His Process Not Mine

My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. Galatians 4:19 (New King James Version)

Growth and development in the Christian life were Paul’s strong desires for the converts he communicated with. To see Christ formed in them and reflected through them was his passion. Although he longed for it and did much to encourage them in that direction, he knew it would be a process and that it would take time. I have come to realize that even though I can have a desire to grow in Christ and I can ask God to bring about that growth, it is God’s choosing as to what the process will entail.

In the spring of 2004, when I took my first steps on this journey, I had a list of things I wanted God to do in me. I wanted an intimate relationship with Him. I wanted to find my identity, security, and life in Him. I wanted His Word to come alive to me. I wanted to have the very characteristics I saw in others. And I asked God for those things in prayers such as, “Do in and through me what You have done in and through others.”

What I didn’t know was HOW He would go about doing that. I had no idea it would involve pain, sorrow, bewilderment, and the removal of many hindrances. I didn’t know it would involve revealing my own heart issues to myself and bringing me to the end of myself. I didn’t know it would involve changes in relationships. I didn’t know growth would come through loss. But it did and at times when I didn’t think I was going to make it, God would tenderly remind me of my prayers to Him that He was faithfully answering.

As I look back on the past few years, I have no doubt they have been the most painful and yet most productive years of my Christian life. What God has accomplished could not and would not be accomplished any other way. With that realization, my prayers now have a back drop of wisdom that as I continue to ask God to do whatever it takes to form Christ in me, that He will wisely use what He knows will work. I cannot be trusted to come up with the right ingredients or materials for the molding of my life. He alone knows the beginning from the end and the best way to get to the end.

This past Thanksgiving, I was once again profoundly struck by all that He has done for me both spiritually, and emotionally this year. I am not the same person I was a year ago and I head into a new year knowing there is more of the same ahead as I sit upon the Potter’s wheel and yield to His touch and voice.

Father, at times, I doubted the very things You could and would do. I now stand in awe and thankfulness for not only the results but for what You used to bring about those results. Continue to form Christ in me. All glory to You! Amen.

The Potter's Hand - Darlene Zschech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSyKUoCxFMU&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Recognizing God's Work in Others

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Galatians 2:9 (New King James Version)

Oh the preciousness when others can recognize and perceive the work of God in us. Paul and Barnabas were given the right hand of fellowship and the acknowledgement that they should minister to the Gentiles by the pillars of the early church. God’s grace in their life was evident to those who had experienced it themselves. How tragic it would have been had none of the early Christians been able to see that God was active in the lives of others.

While it is true that we are human and have limited perspective, I grow concerned when God’s work in a life is not evident to fellow believers even though He IS working. The opposite is also a concern for me, when people assume (falsely) that someone is on top of it spiritually but in reality they walk empty and aloof of intimacy with God. I have known both examples personally and they have taught me to be discerning with the opinions of others. Just as my perception of others can be dead wrong so can theirs be wrong of me. I must be careful not to let their thoughts replace what I know to be true.

Having said that, I can attest to the fact that once God begins working in a life He will make it very clear to others and they will often be faithful in sharing what they are seeing. I have learned to listen to the affirming and confirming words of others. When numerous people from different walks of life are saying the same thing it gets my attention and I walk with an assurance that changes really are being brought about in me.

While it is important that I keep my ears tuned to God’s voice, He often uses people to help me see things a little clearer. He knows that finding the balance between listening to people and listening to Him is still tricky for me but He will help me get there. In the mean time, I delight in the times someone will pull me aside and say, “I see growth in you.” Because the journey can often be slow and daunting at times, I need the insight of others to help me see what I am not seeing on my own.

Paul and Barnabas did not stake everything on the opinions and acceptance of others, but I am sure it was encouraging to be received by them. May God bless each of us with individuals in our lives who can perceive us accurately and may He allow us to be that for others.

Father, You have often let me know truth through other believers. Thank you for the ones who let me know what they see You doing in me. Help me to be the eyes for others as well. Amen.

Potter's Hand - Darlene Zschech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSKe-gSXjAs&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

How Teachable Am I?

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Galatians 2:11 (New International Version)

Have you ever had someone point out an area in your life that needs to change? Have you ever been the one who had to do the pointing out? Most of us are not comfortable in either role, but maybe that is because we fail to appreciate the necessity of it at times. When Paul saw Peter’s hypocrisy, as stated in Galatians 2:12, and the effects it was having on both Jews and Gentiles, he did the right thing. He confronted Peter and let him know in no uncertain terms that he was in the wrong. We are not told what Peter’s reaction was but I believe that by this point he had developed a teachable spirit. Paul had not told him anything he did not already know and the confrontation would have been enough to direct him toward necessary change. Paul was simply being a “truth teller” and Peter was to be the recipient of that truth.

