Pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19
This world is in chaos, and getting more evil as the very last days approach.
But we, as God’s children, can see God’s lamp shining in a dark place, and must pay attention.
The day will dawn, and the morning star will arise in our hearts.
That is the prophetic word made sure.
We can’t ignore the awful things around us. But we can, we must, pay attention to God’s shining lamp.
We must, as Christ taught us, “to straighten up and lift up [our] heads, because [our] redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
There is hope. Don’t despair.
Can. Must. Will.
“To Know Him is to Love Him.” That song, referring to an earthly love, was a number one hit in the late 1950s and has been sung by many famous artists. Better knowing your earthly love may or may not cause you to love him or her more. But, with God, the better you know Him, the more you love and trust Him.
“Knowing” God is an intimate term, implying a love relationship with a personal God, a supreme being who lives, loves, plans, and acts. The Bible is full of personal and emotional descriptions of our Father, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. “Head knowledge” is beneficial, but we are called to develop “heart knowledge” as well.
You get to know the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by studying God’s self-revelation, the Bible, and following Him. His Word says as we obey, we grow in knowledge. A wonderful cycle is one of the blessings of obedience.
Blessing of Obedience
Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord
Which leads to
Pleasing Him in all respects
Which leads to
Bearing fruit in every good work
Which leads to
Increasing in the knowledge of God. (See Colossians 1:10)
Then
We know Him better
and because we know Him better,
We love Him more,
So we keep His commandments better, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord.
Questions for you:
Are you regularly reading the Bible?
Are you striving better to know our Almighty God?
Are you striving to follow Him more closely?
From When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready? pp. 15-16.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are the Creator.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…The Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)
All things came into being through [Christ]. And apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:3)
For by [Christ] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
What God says about Himself
When the LORD answered Job, His rant focused on Himself as the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator.
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?”
“Have you ever commanded the morning?”
And on and on for more than 100 verses! (See Job 38-41)
Fundamental to Everything
Belief in God as the Creator, our Creator, fundamentally affects everything.
When we see Him as Creator, we come to know something about His infinite power, knowledge, wisdom, and immorality.
When we see Him as Creator, we see His right over us, and how we should live our lives. We see our failure, our need for salvation, and His provision.
When we see Him as Creator, it affects our total worldview.
When we see Him as Creator, we see ourselves as created beings, and align ourselves under Him.
When we see Him as Creator, we know we owe Him everything.
When we see Him as Creator, and we are His children, Christ-followers, we know He is our help and our hope.
Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124:8)
Declare the Glory of God
Many of the statements of praise and worship through both the Old and New Testaments refer to God the Creator.
Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)
Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. (Revelation 4:11)
Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it… (Revelation 10:5-6)
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so. (Psalm 107:2)
Praise the Creator—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Praise the Creator, who made everything from nothing, revealing His presence and His glory. You, Almighty God, demonstrated Your absolute power, infinite knowledge and wisdom. As Your created being, I praise You with relief and joy that You are in charge of it all. I am Yours.
Pay now or later?
Pay now and receive blessings later.
OR
Pleasure now and pay later.
Those are crucial differences between obeying the Lord, and choosing sin.
We often talk about the blessings of obedience. There are many blessings, thrilling results of following our Lord. That will be a topic for another time.
Cost of Obedience
We shouldn’t discount that there are costs to obedience. In order to obey Him, we have to deny ourselves, refusing to do what we ourselves want to do, and we have to take up our cross, engaging in something we would not have chosen.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
Your will be done. (Matthew 6:10)
Whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (Mark 8:35)
The cost of following Christ happens first, with blessings coming later.
Cost of Disobedience
With sin, however, it is reversed. When we sin, there is immediate pleasure. We’ve gotten our own way. We’ve gotten whatever it is that looked great. But, following that, are the consequences of our sins, sometimes significant, and sometimes lasting for a lifetime.
