Simplicity & Foundational Truths

Jesus love me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

The Bible is full of knowledge both simple and complex. Yet when it comes down to it, you either believe the truth in the Bible or you don't. It really doesn't matter how deep you study it if you don't believe it is true. It doesn't matter how much you know about God's plan for mankind if it doesn't impact your life. Don't get me wrong, we should most definitely study the Bible. But, it is so easy to get caught up in so much Bible study that you study it as just another book. It is the Word of God.

Think on this. . . .The God who wrote that Bible loves you - personally. He loves you the same yesterday, today and forever. No matter what you do, He will continue to love you just the same.

For God so loved the world

that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in Him

should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

A new promise?

Over the past year I have been challenged by several people to really rely on God. I thought I already trusted God but maybe I only trust Him sometimes. Yesterday, my Bible study lesson challenged me to find a promise in the Bible that I hadn't really claimed and claim it. I thought and thought and scanned through several books of the Bible. Finally, I prayed and asked God to show me a promise before class on Thursday. (Yes, I know, I probably should have started with prayer!) Anyway I got up today looking for a "new-to-me" promise from God.

Pastor's message this morning was on Abraham. One of his points was "following Christ sometimes presents challenges that seem humanly impossible." He pointed out Abraham's faith and trust in God even in the face of obstacles like being told he would have a child in his old age or to offer that son as a sacrifice. But Abraham wasn't perfect, there were times he forgot God's power, like when he said Sarai was his sister instead of wife because he feared for his life. I think I am a little like Abraham in that I trust God when I know I can't handle it but maybe not when I think I can handle a situation. Asa is another person in the Bible who trusted God in an impossible situation but trusted himself in an easy one and was punished by God for his decision.

So the promise that God brought to my mind was I Thessalonians 5:24. It comes at the end of a list of instructions - seemingly insurmountable obstacles (pray without ceasing, rejoice evermore, etc.) that Paul gives us and then says - "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." (KJV) A few months ago, Pastor had a sermon on Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (KJV) His point was you can do anything God wants you to, because God makes it possible. He is faithful. So in church tonight I was thinking this would be my promise to share in class and then. . . . .

We had a missionary speaker who in her presentation reminded us of Jeremiah 33:3 - ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (NKJV) So here is my promise - Call unto God and ask Him to show you His faithfulness. He is ALWAYS faithful.

but I don't want that one. . . .

Have you ever had a child (surely not one of mine!!!!) complain about something they were given? It wasn't exactly the one they wanted and so instead of being thankful, they whined. Often time the other gift was nicer or better for them, but they couldn't (or wouldn't) see that.

I remember one time several years ago - much to my shame - I acted that way. I wanted a silver charm bracelet for my birthday. My husband came home with a GOLD charm bracelet. It cost twice (or more) as much as the silver one. He simply wanted to get a better gift for me and I thought I knew better. I behaved very childishly and have regretted it terribly ever since.

How often do we act that way to God? He gives us so much - family, shelter, protection, friends, HIS SON - yet we often want something else. God knows what is best for us. We say "But, God, I wanted this job, or this cirumstance, or a family like that, or this body type, or. . ." the list could go on forever. But God in His wisdom has given us exactly what each one, individually needs.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises,

so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature,

having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

God knows what you need today that will enable you to fulfill His purpose for your life. Rejoice in your circumstances today, whatever they may be.

One indiviual life may be of priceless value to God's purposes,

and yours may be that life.

Oswald Chambers

Asking for Trials

I was introduced to a poem this week by John Piper. It is entitled The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God. You can listen to him read it on his website or download and read it yourself. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/OnlineBooks/ByTitle/2441_The_Misery_of_Job_and_the_Mercy_of_God/
It is a retelling of the story of Job. At the end Job is summarizing his life story and he says:

. . ."To sieze

This moment would, I think, be here

An ample recompense. One year

Of misery, he thought, is not

Too long, to see of heaven what

I've seen, and watch the pow'r to heal,

And loving, feel what I now feel."

Do we stop and think at the end of a trial and actually rejoice in the hardship for the lesson we learned? Later in the poem, Job is speaking to his daughter, Jemimah:

"Jemimah, what I think

Is this: The Lord has made me drink

The cup of his severity

That he might kindly show to me

What I would be when only he

Remains in my calamity.

Unkindly he has kindly shown

that he was not my hope alone."

Is He your hope alone? Jim Berg is his course "Quieting a Noisy Soul" uses the illustration of an emergency room. Just as the doctors and nurses in the ER would help the most critical patient first, God often addresses the most miserable condition first. Our physical trials are usually not our (or someone around us) most miserable condition. Often that is a need for salvation or restored fellowship with Him.

If you're going through a trial, remember that God is at work. Take comfort in knowing that He is with you. Look for the reason to rejoice at the end of the trial!

And again. . .

Today, yet again God provided for our needs in His own way. I have been amazed at the generosity of our friends and family and their willingness to be used by God. While we have work now, sales are always slow to start and it takes awhile to recover from no income. We never know when we go to the mailbox what will be there - rebates/dinner gift cards/money from someone just thinking of us. God is so good to us. We deserve nothing - well, worse than that we deserve eternity apart from God.

But God, who is rich in mercy,

for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together with Christ,

(by grace ye are saved;)

And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come

he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace

in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4

God's kindess to me is evidenced every day by His provision for us but the real kindness is His provision for my eternity - forever with HIM!

Happy New Year!

As I opened my Bible study lesson tonight, God caught my attention with this week's memory verse.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Genesis 18:14a

As I look forward to the year ahead, I am excited to see what the Lord has in store. There will, I'm sure, be many changes. Some will be planned, others unexpected. (Kinda like this year!) But God is already there. He has the situation under control. He will be with me (and YOU!) each step of the way.