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And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:4 (NLT)
Rules. No one really likes them. Even when you are the one making the rules you don’t really like them. Rules can be made for many reasons. Some people make rules to protect themselves, to gain power over others, or to stop some issue that they have a personal problem with.
Nations have fallen and lives have been lost because people revolted against the rule makers or the rule makers enforced the rules harshly. Rules, by nature, carry with them the idea that you can’t have freedom and rules at the same time. Ironically, that is a rule in and of itself.
Rules can also be made with our best interest in mind. “Don’t touch a hot stove.” “Look both ways when crossing a street.” “Don’t do drugs.” Good rules. Made with your best interest in mind. No control issues there.
But we still get burned. We still get hit by cars when we run into the street. We still get addicted to drugs. Why? Because the human nature, the voices of the enemy tell us that we are invincible. We go ahead and have the affair because we’ll be careful and not hurt anyone. Speeding this time won’t hurt. Wearing a seat belt when I drive is being a sissy. We make up all sorts of excuses.
But breaking rules really amounts to one thing that none of us really wants to admit. Sin is fun. That’s another lie the enemy tells us and to be honest, he’s right…sort of. There’s something in our human nature, the adventurous side that tells us it’s exciting to live free of rules and that nothing bad will happen to us or others.
Oftentimes, people who proudly flaunt their lives of ‘freedom’ do so to cover up a gaping wound. They try to fill that wound with all sorts of things. Activities, friends, drugs, sex, multiple partners, even good things like working for charities. But they just can’t fill that wound.
The Apostle Peter shows us how to fill the void. The salve that heals our wound isn’t found in ourselves. It isn’t found in anything we see or do in this world. Healing comes through faith in Jesus Christ. The rules, so to speak, that He gives us for daily living aren’t so He can control us. They are there solely for our benefit.
That wound inside yourself can only be filled through forgiveness and faith in Jesus. The old nature, your human side, will still try to draw you back to the old ways. The ways of so-called freedom, but you know that so-called freedom only leads to more pain.
Allow the promises and new life of Christ to empower you to live in true freedom. Freedom from the guilt, the pain, the fear of being caught, the fear of death itself. He promises to empower you through His Spirit to live a full, refreshing, happy life free from the pain of the wound.
PRAYER: God in Heaven. I’ve known about you for a long time. I’ve even given my life to you at one point. But the pain of this wound was too great. I tried to fill it with things that didn’t satisfy and ended up hurting myself and others. Please forgive me for my weakness. Empower me to live for you in freedom. Thank you for your promises of excellence and power in my life. I accept your forgiveness and resolve to live in your power from this day forward. Amen.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
What a tremendously powerful promise! Paul is telling the Christ-followers in the City of Ephesus that the same God that created the universe and all that is in it, who sent His son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind, who rose Jesus from the dead and placed Him at a place of honor in Heaven’s throne room, who sent His very Spirit to dwell within those who choose to follow Christ. This same God has promised us that He can and will use us to do mighty things. Things that even go beyond our wild imaginations!
There’s an old adage that says “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!” But this adage doesn’t speak to the power of God working within us. He has the power to do whatever He wants as is evidenced in history, and the desire to see us prosper for His glory. His promise is sure. He can do amazing things through us.
So why is it then that we don’t see amazing things happen in our lives? You may ask, “If God is able to do those things why isn’t He doing them in me?” There could be several reasons we don’t see God working miracles in us and through us.
- We may not be looking! Some people look at things as being ‘mysterious coincidences’. But in reality there is no such thing as a coincidence. Our Sovereign God works in marvelous ways. Sometimes we need to train our eyes to see His work. Just as we often fail to notice a beautiful sunset, or appreciate the beauty of a flower or the new born baby.
- We may be locked in our past. It is easy for us to look at the mistakes we’ve made in the past and think that those mistakes will keep us from seeing God work in mighty ways. Take a look at the people in the Bible. All of the great ‘leaders of Faith’ stumbled and fell and failed God often. Yet they rose from their past to perform great works for the Kingdom of God.
- We may be imprisoned by sin. Jesus came to forgive us of our sins. Once we accept Christ we follow a new set of rules. A set of rules built on relationship and love, not law and condemnation. While we may be forgiven, if we continue to live according to the patterns of the world we may hinder God’s ability to work through us. His power is becomes greater as we grow closer to Him in a relationship of love.
- We may need to change our focus. Sometimes we have an idea of what we want to do for God rather than seeking what He wants to do through us. Seek His direction through Bible Study, prayer and your accountability group. Make sure you are following HIS vision and not your DESIRES. Even though your desires may be good and valid, they may not be what God wants you to do.
