Author: kezha1

God Himself has been and always will be “our dwelling place”…our eternal refuge. It’s by our faith in this that we affirm our trust in things we can’t imagine. God is eternal. He always was or is. He has, within Himself, the power of being. He requires no assistance from any outside sources to continue to exist. To fully comprehend this is impossible…but just because our brain can’t wrap its head around it doesn’t mean it’s not impossible for The Creator. The Apostle Paul put this all into context when he wrote in Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” Or in other words, God is the source, and within Himself, the power of all being.

One of my favorite quotes from Mother Teresa is this- “The most beautiful way to start and end the day is with a grateful heart.” So think of it; by beginning & finishing the day with a thankful heart, we can focus on God’s steadfast love rather than our problems. In both Ephesians 5:20 and I Thessalonians 5:18 we are told to give thanks in all circumstances and for everything…the result of this, us exhibiting the indwelling Holy Spirit for all to see. Sure, we may not think there’s been anything good to be thankful for…but if we deliberately & with intention “Count our Blessings”, we’ll realize there are many things we can be appreciative of.

The Writer of Hebrews could not have been more forthright…suffering and persecution is a given, even for brand new Christians. And while many will become faint-hearted at the opposition, including whining, complaining, and giving up…he quickly reminded them that their struggle was far from what Jesus experienced. Galatians 6:9 tells us to not become weary in doing good, and that means looking at hostility for standing up for our faith and thanking the Lord not only for His example, but that what we’re going through is nowhere near what He endured.

Here, the Apostle Paul is warning the young Timothy to be beware of the deception of false teachers and their claim to have “new” knowledge. Or as Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The Church doesn’t determine what the Bible teaches. The Bible determines what the Church must teach.” In other words, if you hear the words…”We’ve had a new revelation concerning this area of the Bible, and while God’s Word is plain here, we think He may have gotten it wrong.”… you only need to remember that God doesn’t change. (Malachi 3:6, Psalm 102:27, Psalm 110:4, James 1:17) and His unchangeable character applies to His Word also. Paul then reminded Timothy that he was the trustee of God’s invaluable & unchangeable treasure of the Word… and that it needed to remain undamaged and unmodified.

A.W. Tozer once said, “The weakness of many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world.” We want our cake and eat it too, but the Word makes it very clear that we can’t have it both ways. The Apostle Paul admonished the Church in Corinth for their weak-willed walk when he said, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly…” (I Corinthians 3:1) Only calling them “spiritual” in the most fundamental sense, since their conduct was far from consistent with having the indwelling Holy Spirit. Anytime we’re too comfortable with the world’s standard of rebellion, pride, and seeking to displace God off His Throne, we need to take serious stock whether we’re walking according to the flesh or the Spirit.

As a child, we all seek validation from those who are important to us. But if they are distant or absent, our life becomes that of constantly seeking approval, confirmation, and just wanting to please…no matter what that looks like. And this doesn’t stop when we reach adulthood…we still desire to be heard, understood, and valued. I Thessalonians 5:11 shows then the importance of positive affirmation from fellow Believers…”Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Aptly spoken words of encouragement and comfort can not only build up someone’s faith, but it can also validate what’s happening in their life. But more importantly, it can stir them to seek their worth from God rather than people… offering them guidance on how to build a strong identity based on God’s love and truth and not man.

It was once said, “A man who is born-again doesn’t use the world’s standard of right and wrong.” And nowhere can this difference be seen more than in the progression of commercials & advertising in our history. It’s because, the world’s standards of right and wrong are constantly shifting…and what was once considered unthinkable & risqué 50 years ago, is now accepted & commonplace today. Censorship has also radically changed in regard of what is viewed as objectionable, vulgar, or obscene. So, as the world’s ethics & principles decline, we need to look to the Word of God as our golden standard of what’s right & wrong.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “The giant in front of you is never bigger than the God inside you.” When we’re faced with the “giants” of life, we can either shake in our boots as we confront the massive problem before us…or we can look beyond the temporal and see God working on our behalf. No where is this seen more than Numbers 13 & I Samuel 17. In Numbers 13:26-33 we see twelve spies come back from Canaan with a report for Moses. They all agree that the land indeed flowed with milk & honey, but only Caleb & Joshua looked beyond the giant size of the inhabitants…confident that God was mightier than them. And in I Samuel 17 we see the familiar story of David & Goliath. Now Goliath, was a true giant standing over nine feet tall, that taunted & challenged the Israeli army. But the young David didn’t see an imposing figure, but an uncircumcised Philistine that was defying his living God. So, no matter the giants you will face, they will never out shadow the power of God.

This saying emphasizes the dire cause-and-effect relationship between sin & punishment…and the real consequences of our rebellion against God. It’s like the difference between a light breeze and the violent & destructive wind of a tornado. One sin can have a ripple effect and cause a lifetime of grief. Its results far reaching the original misdeed…its aftermath far messier. Galatians 6:7-8 tell us that, “A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction.” Remember, no sin is without its consequences that we must bear…no trespass not punished with sorrow & disillusionment.

Why is it so hard to accept God’s love? We can read in multiple places in the Psalms of God’s unfailing, great, and eternal love. But why do we think we’re not worthy or entitled to it? It’s because of the murmurings of Satan…the prince of darkness, father of lies, and accuser of the brethren. He cunningly uses temptations and doubts to bait and switch. And when we’re caught, Satan becomes our condemner…using shame, guilt, and blame to accuse us of unworthiness. But this incrimination is so far from the Truth of God…for Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Satan only offers humiliation & disgrace, while God’s love is full of grace & mercy and is forever.