”He has given us His very great and precious promises.” -2 Peter 1:4
October 1, 2023
Has God ever given you a promise regarding your future? Something that you are confident will come to pass, but you are not sure exactly when? Has He ever disclosed to you either through a particular set of circumstances or a series of events in conjunction with the Scriptures what He intends to do for you or through you? Do you even care to know? You can if you so desire. Seeking and knowing the will of God is a decision every child of God must face, and one that should be considered an obligation to pursue.
In the Second chapter of Luke there can be found an upright and devoted servant of God. A man who exhibited a profound sensitivity to the Lord’s voice and leading, such in fact, that he was able to hear the Spirit of God speak a distinct word to him regarding not only his own future, but also that of the world. This man’s name was Simeon (Luke 2:25-38). The Holy Spirit had specifically made it known to him that he would see Israel’s Messiah before he died: “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26).
God’s promise to Simeon was a guarantee so magnificent that it must have caused his heart to leap for joy. A dream and hope longed for would finally be realized. He would one day see face to face, the very person who would deliver Israel from all her enemies. This eventually motivated Simeon to search for God in the midst of the affairs of his nation. He was “looking for the consolations of Israel” (Luke 2:25). His heart was now set on seeking and searching for God. How would He work? What are some of the ways that He would fulfill His plan? Simeon began to look for the the fingerprint of God in every situation, since he had established a faith that was confident in God’s word. He knew deep in his soul and spirit that, “there has not failed one word of all His good promise” (1 Kings 8:56).
Moreover, what is even more intriguing about the promise made to Simeon is that through it God would break an extensive period of silence to His people, thus announcing once again through another medium the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ. “When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-6). God may also proclaim something significant that He intends to accomplish in our own lives. However, there is usually a period where we will not even see the possibility of His word come to fulfillment. It was so in the lives of his servants Abraham, Joseph, and David; “the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise” (2 Peter 3:9). God had declared to each of these special and beloved men what their futures had in store for them: a blessed child, a promising career with a privileged position, and the headship of a powerful kingdom. Each man went through a period of silence and extensive testing before their hopes were realized. Such might have been the case with Simeon.
We may also be individually prepared and in time when we are ready to receive his gift, He will open His hand to bless us: “I will bring upon them the good that I have promised them” (Jeremiah 32:42) Now, how would Simeon be able to recognize the One who would save this nation? Would he see a great warrior come upon Jerusalem to save them from their bondage to Rome? Or would he hear a great orator in the Temple of God rallying the men of Israel to join him as he delivers a profound and stirring message of liberty and freedom? Yet, as we will come to see, God’s ways are surely not our own nor do they reflect our way of thinking. It only seems reasonable that God had provided Simeon with some sort of a special insight in order to allow him to recognize the identity of the Messiah. When everything has gone according to God’s timing and plan, He may decide to give us a sneak peek, causing us to sense His hand at work in our circumstances and give us the ability to observe His activity in our lives. ”Your ears will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).
Consequently, as we have seen, Simeon was a man who was led by the Spirit of God, and who regularly worshiped the Lord and kept His Law. On a day like any other, he was responsive to the prompting of the Spirit and found himself head-on with the aspiration of his heart, “Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace’” (Luke 2:27-29).
It is also interesting to note that Simeon’s name means “hears and obeys.” When we are listening attentively for His “still small voice”, being led and guided by His Spirit, living a life of complete obedience to His will and Word, God will also lead us unexpectedly to cross paths with the very desire of our hearts (initially placed there by Him in the first place), where we will find peace and rest in the fulfillment of His promise, and then give praise and adoration to the One who loved us completely and fully: “I will instruct and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).
Now, if there remains any doubt as to what we have just heard or experienced is indeed a fulfillment of His promise, the Lord will lovingly substantiate that what is actually occurring is the accomplishment of His Word, “And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher…she never left the temple, serving night and day with fasting's and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:26-38) God has given us many promises in His Word. He may already have given you a personal one regarding your future. If He has not, seek His will since he does have a distinct plan for your life. He has affirmed it: “‘For I know the plans that I have for you’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)
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"Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know me?" -John 14:9
September 17, 2023
The amount of time we spend with a certain individual should cause us to understand and relate to them considerably. There should not be any barriers or obstructions that would keep us from identifying with and appreciating their unique characteristics and personality. Yet, why are there moments when our intimacy and fellowship with the Lord seems remote and hard to grasp? If we are at all honest with ourselves, there will be times when we are facing certain difficulties that He will seem inaccessible and uncaring, even harsh and sinister.
In Luke 19, we find Jesus speaking of three servants whom a nobleman sends out to invest some money that he has placed in their possessions. Two of theses individuals come back with a sizeable return and the nobleman generously promotes them with greater responsibilities within his kingdom. However, one servant concealed his master’s money away for fear of losing it and consequently receiving some sort of punishment: “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘I hid it and kept it safe. I was afraid of you because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant’” (Luke 19:20-21).
What caused two of the servants to react in a certain way, and another in completely the opposite direction? Basically, it was how each perceived their master. Even the nobleman was astonished at the third servant’s initial reaction: “‘by your own words I will judge you…Hard am I? If you knew so much about me and how tough I am, why didn’t you deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it?’” (Luke 19:22). In essence the nobleman is saying, “You really don’t know me at all. In actuality, if you were familiar with me at all, with the way I think and act, or my ways, and the motive behind each purpose, then you would have known what actions I would have carried out in this situation.”
