God's Spiritual Language

A symbol is a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. A metaphor is a way of speaking that furthers our understanding of the unfamiliar by illustrating its truth with something with which we are familiar, often from the world around us.

Both are used as a pattern or representative of something literal. Neither are the actual, literal things that they are being used to represent. The word of God is full of symbols and metaphors. Our God is an expert at spiritual symbols and metaphors. He uses “types and shadows” from the earthly world to explain and clarify His world of the spirit. We need a relationship with God to understand Him and that is just what He desires.

Jesus Christ only spoke what the Father gave Him to say, often speaking in parables utilizing metaphors and symbols. It is impossible to understand this spiritual book full of metaphors and symbols without the holy spirit. God is spirit and we need His spirit to understand spiritual language. Yet there are those who insist that the Bible is to be understood literally. The literalists think we should not spiritualize the word because it will lead to error.

But there is plenty of error in the standard translations of the Bible, written by human men who did the best they could. And even more error when God used words meant to be spiritually understood but are applied to the actual, literal things of this earth. A frequent example is “He who has ears to hear” which is not referencing these appendages on either side of our heads. Jesus is speaking of our spiritual ears necessary to understand Jesus Christ and Father God, Who are spirits.

Not very many in those days had spiritual ears to hear what the Lord was saying, including His own disciples. Then and now, He veiled His word to carnal minds so we must go beyond our natural understanding. God laid out a precise and detailed pattern in the Old Testament to teach us about our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was to come. The old laws of Moses regarding worship in the Tabernacle are but a “shadow” of what is to come:

“Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.” Colossians 2:17 Berean

“Yet death ruled [over mankind] from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who had not sinned as Adam did. Adam is a type of Him (Christ) who was to come [but in reverse—Adam brought destruction, Christ brought salvation].” Romans 5:14 Amplified

Here is the word “type,” used in Romans. It comes from the Greek word “tupos”, meaning “figure, a die or shape, a model, form, a pattern.” God has a plan that uses layer upon layer, through the centuries unfolding His plan laying a pattern for His own. God uses everything at His disposal to further our spiritual understanding of Him and the world of the spirit.

From the beginning, Adam was the perfect “pattern son,” walking in fellowship with the Father until the fall. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of historical events that further our understanding through a type or a model of each event. What our Christian ancestors experienced in Old Testament days are not only powerful and entertaining accounts of their lives, they show us a pattern of how our life will proceed back to full fellowship with our Father through what Jesus Christ has done.

God’s plan for the return of His people to such fellowship through His son, Jesus Christ is patterned, foreshadowed in the Old Testament ways of worship. We are to learn many things from our Abrahamic heritage, as this scripture confirms:

“Now these things happened to them [the tribes of Israel] as an example and warning [to us]; they were written for our instruction [to admonish and equip us], upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11 Amplified

It is not surprising that the book of Hebrews, written to the Jews, talks about the traditional patterns of the Israelite worship in the Tabernacle as a “copy of heaven.” God talked directly to Moses about exactly how the Tabernacle of worship was to be built because it is predictive of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer gifts according to the law. The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the Tabernacle:

‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.” Hebrews 8:4-6 Berean

We learn much from the Old Testament when the spirit grants us an understanding of the patterns revealed there. It’s fascinating to learn just how thorough and specific are the stories of our spiritual ancestors, laying out the steps for us. An example is the study of the names of Jacob’s twelve sons, revealing a pattern of qualities for spiritual growth. The life of David teaches much about how to worship and praise the Lord, ask for God’s specific guidance when in conflict and how to humbly repent of sin.

The Old Testament prophets were given visions from God, though it was not given to them to see or understand what God was revealing to them. They were cloaked in spiritual language until the time for the meaning to be revealed. Daniel was the prophet of time, given the ability to interpret symbolic dreams and see visions. He asked what the visions God gave him meant and God told him it wasn’t given to him to understand. The prophet Joel saw the future Day of the Lord, given in spiritual symbols and metaphors to predict the eventual restoration and reconciliation of all.

And the prophet Isaiah speaks directly of the coming of the Lord:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace, there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6–7, NIV

In the New Testament, Jesus taught in parables, a Jewish style of storytelling, to convey messages through allegory and symbolism. Drawn from ordinary life, Jesus ensured that people could choose whether or not to think about and accept his messages. He knew only a few would see beyond the metaphors and parallels to the deeper spiritual truths He was ministering. His disciples asked why He spoke in parables to the crowds:

'“Jesus replied, ‘Because they haven’t received the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but you have. For those who have will receive more and they will have more than enough. But as for those who don’t have, even the little they have will be taken away from them.

This is why I speak to the crowds in parables: although they see, they don’t really see; and although they hear, they don’t really hear or understand. What Isaiah prophesied has become completely true for them:

You will hear, to be sure, but never understand; and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing.For this people’s senses have become calloused, and they’ve become hard of hearing, and they’ve shut their eyes so that they won’t see with their eyes or hear with their ears or understand with their minds, and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them.

Happy are your eyes because they see. Happy are your ears because they hear. I assure you that many prophets and righteous people wanted to see what you see and hear what you hear, but they didn’t.’” Matthew 13:10-17 NIV

God revealed the meaning to those He was drawing at that time. The disciples often had to ask Jesus to explain the meaning of the parables He ministered. They did not yet have the Holy Spirit within them, so the spiritual depth of what Jesus was saying was often hidden even from them:

“But the disciples did not understand any of these things. The meaning was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend what He was saying.” Luke 18:14 Berean

“Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?

How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:10 Berean

When Jesus talked about bread, He was not worried about what to eat. He meant the bread of heaven, the word of God. Though He told them about His crucifixion and resurrection more than once, they could not fully understand what was to come. Jesus called His body a temple, a tabernacle of God. He spoke of how it would be torn down and raised up again. Because the disciples did not comprehend with their limited natural understanding, they were devastated and lost when He died.

It did not matter that they had walked with Him and learned from Him for over three years. They did not have the spiritual capacity through the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ to know what to anticipate. He spoke in metaphors, using spiritual language that cannot be understood literally. Why would the Lord not teach us, today, in the same way that He taught the disciples? He is with us, within our hearts, as He was with them in the days of His flesh. He desires us to come closer to Him, to connect with our Father, who will reveal the spiritual meaning of His words.

The holy spirit is our source of spiritual understanding of the special, veiled God-language used in the Bible. What God said happened in the Old Testament happened. Period. What it is to mean to us, today, requires a relationship with God that reveals His spiritual truth and wisdom in it all. Paul said:

“But as it is written, ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.’ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?

But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 KJV

Paul states clearly and unequivocally that our natural mind, our soul’s understanding, cannot receive and understand the deep things of God. Compared to us, everything about God is deep! He does not say we will have the mind of Christ, but that we have it already! God knows what is in His spirit and we are enabled to know as well because we have the mind of Christ. Through His mind, we receive instruction, edification concerning the things of God which are spiritual, revealed by the holy spirit. We cannot receive it in any other way.

Man’s wisdom from our natural mind, our fleshly understanding, cannot be compared to spiritual wisdom from our Lord. We are to compare spiritual things with spiritual! The disciples thought of their Lord’s future rule from their earthly perspective, just as we often do today. They had a portion of spiritual understanding because they followed and were intimately in fellowship with Him, but not the depth the Holy Spirit would bring later to them.

Jesus knew the disciples could not understand His words in their present state, but it still wore on Him. Jesus told them:

“I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.

For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.…” John 12:14-16 Berean

Because all believers have Jesus Christ in their hearts, we have a measure of the Holy Spirit. But Jesus spoke of more than that. On the Day of Pentecost, all 120 disciples of Christ were gathered together in one accord and were filled with the Holy Ghost, all at the same time. They were strengthened, given access to understand spiritual things, learning and teaching the truth of what the Lord was saying. They were empowered to spread the gospel, though under great persecution.

Does this not tell us that we, too, need the Holy Spirit to be guided into all the truth of His word? If it could be understood just by the words, the disciples who were with Him would have understood His teachings. God spoke in veiled spiritual language purposefully, to draw whosoever will to come to Him. We are drawn to learn of Him and His spiritual thoughts and ways that are higher than human thoughts and ways. We need more than initial salvation to understand the types and shadows of the Bible.

This is why Paul said we need to move on:

“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God.” Hebrews 6:1 Berean

There is a tendency for us humans to settle, to stay in the “comfort zone” of what is familiar, what we already believe. The Israelites showed this in their longing to return to the bondage of Egypt. They became weary in the 40 years it took them to get through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Early on, they were complaining to Moses about wanting to go back to the familiar leeks and garlic of their lives as slaves in Egypt. Eating manna every day in the wilderness must have been boring! And it surely took a lot longer than they had hoped!

How tempting the familiar can be, even the Israelites’ former “familiar hell” of slavery in Egypt. God begins to take the “feathers out of our nest” until we become uncomfortable enough to leave it. When we hang on to where God has led us in the past, eventually He moves on without us. He takes the light, the “candlestick” of His presence from us, so it becomes dead to us. Dead works and dead worship can go on for many years as change is resisted by God’s people. Sometimes His own do not even realize He has left!

We need to remember that the disciples had never heard anything like what Jesus told them! If they had not left their Jewish beliefs to embrace something new, even though they did not understand its depths, we would not have the foundation of faith they were enabled to lay down for us. Our hearts should rejoice when He brings something new by the spirit. We can trust God to confirm new truth as we turn to Him and His word. He also reveals our spiritual errors in understanding Him, continually correcting any lack of wisdom that our carnal mind has designed or absorbed from others.

God is more than able to show us not just His acts, but His ways, like He did with Moses. God surely can choose to whom He speaks in revealing His ways. God usually spoke to His prophets in visions and dreams, such as Daniel’s prophetic vision. Moses, however,needed to understand God, face to face because Moses was charged with doing things in the right way as a pattern for us:

"Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream.

Not so, with My servant Moses, he is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord." Numbers 12: 6-8

God speaks in dark sayings that are murky and unclear unless we understand by His spirit what He is saying to us. Alternately translated as “dark speech”, the Hebrew root is “chiydah”, meaning “a puzzle, a trick, hard question, proverb or riddle.” He did not make His communications to the people easily understood. They had to get closer to God, be in intimate fellowship with Him to understand His ways.

For those in leadership, such as prominent Old Testament saints like David, Isaiah, and Daniel, God often granted more understanding by the Holy Spirit because of their calling. They needed to understand God’s ways, and His communication with them, to do what God had set before them. Often, even these saints did not understand completely—sometimes not at all—what these visions and messages meant.

The prophet Daniel was given a most powerful vision, a word for future that included events at the end of the ages. It troubled him that he did not know what these things meant but obediently recorded what God showed him regardless. After the angel, God’s messenger, had shown all to Daniel in powerful spiritual language, Daniel said:

“I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, ‘My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?’ He replied, ‘Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.

Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.’” Daniel 12:8-9 NIV

God has sealed His word until it is time for us, His people, to understand. It is hidden from the wicked but the wise in God will understand. We too hear things from God and wait to be given further understanding of what He means. He now resides in our hearts and talks to those who have spiritual ears to hear Him. There’s a reason John’s Revelation from the Lord says seven times in the 2nd and 3rd chapters: “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.” (KJV)

It is His job to open the eyes and ears of our spiritual understanding for those who love Him and desire to know His ways. He reveals Himself to us when it is our time to move on, just as He showed the Israelites to move on in the wilderness. We have a natural body and we have a spiritual body, having metaphorical spiritual eyes and ears to understand our Lord and His spiritual language.

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:44 Berean

We have a spiritual body now so we are able to understand our Lord in an ever-growing measure through the mind of Christ. He uses our spiritual eyes and ears to teach us His ways. He cannot rely on our body’s physical eyes and ears to teach us as they are of the earth, “earthly,” and cannot grasp spiritual things. Jesus called this “being carnal,” a limitation present with us since the fall of Adam.

We have no wish to go back to our former days as He faithfully teaches us the present truth required for this time in His plan and for our lives. As we walk with the Lord, and have the pleasure of getting to know Him, more is revealed to us about the meaning of His symbolic language. He shares further truth about “dark sayings” that can only be understood by the spirit. Since the resurrection of our Lord and His gift of the Holy Spirit, we can grow in knowledge and understanding.

Spiritual types and shadows, the patterns and examples used by Him, are to be comprehended as He builds us up into Him. We go higher and higher, always seeking to be where He is. There are varying times and seasons in the Lord, though He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His plan is ever-changing and evolving as we walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus the Son is ruling with our same Father God whose purpose is to make us like His firstborn son:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his glory and goodness.

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV

When Peter wrote these words, he made it clear that participation in our Lord’s divine nature was available and promised to them now, in this life. He did not say to have patience until you could be like Him when you die and go to heaven. No, Peter said the divine power of Jesus Christ gives us everything we need to do this now. God’s promises are kept, though we wait upon the Lord for the fullness of their time to be completed.

When we understand more of God’s spiritual language, the entire vastness of God and the rulership of our Lord Jesus Christ begins to unfold in greater depth. God gave me a chorus years ago that calls us to ever increasing intimacy with the Lord:

Get Closer to God

Get closer to God.

Get closer to God.

Hearken to His heavenly rod.

Like Him, you’ll be

And the whole world will see.

Get closer, get closer to God.

(B. Mikelson 1982)

To be close to the Father as we walk with Jesus Christ our Lord. He brings us more deeply to the fellowship of Father God who reveals His plan is even better than we knew! He changes our understanding of revelation while working a character change in our hearts, from our earthly nature to God’s kingdom of love, peace, and joy. Without the nature of Christ working within, an abundance of revelation that builds our intellect just “puff up” pride and ego.

Head knowledge about God can amaze others but it is empty words unless God’s truth is written within. It’s time for our words of ministry about godly living and our Christian behaviors to match. Then others will see Jesus in us and be able to trust what we are saying about Him. We Christians have been accused of not practicing what we preach, but, as someone said, “We are practicing our faith–we’re just not very good at it!!”

I would further add that we cannot be while we are still trying to get this flesh-man to do it. Working to become righteous in our flesh is worthless as no flesh can enter into the Kingdom. We will fail in any fleshly works of self-improvement, rules and laws, in order to please God. There’s no fixing up and improving our “old man.” It must be reckoned as dead as the spirit forms the Christ within us.

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.

For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, and that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we die with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.'" Romans 6:1-10 NIV

We are free from sin ruling us by what Jesus has done, but we still must walk in it. We need to walk out all He has accomplished and put within us. We are to consider or “reckon” the old man of sin as dead even though we still see it. We continually turn again and again to the Lord, seeking what only He can provide for the overcoming of the world, the flesh and the devil. If that old man was dead for us all already, others would truly see the Christ, the Love of God, rather than our human lack and failings.

Some object to needing to overcome, to do more because Jesus Christ took care of everything on the cross. And so He did, but are we walking in all He has done? Would the New Testament apostles such as Paul speak so much to what we ought to be if it were accomplished? We must apprehend all for which we have been apprehended. Paul encourages the Philippians to seek more of the character of Christ working within the heart:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16 NIV

Paul was working toward the building up of the Christ within those he taught. Just so, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to focus upon and live in Him, recognizing that the sin remaining in our flesh has lost its power to rule us. We continually turn to Christ for our victory so that He rules over every sin that still works within us. We are to consider or “reckon” the old man of sin as dead, not to consider it as who we are now, even though we still see it.

All of us have areas where our words do not match our behavior. These are an important area of focus in God’s refining of His own. Our characteristics, what is in our hearts that falls short of God’s fruit of the spirit, prevent the shining of the pure light of His countenance outward. Then God cannot be seen because of the remaining spots of darkness in us. Our religious words and works at these times lack the power of truth and love behind them. How can others be drawn to Him and learn to trust Him and His word if His light within us is fractured and bent by our own character?

Our own flesh, what remains in our hearts that falls short of God’s fruit of the spirit, prevent the shining of the pure light of His countenance outward. Our religious words and works at these times lack the power of truth and love behind them. What is in the heart does come out, if not in words, then in tone of voice and expression. But we are His workmanship, as God develops and nurtures sons and daughters to be just like like Jesus, the firstborn of many brethren:

“For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 Berean

In other passages, our Lord tells us that we are to be perfect (complete), as He is perfect. He would not have said it if it was not possible. This is the day for our hearts to be changed to be like His heart of mercy and justice, compassion and truth. We “come up hither” to where Jesus is in the spirit, in Zion where God is perfecting the saints in His presence. The bible does not say we must wait until after we die to be perfected or complete in His fullness. Search for it and you will not find it.

God sets the limits on our life span, so how far can we go before He takes us to the other side?There are many such promises yet to be fulfilled, waiting for this Third Day we are in to more completely unfold. God’s symbols and metaphors promise many more things than this call to perfection that our earthly understanding of words does not catch. The keys are all there, revealed by the spirit, shown in the original concordant meaning of Hebrew and Greek, comparing scripture to scripture, gifted to humans by spiritual revelation, confirmed in the hearts of faithful ones who are coming to know Him.

The Book of Revelation is a spiritual book filled with symbolic language. Some believers just leave it alone, confessing that they don’t understand it. The book of Revelation has been much misunderstood, a source of theological arguments and differing denominational teaching. This is the revelation—the revealing—of Jesus Christ in all His majesty. And it is written to His people, His slaves! Full of symbols and metaphors, Revelation has been bringing much confusion and disagreement in Christian leadership.

Revelation can only be understood by the spirit as God reveals His truth in the spiritual language He used with John. But now is the time to understand the truth of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, revealed by the Apostle John. The Revealing of Jesus Christ to His own could not be more vital or timely to understand. The first three chapters explicitly speak to sevel of the early churches, representative of stages of growth that modern Christianity now may experience. It is a blessing to read and begin to understand this precious book!

Revelation applies to us, His bondservants:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:1-3 NASB

We, the people of God, are to be judged first, to ready us for what is to unfold. The message that God relates through John to the seven churches is to us, His people. Each church is confronted with factors that limit or stop their growth, hindering His further blessing and presence. “To those that can hear, let them hear.” He warns more than once that if they do not repent—change—He will take their candlestick, the presence of the Lord, from their midst.

As we are moving out of the church age, we are leaving what God has caused us to outgrow and keeping what is a valuable part of our salvation. We go beyond the camp, the place where others have settled, to where He is now. He chooses our path and we follow on to know the Lord.

Brother Joshua Gwinnup wrote a beautiful piece on the true Body of Jesus Christ and how that differs from what we have called “church”. The portion shared below unfolds a present-day understanding of what it is to gather in His name. Bro. Gwinnup clarifies what two or three gathered together means from what is unnecessary, and how carnal teachings have obscured such prophetic teachings to limit our understanding. (Find more on his website, Wells in the Desert):

“God may lead you by the Holy Spirit to be joined unto people who attend a Baptist Church, or a Pentecostal Church, or a Non-Denominational Church, or perhaps a Home Fellowship.

Moreover, the Lord may lead you into fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and with Him alone for a season. Wherever or whomever the Lord leads you unto, let it be impressed in your heart and mind that the joining must be by the Spirit or there is no true fellowship or assembling at all.

God is looking at the heart of His people. Our joining is heart-to-heart –and we are free to be joined by all of God’s people wherever they are in this season and time.

Nevertheless, we are not joined to the religious systems of Babylon – although many of God’s people still live there.” Bro. Joshua Gwinnup, The Kingdom of God is Within You, 2022.

God surely is looking at our hearts. Our joining is to be “heart to heart” by the love of the brethren in Christ. Bro. Gwinnup makes a critical point about our understanding of the gatherings of the saints. It is not when, where, how, or with whom that is important. It is not that we need to “go here…” or “go there...” to find Him. He is within us and all such joining must be by the Spirit. We can only be joined together when there is unity in our hearts, with God and with each other. Love unites, it is not divided.

No true fellowship or assembling is possible lest the Holy Spirit do it. Such is the true assembling not to be forsaken. We are to leave dutiful assembling, restricted to forms and traditions rather than led by the Holy Ghost. We are to move on to our Promised Land, not settling in the various camps along the way. Of course, many gatherings have the spirit of God present in between rituals and pre-planned programs. God loves His own and is present within as people who love Him gather.

But far too often, Jesus is left at the door, knocking to be let in like the Laodicean assembly in Revelation.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 NIV

Meditate on the Lord standing outside the door and what this means. Is He outside the door of our hearts, outside of our structured and pre-planned gatherings, outside of our busy days laboring in the church realm, knocking to get in? The early church had a few years of glorious growth and freedom in Him, then began to fall to division from the rule of man. By the message in Revelation, He is standing outside, knocking to get in. Isn’t it time for all our gatherings to be led by Him, as best we can allow in our current level of maturity? May we let go of the rules and regulations that are so familiar, even traditional, but are not God’s leading by the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean for us now that He “makes all things new?” He is about the business of freeing His people from the bondage of fleshly ideas and ways, traditions and habits that do not cause growth of His character. Of what use is our presence, our participation, if God has not led us to gather or present and in charge of our meetings? We know we cannot do it, but He can! What difference does it make when, where, how or who we fellowship with when God is leading us by the spirit?

Many of us prefer not to gather with others in a mixture of flesh and spirit—including our own. We need more purging as God’s time for us is revealed to again experience precious gatherings in the Lord. We have had wonderful fellowship through the years with many beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord. These were holy times of communion with God and His people. But it is a new day!

God is calling those who can hear to free themselves of religious bondage in all Babylonish systems established by the traditions of men. This is not just one church or denomination or non-denomination or organization. It is all organizations that carry the name Christian who have practiced and promoted their “brand,” fostering division and strife for personal gain in stature, power, influence and wealth. However, neither poverty nor wealth is a sign of godliness, let alone correct doctrine.

Some of us have left these external systems, being “outside the camp” but still need God’s purging from Babylonish ways within us. We are no longer in Babylon but Babylonish ways were imprinted in our hearts. We learned to minister in the former realms of glory, using the manner we were taught. We were shown how to worship in ways that may be familiar imprints from the past, using catch phrases and common mannerisms as we learned to fellowhip and share in our church fellowships.

But there is no one way to speak God’s word, one right way to preach, teach, or prophesy. Let us allow God to teach us the present way He chooses to use us as His mouthpiece. We want to be free of the past, no longer modeling or mimicking former religious styles and mannerism of our elders. Though gaining much gold from their treasure houses, Jesus is the pattern Son, not humans. There should not be such a mark of human leadership on us that others can tell who we have followed in the past.

Our God is focused upon each heart in those desiring to show forth Who He is now. We are pursuing that prize Paul diligently sought:

“But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things.

I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:7-14 Berean

All of Paul’s external achievements, the religious stature and knowledge he had gained, the credentials he had among the Jews, the multitude of religious ways he learned as the best Hebrew he could be, were rubbish! Paul taught that the gathering is to be unto Christ. Carefully consider this: can we honestly say that we manifest the power of His resurrection? If Paul desired and pursued more, despite the magnitude and abundance of revelation given to him, it seems obvious that there is more for the rest of us. Settling for salvation to get us out of hell is not sufficient as an entry into His glorious kingdom.

Fortunately, it’s not up to us only to be led by the spirit to understand the deep things of God. He will lead us to brethren and sisters God has gifted to teach the depth of God’s symbols and metaphors. We learn much from such anointed teachers and preachers as they write and share the meaning of God’s spiritual language. We are meant to receive the blessings that come from understanding and living the words of John’s prophecy (Revelation 1:3) along with many other messages in the Bible.

We see signs of this change now. Look around you and you will see many empty buildings from this era, either abandoned or with a few faithful trying to keep it going. When those who represent God’s leadership do not heed the call to change, but hang on to what they’ve built, God will eventually bring it to an end. They will find themselves sitting on a great pile of ashes, trying to breathe life into their old, dead works. As it happened with the great Pentecostal ministries of the past and the earlier charismatic outpourings of the spirit, God has moved on. Those heavens, glorious though they were, are gone.

Heed the call to come out:

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues…” Revelation 18:4 NIV

We may have been taught that Babylon is one specific domination, one group of God’s own that are stuck in this whorish system that has been in bed with all kinds of earthly rulers and kingdoms, but that is simply not the truth. Symbols such as those of prophecy, of revelation, of Jesus’s teachings, are understood as taught by God, leading to a change in character, which we all require to grow up into Him. We are learning to lay down what we thought we knew so He can give us His understanding and tell us about what He has planned for us now.

And it is a glorious future! Take another prayerful look at the book of Revelation. The whole Bible is wonderful, of course, but this book is particularly for our time now. Read enlightened writers on Revelation such as my husband Rich’s Feast of Tabernacles website, Bro. J. Preston Eby’s Kingdom Bible Studies series on the book of Revelation, and Bro. Josh Gwinnup’s Wells in the Desert, along with many other associated ministries God is using to speak to us now.

The truth of God is, indeed, good news! We can be equipped with spiritual truths in order to share them:

“Therefore My people will know My name [nature]: therefore they will know on that day that I am He who speaks. ‘Here I am!’

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, and together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the Lord returns to Zion.” Isaiah 52:6-8 Berean

There is a deep longing in our hearts to be among those used in this hour to roar out of Zion with good news for the people of God. It is time for the good news of the plan of salvation for all that God has for the world He loves. Enough of frightening people into conversion rather than drawing them by Love into the kingdom of God. Enough bad news! All God’s news is “yes and amen” as we await more of His kingdom to unfold within us to flow out from the Zion saints in a mighty river to others.

“But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No.’ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No,’ but in him it has always been ‘Yes.’

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him, the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1 NIV

A Good Report?

A good report! Our feet are beautiful on the mountains, the high places in God, where our walk brings good news! Dare we risk it? We announce peace, not war. We announce salvation to all, not condemnation to unbelievers forever. We show the way into the kingdom, without judgment for the sin and death in which mankind lives. We speak life, not death, into others. We draw with love, not fear. We have the privilege of proclaiming to all that our God reigns!

How critical it is to bring a good report to the people of God today! Our redemption is drawing nigh in this Day of the Lord. He is in charge of it all, including the fate of the earth and all life dwelling in it. There is more and more bad news, so much to complain about! So many are most unhappy about what’s happening in our lives. There is little national agreement on the direction we are going. America, with its wealth, privilege, and technology, has become a nation of argumentative complainers.

For generations, there have been wars and rumors of wars, with periodic escalation and thousands of deaths. We are having more natural and man-made disasters, more destructive and dangerous storms of all types, famine, more war, more destruction, more violence, more illness, more loss. We continue to develop more ways to kill each other, either directly, or indirectly, through what we allow for financial gain. Do you feel the weight of discouragement and hopelessness begin to settle as you read these sentences?

This is all truth, but it causes no joy or peace in our hearts to know it, let alone rehearse it all to ourselves and others. We must see God’s hand in our lives, regardless. Our joy is in the Lord and He has good news for all of creation. There are world experts in bad news, divisive news, and news of horror and defeat. Many make their living by sharing bad news. It’s difficult to be positive as a newscaster, that’s not really their job. Having all good news does not sell the news, even though some news outlets now add a “feel good” story following the words and images of death and tragedy.

A good report is speaking with encouragement about things, focusing on what is worthy of praise and admiration. Christians do need to be informed, to be alert and pray, to apply spiritual wisdom and understanding to the events of the day. But our focus is on Him, showing forth faith flowing from His heart of love. We know He has everything in His Hands love and mercy, justice and truth. If that is where it is, how can we not flow out in a stream of His love and goodness to all? What is the treasure in our hearts that can flow out with a good report?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 Berean

What is stored up in our hearts of the treasures of heaven to encourage and give people hope in these times? What words do we have that are edifying to the body of Christ? Our hope is in God! We create darkness and negativity when we speak only bad news, giving a bad report about others, ourselves, or the world. There really are consequences to words. There’s a saying that “pessimists are realists while optimists are blind.”That is not God’s wisdom!

In fact, some of us Christians are accused of being entirely too positive! But God told us in Philippians to focus on the Good News, fulfilled in Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV

What can be more clear than this passage, starting with telling us not to worry? We can be thankful in, though not necessarily for, all of our circumstances. God was the first One to say, “Don’t worry. Be happy!” This is good news! It is all a good report as we are encouraged to think about these things. Who embodies all that this speaks of but our Lord Jesus Christ? He is the good report: all that is true, honorable, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. As His heart is revealed to us, as we are learning of His ways, He creates these things within us, too.

A good report is easy as we meditate on all His faithfulness, His kindness, mercy, love and forgiveness for His people. What we turn our gaze upon, who or what we worship and adore, becomes a part of us. The Christ is being formed within a people as we rest in His presence, allowing Him to make us more than conquerers in all situations.

Paul told the Thessalonians to keep building each other up:

“He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 Berean

Why is a good report so vital? Well, let us consider the consequences of making a negative,“bad news” report to the people of God. The Israelites were led by Moses for many days through the wilderness, finally arriving at the border of the promised land. Moses directed 12 spies to go into the land to assess the people, their possessions and crops, the fruit of the land, in preparation for finally entering in.

Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies sent to check out the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve spies, all except for Joshua and Caleb, came back with a bad report. This had serious consequences for the people of God:

“They reported to Moses and said, ‘We went into the land where you sent us, and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. But the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified (walled) and very large; moreover, we saw there the descendants of Anak [people of great stature and courage].

The people [descended from] Amalek live in the land of the Negev (South country); the Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the [Dead] Sea and along the side of the Jordan.’

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession of it; for we will certainly conquer it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are too strong for us.”

So they gave the Israelites a bad report about the land which they had spied out, saying, ‘The land through which we went, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it were men of great stature. There we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim), and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:26-33 Amplified

How they had forgotten the promises, the miracles, let alone the might and power of their God! It was a very bad report, formed in fear and deception. This bad report magnified the enemies they were to conquer while disclaiming God’s promise of victory. The ten spies forgot all about God and His words to them when facing their future enemies. They saw their enemies of great stature and themselves, God’s people of promise, as weak and small. They were completely overwhelmed by the outward appearance of their foes.

Even though the land was found to be rich and flowing with milk and honey, just as God said, they skipped right past that to get to the bad news. When Caleb attempted to speak in faith, they contended strongly with his good report. They were already captivated by the bad report that had planted fear, negativity, and defeat in the people. Caleb didn’t get anywhere with his positive, faith-filled, encouraging report because hope and faith had already been destroyed.

This bad report seriously damaged the people’s trust that God would do what He promised in giving them the land flowing with milk and honey. It brought death, not life, rapidly spreading unbelief throughout the camp:

“Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’

So they said to one another, ‘Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.’ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.” Numbers 14:1-5 Amplified

How contagious negativity is! Bad news travels fast. The seed of fear and unbelief from these ten spies sharing a very negative report was infectious. Their bad report about the promised land caused such rapid despair that the people wanted to go back to the bondage of Egypt or die in the wilderness rather than go in to take the country promised to them by God. And this was a people who had seen many miracles in their escape from Egypt’s bondage and sustenance during the days of the wilderness travels. They had experienced much love and provision of God, including their miraculous deliverance when the Red Sea parted for them to escape their oppressors.

By this time in their travels, the Israelites had been miraculously saved and provided for over and over, yet fear and anger swallowed up their faith. God is not pleased when we forget all His benefits. It surely does not delight the Lord when we quickly accept an overwhelmingly bad, negative report and forget all His blessings, deliverance and benefits. These people of God should be pillars of faith after all God has said and done for and within them. Caleb is just that, stating clearly that they all should believe this land is theirs already because God promised it to be so. As David said:

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds.” Psalms 103:1-2 Berean

Caleb’s statement of faith, came from a heart that believed all God had said to them. Caleb did not judge by the sight of his eyes or what he has heard of their enemies. His faith in God’s promises, in His word to His people, was not shaken when faced with the adversity surely to come. Caleb is strong in his faith that their God can do all things. He stands on God’s power to do what appears impossible, over and over, for those He has called and chosen. Negativity, fear, and darkness, however, rapidly take hold of their hearts, when fully accepting the majority report of impossibility and loss.

This is always the case. Bad reports swallow up God’s word and that of faithful trusting servants like Caleb, a lone voice except for Joshua, giving a good report. The results of a bad report for those who are not garrisoned by God in their hearts remain so today. Just be around someone with negativity, carrying a theme of darkness with words such as “Isn’t it awful…I knew this [bad thing} would happen …the world is getting worse and worse…we’re heading to a catastrophe, a fatal end: (pick one): World War 3, global destruction, overrun by ‘foreigners’, lethal destruction, loss of democracy or freedom or income and… and…so on.”

We can add to the endless flood of bad news, negativity, condemnation and “Ain’t it awful!.” The gospel of fear is rampant but it is not God’s way. There are always these things and yes, in this day of the Lord, there is even more of it. But the Day of the Lord, coming as a thief (a surprise) to some is welcome to us. It’s good news! Our words of faith in this hour are important! We are able to bring a good or bad report about entering into our Promised Land, the Kingdom of love, peace and joy, right here, right now, on this earth, because God promised.

We can learn to speak life rather than death. We can foster love and mercy instead of division and hate. We can speak peace, truly being peacemakers, rather than stirring up animosity for anyone different than we are. We surely can continue to give the bad report that the majority have, that our flesh will never defeat the enemy until we die and go to heaven. We can complain that we are fighting the devil all day long. We can shake our heads about how impossible it is for Jesus Christ to bring His body of believers into unity. We can accept that war and destruction are inevitable, as we know humans deserve it.

There is a constant flood of bad news coming at us, now minute by minute with all our technological advances, even in third world countries. Are we caught up in this, flowing with the majority, more often the bearer of bad news about how others or we, ourselves, continue to fall short? What kind of crop will we get when sowing these negative fear-based words in a bad report? Or do we see with spiritual eyes and hear with spiritual ears the good news of what is coming upon the earth today?

