No Tolerance for Spiritual Lethargy

I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles were covering its face, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction. Proverbs 24:30-31 (Amplified Bible)

I have witnessed enough accounts in Scripture to learn that God often uses physical objects to reveal the state of our hearts and teach kingdom principles. Today’s passage strikes me as a sad commentary on the spiritual state of too many Christians. It serves as a reminder of my own internal world of the not too distant past and the realization of it becoming a present condition if I do not intentionally guard against it. Spiritual lethargy has the painful consequences of covering our lives with wound inducers and the over throwing, tearing down, and destroying of protective walls. It is not God’s intent or desire for us to possess thorns and allow easy access to the enemy of our souls.

My walk with God must have balance. It is imperative that I possess a determination and steadfastness to practice spiritual disciplines as well as increase my dependency on and for God. I am not left on my own but neither am I void of the responsibility to take in truth and daily apply the truth. Scripture makes it clear that I am to feed my spirit, put on my armor, appropriate spiritual warfare tactics, be filled with the Spirit, live a life of obedience to God, and poise myself with a teachable spirit. This is not possible if I simply live with a haphazard mentality concerning my relationship with God.

There are certain things that must be non negotiable in my life. For decades I failed to make them a vital part of each day and the disarray of my Christian life was the result. On the outside things appeared fine but on the inside I stood defenseless, confused, and empty. I was wide open to thorns and wounds that were not only useless but unnecessary. So now I guard the time I spend in the Word and prayer along with surrounding myself with that which would encourage and increase spiritual growth……fellowship with Christians who are passionate about their walk with God, reading rich books that feed me necessary truths, listening to music that attributes praise to God as well as enlarges my view of Him, and keeping my ears attuned to His still, small voice. Then and only then am I equipped to minister to others out of the overflow of a deep rooted relationship with my Abba.

Father, may I keep my hand on the plow and my eyes on You. I desire to live well protected and in Your presence! Amen.

A Shift for the Good

But God, Who comforts and encourages and refreshes and cheers the depressed and the sinking, comforted and encouraged and refreshed and cheered us by the arrival of Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:6 (Amplified Bible)

I have a list of people in my life whose names could easily be slipped into this verse. This morning, God and I have reviewed them. I am touched by the fact that the God of all comfort chooses to many times comfort and encourage us through one another. The ones He has brought into my life have been used of Him to not only comfort me, but to instruct me, mold me, and leave a lasting impression upon me. I value the impact they have made on my life. Conversations with them still play from time to time in my memory. Even decades later I can still recall their facial expressions, tone of voice, and warm embraces. Spending time with them was and still is a high light for me. Any more though, those times are rare. For most of the people I am referring to are geographically removed from me. God has wisely made that the case.

He knows how easily I can become comfortable in a relationship and allow it to dominate my thinking and capture all of my attention. If not guarded, my heart can be torn between looking to people instead of to God as my primary source for many things. That is a sure recipe for stunted growth and hindered relationship with Him. For most of my Christian life I will admit to that being my greatest struggle. And I have absolutely no doubt there are many in the body of Christ who see that as a truth for themselves as well.

This morning, as I listened to Sandi Patty’s rendition of the song “Made Me Glad” it occurred to me that I am at a place in my life whereby no one is any longer in competition with God for the attention of my heart. While I still value them highly, God has finally captured my heart and affections. I am no longer looking for an individual to fix me, heal me, deliver me, or constantly be there for me. Will they still play a part in my life? Absolutely. And there will be times I seek their advice and counsel. But relationship with them can no longer be my main craving and goal.

While the transition has been painful at times I am finally seeing the beauty of what God has been doing. He has been wooing me to Himself as He has caused unhealthy attachments to fall away. What I thought would crush me has actually freed me. Although I will still falter at times, I know a shift has taken place and the journey will never be the same. For once in my life, I rejoice at such change!

Father, it has taken over 34 years for You to bring me to this point. Thank you for your patience and persistence. With gratitude and joy I proclaim that I am yours! Amen.

Crucibles for the Heart

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the hearts. Proverbs 17:3 (New American Standard Bible)

The Bible is filled with word pictures that are meant to help us take in truth in an understandable and meaningful way. Such is the case when God speaks of refining pots (crucibles), furnaces, and heart tests. The processes and end results are quite similar….purification by fire. The heat (trial or test) is what exposes the impurities, the skimming removes the impurities, and the eventual result is a pure and useable substance. God desires to work with my heart in the same way that a refiner works with precious silver or gold. What He starts with is not beautiful in itself but He knows what will eventually come forth.

