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God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him. Philippians 2:13 (CEV)
Living a life of obedience was never intended to be done in our own power. One of the first acts of grace was for God to instill in us the desire to do the things necessary for us to live under the power of the Holy Spirit.
That’s good news for those of us who are weak in our walk. Often we come upon a challenge in our lives and don’t know which way to choose, or don’t want to do what we know we should do. But God will guide us through these times if we let him. He will never force us to do what we don’t want to do, but he will always encourage us to do what is best for us and for others.
Philippians 2:13 also contains a challenge for us. We can not idly sit by and expect that God will do the work for us. A farmer may pray with all sincerity that his fields be plowed, but unless he puts his hand to the plow there will be no crop. In the same way we can pray for good health and that we’ll lose weight. But if we never exercise and eat our fill of unhealthy food there will be no positive results in our endeavor to be healthy.
We serve an almighty, omnipotent God. A God who, through his power, created the universe and controls all of nature by his will. But he will never force us to do anything against our will. The human will cannot be forced to do anything, yet a will that is in tune with God will be able to accomplish great things.
So why do we have the struggle Paul so adequately identifies in Romans? Why do we continually do, think and feel in ways that are repulsive to us while at the same time we struggle to do the things we truly want to do?
Sometimes we fail to listen to God’s leading. Jesus promised us his Spirit as a helper, not a tyrant; a guide, not a dictator; freedom to choose, not a brainwashed mind. When we listen to him he exerts an influence on us that makes us willing to obey Him.
Other times we struggle to follow God’s leading because God works in slow ways, like a crock-pot. We live in a microwave world and serve a crock-pot God who works slowly to accomplish his will. We often lack the patience for him to do things in his timing.
Your Heavenly Father never intended for you to be in this alone, but he never intended to do all the work of the relationship either. Relationships that grow slowly grow stronger over time. Let his power work deep within you to guide you. He knows your weakness and is willing to walk with you to be an over-comer.
PRAYER: Father God, I earnestly desire to see you work in my life, but struggle to do the things I know you want me to do. Help me to live according to the promise that you never intended me to do this alone. Empower me to see your direction and listen to your voice and then to act on what I hear. In your name, Amen.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fool. Romans 1:21-22
Relationship is an interesting thing. The more one puts into it, the more they get out of it. First of all, we need to define ‘relationship.’ In a relationship, both parties benefit from being together. If only one person’s needs are being met it’s not a relationship. It’s an arrangement.
It’s sad to say, but many marriages never get to the ‘relationship’ stage. As a result one person feels like they give and give and give with nothing in return. Eventually the stress is too much and divorce (either emotional or physical) happens.
The same is true in our spiritual lives with God. Many people believe in God or a god of some sort. But knowing God or about God and being in relationship with God are completely different. Compare it to a physical love relationship.
What does a perfect love relationship look like to you? Don’t you think constantly about the other person? You go to work. You go about the mundane tasks of life. You hang with friends, deliver the kids to soccer practice and fold the laundry. But in the back of your mind there is always that thought of the person you love.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. The God of the universe earnestly desires a passionate love relationship with you. But relationship with God, like any relationship is a two-way street. Our Father God has given everything for us, even his only Son, Jesus. What does he want in return? Our love. Love shown through obedience to the things we know we should do. Love that is shown through avoiding the things we know are wrong.
When love is given and not returned we call it being ungrateful. When we are ungrateful to God for his blessings it makes our hearts insensitive to his desire to draw us to himself. We show ingratitude by compartmentalizing our lives. God is good on Sundays. God is looked to in the face of adversity or severe trial. As one pundit remarked, “When a jetliner is going down, there are no atheists on board!”
The longer we live lives that are ungrateful to God, the more our hearts grow insensitive to God and his leading. Will God still bless us? Sometimes, but those blessings may not satisfy. We can receive outward blessing and still harbor inner turmoil. Turmoil that we seek to fill with other gods like financial security, new ‘relationships’, social action, or religion.
Your Father God in heaven is real. He earnestly desires to have a relationship, not an arrangement with you. Part of that process is showing him living gratitude in your thoughts, words and actions.
PRAYER: Father God. I don’t want to be one of those who never shows my gratitude for all you’ve done for me. Forgive me for following my own way and expecting your blessing when I’m really being ungrateful. Empower me with your Spirit to enter into a passionate love relationship with you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. John 14:23
Imagine what it would be like if your favorite actor, athlete, author or some other public figure gave you a call and said something like, “Hey there, I’ve been thinking of you lately and was wondering if I could stop by your house for a chat?”