When will God’s people, who are called by His name, speak the good news to others? When will we know that we are chosen for such a time as this when darkness threatens to swallow up the light completely on our earth? Do we trust His word rather than what we see or hear on this planet? Let’s proclaim that God’s love is true and available, that His peace is possible here on this earth, and that His joy is eternally within us as our strength.

Oh yes, there is much shaking and trembling as God is dealing with all within us and around us. But even that is good news! The fire of God’s passion, His wrath, burns up the dross in those of us who draw ever closer to His presence. His refining fires consume our dross. We are thankful for all that God is doing in this world. He is bringing to an end the ways of man. That’s good news!

Many many things created by man’s efforts alone are coming to an end. Hallelujah! Only God can correct the chaos and destruction on this earth. That’s good news! He is coming back within a people to reconcile all to Him, as He so loves the world. That’s good news! His compassions fail not, they are new every morning. That’s good news! His justice is fully joined with His mercy and compassion. That’s good news!

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:10-14 NIV

Sounds terrifying, doesn’t it? We can relate to the fearful Israelites, ten out of twelve, the majority opinion, who brought their negative and fear-filled report to the camp. It is just so today. Then, as now, when God’s people look into the future of God’s kingdom, they do not see with spiritual eyes and ears, and are only able to give a negative, discouraging and demoralizing report. These passages, using God’s symbolic language, are used to threaten condemnation and destruction, forgetting that God’s endings always bring new beginnings.

In Moses’ day, those chosen to spy out the land were trusted men of stature that Moses saw as leaders of the people. Though they were in error, they were men of influence, so their report was believed by the people. It’s so much easier to yield to fear and unbelief, then and now, particularly when respected leaders are trumpeting evil and destruction all around us. Our human vision, clouded by our carnal understanding, cannot see the way for God to be victorious given the factual situations facing us all in this world. We surely need a new earth, but how?

More than one Christian leader has taken a position to preach fear instead of faith in God. Some even admit they are ministering what they know is limited truth, but cannot abandon it for fear of losing their congregation, income, or stature in the religious world. Few preach that we can take the kingdom, that the heavens and earth to be destroyed are the former spiritual heavens in which people have dwelt, that God promised after the flood in Noah’s day, never to destroy the earth, though we are doing our best to do just that.

With such voices from their religious leaders, God’s people continue in living far below our promises and privilege in God. Those who spy out the land and give a good report, like Joshua and Caleb, are rejected, reviled and accused of false doctrine. Our good report, when countering the prevailing limited doctrines, is not well received or even understood. We are not going with the majority opinion and people seem to really resist that.

But there are those voices that continue to bring a good report. Let’s return to our Old Testament account to see the eventual impact of the good report Caleb and Joshua brought back:

“Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to the whole congregation of Israel, ‘The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us.

Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them!’ But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb.” Numbers 14:1-10 Berean

“If the Lord delights in us…”Consider all the statements of faith their report brought:

1) it is an exceedingly good land.

2) the Lord delights in us.

3) He will bring us into this land.

4) He will give it to us because He said so.

5) Don’t rebel—they ought to know this does not work with God by now.

6) They will be like bread, easy to conquer.

7) They are no longer protected because the Lord is with us.

Such confident truth they brought, but as it was then, so it is today. This was a powerful word of faith and truth but the people had heard and believed the bad report. They refused to receive the truth being spoken to them. Fear and resentment of God and their leaders overpowered them, and the majority opinion ruled. As a result of their unbelief, Moses and Aaron had to intercede with God so He did not destroy all of them right then and there. In fact, those who repented but tried to go up to take the land without God’s blessing were destroyed.

There are always voices against anyone who dares to go against the majority of negativity and fear. How can we share the Good News of God’s kingdom if we cannot even believe it ourselves? It seems so difficult to trust good news, even for us Christians. God allows adversity in our lives to train and refine us, so sometimes it seems we get used to the bad news. This voice is louder, more frequent, and sadly, more believable, than God’s words of promise and victory:

“‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.’

His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.’

Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:25-33 ESV

Jesus spoke in symbolic language, figures of speech that He had to translate into commonly understood words in order for His disciples to understand. Jesus’ work was to show the Father in Him, drawing all back to the Father through His marvelous work that brought His being into the hearts of men and women. He states clearly that when His work is finished, He will not have to intercede between Father God and believers, because Father God loves us, too!

What does this say about the teaching that Jesus is needed to intercede between believers and a a wrathful, angry, condemning Father? Jesus’ intercession is between us and our enemies, not our loving Father God. He is interceding for us so that we may fulfill God’s will on the earth. Can you hear this good news? We may hope for the good news, but, often in our hearts, we expect the bad. We become unable to trust that all God does is good and that His news is always good news to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

“And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8: 27-31 NIV

What, indeed?! God is for us, so who can truly be against us? What is in our hearts will flow out to others. May God continually plant a good crop of His fruit, the Word of His good news, filling our hearts with His water of life to flow out to all mankind! There are Christian people all over who are following leaders today and looking into the Promised Land of His Kingdom. Some continually bring a negative report back to the people, including all the work we have to do for us or our loved ones to qualify to enter in.

Many believe the bad report of eternal punishment from God for all in His judgment, working fear and condemnation for unbelievers in the hearts of God’s people. Watch for it, listen with discernment as you hear messages that are repeatedly bringing bad news to God’s own. Some will oppose any others bringing good news that is contrary to their own limited and fearful vision. They somehow shrink the Lord’s called and chosen into weak and defeated earthly people unable to enter in, constantly fighting or fearing the devil, blocking the truths of His kingdom. They focus on the flood of evil and disaster evident all around instead of the God of their salvation, completed through His Son, and all His mighty power to bring victory.

Such is the flood of death through bad reports to which we are subjected now. A few see beyond the present, trusting God to be faithful, loving, and true, to do what He said He would do. These proclaim that we are able to follow on to know the Lord, we can conquer the world in us, just as Jesus conquered. We are learning to live in all the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished. He hears and knows all, then and now.

God knows when we are murmuring and complaining about our lot in life, or the worldwide daily news of loss, death, and tragedy. Father God knows and, while humanly understandable in our present times, it is not pleasing to Him. Because of Jesus Christ, however, He has compassion and forgiveness for us. Back then, for the Israelites, the Lord pardoned the people because their leaders interceded:

"I have pardoned them as you requested,’ the Lord replied. ‘Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the Lord, not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times— no one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers.

None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.” Numbers 14:1-10; 20-22 Berean

God will deal with all those, past and present, who have continually brought a bad report about what He has promised His people. All those who are fearful cannot enter into the kingdom in that condition. They have disqualified themselves and all those who follow and listen to them. We cannot treat with contempt all that God has already done, with signs and wonders, providing for us in our times of wilderness walking. Oh, no, there is no lack of good news, but there is a lack of vision to see beyond the flood of bad news. The fearful and unbelieving cannot enter in:

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-10 KJV

There are some giants to overcome on our way to our inheritance. Fear and unbelief rule our earthly minds, and that has to be overcome by the spirit and the word. The second death described in this symbolic language is just that—bringing the fire of God’s presence to burn up fear and unbelief. The lake of fire is a purifying place and cannot represent hell, as death and hell are thrown into it:

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:13-14 KJV

All are judged, with judgment coming first to the House of God. This is good news! It is judgment toward redemption, not eternal condemnation. Does it not say that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord? Be not deceived, God will judge with righteous judgment those who are looking into the things of God’s kingdom and bringing back a bad report. God is destroying the refuge of lies that have dominated and robbed His people. This is good news!

We are promised a new heaven, a high spiritual place in which to dwell, and a new earth that is no longer headed for destruction. When we understand what God is saying by the spirit, that the fires that He’s bringing on our earth (internal and external) are the fire of His presence to bring about redemption, long-awaited for positive change, fear is gone and faith is built up in us and others. After all, did not Jesus say:

"But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31-32 NIV

Do you think our Father, the ruler of the universe, is incapable of giving us the kingdom? And just where is this kingdom? It is somewhere out there in the sky, the atmosphere which surrounds the earth? Does our Lord ever tell us that the kingdom is or will be in a place found outside of us, somewhere that will be geographically located in Jerusalem or any other address in this literal earth?

No, our Lord is very clear about this, if you but let the Holy Spirit reveal it to you. Jesus clearly said in the gospels that the kingdom of God is within us. He warned His disciples:

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.

People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them.’’” Luke 17:20-23 NIV

Consider another of God’s own, the great leader and Israel’s king, David, who had many enemies. In the Psalms that he wrote, he continually reminds himself that God is trustworthy. Over and over, David reiterates his trust in God. There is no fear in trust. There is no fear in trust. Fear and trust cannot co-exist in our hearts if we are to enter into His spiritual kingdom of peace, joy, love, and righteousness.

We seek God to swallow up our fear, building a complete trust in Him when we are afraid. Meditate on this good news:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:4 NIV

Christians today, like Joshua and Caleb of old, are to persist in modeling and influencing our brothers and sisters to see the truth of God in overcoming all of our enemies, without and within. It does not say we must wait for these changes after we die. We are changed as we walk and talk with Him. We share the Good News of the Kingdom, enabled to boldly risk being markedly different from the majority in bringing back a good report and sticking to it despite rejection or persecution. What words of faith and trust in our God Joshua and Caleb display for our edification!

And the Lord does delight in us, His called and chosen people. He counts on us to bring a good report to the people who are unaware of God’s kingdom within. Now that is good news indeed! Do we need to be reminded that the Lord is with us? That our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered all things on our behalf? That the battle is not ours but God’s? No matter what we see and hear about what is coming on the earth in this hour, we are not to be afraid.

What a formidable internal enemy fear is, and only our Lord can conquer it. There are days we do need to be reminded Who holds the keys of death and hell, Who has already gained the victory for us, Who is interceding against the enemy of our souls, Who is giving us the victory though it is yet to be fully evident. We can have a good report, despite obstacles to Kingdom life. We are to learn to rest in Him and His provision.

We have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord and we are learning to walk more and more fully into all that He accomplished. Joshua and Caleb eventually prevailed and were honored with leadership in the land of promise. But first, the ten who gave the bad report were dealt with by God:

“So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land— those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the Lord.

Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive…But ‘because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.’” …

Early the next morning they got up and went up toward the ridge of the hill country. ‘We have indeed sinned,’ they said, ‘but we will go to the place the Lord has promised.’ But Moses said, ‘Why are you transgressing the commandment of the Lord? This will not succeed! Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the Lord is not among you. For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword.

Because you have turned away from the Lord, He will not be with you. But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the Lord moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.” Numbers 14:24; 36-38; 40-46 Berean

Some of the people did agree they had sinned, but stubbornly insisted on proceeding to the land God had promised—without God! What they had feared and predicted came upon them. They were severely defeated and God destroyed their leaders. In fact, more were lost as they were not armored with God for the battle. Some of the camp may even have trumpeted this defeat as proof of their bad report, admonishing the rest: “See! We told you God would do this. We warned you that the people in this Land are too strong and mighty for us.”

Their defeat and destruction was caused by their disobedience to God, unbelief swallowing the words He had spoken through their leaders. They suffered most painful and dire consequences because of it. Though the loss may not be of lives today, there is always loss from disobedience to God and His promises. Those who continually harbor negativity and fear in their spirit, soul, and body eventually show it in the loss of peace and health, some literally bent over in their bodies from continually bearing the heavy weight of fear and defeat.

Joshua and Caleb, however, stuck to their good report in the face of majority disdain and were honored for it. God said Caleb had a different spirit, one that followed the Lord wholeheartedly, nothing held back. Do we realize that there is a spirit to good and bad reports? Oh, yes there is! Ask any coach of team sports about what happens when members of their team, and in particular, the leadership, get a negative and defeatist attitude. This spirit of negativity and defeat takes over, contributing to the very thing the coach is working against.

This is true in any organization, workplace, family, or gathering. It’s difficult to achieve success when a negative fearful spirit takes over a group. It was true for the Israelites and it is true for us, His called and chosen people. We are lights shining in this present darkness and, oh, how the world needs us to be just that! Can it be more clear that the way of life in the kingdom of God is through the good report of faith in God and all of His promises?

All negative, fearful things, especially those used to keep power and control over God’s people, will eventually be destroyed by God as death is swallowed up by life. We have yet to see this perfected, but faith is considering those things that be not as though they were, as Abraham, the father of our faith did:

“As it is written, I have made thee [Abraham] a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17 KJV

Abraham’s faith pleased the Lord such that He was a friend of God. God allows fearful things to come upon us so we become strong in our trust in Him. He swallows up fear of death with His everlasting light. We do not have to join the crowd of naysayers bemoaning the state of humanity in this world. We keep our eyes upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, pursuing the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus, along with our beloved brother, the Apostle Paul.

In the Old Testament, God destroyed the people. He is still capable of removing the disobedient if they will not repent of their failure to preach the truth of His word. He lifts the anointing of His presence, revealing the lack of godly power in their words. For the called and chosen of His people, however, He creates faithfulness now, through Jesus Christ. He is destroying our enemies within us by the refining fire of His presence, writing His truth in our new hearts, no longer stony, as Ezekiel prophesied centuries ago:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 NKJV

He did this very thing when Jesus Christ rose again and came back as the Spirit to dwell within us. Even little children know to say “I have Jesus in my heart” with complete faith that it is so.

We watchmen upon the wall are eagle-eyed in warning of the enemy while having faith that God will conquer all our enemies in our Land of Promise. Kingdom living is peace, joy, and love. Can we believe God will bring unity among the brethren, let alone peace in the world? His love unites, it does not divide. He said so and He will do it. He will accomplish His will and purpose.

Now is the time to hope, pray, and believe Him. Oh, how we need to see the sons of God, led by the spirit, joining spiritual Zion to bring about change for all.

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You--in both ]inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Trust [confidently] in the LORD forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].” Isaiah 26:3-4 Amplified

The Path of Life

Christians do what we do before God, not to win favor with man. We daily seek His thoughts and direction on all matters in our lives. He promises to show us the path of life, how to live fully in His presence. He knows every detail of the life He has for us, including the number of hairs on our heads! We need the light of His life to see beyond the darkness to the way He has planned for us:

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB

“Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.” Proverbs 21:2 Berean

We need His light within our own hearts, because who can truly know their own heart?

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, to give to each person according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 NASB

God searches our hearts, revealing them to us for purging and change. This is the way God deals with His sons and daughters, always from His heart of love, mercy and justice. He shows us specifically how He would have us handle the events in our lives. Sometimes, He tells us: “Wait. Let me deal with this until you have the right heart, my heart, the right balance, to take this on. You don’t yet see as I see.”

God knows we cannot see as He sees, because His thoughts and ways are truly higher than our thoughts and earthly viewpoints. There’s a song that starts “Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.” It should say “and our enemies” —the enemies of His people—be scattered. God has no enemies but we do. God is at rest, totally in charge of everything, so what power can come against the God of the universe?

Jesus Christ our Lord has the position of intercession for us with our enemies. He takes on our battles when we belong to Him. The adversary rules the earth as a roaring dragon in the world, bringing adversity that is our battle, with our Lord by our side. Like it or not, He takes us through rather than out of most of them. God leaves us in the battle brought by our circumstances, if not our choices, until the refining process has done its work.

Adversity brings growth in character, maturing a child, natural our spiritual, quicker than blessings do. We need both but it is a hard truth for some to accept. Thankfully, God is able to reveal His thoughts and ways to His people. He has a very unique and specific path for each of us. His ultimate purpose is for His saints to have purified hearts without guile, prepared to bring redemption for all.

We need to stay in God’s school to become like Abraham, a Friend of God who understood God’s heart:

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:23

We must understand and learn Who God is to discern the intents of His heart. We have to go deeper to settle critical questions with Him by the Holy Spirit. We search to find out what God’s purpose is in what He does. Perhaps more frequently, we search to understand the purpose in what He does not do — what He allows.

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Psalms 16:11 Berean

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:8 Berean

We need the light of His spirit to show us the way, literally. King David, the psalmist, was assured that God would show him the path of life. Read about David’s many battles leading the Lord’s people and you will see, over and over, how David went to the Lord first, asking God what he should do. God told David, very specifically, what to do in order to win the battles against the enemies of the Israelites.

We too can receive this specific guidance in our daily lives. We don’t have to be a great King to hear from the Lord! You might be surprised at the small details God will help us with when we ask. Small, daily things that we might think we should not bother Him by asking are okay as well as asking about those large and critical decisions required of us. When we know that Father God is responding with holy spirit directives in the small details of living, it increases our faith and trust in Him when the bigger issues arise.

Our Father is a very attentive Parent. He cares and listens to the smallest details of our lives. He already knows them all and is yet most gracious in listening to our prayers about anything. The more we pray for God’s guidance in everything, the more we show our Lord that we trust Him more than ourselves. God did not say we have to reserve one part of our life to handle ourselves because it’s too small or petty to bother Him about. If He knows the hairs on our heads, He surely cares about everything we are and do. We learn more and more to listen as well, to hear His voice within.

There are many things God allows that we just don’t understand. Without the Holy Spirit revealing and teaching us His ways, we become troubled and confused by His acts. When these include the deep pain and suffering within and around us, it is quite difficult to comprehend, let alone accept. We risk going into a deep ditch, struggling with anger or loss of faith when God does not do what we think is right nor prevent such awful tragedies and violence in the world.

God’s timing is something we question, being locked in earthly, limited time in contrast to His eternal perspective. We are not alone in this. Mary and Martha got upset with Jesus about His timing, which allowed their brother, Lazarus, to die:

“When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.’

‘Your brother will rise again,’ Jesus told her. Martha replied, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’” John 11:17-26 Berean

Martha had faith that her Lord Jesus could ask the Father and He would grant whatever was asked. That is true faith! She already believed in the resurrection, though she did not see the Resurrection before her.

This is one of the many challenges we have in understanding God’s spiritual ways from our limited earthly perspective. We prioritize events on Earth, stuck in this spiritual dimension. We begin to comprehend His ways as God lifts and enlightens us with His spirit. We do not live in eternity in spirit, soul, and body yet, so we cannot help being limited in our understanding of matters of life and death.

But remember, this is not our homeland! It is just our training ground for eternal life. God prioritizes the spiritual world more than the earthly world in which we live. God lives in eternity, not in time, and invites us to have this perspective, even when someone we love dies. While we grieve at such most painful losses, we are not to grieve without hope. God reminds us that it is a release for them. They are in their rank and order in the unseen, delivered from the earthly challenges we still face.

“Now we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are reposing, lest you may sorrow according as the rest, also, who have no expectation.

For, if we are believing that Jesus died and rose, thus also, those who are put to repose, will God, through Jesus, lead forth together with Him.

For this we are saying to you by the word of the Lord, that we, the living, who are surviving to the presence of the Lord, should by no means outstrip those who are put to repose,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Concordant Literal

Our world is His world, designed to shape, train, and develop us, His children, into the fullness of His path for each of us. He reveals His path of life for each faithful Christian who looks to Him for direction. Sometimes it’s like the headlights of a car driving in deep darkness with no other light around. We see just what is right ahead of us and how to keep going. At other times, He reveals this path of life in glorious technicolor so we cannot miss it!

His word powerfully reassures us of His hold on us, His constant presence in our lives. This is beautifully expressed in this scripture from the Amplified translation:

“...I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down nor will I relax my hold on you [assuredly not]!” Hebrews 13:5b Amplified

How emphatic! God has us, in all circumstances, always and forever. But, let’s face it, it’s still challenging to endure God’s timing. We wait and wait, sometimes a lifetime, for some things to be worked out for our lives, or those we love, or in this sin-ridden world. When we are in God’s waiting room, we learn a great deal about Him and ourselves. Once, when God finally said “Soon.” in response to a ten-years-long answer to prayer, I honestly replied: “Your soon or my soon?” My “soon” was in a few months, not two years later when His “soon” was fulfilled.

By that time in my walk with the Lord, I knew that His “soon” was rarely what I considered soon, particularly when a year is like a day to Him:

“Beloved, do not let this one thing escape your notice: With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8 Berean

Well, no wonder things look messed up now! The Lord intends all to come to repentance and that surely will take, from our perspective, a long, long time. He has an eternal plan that we are trying to understand in the context of our brief lives here on Earth. Clearly, God does what He does when implementing His perfect plan, regardless of our impatience in waiting. God’s timing definitely is not ours and He does not operate on our timetable! When asking God how He can stand all the pain in our world that is so hard to bear, He told me: “Because I know the end from the beginning.”

We wait, patiently or not, building up our faith and trust in Him as we do, or not. Peter cautions us to not think He is slow in keeping His promises to us, though that is exactly what it feels like! What we think is a long time is mere seconds to the Lord of the universe. We get so focused upon and limited by our present earthly life and circumstances that we forget this is but a blink of time in the life of the spirit. God is most interested in bringing our perspective up to His, in a higher realm to learn of His ways.

Sometimes it seems He delights in showing up in circumstances at the last minute, when all human hope is lost. Then it’s very obvious that no human hand accomplished what He proceeds to do. This was the experience of many in the Bible. Consider Hannah, the most beloved one of Elkanah’s two wives. Being barren, Hannah was tormented by Elkanah’s other wife, Penninah, who easily produced children for Elkanah. Penninah taunted and ridiculed soft-hearted Hannah about her childless state, making her life most miserable.

Though Hannah became more and more despondent and heartbroken through the years of waiting and hoping for a child, there’s no account that she complained or defended herself. Here’s what eventually unfolded for Hannah:

“Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the Lord. And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah, he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the Lord had closed her womb.

Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.

‘Hannah, why are you crying?’ her husband Elkanah asked. ‘Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?’” 1 Samuel 1:3-8 Berean

Note that the Lord closed Hannah’s womb—what an astonishing statement! This confirms the path of life for Hannah,was set by God to only become a mother when it was HIS time, regardless of what she wanted. How painful and difficult for Hannah! It was really the only role for wives in that era, to produce and raise children. Elkanah favored Hannah with extra portions and tried to comfort her about not producing a child. Penninah surely saw the favor her husband bestowed on Hannah, likely making her even more jealous and cruel.

Penninah’s torment of Hannah happened annually when they traveled to the annual feast times to worship the Lord. These may have been when Hannah was forced to be with Penninah, while at home she could avoid her tormentor. We do not know what Elkanah knew about Penninah’s abusive treatment of Hannah, but it appears that he was unaware. But Hannah knew it was God with Whom she had to deal.

Hannah became desperate about her desire for a son, pleading and bargaining with the Lord:

“In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears. And she made a vow, pleading, ‘O Lord of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.’

As Hannah kept on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.So Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!’ ‘

No, my lord,’ Hannah replied. ‘I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.’

‘Go in peace,’ Eli replied, ‘and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.’ ‘May your maidservant find favor with you,’ said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast.

The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the Lord and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her.

So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked for him from the Lord.’ Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,’ she said to her husband, ‘I will take him to appear before the Lord and to stay there permanently.’…

Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.

‘Please, my lord,’ said Hannah, ‘as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him, I now dedicate the boy to the Lord. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the Lord.’” 1 Samuel 1:10-18; 24-26 Berean

Hannah gave birth to her precious son, Samuel, and raised him for a few years. She kept her bargain with the Lord, taking Samuel to live with Eli to be trained as a priest in the house of the Lord. And Samual was born for just that time! There was a critical lack in the priesthood at that time because the current priest, Eli, had two priest sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Samuel became the Priest to replace them, going on to become one of the great prophets of the Old Testament. Hannah’s desire and petition were a part of God’s path of life for her, and, as such, was eventually fulfilled. The harder truth here is about God’s investment in birthing children at His specific timing and for His purposes. When we are serving the Lord, His timing is necessary not just to fulfill our heart’s desires, but to fulfill His plans.

Sons and daughters of God’s chosen people are often born to “such a time as this.” God makes sure our precious children are birthed for a particular work that is needed in God’s plan for that age. This is not often revealed before the child’s birth but nonetheless, each generation has those called and chosen to do God’s work. Remember, Abraham and Sarah waited for their precious Isaac, the Child of Promise, until Sarah was 90 and past childbearing years!

It is so difficult to wait, and yet for God’s best, we need to do so. There’s another Old Testament wife who was unhappily childless. Rachel was barren, longing to have a child with Jacob. She stands by, heartbroken and jealous, as her sister Leah, Jacob’s other wife and her older sister, produces four sons with him: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

Once again, Rachel is the wife Jacob loved while Leah was forced upon Jacob through deception by Rachel’s father. Jacob served their father for seven years to win Rachel, only to be tricked into marrying Leah instead. Jacob served another seven years to finally win Rachel. Yet she remains barren for years, watching and waiting with building resentment, impatience and anger. Rachel finally becomes convinced she cannot live unless she has a child.

We hear her anguish and pain when she erupts with anger at Jacob:

“Now when Rachel saw that she [still] had not borne Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I am going to die.’

Then Jacob’s anger burned against Rachel, and he said, ‘Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?’” Genesis 30:1-2 KJV

Rachel had been waiting for God to give her a child with Jacob, to no avail. Over time, she became more and more bitter and jealous, searching for someone to blame. Is this possibly the first appearance of the “blame the husband” way of coping when we wives are unhappy?! How often had Jacob heard about this from Rachel? She was not one to keep quiet about what was troubling her like Hannah.

Jacob had probably responded many times to Rachel with comfort and compassion. He longed to fix it because he so loved Rachel and desired her happiness. But Jacob realized he could not make it happen, only God could do so. This time, he exploded with frustration and anger at Rachel. Many husbands find themselves in situations like this. They long to do something, to fix what is troubling their beloved wives but they cannot.

It’s easy to speculate this as Jacob dearly loved Rachel, waiting and working for 14 years to win her as his wife. She was the wife of his heart, and yet he could not give her what she most wanted. His angry frustration is not an uncommon response from a loving husband who feels helpless when his wife is most unhappy—and making him most unhappy in dwelling with her!

Jacob knew it was up to God if she was to bear a child, not him. God is the one who has closed up her womb. What he said to Rachel was truthful, though not comforting. We would hope that, after this, Rachel would leave it to God, but she does not. Rachel takes matters into her own hands, devising a plan to give Jacob her maid, Bilhah, to produce children. Bilhah birthed sons, Dan and Naphtali, on Rachel’s behalf. And do you think God was surprised and unprepared for this?

Rachel’s actions again heats the competition with her sister, Leah. As Leah was older, past her childbearing years, when she saw Rachel producing two sons through her maid. She couldn’t have that, so she got her maid, Zilpah, to produce two more sons for Jacob: Gad and Asher. Leah also conceived again later in life, bartering with Rachel for another night with Jacob. She produced two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun. Then, finally, in God’s timing and to fulfill His plans for Jacob’s sons, Rachel has her sons, Joseph and Benjamin.

The twelve sons of Jacob are, of course, the foundation of our faith, the beginning of the twelve tribes of Israel. These men and women all fulfilled a destiny in God. Each was a child of promise and God’s idea, yet at least half of the 12 sons of Jacob were conceived as part of the ongoing competition between these two women! We can be thankful that polygamy is no longer God’s way, but how we 21st-century women can identify with the pain of childlessness. We can relate to feelings of resentment and competition with other women who seem to easily have children, including those who do not want them or are not able to care for them as we would.

Perhaps we haven’t seen it in ourselves, but surely we can see it in the women around us – at home with our relatives, at work, fellowshiping with our Christian sisters. Strife and jealousy are hard to resist when another woman seems so easily to have what we desperately want. We may not jealously wish that they do not have their blessings, but we may envy them and grieve in our hearts that conceiving a child is not allowed for us. God knows:

“There are three things that are never satisfied—no, four that never say, “Enough!”: the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.” Proverbs 30:15b-16 NLT

Hannah and Rachel present a contrast in their differing ways of coping with very similar situations. Rachel is a fighter determined to get what she wants no matter what it takes. Her later behavior about her sons’ future also reveals that she is willing to manipulate to get her way. Hannah is an internalizer who is passive, depressed and oppressed by her barrenness. She has much unrest and continually appeals to God. Neither are at peace with their lack of children nor God’s timing.

Even though we don’t have a polygamous society, this all-too-human behavior shows up in the world today, including within our Christian communities, causing harm and discord, robbing us and others of peace. Envy and jealousy are devouring emotions that can literally “eat us up.” These draining emotions add turmoil and unhappiness to family relationships. Holding on to them eventually develops bitterness, which Paul tells us defiles many:

“Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:14-15 Berean

Competition, jealousy, envy, and manipulative plans to be the “most important” and the “one favored,” appear in many families today. Siblings may not get along because of it. In blended families, a wife and ex-wife may battle for position and favor with husband and/or children. Some fathers and mothers are masters at setting their children against the other parent, whether separated or together, to the detriment of the children more than anyone else.

Parents and their adult children may fight over who gets to decide how the children are raised, particularly when grandparents provide childcare. Those without children may resent the time and attention, the emotional and financial investment parents have with their grandchildren. Conflicts arise about which side of the family has the privilege of their time and presence for holidays, and other important family occasions. Resentment arise because of centering family occasions around those who have children.

And we could go on and on, as it is the way of all flesh. Selfishness and competition can be passed from generation to generation. Even close friends display jealousy when their friendships are robbed of time together and shared activities, when one becomes a parent while the other is not. It takes God for us to truly rejoice in another’s blessings when we are seemingly deprived of the same.

Rachel was the beloved one but remained barren for many years. Clearly, this blessing being denied for so long was not because Rachel was unloved by Jacob or God, though Rachel may have felt that way. When we do not get what we want in life, it can be easy to slip into the lie that God does not love us enough to give what seems to be provided so easily to others. Ten sons were born to Jacob with three other women – Leah, then Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, then Zilpah, Leah’s maid, before Rachel had Joseph, and then Benjamin.

Our hearts ache for Rachel, however, as we connect with her strong will, so determined to get a child one way or another. Rachel did not know or accept the hard truth that God is the giver of life or the closer of the womb. Her anger at Jacob is a childish, immature way of blaming someone else, extending to God, the ultimate Controller, when we don’t get our way. We can certainly take similar foolish actions today when we insist on having something God seems to be denying us. Rather than waiting for God’s timing and direction about if/how/when He chooses to fulfill this desire, we, along with Rachel, want it now, in our “soon” rather than His.

In our present age, God has opened many wonderful paths for people to have children when they remain biologically childless. Most options are not easy paths, but there are fertility drugs, foster care, or adoption. Siblings, aunts and uncles, close friends or neighbors may take on a child to raise when the biological parent(s) are unable or unwilling to do it. Children benefit from the love and care that they so wondrously provide.

Many a happy child is being raised by people who did not literally bring them into the world. It is no less a “meant to be” plan of God than becoming pregnant, one way or another, after a long wait and petition to the Lord. Painful though the wait is, God surely turns childlessness into good over time. Some are blessed with a long awaited child, well worth the time it took to be gifted of this treasure. Unless God intervenes, some must surrender, seeking God for peace about their remaining childlessness in this child-focused world.

Our struggle with God’s timing and provision is because we do not understand or trust the heart of God. He is love! He does not withhold any good thing from us, regardless of our struggles in the path He has opened for us:

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Psalms 84:11 Amplified

When we are walking uprightly, obedient to His ways, He graciously grants us all good things. Perhaps, and this is not meant lightly, we disagree with what God defines as a “good thing!” Isn’t that what we are pleading with God about? We are not usually begging God for something unclean or bad, so of course we are asking for a good thing! In fact, most Christians seem to have this good thing that we covet. Why not us? Why NOT us??!!

Though we know it’s not right to be angry with our Lord, we start to feel anger toward Him in our hearts. We may try to hide this from God, as we know it is not right. We may avoid Him as we might with another human with whom we are angry. Or we hide it from ourselves, pushing it way down in our souls, not wanting to see it because we know it is wrong. But it’s there, simmering and waiting to erupt, as Rachel’s anger did with Jacob or Hannah’s did in bitter tears and prayers.

But why pretend to God when He can see it in our hearts? We are in a Father/child relationship where He delights to teach us the truth. We might as well talk with God. He’s the One with whom we have to deal and the only One who can help. There are many examples of God’s servants having angry conversations with the Lord: just read the Book! Even when we are angry, or most especially when we are, we can run to our Father to talk about it. The sooner we do this, the better it will be for us. We won’t have a root of bitterness and jealousy growing further in our hearts. A root of bitterness does defile others around us as well as causing much personal depression and unhappiness in life.

God will not operate within any immature human idea of “If He loved me, He would give me what I want.” We may try out this emotional blackmail to get our way with people, but God cannot be manipulated. He will do what He will do. But He is with us either way! We can talk with Him honestly about what’s happening. Our marvelous Lord is able then to change our hearts to surrender rather than to harbor anger and loss of peace, no matter what we’ve allowed to build up within us.

Ultimately, we may need to forgive God, an astounding thought! If you are still uncomfortable with admitting to God that you are angry with Him, it’s even more astounding to hear Him say you need to forgive Him! But why not? We know He does no wrong, but our hearts judge Him, seeing Him as a withholding, rather than generous, Father. God seems fine with allowing us to go on hurting and unhappy, as He did with Hannah and Rachel.

We do love Him but we don’t understand His ways. It feels like a betrayal of His love to deny us this good thing or to postpone it until we’ve given up in despair. So, the Holy Spirit may direct us to forgive our perfect Lord because we don’t understand and are angry and hurt. It’s another way to clear out our hearts so we can understand the path of life He has destined for us. With clean spirits and peaceful hearts, we are much more able to see the specific, careful, and wondrous path of life He has in store for us.

God may grant our most important desire, as He later did with Rachel, Hannah, and many others. Or He may help us understand that He has good reason to keep this good thing we want from us, granting us peace regardless. Surrender to His will, not ours, is the key. Then all our distress is eventually swallowed up in peace and rest. God absolutely will do what is good for us. No human can keep something from us that God wants us to have, regardless of the miracles required!