I have been a student of Scripture long enough to know that God wants to get more mileage out of this passage than just what pertains to Paul and Peter. He wants me to bring it into the present and allow Him to develop in me the quality of being teachable when someone has to pinpoint areas in my own life. He wants to get me past the hurt feelings, the taking it personal, the sense of shame, the squirming, as well as the desire to run and hide. He wants me to be willing to hear and accept the truth from those who are willing to tell me the truth about things that need to change in me especially when it comes to attitudes of the heart.

There are really only two options for me when it comes to taking in truth. Either I can be willing to hear it from the Holy Spirit and act upon it or I can wait until God determines it is time to bring people along to tell me to my face what I am trying to avoid hearing from Him. Up until now that has been a terrifying thought for me, but only because I have bought into false ideas of what they are saying and why they are saying it. God’s heart as well as theirs is for my good and eventual growth. He is giving them the discernment to know what is hindering that growth. I need to see their words as gifts rather than reasons to cringe.

In the privacy of my home when my spirits are high this all sounds easy. I know though, that the real test will come the next time I am living more in the flesh than in the Spirit and the confrontation comes. Will I be receptive? Will I be teachable? Will I be grateful? I pray so and I ask God to begin now to prepare me.

Father, I want to be teachable and approachable in times of weakness. Help me to want truth and help more than any attitudes of my heart that are not of You. Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Changed By None

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9 (New King James Version)

The preaching and acceptance of “other” gospels abound today…just as they did in Paul’s day. Paul makes his point clear and goes so far as to repeat it twice for emphasis. It doesn’t matter who the message is coming from, if it varies from what the Bible says both the message as well as the messenger are wrong. Period! No exceptions. It has to be that way because the result is the difference between Heaven and Hell.

It is not a matter of Paul’s opinion and it is not a matter of our opinion. People will attempt to say that is what it all comes down to. If that were the case there would be no truth and no security for the believer. I have seen people get irate when they are told there is no other way to Heaven outside of Christ. They seem to think that is a denominational, religious, man made view. But that is not true! Jesus is the One who said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” I don’t believe it because my church teaches it (although my church does teach it). I believe it because that is what the Bible says. I have to have the Bible as my foundation of truth.

None of us are to look at our words, other people’s words, or even an angel’s words as being on par with God’s Word. We are all fallible but God is not. Our words do not hold the same permanence or importance as God’s Word. Not only can we not elevate our words, we cannot elevate our experiences. Having an experience, such as a visit from an angel, cannot be a reason for second guessing or changing what God’s Word says….especially in the area of salvation.

One of the reasons I am so adamant about this is because I know my own heart and the bent in me toward idolatry if I don’t guard myself. I am too easily drawn toward experiences and personalities. Even when what is being said or experienced is lining up with Scripture, I still need to keep my eyes on God and I still need to keep the pages of the Bible open before me. People and angels are God’s messengers but may I never forget the One who sends them and may I never allow them to become a god to me.

Father, although I will continue to learn from others, may I hold on to You with one hand and on to your Word with the other. Center me between Your heart and Your voice. My allegiance is to You. My attention is on You. Keep me focused on You and Your Word. Amen.

Thy Word - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLHWFpSlq4

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Healthy Review

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Galatians 1:13, 14 (New American Standard Bible)

Paul never let go of the reality from where God had brought him. His life prior to his conversion stood in stark contrast to God’s work of grace in his life. Not only did he know of his past, others did as well. His reputation followed and preceded him as he crossed paths with individuals. After all, he was at one time adamantly opposed to Jesus Christ and any of His followers, as well as passionately involved with Judaism and the traditions of his ancestors. Knowledgeable in the letter of the law but blind to the Author of that law.

Although Paul knew where he had come from, he also knew it was no longer his way of life. He knew God had radically changed his life and he lived his new life in Christ with as much zeal as he did his former life. He was a billboard of faith that clearly showed the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.” A fuller appreciation of what was “new” for Paul was gained as he thought back to his former manner of life.

Looking back on one’s life must be done with the intent of realizing, appreciating, and proclaiming the work of God that has taken place. If it leads to shame, self-loathing, contempt, discouragement, or guilt over things already forgiven and covered by the blood of Christ, then it is nothing more than a review that puts one in a mental and emotional prison of torment. That should be a sign to us that the enemy of our soul is close at hand. Those “calling cards” are his finger prints and his plans are always to destroy us.

One way to foil his plans is to review the past allowing it to bring forth praise and thanksgiving for all God has done. Thankful for the forgiveness. Thankful for the fresh start. Thankful for the past being the past and not the present or future. Thankful for ministry that will be birthed as a result of a new life in Christ. Thankful that none of it need be wasted but rather used powerfully in the kingdom work of our Heavenly Father. Thankful that God saw fit to bring us into a different way to live our life and a different direction to take us. Thankful that our past no longer defines us. Paul knew how to view his past and we can learn from the example he set for us.