But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. (Matthew 6:2, 23:5)
Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled. (Matthew 23:12)
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14)
To get to the blessings, you have to pay the cost
That is true in the secular world, too. My beloved grandmother used to say: “You have to suffer to be beautiful.” That was probably a retort to my complaints about sleeping in hair rollers (Yes, I’m that old!). But you can see it everywhere: Athletes who push their bodies over years in order to win the gold; People studying day after day to master a subject; Dieters who regulate their intake to get to the proper weight.
Be Alert
Remember, the cost of obedience is always less, always, than the cost of disobedience. (See Chapters 13 and 24 in When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready?)
Do you ever think someone else’s life is better than yours? That they have been given a better ministry? Better talents? Better goodies? Do they have green grass? Are you sure?
How about better problems? Do you think their problems are easier than yours?
As humans, we are prone to compare ourselves to others, leading, often, to envy or covetness.
We are more apt to compare what we see as blessings, though, than compare our problems to the problems of others.
Do you really want his or her physical problems rather than your own? Do you know the family, financial, or other problems they face? Do you want those problems?
God has given us our own grass for a reason
We have been given our blessings, including our problems, for a reason. God is at work in us—right now—to want to do His will, and to perform His will. He will continue His work in us until we are presented by Christ to the Father, holy and blameless.
It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
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. (Philippians 1:6)
[Christ will] present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— (Colossians 1:22)
Our Green Grass
You and I have been given work to do in this life. In our own fields. However much green grass we have.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Whether or not my grass seems green to me, it is my grass. It is the field my Father has given me. I have work to do, given to me by the Father. Lord, help me get with it.
Have you ever hated someone you love?
Has someone you loved ever hated you?
I bet we all have hated or been hated.
Well, except God.
Unconditional Love
God loves His children. Period. He loves us even when we sin. He loves us enough to discipline us when we sin and bring us back to full fellowship with Himself.
This is so unlike human beings that we often think God must no longer love us after we’ve done something wrong. That is a lie. God loves those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior without reservation, without limit. And He loves us enough to not leave us in the mess we’ve made. Not only does He not leave us, it may feel that He moves closer.
Conditional Love
Human beings, however, tend to magnify the wrong, the hurt, the misconception, and withdraw.
In a novel I recently finished, the two main characters had secret vows prior to their wedding. One of them was: “I will love you even when I don’t like you.”
So, what should we do?
FIRST. Determine to believe God and His love for us. Even when we, as His children, think He shouldn’t love us, He does love us. He loves us, those in Christ, with an everlasting, unlimited love.
SECOND. Be holy as God is holy. That includes loving as He loves.
The problem, with our own attitude, or someone else’s, gives us an opportunity to love as God loves.
So, when you hate someone you love, remind yourself that you really do love him or her. Behave based on the love you don’t feel, continuing to act in love towards them.
THIRD. When someone you love doesn’t seem to love you based on some event, keep loving them regardless. (But, if you’ve done something wrong, confess and strive to make things right.)
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1–2)
We are to love others as Christ loved us.
FOURTH. Keep praying. Lord, help me love x. Lord, help me say and do everything with Your love, regardless how I feel.
FIFTH. Thank Him.
Thank You, Father, that You always love me, even when my loved one doesn’t seem to. Thank You that You allow problems to help make me into the image of Your Son.
SIXTH. Remember. Loving may feel like work in hard times. But remember:
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Do you want to feel closer to the Lord?
Praise Him.
“Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3)
This is the second post in our praise series, but there are an infinite number of reasons to praise Him.
Praise the Bread of Life
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:48)
He came down from heaven
He came down out of heaven as the living bread, God from eternity past, and God to eternity future.
I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. (John 6:51)
He gave His life for the life of the world
He told them—and us—He was going to give His life for the life of the world.
I am the living bread that came down out of heaven… and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh… (John 6:51)
Belief, trust, in Him results in eternal life
He told them—and us—that the way, the only way, to have spiritual life, eternal life, was to eat His flesh and drink His blood, to feed on Him.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.” (John 6:53)
“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”” (John 6:27–29)
Many did not understand that to feed on Him was—is—a spiritual matter, not an earthly one. He was not talking about cannibalism! He was talking about faith.
Belief in Him, feeding on Him, also results in abundant life here
He is the source of our spiritual lives. He is our “soul” food, giving us eternal life and sustenance now.