Sometimes He will reveal why it is not a good thing for us even though others have it. It is because He loves us that He has planned another life for us. He says, “No, my beloved son or daughter, it is not a good thing for you.” The sincere, true surrender to God’s will reveals that He has ordained another path of life for us. We leaern to accept what God allows in our lives, including what He denies us. As we grow up in Him, we gain enough maturity to not desire anything God does not want us to have.

We learn to hold our desires loosely before the Lord while He confirms His direction. No one except the Lord can grant us, His servants, something that we don’t need, regardless of what we think about it. See the post on The Desires of the Heart for more understanding about this most challenging part of spiritual life. When we are servants of the Most High, no one can take anything from us that HE wants us to have.

We must settle this in our hearts as we continue to walk with the Lord and search for His path for us. God, not humans, is in control, just as Jacob said to Rachel. We can come to say “God, if it is your will for me not to have what I want or believe I desperately need, if I can serve you better without it, help me accept it and forgive You. And Lord, along with the answer of NO, please take away the strong desire for this. Grant me peace in this surrender to your path of life for me.”

When we accept the Lord’s rulership, He takes away the desire or grants it in His specific timing for each of us according to our calling. He surely is most able to give us peace regardless of the outcome, no matter how impossible it may seem in our circumstances. Then, we do not have to be envious of others who have what we want. We can rejoice in what God has given us, without coveting anything our neighbor has.

Sadly most of us only understand more of His ways in hindsight, because we are only human. Our heart’s surrender is the priority in God’s waiting room. Surrender is not giving up, resigning ourselves to an unhappy life. Surrender is yielding our spirit, soul and body to Him. He becomes more important than what we desire in our lives. That inner working of understanding and acceptance, the surrender to God’s plan for us, is a longer-lasting lesson than getting what we want when we want it.

And, remember, we do have a Savior who has gone through what we have:

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” Hebrews 4:15 Amplified

Can you think of anyone who suffered more unjustly, anyone who was more unfairly denied many things in this life that others expected and had? Consider Jesus, Who loved children, may have desired to be married and have children like most men of His time. We know He did not yield to sinful envy or jealousy, but he had a human side from his mother, Mary. Jesus also did not live beyond 33 ½ years. His life was cut far shorter on this earth than even His contemporaries were allowed.

We can rest assured that Jesus “gets it.” He had a human side so He could know what it is like for us. Like Him, we have our own Gethsemane experiences, where we struggle to yield, to finally say “Not my will, but Yours be done.” God is more than able to grant this amazing gift of peace in yielding to Him. He sees our hearts and understands. He takes away the sting of envy and loss. He graciously teaches us how to learn of His ways when we are either waiting or denied.

God has a Path of Life for us. It is the most satisfying when we learn to find and live in His will for the way He has determined is best for us as well as our purposes in His kingdom. Consider these words in tthe following chorus, Nothing Can Happen Outside of God’s Will:

Nothing can happen outside of God’s will.

Trust in His love; be patient, hold still.

The clouds will all vanish, and the sun again shine

If you will make the Father’s will thine.

(author unknown)

What About Gentleness?

In the above scripture, gentleness, in various translations, is also called “kindness, long-suffering, or meekness.” The dictionary says that gentleness is the “quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered; softness of action or effect; lightness.” Gentleness involves having a humble heart that displays kindness toward others. Gentleness shows itself as soft hearted, “touched with the feeling of others’ infirmities,” as is our Lord.

Gentleness is a type of meekness sometimes erroneously thought of as weakness. The truth is that it takes great strength to be truly meek, particularly in the face of adversity. Some may believe that a strong person, particularly a male, cannot show gentleness as it is somehow emasculating to show such vulnerability. That is surely not God’s viewpoint. Jesus was gentle (meek) and mild, yet also spoke with authority such as the scribes and Pharisees had never heard.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 NIV

God recognizes this special quality in strong and mighty people humbling themselves to meekly deal with a child, to be kind to those “beneath” them, to deal gently with their spouse, friends and neighbors, and communities. We are truly touched, for example, to see a big strong man hold his precious child with gentleness. It’s impactful when a famous or powerful person remains humble and kind to others.

This is just like Jesus, Who was very gentle with sinners, never speaking to them harshly or chastising them as He did the religious leaders of His time. It is controlled strength rather than weakness, which is a lack a strength. More than one leader God has chosen is meek and gentle in their nature while God uses them as strong and mighty warriors on behalf of His kingdom and His people. Consider Moses, the great leader of the Israelites whom God used to bring them out of bondage:

“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?’ And the Lord heard it.

Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth… ‘Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream.

Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’” Numbers 12:1-2; 6-8 ESV

In this account, Moses did not defend himself with Miriam and Aaron—God did. Meekness is an attitude, a quality of character resulting in gentleness when interacting with others. The impact of gentleness is clear in other Old Testament passages:

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 NIV

“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” Proverbs 25:15 NIV

“You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.” Psalms 18:35 NIV

These passages show the great power of gentleness in interactions with others. David knows that the gentleness of God made him great, a mighty and powerful warrior with a heart for God who was humble even when corrected for grievious sin.

Gentleness may be admired, but is it sought like the other fruits of the spirit? How many sermons have we heard about gentleness? The fruits of the spirit are not rank-ordered, though love, of course, encompasses all of them. When we follow after to know the Lord in His fullness, we should desire to display them all! Yet, would every Christian take it as a compliment if told they are gentle? It is surely valued and highly recommended to believers in the New Testament as well:

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” Titus 3:1-2 NIV

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17 NIV

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV

Gentleness is a fruit of the spiritual seed the Lord has planted and will nurture in us as we are maturing in His kingdom. Our Lord was born a male and fully masculine while displaying all the fruits of the spirit in His nature. While gentleness may be undervalued whether in our American culture or many others, we surely do not want to miss out on this wonderful quality of the fullness of Christ within.

We are a nation of doers so perhaps that is the reason gentleness does not get ministered like other fruits of the spirit. But gentleness is much appreciated by the sensitive hearts and spirit of children, though some may think such gentleness is a lack of strength. When a child tests a gentle, godly parent, they often learn there is a cord of great strength present as well. Gentleness does not mean lack of strength, but strength under control in all word and deed.

All God’s creation appreciates a gentle spirit! Animals are particularly attuned and responsive to a gentle approach. Their spirit senses when being approached by a gentle and loving human. And a soft answer surely does turn away wrath. Where there is fear or shame, gentleness, even in confrontation, helps others hear more easily what is being said. Paul, that bold apostle, says:

“Let your gentle spirit [be known] to all people. The Lord is near.” Philippians 4:5, NASB

In this scripture, the King James version translates “gentle spirit” as “moderation.” The Greek word is “epieikes,” meaning “mild, gentle, moderation, patient.” Going deeper into the Greek root, “eiko” means to “be weak, that is yield–give place.” What an interesting thing for Paul to tell the Philippians! You would think he would say “Let your faith…” or “Let your joy…” or any of the other aspects of His nature be known to all men. This quality must have been highly important to be followed by the reminder that the Lord is near!

When the Lord is near, so is His gentleness. Gentleness is a quality that is sensed perhaps even more than seen. God enjoys His people distinctly showing forth qualities that are rare, less valued by human nature. While people seem to value the powerful and rich, He shows forth His distinction when His people act and react differently than what others are used to seeing.

Harshness drives others away, but gentleness is a magnet. Most respond to gentleness, maybe even melt a little inside, when receiving a gentle or kind word or gesture, particularly if it is unanticipated or felt to be undeserved. Our Lord, without doubt, is the strongest God-human ever and He IS gentleness. Jesus tells us that being gentle and humble will bring rest to our souls. When we are not arrogantly insisting on our position or our rights, we humbly accept what comes our way, yielding to what is rather than what we would like to be.

Pride is the opposite of humility, is it not? Human pride is easy to activate, but when we are humble, we neither defend nor explain ourselves unless God so leads. And we certainly do not need to defend God! Jesus modeled being a servant, not an arrogant master. He came to serve and so are we in this world, the servants of God to others. To minister is to serve, not to be waited upon and exalted.

Though we are not all created with gentle and kind natures, we cannot use the excuse “Well, that’s just not how God made me.” God would not list gentleness as a fruit of the spirit if He was not able to produce that characteristic in each of us. Sincere Christians desire to have an appropriate Christ-like heart response in every situation. In the fullness of God, we are able to allow the Lord to write these characteristics, the fruits of the spirit, on our hearts, so we can be like our Lord. If we only have one style of interacting, even if it is just gentleness, we are out of balance.

There’s a saying, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem you see is a nail.” (A. Maslow, 1966) Our wonderful Lord has many different responses to a variety of people, endless tools to change us into His likeness and image. Do you suppose He interacted with strong-willed Peter the same as tender-hearted John? They had very different personalities, but Jesus knew their hearts. Both became mighty servant apostles, laying down their lives for their Lord. He knew what experiences would shape each into what was necessary for their calling

We are not to be concerned with such differences. Jesus told Peter not to worry about how others will proceed in their calling:

“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved [John] following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, ‘Lord, who is going to betray You?’

When Peter saw him, he asked, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!’” John 21:20-22 Berean

Gentleness does not co-exist with superiority or dominance over others. While there are “gifts differing”, we are all of one Body. When one of God’s people is elevated over another because of God’s calling, the human heart may begin to harbor all kinds of fleshly considerations. God takes no pleasure in one part of His body “lording it over” or being envious of another part of His body. In fact, he hates division and there is no division in Love.

But such behavior is ingrained in our flesh, showing up immediately in the early church’s competition for leadership and power. Jesus said we are called to be servants, humble as He is, not to rule with pride of position. Perhaps this is part of the reason for Paul’s admonition to Timothy:

“But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels; and a bondservant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be inoffensive towards all men, a skillful teacher, and patient under wrongs.” 2 Timothy 2:24 Weymouth

Timothy was the closest to Paul during Paul’s ministry, with Paul fathering him in the Lord. Just so, God knows how to Father each of us in our calling. Inoffensive responses to the quarrelsome who want to debate foolish topics surely require gentleness. It is not effective to respond to the quarrelsome with a quarrel! A soft answer does work wonders!

“A soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 1:1 KJV

Surely this takes humilith, and gentleness is a close companion to it. It’s hard to imagine humility and kindness being displayed at the same time as pride and arrogance. How much more of the light and presence of God is noted when strength is humbled to gentleness and meekness as in our Lord?

And we are definitely not all alike! It does take God’s wisdom and understanding to respond in edifying ways to all we encounter. We may have a gift for being straightforward in our conversation, or tenderly empathic and loving with others. But God promised we’d have all the tools, not just one, for the work He calls us to do. Each of us is created with the capacity to show forth the love of God, to be enChristed in our own unique ways.

It does not take much to share a genuinely kind word of encouragement to those around us, particularly others who provide for our needs in so many little and big ways. To share an appreciation for what others do, to find ways to acknowledge others’ work and its value to us, is a small thing greatly appreciated by others, particularly the invisible in our society. People often recall good words, kindly and sincerely given to them, in their lives. Such words are valued and cherished by many. Gentleness can be practiced as God leads until it is established in our hearts and easily flows out in sincerity to others.

Gentleness does not desire another to suffer hurt, responding tenderly when it happens. Gentleness rather than harshness has soothed many an angry or troubled soul. Anger begets anger and such emotions, though humanly understandable or even justified, rarely lead to problem-solving. We’re too busy defending ourselves or our position, thinking of our answers rather than listening. We are in the emotional, rather than the thinking part, of our brains. We feel personally attacked which draws our attention away from what we may have actually done wrong that requires correction.

Children especially, in their innocent foolishness, need gentle understanding when they make mistakes and create messes. They don’t have the mental or emotional development to understand their behaviors nor the consequences. This is in contrast to the child (or adult) who routinely, willfully, and arrogantly challenges authority. Many such children become skilled in getting others into arguments that distract from what they have done. A gentle answer can stop them in their tracks.

It is also a red flag for the future of a child who does not show gentleness or compassion, particularly with animals. This child may not have the capacity for empathy. Some children have to be taught how to be empathic, to put themselves in the place of others so they can identify with their feelings. And, of course, children learn harshness from adults so it is imperative to have the Lord in our parenting.

Softened hearts can receive the word of the Lord in a way that a hard and arrogant heart cannot. God uses the rain, the presence of His Spirit, to soften our earthly hearts so He can plant the seed of His word. It is the same with natural rain so necessary to plant crops on formerly dry earth. Our softened hearts are thirsty for the rain of His spirit, the love of God. We know we are to love as God loves, loving our neighbor as ourselves.

When asked by His disciples, Jesus said this is the second commandment, after loving the Lord:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself .’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 NIV

Does love co-exist with harshness and arrogance? No, it does not. As we grow into Him, we anticipate our Lord dealing with our hearts, removing the root of harshness and arrogance, pride and control. More than one arrogant person does not, deep down, have much confidence. It’s sad when someone uses pride, arrogance, and controlling ways to cover up their vulnerability and fear. When people attempt to control rather than be kind and gentle, they need even more love!

There is a way for Christians to honor all people, to show forth the gentleness of our God with everyone. This is not weakness, but meekness. What would happen to national and international politics if those in authority practiced gentleness and kindness in their interactions with others? Jesus was known for His godly authority and His leadership is unparalleled. So too would kind and gentle leaders be most powerful. There probably are some leaders like this, but they surely don’t make the news!

Finally, let’s look at the need to be kind and gentle to ourselves. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is a balance here that Christians may miss. It is not selfishness to love ourselves, it is natural. Many times we may speak very harshly to ourselves, saying things we would never say to another. Perhaps our internal conversation even sounds similar to harsh and critical voices of correction from our past. Jesus does not mistake a lack of confidence or self-esteem as a display of love.

God loves us no matter what. He is not the one battering us in our consciences. If you have ever had the Lord “on your case,” prompting you to do the right thing, you know it is not the same. Harshness and arrogance, internally as well as externally, attempts to shame or even “beat” us into submission, railing at us with words or threats. This is coercion by fear, not truth in love. This way, reaps compliance at most, not recognition of wrong by heartfelt submission or genuine change.

God does not speak to us in this way, though He has a very firm voice to get our attention when we are in danger or being disciplined. God’s truth is always fully married to His mercy and love. God the Father, as seen in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is always and forever compassionate and of great patience with His children. He comes internally to judge our flesh to change us, showing us where correction is necessary for growth, always with a redemptive purpose in mind.

Aren’t you glad He is gentle? Think about it. Should gentleness be something to pray about, to seek?

Called, Chosen, and Faithful

Jeremiah was called to be a prophet, chosen to speak God’s word. He was obedient even when he knew he would be repeatedly beaten and thrown in jail for speaking God’s word as commanded. Hear the faithful prophet’s lament:

“For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction because for me the word of the LORD has resulted in reproach and derision all day long.

But if I say, ‘I will not remember Him or speak any more in His name,’ then in my heart, it becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones and I am weary of holding it in and I cannot endure it.”' Jeremiah 20: 8-10 NASB

Jeremiah is weary of giving God’s word to people when it is always rejected. His messages are not what they want to hear. He is repeatedly shamed, ridiculed, punished, beaten, and jailed for His ministry. Through it all, however, he trusts God to bring about what is intended. Jeremiah goes again and again to talk things over with God, but the truth is that he couldn’t not obey. He was compelled to fulfill his calling even though he was made a laughingstock.

Jeremiah was created to speak God’s word to the people, whether he wanted to or not. He had to speak regardless of the consequences to him, because Jeremiah was called to be a prophet at a time when God’s people were rebellious and disobedient.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1: 5 NASB

Such difficult paths so many of God’s saints are called to walk! It helps a great deal when we are assured that what we are called to do is God’s idea, not ours. As we obey, the outcome is in His hands. More than once, we may remind the Lord (as if He doesn’t know), that it was His idea when we experience challenges and opposition while faithfully fulfilling our calling in obedience to Him.

Early in my calling as a mental health social worker counseling many of God’s people, I was complaining about doing His will and still having people come against me. God told me “Nothing worth doing is without opposition.” When we are in His will and it’s going wrong for us, it brings great peace to know this. Like Jeremiah, we would prefer no opposition to the work God has given us, but that is not what He promised. In fact, it is rare for those called according to His purposes. As the disciples said when spreading the gospel to others:

“We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

God often calls us to do many things that have never entered our hearts, when we end up doing things we never thought of or even considered ourselves able to do. This includes future endeavors we definitely did not want to do and would not have chosen for ourselves. When we are in the center of His will, as Jeremiah was, He promises us that He will equip us to do it all. This is regardless of whether we feel prepared for it or not, or whether we always want to, every moment of every day.

God’s chosen work for us may not on our list of goals for our future. Even if the calling is one we desire, we cannot count on all to go smoothly, just like it did not for the Old and New Testament saints. Barriers and difficulties arise, but we can rest in the assurance that He led us down this path. With surrender of our own will and ideas, it becomes a joy to walk the paths God chooses, regardless of the inevitable adversity as we do so.

God is never surprised or unprepared for the obstacles we face, the opposition we encounter from others who do not share our vision or calling. He is always gracious to reveal how to handle each obstacle, providing a way for each obedient servant. We soon learn that these obstacles strengthen us, just as the apostle Paul experienced.

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV

When He calls us, we can rest in knowing we are chosen, we are in the kingdom for such a time as this. Such was Esther’s experience when she was called to be Queen for King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). This is a wonderful story of God’s calling to a future never considered by this beautiful young Jewish woman.

As the biblical account goes, King Ahasuerus’ Queen, Vashti, displeased the King, so he sought for another. Raised by Mordecai, her uncle, Esther learned to submit to his godly guidance. Thus, Esther was well prepared to be the next Queen. Because of God’s calling on her life, Esther found favor with all those in the palace and was chosen by the King to be his next Queen:

“Now the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the [other] virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen in the place of Vashti.” Esther 2:17 Amplified

Being Jews, Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, directed Esther not to share their Jewish heritage. Mordecai was a respected elder in the community, serving in the King’s court, along with another man of ambition and pride named Haman. Haman eventually was promoted to be the chief authority over all the officials. Haman persuaded the King to decree that all bow down and pay homage to Haman. Mordecai refused to do so and it made Haman furious:

“When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, he was furious. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were (his nationality);

so Haman determined to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who lived throughout the kingdom of Ahasuerus.” Esther 3:5-6 Amplified

Haman was offended and angry at Mordecai’s continual refusal to honor and recognize Haman as he thought was his due. He devised a plot to destroy all the Jews in the kingdom, not just Mordecai, his hated enemy. He convinced King Ahasuerus that the Jewish population in the King’s domain was a threat to his rule. Acting upon this lie, the King was persuaded to issue a decree that all Jews were to be killed. What an illustration of pride and jealousy, the “pride of life,” in this man, working such evil in his heart to completely annihilate God’s people!

Because of this, all Jews were greatly afraid, and began to fast and pray, including Mordecai. He was at the gates of the court in sackcloth and ashes, mourning this decree when Queen Esther was told about what her uncle was doing. She also became greatly afraid for herself and her people. Mordecai wanted her to go to the King to intervene for her people, the Jews. The king had not called for her for some time and Esther was frightened, knowing that anyone who went to the King without being summoned could be put to death.

Mordecai sent this word back to her:

“Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish [since you did not help when you had the chance].

And who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this [and for this very purpose]?” Esther 4: 13-14 Amplified

God had placed Esther in the position of Queen for just this time. And Esther, as she had been trained to do, obeyed her uncle and saved her people. She risked her life to go into the King without being summoned. She did what she was called to do and relied on the Lord to see her through. She asked Mordecai and the Jews in that area, as well as her handmaids, to fast and pray for three full days. After this, she said:

“Then, I will go in to [see] the king [without being summoned], which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:15-16 Amplified

Esther put her fate in God’s hands to obey what her uncle, Mordecai, told her to do. God showed her exactly how to proceed, and His plan worked to save her people. The outcome for Haman and his entire family was to be hanged on what he had built in preparation for Mordecai and other Jews. Esther was called to something she never sought nor anticipated. It was a glorious calling and the people rejoiced in her obedience on their behalf. Esther submitted her will to Mordecai’s words from God, laying down her life, literally, for this cause. She was truly placed in this royal position for such a time as this!

Many of us are placed exactly when and where God would have us, being called, qualified to be chosen and remaining faithful to the fulfillment of His purposes. God’s people are in specific positions for just the time they are needed, all over the world. You cannot limit God by saying He would never have His own in a certain area, profession, or work. He always has a people prepared to do His will as various events come upon His own.

Children are also birthed into this world to be ready for what is needed in their era. God is now moving many into position as the sons and daughters of God take their place today. They are prepared, called, chosen and will be proven faithful in the fulfilling of their ministry for such a time as this. God has a destiny for us, so it matters not to God whether we are known, incredibly gifted, or even trained in these future positions.

When God chooses us, we will walk the path to carry out what He needs for His great plan of redemption. Whom He calls, He equips, opens doors, and lights the path before us. God always knows what He is doing, even when His plans are unknown to us beforehand. Whatever we are called to do, we are chosen in Him for this purpose and He makes us faithful to our calling. What Mordecai said was true, however: if Esther did not step forward, God would raise another to save His people. But God knew she would do it. He knew she was well prepared and would succeed. It was His idea!

Such biblical accounts can teach us much. It’s reassuring to read how very human and very holy the people of the Old Testament were. We see how challenges and obstacles are presented to each man or woman who served Him. The message is surely that we should expect challenges in our calling. This is reiterated, and confirmed, in multiple New Testament passages of scripture. Can you think of anyone in the book, old or new, who was called in God and had a smooth path?

Numerous biblical characters reveal just the opposite. Abraham and Sarah had much sorrow and distress before producing Isaac, the child of the Promise. Then God the Father tested Abraham even further in ordering him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham’s obedience in this test confirmed him as the Father of our faith. Through Isaac, God established the lineage of Jesus. Another founding father of our faith, Jacob, had no easy time winning the love of his life, Rachel. Rachel’s children were slow to arrive but, along with her sister Leah’s, these twelve men held the destiny in God as the originators of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Both Joseph and David were called to highly exalted positions in the Lord but faced much adversity before they were able to fulfill what God had told them would unfold Both were foolish or innocent enough to tell their siblings how God would use them and were ridiculed and mistreated by them. Joseph was sold for the later purpose of saving many, including the brothers who had betrayed him. On the way to managing Egypt for the king, Joseph was betrayed and imprisoned for many years. David had to flee from Saul, his former benefactor, fighting to save himself, his men, and his future kingdom.

The enemies of the saints of God in the Bible are an extension of how society—humankind—views the rewards of high and lofty positions in the world. People who desire to be rulers covet being powerful, admired, and exalted in the eyes of others. They’re jealous of anyone God calls to these positions and typically work against them. Jesus saw through the scribes and Pharisees who held these attitudes in their hearts despite their pious words and behavior.

God’s chosen leaders are servants who do what they do unto the Lord, not for the admiration and esteem of people. To minister is to serve, translated as such in both the Old and New testaments. It is not to rule, exalting oneself over those who are being served. Even Jesus’ disciples displayed this behavior. After two of them asked for a position of prominence on His right and left in the Kingdom, Jesus said:

“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 NIV

God’s servants have a heart for His work, placed within them by God Himself. Those called to sonship are sons of God indeed, given authority in the kingdom while also being priests who serve the people. They walk in intimacy with the Lord as they fulfill their calling and purpose on this earth. A dear Catholic friend shared this wonderful story of St. Teresa of Avila, a nun who was known to have a very intimate relationship with Jesus her Lord.

In The Life of St. Teresa, we find this account of her experiences, written in 1582:

“Teresa describes the journey thus: ‘We had to run through many dangers. At no part of the road were the risks greater than within a few leagues of Burgos, at a place called Los Pontes.

The rivers were so high that the water in places covered everything, neither road nor the smallest footpath could be seen, only water everywhere, and two abysses on each side. It seemed foolhardiness to advance, especially in a carriage, for if one strayed ever so little off the road (then invisible), one must have perished.’

The saint is silent on her share of the adventure, but her companions relate that seeing their alarm, she turned to them and encouraged them, saying that ‘as they were engaged in doing God’s work, how could they die in a better cause?’

She then led the way on foot. The current was so strong that she lost her footing, and was on the point of being carried away when our Lord sustained her. ‘Oh, my Lord!’ she exclaimed, with her usual loving familiarity, ‘when wilt Thou cease from scattering obstacles in our path?’ ‘

“Do not complain, daughter,’ the Divine Master answered, ‘for it is ever thus that I treat My friends.’

“Ah, Lord, it is also on that account that Thou hast so few!’ was her reply.”

Reprint: J Franciscus Archiepiscopus WestMonest. 27 Sept., 1904.

Such stories of God’s chosen are very real ones with which we can identify, perhaps joining this beleaguered saint in such a comment. It is clear that anything worth doing does bring opposition! God allows such opposition to strengthen and refine us. What the enemy of our soul means for evil, God means for good.

Let us learn also from Joseph’s life, another powerful biblical account of the consequences of being chosen by God. He told a dream in which his brothers bowed down before him. Because of jealousy and resentment, his brothers treated him cruelly, sending him into another land. When the time of famine came many years later, Joseph’s brothers who had betrayed him and thought him dead, encountered Joseph as the overseer of all Egypt and keeper of the food supply everyone needed to survive those years of famine.

With God’s provision, Joseph had survived being promoted, unjustly accused of wrong doing, further inprisoned for years while fellow prisoners he helped promptly forgot about him when they were released. Joseph’s trials continued to be most unfair, certainly not endgin with his brothers’ betrayal. Through much adversity, Joseph was prepared for a position of authority and responsibility in Egypt that was key to many, including his own father and brothers, surviving the famine.

At God’s direction, Joseph stored up grain in the prosperous years for the future famine God said was coming. When his brothers had to go to Egypt to get food, here’s what Joseph, the brother they betrayed and thought dead, told them as he revealed himself to them:

“But Joseph replied, ‘Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people.

Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.’ So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.…” Genesis 50:19-21 Berean

We can be sure that Joseph did not always realize why things had happened to him the way they did. Joseph’s life is surely an example of more than one fiery trial necessary for God’s called and chosen to complete God’s plan. It was no easy path for him to gain this victory, taking many years to understand the purpose of all the evil that God allowed to befall him on the way. Joseph came to know that what was meant for evil, God had turned for good, using all the adversity to prepare him for an exalted and most critical calling.

Consider also the account of David’s life during the time from when he, as a young shepherd, is anointed King by the prophet Samuel, until years later, being placed as the King of Israel. He was not granted this position because he, as the youngest, or his father and brothers were prominent, nor did he inherit this calling by family heritage or tradition. He was solely chosen by God because of the condition of His heart, the faith he had already developed as a shepherd. We can be sure that David was a much better king after all he went through to get there.

We know from New Testament accounts that the beloved Apostle Paul had many obstacles in his ministry, including eventual rejection by the very churches he had birthed and nurtured. He later writes that these churches were divided such that Paul himself was no longer accepted in certain areas. Local ministry seized leadership, bringing division and strife among the Lord’s people.

Thus it has ever been so that God’s anointed suffer persecution and loss by those coveting their God-given calling. Where do any of us get the idea that God’s calling will create a smooth path for us? And yet, some of us are still surprised when we encounter obstacles on our way to being faithful to what He’s called and chosen us to accomplish in His kingdom.

Through the lives of His precious saints, then and now, we learn that when it is His idea, He will make His intended outcome happen. As we are faithful, He promises:

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalms 16:11 KJV

These words are more than just a statement. He is faithful and true to show us our specific path for the very life He calls us to live. And what a surprise it can be!

While God’s love is eternal and extended to all, we are definitely not the same in our calling. He created us with specific distinction and uniqueness. It is not better or worse than another’s, it’s just different. God knows this but Christians continue to yield to jealousy and strife today, just like in the early churches. Many attempt to make their way the only right way, judging others who do not follow the same road they are on, desiring other believers to be under their direction in place of God.

And more than one of the Lord’s called have tried to talk God out of their calling. Some of us immediately attempt to disqualify ourselves when God calls us to do something we have never considered—or even desired! We soon learn through the word and our life experiences that if He calls us, He equips us and blesses us in it. Our part is to say, “Yes, Lord, let it be as You say.”

We are preparedto become what we are not, in order to fulfill His will about who He says we are. He sees what we are to be, not the lack we know we have. Whatever He has made us thus far, He takes us further in Him in preparation for our calling.

“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say in response to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:28-31 Berean

God could do everything without us, we know that, but He makes a plan that includes us. We will be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. He predestined some to be called, chosen, justified, and glorified as we remain faithful to His calling. He is in charge of any refining needed for us to fulfill what He has destined for us. If we have a nature that is gentle and shy, God will give us boldness when we need it. If we tend more towards bold leadership, the quality of gentleness will be enhanced as needed.

Adversity is God’s way of preparing and refining us to be at the center of His perfect will. He brings a balance of just what skills and characteristics we need to fulfill what He asks of us. We are called to leave some things, and even some people, along the way. We are led to let go of many experiences that have been a wonderful and most blessed time in our lives. This may happen after only a short time or many many years of fellowship and shared ministry.

When we resist God’s timing for moving on, if we do not submit and yield this precious time to be ended when He determines, He gradually removes the sweetness of His presence in the doing of it. Yes, some experiences are so very difficult to move on from because they are so wonderful! Many of us have had precious years of fellowship with other saints that now are scattered, the work gone, and most of the leaders passed to the other side.

These are treasured times of Christian companionship and growth. It is wise to cherish these times as gifts held loosely because our God is always on the move. We do not want to put our stakes down and set up camp, only to be left behind in what God is now doing, but sadly, many hae and do. Do you know that actual rivers do not flow in a straight line but have many curves and obstacles to go through in their path? Just so is the river of life flowing out from within. It has many curves and bends as it flows out to the sea of humanity.

“‘And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ Regarding the gospel, they are enemies on your account; but regarding election, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.” Romans 11:27-29 Berean

Yes, His calling is “without repentance,”meaning He does not change His mind about it, but how, when, where and with whom—or alone—He decides to use us in our calling surely does change. Sometimes we have wonderful fellowship with the saints, other times we are in the wilderness alone with God, and we may continue “outside the camp” as He dictates. We need to be quick to obey, ready to move on when He tells us it is time.

Just like the Israelites on the way to their promised land, we are to be prepared to move as God moves, surrendering quickly when He lets us know the season for this part of our calling has ended. Sometimes God causes others to end this season for us as they leave us to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Other times, we are ejected from the work with others we have been doing, and it is God, not the devil, that allows it. Endings are new beginnings in God!

Too many times, however,we assume we are here to stay, continuing to fulfill our calling as we are currently. With few exceptions, humans like things to stay the same when all is going well. There are few of us who embrace change but most seem to cling tightly to the familiar even if it is something God wants us now to leave. Sometimes He must even pry our fingers from what is to move us on in Him.

When God says, “It is done,” but we determine not to listen or obey because of what we want—or think it is the devil instead of our Lord—it does not go well with us! Yes, it is difficult to leave, especially when it has been such a good thing! But whenever we insist on staying in what is familiar and present, including all the patterns and traditions we’ve developed, Jesus our Lord is eventually left outside, knocking at the door. God has seasons for us to be with certain others, accomplishing His work for that time, times of mutual growth. Then He moves each of us further along the path of life He has ordained for us.

When we are faced with something we don’t want to do, we may search around for action that we might take to avoid it. But the key to an easier time of transition is surely to submit to His change for us as quickly as we can. This is like Jeremiah the prophet getting tired of the outcome of his words from God given to rebellious people. He decided he just wasn’t going to do it any more—but look what transpired! Read the entire chapter and you will see just how frustrated and worn out Jeremiah is in his lament to God.

You will also see his eventual confession of faithfulness to God in what he is called and chosen to do. He recalls the very reason he was in the world, in that place, for such a time as this. Read again in chapter 20:

“You have deceived me, O Lord and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the Lord has become to me a reproach and derision all day long.

If I say, ‘I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,’ His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.” Jeremiah 20:7-9 Berean

Jeremiah had to do what God purposed him to do from the time he was formed in his mother’s womb. Read other accounts of both biblical and later Christians who attempt to escape their calling, such as Jonah in the post The Reluctant Servant. We are not alone. When the call to move on comes, we too may try to make our present circumstances better or seek to rationalize and defend our desire to “stay the course.” Without God’s blessing, however, it becomes empty works without power.

We have seen multiple examples of this from the great Pentecostal and charismatic ministries of the past. Rarely did the leaders choose to lay down their works. Instead, many chose to continue to grow, expand, and build their work beyond what God called them to do. Eventually, such great works died, to be no more. They were for a season but their time was over. The buildings that housed many of these wonderful works of God’s past spiritual movements may remain, but the people are gone.

How sad to see God strip these great men and women of God instead of them allowing Him to work a willingness to lay down what God was no longer doing. This continues to occur now in this Day of the Lord, as the great church era of two thousand years comes to a close. Many works will lay as a pile of ashes at their feet while leaders blame the devil.

Such is the work of the Lord, not the enemy! Jesus told His disciples:

“I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!” Luke 12:49-50 Berean

Jesus experienced this baptism by fire to accomplish what He was called and chosen to do. He accepted the change in His ministry in Gethsemane. He changed the entire world by the faithfulness He displayed in His calling. He had to leave many things that surely were enjoyable and meaningful in His earthly life and ministry, facing a cruel death at a young age in order to do all He was sent to do.