Father, I choose to turn each memory into a celebration of Your redemptive work! Amen.

I'm Not Who I Was - Brandon Heath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3SjCuSkaNs

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Word for the Weary

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 (English Standard Version)

While today’s verse is often used to speak of service for others, God made it personal to me last night. I related strongly with the word “weary”. Other translations use words like tired, exhausted, loss of heart, fatigued, and spiritless. It has the idea of fainting and going limp! God knew that was where I was at once again. He knew the cycle of thoughts that were playing over and over in my mind. Thoughts of despair, failure, being a burden, unlovable, in the way, and unchangeable. He knew giving up was an option that kept looking appealing. He knew the perceptions of myself and others that screamed louder than the truth. He knew my feelings of foolishness, shame, and embarrassment. With all that He knew He offered me the words of Galatians 6:9.…”Don’t give up. Don’t quit. Don’t give in to the thoughts. It is worth the fight!”

What’s “the good” He wants me to continue doing? Speaking truth. Taking thoughts captive. Applying Scripture and its principles to my life. Asking for help and prayer. Accepting the gifts of friendship He has blessed me with. Putting on the armor of God. Resisting the Devil, his lies, and his tactics. Reviewing who I am in Christ. Keeping in constant communication with my Father. Living by faith more than feelings and emotions. Getting enough sleep. Eating healthier. Being controlled by His Spirit instead of my flesh. The list of good things that are good for me is endless as is the power that comes from each.

Battles are tiring. As I think back on this most recent one I can very easily beat myself up for not being victorious. I eventually let the wrong thoughts take over and it affected my outlook and demeanor. I shut down and distanced myself from those who would help and pray if I would but ask. When it was all said and done I felt like an isolated mess. Yet God still whispered, “Don’t give up. Get back in the fight. Others are praying for you and believing in my power to change you.”

Do I fear the next battle? There’s apprehension because of my past track record. But with each battle there will be growth and lessons learned. There will be fresh awareness of God’s involvement and assistance at all stages. It is a process. I will see victory one step, one thought, one decision at a time.

Father, each time the battle rages and I fear I’ve lost the fight, You come. I will not make it without You. Amen.

Come to Jesus - Chris Rice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjZEDg9ZGKQ

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Seeking Enslavement

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? Galatians 4:9 (New American Standard Bible)

Paul was astounded that those who had come to know Christ would seek to place themselves back in the realm of being a slave to the law. At first glance, I can find myself questioning how they could do such a thing. How could they go from the standing of a child to the position of a slave? Who would do that?

If I take this passage of Scripture and see it only as an indictment against the Galatians I fail to let Scripture become applicable to me. I fail to see myself and therefore fail to see change. Scripture is meant to shine the light of truth on me. It is meant to get personal! So where is it getting personal for me today? Right now?

In my 36 years of being a Christian I have never once desired to go back to the way I was before becoming a Christian. In the almost 6 years of being on a journey that led me out of legalism, I have never once desired to return to a performance-based way of living my Christian life. So what is it that I do find myself turning back to? What is it that I desire to be enslaved to all over again? What is it I fail to let go of completely? A relationship with and connection to a former mentor. Like the children of Israel leaving Egypt, I am physically removed but the emotional pull is still present. Like an alcoholic who refuses to abstain completely from alcohol, I find myself still doing things that will allow me a continual taste of her influence and teaching. It is an addiction and a powerful one at that!

Last night, with the help of my accountability partner, I came to see this as much more than an area of addiction. I saw it as competition for who would sit on the throne that rightly belongs to God. I saw my “giving in” moments as testing God much like a child will test the boundaries set by her parents. I saw it as a willful, determination to keep it a part of my life when God has clearly shown me it is off limits. What I saw was not pretty or comfortable but necessary. It was a serious matter and one that required attention, brokenness, repentance, and a fresh commitment to walk in obedience.

This morning, the tears of last night have dried but the determination to follow through with what I prayed is growing! I no longer wish to reserve a place in my heart to that which has been my enslavement to idolatry.

Father, Your mercy, patience, and forgiveness have been and continue to be amazing! Thank you for persistently working to bring me fully to Yourself. Amen.

Painting Pictures of Egypt - Sara Groves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcIA4Cnj6j4

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

The Same God

(For He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), Galatians 2:8 (New American Standard Bible)

Different ministries, different men, different gifts, different opportunities, different weaknesses, different strengths, SAME God. The very God who called, equipped, and worked through Peter, called, equipped, and worked through Paul. Each of us need to see that same truth applied to us.

Do you know someone who is being used of God in mighty ways? The same God is using you! Do you know someone with whom God has brought about changes in their life? The same God is changing you! Do you know someone who is being held and upheld by God in the midst of struggles, failures, and negative circumstances? The same God is holding and upholding you! Put in any person’s scenario that has the fingerprints of God and know that He is the same God for you.