I have known for some time now that God exposes areas of my life for the purpose of healing and transforming me, not for the purpose of shaming me. That issue was settled when He helped me grasp Romans 8:1 which says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” He continues to fix the images I have of Him and correct the distortions and lies the enemy has given me in regards to His character and heart. What I am learning is helping me to trust in Him and cooperate with Him more fully.

Like everyone else, I do not like trials or discomfort. If it brings tears, pain, or heartache I want no part of it. But God is letting me know that is the only way to show me what is inside of me. The hardships of life reveal where my trust lies, what I really believe about God, in whom my security is tied, what my real desires are, and the many areas that need to be changed. As I learn to connect with Him on a daily basis the revelations are powerful.

Just last night He opened my eyes to something I had been missing and He used a sense of sadness to do it. As the sadness hit, I found myself wanting to contact somebody….anybody. Relationships have always been great pain relievers for me. Sort of like Novocain for my soul! That is when God intervened and began to show me my own tendency to avoid pain through external sources rather than take the pain to Him for true healing and wholeness. I was opting for a bandage instead of surgery! I was settling for miniscule, temporary fixes at best while God was offering me continual, lasting comfort and change. As I ended my day with Him, He ministered to me in a way no human could come close to doing. May He continue to do His refining work in me.

Father, I have often misunderstood the process and power of Your refining techniques. You have once again peaked my interest, aroused my curiosity, and captured my heart. I love You! Amen.

Armed and Ready

In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:26 (New King James Version)

My level of confidence is proportionate to my view of and relationship to God as is my sense of security. I find that the times I am in turmoil, distress, confusion, or emotional resignation are the times my mind and eyes are no longer fixed and focused on Him. His truths must be the plumb line for my thoughts, words, and actions. It is imperative that God is my object of confidence and my place of shelter. Not just a shelter from the dangers and storms of life but from falsehoods that abound.

The enemy of my soul knows all of this. Therefore his main objective is to chip away at my connection to God. If I am not on guard to his tactics and lies, I can very easily have my confidence shaken and my outlook on many things distorted. If I am not intent on purposefully bringing my thoughts captive and in line with truth, they will actually work against me and fill my soul with a foreboding darkness.

It has been my practice to write devotionals in an honest and open way. Usually God’s instructions to me include remaining general enough so people are able to see themselves and their situations in the truth I am sharing. This morning I sense His nudging to be specific with a personal example. Yesterday’s devotional centered on walking in God’s forgiveness of past sins and mistakes and moving forward. Little did I realize when I sent it off that I would later become engaged in a four hour attack from the enemy over that very issue. He was ruthless!

While at work, the enemy fed me a lie about a past situation. His interpretation and conclusion of the event left me with a feeling of being a disappointment to the body of Christ, to myself, and even to God. I lost perspective on everything that my journey of the last three years entailed. I could not sense one moment of God’s delight in me. The darkness enveloped me until I was able to identify the enemy being at work. With the renouncing of lies and embracing of truth, my thought process became clear and my confidence and security returned…..until later in the evening when he sideswiped me again as I emailed a friend. I can reread the email I sent her and literally see where my conversation shifted and the enemy’s lies surfaced.

This morning I woke with a completely different perspective. There are no dark thoughts, no question of God’s view of me and love for me, no overwhelming sense of despair. The enemy has backed off but I know he will return. Before he resurfaces with repackaged lies I must put on the armor of Ephesians 6 and stand ready to stand in truth. I must realign myself with what God’s Word says and place my reverential trust in Him and Him alone. He is my covering for any battle that takes place today.

Father, I sustained wounds from the enemy yesterday. May I not give him such pleasure today. I take Your hand, Your Word, and Your Spirit with me into every confrontation that lies ahead. Amen.

A Fresh Start

Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Exodus 2:12 (New International Version)

Have you ever had something from your past continue to give you a nagging feeling? I often wonder if Moses was ever haunted by his killing of an Egyptian. Or was David ever tormented by the thoughts of adultery and murder? Or were Joseph’s brothers bothered by their treatment of Joseph? Or…..you get the picture. The Bible is full of examples of people’s pasts that could have easily consumed them and robbed them of peace and joy and the ability to move on. Outside of the grace of God and an owning of His total forgiveness it is impossible.

In the course of a phone conversation last night something was said that I really needed to hear. As I reviewed some areas of regret, wrong choices, and life altering consequences from the past, I was able to take in this truth that my friend shared with me…..I cannot fix or change the past. I must simply move forward and determine by God’s grace to do the right things now. To walk in truth now and follow God’s lead.

I cannot tell you the weight that came off my shoulders as I saw the freedom in what she was saying. The continual questioning and beating myself up over past decisions has kept me from moving forward. It was like being frozen in time. I had wrongly assumed God wanted me to somehow fix everything and make it all the way it was suppose to be in the first place. I felt like a small child standing over the Grand Canyon with a tiny shovel and being told to fill in the hole. Impossible! And so was the idea with my past areas of concern. Not only impossible but a lie that it was even being expected of me.