It is sad when we continue in our same beloved work long past the time that God has moved on. Without the holy spirit’s leading and presence, it is as dead as those works that are no more. Any human way to attempt to avoid obedience to God only extends our suffering and loss in the transition from the old to the new. Our eventual surrender becomes much more difficult because, for those who are called, chosen, and faithful, God will have His way.

It’s particularly hard when He directs us to let go of a dream we thought He gave us that is no longer bearing fruit, or perhaps never did. We may have sadness and grief as a period of ministry, a cherished time of work and fellowship, a hoped-for future, ends in our lives. Obedient surrender, however, brings rest, peace, and an anticipation of the next door He will open. Endings are new beginnings in God.

Think of all the endings in the Bible that opened the way for new beginnings for His people! God is with us throughout, showing us the path of life. When God’s people traveled through the wilderness, He guided them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

“The [presence of the] Lord was going before them by day in a pillar (column) of cloud to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light so that they could travel by day and by night.” Exodus 13:21 Amplified

Every time the cloud by day or the fire by night moved, the people had to pick up, pack up, and move on. No matter that this spot in the desert was really nice and they wanted to enjoy it longer. And they surely did complain along the way! In Exodus, we read about their travels out of Egypt, the land of bondage, to the Promised Land. They complained and rebelled so much that they nearly wore their leader, Moses, out! Surely the transition from the familiar “leeks and garlic” in Egypt to the promised “land of milk and honey” they’d never seen was a challenging as well as remarkable transition from the old to the new.

The most vital and dramatic ending that is a new beginning is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. His earthly ministry ended in death, bringing a new beginning through His resurrection. He brought an end to the old Jewish ways of worship and tradition, ushering in a New Covenant of the Heart. Oh, how the Jews of His day fought Him, resented Him, and were angry that He was a threat to their traditions and laws.

The disciples did not understand the ending of this wonderful time with Jesus, either. They were lost and undone by the tragic crucifixion of their beloved Lord. What a painful time that must have been! Though Jesus tried to tell them what God’s plan was, they did not understand and could not see by the spirit what He was predicting. They wanted to stay walking with Him, learning from Him, continuing not only in their fellowship but also being a part of His ministry.

Who wouldn’t love being with Jesus, a part of His earthly ministry? Such exciting and wonderful days they were, learning and growing, seeing the power of God manifested before their eyes. And then, suddenly, it was done. But Jesus, the Perfect Son, knew from the beginning that it would only be for a season that He would be on this earth. Yet He had great compassion on the disciples, indeed all of His followers, who thought it would always be the way it was until, hopefully, Jesus ruled over the Romans who held the Jews in captivity.

God’s endings bring new beginnings, but they, like us, did not know how much better for everyone it would be when Jesus was able to be with all people through His resurrection from the dead. This was a new thing, never seen before! Jesus changed everything for everyone, not just those who were around Him for those few years. Aren’t you glad that Jesus laid down His life and earthly ministry for all of us, that He surrendered in the Garden of Gethsemane, being faithful to God’s will for His calling?

For Jesus, as for us, such times of transition from the old to the new are hard on our flesh. We may long for former days, the old ways, the comfort of the familiar. This is one reason some stay in relationships with others that are so unhealthy and damaging to them. It may be hell, but it is a “familiar hell” compared to the unknown. How difficult it is to move on from what we know to the unknown!

One of the most difficult transitions in this life is the death of our loved ones. The loss of a parent, spouse, or beloved child destroys many dreams and hopes, robbing us of the future we had anticipated was ours. While it is a new beginning for those who have passed on into the spirit, we are forced to find a new path, a different life, without them, with our lives forever changed by their absence. God remains willing to answer our prayers for Him to show us the path of life after such powerfully painful losses. He faithfully builds something new within and for us.

Some Christians who suffer loss of loved ones in tragic ways often are given ministries to comfort and assist others who are suffering similar losses. The very events we think will disqualify, if not destroy us, He uses as we submit to Him, fittingly prepared for our calling in His kingdom. God’s next work for us is just around the bend in this river of life!

Our future in God as we follow along is more glorious, always, but the changes He allows along the way are often unexpected, surprising and difficult. It’s not always a glorious new work that He leads us into, at least not right away. He may lead us into the wilderness, for a season, alone, in a desert of our spiritual lives. To add to our pain and loss, our Christian brothers and sisters who no longer see us in fellowship think we are backslidden!

Times of transition can be lonely and painful, just as the disciples experienced in the months following Jesus’ death and resurrection. They did not have a vision of what God would bring about through them, particularly without their Leader and beloved Teacher. They could not discern His plan and purpose until He returned to them by the spirit, on the Day of Pentecost.

We, His servants, also may feel alone and abandoned by God, as well as other people. No one can go through these times fully with us other than God. To Him we cling, as He is the source of life. Who else can we go to for that? As we saw with Israelites whose bondage in Egypt became increasingly horrific but, once in the wilderness, Egypt was remembered fondly, even longed for by many.

They had left a living hell and yet how difficult it was to trust that where they were going would be worth it. In spite of all the miracles and victories God had granted in freeing them, Moses had quite the time with their rebellion along the way! The trip was difficult and they had no vision of the land promised to them. The miracles of deliverance God had done to free them from this bondage faded in their memories, while complaints and rebellion rose in most.

Are we any different when God says “Move on!”? Here we are, busily and joyfully fulfilling our calling and God begins to dry it up, no more anointing, eventually wiping the current path out. He allows those we love most to be taken from our lives, ending cherished relationships by cut off or death. He changes what we thought was our future to what His plan for our future is to be. He may do so abruptly, shockingly, or gradually over time, but surely change is a part of life for His called, chosen and faithful servants.

God is making new paths for our feet. We may not understand our current time in our calling, why it may be ending, or have a vision of what will be next. He can reveal these tings to us by the spirit, in a vision or dream, or by telling us directly, but sometimes He does not. We just have to put our hand in His and walk together until He shows us more. These are times when trusting God for good becomes most challenging—and strengthening!

God gave me a song years ago about this:

Jesus Hold My Hand

Jesus hold my hand. You’ve been this way before.

Jesus hold my hand, and the storms will rage no more.

Jesus, you said you’d always care for me.

Jesus, teach me to be free.

When the storms of life surround me and I don’t know what to do,

Jesus, please be with me, show me Your way through.

Teach me where You’d have me walk, show me how to be

Keep my hand in your hand, teach me to be free.

I can’t see, I don’t know, and I do not understand

All your will, all your ways for living in this land.

When I’m lost and alone and I don’t know what to do

Show me your way through.

Jesus hold my hand. You’ve been this way before.

Jesus hold my hand, and the storms will rage no more.

Jesus, you said you’d always care for me.

Jesus, teach me to be free.

(B. Mikelson 1980)

Before He gave me this song, I did not realize or understand that we all must be taught to be free in Him. Jesus Christ has gone through all that we might face and more. He knows we will encounger those who want to limit our liberty in Him by man’s rules and laws established in the traditions of Christian religion. But Jesus Christ, through our spiritual walk with Him, is always teaching us to be free. We are to be free of sin from our fleshly ways, our heritage and earthly identity, our past, and all the rules and regulations that fail to make us righteous.

We are to be like the Israelites of old, who were to move on at God’s direction. God may even have to withdraw His presence, His anointing, and His blessing to get us to move on to the future He has planned. It is always more glorious, more blessed than what we have had or what we could imagine. He desires a people after His own will, not a continuance of hollow habits that are not serving Him from a heart of submission and willingness.

Now is such a time in God. His people all over the world have had much joy and fellowship working in His fields in the church realm. But now, He is causing a move in the spirit, can you sense it? While everything in the world is worsening, God is surely on the scene to move us on in Him. It is the Day of the Lord and the time for God to do a new thing. Shall we not know it?

“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming.

Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19 Berean

How we long to witness and experience the ways in the wilderness He is making, to see the streams of His living water flow out to all people of the earth in all the dry desert places, to see that rose blooming there! We do not need to dwell on the past. We learn from the past but should not long for it, recalling past experiences with yearning to return.

As we read His word, there are many wonderful examples from which we may learn, despite the years, even centuries, that separate our ordained paths in God. We see the chosen and made faithful in Him. There are coming new streams of water from His throne within His own, meant to flow out to all from His called, chosen, and faithful in this hour. Our future in Him will have everyone in the army of God, none breaking ranks, each satisfied and joyful in the part God has given.

What a work this will be and how desperately this world of darkness needs His Light!

Our Perfect Father

How are we to share the wonderful truths of God with those who do not know Him or His ways? Many need the assurance of knowing they are loved before their spiritual ears are open to the truth. So the good news of the Kingdom is first shared in love, about Him Who is Love. It is about having an intimate relationship with God.

We are created to be in relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and, through Him, with Father God. We are meant to be restored to the wonderful and natural deep intimacy that Adam and Eve had with the Father in the Garden of Eden. It surely is a long trip back to the Father! Coming to realize that God is our Father and is the perfect Parent for bringing us to maturity has great power to create within us the character of Christ.

None of us had perfect parents nor are we perfect in parenting our children. Thankfully, God created us so that He would be in a relationship with us for eternity. We heal in connection, in relationship, which is where, of course, we also get wounded. In many ways, our walk with Him is a process of reparenting by Father God, with Jesus the Pattern Son. Jesus emphasized that the most important commandment is:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22: 37-39 NIV

These two commandments are about relationships of full and complete love, flowing from heart to heart! Why is it challenging to believe that God delights in us, that He’s happy to hear from and talk with us, that communion with us is a joy to Him? Such it was in the beginning, before the fall, when Adam walked with God in the cool of the evening. Have we heard ministry that caused fear of the wrath of God and His swift punishment for wrongdoing more than of His great love, endless compassion and mercy?

Is this struggle also in part because those who were supposed to love us failed in it? All of us fail in perfect love for others, falling short in even our own standards, including in the raising of our children. Nevertheless, we have a Lord Who is a faithful pattern of how it can be done. It is very hard to absorb that the God of the entire universe likes and enjoys us, but He most certainly does! We need to trust this, to rest in the truth of it!

We may read and read the many scriptures that declare God’s love for all of us, but it needs to become a reality to us, written in our hearts. We need assurance, faith in our hearts, that God loves us–even us! And to go further by accepting whom He loves, He disciplines:

“Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:19-20 NASB

This word from the Lord is given to the Laodicean church who thinks they are rich and need no more from God. God reminds the self-satisfied that discipline is a sign that He is very fond of us! It is an example to any of us who are satisfied, resting in what we have. There are many Christians who seem to believe that what they have is all there is to have in God. All that God is teaching and doing is found in them, in their church, their fellowship, their ministries, and their present path. They will tell you what they have is it!

He admonishes us to hear His voice and open the door to Him. We are to open the door of our heart and all the rooms, the cubicles and hidey-holes, found there. Adversity is not a sign of God’s displeasure or wrath but part of His plan as the most excellent Parent to His spiritual offspring. Love includes discipline as a vital part. God is clearly stating that those He is fond of need to change, to repent as He is exposing what is in our hearts.

God desires intimate fellowship with us but some of our fleshly conditions are in the way. He is inviting us to share meals of His word, dining with Him as He promises when we repent of complacency and self-satisfaction. Remember we are talking about God’s “Zoe” love, not human love. It is complete and ever-present, even when we don’t think it is or cannot feel it. God sees all and understands every heart. He is measuring us with His holy, righteous character, bringing the tests and trials needed for us, His children.

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place. Your covenant with death will be dissolved, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand. When the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be trampled by it.

As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; it will sweep through morning after morning, by day and by night. The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror. Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket too small to wrap around you.” Isaiah 28:17-20 Berean

This passage of scripture, like so many others from Old and New Testament prophets, sounds very frightening. There is no place to hide from God, but it need not be frightening for those of us who know His love. It is only frightening for anyone who is doing evil while thinking they are hiding out from God. The bed is too short and the blanket of lies no longer wraps around sin to cover it up.

Hail is just hardened water, and water represents the word and spirit of God. Some will need a hardened word to get through their shells of unrighteousness and unbelief. Things we all thought hidden, even from ourselves, are swept away by the water of the world. We made a covenant, an agreement with death in the Garden. God promises to dissolve, annul, make of no effect the agreement we made with death. In fact, Jesus Christ did exactly this for us on the cross.

The Hebrew word “kaphar,” here translated as “dissolved,” means to “cancel, appease, make atonement for, cleanse, disannul, forgive, pardon, purge away, make reconciliation.” Do we understand now what He is saying? He will tear down and destroy any lies that we hide in our hearts or ways we externally hide ourselves from Him. He is bringing an end to our covenant with death. The purpose and plan of God is to reconcile all unto Himself.

“And He is the Head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell,

and through Him to reconcile all to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens.” Colossians 1:18-20 Concordant Literal

Jesus Christ already destroyed death and hell. Now He is bringing His victory to us through continual waters of change. There’s no place to hide from Him but we who seek Him and His life are glad of it! It is good news! We learn to run to our Father, not hide from Him as a disobedient child fearful of a parent’s wrath! As we see the chains of death continually fall off His own, we say with Paul:

“‘Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 Berean

We know that death is still “stinging” us. We see it in the illness and aging of our physical bodies as we grow older, as well as all the death and tragedy around us, but our Lord Jesus Christ is giving us the victory that He has won. We humans are unable to keep the law in our flesh, with our strength, but Jesus Christ has done it for us. We are now learning to walk in His victory, step by step, defeating death within. He is replacing this death with His life, in the spirit, where we live forever and ever with Him.

Father God is a Perfect Parent Who is wise, loving, and firm with us. A wise parent loves and disciplines, setting limits so the child learns how to live a balanced life. We parents surely have huge challenges in being like Father God when we are raising our children. Discipline is an essential part of the process. How crippling it is for a child to “do no wrong” in a parent’s eyes! That is very different from unconditional love for a child while raising them in the way they need to go.

“Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents]. Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:5 NIV

We require godly wisdom to raise a child in the way he or she should go. Any parent with more than one child soon learns that children are different from each other. All children need God’s wisdom, to be nurtured in the path God has for each according to their abilities. God knows this completely since He created each of us. He knows that some need stronger discipline while others will turn, be obedient, with just a word. He does not parent in fear, though the word has often been taught that way. Everything Father God does is good and how we need Him to nurture and guide our own children!

God knows how to deal with His spoiled children too. Any one of us can find ourselves behaving poorly with Him, particularly if our parents did not raise us well in all areas. (Who did?!) Watch what happens when we don’t get our way with God, when He takes a different direction in our lives than what we had planned for, or when He has us in His waiting room. When children are not properly equipped to live a good and productive life, God will dealswith it later if they come to Him and allow it. But such parents cause later grief for their children, whether they realize it at the time or not.

When we surrender our child and our parenting to God, He rules in bringing the necessary corrective experiences, always with redemptive justice. We see how Father God is doing it and He enables us to do as He does. His love truly heals us. God excels at healing our children from wounds and errors that made in raising them. Thank God that we learn God has healing for any wounds, intentional or not, that parents cause in their children!

In this Day of the Lord, with the Feast of Tabernacles coming into reality, we are being drawn to be Fathered by our most perfect heavenly Father. Having a relationship with God the Father, made possible by Jesus Christ, is easier for those of us who have had godly fathers who did their best to raise us in the love of the Lord. For others whose earthly fathers caused harm, this may be a barrier to trusting our heavenly father. James said:

“Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and lives?

Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.” Hebrews 12:9-10 Berean

The purpose of submission to the Father of all spirits is to live, truly live by sharing in His holiness. How amazing is that?! He disciplines us for our good, always. His justice is always redemptive, sent to change us, redeeming us from the sin and death working within. We are to share in His holiness. It is our destiny. Our parents did what they did, but nothing is beyond what God provides us as the complete Parent. We are not to fear His discipline, but welcome it as it proves we belong to Him!

“Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.” Hebrews 12:7-8 Berean

God’s discipline comes from the trails and suffering in this life. How often we long to have this not be true, particularly for our children, but it is nonetheless so. We learn to trust that, through experiences He allows, He is building His character within. He clears out all of our “refuge of lies” that we accumulate in this life. Some of these lies are things we’ve come to believe about ourselves, the world and God that are just not true.

One of the most common lies is that we are not lovable or good enough and that we have to earn God’s love like we may have experienced with humans. God’s love, however, is freely given, unearned, while we were yet in sin. How humans need to truly know this! He has a myriad of ways and people to reveal this and other lies we have accumulated walking in this earthly existence. He utilizes chosen vessels, vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor, to help us along the way. He even uses those who do not know Him for the benefit of those of us who do.

These lies may be what we grew up believing about ourselves, the world, and God, but they are not truth. It is how we explain to ourselves what happened to us, but it does not match what God says about us, the world, and Himself. God carefully exposes all the falsehood we have absorbed along the way, burning it up by the truth of the spirit. The holy spirit is sent for just this purpose:

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” John 16:13 NASB

All truth comes by the guidance of the Holy spirit! Jesus told this to the disciples, saying He had much to teach them but they could not yet understand until the holy spirit came. The holy spirit is sent to dwell within us to guide us into all of His truth, tearing down lies and falsehoods, most particularly about God, that we have gathered along the way. Some children, sadly, learn that they will never be good enough to earn their parent’s love. Some have unrelenting standards that no human can meet.

These and other falsehoods can hinder the growing relationship with Father God. Some get love and attention when they perform well, only to have it withdrawn when they don’t. Many of these are among God’s hardest workers in the kingdom, still needing to learn from God how to rest in His unfailing love without continually performing for Him. It is a good thing we have a lifetime to walk with Him and will be with Him forever in our spiritual homeland. These things take time!

If we are going to be with God forever, His very presence continues the work He has begun. His purpose is certain:

“You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 Amplified

Perfect. Complete. Whatever God decrees, He will accomplish. This is a commandment that we are to seek after, to allow to work in us. Whatever degree of perfection reachable in this life is up to God’s plan. It will be completed, on this side or the other. As we grow up into the Lord Jesus Christ, our model of perfection, we are changed, written upon, growing toward having the fullness of Christ dwell within us. This is our Father’s business, to develop many others as sons and daughters of the Lord Most High to rule and reign in the Kingdom of Life.

A father’s highest purpose is to be able to bring up his children to be good citizens of life. That is just what our heavenly Father’s business is also, to complete His promise to us to become joint heirs, to rule and reign with Him in His eternal kingdom:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:14-17 Berean

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Beloved, now we are children of God; it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:1-2 Berean

Suffering brings glory with Christ, Who suffered unjustly and unfairly. When we suffer though innocent of wrong, we are sharing in Christ’s suffering. Fear of God brings torment and bondage, but the holy spirit connects us to the Father by the spirit of adoption as His children. Ah, but some of you may be thinking, “Don’t we have to wait until heaven to be perfected?” Good question!

Do you see any qualifiers for this to be postponed, any scripture that says we must wait? Seeing God as He is begins as soon as we get acquainted with Him. God continues to unfold more and more as we mature. If we do not attain this prize while on the earth, that is God’s timing and God’s business, but we surely miss out if we postpone the path to maturity until then. We must keep on, come up higher in the spirit, pursuing the prize of the high callling to be where He is, for this process of perfection to work.

On the way, we join Paul in confessing:

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal of winning the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.…” Philippians 3:13-15 Berean

Paul urges the mature to embrace this point of view, pressing on toward our heavenly calling of perfection in Him. In God the Father, we have the perfect Parent, a balanced combination of love and justice. Our Creator knows each of us to our very core. He knows that some are tenderhearted and only need a word or a small prompt from the spirit to obey. Others are made of sterner stuff, the strong-willed among us, requiring stronger discipline, perhaps even some “hail” to work the changes to righteous character He has planned for His people to show forth.

Who but our Creator understands us inside and out? We need a perfect Father Who will nurture and guide us into all truth. I pray every Christian goes as far as God will take them, never limiting God because we have not yet seen Him do it. I celebrate and humbly bow before the truth that is worked in love beyond what I know or have experienced to date. How foolish I would be if I thought no one walking with God has gone further than I have or what I have seen in those believers around me!

We have faith in what He promises, like Abraham who looked for a city not made with hands. He saw things that were not as though they were. His faith was counted as righteousness and he was called a Friend of God. Think of it!

“As it is written: ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’ He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist…

being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.” Romans 4:17;21 Berean

Isn’t believing what we cannot yet see but is promised by God, what faith is all about? When there was no earthly way that Abraham and Sarah would physically be able to produce a child, with Sarah’s womb closed and barren with age, Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to do what He promised. Abraham’s faith remained strong through the test of obedience when God directed him to sacrifice his only, precious child, Isaac, the seed of promise. That is quite the faith test!

When we know that God is our Father, learning to relate to Him like His beloved child, life opens up in many ways. Wise earthly fathers prepare their sons and daughters to take their place in the world. So, too, our heavenly, perfect Father prepares us to take our place in His kingdom. He prepares each of us for the calling, the place in His body of believers that is our destiny.

While earthly fathers hope for that day of independence when their children are established on their own, we will always need our heavenly Father. He is our life and lives in our hearts, in the center of our being. We will always have Jesus Christ our Lord, within and beside us, leading us on to victory! He promised to be with us always, just as He promised His disciples when He commissioned them for the work they were called to do:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 Berean

The disciples could not imagine going on without Jesus. Later, they understood how He would be with them always in the spirit, after the Day of Pentecost. After that day, there is no record of Him appearing in His spiritual body to His faithful believers. Now He is coming within them. They had already endured the death by crucifixion of their beloved Master. They had gone through a difficult period of transition from the old covenant into the new. Everyone has access to our heavenly Father rather than just those who followed Him during His days on this earth.

As a perfect Father, God does hold unyielding standards for His people, empowering us to meet them as His workmanship, not in our own strength. If we think God’s love does not include limits, all we have to do is push against one of His limits set to protect us. We then feel the loving limit He sets. His deep love for the world will never change His requirements for holiness and righteousness. That’s why He makes a way for us all, through Jesus Christ, to be holy and righteous, just as He is. He is unmovable and unchanging in His nature of love and mercy.

God is more compassionate than the “my way or the highway” some authoritative parents have said. Nonetheless, we still may find ourselves on the back side of the desert, as Moses did, or in God’s woodshed when He deals with our disobedience. It is security to have a Father who is unyielding to our foolish, often childish, wants and ways. God is not like us human parents, whose parental ways may occasionally depend on our personality, our mood, or the day’s experiences.

God is faithful and true, delighting in giving His children good things:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 KJV

Our perfect Father is always the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is always true to His name His nature. We can rely on both love and correction from Him. We do not have to worry that we can do something to cause Him to suddenly turn away from us. Inconsistency from an earthly father is harder for a child than consistent abuse and criticism. It is confusing for a child to wonder if she or he will get a hug or a hit, a kind word or a severe rebuke for the slightest infraction. We do not have to fear this from God. We learn to know Him and to trust His dealings with us.

Can you see that we all need a perfect Parent to correct what we humans, even with the best of intentions, do when we are raising children? God has it all covered, including His maternal side, El Shaddai, covering us up with His wings, just like Momma birds do with their chicks:

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge;

His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalms 91:4 NIV

For those who have or had an earthly father who provided safety and protection when we were weak or vulnerable, you have been most blessed! You can connect more easily with Father God’s safe and loving spiritual embrace. Those who did not have this childhood provision can seek the corrective experience now of being Fathered by our God. We are all growing up in Him as He heals the inevitable wounds in our earthly existance.

It is the purpose of Jesus Christ to reconcile all of us to Father God, to the intimate fellowship that was lost long ago. Jesus said we’d have trouble as long as we were in the world, but He overcame the world! How thankful we are to have Father God take charge of our innermost being, writing truth on our hearts, and guiding us in every step we take. He is absolutely the Perfect Father! Let us run to Him in complete trust and faith in His goodness and love for each one of us!

Lessons of Praise

Jesus is the reason for praise. Without Him, we are lost and undone. It is quite reasonable for God to direct us to continually offer praise to Him. Most of us do have to be taught how to do this sincerely from our hearts. Our world floods us with bad news, with danger and turmoil on all fronts. There is no lack of things to complain or be upset about. Yet we are to shine as a light in this present darkness. Praising and being thankful in the midst of this mess is surely a noticeably different response to what this world is going through!

I first learned God’s lessons about praise in the 70’s and 80’s, a time of great spiritual hunger and growth for me. In addition to devouring wonderful ministry, as an avid reader I was absorbing wisdom from various Christian authors, learning even more. I also was a therapist who desperately required God’s wisdom and understanding. I so desired healing words of wisdom as I sat with the troubled and wounded in the work God called me to do. And, during my early years without a child, I was able to sit at the feet of Jesus, a precious time of spiritual growth that I have now come to greatly appreciate.

Through many wise and wonderful saints, wisdom was written in my heart containing many gems of understanding. I continually to draw on these truths as I walk with the Lord. One such author is Merlin R. Carothers, whose books have been re-published and translated into many languages. He learned lessons of praise in combat and many other life experiences, becoming a “Master of Praise.”

Merlin Carothers taught me the power of praising God at the first sign of adversity. Putting this into practice, however, was an interesting process! Once during this time, the trunk of the car accidentally fell on my fingers. I found myself madly hopping about, shouting “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, praise the Lord!” It had become an automatic response by that time, but it sure looked comical! Nonetheless, it was a sign of progress in praising God immediately in all circumstances.

God taught Merlin Carothers to praise Him in every circumstance and he absolutely lived the power of praise. One account of God’s many lessons for him was unexpectedly waking up one morning unable to move. God held his entire body, every part, immobile while He taught Merlin to praise Him for the ability to move each part. He was gradually able to open his eyes, wiggle his fingers, and move his limbs. He never forgot the graciousness of God in just waking up every day and living in a body that worked!

It’s a powerful reminder of how God truly is the life of our bodies. After all, not everyone wakes up each day able to see, hear, move all their limbs, and get themselves out of bed. When you have any type of affliction in your body, whether acute or chronic, you learn to empathize with those who are physically, emotionally or mentally disabled. No matter what we suffer, someone else in God’s kingdom is suffering more.

God worked these and other lessons deeply into Merlin’s life, giving him the ability to write about it. Through his books and writings, he shares many more ways to learn about praising our God. His sound doctrine based on the holy scriptures will get written into your hearts, as it was mine. The challenge I’ve found through the years is to remember these lessons in praise. How easy it is to get bogged down in the trials of this life, and forget this wonderful way of staying in the spirit and trusting our God!

The power of praising God at the first sign of adversity is the way it changes our focus immediately from the situation to our Source. It’s the foundational means of submission to whatever God allows in our lives. = Instead of allowing fearful or discouraged thoughts to take root in our minds, giving access to the enemy of our souls to pile on more, we look to God immediately. Praising God defeats the enemy, within and without!

So why is it that I still forget, years later, to praise God at the start of any problematic situation? Why is it so easy to neglect the power of praise when we are in times of affliction?

True praise from the heart has significant qualities that are most pleasing to the Lord. Praise that flows from a heart that truly adores God is a way to turn our focus to Him at all times. It is expressing gratitude for who He is and His capacity to make all things turn for our good. As we focus our attention on Him instead of ourselves and our situations, He strengthens and encourages us. We are practicing trust in our heavenly Father’s promises and His nature.

Through praise, we demonstrate a lively surrender of all that is to all that He is. When we truly overflow with praise to our God, alone or with others, gratitude and thanksgiving bring reminders of all His past goodness. The Psalmist said that God lives in the praises of His people:

“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Psalms 22:3 KJV

Dwelling in the praises of His people is a marvelous statement of God’s love for us, His way of spiritually embracing us. It’s a huge God-hug! He really is, as the Concordant Literal states, "very fond of us!” How many of us have been with our brothers and sisters i,mnb’n Christ, feeling God’s presence settling beautifully among us as we lift up praise and worship to Him? Is there any greater pleasure on this earth than being surrounded by the presence of God?

While we mature past praising Him for the feeling it gives us, we can count on His presence whenever true praises are uttered from the hearts of those who love Him. A most powerful account of the power of praise to defeat our enemies is found in the conquering of Jericho by Joshua and the army of God’s warriors in Israel. It was the first battle the Israelites fought to defeat the Canaanites as they were claiming their promised land.

What a marvelous illustration of the way God approaches battles in contrast to man’s ways. Read the account of the fall of Jericho:

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or our enemies?’

“Neither,’ he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so.

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.

Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.’

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.’ And he ordered the army, ‘Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.’” Joshua 5:13-15: 6:1-5 NIV

Joshua led the army to do exactly as God told him to do it. God delivered this walled city and all its occupants into Joshua’s hand. They did not lift a weapon until the last trump. They did not utter a word until they shouted the victory. At the sound of the ordained trumpets and their united victory cry, God brought the walls of the enemy down. Their faith, expressed in obedience and praise, gave the promised victory.

One wonders what the inhabitants of Jericho thought through the days of this activity. What an amazing way to defeat the enemy! Note that the messenger of God does not state that he is with one side or another. Regardless, God’s purposes are accomplished and victory is won. Joshua was told the enemy was already defeated. We, too, can count on this truth as we turn to Him.

We’re enabled, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, to surround our enemies without a word or a weapon and defeat them as God directs! We can do so without assuming that God is on our side and not our enemies. How many wars are fought with soldiers needing to believe that while both sides have saints of God doing their best to follow His will?

God shows forth His plans and purposes once again through another account of His people in ancient days. When in civil war against their Benjamite brothers, the other tribes of Israel inquired of God, who told them to send the tribe of Judah first.

“Now the sons of Israel set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God and said, “Who shall go up first for us to battle against the sons of Benjamin?”

Then the Lord said, “Judah shall go up first.” Judges 20:18 NASB

What is the significance of Judah going first? Judah comes from the Hebrew word “yadah” which means “praise”. There’s a chorus that begins: “Send Judah first and the battle will be won.” Here’s that spiritual key again: as we praise first, the battle will be won. This powerful message is etched upon us as God’s Spirit teaches and trains us to inquire for His council before any battle. David did this over and over, every time when he led the armies of Israel into battle. He did not just assume he should go to battle or, being a wise warrior and King, think that he already knew what to do. He asked, every time.

God did not always have the same battle plan for King David. He doesn’t always tell us, by the spirit, to use the same strategies for what we face. The strategy is His as is the glory when the battle is won. Sometimes God says to wait until either we get more information or it is resolved differently than the actions we were considering. He always knows the way to victory for us in our challenges and struggles, within and without.

So, today, we praise Him first. We can’t help but be aware of His presence and power on our behalf as situations change, problems are resolved, and our overwhelmed spirits are lifted higher into His spirit of peace with gratitude to Him. Praise is the expression of love we give to our Lord, trusting that He has all things under His care. It is an immediate confession of faith in our God regardless of our circumstances.

We will not see God frowning in concern or sighing in hopelessness or despair when bad things happen. Though it certainly was a grievous thing and changed the course of all of our lives, God was neither surprised nor caught without a plan when Adam and Eve disobeyed Him. What He allows He will manage in and through us for our good. Satan, the enemy of our souls, brings the battle to us in our life experiences, but that same adversity, the “weapon formed against us” will not prosper:

“Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the Lord.” Isaiah 54:16-17 Berean

This is truth: God set up adversity to be a training ground for us. This is in sharp contrast to those who blame the devil for adversity and credit God with all that is good. That’s eating from the garden of Eden’s Tree of Good and Evil. Can you see the evidence of good in people who do not know or serve God, and evil that is allowed to befall the most faithful servants of God? If you doubt, read the Book!

There are no servants of God who do not grow and prosper in the face of much adversity. Some of us got the idea that God’s favor will include no adversity or difficulty once we confess our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, over and over, God takes His people through adversity, much more often than out of it. God formed the adversary to bring the trials while promising that evil intent would not prosper. Our enemies will be destroyed as we are vindicated by God.

We, fellow saints of Zion, have a good heritage! To be sure, what is in our hearts will come out. There’s another favorite verse that speaks to what happens when our ways fully please God:

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7 Berean

When our ways please the Lord in a matter, God no longer needs to use that particular trial to refine and strengthen us. He makes even our opposition, within and without, be at peace with us. This is true whether it is a literal external enemy or more often, the enemy within us that wants to rob us of our Kingdom inheritance of peace, love, and joy. There are trials that we do pass, that no more weapons need to be formed to use against us. We can look back and remember when we used to be troubled and upset by certain things that now cannot disturb our peace.

The powerful Psalms 91 expands on what those who dwell in God’s shadow can expect. This psalm concludes with:

“‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalms 91:14-156 NIV

Yes, we have much to praise and thank the Lord for in light of all the promises He has made to us. It is helpful for us, and even our health, to practice such gratitude, to “remember all His benefits.” Many in the secular world now recommend practicing gratitude but we Christians should be the experts on it! Christians do gratitude differently, however, going beyond things for which we are grateful in our lives or present circumstances. Our gratitude is to our Lord, expressing a heart of thanksgiving for all that our loving Provider has given us.

Our gratitude flows forth in praise to our awesome heavenly Father for Who He is and all He has done. This works an abundance of good things in our hearts, ready to overflow into praise. Jesus said to the Jewish leaders opposing Him:

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34 KJV

Just like the food we put in our stomachs, what we allow our souls to consume gets stored in our hearts. We have a choice: consume the good things of God or eat up all of the world’s information, good and bad. Our God is one of contrasts: light and dark, good and evil, prosperity and poverty. We may wish it were not so, but God created opposites to illustrate His world and its ways. How would we know the Light, without the darkness that comes?

To be sure, what we consume, what our mind, will, and emotions—our soul—are focused upon, will come out. Filling our minds and hearts with the goodness of God, all that He is and all that He has done for us, gradually creates a flow of praise that requires no labor. What we focus on, grows! This is truth for all aspects of our lives.

