Why do we feel a twinge of discomfort when we have to ask for help? It may be, we like to always have control or may not want to feel like a burden. Some people would rather fail in something than ask for assistance. Man is not an island. God made people with limitations so that they can learn from others, accept their shortcomings, and be comfortable working alongside others. Pride professes that we are self-contained, at the moment we need others. The notion that one may become a burden to another, is an excuse to keep others in the dark about a need. God instituted families, communities and nations so that people are never going it alone. People who have difficulty asking others for help or prayer, will have a hard time believing that they need God. Time and again, we learn that though we can do things on auto-pilot and do them well, we often make a hash of things we have a lot of experience in.
“Become God’s instrument in His Hands to demonstrate His Greatness.”
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me; lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12).
There’s some comfort in knowing that we all have struggles. When God created everything, He was pleased with the variety and abilities He gave each one. None of His creation is self-sufficient; the inception of life makes that clear, from birth. The more knowledge and experience we attain, the less dependent we become on others. Paul learned that just because God revealed to him great mysteries, he was never going to be self-confident. God allowed Paul to have a pinprick that he couldn’t shake, to humble him. Knowledge is good but it can lead to arrogance. When someone knows things that few understand, they can be tempted to look down on others and become isolated. God has ensured that we are able to gain all the knowledge we can, but we will always still be lacking in excellence. He has created us all with limitations or weaknesses so that we can depend on Him and others.
“Pride professes that we are self-contained, at the moment we need others.”
Though some may consider their struggles something to clamor about to God, Paul saw troubles as a boon. He saw them as a means of getting all of God’s capabilities to compensate for his own weakness. He persistently pleaded with God to remove “the thorn” but God declined. You may have implored God to help you for a while and still not received a breakthrough. This very thing has made you come to God time and time again. If it were not for it, you would never come. There are no coincidences with God. This thorn has distressed you, but it has not destroyed you. You have learned to depend on God and He has always seen you through. Isn’t it better to have the best while still unsettled? Don’t be confident in knowledge and experience, be confident in partnering with God to apply His Best. Be assured that when leaning on God, His Excellency is imparted on your limited abilities. This is why Paul embraced his weaknesses; because when combined with God’s Grace, he had perfect strength. Become God’s instrument in His Hands to demonstrate His Greatness. Our best form is perfected when God is orchestrating every detail. As others applaud, under our breath we give God the Glory.
“The onus is on God to ensure that we do our best by His Excellency.”
14 Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. 15 “Call upon Me on the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me (Psalm 50).”
It takes some pluck to come to God in times of trouble. It requires we concede our inadequacy; we don’t have it all figured out and we are wanting in spite of all our knowledge and skill. This should not be our attitude just when in trouble. This should be our daily posture before God, because we are truly limited in every sense of the word. Get up and carry each day, with complete dependence on God whether or not you feel highly competent in your abilities.
7 “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. 9 But I will sacrifice to You, with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord ( Jonah 2).”
There are those who seek God, in their difficult times to negotiate a business proposal: “If you do this for me, God, I will do this and that.” They make vows under a contract. “Call upon Me on the day of trouble,” it’s that simple—Call! He promises deliverance. But we must remember He delivers so that we glorify Him and not ourselves. We must be thankful and pay those vows on the contract we created, without being asked to. Those who put their confidence in other things, forfeit their mercy. If we have God’s Mercy, we have everything for the moment we are in.
Do you wake up each morning to end each day glorifying God? This is a great motivation to haul out of bed; “LORD I can’t wait to see what you will do through me today!” We can bungle the day and still glorify God at the end. Why? Well, because we asked God to manifest in His Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding, in all the work of our hands. The onus is on God to ensure we do our best by His Excellency. So, there’s not an hour we are not calling upon Him.
Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): 3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jeremiah 33).’
The Word of The LORD came to Jeremiah while he was in prison. Think about that. God could have let Jeremiah out and then speak, but it was in the prison that God had intended to speak. Jeremiah was a devout prophet of God, who spoke what God told him to the people and the king—without sugar-coating it; and that landed him in prison. This outcome didn’t take God by surprise, that His obedient servant suffered for doing as he was told. God is no respecter of persons, so we should not think that bad things only happen to bad people. In the prison—the place of injustice and the furnace of affliction, God meets His people. God says to call to Him and He will answer with revelations of mysteries that we don’t know; things we could never learn anywhere else. Never waste a moment in His Presence, no matter where you are.
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy: 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Psalm 33).
“So, there’s not an hour we are not calling upon Him.”
Even the powerful, have no hope of victory in their formidable security. A nation is not delivered by its mighty army. We depend on others, technology and infrastructure, but we must not depend in entirety on arms of flesh or man-made things. We must always put our trust and hope in God, Who is above all things. Those who fear God don’t fear circumstances. They become more uneasy when they have failed to seek Him. In troubling times, its better to not grumble or shake your fist at God, instead come to God with your hat in hand and plead for mercy . It’s the best option and the best resolution to everything. People and man-made things lack foresight for all contingencies. God is looking to reveal Himself to those who fear Him alone, and depend only on His Mercy.
2 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me (Judges 7).’
Do you have to marshal a large number of people to support you, in order to get things done? Can you go forward with a handful of people who are more committed, than a large number of people who may not show up? Take God’s Word and lay it to your heart. It’s not about numbers— it’s about what God can do with one or a few people who are committed to do His Will. God will not give His Glory to numbers. When we depend on God and have like-minded people with the same vision, God will move according to our devotion and faith in Him.