While we aren’t to compare ourselves with others, we can find a great deal of assurance and comfort from seeing that God is involved, impartial, and interested in each one of us as individuals. He doesn’t play favorites with some while ignoring others. He is not watchful of some and blind to others. Pick any Christian today, any Biblical character from centuries ago, any kingdom child and know that you are just as loved, just as thought of, just as chosen, just as cared for, and just as guided by God as they have been.

It doesn’t mean God will allow you the same exact opportunities. It doesn’t mean life will work exactly the same for you as it has for them. It doesn’t even mean prayers will be answered in the same way. Why? Because we are individuals with individual needs. God knows what is best for each one of us. God chooses to work His plans and purposes out in our lives for our good and His glory. Uniqueness of situations, ministries, and growth does not mean loved less. It means God has unlimited ways of working in each of us.

For those of us who easily condemn ourselves, live with feelings of inferiority, believe ourselves to be invisible (a lost face in the crowd), and think others are a top priority of God’s while we sit at the bottom of the list, God wants the message of His love for us and involvement in our life to sink in and challenge the core beliefs we have come to embrace about ourselves and about Him. He wants His Word to make it from our head to our heart. He wants us to see the truth and allow it to impact our life for good!

Father, You treat me as if I were an only child even though You have many children. To know that I have Your ongoing attention, acceptance, and interaction in my life is beyond my ability to fully grasp but I hold on to it just the same. Amen.

I Offer My Life - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ar5EfvAcU&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Refusing to be Brought Back In

And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Galatians 2:4,5 (New King James Version)

At one time, the Apostle Paul had lived a legalistic life….keeping the law in hopes of earning salvation. He went to great lengths to impose that view on others even to the point of seeing them imprisoned or put to death. His life was marked with the keeping of the law as well as the traditions of his forefathers. Unbeknownst to him, he was in bondage to the religious system of his day and made it his goal in life to keep others in bondage as well. Is it any wonder that once he learned the truth about salvation and had a personal encounter with the God of that salvation that he detested the idea of ever being put into bondage again? Although he would face the physical imprisonment of jail, he refused to allow his soul to ever again be in bondage. Freedom was his through Christ and freedom would remain his.

But it wasn’t just his freedom that he held on to, it was also the freedom of fellow believers that remained his passion. For any who would come into their meetings with the agenda of taking people back into legalism Paul refused to yield to their thinking or pressure for even a moment. He knew the truth, lived the truth, held on to the truth, and made sure that truth remained untainted.

I have never been one to believe I could earn my way to heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments or being good. Salvation by grace alone was readily accepted by me as a teenager. But I knew the bondage of letting outside standards and church traditions be the basis of my “spirituality”. I knew what it was like to live my Christian life thinking I had to earn God’s love and acceptance through rules instead of relationship. I knew what it was like to be guided by men’s opinions and preferences rather than God’s Word and Spirit. It is a bondage filled with the sense of condemnation, guilt, shame, and never being good enough. It was a way of life that left me feeling that God tolerated me more than loved me. Once I learned the truth about God’s love and living out of grace instead of law, it was a bondage I never wanted to return to again.

In the course of conversations, it does not take long for me to detect when someone desires to put me back into bondage by either their words, cold shoulders, or judgmental looks. Paul’s answer is my answer. I refuse to submit to their way of thinking. Knowing the truth about salvation and also about freedom in Christ is too precious to abandon for any chains of the soul.

Father, I have known bondage and I know freedom. It is now my passion to proclaim the truth and embrace You. Amen.

In Christ Alone - Brian Littrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKq4tJte0lQ

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

That Which He Promises

The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace. Psalm 29:11 (New American Standard Bible)

I came to Scripture this morning in need of assurances and promises. God knew that! Even when I cannot put into words what I am feeling, He knows. Even when I cannot trace the starting points of internal pain, turmoil, or sadness, He knows. He knows me so intimately that His answers are available even before I know what questions to ask.

In the quietness of these early hours, He promises me strength in the midst of my own weaknesses and failures. How desperately I need that reminder. So often my failures and mistakes stare me in the face and God wants me to know they can serve as reminders that His strength is there. Strength to get me on my feet again. Strength to resist temptation. Strength to face the conditions of my heart. Strength to come before Him with boldness and honesty. Strength to admit the truth to Him and to know it will not change His view of me or His love for me. Strength to turn my gaze off others and on to Him. Strength to rise after a fall. Strength to look at today with hope, passion, and anticipation. Strength to reject the perceptions of yesterday.

He promises to bless me with peace. His peace. The peace that Jesus said was unlike anything I would derive from this world or from people in this world. Peace in the midst of strife. Peace in the midst of uncertainty. Peace in the midst of turmoil. Peace in the midst of unmet needs, unrealized dreams, and unfulfilled desires. Peace in the midst of struggles and faltering steps.