To the best of my ability I have sought God’s forgiveness as well as that of someone who was hurt by it all. Now God is urging me to live in that forgiveness and walk in the freedom it brings. No more shame. No more condemnation. No more second guessing. No more “if only” statements. Learn from it and go on with Him. Listen for His daily instructions and then act upon what He says. After all, Moses, David, and Joseph’s brothers had no way of undoing or making right their sinful choices outside of God’s grace and forgiveness, and neither can you or I.

Father, thank you for each fresh start You give to me. I rejoice in the freedom of that thought. What I cannot undo need never hinder me from moving forward with You. Amen.

Awakening Our Hunger

A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on. Proverbs 16:26 (New American Standard Bible)

Appetites run strong in each of us. They drive us to possess the very things we hunger for. Most of us do not have to work at having a hunger for food. It is one of the reasons we get up each day and go to work. Our jobs provide the necessary income to purchase the food with which we stock our cupboards. In the early days of our country, the colonies had a problem with people not wanting to work. The solution was to enforce the biblical standard that if you don’t work you don’t eat. The eventual hunger drove the people to work when their own initiative failed them. In that case, their appetite worked for them and urged them on to work.

The same is true of our spiritual appetites. The hunger and thirst we have to know God is what urges us on to open His Word and take in His truth. It is meant to be more than an occasional snack. It is meant to be a feast and the sustenance our souls crave. It does not take long for our bodies to feel the effect of going without food. Go without food long enough and you experience weakness, hunger pains, a headache, and a general feeling of not feeling well. Our bodies crave food and the negative effects drive us to eat.

And yet hunger for the right foods can be dulled by taking in a lot of sweets and empty calories. I speak from experience when I say, I can feed on so many unhealthy choices that I no longer desire what is good for me. After a while I am eating but not finding satisfaction and a sense of fullness. There are also people who struggle with eating disorders and can eventually shut down the cravings for food all together. Not healthy!

Again, the same is true in a spiritual sense. A hunger for God’s Word is dulled by numerous other activities or shut down completely by pure starvation. But I assure you, the hunger is still there. It just needs to be reawakened. It is simply a matter of asking God to show us how hungry our souls really are for Him. At first, a person may open His Word and nothing seems to happen. But over time, with consistent feedings, the appetite gets stronger and reading His Word becomes an actual desire. It really is a rich food source!

Father, You are never insulted when I ask You to awaken my hunger for You. May my appetite be ravenous! Amen.

Becoming a Possessor

A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel. Proverbs 1:5 (New American Standard Bible)

Today starts a personal journey into the book of Proverbs. I have enjoyed and drank deeply of the Psalms and am ready to venture into the book of wisdom. God is wasting no time in letting me know how to become a possessor of His wisdom. To not only take in truth, but to know how to implement it into my daily walk. He has graciously prepared me for this time and He has done it in progressive stages.

A few years ago, God began to show me how often I failed to walk in truth about Him, His Word, and His ways. He showed me how much of my thinking was connected to the lies of the enemy. Lies about Him, about others, and even about myself. As I began taking in the truth, a profound thing began to happen. I began to hunger for it. This was an essential shift for me, because the hunger led to a willingness to be taught. It affected my hearing as well as my receptability to what was being said or read.

Today’s verse goes beyond being a mere “how to” verse. It is a verse packed full of results and promise. It actually describes the characteristics and advantages of being a wise person. The first half is a stated fact. A wise man will listen and will yield to godly instruction, advice, and wisdom. His open ears and obedient heart are what mark his life. If he is truly a wise person, he will listen and he will act upon what he is being told when it lines up with truth. The result? He will add and join himself to learning, instruction, and teaching. As he does that, he becomes a possessor of the wise counsel he is being given. The way to own something from a store is to purchase it. And the way to own wisdom for oneself is to listen to and obey the words of wisdom that come from God and others.

Many have been the times when I not only refused to listen because of pride and self sufficiency, but I refused to act upon what was being said. It wasn’t until God began to show me the purpose and beauty of hearing and obeying that I finally became open to experience what today’s verse is saying. It is much easier to take in the very things I am hungry for. That is why my daily prayer has become, “Father, instill in me a tender and teachable spirit toward You.” For if that is the kind of spirit I have, I will begin to hear, yield to, and acquire the wisdom that God is continually offering me through Himself, His Word, prayer, and a multitude of sources.

Father, open my ears to wisdom so that I will increase in my learning and possess the wise counsel given to me on a continual basis. Help me to listen, learn, and acquire much today! Amen.