When parents focus on the strengths of their children, when teachers and bosses build up or edify rather than criticize and tear down, when we encourage others rather than chastise or judge, this richness of love flows from our hearts to strengthen and bless those around us. Paul admonishes us to turn our focus thus:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 NASB

The Amplified Bible adds beautiful explanatory words to further understand this passage:

“Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. Philippians 4:8 Amplified

When we focus on all this abundance of good things, our hearts flow out in praise and worship to our God. When we are troubled in the night, we can do as the song says, “Count your blessings; name them one by one.” If we are so fortunate, we can thank Him for having a home, a bed to sleep in, clean water and healthy food, ways to keep warm or cool and a myriad of other things not everyone, even in our modern, privileged Western world, have. Some of us have been given so much just by who and where God placed us in this world. It is astounded to learn of the families, including many children, who are homeless and live in the streets of our own prosperous cities!

We have a continual song of praise within, no matter what we are occupied in doing externally. Praise within will also flow out in edification and encouragement to others. Some of God’s saints have the “gift of encouragement” operating within their beings. These are Christians who seem to always uplift others, making them genuinely feel good just to be around them. Encouragers provide hope, cheering us on in this life. Just being in the presence of an encourager is uplifting!

God knows that what we focus on, what our mind is centered upon, will plant seeds that will produce a crop. The word of God is a seed that is destined to change us into the likeness and image of Christ. There’s a reason for loving the precious words of the chorus from the well-known song, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Look full in his wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.

(Helen Lemmel )

Our Lord Jesus Christ embodies all of the things Paul tells us to dwell upon in our hearts and minds. He is pure, lovely, admirable and of good repute. As we gaze upon Him and fill ourselves up with His mind, His life, everything else fades. We are now eating from the Tree of Life! We see His glory and grace, we experience the powerful love of our Father, and all else disappears from our awareness.

God is the only way to keep us in balance while living in this life. We learn to be thankful, to praise Him for His provision of our smallest needs and comforts to our greatest blessings in life. We praise our Lord through the ups and downs we all have, times of light and times of darkness. We are enabled to live a life of praise no matter what we are doing, as God works within us a continual awareness of His presence while we go about our daily tasks.

God is there when we are enjoying the many entertaining and absorbing options available to us. God enjoys us, His children, enjoying ourselves with a clean heart. He does not expect us to deny ourselves enjoyment for all the good things He provides. We do not have to make ourselves live a rigid religious life by reading the Bible for a required amount of time, denying any pleasurable activity, or make a law of a pre-planned periods of time to be with Him.

Sunday mornings need no longer be the one time, even the main time in the week, where He has our full attention. God is a continual presence dwelling within, tabernacling in His people just as He has promised. He looks at our hearts to see why we do what we do before Him while adoring our Lord. He knows that most of the world’s people are busy surviving, so He’s not calling us to more fervent or continual religious activity for Him. Any such work needs to flow from our relationship with Him, led by His spirit.

The more we know Him, the more we love Him. Unbelievers will really love Him when they get to know Him too! And we, His beloved, are actually created to be the ultimate praise of God:

“In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:11-12 Berean

Zion is God’s holy city, Abraham’s “city not built with hands.” The father of our faith knew this life was not his homeland. The destiny for God’s called, chosen, and faithful is this high spiritual dwelling place in God for which Abraham longed. This is what Abraham saw as he followed God’s leading while on this earth: Zion, God’s city “made without hands.” We are God’s temple, and Jesus said the kingdom of God is within us to show forth His handiwork.

God is at the center of every moment we face, He is working in every circumstance to impact our lives. We can be honest in our hearts with any struggle we have while praising Him in all things.

“Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”! Thessalonians 5:16-17 Berean

We are not thanking Him for the circumstances, but in every circumstance. His will for us is to give thanks, rejoice, and pray all the time. Think of it! God of the universe loves to hear from us. He desires that we talk with Him every moment, not just on certain occasions. He is not asking us to pretend we are not devastated by the death of loved ones or suffering from loss of health or income, the impact of natural and manmade disasters, or all the adversity that comes our way.

Oh, no, we do not pretend to be joyful when we are not. But we are enabled, particularly through heartfelt praise, to submit our soul—our will, our mind, and our emotions—to Him in order to receive strength, endurance, and hope for better days to come. We are learning to do as Paul directed the Thessalonians to do, to pray without ceasing. We cannot pray without ceasing if we consider prayer as only for formal times, in a meeting or on our knees.

Prayer is a conversation with God and we can do that from the time we get up until we fall asleep. He is always with us. As He takes the central place in our hearts, it becomes more and more easy to talk to and listen to Him all day, every day. It is a joy to always have this Friend who sticks closer than a brother and to remain in continual connection with Him. And guess what? He loves it too!

Jesus Christ will come and keep coming within until we are made like Him. He promised. Just as many life events change our lives forever after, our lives will never be the same as our faithful Father guides us in His loving, compassionate ways. He is able to turn our circumstances around, with or without praise, but it goes better when we praise Him! The very act of praise lifts our spirits from the earthly to the heavenly.

The best Biblical example of this is the many Psalms, most especially David’s, that start with heaviness, a grievance, even despair, and end with being renewed in mind and spirit by the knowledge of our God and His faithfulness. Read the battle of Jericho as God’s way of going into battle, surrounding our enemy with an order of uplifting thought and praise toward God Almighty for the victory…in advance!

Don’t you think these Israelite warriors were thinking of and praising God as they obeyed what God had told Joshua? As they were fully human, I am also guessing some were thinking. “I sure hope this works!” We, too, can begin winning more battles with God-directed praise. Praise God in obedience, as instructed, even when we don’t feel like it. It’s not about feelings, it is about faith. Our own heart then becomes a sacrifice of praise.

David tells us that God cherishes the sacrifice of praise from a broken and contrite spirit. Surrender to the Father’s will first, and a changed heart will follow in God’s timing. There are numerous examples of this ability of our Lord to change our complete being—our thinking, our soul, our intentions— to match His will. He is aligning our feelings into love for Him and our fellow man, as we submit and worship Him in all things.

Jesus Christ has won every battle. He is ever interceding on our behalf against our enemies. We see the manifestation of His victory now, in His life within us. This is working to move us through all difficulties at hand, regardless of time or severity. Every single event that we might think is beyond His power to restore and heal, we can find a saint whose life shows that He can.

All things are possible with God. He is faithful to raise us out of all circumstances. He is with us as we are praising the Lord while walking out the divine faith He is forming within us. As our trust in Him grows, we see He is worthy of true praise and worship.

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11 NIV

The Reluctant Servant

I love reading about Jonah pouting and complaining to God about His calling to Nineveh. Jonah is a prophet with whom I can identify, though not necessarily with pride, because Jonah’s behavior and conversations with God are so familiar to our human condition. God told Jonah to do something he absolutely did not want to do. Ever been there?

God’s directive to Jonah was to go to Nineveh to convict them of their wicked sins. Jonah did not want to go because He knew God would be merciful and gracious, slow to anger, one that relents concerning coming calamity. Jonah unwisely runs away, thinking He can escape the presence of the Lord.

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.’

Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.” Jonah 1:1-3a Berean

On his way sailing to Tarshish, a storm threatens to capsize their ship, drowning them all. Jonah’s shipmates knew that he was fleeing the Lord God Almighty and eventually threw Jonah into the sea:

“‘What have you done?’ The men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them…” Jonah 1:10b Berean

God had a whale prepared to swallow Jonah up, thereby saving him. While in these dire circumstances, Jonah calls out to the Lord. With every expectation of dying, Jonah has a change of heart, sees the vanity of life, and prays a most beautiful prayer of petition and renewed commitment to obedience:

“As my life was fading away, I remembered the Lord. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, I will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the Lord!” Jonah 2:7-9 Berean

Jonah’s prayers when helpless and facing death are heard by God, Who makes a way of escape for Jonah. It also is so for us, even when we initially refuse and try to run from His will. God is not surprised and has already prepared rescues for many of us, saint and sinner alike, rebellious or not, saving us from our dire circumstances. Hearts change when facing death, becoming fully convicted without any other hope.

Jonah was then sincerely obedient to do what God told him to do. But wait—was he? Well, Jonah obediently preaches the coming doom and disaster to Nineveh’s inhabitants if they do not repent, just as God commanded Him to do. But he is not happy about it! He is resentfully obedient and, as he predicted, the people of Ninevah became aware of their sins, repenting with fasting and prayer. Jonah watched as the people of Ninevah turned back to the Lord to receive forgiveness.

Instead of rejoicing that all were saved by God’s mercy, Jonah gets angry that God does not destroy them. Apparently Jonah is tired of preaching disaster when He knows that God will show compassion and mercy when they repent. If God is going to save them anyway, why bother preaching a word of judgment if they do not repent? Perhaps in his own eyes, Jonah feels like a fool.

After having been miraculously saved from death himself, Jonah was so furious he actually wanted to die:

“Jonah, however, was greatly displeased, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, saying, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I was so quick to flee toward Tarshish. I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster.

And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ But the Lord replied, ‘Have you any right to be angry?’ Then Jonah left the city and sat down east of it, where he made himself a shelter and sat in its shade to see what would happen to the city.

So the Lord God appointed a vine and it grew up to provide shade over Jonah’s head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was greatly pleased with the plant.When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered.

As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’ Then God asked Jonah, ‘Have you any right to be angry about the plant?’ ‘I do,” he replied. ‘I am angry enough to die!’

But the Lord said, ‘You cared about the plant, which you neither tended nor made grow. It sprang up in a night and perished in a night. So should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well?’” Jonah, Chapter 4 Berean

Jonah, the reluctant servant, is actually angry about God’s compassion and mercy! He accuses God because of His nature: “See, I know what You are like. You’re gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion—One who relents from sending disaster. I knew you would do this and that’s why I ran away!” He is still in disagreement with God’s plan though He did do as instructed.

Disagreeing with God’s instruction, as well as His decision to save Nineveh, teaches Jonah some valuable lessons. God finds Jonah pouting and complaining that God is forgiving the people of Nineveh instead of punishing these sinners as he had predicted. Jonah gets really angry, just like some preachers get angry and preach against sin with threats of eternal damnation instead of salvation and redemption.

Some are continually railing against sin without mercy for the sinner instead of ministering the way out of it. God teaches Jonah about compassion by His nurturing of a plant that brings comforting shade, later causing it to die. God shows Jonah’s care about the plant is like God’s care for the people of Nineveh. Seeing it from God’s viewpoint, Jonah was humbled and had nothing more to say about it. The plant and the people belong to God and He will do justly with all in His hands.

Basically, God says to Jonah: “It’s all My creation, My business, not yours.” And it is surprising how many of God’s servants do resent God’s mercy towards others. So many seem to want others to “earn it.” Perhaps we want others to suffer the same struggles we have had in coming to God, but where is love and mercy in this? Where is God’s compassions that never fail? Jesus said that all would be paid the same: granted salvation freely. Consider this parable Jesus told in Matthew 20:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a person who owned some land. One morning, he went out very early to hire some people to work in his vineyard. The man agreed to pay the workers one coin for working that day. Then he sent them into the vineyard to work.

About nine o’clock the man went to the marketplace and saw some other people standing there, doing nothing. So he said to them, ‘If you go and work in my vineyard, I will pay you what your work is worth.’ So they went to work in the vineyard.

The man went out again about twelve o’clock and three o’clock and did the same thing. About five o’clock the man went to the marketplace again and saw others standing there. He asked them, ‘Why did you stand here all day doing nothing?’ They answered, ‘No one gave us a job.’ The man said to them, ‘Then you can go and work in my vineyard.’

At the end of the day, the owner of the vineyard said to the boss of all the workers, ‘Call the workers and pay them. Start with the last people I hired and end with those I hired first.’ When the workers who were hired at five o’clock came to get their pay, each received one coin.

When the workers who were hired first came to get their pay, they thought they would be paid more than the others. But each one of them also received one coin. When they got their coin, they complained to the man who owned the land. They said, ‘Those people were hired last and worked only one hour. But you paid them the same as you paid us who worked hard all day in the hot sun.’

But the man who owned the vineyard said to one of those workers, ‘Friend, I am being fair to you. You agreed to work for one coin. So take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same pay that I gave you. I can do what I want with my own money. Are you jealous because I am good to those people?’

So those who are last now will someday be first, and those who are first now will someday be last.” Matthew 20:1-16 NCV

We belong to God and it is His decision what He does, how He blesses those that serve Him. We see God’s heart revealed, as well as perhaps His sense of humor, in this account of His dealings with Jonah. God’s promise of universal salvation of all expounds on the Lord’s nature of compassionate mercy. The decisions God makes can be trusted to teach us His truth. He works within us through Christ until we accept and surrender to His ways.

God may not put us in a whale’s belly, but there are innumerable troubling circumstances that He uses in this world to bring us to repentance. He surely can leave us trapped in dark and dismal circumstances until we yield, surrendering to His directives. In this way, we learn His ways, as we obey what He tells us to do. We can then say with the Psalmist:

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” Psalms 119:72 Amplified

It is good news that our God is compassionate, slow to anger, and ever merciful, even to us reluctant servants! One wonders what had happened to Jonah, clearly a prophet of God used to bring forth God’s message to the people of that day. Was Jonah "weary of well-doing,” delivering all the threatening judgments that God said would happen that did not come about because our God is a forgiving and merciful God? Perhaps Jonah became so tired of seeing sin rule all around him that he finally saw his own vengeful heart.

The lessons to Jonah are clear. It is God’s business to extend His mercy and compassion to whomever He will, stated this way by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament:

“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! For He says to Moses: ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:14-16 Berean

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:3-4 NASB

Our Lord’s compassion is present in this account of God’s dealings with Jonah. Praise God that man’s desires or efforts do not determine the outcome, God’s mercy does. The servants of the Lord are carrying out His will in many matters, but the final outcome is in always up to God. What happens to us is totally dependent upon God’s mercy, and He’s got a lot of that!

“We can make our plans, but the final outcome is in God’s hands. We can always prove that we are right, but is the Lord convinced?

Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes—even the wicked for punishment.” Proverbs 16:1-4 Living Bible

God’s nature is found in mercy and love. His decisions affect all that happens, choosing what and with whom the truth and justice of His nature is revealed. We who desire to be more like Him find we have hearts increasingly filled with His compassion and mercy for all. We know it will take time, even ages, but due time will come, whether it seems that way or not, for every knee to bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.

God is absolutely not dependent upon what man desires or works hard to accomplish. He made a way of escape for all through Jesus Christ our Lord. Sometimes Christians do speak and act as if God is not in charge, that He is helpless to defeat satan, unable to fulfill His plan because of the will of men. Do we not yet know that there is not one decision God has made to which fallible man is not subject? He oversees the choices people make in life.

God wants us as loving sons and daughters, not robots. Yes, the people of this world have long been subject to an enemy, but we do see the Lord of the universe having a plan for this world of people He so loves! Remember, satan can only work in the dust realm of the earth. The father of lies has already been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ, who is leading the battle for victory over our enemies within and without. He intercedes between us and our enemies, leading the charge as Michael, the archangel, the Chief Messenger of Revelation.

Jesus Christ most certainly does not need to intercede between us and a vengeful Father, for our sins are blotted out and God remembers them no more.

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25 NIV

“For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more." Hebrews 8:12 Berean

Our Lord Jesus does not need to plead with His Father for our forgiveness. It is already accomplished. Jesus connects us with Father God, and, as he clearly states in the gospels, “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” Father God is one with our avenger and protector, Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. We have God the Father’s power and authority through our Lord Jesus Christ fighting every battle on our behalf.

We are at rest while ever ready to provide God’s words and comfort, wisdom and deliverance, to others. Nothing happening in this world surprises God. Evil has not caught Him by surprise, nor is He wringing His hands at what we humans do. There are many, many, mysterious things that God does that we do not correctly discern. When we are called and chosen by Him, our lives move on to the path God has set out for us whether we understand or agree, even when we join Jonah in being reluctant servants.

When we surrender to Him, we are locked in, destined to go His way. God is a most excellent Father who will train us up in the way we ought to go. He is a God Who builds relationships and connections, creating us for His own pleasure. God teaches willing hearts of His ways, delighting in our growth as well as being merciful at our stumbling. Remember, stumbling while learning to walk is natural for young ones. God, like the parent of a toddler celebrating their little one’s first stumbling steps, rejoices in our process of growth. He promises us:

“The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord who takes delight in his journey.

Though he falls [stumbles], he will not be overwhelmed, for the Lord is holding his hand.” Psalms 37:33-34 Berean

The Lord delights in the steps of a man who is walking after Him. Do you believe that? It is far from the preaching some hear, where God’s supposed disgust with His sinful creation is expressed. Earlier in this Psalm, we are admonished not to fret, not to get “all heated up” about evildoers, because God will deal with them. If we can only accept that God is not a vengeful God but a God of mercy, love, and hope, we won’t be troubled by the evil in the world, either.

We learn not to observe and judge the man who stumbles, condemning their unsteady spiritual walk, when it is just what God has set up to teach this one about Him by drawing Him to Himself. Mistakes equal learning when God’s Spirit is instructing us concerning the kingdom of God. What God allows, even with disasters remove all human hope, is used for good to change His servants. His purpose is always just, beyond the purposes and efforts of humans, always working towards unfolding His great plan for the ages.

Many times we can look back at losses and endings, seeing now the blessings and growth from those times of discipline through adversity. We rest in knowing that God knows what we need. He provides His disciplines required for us to mature in His ways, to go beyond observing or being confused by His acts.

God has the purpose, plan, and power to redeem us to the uttermost. He says so, many times. When we, His people, delight in His ways, here is His promise to us, in three different translations:

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.” Psalm 37:23 NIV

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in His way; Psalm 37:23 ESV

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in His way.” Psalm 37:23 KJV

How we need to show God that we delight in Him, as He is delighted with us! If He created us for a loving relationship with Him, why wouldn’t He be delighted to hear from us, to have us draw near His throne to worship and learn from Him? We might fall into disagreement with God’s decisions —until God invites us to come up a little higher in the spirit to see as He sees. We know that His ways and nature are higher, and better than ours.

If God thought like a man, He may have said about Jonah: “I’ve had it with this guy and his rebellion. Thinks he can hide from Me? Ha!” God could have just rubbed Jonah out. Instead, God sees Jonah’s weary heart and provides instruction that comforts him. What a tender and patient heavenly Father! As Jesus taught the parable of two sons who were told by their father to work in the vineyard, He reveals differences in their hearts about obeying their father.

One son is reluctant but later is obedient, while the other says he’ll do it but doesn’t. With whom do you think God is pleased?

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I will not’, he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir’, but he did not go.

Which of the two did what his father wanted?’ ‘The first’, they answered.

Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.” Matthew 21:28-32 NIV

Here is evidence that reluctance does not equal disobedience. Most parents would rather have a reluctantly obedient child who disagrees with them but still obeys than a child who superficially agrees but does not obey, or is rebellious and refuses their direction. Jesus said the tax collectors and the prostitutes, thought to be the worst sinners of the time, would enter the kingdom before His audience of learned but unbelieving Jewish religious leaders. Jesus is saying it does not matter how you start out if, in the end, you obey the Father.

The (self)righteous Jews say they are obedient, doing what their Father wants according to the laws of Moses, yet it is just words without action or heart to fulfill them. This same condition exists today in lukewarm believers giving lip service to God’s will while their hearts are far from Him. Rest assured, God’s love has them covered, though they may arrive later than the ones who have turned from deeply sinful lives to find God’s ways. Great need always searches out great love.

It is not the appearance of being religious that will open the gates of His kingdom. If that were the case, the religious leaders of Jesus’ days on earth would have been first to enter. God looks upon the heart of man, discerning the thoughts and intents of us all, judging beyond our words and our actions to our inner man.

“For ‘God has put everything under His feet.’ Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One [Father God] who put everything under Him.

And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:27-28 Berean

Isn’t this absolutely great news? We do not need one thought of vengeance for sinners nor to be disappointed like Jonah when God restores all. We can be eager, not reluctant, to be a part of wiping tears off faces until He completes this work. It has begun, this Day of the Lord, and the completion may take eons, but it will be fulfilled. Why would He say it if He will not do it?

We are the light in the world that all need to see to know the One True God, to see the mercy and justice, love and compassion that is our God’s nature. God brought it to Nineveh, but they surely did not witness it in His servant Jonah. Yet God was so compassionate and merciful with this man who had been serving Him. And Jonah did know God’s nature better than some do today!

We are to be clothed with His nature, not found naked, in this hour. God has a Body of believers in unity who are already being refined by the fires of God’s presence. The purification is happening as the day of our salvation draws nigh! Those who do not believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, trusting Him to lead us to the Father, just don’t know the Nature they are ignoring. If they knew Him, they’d love Him like we do!

He does create in us a willingness, a desire to run to do His will rather than be reluctant to accept it, let alone fulfill it. God is the changer of hearts and has all in His hands. Regardless of occasional reluctance to go where He leads or stumbling upon the obstacles in our path of life, we are invited to progress in God. We remain in His spiritual school, enduring all with patience and faith until His promises are fulfilled within us.

The kingdom of God is within us and we look to its completion, for God surely has begun a good work within the hearts of His chosen and He will complete it.

The Desires of Our Hearts

Sometimes, it can be confusing as we seek God for the path He has for us while continuing to place our requests before him. God does not always grant the desires of our hearts. We learn that we can count on the desires that HE places within us being fulfilled. Those of us walking with our Lord and serving Him as best we can soon must deal with Him concerning the desires of our hearts.

But what are we to do with the many desires we have, for others and for ourselves, that we take to the Lord in hopes of a positive answer? How are we to understand spiritually what His desires for us really are and the mysteries of the responses we receive? Psalms 37 beautifully guides us:

“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” Psalms 37:3-5 NASB

Trust, delight, commit. That is the formula. When first reading this, perhaps as beginning “babes in Christ,” we think we can ask our Lord anything and He will grant it. We delight in being able to go to Jesus with all of our requests. This is as it should be! He made the way for us to be in a relationship with our very loving Father who delights in our communion. We are to come to Him as little children would, in complete trust and faith.

This is how we learn to trust and delight in our Lord and commit all our ways to Him. Jesus Christ made the way for us to talk with our Father by spirit. Our Lord is continually interceding for us in our battles and experiences, being in constant communion with His Father about us:

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25 KJV

Looking back on our lives, we see His hand in the interests we have, the choices we’ve made, even when we thought it was our idea! He creates each of us with certain purposes in mind, planting desires in our hearts to fulfill His will. As we mature on our walk with the Lord, however, we realize that His desires vary from ours, that God’s answer to even the deepest desires of our hearts is not always yes. He loves us and He is faithful to answer but it may be: “Yes.” Or “No.” Or “Wait.” Or “I have a better idea.”

Yes!

When we hear God saying yes to something we most desire, it may seem easier to handle than the rest of His possible answers—but perhaps not. Some of us hesitate to fully embrace the “yes” we had hoped and pleaded for God to grant us. We fear that it is too good to be true! God does give us good things according to His purposes. But it can be a bit daunting to trust that it is HIS voice saying yes rather than our own strong desire and will to hear that affirmative answer.

When we have been waiting, if we have had misery and loss, God may need to teach us how to receive with thanksgiving and joy, how to be happy and trust this wonderful affirmative answer to our heart’s desires. God has many ways to confirm and reassure us, including “putting out a fleece,” as Gideon did when desiring to be sure of God’s direction. Many Christians have similarly “put out a fleece,” asking God for a sign of confirmation that it is Him and He is saying our desires are granted. He knows we do this to be certain of His word or direction and He knows we need that above all else.

In the Old Testament, Gideon was very cautious and concerned when he heard God say he was called to defeat the enemies of his people. The desire to defeat their oppressors had burned in the Israelites’ hearts since they were captured. In Gideon’s day, the Midianites had ruled the Israelites for seven years. God told them that this defeat was because of their disobedience in worshipping idols. Not unlike others called by God for an unexpected and very important purpose, Gideon did not think he was eligible or qualified for this calling. He never dreamed God would choose him to lead the charge.

Gideon’s first response was to tell God immediately why he wasn’t the one for the job. Though he desired a victory over their enemies, he felt ill-equipped, based upon who he was, a person of no stature in the eyes of others. Gideon joins many others through the centuries in waiting and searching for God to give victory when oppressed. Think of the prayers the people had prayed, all of those seven years, for God to deliver them. When it was time, God chose Gideon, calling him a “mighty warrior “ when he was no such thing. Here’s Gideon’s story, told in this NIV version in a way that sounds like how we might in similar situations:

“The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’

‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.’

The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the weakest in my family. The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.’” Judges 6:11-23 NIV

This is a classic “Who, me?”response to God calling us. Isn’t that just like many of us when we first hear from God about a very critical matter that we had no idea He wanted us to be dealing with, let alone leading the charge?! This is especially true when He drops something into your spirit that you had never considered doing. God begins to speak to us about doing something new, something not in our awareness at all. Perhaps it is something we have long desired but have lost hope it would ever happen, just as with Gideon and his fellow Israelites.

Gideon was a nobody and he certainly did not view himself as a mighty warrior! God told Gideon he would succeed because God Himself was sending him. It did not matter what his external rank and qualifications were. We may feel ill-equipped to do God’s job, just as Gideon did, but that matters not to God. All Gideon needed was to know God was with him and was sending him. Gideon respectfully replies to the Lord’s messenger with his doubts and concerns. He needs more time and confirmation.

God was not surprised, as He knew what was in Gideon’s heart. Gideon did not just accept that it was God talking to him. He knew that Gideon would need more assurance from the Lord to believe and obey. He needed proof beyond what he heard the angel, this Messenger of God, say to him:

“Gideon replied, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.’ And the Lord said, ‘I will wait until you return.’

Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And Gideon did so. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared.

When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace.” Judges 6:36-40 NIV

After Gideon’s offering is consumed, he is finally assured that it is the Lord speaking to him. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he blew a trumpet to gather others to join him in fighting the Midianites. Why would the people listen to him, this lowest of the tribe of Manasseh, not known for their leadership? Obviously, God was with him or they would not have heard his call to war as a message from God.

Later, he asks God for one more sign of confirmation, to be sure he understands the task and its promised outcome of victory. After all, this was a life and death situation and the Israelites had not seen a victory for some time:

“Gideon said to God, ‘If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised, look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.’

And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.’

That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.” Judges 6:36-40 NIV

As the story continues in Judges Chapter 7, we read how God directs Gideon’s every step, even showing him how to successfully spy on the enemy by listening in on their plans. God tells Gideon exactly how to bring about a successful attack and reduces the number of Gideon’s army to 300 men. Who but God would reduce the number in His army?! He directs Gideon to choose only those who drank water while still scanning the area for their enemy. Is this not symbolic of the balance we are to have, drinking the water of the spirit while staying alert for the enemy of our souls?

It’s doubtful that Gideon could think or imagine all that God would do through his obedience. He had to repeatedly hear the promise of victory from God. But think of the joy the Israelites had in this great victory for which they had waited so long. We may think or imagine what the Lord will do, but His reality is so much better! When HE says we are mighty warriors, He makes us into just that! He makes the timid strong and the weak able to lead others to victory.

God does talk to His people, even now. He still directs our paths in very specific ways as we learn to listen and to desire His will above all. God is the best strategist there is, whether it is how to fight the enemy in times of war, or with anyone or anything else that comes against us. It may be our professional or personal opponents, our enemies without and within stealing our peace, love, and joy. He has the weapons of warfare that we require by the spirit for every single plan we must undertake.

When faced with a new task, big or small, God knows the best steps for success in what He calls us to do. He knows how to fulfill His will in us. Some of His own people might be quite surprised at just how specific can be His answers. After all, He is invested in our success. Like with Gideon, He assures us of victory in many things before we even do them. He can choose to act without people, but that is not His way. He gives us the great honor, privilege, and responsibility to carry out His will in many matters, big and small, that impact lives on this earth.

Not everyone has conversations with the Lord, but He knows how to communicate His desires and plans to each of us when we have willing hearts. As we are ready and willing to hear His will, to set aside our own will, we can count on the Lord to do His part in communicating to us. After all, doesn’t He want us to know His will? When our hearts are as open as possible, we will hear what He is saying. And when we have heard the affirmation that our request has been granted, we ask His direction in proceeding or wait patiently until this most important desire is fulfilled as a reality.

No!

What about when the answer is no? When He firmly shuts the door on something we so wanted and thought we required, it can lead to quite a struggle. We may not have the maturity necessary to immediately lay down what we want and surrender to Him. We may protest in anger and disappointment, searching for “why not?” We may go further in trying to persuade Him, just as a child who hears “no” does. Even we adults cry and get depressed when we hear this answer from God.

We may start to hear the enemy’s lies: “See, the Lord does not really love you. You are not good enough for Him to grant what your heart longs for. He can’t really do that anyway.” Even worse, we may diminish what God is capable of doing, despite His multitude of promises and blessings. Gideon had seen much defeat, so his first reply sounds accusatory: “So what have you done for us lately? I heard about your past great works but I haven’t seen them!” Then, as now, many of us have heard much more about past great miracles that seem much less common now.

Years ago, a wonderful minister, Rev. Emil Boktor, was visiting our fellowship from Egypt. He asked us what miracles we had experienced since his last visit to America. When we had no examples, he shared many with us and gently but pointedly stated that, in Egypt, they need miracles and therefore, they get them. Indeed, Christians in Egypt have been much oppressed, learning to rely on God’s miraculous provision for their daily needs. In America most do not face the same suffering, so many of us do not require miracles of God to live.

Some explain away disappointment and evil by stating that God has just left us to our own devices and has no power to change things. Because we do not understand Him or His ways, we use our human reasoning to conclude that He’s a loving but powerless God who cannot intervene. There’s a book that takes this approach as a way to explain why bad things happen to good people. This is no comfort to someone who believes in an all-powerful God who can do anything. Reducing God to our understanding is of little assistance when believers seek to comprehend and accept God’s decisions.

Check out Job’s afflictions and the hollow comfort of His friends. They said, among other things, that it was his fault that he lost everything. He maintained that it was God with whom He had to deal. He never once blamed satan or turned to any other power to understand what had befallen Him. God, in turn, dealt with Job’s complaints as well as the ineffective counsel given by his friends:

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: ‘Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge? Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

Tell Me, if you understand. Who fixed its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its foundations set, or who laid its cornerstone, while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?’” Job 38:1-7 Berean

God goes on to remind Job of Who He is and all He has done since the beginning of time that Job, or any man, could not possibly understand. All through Job chapters 38, 39 and 40, God chastises Job for questioning His ways and contending with the Almighty. He lists all that He has created and accomplished, far beyond anything humans can comprehend. Job’s wise response is to humble himself before the Lord:

“Then Job answered the LORD: ‘Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once, but I have no answer—twice, but I have nothing to add.’” Job 40:3-5 Berean

God goes on through more chapters to remind Job and his friends of His mighty power and majesty. All of these things are far, far beyond Job’s understanding in making his complaints to God. God challenges Job:

“Will you really annul my justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself?” Job 40:8 Berean

Our human reasoning does just that! We malign God’s character as well as His promises when His acts do not fit with our understanding of justice and fair treatment. Remember, Job did nothing to deserve what happened to him. God said Job was righteous and allowed all of these calamities to befall him as a test. It certainly does not sound like justice to wipe out every blessing Job had, especially since God Himself said he was a good man. It is just so in this life.

Much of what God allows to happen to us is not of our own doing. It is a consequence of living in this sin-filled world. Humans have choices and some of them bring harm to believers as well as unbelievers. Job is not the only one of God’s servants to go down this path. When we use our carnal minds instead of the holy spirit to understand what’s happening, we justify ourselves about what happens to us. We may join Job in assuming we know what is happening and even that God is wrong in what He’s allowed.

When our hearts are bruised and weary with overwhelming loss and pain, we pull God down to our level. We justify ourselves as innocent, undeserving, treated unfairly, or God as less than Who He is. We forget that Jesus was innocent, undeserving, treated unfairly, allowing the worst to happen because of Father God’s purposes. This becomes a lonely place because the God of all comfort is the One who allows these things to happen. It’s difficult to go to someone for comfort thinking they could have changed the outcome.

Eventually, we must humble ourselves and yield completely, confessing that we do not understand His ways, just as Job did:

“I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak. I will question you, and you shall inform Me.’ My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:2-6 Berean

Job truly sees God, repenting and changing his mind before Almighty God. The contrast between what little he and his friends know and all that God is becomes glaringly apparent. He is the God of the universe, this Lord with whom we have to deal. God is a master at humbling us when we need to be humbled. Often it is in the privacy of our conversations with Him, but occasionally it happens in the presence of others.

After Job was humbled, God chastised Job’s friends for not speaking the truth about Him. Unlike Job, they did not speak accurately about God and His ways with Job. Their well-meaning attempts to help their friend led to speaking from their own reasoning, not God’s truth. We need more than an eternity to understand God!

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor?

Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:33-36 KJV

So, as with Job, we are wise to yield, to surrender, regardless of our limited understanding. We need to say, as Jesus did in Gethsemane, “Not my will but Yours be done.” The more quickly we surrender our will to what God is saying and doing, the more quickly our wayward emotions will come in line with that surrender. Our submitted will is like an anchor we can hold on to when our thoughts and emotions buffet us in the matter. It begins to sink in that God Himself is in charge of every aspect of our lives. Other people cannot overrule what He allows to come and buffet us.

As we wrestle with acceptance, resisting surrender, we find ourselves in a battle we cannot win. Anything that we resist just grows stronger, prolonging our suffering. With our resistance, we are focusing on what we want that He is denying or has taken away, whether big or small. Our self-focus and desires grow stronger as we hold on, rather than surrender to the refusal God has given as our answer. If it is within our power to proceed without God’s blessing in the matter, when we think we know better than God, we definitely will suffer, as many Biblical examples reveal.