What would you do? Thank him profusely and tell him under no circumstances do you want to see him? Would you suggest that you meet him elsewhere, say a restaurant or coffee shop or your favorite burger joint? What if he insisted that he come to your house and that he would be there in an hour?
No doubt you’d look around and decide what could and could not be cleaned. You’d think about repainting or re-carpeting…but you don’t have time. You may even consider borrowing a neighbor’s house and telling your guest that he had the address wrong.
Once your emotions were somewhat under control you’d think of the people to invite, the food to serve…you still have time to run to the store for a few things. Over the span of the next 59 ½ minutes you would do everything in your power to have your home looking it’s best for your guest.
Take this story to a whole new level. Now imagine that your guest really isn’t coming just for a visit. He wants to move in. He wants the room down the hall and on the left and he wants to be able to wake up every morning to have a cup of coffee with you and chat about the day ahead! Oh, and instead of this guest being some admired public figure, envision this guest as being God instead of some famous public figure! Sound outlandish? It isn’t.
Jesus told his followers that he and his Father not only wanted a relationship with them. He wanted to live with them. Let that sink in a bit. The great God of heaven, the creator of the universe, the almighty, all powerful, all knowing God WANTS to live with YOU.
Now, you may think, how would I ever be able to prepare my humble shack for God? That’s the other beautiful part of this story. You don’t have to clean up to get ready for him. God wants to come into your home and do everything that needs to be done for him to dwell with you. How’s that for an Extreme Makeover!
You may be thinking, “I’m not worth all that”, and you are right. You aren’t. But God’s desire for you is based on his love for you, not on your worthiness to receive it. All he asks of us it to love him and show him our love by obeying his word.
PRAYER: Father God, I’m in awe to think about how much you must love me if you want to live with me. There are days when I don’t even want to be around me, but you always want to be around me. I pray that you would come into my home. Forgive me for the mess I have here. Empower me by your Spirit to show you my love through obedience to your word. Amen.
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10
There are perhaps few things in life more frustrating than when our work and good deeds go unappreciated. You work hard to get it ‘just right’. You tend to every detail and make sure all is in place for a successful day or event. For all your hard labors you get the ‘know-it-all’ who manages to see every flaw or, in Christian love of course, tells you how you can do it better ‘next time.’
In the meantime you walk away thinking, ‘There will NEVER be a next time. Why do I do this?”
Then there are the people that completely misinterpret your intentions. The see everything you do as an attempt to elevate yourself when you were really trying to be the servant Christ called each of us to be.
If you are someone who works to serve people, especially people in ministry, teachers or parents, you know the feeling. Like the little red hen you work hard and feel all alone and unappreciated in your labors. God’s word offers hope for you. The writer to the Hebrews reminds each of us that God is a just God. Don’t read Hebrews 6:10 so quickly as to miss the nugget of truth and encouragement: “He will not forget your work!” Others will miss it, critique it, tear it apart or find ways to do it better. God remembers.
It may not be this week. It may not be next year. It may not even be until you are able to see Him face to face. But someday your labor will be rewarded. Don’t grow weary in the battle. When you do things for others and feel unappreciated try to remember that you are really doing those things for Jesus.
But there is a double edge to God’s sword of justice and it’s one of the painful, but real, parts of scripture. God’s justice works both ways. If you are living for him and obeying Him; if your relationship with Him is growing through prayer, Bible study and personal and corporate worship and you are being mistreated, his justice will be sure.
On the other hand, if you harbor unconfessed sin in your life. If you are refusing to forgive someone or are angry, bitter or resentful towards others, then God’s justice may work against you.
It’s important for us as, especially as Christ-followers, to remember that sees life and justice differently than we do. God’s view of justice has more to do with bringing us into right relationship with Him than it does making us feel comfortable and appreciated.
If we are harboring sin, doubt, worry, anger, bitterness or resentment in our hearts, He will do whatever He needs to do to bring us into right relationship and obedience to Him. He isn’t concerned about yesterday. If you have made a mistake yesterday (or in your past) ask for confess it to Him, ask for forgiveness and rely on His Holy Spirit to move on. Then, forget about the mistake.
The double-edged sword of God’s justice is this. No matter where you are in life, you will encounter those who hate you, mistreat you and misunderstand your motives. When that happens do a spiritual self-examination. If your heart is right with God remember He looks at your heart and knows your true motives. If you find some way in which you have transgressed, ask forgiveness and move on. Either way, God’s justice is fair, true and loving. Rely on Him for today.
PRAYER: Father God, I confess to you that many of the things I’m dealing with are a result of poor choices and my rebellion towards your ways. I ask you to show me where I’ve failed and then help me to grow in relationship with you. During those times when others wrongfully accuse or misunderstand me I pray for your strength and encouragement to move on. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 