“Those who fear God don’t fear circumstances.”
28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.29 For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall.30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all who trust in Him.31 For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 32 It is God who arms me with strength,and makes my way perfect. 33 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,and sets me on my high places (Psalm 18).
The Holy One of Israel taught His people how to war against greater nations than them. All they had to do was hearken and do what He told them. He gives direction and He never fails those who heed. He becomes our shield and our rock of strength, Who makes our way perfect. Only God enables us to climb to greater heights in the places He has called us. He is the making of our great accomplishments. In every battle, we can run through a troop and exceed expectations because He is the Commander of Heaven’s Armies. He makes us adapt to different circumstances—”makes our feet like the feet of a deer”. What an Awesome God, Who takes us from strength to strength!
18 The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty valiant men, men able to bear shield and sword, to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war, who went to war. 19 They made war with the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. 20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him (1 Chronicles 5).
There’s nothing greater than the Presence of God: There’s no want in His Presence. He hides us from adversity and adversaries, in His secret place where no harm can befall us. The LORD will teach us great and mighty things which we have not seen or heard. In His Presence, we inquire of the LORD, as we bend His Ear to us. He is our fortress, our strength and our full portion. He fights for us so that He is Exalted above all. We should make Him our dwelling place at every moment of every hour. This should be our greatest desire; to be hidden in Him.
9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested (1 Chronicles 4).
If you don’t feel like seeing another day, at least look forward to and get excited, about what God is going to reveal in His Presence. Jabez was given a name that depicted the pain he had caused his mother. Jabez sought God to change the course of his life. When those we love may see us as the source of their troubles, we should not be defined by others’ description of us. We can ask God to undo every negative word spoken of us and turn it into a blessing. God will grant our request for His Hand to be with us and will keep us from any destructive path.
Depend on Him for everything; even the least of tasks should not be done apart from Him. This is living the best life by the Best that has always been: Days spent satiated with joy in spite of struggles; believing we are never alone; persevering with praise under our breath, as we carry the day in obedience.
“Never waste a moment in His Presence, no matter where you are.”
4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me. Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord (Psalm 27).
It’s an honor to be invited to take part in an important event. But it’s not just about the event as much as it is who will be there or who the host is. Some events are once in a lifetime and require us to move things in our schedule just to attend. Invitations require a form of confirmation, so that the host can make ready adequately. Whether we wish to attend or not, it’s courteous to respond if we accept or decline. Invitations can even be more exciting when we don’t have to pay a dime for the pomp and circumstance. Our acceptance causes the host to bend over backwards, to turn it into something memorable for us and others. So we must dress the part to honor the event and show appreciation to the host for putting us in consideration.
8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite them to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22).”
“All must come with decorum befitting the momentous event.”
God gave an invitation to the wedding feast of His Son with His people—a relationship with His Son and His people. Those who got the first invitation made excuses for not attending and some went even as far as harassing and killing those who were sent—the prophets. This angered God, so He sent more servants to invite anyone they could find on the streets; because He had an enormous feast prepared, with ample room left to fill the place. Those who were given the first invitation, became unworthy of the fellowship, reconciliation and Everlasting Covenant—wedding, with The Son.
We have all been invited to have communion and fellowship with The Lord Jesus Christ; akin to a feast of the finest trimmings and dainties prepared just for us. Each one of us got our personal invitation and must choose how we respond. This is an invitation that has been standing for years. But once the window of opportunity closes, God will not change His mind. Do you know if your invitation has already been flagged as “unworthy”? How many invitations have you declined? There are others who will be invited, in place of those who found other fish to fry.
“Many are called but few appreciate the privilege of fellowship with The Son of God.”
Those who were unlikely of such an honor, picked up from the streets, were invited to the feast. They got one invitation and they couldn’t wait to meet and dine with The Lord. These were already considered by society as pariah, but God’s Grace welcomed them as He did those who had heard at first. All must come with decorum befitting the momentous event. Dressing in the wedding clothes in honor of The Son, requires one to be clean; not in his own garments of righteousness but the Righteousness of Christ. ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ It’s imperative that we aren’t lackadaisical when we come to fellowship with The Lord; but fervent in humility and deference knowing whose presence we approach.
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. 20 And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things; which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3).
Many are called but few appreciate the privilege of fellowship with The Son of God. The few that are chosen have made this moment a priority. Sacrosanct time has been set aside to meet with The Lord, by thrusting aside all other distraction. This is as special as a wedding celebrating the union between the Son and His follower. The few chosen come with etiquette of honoring and glorifying Him who has created a bountiful feast of His Word, and pleasure in His Presence. There’s an abundance of Goodness in The Master’s House and it will cost nothing. The spread will indeed satisfy our souls.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119).
We work to make wages we utilize for basic necessities, amenities and everything else we need that is life-enhancing. We are commanded to work so that we can provide for ourselves and others, but we are not commanded to neglect our souls while at it. Just as milk and bread is for the body, God’s Words sustain the soul. He says that we should listen carefully by inclining our ears as we go to Him for what our soul needs. He gives us what money can’t buy and bids us to get it for nothing—His Wisdom, Presence and a relationship with Him.
“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. 3 Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David (Isaiah 55).”