When Christians take matters into their own hands, there are lessons but not good endings. We learn the lessons of God the hard way, which some strong-willed people seem to require. And we all can be strong-willed in desires we determined to have fulfilled, seeing them as essential. We may not count ourselves among the “strong-willed” but remember, this is about the deepest desires of our hearts. God has just said “No” to what we most desperately want. When we insist on pursuing the desires of our hearts that He is not endorsing, we bring pain and sorrow to ourselves and others.

Most of us have gone this way at some point or another, but the sooner and more completely we yield to God’s NO, the more quickly He is able to remove that desire from our hearts so it no longer plagues us. So many seem not to realize that God cares about EVERY aspect of our lives. He is able to direct the desires of our hearts in the path He has chosen for us. More specifically, He not only works a surrender to and acceptance of His will, but we learn to trust that He does know best for us, far beyond what we desire.

This is how we are learning to trust, then delight, then commit our ways to Him. He is able to turn a resisting heart into a willing heart:

“…for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

Wait!

Sometimes when we are considering an action or a choice, seeking an answer, God’s reply to “Wait” launches another growth process. Learning to wait with patience, to postpone gratification, brings more refinement of our spiritual character. He is working the gold of His nature into our hearts, developing the fruit of the spirit within us through the refinement of being in God’s waiting room. In God’s waiting room, we can wait with resentment or fear or wait with patience and peace, learning to trust in faith.

Self-control when waiting for God to deal with some issue in our lives, particularly something we strongly desire, is one of life’s most essential lessons. There are short videos on social media of little children being tested by having to wait a few minutes for a treat. Parents put candy in front of their child(ren), telling them they cannot eat it until they get back in a few minutes. While the camera is on these little ones, they struggle to obey, to wait for their treat.

Some successfully pass the test of waiting, whether patiently or not. Most have at least a little struggle, picking up the candy to look at it or smell it. Others don’t bother to struggle, stuffing the candy in their mouths as soon as their parents are gone. It’s cute to see these little ones and their contrasting reactions, even between siblings. But it is not so cute when the child who so easily yields to temptation becomes older.

For some of these children, self-control issues will arise unless they have further growth and practice in self-control and delayed gratification. Then it is no longer cute but problematic and brings future adversity. We have so much immediately available to us in our modern society, these qualities are not being well-developed for many of us. Some of us adults are still asking the Lord to strengthen our self-control, an essential fruit of the spirit in our lives.

We have this struggle in our own childhoods and in raising our children. Whatever is forbidden, whatever is not allowed that others have, seems to increase the desire to have it. Many of us have limited or denied our children certain unhealthy choices, only to find they are learning ways to get them elsewhere. We had not allowed sweets for our son in the first few years of his life. Years later we learned from our backyard neighbors that little Chris had been showing up at their door, asking for a cookie. Of course, they gave this cute little guy a cookie when he asked! This was not too dangerous but other things we forbid our children to have or do certainly are.

Sadly, it is not just children who have such battles. Many of us Christians feel exactly this way about the rules and limits we believe God has put in our path, including seeking out “cookies” when we know it is not the best for us! This is even witnessed with cultural differences in what is godly and what is not. A wonderful evangelist friend, Rev. Wes Shannon, shared this example with us to illustrate the point. He was ministering in a country where wine was routinely consumed at meals. He represented a denomination that forbade the use of alcohol. He had carefully explained this to his hosts prior to his arrival so they would not be offended when he refused the mealtime wine.

Meanwhile, his hosts, knowing he was an American, had stocked up on coffee just for him. After they got more comfortable with each other, his hosts admitted that they were shocked at his overconsumption of coffee. They regarded this behavior as less than ideal, a sign of being overindulgent. Wes had refused to drink wine with them in honor of his beliefs, but had offended them anyway! Wine at meals was a perfectly acceptable behavior in their Christian culture but consuming a great deal of coffee, a near essential in many Christian gatherings in America, was not.

Our Christian views about right and wrong cannot help but be influenced by the many aspects of our cultural background. We all do it, whether we are aware or not. We bring our human cultural blindness as we judge righteousness concerning Christian walk and ways. Adolescents will always test limits and be attracted to what is forbidden, but that changes generationally and from culture to culture. It’s not about what is right or wrong, so much as it is about what is expected in that culture, the “norm.” Look at any culture and teens are drawn to whatever is forbidden by the adults. Interesting, isn’t it?

Many of us have battled out-of-balance desires for food, entertainment, the wonders of technology, shopping, sex, exercise, and even good works or ministry! Denying ourselves through “will worship” is hard to sustain. Whatever we are forbidding ourselves looms large in our minds, as we focus on not doing something. Turning our focus upon what God would have us do, trusting He will to change our desires into His, finding what His path of life is for each of us is essential.

There are many activities of the flesh that Christians reject, yet overindulging in food or enjoyable pastimes is seemingly acceptable. Some behaviors are not God’s best and we all know it, but we allow it in the camp. Of course, our heavenly Father wants us to enjoy the good things He has provided, to truly “enjoy our allotment.” His provision for His children is lavish, with many good things available to those of us in the Western modern world. And yet, out of balance, they are harmful and damaging.

“All things in moderation,” in balance, is an important holy spirit directive He works in our hearts.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” Galatians 5:23 Berean

Though it is called self-control in most translations, we really cannot rely on the self to be obedient. When we hear that we are to “die to the flesh”, many of us try to do it ourselves. This proves ineffective! Beating on our flesh, developing rules and regulations to change outward behavior, following programs and courses, all the while berating ourselves for failing at what we most sincerely desire to change—all prove futile.

This keeps our eyes on ourselves rather than the Lord working His way within us. We find that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, unable to please God:

“The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:6-8 Berean

Obedience to the laws of God is good, but, as Paul said, the spiritual commandments are to lead us into Christ. God is so clear about the futility of changing the flesh, but humanity keeps trying! Most of us have books, programs, leaders and resources along with laws that considered essential to control human flesh. Billions are made on ways to change any areas in our lives that are unhealthy and out of balance.

But when we ask God what is the best way for us, He will show us. He made each of us and knows we do not all need the same things or have the same challenges. With God’s leadership, we gain wisdom to guide our ways. He knows how we will change, and what will most assist us to succeed. He wants us to understand the lessons He is providing through it. He will lead us to the answers, the “recipe” for us. Just like with our human children, our Father knows our frame and that we don’t all need the same approach.

Unless He writes the truth of these changes in our hearts, however, we struggle again and again with the same issues common to man, often still in God’s waiting room. Ultimately we need an inworking to sustain change, not an outer list of do’s and don’ts. Oh, it is good to determine to do our best, to practice changes, and to consider ways to be more pleasing to the Lord. But there are also those things that will not change unless God changes them in us. It is the way we were formed, birthed into a family, with generational issues and concerns.

The holy spirit writes on our hearts, developing self-control, particularly at times when we do not want to wait. There’s a space between when we hear the answer to “Wait” and what unfolds for us. That’s the hardest place to be, this place of transition. The new is in sight, but the old is still with us. These times surely work very important truths into our hearts.

God sees the difference in our hearts when we want to obey but have a hard time doing it and those times when we are outright rebelling against His will. He knows our struggles and the intent of our hearts. Like any good parent, Father God will deal wisely and differently with each of us as He knows what lies within. Paul speaks to both the Corinthians and Philippians about this:

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 KJV

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.” Philippians 4:5 KJV

In the passage from Corinthians, Paul provides a way for us to realize when we are no longer in moderation, in the balance that God reveals for His best life for us. Anything that has power over us indicates that desire is in control, not God’s holy spirit. This imbalance becomes obvious when we really do not want to do something yet find ourselves doing it, over and over, just like Paul in Romans:

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I admit that the law is good. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:14-20 Berean

What we resist does grow and the desires for what we want increase in response to feeling deprived of it. It seems to become even more attractive to us when God, society, parents ,or any other person in authority tells us it is forbidden. It is so very easy to do this with good things that are not seen as sinful and easily available to us though not profitable for spiritual growth or physical and mental health. We have the need for God’s spirit to fill up that space in our hearts that such seemingly good activities have taken over. Waiting on God may increase our self-indulgence in other areas that are less than God’s best for us.

Trying to control ourselves without the Holy Spirit leads to overcorrection, condemnation, frustration and failure. The root of any behavior that becomes compulsive or addictive reveals a need or lack that has not been achievable for the person. It often is the desire to numb the pain of this life, including trauma and abuse. Everyone wants to feel good and most of us will seek out whatever helps us with that, often to our detriment. That’s why we can compassionately love another who is under the control of a substance or behavior rather than the holy spirit.

Regardless, all of it shows a need for God in our hearts. The time of transition from hearing God’s “Wait” until His plan is revealed and our answers come is a test. When He asks us to wait, He will teach us how to do it. Our trust in His answers as the best for us grows at these times like no other in our lives. God desires freedom for His own and does not want any power except the holy spirit ruling us and our choices. He knows when our hearts have conceived a desire that He’s said to wait for and how that grows into choices and behaviors.

“When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:13-14 Berean

God knows that the problem of sin is in our hearts, where it gives birth to behaviors that do not bring life but death to us. He looks past the behavior to see what is in our hearts about it, dealing with each of us accordingly. He is not gong to settle with just outward behavior that looks obedient. That is mere compliance, often out of fear, rather than desire for obdedient change. Jesus Christ brought His Father’s new order of the heart, moving us beyond outward behaviors displayed by our choices in life. He sees and provides help and healing in regard to our intent and our purpose.

Many out-of-balance behaviors are understood as ways we are trying to fix a problem, to feel better, and to make our lives easier. God understands the root of our struggles, deep in our hearts, and has mercy upon us. Aren’t you glad that He recognizes when we really want to do His will but are struggling with our flesh? He is also no stranger to those of us who are strong-willed, and determined to get what we want without waiting or obeying. One way or another, when we walk with Our God, loving Him but missing the mark, we learn these lessons from Him.

The fruit of the spirit, self-control, is also called “temperance,” coming from a Greek root meaning “strong in a thing.” This is a spiritual “muscle” that can be strengthened over time as God works within to build the character of Christ. We learn to deny ourselves and take up our cross in the little and the big things. We do not have to try to control something, or set laws and limits for our flesh unless we are out of control in that issue. What we need is a heart change, yielding to a Higher Power, like those in Alcoholics Anonymous do. It surely is something we can support others about as they walk through very hard times.

It may seem like God is doing nothing while we are waiting, but He is working out things for our good. Waiting on God for direction, to show us His “path of Life” changes the desires of our heart to the desires of His heart as we yield to Him. He is making changes inside, in our character, as well as changes in our circumstances according to His plans. God’s answer is always on time but not our time. As one song line says, “God's been IN time, ON time, EVERY time for me.” (Belinda Lee Smith). It’s a most inspiring song, reminding us of all the times He has come to the rescue of those who love Him.

We are also told to “forget not all His benefits.'' When we must wait, a wonderfully blessed way to encourage ourselves and others is to count our blessings with a thankful heart. We delight in all His past goodness to us, the answers and ways of escape, often by the spirit, when we need it. We recall His words of promise, His character of mercy and justice, and learn to trust while in His waiting room. We thank Him for the answers we do not yet see, and we learn to accept His timing rather than ours, delighting in our Father God and His wonderful Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

God will not be rushed and it does seem that He likes to show up at the last moment when we think it is all over! Abraham and Sarah were in their 90’s, with Sarah past childbearing. Then God shows up to give them Isaac, the promised seed! God is showing forth that it is He, not people, Who is in control. The majesty and glory is His and our hearts humbly bow in obedience to Him. We can wait with frustration, resentment, and bitterness or we can wait with faith, gratitude, and patience. Either way, God is the same and cannot be manipulated.

“No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 Berean

Notice the qualifier at the end of this scripture: we can go through trials and not learn from them. Wait, what?! Is this perhaps why we seem to go through the same things over and over? Most of us would prefer to pass our test and move on to the next trial. The key in this passage is allowing God to train us in times of discipline when we are waiting on God. All Christians have things big and small we are waiting on God to address and correct, looking for the time in God’s plan when His promises to us and all creation will happen.

When the discipline is to wait, it is painful but He is teaching us through it all when we are willing to learn. The requirement is to pass the trials and tests in this situation, learning the lessons He is providing so we can harvest righteousness and peace within. Thisis why God leaves us in difficult circumstances for a period of time, rather than immediately delivering us. We think He is not hearing or caring about the situation when He is strengthening us through it. It is somewhat disappointing to realize that the very thing we battle, that we may fear, comes upon us to strengthen our character!

God always cares more about the inner man of the spirit than our outer circumstances. This inner change lasts while a change in circumstances, including getting what we want immediately, does not. We can pout, ,even trying to plead and manipulate our Lord to get our way, but He is one Father who can’t be manipulated! He will do what He will do, bringing redemptive justice and compassionate mercy in every situation. It is Who He is and as we see with Job, He does not always choose to explain Himself to man. He is God and we are not.

Eventually, He will release us from waiting upon Him, and the answers will come. We may have a long period of waiting while He is arranging things perfectly on our behalf. We may not see what He is doing or the answers that are coming, but they are on the way. And when the answers are revealed, we usually can see why His plan was the better one. There are certain things in my life that I thought I wanted or needed right now, but hindsight brings gratitude that God did things in His time.

Sometimes God grants insight into what He is doing and sometimes we are in the dark until the answer is revealed. We may need to be reminded, as Peter tells us, that with the Lord a day is as a thousand years.

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Peter 3:8 KJV

He’s in eternity and we are in time, creating a vast difference in perspective! But what He does provide or accomplish after we wait for it is so much better than we could ask or think! God’s ways are eternal, in no way limited by time.

“I Have a Better Idea!”

“I have a better idea” is another answer we may hear from God. There are countless times when God will take our plans, the desires of our hearts, to refine them into something so much better. In this process, we experience doors being closed that we thought were open to us. It should not surprise us, however, to have Him provide an alternate plan that is so much better than anything we could have imagined. Eventually, we see the new door that is open to us and are able to agree that His plan is better than ours, by far!

In God, endings are new beginnings, just like death led to resurrection for our Lord. The law ended by being fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God is a master at showing us “Do this, not that,” by the spirit. When He is leading, when it is His plan that He has put in our hearts, we will have trials but we will succeed. The storms will come, but we will survive through Him. God takes us through life’s storms much more often than taking His people out of them.

More than once, His alterations in our plans are a complete surprise to us, including the specific way our calling in Him continues to unfold. As with Gideon, God is able to assure us of success because He is our help, as the prophet Isaiah says:

“Because the Lord God helps me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame. The One who vindicates me is near.

‘Who will dare to contend with me? Let us confront each other! Who has a case against me? Let him approach me! Surely the Lord God helps me. Who is there to condemn me?” Isaiah 50:7-9 Berean

Even more challenging are times of testing where the heavens seem like brass and all our prayers bounce off the ceiling of our understanding. We need reminding that all of God’s responses to us are always for our good because that is His nature. He is there, loving us, even through those silent times when He seems far away. These, too, are part of His plan. But it can be devastating to think or feel that He is no longer there for us. Someone described these times as God going a little further ahead of us, waiting. Whatever the reason, there is that gap of time between when He tells us His plans and when they happen.

Think of Abraham and Sarah waiting all those years for a child, only to have Isaac promised when Sarah was long past childbearing years. Think of Joseph, who suffered much before he was put in a position of rulership that allowed him to feed his brothers who had betrayed him, along with others suffering during the years of famine. Consider the wait King David had from the time that he was anointed King to when he actually began to rule. God had a path of life, a period of training through adversity before He finally gave him the promised rulership of the people. We can be sure he was a much better ruler after all he experienced!

Another biblical example is both Hannah and Rachel, beloved wives serving the Lord, married to men of promise, both waiting years before they were blessed by God with children. Consider this beloved verse from Romans:

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” Romans 8:28 Amplified

We remind ourselves, if not God, of this promise when difficult times fall upon us, when adversity prevents our progress or when unexpected loss occurs. Is God true to His word, this word that all things work for good—or not? Do we love the Lord? Are we called unto His purpose, this purposeful path in our lives? Is He still working on our behalf despite what it looks like to us in the present to?

Victories did not come easily in biblical times and they don’t often seem to now. When God feels far away, it does not matter whether we hear or feel Him. What does matter is His Word. We recognize that our feelings are not consistent with God’s word. We remind ourselves of Who He is and what He has said. This challenges the lies seeping in our hearts that feel like abandonment, rejection or loss of His love. We learn to settle in our hearts that He is Who He says He is, merciful, loving, and just. We stay committed, regardless.

He is God and we are not. His promises are true, no matter our present circumstances or lack of understanding of His ways. Our thoughts are below His and our understandings are limited as humans. At these times we go back again and again to His words of promise and hope, strengthening our faith in such difficult times in our spiritual walk. It is the most delightful experience to feel God’s presence within us and around us, but we do not need to depend on that feeling. Faith is not dependent upon our fluctuating feelings, aren’t you glad?!

He promises never to leave or forsake us. Period. That word is certain and eternal:

“God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its roaring. Selah.” Psalms 46:1-3 Amplified

Selah. Pause and weigh this. Whatever happens, His faithfulness endures forever. When everything is shaking, He is the same. The Lord takes us through adversity so that we learn more of His eternal faithfulness and mercy. His promises of love comfort us in our dark times. He will be our light, able to dispel any darkness with His very presence:

“Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.” Micah 7:8 NASB

This scripture challenges any habit we may fall into of railing against the darkness. When we indulge in this unproductive behavior, our focus is on the darkness rather than His light. This is like some Christians constantly battling the devil in their daily lives. They risk focusing on the enemy or the battle rather than on the Lord. We do not have to pretend there is no darkness or devil, but we are not to dwell upon it.

We are to keep our eyes on Him and what He is working out in this better plan He has for us. His light swallows up our darkness, causing it to disappear. When God writes on our hearts as we keep our eyes, our gaze on Him, things begin to change. We have faith and trust as we look for this new idea, the new thing God is about that is different from what we thought or planned. The Lord is our light, and there is no darkness in Him.

There’s a short chorus that became the first song God gave me, years ago, and is still a comfort to me. At the time, I didn't even know that God being in the darkness was in the Bible, yet the truth of it still rings in my spirit.

When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

There will be no sorrow or mourning in the night.

The Lord is IN the darkness, He will be my light.

(B. Mikelson, 1977)

If we are truly growing in the Lord, the desires of our hearts very much change from our beginning walk with Him. A child desires childish things, understandable, even appropriate for that child’s age and development. As that child grows, those desires mature, becoming less selfish pursuits. Just so, the beginning desires of our hearts, often for external things to meet our own wants and needs or take care of concerns for those close to us, lessen over time.

We then become able to recognize and trust this scripture operating in our hearts:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” Matthew 6:33 NASB

When we get our priorities straight, putting the Lord first, He provides all that we need. We need to be in the spirit and know the truth as we worship our Lord. He is spirit and truth. We are learning to trust that God is in charge of the desires of our hearts. We can anticipate many changes in these desires of our hearts as our walk with the Lord continues. As we age, many things we thought were so important in our youth just don’t matter any more.

In the light of His glory and grace, we learn true submission, with deep gratitude to our God who does all things well. We grow in our ability to rejoice through our ongoing lessons in God’s spiritual school. We learn that His thoughts and ways, His “better idea” is always better than ours. His ways are higher—of a higher purpose—than ours. Early desires fade away, particularly for possessions, opportunities, or experiences that others have or enjoy.

God works such a change in our hearts that many things are no longer important to us. We prioritize His peace and rest in His kingdom above all. We are learning what Paul taught Timothy:

““If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing.

They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:3-6 NIV

Both the King James’ use of “gain” and the Concordant literal translation of “capitol” mean the same thing: it’s a corrupt and decadent mind that tries to say that the obtaining of wealth or possessions is a sign of godliness. Money gets you things; capitol is used in exchange for possessions and privileges in society. Paul is adamant that Timothy is not to listen to this as God’s message. He redirects Timothing to the truth that godliness, along with contentment with what we have, gives the best exchange, “purchases” the most in this life.

Anyone who tries to teach that having worldly goods is a sign of godliness is missing the mark. Did Jesus call many rich men to come follow Him? Has God not much more often chosen the meek and lowly, just as Jesus was on this earth, to do His will? God may choose to bless some with wealth according to His purposes, but you can purchase neither godliness nor contentment with it. If that were true, the wealthiest in the world would display more righteousness and contentment than anyone else.

Many of us grew up believing that when we had certain possessions, experiences, or privileges, then we would be happy. Instead, we realise that when we have or achieve that thing, the temptation is to want more. Far too often, great wealth does not seem to bring great happiness, but a restlessness and lack of contentment. Where do you go for satisfaction when you’ve achieved those things you thought you needed to be happy? What else drives you, cause syou to yearn to achieve, after you have it all, according to the world?

There typically remains a desire to do more, have more, experience more. This drive may have gained worldly success but righteousness in the heart? Not so—unless that heart is yielded to God such that spiritual things are the highest desires. When we learn to be content with our lives, living and serving the Lord with gladness, our own heart’s desires fade over time. We are brought into the rest of God because He knows all about everything we truly need:

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NASB

This scripture can be hard to believe and hard to accept in the midst of heavy trials and struggles. There are certainly times when the Lord’s yoke does not seem easy or the burdens He allows light! There are keys to its truth, however, as this word works in our lives. Note that He first says to come to Him. Often we find our burdens heavy and difficult to bear because we are trying to carry burdens only He is equipped to carry. He teaches us how to turn them over to Him and leave them there. Then it is His burden to bear on our behalf.

Many burdens really are too much for us, weighing us down and bringing weariness to our souls. We also carry burdens for others that God did not give us to carry. Taking His yoke of discipline, submitting to His desires, becomes easier as we walk with God along our path to maturity. God shows us when we are holding on to burdens rather than passing them on to Him. And it’s one thing to give Him our burdens and quite another to learn to leave those burdens with Him!

We learn to come to Him more quickly when we begin to feel weary and heavy-laden. We more easily surrender burdens to Him, strengthening our ability to leave them there. As our trust is growing, our heavenly Father teaches us about His rest. He brings us into more times of “stopping,” the Concordant Literal’s translation of “rest” from the original Greek. He teaches us how to to handle and accomplish everything in His rest. He is so very faithful to teach us through the hard times of testing and challenge as well as the times of blessing and prosperity.

We are learning to submit all, a path of faith and training we continue on throughout our spiritual walk in this world. Then it is true that our burdens are easy and light, walking day by day with Him as He carries us through our hard times. Psalms 61 was created into a song, “Hear my cry, O Lord” by an unknown author. It is our prayer as we wait for His “better idea,” His plan of redemption of the whole earth, to unfold.

There is much that God has promised that we have yet to see. We cry out to Him when our earth is ending within us:

Hear my cry, O Lord, attend unto my prayer;

From the ends of the earth will I cry unto You.

When my heart is overwhelmed,

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

That is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter unto me

And a strong tower from the enemy.

When my heart is overwhelmed,

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I,

That is higher than I.

Psalms 61 (author of melody unknown)

It is always about what He is teaching us. It is all good because that is Who He is. If we always had light, we would not know about our Lord being in the darkness with us. Whatever His answers are to the desires in our hearts, He has us covered. There’s not one of us who escapes God’s dealings in the midst of His blessings. This shows we belong to Him. We learn the lessons through the path of processing that He plans for us.

Our hearts are eventually so changed that the peaceable fruit of righteousness becomes apparent through it all. May we encourage each other on the way!

God’s Judgment Is Always Redemptive

I’ve been reading and editing my husband Rich Mikelson’s Feast of Tabernacles teachings for several years now and have benefitted so much from these understandings! God has been writing them on my heart along with the rest of the treasure house He is creating through years of walking with Him.

Recently, in one of Rich’s posts about mercy and justice, the statement, “God’s judgment is always redemptive,” burned itself into my heart. This statement is an answer to a long-time search for understanding God’s judgment in contrast with human judgment. He judges righteously with a perfect union of His mercy and His justice. In His perfection, God the Father is both mercy and judgment. He is always merciful, and His judgment is certain.

Because He is love, He has the perfect balance between the two.

“Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalms 85:10 AKJV

Now, this is something I have found most difficult for us human beings to achieve with others! It is challenging to resist being judgmental, including judging others for their critical and condemning attitudes and behaviors! When we judge others who display critical judgment without compassion or understanding, we find ourselves in the unhappy dilemma of being judgmental about others who are judgmental!

Judgment of the behavior and choices of others is typically made from what is seen, heard, or reported by others. Rarely do those who are judging have information about the heart, history, or circumstances of those they judge. Check out any of today’s social media platforms, and you will see just how rampant and even vicious people’s opinions of one another can be.

Whether it is politics, sports, business, or personal life choices, judgment displayed with lack of love seems to be thriving, even in Christian communities. Such judgment is the reason the great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi said, "I like your Christ, but not your Christianity." (as quoted by Dr. J.H. Holmes. 1927).

As with Gandhi, judgmental attitudes and opinions displayed by Christians and the conflicts these generate are a common “turn-off” for those who have not met the Lord. It’s an ugliness that is far too commonly displayed, even among close Christian brothers and sisters. Yet showing apparent approval of ungodly things is not the answer either. It’s impossible to agree with everyone and still be true to our own Christian beliefs.

Clearly, God’s judgment differs from human judgment, but how are Christians to display godly judgment? There are things that are wrong, sinful, and missing the mark that God will not wink at in our lives or the lives of others. So, how do we show mercy and compassion to others whose choices differ from ours? How do we exhibit love and mercy that does not seemingly agree or approve of what we know is not according to God’s word?

Consider what Paul taught Timothy about dealing with others from a pure heart:

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments because you know they produce quarrels.

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to a knowledge of the truth and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:22-26 NIV

God desires us to have the right motives of the heart because that’s where our words begin. We are to edify and lift up others, particularly those in our faith communities. When God’s love is the master of our motives, His love will check our spirit, pricking our conscience when we say critical, judgmental things about others that tear down rather than build up. More than one Christian has had their testimony or even ministry destroyed by words spoken by others who neither know nor care about the effects of their words. Without mercy or grace, words hurt!

“…but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 Berean

There is only one way we can grow the Body of Christ: by building each other up in love. As we mature, growing up in the Lord, we become more skilled at speaking His truth in love. Love is the strongest, most powerful force in the universe! What people will do and how they can change under the power of true and faithful love is amazing! God is able to teach us to show love and mercy to everyone, even though we disagree or even hate what they might do.

We all need to be covered in grace and love when we are in this battle to live the right way, God’s way, in our sin-filled world. We can leave the judgment to God as He draws those missing the mark —which is all of us—more powerfully. There’s a God-place in all of us that brings an awareness of the very things about which others are judging us. Deep down, where God’s seed is, there’s a hidden awareness of falling short. This can be quenched and eventually deadened in some who practice evil on a daily basis, but it is still there.

Humans are usually unaware of what is in that person’s heart when we judge another. Careless or critical comments are discouraging, rather than strengthening, for hope of any possible change. After all, what can one expect from a person who believes they are so bad that there is no hope for them? Most of us would be surprised at the self-condemnation that is never displayed in others' hearts who seem to be doing wrong without conscience.

God gives wisdom not to speak words that are wasted on those without conscience or ability to hear. We are not to “cast our pearls before swine” but, instead:

“…Therefore, encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Berean

We are to encourage each other along the way, building each other up and edifying our brothers and sisters in love. God’s way is not our way. He does not look at what a person is doing or judge casually or carelessly. His judgment always has the purpose of change. It is always focused on redeeming us! Is that the pre-eminent motive for us Christians when we judge another individual or group? Is it impossible that some self-righteousness and superiority are harbored in our hearts when we do this?

The apostle Peter says this to Christians:

“Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 NIV

This, above all, includes every single thing that we judge when someone misses the mark. Covering sins is not the same as excusing, denying, or ignoring them. We lay the blanket of love over the sins of others, covering them rather than broadcasting them. We see them there but cover in mercy and compassion rather than expose them. It is God’s choosing, not ours, to expose the unrepentant behavior of others.

“Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value and only ruins those who listen.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:14-16 NIV

Speaking negative things about others is so easy, particularly with our intimate friends! So many motives other than love can be present in our hearts. Perhaps we want to be understood or desire to gain sympathy, get attention, appear to be “in the know with the inside scoop”, or display our righteousness in contrast to the person we are discussing, or even be gossiping under the guise of a prayer request.

We can also catch ourselves repeating past judgments and holding them in our hearts when we have no current idea of what has transpired. Here is when we need more coverage in love and less exposure of others. Paul further told Timothy:

“Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” 2 Timothy 2:16 NIV

The words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts are to be pleasing to the Lord, as David says in the Psalms. Love and respect–what we social workers call unconditional positive regard–is displayed just because someone is another human on the planet. It is acceptance of humanity as is, as God sees us all. Who else knows everything about us and loves us just the same? Can we show God’s nature to others who choose to reveal their innermost struggles with us or when God allows us to see the hearts of others?

When we understand that human judgment rarely works to redeem another, our ears are open to learning what life-giving spiritual principles of God are available in the matter. There are untold examples of many Christians who have committed grievous errors against God and man who have been redeemed by the love of God in His people. The most dramatic of these is the conversion of Saul, the persecutor of Christians, to Paul, a great apostle of Jesus Christ.

Christians should be known, particularly for their love for others. We have His love, an unlimited source within us, so we go to the Source of love when we don’t have what we need. “They will know us by our love.” Well, do they? Redemption from our old ways of judging by external behavior or appearance leads to new life in Him. In our human judgment, we prioritize many things that God does not seem to care as much about.

Faith through love is the only answer, as Paul told the early Christians who were being persuaded to get circumcised according to the Law. He said if you insist on part of the law, you are required to fulfill it all, nullifying Jesus Christ’s sacrifice:

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” Galatians 5:6 ESV

God does not look at or evaluate our righteousness by all the outward things our society, specific culture, or even Christian community relies upon to measure the godliness of a man or woman of faith. How we treat one another is much more important than the sins of the flesh we love to condemn. We can learn to deal with others through His judgment and mercy that are never separate in Him. This is godly judgment, coming from the pure heart of love God has for the world.

God does not change His standards, but He does change what is in our hearts. It’s not a matter of pretending not to see what misses the mark (sin), but a choice to focus on the love of God, to see others with empathy and compassion. Learning to speak the “truth in love” is a most refining characteristic God is working within His people.

Even when we don’t speak our judgments out, as many in this age are doing, we still need them purged from our hearts to be more like our Lord. When we speak to others with these things hidden in our hearts, we speak with guile, which is unacceptable to God.It is not that we cannot see or are not given spiritual discernment about what is righteous. It is about the attitudes of our hearts when we do.

God always prioritizes having the character of Christ working in our hearts, which will flow out into righteous behavior towards all. Understanding that God’s judgment is always redemptive means that His heart, His sole purpose and intent, is always and eternally focused on redeeming or saving the individual. Always. God looks at a man's heart to see the underlying motives of human behavior and judgment.

Judgment with condemnation rather than compassion causes a loss of hope for many who have struggled with sinful conditions, often with history that we know nothing about. To put it bluntly, it doesn’t help! Even well-meaning but continual correction meant for good is discouraging to others. Watch a child being raised with continual criticism and judgment for their failures. A child who is repeatedly told she or he is worthless or bad loses hope, often becoming what he or she hears.

Everyone needs someone to believe in them, encouraging them on their way. When a person is criticized for every mistake, regardless of its purpose, belief in self and the ability to change lessons rather than increases. And what sense does it make to judge others according to our principles when many people do not even know these same spiritual life truths by which we are living?

Others’ choices and behaviors are often incomprehensible to us outside their situations. We have not faced all of the past and present things that others have walked through. How do we presume to understand and empathize with an issue or problem, let alone repeat it to others, when we have not personally dealt with it? Only God can work this within when we have not walked the same path.

We can learn to empathize with another’s pain and suffering as we understand what it is like for them in their particular troubles. We also can learn when someone treats us in a way we would never dream of treating another. God says:

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 NASB

Treating others well is no guarantee they will treat us well in return, but it does increase the chances! We do it to please our Lord, not to gain a reward from man. God is building this principle into good character within us. Though it should not be so with Christians, it is rare for others to treat us well when we are not treating them well!

When we expect others to treat us well, as we have treated them, it is disappointing when they don’t! Sadly we cannot earn being treated well by others. God will teach us what we need to know as we humble ourselves to learn. We need to listen to others with a heart that desires to understand. So many people are isolated, having no one to care, let alone share their struggles. But when we hear what experiences another has lived through, instead of judging them, we often wonder, considering their history, if we would do as well as they are doing!

It is very easy to judge someone’s actions by outward appearance, by what we can see externally, but that is not God’s way at all. Redemption is defined as “the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.” In the Bible, it means the promise and power of God to deliver us from sin and death. Jesus Christ, our Lord, came, ministered, and died for this purpose. Any judgment He has is to redeem that person. He came to save the world, not condemn it, by swallowing up darkness in the light of His presence.

Do you realize that Jesus never condemned the sinners to whom He ministered in His earthly life? J. Preston Eby makes this point clear. Jesus never spoke a word of judgment to any sinners with whom He interacted. He did not even condemn Judas when it was revealed that Judas would betray Him. He knew what was in their hearts. Jesus’ words of condemnation and judgment were , however, directed at the Hebrew leaders and priests of His time, doing so strongly, bluntly, and repeatedly.

Why? As leaders, they should have known the truth about what they were teaching from Moses’ law. They had great knowledge of the law and taught it to others. Their words and behaviors should have matched, but they lacked a life of character revealing the truth of their words. They were self-righteously preaching to others, laying burdens or “heavy loads” on their people to fulfil the demands of the law without doing it themselves. Jesus called this a snare:

“Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and His disciples, saying, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. They tie up heavy loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men, for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and being called by men, Rabbi.