- The hard story of consequences. The story of God’s Grace is found throughout the Bible. In the midst of all those stories of God’s love and forgiveness however there are some hard stories, tough lessons to learn. Take the story of Moses for example. Moses focus in life was to bring God’s people into the promised land. But as he approached the border of the promised land God told him that because he struck the rock to get water rather than speaking to the rock, he wouldn’t enter the promised land. God used Moses mightily before and after the rock incident. But in the end he only got to view the promised land from a distance. Sometimes the consequences of our choices in the past can keep us from attaining all we hoped for. God forgives the sin and cleanses the conscience. But sometimes, for reasons we don’t understand, the consequences remain. Can God still use us? YES! Does He still love us? DEFINITELY. Should we give up and consider ourselves failures? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Regardless of the consequences you may be bearing from past choices, God has a plan for you and wants to do mighty things in your life!
PRAYER: Holy God. I thank you for the many stories in the Bible that show how you work through the lives of imperfect people like me. I confess that too many times I’ve doubted your ability to use me, or failed to clean up my life so I can be used by you. Forgive me for my rebellion and sin. Show me where I need to change so that I can see you work in me. Because of your promise I’m claiming great things for your Kingdom! Amen.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
When we are infants we are totally dependent on our parents for everything from moving from one point to another, food and drink, entertainment, clothing and safety and protection. As we grew older we began to learn new things. The world became alive with new experiences, things to explore, activities to try. We begin to think that the world is a playground and that we are at the center of it. We are invincible!
But something happens along the way. We fall. We stumble. We get burned. We fail. In the midst of that learning something else happens. We begin to doubt. It could be because of critical parenting. It could be because we’ve begun to see ourselves as failures. It could be due to emotional or physical abuse. Gradually, without our knowledge or realization we begin to realize we aren’t invincible. We are not the center of the universe. Where we once thought anything was possible, life teaches us the cruel lesson that perhaps nothing we desire is possible. We lose our dreams, our focus, and our ability to see ourselves as successes.
During those times of self-defeat God says. STOP! I am with you. I, the creator God of the universe. The One that holds the stars in my hand and dictates where the clouds go and the rain falls. The one that sees every bird that falls from the sky and every fish in the sea. I am with you. I am not near you. I’m not within calling range. I’m not merely available. I AM WITH YOU.
Because I am with you I will help you. I will walk by your side to see that you prosper. I will walk by your side during the dangerous, scary, disappointing, frustrating times of life. I’ll help you when you fall. I’ll applaud your successes.
It’s not about you anymore. It never really was. It’s about me. It’s about the fact that you can’t (never really could) do it on your own. It is by my strength that we will walk life’s journey together. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.
Live life today with the realization that you never ever walk alone. Your heavenly Father is yearning to uphold you in anything you do. During your successes and failures. During your rebellion and your times of need. He is there.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. When I think of all you have done for me. When I realize that you have walked with me, by my side through everything. I am in awe. I don’t understand why you have allowed some things in my life. I’m thankful for other things. I ask that in everything I will sense your presence and love today. You are truly an awesome God. Amen.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2
The fairy tales of old all have a familiar ring to them. They all start ‘once upon a time’. It doesn’t matter when they started or took place or where. They started. That’s all that needs to be known. The other thing that rings true is how they end. ‘They all lived happily ever after.’ The tyrant or big, bad wolf, or wicked witch all vanished. The flowers grew, the birds sang and life was good. Forever.
As children, perhaps one of the reasons we loved fairy tales so much was that they give us a glimpse of life that we know, as adults, will never really happen. Wolves win sometimes. Wickedness doesn’t just go away. Giants still roam the land and the walls of our unseen prisons seem inescapable. Fairy tales gave us hope that someday things will work out. Our dreams can be attained. Miracles will happen.
Isaiah 43:2 gives us a more realistic view of how life happens and what we can expect. There will be waters to pass through. The original languages describe this water as ‘deep water’ such as an ocean. There will be rivers to cross. Rushing, rock smashing rivers that threaten to tear our boats apart. There will be fire. Consuming fires that have no regard for the sanctity of life or the treasures we possess. Fire destroys everything.
But along with the horror Isaiah describes comes hope. When the Israelites were trapped at the edge of the Red Sea. And Pharaoh’s army was closing in. And there was no way out, no hope, nothing left to do but surrender and hope for the best. God made a way through the deep waters. He took a hopeless situation and brought His people through it.
When Israel needed to cross the mighty river Jordan to enter into the land promised them long ago. God parted those waters. The rushing torrents were silenced. He delivered His people safely through to dry ground.
When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to give into an evil world system. Innocent as they were and following God’s law to the letter, their fate was sealed by an evil king bent on proving his power. Yet when the King looked into the furnace he saw the impossible. The men were walking around in the midst of the flames. When they were released, they didn’t even smell of smoke!
Three lessons. Three examples of life’s attacks. The open attack of an enemy. The barriers to our dreams. The attacks when we are innocent. They each come into our lives. We were never promised that we would not see adversity and calamity in our life time. We were promised that in the midst of the most violent circumstances our Heavenly Father will walk us through. He loves us. Even in the direst of circumstances He will see us through.
PRAYER: Father God. I thank you for the promise you made that my life is completely and totally in your hands. Today I have many worries and concerns. It seems like my enemies are surrounding me. Sometimes I think I’m my own worst enemy! Help me to trust you in the midst of the trials of life. Thank you for loving me. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 