“Because we came, the Covenant is certain for us and the generations following.”
Invest and partake in what will satisfy and is everlasting. Living waters never run dry. They are for the thirsty soul. The parched will yearn to be filled with the inpouring of The Holy Spirit, The Spirit of Truth. Truth is enduring and will keep us firmly established on what is right and acceptable before God. Delighting the soul in abundance is basking in His Goodness; savoring what is good and living off of it.
Those who seek Him will be satiated by His Presence; they will not long for anything else. They have hope of sure mercies for themselves, even as given to David. That means, just as David was after God’s heart, they will receive mercy when they ask for it; mercies that are guaranteed. Mercies for themselves and those they love. Sure mercies carry on from generation to generation, because with God everything hinges on an Everlasting Covenant. Because we came, the Covenant is certain for us and the generations following.
“As the world beckons after us, The Lord calls us to still partake of our divine nature.”
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. 4 By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1).
The Word of God doesn’t only contain instructions, wisdom, truth, commandments and revelation of Who He is; it is chock-full of promises. Great and precious promises by a God Who never lies. We are asked to come and fill up on everything that pertains to life and godliness in His Own Divine Power. This a smorgasbord of exceedingly great and precious promises which make us a new-living soul in Christ. The more we fill up, the more we partake of the divine nature that is less conformed to the world. This is the bread and milk which satisfies and lives beyond this life; which build up divine qualities and characteristics that are not marred by the world’s views. As the world beckons us to come, The Lord calls us to still partake of our divine nature. This is what differentiates those of the world and those of The Kingdom of God. Those who abide in His Presence are renewed in Him. They exist in the divine nature which is renewed through communion and acquaintance with The LORD.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2).
This Covenant relationship is one that requires we play our part as well as we can. We are incapable on our own to meet the Master’s Standards. We are not called and chosen on merit but His Grace. No works outside of our relationship with Christ or works for our own glory win us brownie points with God. To keep up in any relationship there has to be unity. We can only do our bit as long as we abide in Christ; by letting The Spirit do the works of God through us. We are His workmanship; we are the clay in His Hands, for His Purpose. God prepared our bodies as the temple of The Holy Spirit beforehand, so that we can never boast that God needed us because we are noble beings. If we were a tad noble, Christ didn’t need to die. We are not sufficient in ourselves to waltz into the Kingdom with our own righteousness. All righteous acts are God’s Will and not our free-will. We are vessels for His Purpose not our own agenda. To Him alone be the Glory.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bond servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us ( 2 Corinthians 4).
Now that we are partakers of the divine nature, since we accepted the invitation to repentance and fellowship with the Lord, how remiss it would be to toot our horn as we come before Him. The star of the event is always the one being honored. We don’t preach ourselves, as if God needs to show us off. He chose us, to show off His Son in us. We have this great treasure in our body of clay—The Excellence of The Power of God to make us into Son’s-Likeness.
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11).”
Find refreshment and rest in Christ. He does the work in us so that all we have to do is love and obey Him. He still calls us to come to Him so that we can learn from Him. He is patient, gentle and humble enough to give us all He has, so that we can stop striving to be good, approved and accepted. The One Who reveals the Father chooses the ones who are willing to accept His invitation to come. He will teach us His Commands which are easy to bear, as long as we let His Spirit actuate our will. It’s a time of refreshing each day in His Presence, with each moment we partake of our divine nature.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever (Psalm 23).
So much can be accomplished when there’s unity. When people are welded together for a cause, they can be an indomitable force. They look out for each other by strengthening each other, for a common goal. There’s shared struggles and victories that give a sense of belonging. Strong values make it incumbent upon all parties to uphold and defend what defines them. The family unit is where we learn most about unity. The stability within the family shapes the character of each member, through communication and unity. We depend on each other but there’s one who sticks closer than our loved ones—The LORD Jesus. He taught us what it was like to be united with a loved one, and how it was the very core of His existence.
“Disobedience is bred out of distrust.”
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me (John 17).
The Lord Jesus did nothing apart from The Father—They were inseparable. He spoke what The Father spoke and did what He saw The Father do. As The Son of God, he exemplified unity with His Father in Love by obedience, even till His death. They had an unbroken fellowship, shared Glory and Power that was founded on Love. Christ came as a man to show us an example of how we are to relate to Our Father in Heaven. Disobedience is bred out of distrust. Lack of trust erodes love and leads to drifting away. Being one is being in agreement, which strengthens relationships.
This heartfelt prayer The Lord made was heavy on His heart. He wanted us to be one in Him, as He was in The Father. Believing in God is one thing, but being in agreement with Him is a whole other level. Though we have learned Scripture and believed it, we have to be of one mind with The One who teaches His Word. Until we are in unity, we remain unfruitful in our knowledge. Even though Christ was God in the flesh, He intentionally humbled Himself as One who did nothing apart from God. We can only be perfect, as He says, if we are in Him as He is in The Father.
What a privilege for the Creator of the whole Universe to long to be in us and we in Him. We share the same love and glory given to The Son of God, when we are one in Him. Just as the Son was to The Father, so are the sons and daughters of God. Why would He pray that we be one in Him? Because He wants the world to know Him through those who are found in Him: He wants us to receive of The Father the same Love He has received: The Lord Jesus is the first-born among many, but He is not a jealous sibling. He wants us to share equal privileges as children. We are living witnesses of Who Christ is by our abiding in Him. The Lord is still reaching out to the world by revealing Himself through us. God is willingly sharing the Glory He shared with His Son, with those who abide in Him. We are perfect as long as we are abiding in Him.