But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ.

But the greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:1-12 NASB

This passage of scripture shows what our Lord Jesus Christ thinks of others, especially Christian leaders, who rail against sin but fail to do what they tell others to do. Jesus clearly saw their hearts, and that is why they hated Him. Jesus agreed with what they were saying— the law of Moses is truth. It’s the right standard of behavior but the wrong way to communicate it to others. He exposed and condemned wrong motives of their hearts, seeing right through their exalted external displays.

No one can trust another whose words and behaviors do not match. Humans often believe what they see, the outward behaviors, rather than what is inside. Jesus judged the scribes and the Pharisees, calling them “hypocrites” and “blind guides.” He looked beyond their outwardly holy and righteous behavior into the motives of pride, power, and position in their hearts. Jesus’ words to the religious leaders of His time on earth exposed the darkness of human lust for power and esteem of men.

These leaders loved to “lay the law down” heavily on their followers but were far from fulfilling the law themselves. People do not typically embrace another who exposes them in this way. Few will accept truth as an opportunity to change. Jesus “called them out,” as we might say now, for their great hypocrisy. He knew their hearts were hardened toward Him. They orchestrated His crucifixion because of what was in their hearts and the threat to all they held dear in their world. They had no idea that they were doing the will of God!

But Jesus never spoke in any such way to the individual sinners or to the multitudes. Instead, He spoke of encouragement and hope. He never chastised sinners, such as the woman caught in adultery. Instead, He saw the intent of her accusers, the motives in their hearts to set a trap for Him. They judged her while having sinned themselves. Unlike some Christians today, He did not severely judge these outward sins of the flesh like He did the condition of their hearts.

Jesus always sees in the hearts of humans. He knew what this woman had been sinfully doing, and wanted to provide opportunity for her to change, to be redeemed, through his love and kindness. He did not join the self righteous leaders who were attempting to trick him with how He would handle a woman caught in the obvious sin of adultery. Jesus dealt with this situation wisely, with very few words:

“..the Law of Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?’ And they were saying this, testing Him, in order that they might have grounds for accusing Him.

But Jesus stooped down and, with His finger, wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’

And again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst.

And straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ And she said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on, sin no more.’” John 8:3-11“ NASB

Can you imagine Jesus’ piercing gaze as He said these words to the woman’s accusers? We do wonder what He wrote in the sand! Some speculate that it may have been each of the accusers’ sins He was quietly revealing. Jesus did not tell the woman that the way she was living was wrong. She knew this already but did not know how to become free. More than one Christian has found themselves caught in the snare of adultery, seeking diligently through prayer for the strength of God to be released.

The Lord shows the sincere sinner their wrongful desires of the heart, dealing with them so that they no longer erupt into wrongful behavior. God is the changer of hearts, where the root of any issue begins and ends. We can be assured that this woman, speaking with the Lord of glory and seeing what compassion and righteousness He showed toward her, did not sin again. Jesus spoke truth to her that she was in an adulterous relationship now and had been before. Then He told her, “Go, and sin no more.”

This woman was forever changed, without condemnation, chastisement, or rejection by Jesus. But are those who commit adultery now treated any differently than the way these religious leaders were dealing with this woman? Stoning of women still occurs in some countries, but our country and many others would never do that. Instead, do we “stone the sinner” with words and gossip rather than rocks? Do we continue to judge the woman who commits adultery more harshly than the adulterous man? Are we quick to condemn, identify with and even support one partner over the other without knowing anything about it?

With no condemnation in His heart, our Lord showed love as well as a way of escape from her sins, giving her only His word of life. He is our model, the Pattern Son. Without God working within us, none of us can live a righteous life, let alone a powerful word to free others. Aren’t you glad that God knows we need our Father just as He did and that He provided the way?

“For He knoweth our frame: He remembreth that we are dust.” Psalms 103:14 KJV

We love the Lord of mercy and compassion Who sees and understands our human condition. He knows that without Him, we can do nothing. None of us are yet enabled to speak to others with pure motives in our hearts, but God is writing His standards within us. In our Christian relationships, love is to be the cover as well as the driving force in all we do. Above all, we are to have a deep love for our brethren.

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Romans 14:17-19 Berean

May God help us to continue growing up into Him. There is so much to learn at His feet!

Principles of Spiritual Sharing

“You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 ESV

“To be slow to speak” has much to teach us, especially us talkers! It’s a key part of learning to be led of the Lord. When we are slow to speak, we allow time to hear from the spirit, to be guided by Him in our words. This strengthens us to yield our immediate fleshly reactions, rationalized as “right” or “justified”, to His way of handling things. Just as God knows how to direct His heavenly choir, He knows what we need.

When we find ourselves in an argument, does God remind us that His desire is for us to listen so that we really hear? Some believers are always anxious to speak, to correct, to minister to others, including—or perhaps especially—in Christian gatherings. Yet this says to be “quick to hear.”This verse speaks to purposeful listening, to hear with the intent of gaining understanding. God wants us to grasp what the issue really is, the root of the conflict.

Listen for understanding! More than one conflict becomes totally unnecessary if both will listen long enough to understand what the other is saying. Sometimes we are even in agreement and don’t know it. Arguments appears to be about something superficial but very often, it’s more about intangible things like validation, respect, revenge, judgment.

There is a time for all things when we rely on the holy spirit to guide us. Visualize our Lord teaching His Body of Believers how to flow in unity in Him as if we are making heavenly harmony together. There are those who need a stronger voice. God is waving His spiritual baton at these members of the body, directing them to come forth, more frequently speak up, rather than being quiet and listening. Others who around these saints are missing out on the treasures God has within His quiet servants.

We all know saints who rarely share, but when they do, we glimpse the gems of wisdom that are often held back. God knows who needs to be brought forth, heard more and with a louder emphasis in the choir of humanity. All of the Body of Christ is precious. Consider Paul’s beautiful discussion of His body:

“The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink. For the body does not consist of one part, but of many.

If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?

But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you.’ Nor can the head say to the feet, ‘I do not need you.’

On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty, whereas our presentable parts have no such need.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-23 Berean

Think of it! The parts of His body are all one, though differing in appearance, function, and form. We are not to give more honor to those who already shine, but to those parts that are weaker, and less honorable in outward appearance. We are all needed! A further question: could the “unpresentable parts” in the Body of Christ include those things that need to be covered in love by others?

In creating such spiritual harmony, God also knows which of us need to step back, be slower to speak, learning to more perfectly wait upon God. We may have many good things to say, but is it God’s timing to say them? Are those listening to us really hearing and understanding what we are saying? Are they able to absorb the wisdom and truth we are sharing, having a teachable heart?

“There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

Yes, in formal times of ministry, ministers who sharing are to be respected rather than interrupted. When teaching in conversations with other saints, we may need to learn to have an exchange. Others may not be interrupting so much as seeking to understand. We learn how to grant the courtesy for others to speak, ask questions, comment, and have a conversational exchange when there is opportunity for a godly exchange of wisdom. This is all part of that “slow to speak” scriptural message.

God teaches us to connect with our listeners by pausing in our sharing of knowledge and wisdom to check for understanding, to discern if others comprehend our meaning. What good is it to know and say a lot of it does not reach the hearts of of those we sincerely want to reach? God calls teachers as one of the fivefold ministries and He is the expert Teacher. He teaches us how to teach and we learn so much in the teaching He calls us to do.

You cannot teach something that God has given you, in secular or spiritual settings, without going through something similar, being tested on the very things we are endeavoring to impart to others. That’s how Jesus Christ became the best Teacher: by the things He suffered as a human. He went through all we go through here on this earth but without sin. That is why He understands and knows the way above it all.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15 NIV

When we do not learn to be slow to speak, led by the holy spirit, others also miss the wisdom and truth we have to share. It’s just as much a robber of the Body to say lots of words that are not understood as it is to hold back because we are quiet or intimidated by a stronger, more vocal part of the Body. Either wat others sadly leave without really “getting” what we are saying.

And even more sadly, when two knowledgeable Christians converse, it can deteriorate into a battle of knowledge instead of an exchange of wisdom. Each assumes they have what the other needs to know, the both of us may benefit from understanding what the other person has to share. We can even learn to disagree openly and in love. It does not have to cause a conflict to disagree. We can learn to calmly say, “Help me understand…” or “I see that differently…”

God’s way of peace will teach us how to settle all things. Then we wait to be led by the Lord, to see if they have “ears to hear” our viewpoint. Some will not. We may also feel in a rush to correct errors, particularly when we are passionate about truth and in our hearts want others to have God’s truth. But we don’t have to be threatened by any viewpoints that differ from ours nor have a driving need to set others right.

God leads by His spirit to come from a place of rest and interest in others as our brothers and sisters in Christ. What God has written on our hearts will remain. Error is continually dealt with by Him Whom we seek. We are called, chosen, and faithful to what God has taught each of us while we wait for God's ability to bring the unity He promises that we have yet to achieve. In all things God brings a balance as we learn to be led of the spirit, as all sons are directed to do.

“There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 Berean

Are you able to visualize God with His Holy Spirit baton in His hand, directing those of us “anxious to speak” members of the choir or heavenly band to soften our intensity, hold back a bit, and wait upon His timing? He may be directing others to be more prominent, add their part to the heavenly harmony of His spirit He is making of our fellowship and our life in Him. Can you see Him bringing a balance of all the parts, the smallest to the greatest being necessary and led by the spirit into unity?

When we are led by His Spirit, He has the power to create the most beautiful harmony we have ever experienced! In our walk toward the complete salvation God has promised, we are to be perfected by Him in all things.

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 NASB

We cannot be perfected in our flesh, it has to come by spirit. It is my conviction that He continues to work on this within our hearts until we are perfected, whether on this side in our earthly existence or in our future dwelling in the spirit with our Lord:

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2 KJV

If it is God’s will that we are perfect (complete), you can be sure He will fulfill His will. We are not yet perfect, but He is working within us to achieve His will to live out His promises, to enjoy our allotment. Oh, yes, there are enemies we battle but they are not mortal men and women:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:1-12 NIV

Our enemy operates in the earthly realm of the soul, planting doubt, fear, anger and rebellion against God in our hearts and enmity towards one another. But in every time and every circumstance, He appears when we have eyes to see, to discern, and ears to hear in order to comprehend His word. We all have eyes and ears, so He is talking about the spiritual eyes and spiritual ears of our spiritual bodies.

His appearance is not just a one-time event in the future. He appears daily in the midst of our hearts, wherein His kingdom dwells. Though it may be eons, He will have a people without guile:

“And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Revelation 14:5 KJV

In this key scripture from the Revelation, when we are completely like Him, we are found to be without guile, faultless before Him. Here is a heart that is pure and clean, most pleasing to God. When the heart is right, the words flowing from that heart are pure. The theme of the condition of our hearts is critical to God from Genesis to Revelation, whether it is our hearts toward our Lord or toward others.

It is God’s priority to make us a people with a pure heart. It takes God to teach us to learn that a heart of righteousness like His heart does not develop from following external rules and customs but from worshipping Him in spirit and truth. What defiles us is what comes out of our hearts:

“…Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, ‘Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.’ Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he need not honor his father or mother with it.Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen and understand. A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”’ Mark 7:1-13 Berean

Have we forgotten this emphasis upon what is inside of a man with our focus on religious rules and customs, cultural standards of right behavior? God has a heart of righteousness and desires the same for His people. Some don’t eat pork and others do. Some worship only on Sunday morning while others gather on Saturday night. Some have set a standard for religious dress while others does not. Some only do water baptism as a sprinkling for babies others do immersion in water.

We could go on and on, listing all these outward traditions that God says nullify, literally wipe out the power of His word when they are the focus of our efforts at righteousness. God always sees when our hearts are far from Him regardless of our outward religious practices. Words that appear knowledgeable but are not worked as truth in the heart are laced with guile, useless and even damaging in His kingdom.

Guile isn’t a very modern word, but most of us sense it when we are being spoken to with guile. The Greek word for guile in this scripture is “dolos”, meaning “decoy, trick (bait), wile, craft, deceit, subtlety.” When we have discernment, we see when this is the condition of the heart. Jesus’ example of those denying to honor their parents while saying that they are is a prime example of guile

The words of the person with guile are subtly manipulative, with an intent to deceive. The motives are usually to get something for ourselves or to protect ourselves in some way, rather than or in addition to sharing the love of God. A guileless heart, however, has been purified to speak as Jesus did. He only spoke what the Father speaks, no ulterior motives. All of our ulterior motives are to be purged from the heart before God’s throne.

No seemingly holy but hollow religious words remain there, words that don’t match behaviors, words that stem from mixed motives. He has no guile, and we are to be like Him when we see Him as He is. As we continue our walk with the Lord, He becomes more and more precise about dealing with the heart conditions that displease Him. He refines us further and deeper to create the righteousness He desires from His people.

When once we would have said and done things with mixed motives, not thinking a thing about it, now we feel the prick of our conscience letting us know that we are falling short of God’s best, despite what our words appears to say. There are all kinds of reasons for our guile, but they all can be categorized within the “lust of the eye, the desire of the flesh, or the pride of life.” We see something we want and we use guile to get it.

It may just be another’s good opinion or it may be bigger than that. We are not honest about it but subtly pursue it. We desire to point out another’s error or cover criticism with outward “niceness.” We want to do certain things in our flesh that are not the “good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.” We may even reason with guile in our mind, will, and emotions, in our soul realm, rationalizing our behavior to ourselves, if not justifying it to others.

“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the Lord than sacrifice.” Proverbs 21:2-3 Berean

Guile is a part of the pride of life. It shows up whenever we use deceit and even trickery to get what we think is due us. Aren’t you grateful that God doesn’t deal with all of our motives at the same time? He goes layer by layer, allowing each experience we submit to Him to teach us His ways. In fact, I thought I was a much nicer person until God began to strip the layers in my heart to purify my motives! His ways are indeed not our ways and His thoughts higher than ours.

We learn to be thankful when we sense the Holy Spirit’s prompting before we speak, to examine our motives, and the condition of our hearts. He is able to purify any guile within by the light of His spirit. As we continue, some areas become easier and no longer need intervention. And we continually pursue Him. Oh, to speak only what He speaks, to rest in knowing that our words will be effective and true, free of guile and pleasing to Him!

We may seem far from this standard today, but as we follow on to know Him, He brings the refreshing rain of His spirit in times of change.

“So let us know—let us press on to know the Lord. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3 NASB

We are invited, encouraged to press on to know Him. Not the scriptures, not the law, not the do’s and don’ts, but Him. It’s the relationship with Him, our beloved. When this is our heart’s desire, when we pursue Him with all of our being, we find Him everywhere: in the scriptures, in others, in nature, as well as in our hearts of faith.

“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:19 KJV

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12 KJV

We are empowered by God to look for and follow after what will make for peace and edify—build up— our brothers and sisters. This is to be our focus. But God’s love is not to be used as a reason to fail to uphold God’s righteousness. His standards do not change. Unlike humans, however, He is always merciful, longing to be compassionate when we or others miss the mark. When we follow after the things necessary for peace, it is to edify the other.

To edify means to “build a structure,” and is from the Greek word, “oikodome.” In the passage from Romans 14, above, it goes on to say:

“Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.” Romans 14: 20-21NIV

Food, what religious people believe are God’s dietary laws about what to eat and drink, was a huge controversy in those early years of Christianity. The Jews were taught many dietary laws through Moses and handed down by tradition. Many had sound scientific reasons that were protective of their health but unknown in those days. Yet Jesus comes along and says none of that matters. It is the attitude of the heart that makes a food good or evil.

This is significant when we spiritually share with others while breaking bread with them. What a change when Jesus said the Father desires a heart for Him that extends outward to others, more than focusing on outward sacrifices for sin. No wonder He was a radical that the Jewish leaders hated and condemned! It is hard to have everything you have ever believed about serving God be revealed and now pronounced unimportant.

God prioritizes what makes for peace and builds up our brothers and sisters in Christ. When this was powerfully revealed to Peter, a devout Jew who all his life had followed the dietary laws laid out by God to the Israelites, he was shocked:

“…Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.He saw heaven open and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.

It contained all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, as well as birds of the air. Then a voice said to him: ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’ ‘No, Lord!’ Peter answered. ‘I have never eaten anything impured or unclean.’ The voice spoke to him a second time: ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven.”
Acts 10:9b-15 Berean

Peter accepted the change from following dietary laws to prioritizing what may cause another to stumble, to bring offense. It is important to be sensitive to others and their beliefs, though ours may differ. It’s not about food or drink, it’s about the heart, over and above any rules we may embrace in His kingdom. Some Christians feel free to drink wine on occasion (all things in moderation) without any guilty conscience of wrongdoing. Others feel to abstain as part of their spiritual commitment.

But to insist on the freedom of drinking wine when in the presence of a brother or sister in Christ who does not and further, believes it is wrong, is not ideal. It’s just not a good idea to risk both the peace in fellowship and the potential for causing another of God’s people to stumble. Peter had to be visited directly by God in a vision to be able to accept eating foods that His Jewish traditions considered unclean when he was in the home of gentiles who did not follow them.

It is difficult to go from something you have believed is unclean your entire life to being at peace with it. Some things, such as the “right” to drink or not to drink wine or spirits are just not worth the conflict. Consider God’s prediction about the futility of being successful in pleasing people. Here we find Jesus exposing the futility of man’s opinions and judgments, essentially saying in regard to others’ opinions that “you can’t win no matter what you do…”:

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He hath a devil’. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners’.

But wisdom is justified of her children.” Matthew 11:18-19 KJV

Jesus anticipated such criticism from humans because He knows judgment to condemnation is in our fleshly hearts. He and John the Baptist were both doing the will of God. But what if it had been Jesus and John criticizing each other? John was out in the desert, eating locusts and honey, calling for repentance. What if John resented Jesus lounging around, eating at feasts and wedding ceremonies, drinking wine with the same sinners John was calling to repent, spending most of His time with them rather than the good and righteous people “deserving” of His company?

What if Jesus had become upset that John was out wandering around, preaching and baptizing when there were so many needs Jesus had to attend to among the people? What if he thought: ‘Why can’t John help out more with My ministry?” It may seem ludicrous to imagine this but is this not what happens when we see gifts and callings that differ? It’s so tempting to think what we are called to do should be what others also do. There seems to be a part of us that wants to see differences as a sign of error—of course in the other, not ourselves.

Our projection of judgment and blame, focusing upon, amplifying, condemning, having conflicts with others whose beliefs and walk differ from ours—that’s the error! Yet this is what we are doing when we criticize another’s calling or behavior, when we rigidly hold to standards rather than love. We see with our natural eyes what they are doing and judge by outward appearance. It does not appear to us like they are doing what God wants.

In the scripture passage above, however, our Lord does not stop here. In Him dwells all hope. He doesn’t leave with the description of the contrasts between John the Baptist, and Himself. He goes on to say that when we have wisdom, it is “shown by our children”—that is, by what we produce. Both John and Jesus had ministries that bore much fruit. They honored each other’s calling and both died a tragic death because of it. They did not do what we sometimes do when we are in competition rather than cooperation in God’s work.

Is it any different today when churches count their parishioners, the crowd that comes to hear them, the many programs of helping others, comparing their success to another church, or feeling superior because of worshiping at home gatherings rather than in a structure called a church—or any number of other differences? Such either/or thinking or behavior towards each other, our fellow servants of God, does not show forth God’s heart of righteousness. It is not either/or. It is us, the Body of Christ. Love unites, it does not divide.

Both John and Jesus were doing the will of God, though in very different ways. Our unity is in love, in our spiritual hearts of righteousness, not in habits of behavior, choices we value or reject. We are all reading from the same (or very similar) Book of God’s word and we are all seeking the same Lord. Yet we see, hear, and understand differently.

We are called by God in such a variety of ways! And He loves us all. Oh, how He does love us! We, the people who follow after Him, are near and dear to Him. This is what is critical, or at least much more important, than our differences. God hates division, which stems from pride, lies, attacks on the innocent, wicked plots, evil behavior, false testimony, all that brings discord:

“There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19 Berean

The fruit of our doing things God’s way will be seen in visible evidence of the righteous heart of God in our lives. This is what we desire to produce. When our own heart before God does not condemn us, we have the freedom to live before God as He directs, regardless of others’ opinions or disapproval. We have the peace of God in our hearts about all we do in God, while remaining mindful not to cause stumbling in another walking in God and learning His ways. God will be manifested in His people!

How will God ever accomplish the unity among believers that He has promised if it is based on external things that just do not matter to Him? Without spiritual eyes to see, we remain blind, and without spiritual ears to hear, we don’t understand. Yet we humans take in what we visually see, hear, and feel regardless if we are in the right heart space to assess others. Our God, however, lovingly grants understanding when we need it, stretching our hearts across the gulf of strange differences between us, to unite us in love by the spirit. Amazing!!

The key is not outward acts nor differing lifestyles. Jesus and John had the same heart of service, remaining respectfully aware of the other’s calling and purpose in God. Both were called and chosen by God to minister to sinners, but each carried out their calling in different ways. What a model of brotherhood—and with a relative at that! Jesus and John were cousins, connected in infancy by the Holy Spirit.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, when she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit with God’s Son. Her cousin was further along in her pregnancy with John. Here’s what happened:

“At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hilly country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!’” Luke 39:45 NIV

Jesus and John met in the wombs of their mothers, connected by the spirit within their mothers who were close cousins. God revealed to Elizabeth Whom her cousin was carrying in her womb. Following that, there is little indication of how Jesus and John the Baptist’s relationship unfolded until Jesus goes to be baptized by John.

John was joyful in meeting his Lord. Jesus honored John in being led to be baptized by His cousin. They surely were in agreement about the religious leaders of the time, the scribes and Pharisees, whom they both strongly rebuked and chastised. Whatever their paths, each had a spiritual understanding and respect for the other’s calling. Both saw that these leaders had hearts that were far from the God they proclaimed to others:

“But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones, God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’

At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?’ ‘Let it be so now,’ Jesus replied. ‘It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness this way.’

Then John permitted Him. As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!’” Matthew 3:8-15 Berean

Jesus is the Pattern Son, showing us the path of righteousness we are to follow. He was baptized, immersed in water, to fulfill all righteousness—to do all things in the way Father God showed Him. He laid the pattern of His life down so we, too, are baptized in Him. Yes, there are different traditions and beliefs about what baptism looks like, and how it should be done, leading to conflicts among us.

May I suggest that God is less concerned about immersion or sprinkling, infant baptism or baby dedication, and other differences that separate? He is much more interested in the believer receiving the message about purpose of water baptism and other directives be written into their hearts! Water baptism represents the truth of being washed by His spirit, to be cleansed of the old and birthed into the new.

It is not just a tradition, it is the way of righteousness Jesus revealed. It is important to follow His lead, but the specifics cannot be more important than the heart. Jesus was dedicated to God the Father as a baby and immersed in water for baptism by John the Baptist. This is the pattern He laid down, but it seems wise to honor the sincere hearts of those who follow His example in the way they believe. God always sees the heart and will sort all of that out.

"For the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 Berean

It surely is not good for such differences to cause division among brothers and sisters in Christ. There are endless ways we Christians do things differently while sincerely believing we are doing it God’s way. We will never achieve unity in focusing on these aspects of our faith and walk in God. It’s further grievous if we are trying to force our beliefs on another, including unbelievers, as we stand before our God. Such conflicts are more about who makes the rules than about what those rules are.

Who has the right to make religious rules for another? We need the caution not to judge by outward appearance, as Samuel was tempted to do when sent to anoint Saul’s successor to rule Israel. We all do it, making assumptions by what we see or hear but it is clearly not God’s way. God sees all of it, everything in our hearts. He is the sifter, the one who prioritizes what gets dealt with through His everlasting love for us.

He is a true and faithful Friend who is always with us. We are so grateful that He loves us while knowing everything about us! There is not one human on the planet who is empowered to genuinely love us like that without God.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.

‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.’

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! Galatians 5:1-12 NIV

Mark Paul’s words: the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love. The only thing! Circumcision was no longer required, in fact risked adding “a little yeast” that would lead back to other Jewish laws now superseded by Christ. Not rules, whether it be the Jewish rules of law such as circumcision and not eating unclean meats or those traditions and rules that we impose on ourselves and others, robbing us of the freedom we are granted in Christ Jesus.

What we do in love is eternal, swallowing up former things that never brought righteousness in the Body of Christ. If God chooses to allow us to see into another’s heart, we are to see with His eyes of love and mercy, particularly if we are in a position of giving counsel or as an intercessor. The Lord only shared for His purposes, He does not tell secrets. When entrusted with this information about another, we are to keep His secrets as well.

It can be tempting to want to share what we know, under the guise (guile) of helping another to understand or even as a prayer request. But God entrusts such precious information to those servants in whom He has confidence, through testing of past experiences, to use such intimate knowledge wisely, for His good. God knows who will be able to move past judgment to mercy and redemptive justice. Here we are admonished:

“Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.

But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not destroy your brother, for whom Christ died, by your eating.” Romans 14:13-15 Berean

Could God be any more direct in this passage? Make up our minds to stop judging each other! Nothing is unclean in itself. If that is true, how your group of believers does certain things that vary from how another group of believers do it is surely not unclean! It’s the attitude of the heart God is addressing in these words.

Acting in love is more important than what people are doing. In fact, it is a crucial factor in what we choose to do or allow. The love of God is the most powerful force in all creation! God is not looking at food, drink, dress, companionship, or even outward required patterns of worship and service to Him as the measure of the Christian. He always and continually looks at the heart. God is also able to cover in love the errors we may make when we had His pure motive of love in the doing of it.

When our motive is love, we won’t miss the mark with others, just as He did not.

“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.

It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Amplified

Mercy, Not Sacrifice

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 KJV

“But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” Matthew 12:7 KJV

It’s challenging for us to realize now what a radical statement Jesus made in telling the Jews of his time to “have mercy, not sacrifice.” The entire Jewish religion was about sacrifices to God. Jesus was bluntly stating that their entire way of worship, from generations of tradition and history, was not what God desired of them.These external acts were to demonstrate repentance for sins, but such practices did not change their hearts. Through the centuries, they had continually drifted far from God. Their hearts were hardened towards others, far from the mercy and compassion God desires.

Jesus’ new covenant set forth a new order of the heart for God-followers. His word is still calling to us to lay down traditions and history, habits of worship and praise, patterns of fellowship, and performance of rituals that have become hollow, lacking spiritual power. Though it may not be animal sacrifices, many today rely on external acts sacrificed to God, doing good works, following rules and laws, church traditions and expectations of their leaders, while losing sight of their relationship with the Lord, along with His promise to change Christians from within.

The word “mercy” comes from the Greek word “eleos,” meaning “active compassion and tenderness.” It appears many times in the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments. God’s essential mercy for us is shown in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, planned for our redemption from the foundation of the world. The gift of His son to the world is exemplary of what mercy is to accomplish: it is free, forgiven, absolving of guilt, blame and condemnation.

Because of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and restored to the Father. None of us get what we deserve because of our Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for the world. Our Lord clearly states His desire, His preference for mercy over any outward acts of sacrifice. We deceive ourselves, if not others, when we continue with unexamined ways of serving God without meaning or power to change us within. You are missing out if your faith in God is not changing you! When Christians look back on the days since meeting the Lord, we should surely recognize how we have been changing!

God is in the business of changing us and He can do what we cannot do. He is able to create in us His heart of love, mercy and faith. The Lord Jesus Christ came so that His words and His ways can be written within, by the holy spirit. Paul spoke passionately and definitively about this:

“But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NASB

Of course, sacrifice to the Lord can be a part of our walk as God leads. Traditions can be meaningful when they come from the heart. The key is our purpose in doing so, in the motive and intent of our heart in carrying such acts out. There are those who sincerely sacrifice something they love during the Lent season, doing so as a worship to their Lord. There are others who do this as a rote law because it is expected or part of their tradition.

Paul warned Timothy about following a form without the power to change the heart:

“...But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without the love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 Berean

“…holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.” 2 Timothy 3:5 Amplified

Paul lists many common conditions of the heart, then and now. He names many of the things we love instead of loving God and His ways. Paul was talking about those who claim to be godly but inside there is no power of change revealed as godly character. God will not settle for His people merely appearing good and religious. He wants our all, everything in us. That is how we gain the power to overcome as He did and obtain all of the promises to us. Paul was teaching Timothy that God changes us and that the change in believers should be visible to the world.

Yes, God leads us to spiritual acts such as fasting when we sacrifice the pleasure of food and drink for a period of time. He calls us to fast and pray on specific occasions of intercession for others or ourselves. God puts in our hearts a desire to temporarily sacrifice our usual life’s pleasures, including the most basic-–food and drink—to be separate, alone, consecrated to Him and seeking His face. If you’ve ever done a fast in the Lord, you realize it is a sacrifice.

But such a spiritual fast is not “will worship,” gritting our teeth for self-control. When God lays a fast on someone, He locks us into this purposeful sacrifice for intercession or answers. He causes our focus to be on Him, not our hunger. It is quite different from dieting, to be sure! The key here is what is in our hearts at such times as this. We recognize that all things are in Him:

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’” Acts 17:28 KJV

Because God is our Father, we are all His offspring and He is dedicated to raising us well. Though it takes a lifetime and beyond, we are learning how to live and move and have our being in Him. What if we submit ourselves to His hand in working true mercy – kindness, compassion, empathy, understanding – instead of outward religious busyness?

We learn to listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit, being led by Him. As we walk with Him, the disctinction and volume of His voice is more apparent. He works within us, creating a clean heart to be willing and to carry out His will and purpose from the heart:

“...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13 NKJV

When we know God wants us to do something but our flesh is weak, even disinterested, we can “back up” our prayers to where we actually are in our hearts by asking God to create willingness in us. He is the changer of hearts. Why pretend with the all-seeing, all-knowing God of the universe that we are willing when we are not? He knows.

This can be a particular battle when God is whispering to us about leaving something or even someone we love, to forgive when we are angry and hurt, or a myriad of other trials He allows to come our way. It is challenging when we sense God telling us to do something that our flesh really does not want to do. God will not be pleased by a show of obedience, doing these things for outward appearance, an appearance of godliness, to become worthy enough or to persuade God to do things our way.

Only God knows what is in the heart. He does not delight in outward acts, such as the Jews’ animal sacrifices, having no power to cleanse the inner man. Here is the future hope of what He is able to do:

“Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4 NASB

Untold numbers of children and adults have used this phrase, “If you loved me, you would…” This is guile, the speaker's selfish manipulation to get what they want. Love requires no such proof and makes no demands. God could make us different in a moment, but He gave us free will to choose to serve Him and learn of His ways. He is not interested in robot Christians! Thus, we do not manipulate God into giving us our hearts’ desires.

Certainly love in the heart should parallel love in thought, word, and deed, no matter how far away we seem from this ideal. When we seek mercy, we are seeking God Who is mercy. He desires us to delight in Him, doing everything to please our God and making melody to Him in our hearts. We need much more understanding of His Love because it is far beyond our human ability to love.

It’s easy to love those who is lovable. It takes God to love the unlovable, including the unlovable aspects of others we love, to have His perfect balance of mercy and justice. God’s loving ways are hard to comprehend with so much wrong around us—let alone when He reveals what is within us. One of our faith challenges is resolving how a loving God can allow such pain of loss, sadness and suffering for those He loves when He could so easily fix it.

Some resolve this good vs. evil dilemma by believing God is a benign force who cannot act upon our life here. But, frankly, what is the point of believing in a God that can’t do more than we can do? We all need to seek God to resolve this in our walk of faith. We continue to ask, seek, and knock for the answers to the deep things of God. We do so until He places His desires in our hearts so they are our desires, too.

God leads us from within, by His Spirit, beyond the expectations and confusion of our human condition. God is able to cause unnecessary as well as ungodly desires to die. Our Lord replaces our will, thoughts, and emotions— all of our soul realm—with His thoughts, emotions, and will. Thus we become more and more like our Master, just as He directed us. God is a passionate God! He’s not against emotions, He created them:

“‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will imprint my laws upon their heart, and on their minds I will inscribe them [producing an inward change],” Hebrews 10:16 Amplified

This is the new covenant brought forth by Jesus Christ our Lord. Since before the Fall in the Garden, God has always known that we humans cannot serve Him in our flesh. There’s no good lasting thing in our flesh. The scriptures clearly state it is impossible to please God in our flesh! We all require the mercy of which Jesus Christ speaks and represents. We are promised He can give us His mercy, writing it in our hearts and minds.

This is the way to rest, to be delivered from working at it and brought into His rest. We are His workmanship, not our own self-improvement project. As He does this inner work, we move past acting as if we have love in our hearts to being filled with His love for others and His creation, including the most unlovable of His people! This inner change results in good works from the character and mind of Christ within.

“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” Ephesians 2:10 Amplified

Of course, this is a very difficult transition! Wouldn’t it be easier if God just gave us a “to-do” list to follow? Or “zap” us into change as He did with changing Saul into Paul? Well, the Bible puts many things on our “to-do” list but God knows we cannot do it in our flesh. When we love the Lord, we really do try to do it ourselves, to bring this flesh under submission to Him. It doesn’t work, have you noticed? He knew it in the garden with Adam and Eve and had already prepared before the foundation of the world for the sacrifice of Jesus to make the way.

Without our Lord’s coming within, all we have is outward acts. When you are raised to have a strong work ethic, you have been taught to try harder, do better, certainly a key aspect of success in the world. It can also become an unnecessary spiritual burden leading to constant busyness “for God.” Some of us even get in the habit of routinely assessing our own progress on our spiritual “to-do” list, whether it be self-improvement in health and relationships or our walk in the Lord. This continual review of our spiritual status is not His rest!