Taking in His words this morning and embracing His promises to me help me to receive what He has pledged. His offer is always present if I would but reach out and accept what He graciously extends to me. How sad when I live as if neither His strength or His peace are upon me! When I take the mentality that I am on my own I forfeit the ability to live out of His strength and peace.

Today is a day whereby I need to bask in the light and warmth of what He is saying to me…what He is promising me. As I do, the effects will be felt. The results will be noticeable. The necessary shifts in me will begin.

Father, I choose once again to walk in the light of Your Word and Your presence. You have not left me or forsaken me. You have not thrown up Your hands in exasperation or disgust. You have not set me aside in disappointment. I take my first steps into a new day with my hand in Yours, knowing that all is well. Amen.

Your Are My Hiding Place - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zej__yFPeK0&feature=PlayList&p=C0C5F92CF1DA2486&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Who Are We Running To?

But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Galatians 1:15-17 (New American Standard Bible)

At one time, I would have read Paul’s words and limited them to Paul’s story only. Set apart from my mother’s womb and called through His grace? They were words that I couldn’t seem to fit into the realms of my belief system. It would require a confidence that I was not invisible, unknown, and unwanted by the Creator of the universe. How far from the truth that all is and how I praise God it is no longer the case! I no longer have trouble slipping my name into such precious passages of Scripture.

Yet one phrase has caught my attention this morning and already I am pondering the full ramifications of it. When Paul had his encounter with God and started his walk as a Christian, he “did not immediately consult” others….not even those who were apostles before him. Knowing myself and how easily I have and still do run to others, I am asking myself why Paul didn’t. The answers God is whispering to me are astounding me and reshaping my thinking.

Paul had lived the life of a Pharisee. He could all too well remember how he had allowed others to dictate doctrine, faith, standards, and conduct to him. His former life was one lived more in connection with people than with God. Their opinions and advice were held on equal footing with God’s Word (being the Old Testament only at that time). Along with that there would have been a sense of safety derived from being under the care of others. He knew little of discerning God’s voice and direction for himself. Continuing to live in such a mode would be disastrous and not enough to equip and prepare him for what lay ahead. Allowing others to give him the foundational building materials for his walk with God would for sure set him on shaky ground. At some point early on, Paul made the conscious decision to allow God to be His primary Instructor and Guide. It is not that Paul could never again confide in others and listen to their wisdom, but he knew his beginning steps and many subsequent steps had to be with God alone.

Today’s thoughts come as no surprise to me because God has spent the past several days helping me to see that there are times I need to seek His face, His Word and His voice alone. It is a shift whereby I must derive my sense of safety and direction from Him. If I know what He wants me to do in any given situation then there is no need to run it past others. If I know I have heard His voice on an issue then there is no need to seek a second opinion. There will be times when the counsel of others is appropriate and necessary, but God is wanting me to see that for me it must become the exception rather than the rule.

Father, there are many reasons I have run to others before, after, or instead of talking to You. Help me to check my motives behind my seeking them out from this point on. Help me to gain confidence in my seeking of You. Amen.

Sing for Joy - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBVeBmwVPN0&feature=PlayList&p=A0420A7CA644FA0C&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=32

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

The Basis for What We Share

For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11, 12 (New American Standard Bible)

The Gospel message of salvation through Christ alone is unique because as Paul stated, it does not originate with man and is a direct revelation of Jesus Christ. Many today do not want to see the truths of Scripture as God-breathed, God-ordained, God-given, or God-inspired. They feel it is one of many messages and that all messages are on equal footing. Nothing could be further from the truth. What Paul presented as the only way to Heaven was not his opinion alone nor was it simply passing on what he heard from others. It was revealed to him by Jesus Christ Himself. Because of that, he could speak with confidence and boldness.

When it comes to sharing our faith we must come back to this basic truth as well. It is not what we think that matters. It is what God thinks. It is what God says in His Word. It is what God has laid down in clear, undeniable ways. While others may think it is simply our opinion or the opinion of our church or the way we have been taught, we do not have to own those thoughts as our own. People either don’t realize or have forgotten that Jesus is the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6) He is not one of many ways to Heaven, He is the only way to Heaven. He left no room for variation. No one else can claim equal footing with Him or be put on the same level with Him. Jesus alone lived a sinless life, died as a sacrifice for each of us, and victoriously rose again the third day.

I spoke with a man at my place of work earlier this week and he told me about a book he had been reading. It suggested that numerous men had been born on December 25th and actually had 12 disciples. His conclusion was that all were the same. What a wonderful opportunity I had to share with him the truth about Jesus. Jesus did not have His beginning at Bethlehem. He is eternal and the Creator of this world. That can be said of no other person. What my friend had to realize was that truth has to be based on God’s Word and everything we read or hear needs to be filtered through the pages of Scripture.