“Actions are proof of character.”
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, youwill ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples (John 15).
We are made clean by believing and doing what the Word says. But that’s not enough, because a spiritual transformation must be followed by actions that prove a change in character. We will always do what we believe is right in our own eyes. Actions are proof of character. They are fruit for all to see. Apart from Christ we can do no good thing, because He is the only perfect One. Whatever we do for our own glory falls short of His Glory. We are warned that if we choose to do life apart from Him, we are going to be cast out as unprofitable, then wither as dead branches that are slated for destruction.
Those who abide in Christ will bear much fruit because they allow Him to be the life in them, by submission. The fruit is the Character of Christ for all to see. By this The Father is glorified; when we let more and more of Christ’s likeness be our likeness. We believe the Word as God’s perspective on how we live, but we never live this life apart from the One who gave it to us.
“Abiding in Christ is casting off the old nature in Adam.”
15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ (Romans 5).
We all began in Adam. His sin led to the judgement of all mankind as a people incapable of obedience. God had all creation under judgement, but also had all creation under Grace by One Man, Jesus Christ His Son. An old creation abides in Adam, a new creation abides in Christ. While one remains under judgement for disobedience, the other is justified by Grace for disobedience.. Which camp are you in? Those who abide in Adam, abide in condemnation, but those who have received abundant Grace are those who exchange their life in Adam, for the Life of Christ. One man’s sin led to the condemnation of many, while One Man’s obedience gave justification for many through repentance.
See, the seed of Adam makes excuses for sin, shifts blame to Eve and others, but those in Christ believe they are sinners in need of grace, and seek reconciliation by repentance, and newness in the Son. They are grieved by their sin, and want no association with the likeness of Adam. Abiding in Christ is casting off the old nature in Adam. Christ imputed to us His Righteousness because we were wanting.
“We are perfect as long as we are abiding in Him.”
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2) .
Through the Spirit of The Risen Lord Jesus Christ, we are made one with Him. His Spirit dwelling in us, gives us access to the Father as He has access. We are made one in Him as He is in The Father. Just as children who have the DNA of their parents make them siblings, we become one household with other believers. As we are one in Christ we become one with other believers; one faith, One Spirit, One Savior, One God and Father. Only in Christ can any group of people truly live in unity for the betterment of others. This is because Christ is expressing Himself through each individual and is also making His presence dwell among them. They are not expressing themselves and their ambitions, but He is. So, they don’t see differences in each other, but likeness.
The Body of Christ—The Church, is the only community in the world that will outlive others in unity and love, with no barriers of nationality, race, political hue, education, profession or financial status. Like every family, they have disagreements but still remain united in Christ alone. The Church is the dwelling of God among His people. The Church is not confined to four walls; but is a people who abide in Christ and are united in their love for Him and each other. This is the place where all people from all walks of life, with all sorts of checkered pasts, can have a sense of belonging.
“It’s a lifetime commitment to live in Christ. “
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness (John 12).
Believing in Christ means believing in God. There’s no other God but the God in Christ Jesus. If we have learned from Him we have learned from The Father. We can’t believe One without the Other. He does not abide in darkness but light. Those who abide in Christ must walk in the light and not in darkness; they must do the things of light and leave off those of darkness. Sin has to be confined to darkness. Those who believe their existence now is in Christ should not abide in darkness but move out of it. They should not continue to do the things that corrupt, but shun evil. It’s a lifetime commitment to live in Christ. It’s a choice between light and darkness in our thinking and conduct.
Unity with our Lord is agreement with Him. It makes us one, He in us and we in Him. We are no longer in Adam but in Christ; justified by His Grace in our daily repentance, so that our fellowship remains unbroken. Our character becomes fruit for all to see; the nature of Christ in place of our own self-will. We are united with other fellow believers by love, as a dwelling of God’s Presence. The Holy Spirit makes us one household with access to our Heavenly Father. When we pray, we receive what we ask, because we keep His Word, and abide in Him. We have everything in Christ to be fruitful and glorify The Father. We believe that we are those who were chosen in The Lord Jesus Christ before the foundations of the Earth. Privileged to show God’s Grace and Glory; equipped with everything in Christ to live by Him, as beloved sons and daughters: Being made perfectly One in Him.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 4 Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself; according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1).
Everything that has life begins at a stage of inception and goes through different phases, then matures to its fullness. All living creation may go through growing pains so as to attain maturity. Growth is an integral part of life which is nurtured by relationships, environment, guidance, nutrition and genetic programming. Every child will grow up, but the right proportions of the aforementioned will determine how they mature. Growth is dependent on others in the early-formative stages of life: What is inculcated in us becomes part of us; principles that help shape our character throughout the stages of life. Growth is nurturing the whole person. Physical growth is beyond anyone’s control as cells are programmed by our DNA; to replicate a certain way, in concert with the surrounding environment. Spiritual growth however, can be manipulated by an inner desire for change. It impacts our relationships, attitudes, convictions, emotions, and motivations. Physical growth and spiritual growth make a person complete. Whereas we stop growing physically, we continue to grow spiritually.
“The wilderness is our place of growth by dependence on God.”
2 And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. 5 You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you (Deuteronomy 8).
