How much do you love the Lord? Be careful when you answer this. God knows the thoughts of men. I am so aware of this. Sometimes, I think things and try not to speak things of a nature that is unbecoming of a child of God. Then I realise, Lord, You know what I have just thought, whether it is good or bad. I say, Father, You understand when I’m trying to work things out and when I am debating with You, You know when I’m in conflict, when I am unable to grasp the wisdom of God and Your ways, and when I’m trying to deceive or justify my thoughts and actions.
I struggle with being human sometimes, especially when I don’t act in the ways I have learned from God. I wonder if you do the same. You see, struggling with our humanity is God’s way of reminding us that we are weak, fallible and mortal and that He is God Almighty.
Psalm 119:1-7 says,
Aleph:
1. Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
This wonderful and lengthy psalm teaches us that we cannot remove God’s word from our lives. When people accept Jesus into their lives, they become joined to Him, and that is why His word cannot be separated from them. His word reminds us of how holy He is and that in His holiness, we are holy, too. That does not mean, however, that we are free to do whatever we want. Jesus has purchased us by giving up His life. How much do you think His life is worth? Do we take His sacrifice and our salvation for granted for example.
Jesus didn’t give His life because He thought it was a good thing to do; He gave His life because it was the only thing to do to save His bride.
When a man chooses his wife, he chooses her from all other women. He, in essence, separates her from the others and declares to her that his life and love is hers. Marriage is the declaration of two lives dying for one another.
That’s what Jesus has done. Our life with Him is not about Him running around after us like a servant or like some puppy dog; our life in Him is not one of expectation and entitlement but is one of hope, being eternally with Him and in Him. Despite any human effort or formula, even those that regulate religious life, we cannot know Jesus unless He lets us. He has honoured HIs bride with His life and wants her to do the same.
It’s hard to understand the idea of a spiritual life and all its reflections and symbolism through human thought, that is why we are reminded that it is only the spirit that knows the things of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
How much do you want the life that Christ offers? Living the believer's life is a struggle, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You might say that you want to do more for Christ, but are you honouring the pursuit of it? You might be saying that you don't know what God wants you to do, but are you honouring the struggle of finding out? Jacob received his blessing when he had nothing left of his strength. It was through the moment of his physical weakness that he received his injury and his blessings. Remember this, too: in order to walk in our blessings and purpose, we have to be changed. That can be hard to come to terms with. Doesn’t God want me as I am? The answer is, No! A man must become born again and receive a new name and a new nature.
Let’s be truthful; some people just do not like to fight, and the thought of a bloody nose, is something that needs to be avoided at all cost. However, the believer's life is demanding and will cost you more than a bloody nose, so let’s get real.
Victory comes to the winner, and battles are not fought without a fight. This is something that the last few generations have no concept of. Everything has been handed to them on a plate. Parents and grandparents among us, how much are you fighting for your family? Is there a fear that relationships will be strained, and so you keep quiet about speaking of Jesus? There is a battle for the lives of our children, and some parents have given up the fight far too easily. The world may say, let the young ones do as they please — they have to make their own lives and mistakes. That is only partly true, but God’s way for us is that we don’t turn from Him and make those crazy decisions that endanger us. Parents and children must live in the covenant to benefit from the blessings within it and this must be the constant teaching among God’s family.
Matthew 10:35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
The question for us is this: How much are you willing to give up for the reward that awaits you and for all of your loved ones? If you are taking a beating, rejoice in it. You can’t kill a dead man.
Can we be honest, and weigh everything in the scales? Are you doing the least or the most you can do to find out what God is asking of you?
I have learned and am encouraged by the life of a man called Dawson Trotman. Dawson was born in 1906. He lived during the Roaring Twenties. His walk toward Jesus began, ironically, when he nearly drowned trying to save his girlfriend when she came into difficulty whilst swimming.
His waywardness landed him in trouble as he got arrested for drunkenness. During the night of his arrest, his mother and her friend offered up prayers. The story goes that her friend saw in a vision Dawson preaching to a large crowd. Dawson got involved with the church group and this put him on the path that Jesus had for him. Dawson saw the need to preach the gospel to sailors, and he began the ‘Minute Men’ movement, discipling young sailors to take the gospel among their fellow mariners. Bible memorisation was key in his mission. The Minute Men's motto was ‘ To know Christ and to Make Him known’. In 1933 the Minute Men became known as the ‘Navigators’.
Dawson’s vision to reach many for Christ impacted other Christian movements, such as Operation Mobilisation and the Campus Crusade for Christ.
We have to realise that Jesus has so much more in store for us, and it saddens me to think of all those who have died, never knowing this reality.
What keeps us from attaining the amazing things we are all called to do are the burdens of the world, life struggles and Satan’s bombardment of lies. There is, therefore, a disability in the body which keeps us from moving forward. Once again we can learn from Jacob’s struggle, that disability is not something that prevents us from reaching Christ’s goals for us.
Dawson Trotman died in 1956. His life’s service for Christ ended in much the same way as it began. During a Summer camp, Dawson saw a girl fall from a speedboat. He dove in the water to save her life. He managed to keep her above the water and after passing her to helpers, he was overcome by the struggle and gave up his own life.
This sobering thought reminds us that none of us know when our days will end. That number is written down for us and remains in the mind of God. Our hope is in God’s grace that we may fulfil all that He has for us. Let’s not waste any time. Seek wisdom and she will teach us to value each day, no matter what the struggles may bring.
Each day is an appointed time, filled with the faithfulness and sweet mercies of God. He knows our excuses even before we speak them. We cannot hide our thoughts or arguments from God. His patience endures and waits for us to say ‘Yes, Lord, send me!
Shalom
Grant
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