As believers, this is what we need to realize. We hold the true message in our hands and are God’s means for getting that message out to others. We are sent by the authority of God with a message given by God Himself. It is a message that has been preserved down through the ages and we need to pass it on to others as the truth that it is. Paul was not swayed from knowing the truth and we need not be either.

Father, I stand on what You say is truth. Help me to freely and boldly share with others that which is revealed in Your Word. Amen.

In Christ Alone - Brian Littrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7m5MU5qx7U&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Who Has Our Attention?

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (New American Standard Bible)

The one we seek favor from and the one we strive to please will be the one we serve. Our attention will be on them and our actions will be geared toward them. They will have our allegiance as well as our following. Paul knew that as a bearer of the Gospel, he could not afford to seek the favor and pleasure of people because it would get in the way of what he was called to say and do. His message had to stay untainted as well as his motivation, mindset, and ministry. Some would have tried to silence him or at the least mold his message into what they wanted. Paul was not interested in embracing their agendas. He had one Master to serve. One to whom he would be a bond-servant. That was Christ!

For some, this verse would not be a problem to live out. Their sites are set on Christ and their dependency is built upon Him. They rely upon Him, lean on Him, and stay close to Him on a consistent basis. They are able to interact with others, minister to others, and be with others without it robbing them of their loyalty to God. There is never a swaying of their attention. I admire them and envy their strength.

For me, one of my greatest weaknesses has to do with seeking the favor, approval, attention, and pleasure of others. Why? Because I can so often attempt to derive my significance from them. With everything in me, I want to look to God for that but find myself drawn toward the need for others to instill it in me. For others to love me. For others to give me my value, worth, and identity. My needs are legitimate but where I am turning to get those needs met is not. My prayer to God on a regular basis is to help me shift my needs on to Him. To turn my attention and my desires toward Him.

God has graciously helped me make progress in this area but He and I both know that there is much more progress to be made. As He continues to probe the deepest caverns of my mind and soul, He is helping me to understand the basis for my looking to people and the growing dependency I can have on them. He desires my freedom even more than I do. His intent is that He becomes my focal point with undivided allegiance and attention. People will always be a part of my life (that is one way God chooses to work) but I want to come to the place where I am His bond-servant in every sense of the word. Living my life totally committed and totally connected to Him spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

Father, touch my life and redeem my story. Thank you that Your grace and Your hand run deeper than the most ingrained tendencies in me. Amen.

Above All Else
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGLGA78vpwA&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Kept From Turning Away

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7 (New King James Version)

The truth of the Gospel is clear. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are the basis for salvation. There is no other way to Heaven. No other way to receive forgiveness of sin and become a child of God. Becoming a Christian is through faith alone, by grace alone, and in Christ alone. It was the foundational truth of Paul’s ministry and that which changed his life and the direction of his life profoundly. It is a doctrine that cannot be altered, added to, or substituted. Any distortion of that truth is presented with purposeful intent on the part of those who would seek to do nothing but lead others astray and God will hold them responsible.

Paul’s amazement is an appropriate response to what he has seen take place in the lives of fellow believers. He sees their turning away as desertion. Desertion of the very One who died for their sin and rose again. The very One who called them into His grace, into His family, and into His arms. The One who promised to never leave them or forsake them. It was a puzzlement to Paul for he knew what it was to be forgiven and to live in and by the grace of Christ. To step away from that into another realm of thinking and behavior was beyond words. They were exchanging the truth for a lie. What a tragic choice!

I am asking myself the question, “How does a person make such a decision?” I remember reading an article by a woman who had at one time been a member of Jim Jones’ church, The People‘s Temple. When asked how she could fall into such erroneous teaching she said any of us can be deceived and misled if we get away from what the Bible says. When we stop reading it for ourselves we are vulnerable to false teaching and distorted truth. Her words have stuck with me and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I need to stay in God’s Word for myself. It is not enough to attend church and hear the sermons and teachings of others. It is not enough to read numerous devotional books. It is not enough to attend women’s conferences and take in what others are saying. It is not enough to build a personal library full of great Christian material. All of those things are a blessing and advantageous but the bottom line is that there must be a searching of the Scriptures in the private moments each day. It is imperative that I regularly read God’s Word and see the truth for myself, holding to what it says without compromise. The Bible is infallible and must be my plum line for truth. All teaching must align with it…not the other way around.

Father, Your Word is the truth I hold in my hands and in my heart. Keep me focused on You and what You say to me each day. Amen.

Ancient Words - Michael W. Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmTkXNpwzs&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Our Starting Point

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5 (New King James Version)

Paul’s desire and prayer for the believers at Galatia was that they would have grace, peace, and deliverance. He knew that those things could so easily be sought in wrong places and from wrong sources, so he wastes no time in pointing them to their true Fountainhead….God. God had to not only be their Point of Origin for creation and salvation, but for grace, peace, and deliverance as well. So what is meant by each? Webster’s dictionary has helped to broaden my definitions.