Bread satisfies hunger pangs, but it does little for the spirit of man. We are a body with a soul. The soul is fed by the inner desires; on the things that build or destroy it. Our Creator has told us that man can’t live just by physical sustenance but by every Word that proceeds from Him. God established from the beginning that bread alone was never enough to make us complete, because we are physical and spiritual beings. To prove this, God led the children of Israel to the wilderness and there He fed them manna and gave them His Commandments. Children are completely dependent on their parents for everything; which encompasses language, nurture, rules, and a stable family structure. The children of Israel while in the wilderness, were completely dependent on God for the basic necessities. As they were led by God and kept by Him, they were fed, their apparel never wore, and they were kept from harm.
“Growth is nurturing the whole person.”
Our children don’t have to lose sleep about where their next meal will come from, because they depend entirely on us; they don’t have an alternative. As they depend on us, they must obey us. Their physical growth must be accompanied by their submission. We discipline them for disobedience. So did God discipline His people, who depended on Him. As long as we live in a world which God has created for us, we must depend on Him for our physical and spiritual well being. The wilderness is our place of growth by dependence on God. The Earth is not the promised land, but is a wilderness full of all sorts of dangers and uncertainties.
There are many things that can impede growth progress. Our emotions can get in the way of positive growth. We have to master negative or destructive impulses, by submitting to the authority of Word. Everything that corrupts will take us a step back.
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2).
As newborn babes desire milk, born-again Christians should desire the pure milk of the word, that they may grow. The proper nutrients matter for growth of a baby, so does the proper doctrine for a born-again Christian. We have left aside the things of the sinful flesh—inner desires which fed our souls, and now we are starting over as spiritual-new babes. We must be fed spiritual truth only from the Word of God; that proceeds from the mouth of God so that we can truly live in the Spirit, not in the flesh.
Growth has its purpose. Maturity is developing good traits that impact others. Why do we want our children to grow up? We want them to begin to make good choices, to become part of society by playing their part as well as they know how. We are called living stones, built up together, each one of us for the benefit of others into a spiritual household, where God dwells in our midst. God desires to dwell among His people, just as He did in the wilderness. In order for children to have the right environment to grow, they have to dwell under an authority. Our guidance and wisdom is the Word of God; the spiritual things that are acceptable to God. Doing those things that please God is offering spiritual sacrifices, in His honor; hence we are called a holy priesthood. He is Holy and we are His children, growing up into His likeness. When we understand the family and how it’s managed we will see that it’s a microcosm of the relationship of God with His children.
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 13 Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ (Ephesians 4).
“Maturity is developing good traits that impact others”.
We all strive for excellence in what we put our hearts into. We get into different careers, enroll in different programs, because we have very different interests. But we must grow in the skills so that we can be on our best form. For some, tragically this is about keeping up with the Jones’s. Competition is not a bad thing as long as it’s meant to edify us, give us momentum to try harder, and help us hone our skills. In order to grow, we must be willing to learn from others and share with others tips that will benefit them. If we make Christ the standard of perfection, we don’t have to be pitted against others but have a common desire to grow up into Christ—His likeness. Growing up into Christ in all things is ensuring that we are only responsible to Him for our conduct and performance. We must also be selective with the kind information we use to help us grow. Scripture is our go-to manual and wisdom, to discern true from false doctrine. Our goal should be to reach the maturity of the fullness of Christ. What is that maturity? The fullness of Christ is love. To be mature in Christ is to love as He loves.
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. That you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3).
Growth also enables physical strength. Spiritual growth develops spiritual strength which is endurance and patience. The Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ is the might given to our inner man. He emboldens us to do what is right consistently, irrespective of the outcome. We are compelled by our love for Him because He first loved us. We know the love of Christ in that while we were imperfect He called us His own. We are now of the family of God, and are called by His Name. Proper growth is impossible in isolation. Just as children growing in a family become acquainted with the love of a parent, and getting along with siblings; we are learning all the nuances that come with a family name: We trust, we share with those in our family, we love each other, are patient with others, we forgive, we repent, we disagree, we obey, we share joy and sorrow, we are rewarded, and we have an inheritance. To grow is to keep learning of The Lord’s Love. To mature is to be filled with the fullness of God’s love.
“To mature in Christ is to love as He loves.”
The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. 12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law; 13 that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked (Psalm 94).
We all know that a child who hasn’t received discipline or correction growing up, is going to have many problems within society. If left to their devices, they are disruptive, destructive and dissipated. Children are disciplined early in life by correction, punishment, and repetitive warnings; so that choosing right from wrong becomes ingrained in them. By disciplining them, we save them from harming themselves, hurting others, and a future riddled with trouble. Growth is never apart from discipline. Discipline is an act of love.
10 But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.11 My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside.12 I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth, more than my necessary food (Job 23).
Just like precious gold is put into a crucible of fire to remove impurities, our God wants to make us pure. There’s a battle for our soul and the Devil would like nothing better than to perfect us as his own. We must be tried and prove our calling sure by staying the course. Where is our treasure? May it be found in the words of His mouth. This is the hallmark of a growing Christian; they yearn to spend time in God’s Word and strive to walk in it. No Christian has reached the fullness of maturity in Christ, because He is the perfect Son of God who obeyed His Father from the time of His birth. So we as children, are often in need of discipline. God may choose whichever means necessary to bring us back to our senses; chastisement and rebuking from His Word. He does so because He has a day of judgement prepared for all. He doesn’t want to lump us together with the wicked on that day, but to spare us as His beloved.
