of help, it can be hard to accept it. As humans, we want to rely on ourselves and other people to help us. After all, God sends messengers to deliver His word, right? Sis. LaDawna Adams preached a great message tonight titled "What is Man?" One of the stories she read in Act 3 stood out to me. She read the story of the lame man who laid every day at the gate of the temple and asked Peter and John for alms. Verse 6 says:
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
The man was asking humans for earthly assistance. Peter wisely understood that wouldn't provide any meaningful help for the man. Instead, Peter called on a higher authority. Man will often be insufficient to meet our needs, and we need to learn to expect that. But we can point people to Jesus. Peter gave what he could for the man, and that was Jesus. Help from friends, family, or mentors is valuable, but ultimately it can only help insofar as God is involved. The lame man was greatly blessed by Peter being in touch with God. Surrounding ourselves with people who will support us in our walk with God is priceless. The Bible says not to forsake our assembly together (Hebrews 10:25). It's important. But recognizing that it is ultimately God who does the saving is key.
As much as Peter had the heart to help the lame man, he couldn't do it in himself. We have to come to the realization that we can't expect other people to fix our problems for us. They're humans with problems just like us, and we can't put to their responsibility something that is for us to work out with God. I've found that relying on people can take our focus off of the true help: God. That's dangerous. When we don't let God be the focus, we lose touch with Him and place undue burden on others.
I'm so encouraged with this thought. Now I know, I'm confident, that God will save His anointed. When we're living a life in pursuit of Him, serving Him to the best of our ability, He will be faithful to save us. It doesn't matter what we're going through. There are problems other people can't touch. I want to learn better how to trust God fully for the struggles I have in life. I want Him to save me and heal me. I also want to be a faithful servant, and that includes helping others along the way. Our confidence can't be in man, but God wants us to help and encourage each other along the way. God will send people to help us, maybe even to help us understand where our issues are coming from. But the actually healing for those problems and the strength to overcome them come from the Lord himself.
I pray that this can be an encouragement to someone else, too. There are problems that are simply bigger than what we or someone else can handle. We have to go directly to the source of our salvation. We can go with the same confidence David had and say:
"Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed; he will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand."
Keep encouraged!
"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
This is what I know now. Trust in other things will not sustain us. Chariots and horses are symbolic of earthly, human help. Those won't be our salvation. We can't let our trust fall in anything aside from God. Our call for help must be to our God -- He is the only deliverer. Too often I let that slip my mind. The person who has called us His own won't neglect our petitions. That's why Jesus' blood was shed for us. He fully intends for us to lay our problems, struggles, and fears at His feet so He can help us deal with our life that isn't as easy as we hope it will be.
It's not like God will shame us for having difficulties. Psalm 46 explains that God is a "present help in time of need." That indicates we WILL have struggles in our walk. What God longs for us to understand is that in those times we can turn to God for help. My flesh naturally wants to run from a vengeful God when I mess up or feel like I'm not doing what God wants of me. But, it's so important to remember that the same God who will be our judge at the end of our life is the SAME God who longs for us to let Him help us. He wants to be there for us when we're struggling. He wants to be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. He wants to illuminate the way for us. He wants to give us the strength we need to press on through the things in life that are really hard.
Now know I that the Lord saveth.
I know that. I believe that. And I trust that. The word saveth isn't exclusive to our initial salvation. It refers to that, but it also means He will save us from fear, from insecurities, from doubts, from the lies of the enemy, and from every imposition of the devil. Whatever you're struggling with, the Lord saveth from that. Everything I struggle with, the Lord saveth from that. The key is in the second verse, verse 7. Our trust has to be fixed in Him. We have to remember Him when those things come against us.
It's not easy to do. I know, at least for me, it's always hard to get around the fact that I've done something imperfectly. God is ultimately going to be my judge, and it's easy to be afraid that after a mistake, He'll want nothing to do with me. But that isn't the case. As long as we're willing to fix the areas in which we struggle, He's willing to help us do that. It's only by His power and His Son that we're saved in the first place. He wants to keep us free from the bondage that sin requires.
But, even when we know that God is the only fail-proof source of help, it can be hard to accept it. As humans, we want to rely on ourselves and other people to help us. After all, God sends messengers to deliver His word, right? Sis. LaDawna Adams preached a great message tonight titled "What is Man?" One of the stories she read in Act 3 stood out to me. She read the story of the lame man who laid every day at the gate of the temple and asked Peter and John for alms. Verse 6 says:
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
The man was asking humans for earthly assistance. Peter wisely understood that wouldn't provide any meaningful help for the man. Instead, Peter called on a higher authority. Man will often be insufficient to meet our needs, and we need to learn to expect that. But we can point people to Jesus. Peter gave what he could for the man, and that was Jesus. Help from friends, family, or mentors is valuable, but ultimately it can only help insofar as God is involved. The lame man was greatly blessed by Peter being in touch with God. Surrounding ourselves with people who will support us in our walk with God is priceless. The Bible says not to forsake our assembly together (Hebrews 10:25). It's important. But recognizing that it is ultimately God who does the saving is key.
As much as Peter had the heart to help the lame man, he couldn't do it in himself. We have to come to the realization that we can't expect other people to fix our problems for us. They're humans with problems just like us, and we can't put to their responsibility something that is for us to work out with God. I've found that relying on people can take our focus off of the true help: God. That's dangerous. When we don't let God be the focus, we lose touch with Him and place undue burden on others.
I'm so encouraged with this thought. Now I know, I'm confident, that God will save His anointed. When we're living a life in pursuit of Him, serving Him to the best of our ability, He will be faithful to save us. It doesn't matter what we're going through. There are problems other people can't touch. I want to learn better how to trust God fully for the struggles I have in life. I want Him to save me and heal me. I also want to be a faithful servant, and that includes helping others along the way. Our confidence can't be in man, but God wants us to help and encourage each other along the way. God will send people to help us, maybe even to help us understand where our issues are coming from. But the actually healing for those problems and the strength to overcome them come from the Lord himself.
I pray that this can be an encouragement to someone else, too. There are problems that are simply bigger than what we or someone else can handle. We have to go directly to the source of our salvation. We can go with the same confidence David had and say:
"Now know I that the Lord saveth His anointed; he will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand."
Keep encouraged!
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