Grace entails unmerited divine assistance, approval, favor, mercy, and privilege. Who doesn’t desire that for daily living? Peace has the idea of tranquility, harmony, and freedom from disquieting, oppressive thoughts or emotions. Last but not least, deliverance is being set free. The wonderful, encouraging part is that along with this being Paul’s longing, it is God’s will for each believer. It is His will for us.

I revel in that truth this morning! My very need for liberation from domineering thoughts is what lead me to a study in Galatians and I joy in the fact that right off the bat God is laying a foundation of truth with which I need to embrace and connect. What I seek can only be found in Him. As one who has often looked elsewhere, the words of Jeremiah 2:13 come to mind, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” What a travesty to any who name the name of Jesus as their Savior and Lord! The ramifications of making others my basis for approval, freedom, and change are huge. It leads to dissatisfaction, emptiness, and a life void of the very things I am seeking. People are meant to be a lot of things to me and for me, but foundations and suppliers of internal needs is not one of them.

At one time, that truth frightened and saddened me, because it revealed the falsehood and frailty of my thinking. Where I was looking and who I was looking to was never going to bring the results I desired. Now instead of affecting me negatively, that truth is becoming my key to freedom. God is urging me to take His words, through the Apostle Paul, to heart. Personalize them as inscriptions on my heart and mind. Own them as my compass, rudder, and anchor to live by. It is all part of renewing my mind and deriving the benefit of transformation that will come from it.

Father, what I seek is found in You alone. Keep my eyes focused on You as my River of Life. Amen.

Satisfied - Ronnie Freeman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjephQBPw9Q&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Pursuing Freedom

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia. Galatians 1:1,2 (New King James Version)

The Apostle Paul did not view his life and calling through what others thought of him or said about him. He did not attempt to align his thinking with theirs. As he began his letter to the Galatian believers, he set forth his credentials based solely on Who purposed his life. His identity, his security, his calling, his personhood were all based on Jesus Christ and God the Father. No other opinion was needed. Not his and certainly not the opinions of others. He stated this not only for his own sake but for the recipients of his letter as well. He knew the importance of knowing who he was in Christ and he knew that was something his readers needed to know as well. We are now the readers of his words and the knowledge of who we are in Christ and what He has called us to be is essential as well.

The book of Galatians is about freedom in Christ. Freedom from the law and all other forms of bondage. While I may not be one who attempts to earn salvation through the keeping of the law, I know what it is to live with attempts to live the Christian life in my own strengths and weaknesses. I may not be a slave to religious hierarchies, but I know what it is to live enslaved to my own thoughts and perceptions.

This morning, as I once again faced my tendencies to be controlled by a spirit of suspicion and distrust toward others, I asked God to help me see why this is still an area of bondage to me and how I can find true freedom from it. It was no mistake that He lead me to the book of Galatians. It is a book about freedom, deliverance, and liberty in Christ. What Paul wrote to the Galatians is meant for me as well and any who would venture through this book with me. I have often said that addiction is addiction therefore freedom is freedom. Hence, bondage is bondage and liberty is liberty. What will lead a person away from living out of the law will also lead a person away from living in captivity to their own way of thinking.

This is a shift for me. Usually the devotionals are written as a way of sharing the daily things God is teaching me and what He is walking me through. This week I have found it difficult to have anything to say along those lines. It was like the well had gone dry. I didn’t understand why until this morning. The lack of writing has been God’s way of showing me it is time for a change. It is time to walk through a book of the Bible and be open to what He shows me in its chapters. I want to find the keys that will eventually unlock the chains of my mind, enabling me to live, stand, and walk in the liberty Christ offers.

Father, I stand before You as one who desires freedom….especially when it comes to my way of thinking and viewing the people in my life. I thank You that freedom has been Your desire for me all along. You have a road map for me to follow and Your Spirit is my guide. Teach me. Change me. Renew me. Amen.

In Christ Alone - Brian Littrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypxv0QPEuLw&feature=PlayList&p=E11FE260DF29EBA5&index=0

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

What Am I Living Out Of?

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 (New American Standard Bible)

I have often limited “the desires of my flesh” to the mere physical aspects of myself, but it is more than that. It includes my human nature and all that is within me that seeks to live independent of God. For the past few days, God has been challenging me to live out of my spirit…that part of me that lives in relationship with Him…rather than out of my mind, will, and emotions. That my actions would be a result of my connection to Him rather than in self-sufficient, self-governing ways.

I am learning to test which route I am taking. Learning to discern what is driving me in a certain direction. Recently, it has had to do with getting emotional needs met. How easily I tend to head toward my preferred sources. The simple sharing of a problem, looking for a “fix” for that empty feeling, wanting someone or something other than God to take me out of a mood, feeling, or mindset. It has been a survival skill I learned decades ago and one from which God is seeking to free me.