“ To grow is to keep learning The Lord’s Love.”
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12).
When humans discipline others, they do so because they have been disappointed with their performance or conduct. They discipline those who have not met the human standards set for them, and have fallen short of human expectations. The discipline in this case, gives a painful reminder that compared to others, their conduct was abysmal. Human discipline is based on the expectations of others and it’s an expression of their disapproval. God’s discipline is based on His Holiness, that we may be partakers of His holiness. It hinges on His approval for His children to become better. It is a standard above any human one, and requires no comparison to other’s standards. God’s chastisement is the gateway to acceptance, by grace. He is our Heavenly Father, and we have to admit that our rebellion to Him requires His attention. When we are trained by the discomfiture of God’s discipline we earn righteousness, which is a godly trait.
“Growth is never apart from discipline.”
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrew 5).
When children are adults they don’t get a time-out, or get walloped on their behind for making wrong choices. They have reached a chronological age of maturity and should be teaching others good principles. They should be the ones disciplining their children or those in their care. Mature Christians don’t need to be reminded of the rudimentary Christian doctrines. They should be skilled in the word of righteousness, seeking out deeper truths and applying them in their day to day interactions with others. Daily exercise builds muscle, so does daily intake and implementation of God’s Wisdom: It strengthens our resolve. By our obedience, we grow closer to being more like our Lord Jesus Christ, in the full measure of His love, by loving others. We have hope during times of repentance that if we are under chastisement, we will be partakers of His holiness. We grow with others by edification and playing our part for the benefit of the whole spiritual household of God. We are still growing until we are changed to His glory, by the Life of the Spirit of Christ in us.
“Being fruitful is the evidence of growth.”
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 3).
Liberty is being able to boldly live what one believes. It’s not cowering to pressure but holding firm against it. Pressure to be bitter, to be indignant, to indulge in activities of darkness, to please others at the expense of our integrity, all these curtail freedom. Growth has to produce fruit—intangible and enduring characteristics, otherwise it is of no value. Growth happens with increments in quality and quantity of end-products, which have their purpose. Born-again Christians grow in the knowledge of Christ and in His love, by being fruitful. They increase from glory to glory, in greater measure in the likeness of The Lord. The outcome is not to have labored in vain, nor become unprofitable spiritually, and of no purpose to the Master. Being fruitful is the evidence of growth. Having gained the knowledge of Christ it behooves us to develop and nurture godly traits. It’s intentional commitment and discipline, to continue to grow so as to attain the full measure of Christ.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter:1).
Just as no one else has your fingerprint, everyone has unique and innate qualities. When God created mankind, he intended that we would all have His image and likeness, coupled with our personalities. This is vital for us to understand that we can never be like someone else, however much we admire them. We will always stick out as different. God loves variety; different bird species, animals, plants, shapes of clouds, distinct snowflakes and all created things. God expresses Himself within a garden variety to show His acceptance for all kinds. But we have to be willing to be set apart for Him.
We are a unique masterpiece in God’s plan. Of more significance is, it is a spiritual work of divine esoteric design. It is meticulously orchestrated with relevance and purpose. The Holiness of God makes Him The Most Unique above all created things. He’s intended purpose to make us in His likeness, was to be unique in Him.
“We are a unique masterpiece in God’s plan.”
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth (John 17).
This was the prayer of The Lord Jesus to His Father, for his followers. Those who belong to God will stick out like a sore thumb. They will be different from those around them, and this will make them unfavorable. Being sanctified is not being conformed to the world. It’s pledging allegiance to God’s Kingdom, and making no apologies for it. God’s chosen are not of this world, they were created and chosen before the foundations of the Earth, for God’s Kingdom. Though they were born in this world they will not be accepted by those of the world. They have born the likeness and image of the Son of God, as they are sanctified in His Holiness: set apart as holy by being cleansed from sin. Sanctification is done daily as is taking a shower. Upon repentance, they are robed in Christ’s Righteousness.
Just as The Son of God was not of this world, they have been groomed for an eternal dwelling. God keeps them from the evil one, because they have kept His Word. To the faithful, He shows Himself Faithful. The children of God are faithful to keep and obey His Word and live by His Truth. The Lord Jesus sanctified Himself by doing all that The Father asked Him to do; as He was so are we to be; sanctified by living in the Truth of the Word.
“Cleansing our way, is taking heed to God’s Word.”
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word (Psalm 119:9).
How are we to maintain the work of the Spirit of Christ in us? We are kept in it, by obedience. Unless one knows the laws of a place, they can’t be sure of whether they are breaking the laws. We have to be familiar with rules and laws, so that we are not caught breaking them. If anyone regards themselves to be an upstanding citizen, they must be aware of the laws and keep a clean record. How can we keep our nose clean? By taking heed to instructions. The Holy Spirit of Christ keeps us in God’s “good books” by sanctifying us to obedience. We have to read the Word of God to know how to conduct ourselves. But we also have to submit to His Word by thrusting aside our fleshly-rebellious nature, so that we live in His Spirit. Cleansing our way, is taking heed to God’s Word.
“Being sanctified is not being conformed to the world.”
21 “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all. They shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 37).
