Wait a Minute or Two

Waiting has become a national irritation; perhaps it is one of yours as well.

Lines in banks or in stores, late friends or family members, sitting in the “waiting” room too long past the appointment time, spouse issues too many to mention; waiting grates and pushes against our sense of what is “right”.

Waiting is a BIG thing for our God as well. The meaningful difference between how we tend to see waiting from how God sees waiting is that He sees waiting as a good thing. No, not that waiting itself is a good thing, but that waiting indicates a good thing.

Just moments before He left His friends, Jesus told them to wait:

And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait…

Not that waiting is tough enough by itself but Jesus asked His friends to wait around in the very city where He was horribly treated and crucified just days before. The religious and political rancor was at extreme high; the danger was palpable!

…wait for what the Father had promised. “Which.” He said, “you heard from Me; for John baptized you with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now”.

So that which “the Father” had promised was going to be delivered but there was evidently a prerequisite to the receipt of the gift. Clearly, the Father could have delivered the promised gift in any manner He chose. For some reason He chose to deliver it to those who “waited”.

There is a scripture that is probably very familiar to us; familiar to our minds perhaps but far too unfamiliar in practice.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble and badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31

Once again waiting seems to be the path to the promised benefits. Waiting is the ultimate illustration of our faith!

The psalmist knew this depth of this display of faith:

To Thee I lift up my eyes, O Thou who art enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master. As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the Lord our God until He shall be gracious to us! Psalm 123:1-2

Before ending this discussion it is important to address two levels of waiting. The first is waiting for some specific relief, a specific blessing or a special need. The second is where we begin to touch the essence of the inscrutable God, the presence of waiting for whatever He has in mind for us.

Waiting takes time. Time is the only thing that we have that once spent cannot be replaced. It is the greatest, most personal thing that we can offer.

When Thou didst awesome things which we did not expect, Thou didst come down, the mountains quaked at Thy presence.

For from of old they have not heard not perceived by ear, neither has eye seen a God besides Thee Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:3&4

Purpose yourself to wait!

Higher, Wider, Deeper and More

Seven different churches were addressed in the first pages of the Book of Revelation. Seven different churches all with different issues that displeased our God!

Seven different times, God’s message to these dysfunctional churches was to “overcome”. With the “over-coming” came promised blessings and providence.

What is it about over-coming that God so enjoys?

Making a decision to turn your life over to God by accepting Jesus and His sacrifice is the pinnacle of decisions. No other decision that we ever make will create a celebration in the heavenly realms.

The next level of decisions is the level of decision wherein we place our trust outside of what we see and know. This is the place of “over-coming”. At these times, we often don’t feel like overcoming; we don’t much feel like anything spiritually enriching. In times like this, we are lost in our own despair or scattered in our own plans and schemes.

Many times we have “settled” for far less than God’s desire for us. It is in these times that the tender mercies of our God call us to “over-come”.

So, today just perhaps there are seven people who God is calling to this place of overcoming. Are you one of His beloved?

God Reveals You Personal Value

Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other people in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:4

There have never been enough people, even all of those born since the beginning of time, that would be sufficient for the exchange for even just one person (Me?)!

It took Jesus. That was the ONLY way!

Enough said? Let your praises be heard even in the far reaches of Heaven!

Fruit That Lasts

What follows is a very difficult question. Take some time to consider, to contemplate and to face the truth of your real answer.

The question:

What difference does Jesus Make in your life?

Notice; the question is NOT what difference does Jesus make in your death, but what difference He makes in your life! Another point to the question is: what difference does He make in your life today, not at some future hoped for point.

Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly”. John 10:10

There is a big difference between the words “may” and “will”. The gift has been given, it is our responsibility to pick it up and to put it to use.

Scripture says, “ the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. Galatians 5:22-23

A obviously stupid question is, if you walked up to an fruit tree and found nothing there would you consider there to be something wrong? Of course, so let me ask you, “what is wrong?” Why are the fruits borne by the Holy Spirit not evident in our lives?

So, are you content where you are or is there a yearning for a deeper life?

Jesus came to provide it.

A Safeguard

Years of sacrificial servant-hood ministry had brought successes and disappointments. Now he found himself in an all too familiar place. Paul writes: I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus, for it is only right for me to think this way about you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers of grace with me… Philippians 1:6-7

Paul a “partaker of grace” was sitting inside of a prison cell with an unknown future. Let us not pass by this point too quickly, the cells of that day were quite different from our cells of today. The cells were often in the worst parts of the town and were rat and disease infested dark and damp, filthy places. There was no provision for the prisoners except that which was provided from the outside by family or friends. Yet in this state Paul proclaims that his heart resides with his friends in Phillippi.

One of the underlying purposes for his letter was to thank his friends for providing not only the resources to see him through the ordeal but individuals to minister to him as well. To this point Paul says: For I have no one else (other than Timothy) of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. Philippians 2:20

The picture would look bleak to most ordinary people. Here he sat, after years of effective and sacrificial ministry, locked in ugliness with only one person he could trust and depend upon and the only news heard is the squabbling and the self interest within the church.

Yet his thoughts were elsewhere: I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to me; because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. V.25&26

How is it that one in such a desperate position has only the concern for the welfare of others who appear to be less desperate?

Paul reveals to us the key to the kingdom of peace and joy: Finally, brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same thing again is no trouble to me and is a safeguard to you. 3:1

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! v.4

Is the point made yet? Over and over again it is worth proclaiming. Rejoicing is the pathway out of our troubles.

Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men; the Lord is near!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be know by God.

Prayer + supplication + thanksgiving = and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! V5-7

The conclusion: Finally, brethren, whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONORABLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVLY, whatever is of GOOD REPUTE, if there is anything WORTH OF PRAISE, let you mind dwell on these things. V.8

Is it time we reconsidered some of the things that we allow to be put before our eyes and minds? Not everything that is harmful to our spiritual health is evil or even just bad. Some things are acceptable for most people but work against our spirits.

Consider the doors that you open to your mind!

Things that Delight

Have you ever felt diminished by hearing the stories about the wealthy in our society contributing to a cause or to a university or to a hospital; how about those who sacrificed time and money to help the people in Louisiana and Mississippi? Then there are the many who man the homeless shelters or roam the streets looking for the homeless on the coldest nights.

All wonderful acts, but how does our God see them?

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight. Proverbs 15:8

Have you ever considered that your prayers are a delight to Jesus?

Why?

There is absolutely nothing that speaks God’s language of faith more that prayer!

Hebrews 11:6 makes the bold statement: Without faith it is impossible to please God.

He is always waiting to hear from you! Don’t make Him wait!

Who is King of Your Mountain?

Elections always seem to bring out the worst of people. In addition, court decision after decision seems to frustrate those who stand for integrity and justice. So many times we get our focus off of where it should be. Psalm 2 brings it all back into proper perspective.

Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His anointed!

Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!

He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them.
He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury!

But as for me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain!

“Install THE KING” upon your mountain! There is no mountain that He cannot “laugh at”. Too often we stand a fret at the foothills of the mountain in front of us rather than delivering it to the King!

Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” John 14:27

Whatever has been worth your worry; whatever has been worth trading your peace for; that is worthy of surrender to the King of the Mountain!