The pattern has usually been as follows: I begin feeling lonely, sad, or fearful. I start thinking of the people who have relieved me of those feelings in the past and I seek to make contact with them. If they are available, I can find relief for a brief amount of time. If they are not available, the feelings become more profound and the darkness sets in. The light came on for me when God helped me to see how emotionally driven I am and how the sources I am looking to are unable to take care of me on the level that I need. It is a dangerous thing for me to share my heart or problems with another person simply to find relief from any negative thoughts or feelings that wrap themselves around me.

God’s answer? Start asking Him to help me live out of my spirit rather than my flesh. Turn to Him for my comfort, answers, and healing. When I most want another person to lift me up is when I most need to seek His presence and help. There is a time and a place for people in my life. God is not telling me to step away completely from them. He is simply telling me they can no longer be my “drug of choice” amidst pain, disappointment, grief, or aloneness. What I have been convinced of for so long has not been nor ever will be His choice for me.

Father, when I most want to live out of my emotions, help me to turn to You. Help me to turn from the broken cisterns of my life to You, the living Fountain. Amen.

Dwelling Places - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRCgBrIJ-I0&feature=related

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith!

Standing Firm

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 (New American Standard Bible)

A pastor friend in Canada shared this verse with me last night via email. I didn’t read it until this morning and the message within this verse is different for me than it has been in past readings. In the past, I would have seen this verse as a warning not to be re-enslaved to legalism and performance in my Christian life. But today my “yoke of slavery” has more to do with the opinions of others or rather my constant need to know what others are thinking of me or my plans.

I have spent so many years running ideas past people and desiring to know their opinion that taking steps and moving forward were often limited or hindered by my uncertainties and insecurities. I thought more highly of another person’s ability to direct my steps than in my ability to search a matter out with God. I made decisions based on what they said should or shouldn’t happen. While the Bible clearly encourages us to seek wise counsel, it can become off balanced if we are not discerning. If my seeking is driven by my own weaknesses and phobias than I am not walking by faith. I am walking by fear, frustration, and doubt but not by faith.

God has certainly placed people in my life as encouragers, comforters, and guides, but He never intended for them to be the primary sources in any of those areas. He is to be the primary source and they are simply His conduits!

The past couple of days have been an opportunity for me to make some decisions without consulting people. Even my Canadian pastor friend was not given specifics as to a decision I would ultimately make. And what came of the decisions? I don’t fully know yet. But I do know this, the decisions were between God and me and that in itself gives me a wonderful sense of strength and freedom. I sensed my spirit muscles develop a little more and a smile of peace graces my face this morning. As I choose to live outside my “yoke of slavery” I realize some decisions will be wise and some will be unwise, but just as I learned as a young child to walk amidst many falls, so I will learn this kind of walk as well.

Father, no one desires victory in my Christian life more than You! Therefore, I stand in the confidence that You will be my faithful Guide and Companion. Amen.

Called and Chosen Early

God, who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace. Galatians 1:15 NASB

A lot is said today about womb experiences. Much affects the small infant nestled in that place of safety. Not only what the mother takes into her body, but also her emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Her stresses and joys are felt by her yet-to-be born child as much as they will be when she holds him in her arms. Finding out some of the circumstances that surrounded my own conception and womb experience did much to explain certain feelings I had about myself. This morning, God is allowing me to realize His own involvement in my womb experience.

It is from Isaiah that I learn He formed me in my mother’s womb and called me by name! (Isaiah 49:1) How precious to think that God called me ’Pam’ before anyone else did! Even before my parents knew of my existence, God was shaping me, speaking to me, and watching me. In a sense, it was just the two of us!

It is from Paul that I learn God set me apart and called me while I was in my mother’s womb. (Galatians 1:15) Just like he had a call on the lives of Moses, David, Jonah, Esther, Daniel, and Paul, He has a call on my life. He spoke those words over me before I was even born! I have yet to fully understand all He has purposed for my life, but He is teaching me to open my eyes, ears, mind, and heart to what He has already said.

It is also from Paul that the picture of God’s early involvement with me is broadened. For in Ephesians 1:4 I read that He chose me before the foundation of the world. That means not only was I called before I was born, I was chosen before creation! My mind struggles to fully grasp that thought!

As I take in these truths this morning I am filled with a sense of God’s choice and design for my life. And now at the age of 48, I am basking in the fact that He is still just as involved with me. He is still molding me, speaking to me, calling me, choosing me, and watching me. He is still attentive to my every need. What a Shepherd! What a Father! What a Guide! What a Friend!

Father, the realization of You creating, calling, and choosing me has filled me with joy and awe this morning! How can I ever again feel like a nobody? You have once again nurtured my soul! Amen.