What are the things that make for unity? You would be correct to say, “Sharing or having a common good”. But how is that achieved? When we consider others as deserving as ourselves. Sin brings division, because rebellion against God has a direct impact on those around us. We can only love our neighbor as our self because we love God with all of our being. Loving God ensures that we please Him by how we relate to those around us.
28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12).”
The Lord Jesus said that the first commandment is like the second, the two were not mutually exclusive. One could not do the first, and fail at the other. When we place worldly things and pleasures before godliness, we put our own interests ahead of others. Idols are things we put our confidence in that take precedence over everything and everyone else. Idolatry leads to defilement with all sorts of lust and greed, that causes divisions while it separates from God. When King Solomon built altars for idol gods, for his many foreign wives, Israel became fragmented. What unifies a nation is moral principles that foster brotherhood. These are innate characteristics that can only be cultivated by reverence and honor for God’s Standards. God desires for unity but it must involve separation from the things that bring division; from the things that defile. When God’s people shun wickedness, they begin to be unified by righteousness.
“Pruning is purging unfruitful characteristics that impede progress.”
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me (John 15).
In order to be fruitful as Christians, we must remain in the Word. It requires that we abide in Christ and He in us. Just as a branch cannot be fruitful when severed from the vine, we can only receive spiritual nourishment from Christ. We feed on His Word by applying it to our lives and become fruitful when we act upon what it says. The Word convicts us to purge the unproductive elements of our lives. When we are willing to be corrected by Scripture, we can get back on track to being fruitful—useful and productive by the knowledge we have attained. We are sanctified so that we can develop more of The Lord’s qualities. Pruning is purging unfruitful characteristics that impede progress.
41 I will accept you as a sweet aroma when I bring you out from the people and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will be hallowed in you before the Gentiles (Ezekiel 20).
Notice that in order to stand before God, we must come out from among others. Our devotion is also measured by the quality time we share exclusively with Him. We make an individual commitment, and He honors it. He says He will accept us, for being willing to separate from others by sanctifying Him as our God. We have to come out from them, before we can enter into the Presence of The Holy One. Unabashed by our relationship with God, we make a public profession by boldly living differently before others.
10 “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ 12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them (Ezekiel 20).
Sometimes, God has to bring us to a place of trials so that we can only depend on Him. During these times, all we may have at our disposal are His Commandments and Scripture. We don’t know how we will come out of the wilderness experience, but we can choose to wait in His Presence. When God strips us of our confidence in the things and abilities we have long built our hope in, He tests our loyalty to Him. He never leaves us, but uses the circumstances to bring us to worship. Until we acknowledge that He is our source of everything in this life, we will find ourselves in places where we have no choice but to humble ourselves. So, God gives us the opportunity to set some time aside to be sanctified. Time aside to be removed from things and people, to be emptied so that He may fill us. He commands us to set aside a time, where we meet with Him, so that He may forgive us, cleanse us and set us apart, to establish us as His own. He requires we do this consistently, because humans are prone to getting easily distracted.
“We have to come out from them, before we can enter into the Presence of The Holy One.”
21 Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel (Ezra 6).
When the children of Israel had separated themselves from the filth of those around them, they had a goal in mind. They were set apart so that they could seek the Lord. They were intentional and diligent to prepare themselves for fellowship with God. God was so pleased that He filled them with Joy. We don’t find joy in spending our days trying to fit in with those who have turned their backs on God. When we desire to have fellowship with God and we prepare ourselves, by planning our time, not defiling ourselves, being with others of the same mind, we will find that in His Hand are pleasures forever more. He gave them favor with the king of Assyria, a pagan king, so that they may have everything they needed for the work of God. No holds barred, God will use anyone to meet the needs of those who choose to be set apart for Him.
For a Christian; who is a follower and believer of The Lord Jesus Christ, every character of Christ should be nurtured. He has called us to abide in Him; be sanctified, consecrated and set apart as those who are not of this world but to do His work here on Earth, by obedience. We need consistent refreshment by getting into a sanctum that is uninterrupted by the world ; so that we may be cleansed, pruned, sanctified, nourished and empowered to carry another day. We are the unique work of His love.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work (2 Timothy 2).
We try so hard to do things by the book; to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. But we often fail, because we are existentially imperfect. While we try to love others as well as we think we know how, we also have the knack of falling short of expectations. When we know that we have hurt someone we love, our hearts droop with disappointment. We feel like we have blown it and our relationship could be in jeopardy. Why? Because we think we have done our best and we yearn for their acceptance. This is especially true when we know they love us and we feel indebted to reciprocate. Guilt from broken relationships can lead to insurmountable emotional and mental distress. For the sake of our own peace of mind, we must take the first step to admit fault, to bring healing and reconciliation. Most of us can do this. The motivation is always our love for the one we have offended.
“Love compels us to mend fences.”
10 For “He who would love life and see good days: Let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (1 Peter 3).”
To patch things up, we have to fess up to our failures, and seek reconciliation because we value our relationship. Love compels us to mend fences. It’s vital that we do what’s necessary to maintain good relationships with others; how much more with our Creator and God? God is no respecter of persons; He forgives the humble and contrite. Humility is the beginning of uplifting. We cannot find a resolution, until we accept that something has to change; by admitting we can do better. Our words can inflame the situation, so we must keep a reign over our tongue.