When we constantly measure ourselves against ourselves, it leads to discouragement and fatigue. We are to delight in the Lord, and He will bring it to pass. There is only one measurement, to which Paul speaks after the list of ministries given by God for the edification of the Body of Christ:

“…until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].” Ephesians 4:13 Amplified

It is so easy for us humans to want to do something to please the Lord, including changing ourselves. But how do we do mercy? God has no interest in an outward show of being a good and merciful Christian. Doing acts of mercy that do not stem from the heart are difficult to sustain. With the measure of the fullness of the Christ within, we all fall short, but nonetheless, this is what we are reaching for, why we pursue Him above all. We cannot even successfully measure ourselves, it takes God to do it.

How hard it can be to rest in His work, with patient endurance, until He creates more depth in our love and mercy for self and others! It helps to remembering that Jesus did not help everyone around Him. He dealt with who and what the Father brought and showed Him to do. If Jesus only did what the Father showed Him to do, then we are not required to minister and assist everyone with needs around us. This truth frees us from self-condemnation and frustration, as we remember we are His workmanship.

His workmanship, not our own, with all the glory going to Him! God has been about the business of teaching and changing us throughout our lives. Some desires we thought were our own, even bringing them to God for His final decision, were His planting in our hearts to begin with! Oh, how carefully He guides His own! Reflecting back, we can all see how God planted His desires in our hearts from the beginning, even when we were not serving Him!

God is in charge of changing Christians desiring to serve the Lord. He has prepared our paths and will enable us to walk in them. He is mercy, He is love, and He is the beginning and end of all things within and without, as we are taught of Him. His intent, even the disciplines of adversity and loss, is always redemptive, for our good:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 Berean

It’s about the heart! Only God knows when we search for Him with our entire hearts. He sees any hidden areas within that are not in accord with His plans for us. He provides a future and hope for us, making us know that all things are possible in Him. There’s a higher purpose of God’s mercy seen in redemptive justice. Mercy makes a way when there is no way. Mercy considers the root, the heart of the matter, not just the act or behavior.

God cannot help but be merciful:

“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all and His tender mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts and the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord upholds all who fall and raises all bowed down.” Psalms 145:8-14 NKJV

Mercy is revealed here with its specific qualities. David says that our Lord is “gracious,” from the Hebrew word “channan”, meaning “to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior; to favor; show mercy; show pity.”God surely is gracious to all of us, as David notes in another of his psalms:

“He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Psalms 103:9-14 KJV

It’s wonderful to remember that He knows His creation. He is not surprised at our human lack and failure. Thankfully, He does not deal with us after our sinful nature, which Jesus dealt with on the cross. Yes, that work is done, but we are now learning to walk in all He accomplished. Do you want a guarantee in life? Here it is. How very gracious and compassionate is our heavenly Father! It is very comforting to remember He knows what we are made of and considers that in His mercy.

Mercy is the source of the Lord’s great compassion:

“The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB

Our compassions fail but God’s compassions never fail or come to an end. They are always available to us and others, freely given, never earned. Isn’t that what grace is, His unmerited favor? Why, then, would we think that others need to earn what we have been freely given, to shape up before they come to God for salvation? Why would we expect sinners to behave as we are taught before they know Him? We do know Him and we can’t get it right!

When we wake each morning, we can rest in knowing the faithfulness of our God. His compassion renews each morning, regardless of what the day brings. He definitely allows “do-overs” in His growth plan! Going back to Psalms 145, David states God is “slow to anger and great in mercy”. We know our all-powerful God could take us out of this earth any time He chose to do so, but He is slow to anger.

This is a different nature than the one some preachers talk about that creates fear and dread of an all-powerful and wrathful God who condemns the faithless to an eternal hell, ready to inflict His anger in an instant for any wrongdoing. Actually, God’s wrath is His passion, meaning that He feels strongly about the world! He loved the world so much, and yet it is difficult for us to love people, particularly when we see the ugliness and evil in the hearts of many.

If God so desired, He could be angry day in and day out because of what we humans have wrought upon this earth. But He is not. He is slow to anger…think about it! Here “slow to anger” means “long-suffering, patient.” We rejoice along with David that this is our Lord and King! He is good to all, whether they know it or not. He raises us up when we fall and lifts our spirits when we are low, just like He faithfully did for David, over and over again. God hates sin but the sinner…well, He loves us!

And there is a special promise for being merciful, for allowing God to grow and nurture this aspect of His nature in us, His called, chosen, and faithful ones. It is clearly stated in the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7 NASB

When we sow mercy, we receive it back from God. What a deal! The chorus of a favorite song encourages us this way:

Sow Mercy

“Sow mercy. Sow grace.

Sow kindness. Sow faith.

Words are like water, sprinkled with love.

You will harvest all your heart's been dreaming of.

Sow mercy.”

(D. & R. McGuire)

His Ways Are Not Our Ways

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’” Romans 12:17-21 NASB

When first reading this scripture of God “heaping coals of fire” on the heads of our enemies, it sounds like a great idea! We can trust God to “get ‘em” for us! He says to leave retribution (vengeance) to Him and He will repay. These burning coals are not to be brought with a vengeance taken into our hands. We are to endeavor to leave all that to God, seeking for peace. When we show mercy, kindness, and care to our enemies, we are heaping those coals of fire by bringing the fire of His wrath, and His great passion into the situation. We are to get out of the way and watch how God deals with them. We can trust He will, having faith in what we do not yet see.

What more is He really saying in these scriptures? Consider what motivates us to offer food and drink, literally or spiritually, to our enemies. If we are overcoming evil with good, we are doing it in God’s goodness, and His care for all. We are passionate to do right in God’s eyes regardless of the role of this enemy in our midst. It is a wrong heart motive to apply this scripture to exacting vengeance on our enemies. God is in charge of any vengeance and His retribution is always just. He knows exactly what our enemies need to change them, now or in the life to come.

God’s wrath is His passion, not His anger. It is indignation against sin, never the sinner. He is very, very passionate in His great love in redeeming sinners. The root word for “wrath” in Greek is, “orge”, meaning “desire or violent passion.” God is deeply passionate about the world coming to know Him, for all to be reconciled unto His purposes. He has a fiery passion for everyone to be in a relationship with Him. Oh, how He loves us!

His retribution is perfect, just as He is perfect. He strongly, passionately desires us to receive and walk in the fullness of all Christ has accomplished. Just so, His fiery passion is directed at our enemies to change them, on this side of heaven or in the afterlife. He is promising us that He will deal with our enemies with His redemptive justice and mercy. God is not a man that He can lie!

Our human judgments may get in the way of God’s actions in dealing with our enemies. If we act with vengeful delight in response to our enemies, they cannot see God through the judgments we’re putting upon them. Our own loving compassion for others we care about may also get in the way of what God would choose to accomplish. But we are not to pray away the fire that God has set to change them unless God directs. When we do, our human mercy gets in the way of the dealings of God for change.

God reveals this to some of us, as He did to me in past years. He told me that my “spiritual skirts’” were spread over an unbeliever that I loved, such that God could not deal with Him as He needed to. In His mercy for me, He limited His dealings. What a shock! I learned to let it be God’s justice and mercy, not mine. We ask from a heart of forgiveness and peace with others, even our enemies, but God knows best what needs to unfold and when. We do not want to get in the way of God’s intentions!

We are not to take into our own hands what is only God’s business. Our Lord’s walk on this earth models this for us. Jesus knew His enemies could only do what His Father allowed them to do. Vengeance is His, so if there is to be punishment, including consequences, He knows what is redemptive for our enemies, We can be sure it is fitting and does the work He intends. Even when being betrayed and arrested, Jesus said that all He had to do was ask and His Father would send a myriad of angels to rescue Him. That was not God’s plan. He knew His Father was in charge, not those who betrayed Him.

How many words have we wasted in our relationships when the other person is unable to hear truth, though it is correct and right? What if the truth is hindered by impatient, angry, blaming, and even disdainful attitude in the heart impacting the spirit of our words? God always sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts when we want others to be punished rather than redeemed.
Words are very important but God desires more than just our words we speak to others. Human vengeance without God’s balance makesthings worse, distracting the person from the issue to the attitudes coming at them. This is only prolonging the conflict with those coming against us.

Yes, indeed, God does tell us in this passage and others to “get out of His way”! Vengeance here is from the Greek word “ekdikos” meaning “carrying justice out.” It may include the thought of punishment or revenge, which God is capable of doing when necessary. Behavior has consequences and we are not to tempt the Lord by doing something to put Him to the test. Father God, Who is love, is carrying out this justice. His vengeance is sure to deal with sin and wrongdoing, and His word is powerful, far different from the angry words that sometimes feels so good to say, but accomplish nothing.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV

God’s judgment always has the purpose to redeem, flowing from His heart of mercy for a better outcome, ultimately, for the wrongdoer’s salvation, even if it takes centuries. God brings the fire of His presence to consume what is not of Him. The meaning of “fire” (Greek: “pur”) is the purifying presence of God brought upon our enemies’ heads, on their understanding. Of course, nothing can stand in the presence of our Lord without being changed. As Peter stated, our God is a consuming fire. He promises to burn up our dross—everything that is not Him.

God does not chastise people because He feels like it, had a bad day, can’t take any more, or all the other reasons we behave to others as we do. His purpose is always to bring about a change, to purify rather than punish. God wastes nothing in His redemptive purpose. He has no need to “pay back” those who harm or wrong us, though He does allow natural consequences to occur. This life is designed to teach us about God through our experiences, including all we suffer. As we mature in Christ, we recognize God’s work when others wrong us undeservedly.

The author of Psalms 119, believed to be David, stated:

“It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.” Psalms 119:71 Berean

So then, what is to be in our hearts as we consider our enemies, those who come against us or those we love, to hurt and harm us? How shall we deal with those who do love us yet cause wounds and harm? We can ask God immediately “What are you trying to teach me? What are the lessons for me in this situation with those against me?” We surely do not want to miss any of God’s lessons for us when we are dealing with external or, more often, internal enemies to our promised spiritual land.

One purpose from the Lord is teaching us more deeply about having a heart of forgiveness. The process of forgiveness can be a challenging experience for us Christians, yet our Lord says we are to do so, over and over, many times:

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!’” Matthew 18:25 Berean

This number is not a recommendation to count until we get to 77! It is representative of the countless times we are to forgive our brothers in Christ, sometimes harder to do than forgive our enemies! Jesus goes on to share the parable of the Master who loans money to two servants. One is mercifully forgiven when he cannot repay but goes right out to deal harshly with someone who owes him. The Master is most displeased about this!

The other servant, after the Master, dealt graciously with him and forgave his debt, is merciful to his debtors. The unforgiving, merciless servant is then punished by the Master, putting this servant in jail until he pays the last farthing. What judgment we have for others is what God will put on us. The point:

“That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:34 Berean

God is not pleased with mere words of forgiveness. He desires true forgiveness from the heart. We are debtors who have been forgiven much by our Lord. So, too, should we forgive those who “transgress against us” as the Lord’s prayer states. The judgment we put on others is how we are judged. God says so. He doesn’t want us to just go through the motions. He wants this forgiveness to be deep within us, a true change in our thoughts and emotions. He is the only one who can work such a change in us regardless of circumstances.

While we don’t face a literal jail when refusing to forgive our brother in Christ, we are kept in a prison of our anger and thoughts of revenge, sometimes for many years. Some err in believing we can harbor unforgiveness and even hate without paying an internal price. Those who have been grievously harmed, suffering great loss, live in perpetual distress in mind and body because they are unable to forgive. Only God, in His mercy, can work forgiveness in such hearts, reminding us that our Master has graciously and repeatedly forgiven us for our transgressions. Unforgiveness is a robber of peace and love, for sure!

There are times when we know He says to forgive but honestly, we just don’t want to! We know we are supposed to forgive, but where do we start if we aren’t willing? It’s surprising how many Christians strongly condemn the sins of the flesh yet harbor unforgiveness, resentment, and even bitterness in their hearts towards others. It may seem like forgiveness is letting the other off the hook, excusing or even condoning their behavior. Sadly, this is not reserved for just our enemies. It’s often found in our hearts towards those we love—our family and friends as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lack of forgiveness brings much harm to human relationships. That’s why God told us to keep our hearts clean, not to go to bed angry, and to prioritize having a pure heart toward others. Every one of us Christians needs to exercise our spiritual forgiveness muscles to be ready for implementation! And God has that covered as well! When we don’t want to forgive or can’t see our way to do so, we can count on His ability to change our will to match His will:

“...work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world…” Philippians 2: 12-16 NASB

What great news! When we are not willing, God works on our willingness! He does this when we ask—and sometimes when we don’t because someone else is praying for us. He starts where we are, creating in our hearts a desire to do His will. We may be reluctant, but He is able to change that so we can forgive without grumbling and disputing, ruminating and resenting, rebelling in our hearts about why this happened to us. We can be transparent with the Lord, acknowledging honestly where we are in our hearts. God already knows but we surrender to His inner working when we admit it to Him. Where there is resistance, we ask Him to plant a willingness.

There are deep hurts that wound in devastating ways that cannot be rapidly resolved, but we can surrender to His will regardless of our feelings. We do desire deliverance from our soul’s struggles within but how long it takes depends upon the hardness of our hearts in the situation or relationship as well as the grievousness of the wound. In all circumstances, our will is surrendered to God, becoming an anchor for our soul into God’s will. While our thoughts and emotions may sway the rope back and forth on that anchor, we are sustained in the purpose of forgiveness, having committed to God’s way.

We are to forgive as we have been forgiven–freely, without merit or worthiness, without conditions, as unto the Lord. None of us are deserving of God’s mercy or able to earn His forgiveness. But we use our human reasoning to justify why another does not deserve our forgiveness. We have many reasons, all humanly understandable. We’re still too hurt and angry, we want to protect ourselves from more hurt, we want justice or to see the other suffer before we forgive, it is absolutely unforgivable, they deserve retribution, and on and on.

We learn about the struggle to forgive, finding God’s way instead of holding on to hurts, resentment, anger, unforgiveness or even bitterness. We all have family, friends, teachers and fellow Christians whose behaviors and choices cause undeserved suffering and pain. One cannot be in this world without having incurred offenses. Yet some people still carry resentment and bitterness about a sibling or parent’s past behavior, cut off or continuing to fume, even bringing up old transgressions, still believing they “got away with” something. Yet, unless we see into the heart of the one who hurt us, how can we know what God has done in them?

Confusion around the process of forgiveness is very common but be clear about this: when we carry unforgiveness in our hearts, we become the burdened ones, in bondage to our thoughts and emotions. The guidance of the holy spirit is also necessary when wanting to support others struggling with the directive to forgive. With grievous, deep wounds in this life, a deeply damaged heart may not be ready or able to hear and just telling someone they should forgive only applies a surface “band-aid “ to an infected wound without cleaning it out first.

Yes, forgiveness is God’s command for us, made possible through Jesus Christ our Lord. But He goes beyond the law of forgiveness to creating a heart that forgives. Forgiveness is too important to apply as a bandaid over a festering wound of emotions. We should not lightly or casually say, “Well, you need to forgive” when we have no understanding of the situation, no discernment from the Lord. Horrendous, seemingly unforgivable things happen to others that are far beyond our experiences. It takes God’s wisdom and time to understand, let alone help others in this process.

When we don’t know why such things are happening to a fellow believer, it’s best to stick with what we know. And we do know that it is not that God does not love them! While children need to be taught forgiveness by word and behavior, mature Christians cannot have the fruit of the spirit fully manifest in their lives with mere spoken words. And when we are the offended ones, it is even more challenging as the person continues in hurtful ways, showing no remorse. But God does not make any exceptions in His forgiveness policy. His forgiveness is unconditional—no conditions!

We do not get a pass on forgiveness because others continue in their hurtful or harmful ways. God may allow or cause the relationship to end as a consequence of the other’s continual harmful behavior but the heart still needs to forgive. Consider a woman who is in an abusive, violent relationship. There is the daily wear and tear on a person’s entire being of being ridiculed and mistreated, threatened and experiencing physical harm, abandoned and alone. She may have to leave in order to keep herself and her children safe.

This should be the heart of the matter for Christians who are praying about being seriously mistreated, abandoned, abused or living in violence with no safety within or without. What is God leading them to do, inside their hearts where they listen for His will? Many would keep such a believer in an unsafe prison to follow the law against separation or divorce. But there is a time when those in prison are set free.

God, in His mercy and grace, releases His called and chosen to go further in His purposes. To be truly free, the survivor of abuse and violence needs forgiveness in their heart whether the partner ever knows about it or not. Forgiveness, however, does not require staying in dangerous situations. God protects the innocent. Those who are victimized by the use of abuse or threat of harm to violently control another are innocent, despite the abuser’s rationale of “Well s/he deserved it. S/he is disrespectful, disobedient, needing to be controlled or corrected.

Some Christian leaders, lacking in discernment and often having no experience in these matters, have directed those who are being abused to stay or return for the sake of the marriage vows. They prioritize the law of staying married over mercy for the one victimized. This is more often offered by someone who has never been in this position. The key is what the holy spirit directs that person to do, but what a time to lose the spiritual support of those who disagree and judge the victim for leaving. They lack understanding of God’s standard of forgiveness as an inner work that truly frees one internally, whether the relationship is sustained or not. This is God’s business.

While it is God’s ideal that hearts be truly repentant of the harm and hurt caused to another, it is not our job to require this. Perhaps we want the other person to be good and sorry before we extend our mercy and forgiveness. Forgiveness frees us regardless of what the other person’s attitudes may be. This idea of “earning forgiveness” likely stems from childhood experiences when we are disciplined for wrong and rewarded for right behavior. Most of us see this at home and at school, so we come to expect rewards for doing good and punishment for not.

There is value and truth in this, but only if we are acting to please the Lord, not ourselves:

“The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have an opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.” Galatians 6:8-10 Berean

Goodness to all must be done in the spirit. It is impossible to sustain goodness in the flesh, though some have a head start with their God-given compassionate nature. Good works done for any other reason than God’s leading, however, are as worthless as sinful or evil works. This is “eating from the tree of good and evil” instead of from “the tree of life.” How rapidly might the world change if all of us Christians will endeavor to do good to everyone?

As children, and later as adults, we may struggle when this model of reward and consequences doesn’t show up fairly in our lives. We dislike the tests that come when unfair things happen to us that we do not deserve. We may cry out: “It’s not fair!”, not understanding God’s redemptive justice is higher than our ways and our desire for revenge. This is a hard lesson in God’s kingdom that should be obvious by now. God does not make His decisions based on what we humans consider fair.

Yet this comes as a disappointing truth for many of us until we understand more about how His ways are not ours. Surely Jesus was treated most unfairly and yet, in His suffering on the cross, He asked the Father to forgive them. He knew they did not know what they were doing, that they were actually fulfilling God’s plan to sacrifice His only son for all. Yet I have Jewish friends who have been persecuted and rejected by Christians, even as children, because Christians blame the Jews for Jesus’ crucifixion.

We desire a word of life, not just of good and evil. Many unbelievers have good hearts that flow out to others without godliness working within. Belivers do recognize we have further to go to forgive from the heart by the spirit of God working within us. When we grow and change in our understanding of His ways, however, ou harvest is spiritual and eternal, to be sure. It may never result in others treating us like we treat them, a disappointing fact of life, but the joy of pleasing the Lord in our well-doing becomes more and more satisfying. How little do we believers understand the purpose and plan of God when we get stuck in blaming humans for what God did?

Ironically, he offendert may have totally forgotten what happened, while we continue to ruminate about it. Ever heard someone say, “Every time I think about it, I get mad all over again!”? Well, God can stop that! We learn not to rehearse our hurts in our own minds, where the battle really starts, nor tell others about the offenses we suffer. We also commit to never bring it up again with the offender, just as God does with us. God understands the many hurts and unfairness all experience in this life. He comforts and directs us, knowing the price we pay for carrying them around.

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms 103:11-12 Berean

“I, yes I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake and remembers your sins no more.” Isaiah 43:25 Berean

If God puts our transgressions far away like east from west, He certainly is not taking them out and examining them on a regular basis. He is not warily watching us to see when we do it again or checking if He needs to remind us of our errors and sins. He is certainly not rehearsing our sings when He remembers them no more!

Christians don’t necessarily act as if we believe this about God, but it is what He said. The Hebrew word for “remember” in the scripture from Isaiah is “zakar,” meaning “to mark so as to recognize, to remember in order to mention, mindful, recount, bring, or call to mind, think on.” This is what God is promising never to do when He states unequivocally that He will remember our transgressions no more. Ever. Period.

He is our model so we, too, are to learn this as part of the forgiveness God desires for us to display. When we get to the stage in the process of forgiveness that we no longer internally rehearse another’s sin against us nor with external words and behaviors talk about it with anyone other than God, much treasure from heaven has been worked out. His spirit keeps this carnal way of thinking from becoming a familiar refrain in our minds and hearts.

Though our human struggles with forgiveness are understandable, it makes no sense to hang on and continually renew our distress, strengthening such depleting emotions. When the process of forgiveness is complete, these signs will be present: no bringing it up in our own souls, nor with others, nor with the other person.

“Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:14-15 Berean

We do not want to fall short of God’s grace, His unmerited favor. Reading this scripture in context, it is after addressing bitterness that the apostle Paul goes on to talk about the sins of the flesh. Could it be that God sees sins of the heart as even more damaging than, for example, the sexual immorality we see around us? All sin is falling short of the mark, but the sins of the flesh are not to be prioritized over a heart contaminated by wrong attitudes. Just where do the sins of the flesh start but in our hearts? A root of bitterness is most serious, defiling many!

When we continue to build up our case against the one(s) we know we are to forgive, we are literally digging a rut in our brains with this negative narrative. It’s like mentally pacing back and forth in a room when we are upset. If we keep it up, eventually there will be visible evidence of our familiar path of unforgiveness. This is prime “earth” for the root of bitterness to “spring up.” This phrase comes from the Greek word “phuo,” meaning “to puff or blow, to swell up to germinate or grow.” It is a very clear statement about what happens when we rehearse a bad story, over and over.

It grows a crop that is opposite of the mind and character of Christ. A root of bitterness becomes deeply and firmly established, fed by mental and emotional, if not verbal, rehearsals about the matter. Having a root implies that this bitterness was planted in the heart earlier, long enough to put the root down. When we “put down roots,” we are anchored to a place, but this time, it is a most costly and unhappy place to dwell in our hearts. How many faithful saints allow bitterness to be harbored in their hearts, causing damage and defiling many? Do we want to bear the ugly fruit of anger, self-justification, pride, jealousy, envy, wrath, or any other “fruit” this produces over time?

Some of us may have a root of bitterness without realizing it, as I had in the past. Then we need someone else to detect and pray for our deliverance. Others can pray for our freedom from this bondage, this sickness in our hearts, just as they do for our physical healing. We may have learned the hard way that bitterness is a significant part of self-pity, depression, and hopelessness. Medical science has also revealed that such powerful emotions negatively impact disease and increase death rates. So, it is a very good when someone else detects it and prays for deliverance for us. What a release this brings!

When we are with someone else who has a root of bitterness, we’re impacted negatively just by being around it. We may recognize a sick feeling in our soul after listening to their complaints. Bitterness is a poison that truly does defile many when it is allowed to grow and flourish. Nelson Mandela, the great leader, who surely learned a great deal by dealing with his enemies, said: “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”

God is a protective Father Who sometimes does tell us, “Enough.” He may show us to go on different paths or release us because of the heavy burdens of the relationship. When someone is repeatedly judgmental and bitter, blocking any spiritual assistance, and it’s poisoning us, too, He teaches us how to let go of the relationship, to leave it alone rather than seeking a repair. This is not only an abusive or violent partner puting the family at risk. It can also be a dependent relative we love who just keeps needing our help, never quite maturing. It may be the strain of loving someone who has a mental illness or addiction, caring for a chronically ill partner, or helping out a neighbor in a temporary time of need that just never seemed to end. There is a difference between the heart forgiveness necessitated by our obedience to God and the consequences to others of their choices and behaviors.

God knows the situation intimately. He knows how to strengthen those who are to stay, to endure until His time of change, to love the unlovable. God also knows how and when to release those from harm and oppression, those who are weary of carrying another’s burden that others need to carry for themselves. There is harm for both when one is leaning too heavily, for too long, on another. When we do things for others that they are able to do themselves, we are creating dependency rather than maturity. The wisdom of discerning what the other is able to do, to end rescue or enabling, comes from the holy spirit.

We are called to be the light of the world, yet unforgiveness and the judgment it feeds are part of what some people hold against Christians – our hateful, poisonous self-righteous attitude toward others. This is not speaking the truth in lov. It may be truth, but stems from a different spirit than God’s spirit of love and mercy. It is particularly noted when we Christians are holding forth and judging what we know nothing about. We have never been there nor been close to someone who has. We know nothing of so many others’ lives and suffering in this world, yet we take a (self) righteous stand.

It does seemswe all have found ourselves doing this despite knowing it is not to be a part of our Christian walk. There are endless attitudes and assumptions, including stereotypes, that we all have. It’s part of life, how our marvelous God-given brains work. These influence us, knowingly or—worse—unknowingly, in our attitudes and behaviors towards others. When we know our biases are influencing how we treat others, God helps us prevent these unexamined opinions from leading to judgment.

How beautifully the Lord works within us to have humility in knowing we do not know what it is like for another, even if we think we do! We want to show the light, not display harshness towards others in error. This is when those who do not believe ask, “Where’s the love?” God tells us that it is what comes out of a man that is defiling because it flows from what is in the heart. Jesus spoke to this when the Pharisees were upset because He and His disciples did not follow the established traditions of the elders. Jesus confronts them about speaking holy words while their hearts are far from Him.

Jesus said to the crowd:

“‘Listen and understand. A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.’ Then the disciples came to Him and said, ‘Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

But Jesus replied, ‘Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots. Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.’

Peter said to Him, ‘Explain this parable to us.’ ‘Do you still not understand?’ Jesus asked. ‘Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.” Matthew 15:10-20 Berean

Jesus was teaching the crowd before Him that the Pharisees had their priorities wrong. They outwardly worshipped God, extolling the many virtues of keeping their rules and traditions, while inwardly, their hearts were full of pride and deceit. Did Jesus love His enemies? Of course! Did He know that most of the Pharisees and elders at the time would not hear or follow Him? Yes, He knew what was in their hearts. He wanted the crowd, as well as His disciples, to understand this. But He still forgave all, even His enemies.

Jesus was delivering a radically different message to the Jews listening to Him. Their religion was based upon following the law of Moses, requiring outward sacrifice and religious customs that were a show of righteousness. But there was no focus on what was in their hearts until Jesus came along. Like many of us when God reveals the ugly things in our hearts, they did not like it at all! They got offended, resisting or denying the truth of their inward condition.

What is in our hearts, when not dealt with by God, eventually comes out as behavior. Jesus was ministering a word that exposed what was in their hearts. The scribes and Pharisees were the only people Jesus repeatedly chastised and publicly judged. He never did this with sinners who came to Him. In His mercy, He saw all and sinners knew it. He spoke a word of power and light, a word of life that changed the course of their lives, so that the consequences that should or could have occurred end.

The Lord also allows natural consequences to occur, not intervening in this life lesson. We know He does not always rescue us from the consequences of our own choices, while reassuring us of His presence and His mercy. Jesus helds the erroneous or blind leaders of Christians to a higher standard than their followers, because of the authority and power they had. This is seen as spiritual wickedness in high places:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:11-13 Berean

Throughout this post, the enemy is referenced as a person or persons, and that’s usually where we struggle with forgiveness. But God reminds us that it’s really the spirits within them that have power in this world’s darkness. It’s the spirit of darkness coming from the hearts of those who harm us or those we love. He is clear that there are spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. There are evil spiritual forces working in the heavens, and there are realms of heaven. That’s a lot to consider here, but one thing is certain: it is the spirits that rule in darkness within our enemies, and we are at risk of allowing them to grow within us.

The Lord works forgiveness by cleansing our hearts of any resentment, hurt, and anger, so we may come to peace about accepting God’s will. We may continue to have a burden of prayer for that person even if they leave, but they may never know or understand it. Sometimes God releases us from relationships that our brothers and sisters in Christ judge us for ending. We are led by the Lord but other Christians see it differently.

And, what about the horrific things that man does to others that is far beyond our human understanding, completely outside our experiences? We desire justice in this world, but we know that the world is sadly, even horribly, lacking in true and righteous judgment. Most would say that there are things that are just unforgivable. As our earthly conditions worsen, what is happening in this 21st century sounds a lot like this scripture in Amos.

“It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger] and a bear meets him [so he dies anyway], or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wall and a snake bites him.” Amos 5:19 NIV

We believers cannot deny that there are terrible things happening in this world, one after the other. Multitudes face danger, death, and loss. More and more are victims of natural disasters. It becomes particularly offensive for Christians to casually and without thought or prayer, provide superficial advice for dealing with extremely adverse circumstances. While being grateful that we are not tested in some ways, we remain humble in realizing we have not dealt with anything close to the challenges of other believers.

Many of us have not been asked to forgive someone who caused a fatal accident that took the life of a loved one, or the murder of a child or family member, or watching lives and homes destroyed by our country’s enemies in times of war, or being tormented and defiled by those who are supposed to love us, or captured and tortured by our enemies. Unless God gives words for such circumstances far beyond our understanding, it is better not to say anything. When well-meaning Christians attempt to comfort others with platitudes, they often end up causing the person, particularly children, to feel misunderstood or confused rather than comforted and supported. Sometimes we rush to this response because it is too difficult for us to hear about such experiences.

How we all require the wisdom of God when interacting with those who are angry and suffering unspeakable pain and loss! God help us to share scriptures wisely in God’s time, with God’s motivation of love and compassion for the suffering of others. Though we may never know what it is like to have such things happen, God can work His compassion and understanding for them into our hearts. When offering godly counsel, we cannot just give what we think is “good advice.” When we are not led by the Lord, we say unhelpful things, causing further distress.

The wise path is to wait until we know what to say and when to say it. As Ecclesiastes says, there is a season for all things. How the Lord’s heart must grieve to see little ones abused, tortured, and even permanently damaged or killed by a parent or caregiver. It can be almost unbearable to sit with others who have had things happen to them that others cannot even imagine. No one really wants to hear the worst that humans can do to another, particularly to innocent children.

We are to handle carefully the bruised and broken hearts of others, praying that they will allow God to give them His comfort and rest:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 12:20 Berean

There are many Christians who have been able to forgive unspeakable things, some unknown and others famous because of it. It is an amazing work of God when this happens. We think of Corrie Ten Boom who saw the Nazis destroy her family and later was able to forgive and minister this truth to one of the very guards who cruelly treated them in the Nazi prison camp. We hear accounts of murderers who have been forgiven and even nurtured by the Christian families of their victims. Veterans have gone back to the foreign countries they fought against during times of war, enabling them to meet their former enemies to comfort one another in the many tragedies of war they both experienced.

There are also many believers throughout history whom God sees and enables to forgive the unforgivable, though we know nothing about it. For that matter, Jesus Christ our Lord, through the power and love of His Father, does exactly this all the time. He knows all things, so He knows the unspeakable in each human, yet He has no limit to His compassion and mercy.

We may seem far from God’s way in this matter of forgiveness.. Our human hearts may resist this truth of God, thinking surely this is a person or a situation that is unforgivable. How do we so love as to sustain mercy through judgment as He does? It seems an impossible dream today, but He is able to do all things according to His purpose and plan. How do people come to this? It is surely not a one-time decision that pronounces their enemies to be fully forgiven.

This deepest level of forgiveness is a miracle of the heart, something only God can lead one to do. It cannot be a prescription someone else gives or demands of them, particularly someone outside their circumstances. It has to be a process over time that God directs, changing hearts to lead us down this path. It is difficult even to imagine being able to do what many saints have done. But when God asks us to do something, He enables us to do it! Jesus forgave His enemies on the cross and we are to be like Him. In ourselves it is impossible, but in Christ, all things are possible.

This is forgiveness not asked for by the offender, but given regardless. Those who crucified our Lord certainly were not asking for His forgiveness while they watched him die. He really did know that they were deceived, that they did not realize what they were doing and He forgave them regardless. There are many saints who have walked in these deep waters of forgiveness and redemption with the Lord. They have allowed God to work within them in amazing and beautiful ways. They want to be like Him and are able and willing to do so.

While we hear and marvel at all God has done in such believers, we need time to bear up in horrible situations, to endure them in His ways, not ours. Time itself does not heal all wounds but forgiveness that frees the heart depends on God, Who knows the persons involved, the depth and type of wound and what each of us need to be obedient. We never get over some events as they , permanently change us, but God is able to give peace in our new and different life though it will never be the same before the offense, the loss, the wound, occurs.

God has no limits on what He forgives but humans sure do. Our capacity for forgiveness must grow until we are able to forgive as He does. This is the path we are on, to learn of His ways that are not ours.

“Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:6-9 Berean

We pray for His will, not ours. God is a Healer of all in every situation. He is faithful and just to create that same ability that He has: to be willing and then to do His good pleasure by forgiving others. We are not able to provide true redemptive justice without a change of heart. Laws can’t do it, though they are necessary to protect the innocent.

As our will is submitted to Him, He softens our hardened hearts and changes our emotions to compassion and mercy. He changes our hardened hearts into hearts that are soft, pliable, able to to be written upon with His ways. He is an amazing, incredible God whose ways are not ours until the full redemption of His plan makes us into His image and likeness.

Part 1: The Foundation

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 ESV