Do this in remembrance of Him
“And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”” (Luke 22:19)
Praise the Bread of Life
Lord Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, we praise You. You, the Bread of Life, came down from heaven, setting aside Your glory, so that we who believe in You, and feed on You, may have eternal life. You praise You for giving Your body, for dying on the cross, that we might live. We praise You, knowing You are the eternal, living God, the source of eternal life, who gave up heaven to make it possible for us to live forever with You. It’s past understanding, but You are truth, and Your sacrifice is true. And it is true that belief in, and reliance on, You brings life now and in the world to come. All praise and glory to You.
Despair?
David was in despair, but didn’t know why.
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? (Psalm 42:5)
There was no answer to “Why?”
But we are given a remedy to despair.
Here is how to remedy despair:
Shift Focus by Remembering
1) Shift your focus from your misery and despair to focus on God. (See A Good Talking-To)
2) Remember what God has done:
If you are His child, He called you, justified you, is sanctifying you, and promises you eternal glory.
Review the ways He has been with you in the past.
3) Remember who God is:
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night. (Psalm 42:8)
Just as the Lord has been with you in the past, He is with you now, and will be with you in the future.
Remember He is our loving sovereign. He is in control and has a loving purpose for everything that affects you.
Hope Flows After
4) Hope in God.
Your current situation is temporary (See Not Forever, Just Until). God is eternal.
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. (Psalm 42:5)
5) Praise Him.
Give it a try!
A friend of mine had mechanical problems during a long distance road trip. They broke down within five miles of a mechanic who had worked on another issue several years before.
They (and I) had prayed for a safe and uneventful trip, which was not answered with a “Yes.”
But if they had known they would have mechanical problems, they would have prayed for those problems to happen close to that particular mechanic.
Unprayed Prayers
It sounds to me like an answer to the prayer they would have prayed if they had known.
How often is that the case? We do not know the future, but God does. We do not know what we will need, but God does.
In God’s miraculous providence, He uses a gazillion actions and events to bring circumstances together to accomplish His purposes. And, remember, He loves us and is fitting us for eternity.
In your life, where do you see the hand of God? Where do you think He prevented something, or caused something?
He is always at work, but we often don’t pay attention.
What are your answers to unprayed prayer?
Thank God for His answers to unprayed prayers
Thank God for His presence in your life, His constant lovingkindness, His mercies that are fresh everyday.
Thanks to our loving, sovereign God.
Jesus Healed the Blind Man
Jesus was walking away from Jericho, and a blind man cried out “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stopped and said: “Call him here.”
The blind man jumped up and came to Jesus.
Jesus then asked him what he wanted, and the blind man said: “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight.”
Jesus healed him, and said: “Go; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:48-52)
Here we see, of course, Jesus causing another miraculous healing.
What the Blind Man Did
But right now I am thinking about the blind man. The blind man:
- Cried out to Jesus
- Jumped up at Jesus’ call, and went to Him
- Told Jesus what he wanted.
The blind man acted on his faith that Jesus could heal him. He acted.
What If
What would have happened if the blind man had not cried out?
What if he had cried out but didn’t go to Jesus when he was called?
What if he didn’t tell Jesus what he wanted?
Questions for you (and me)
Are you aware of Jesus’ presence?
Do you cry out to Him?
Do you go to Him in faith?
Do you tell Him what you want?
I know I don’t always, so this story is a reminder of what I need to do.
We need to act on our faith.
Faith without Works is Dead
James says faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) I’ve always thought about that in context of acts of service, or self-discipline.
But the blind man acted on his faith by going to Jesus, and that is also an example of “works.”
Lord, help me know You are with me, help me cry out to You, go to You in faith, and trust You.
Help us act on our faith.
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When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready?
When Storms Come: Will You Be Ready? helps Christians not fear bad news, shows them how to handle current trouble, and helps them emerge stronger on the other side.
About me
I'm a Christian, wife, retiree, and author.
I love studying and putting knowledge into action. I'll share what I'm learning, encourage you, and urge all of us to press on to become more like Christ.
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