God is merciful and patient, so we can’t afford to keep brooding in our guilt. It doesn’t benefit us when we go against God standards. We hurt others and we rob ourselves of peace and joy. When the Lord’s face is against us, nothing will prosper.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold, from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84).
We have to make peace with God. We start by taking a humble stand of admitting we are in dire need. Our need is forgiveness, so that we are made whole—mind, body, and soul . Unless we come to the place of unworthiness and needing God, we will not receive His Mercy. God’s eyes and ears are open to the prayers of the righteous. He gets the attention of those who acknowledge He is Merciful and full of Compassion. He withholds no good from those who seek His Goodness.
“Humility is the beginning of uplifting.”
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness. According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge (Psalm 51).
God is Holy and Just. He requires very high standards that no one can meet. So when we sin, He has a right to mete out the punishment we deserve. The police, the courts, parents, administrators of schools have every right to discipline and punish those who break rules and laws. We should therefore, not expect less of the Creator of all souls; Who dwells in Highest Heavens. But for God’s Mercy, we would be destroyed. God longs to show us His Loving kindness. His Mercy must deal with our condition. He prescribes a surgical removal of our sins, so that we can be cleansed of its effects. We must admit that we are carrying sin, practicing it and have need of its complete excision. We can never be right with our fellow man, when we have fault with God. Against Him and Him only have we sinned. We may have hurt someone, but we have not sinned against them. There is One Greater than mankind. Repentance is a cry to be purged of offenses against God and others. Repentance is an admittance to God’s Mercy.
15 For thus says the High and Lofty One, Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit: To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 16 For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, and the souls which I have made (Isaiah 57).
How refreshing and comforting are these words to the one who is lugged with guilt. The One Who is High and Lofty has said, He longs to dwell with the contrite and humble in spirit; in His High and Holy place. Our Lord longs for fellowship and unbroken companionship. He wants to revive us: Make us live again by His Grace. He longs to revive the soul ravaged by sorrow and guilt. We are the souls He has made and He loves us with an Everlasting Love. He understands how fragile we are when there’s a broken relationship. Who can love like this? As I said earlier, we are indebted to those who love us. We love those who love us, but when we fail them it crushes us. They may not feel like we are deserving of grace, but God does.
God knows how much our guilt can destroy us. He longs to pour His Grace, but we must first come on our knees. God doesn’t brook pride. Pride makes excuses for a deteriorating condition. Pride is petulant. Humility is a willingness to admit we are unworthy on our own merits. We have to abhor our sin, resist it, flee from it and return to God. He will welcome us in His Presence, and with chords of love, He will uplift our spirit.
“Repentance is an admittance to God’s Mercy.”
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4).
A contrite heart comes before God as a destitute, who has nothing to be proud of. Sinning against God should pierce our hearts to a point of grief, because we have dishonored Him. We must handle sin like a plaque; wash our hands, purify our hearts and plead with God to remove it. Then, we must commit to turn our backs on it. We can’t afford to be wishy-washy about the things that will destroy our souls. We should be drawing closer and closer to God each day, by delighting in submitting to His Ways. People who love each other tend to be compatible; they value the same things. Relationships are stronger with like-mindedness.
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You. But to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You (Daniel 9).
Humility accepts the consequences of misconduct. Daniel doesn’t complain to God for the punishment meted to the Israelites, or for being taken captive with them to Babylon. He admits they were deserving of what they got. Daniel loved God so much, and knew he could prevail upon Him to show Mercy to the Israelites. Just because Daniel had stood before God as an upright man, he didn’t feel entitled. He pleaded like a beggar and didn’t use third-person pronouns, but put himself in the same boat as the disobedient. A contrite heart pleads for the mercy of others. When we have admitted our sin, we must be willing to take the punishment without complaining, and pray for restoration. God doesn’t owe anyone anything.
“We aren’t justified by comparison to others, but by humility.”
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18).”
It’s so important that as believers, The Body of Christ, that we never think ourselves better than those around us who don’t submit to God. We aren’t justified by comparison to others, but by humility. We are told in this parable that when we pray while comparing ourselves with others, we are callous and arrogant, because we justify our deeds as superior. Our deeds don’t commend us to God but our need for His Mercy. We have no right standing with God, when we believe we are made righteous by our own righteous works. We are made righteous by our admitting we have nothing righteous in us and cling to His true Righteousness; which He imparts to the penitent heart. Good works are the works of Christ in us. Humility allows Christ by The Holy Spirit within us, to do the will of God.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin (Romans 3).
Humility gives glory to that which is more excellent. A contrite heart is unpretentious in the presence of The Holy One, by admitting failure. Humility is the opposite of pride. By looking closely into God’s law we see how far removed we are and how much more we need His Righteousness imparted on us. Our works will never pass muster. We are to be living in repentance, covered daily by His Grace. His Grace causes us to come openly, and willingly so that we are forgiven. Because He longs to offer us His Loving kindness, we choose His Mercy over our pride. God desires that we live with Him in constant fellowship. This relationship hinges on love. Because we love Him, we will maintain this relationship.
We will be humble to do what The Holy Spirit commands us to do. Our submission and love causes Him to enfold us with His Righteousness. Righteousness is the work of the Spirit, and is not to be compared with others’. As long as we are His Children, we will also accept His discipline; so that we are made to be more like Him. Love draws us closer to Him as we fain to be made into His Likeness. This is a relationship that will continue into eternity, and is worth all the investment.
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12).
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