Our view of God will affect the way we respond to certain circumstances, other people, and even the Lord Himself. It will essentially have an effect on how we live our lives each day. When life just isn’t going the way we planned, we will see Him as an unkind an unsympathetic Lord who is keeping us from those things which we so desperately yearn for. God’s goodness will come into question. Nevertheless, Scripture will remind us in such instances that we are sorely mistaken: “If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:9-11).
We must have a correct view of our heavenly Father if we are to live peaceably and joyously in this life and to be freed from the anxieties and concerns which trouble us frequently: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you” (1 Peter 5:7). It is important that we see Him as the One who wants our very best. He is working out everything for your good and has promised to never abandon you when times are tough. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
He is the only Person who can and will see you through each day, and who has loved you even before time began. When our perspective is right, and when we begin to remove the filth obscuring our perception of God, we will then see a complete and perfect image of who He truly is: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
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“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation." -Philippians 4:12
September 10, 2023
Paul the Pharisee, Paul the Apostle, Paul the prisoner, and child of the living God. Through each of the stages of his life, Paul experienced many setbacks and failures, which would have caused any to turn from following such an extremely challenging calling in life. However, he did discover something profound, something that can only come through difficulty and hardship, and a personal relationship with the One in control of each of the circumstances he faced periodically: contentment in Christ.
Paul remained in prison for most of his life as a believer. His zeal and zest for the Gospel had brought him into a place of shadow and obscurity; confined and sealed in a fate, which has brought about the salvation of many and knowledge of the precious truths of the Lord Jesus Christ. This man of God found himself at times utterly alone; in the darkness of a cold and damp cell, where his letters served to be the only connection with the church and the outside world. Nevertheless, Paul had justifiably come to the conclusion that wherever he found himself was where God wanted him to be. He was always in God’s place and every event he faced was totally in the hands of his Master.
The Apostle recognized that there was nothing more that could be done to better his situation, except but trust in the Person who had allowed difficulty into his life; since there was no immediate release in sight. He could try and struggle his way free, even make an attempt to escape. But that would only have made matters worse for him and perhaps the church itself, causing even greater suffering and trouble in the end. What else could he do? Would any of his objections and complaints have changed anything? In reality, there was nowhere to run; Paul was chained to his circumstances.
His only solution was to trust God and accept his situation. The Apostle Paul surmised that he must remain where he was until God provided a way out of his circumstances and for him that means of liberation had eventually concluded to be death. The Lord’s method of deliverance does not at times fall in line with what we think is always acceptable: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Sometimes God will cause us to remain in an unchangeable position where the only thing that will bring us peace is a simple childlike trust in Him.
Could God have delivered Paul? That is clearly without question. When he and Barnabas were imprisoned for preaching the Gospel, they where both taken prisoner and chained inside a cell. After praising the Lord in their dreadful circumstances, God sent an earthquake that rattled their chains free from their wrists, and allowed others to witness the power of the One who freed them and the Message in which they proclaimed. Therefore, can it not also be determined that the Lord could liberate him once again? Once more, that is clear enough. But God had a greater plan in mind.
If Paul would not have experienced imprisonment, most of the New Testament may have never been written, and the great truths of the Gospel would have remained unknown. The Apostle had come to grasp this while being detained for he stated, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advanced the gospel…it has become clear that I am in chains for Christ. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:12-14). Others were immensely affected by Paul’s confinement as well. There was clearly a purpose behind all the madness he endured. It may have seemed unreasonable to them at first; they may have saw it as a lost of talent rotting and wasting away in jail, even saying, “What good could God bring of this?” It is often here that we fail to see the wisdom of God and the purposes of His designs; we must begin to see our lives from His perspective. For He has “worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isaiah 25:1). One way or another, many in Paul’s company were motivated to put their trust in God, thereby causing their faith to grow and in effect provide them with the courage to preach the Message of Truth.
Paul had an enormous impact on many of those his life touched. Our lives may as well also, if we allow God to bring about the same effect on us. That is, if we can come to a place where we can accept entirely what God is doing and has done in our lives; being joyful and contented, trusting that he has a reason for the anguish and disappointments that we often endure. Somehow, if we can accept His work in us, it may become a little easier to go about our lives free from anxiety, tension, and strife. Let us then make every effort to find out and apply this great mystery, this so-called “secret of contentment” (Philippians 4:12). In essence, it is not truly mystifying at all, for the Spirit has made it clear in the Scriptures: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
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“You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you understand my thought from afar.” -Psalm 139:2
September 3, 2023
There will be times when we will sense a disconnection from the presence of the Lord. A state of detachment that will cause us to question all that truly matters to us. We will wonder where God is in our lives, and how we ourselves fit into the great scheme of life. Our dreams and visions of the future may fade before us. How will we endure? What will cause us to continue and carry on?
The Apostle Thomas must have felt this way after the crucifixion of the Lord (John 20:19-29). The expectations he must have had of what lay before him regarding the potential opportunities in the Kingdom of God must have been noble. He walked with the Greatest Man to have ever walked the face of the earth. Now that Man was dead, all hope was lost; death is final and everything that he had to look forward to was buried with Him.
When the Resurrection occurred, all the remaining disciples were ecstatic and could not contain the joy of seeing the Risen One when He visited them when they were alone together in the upper room. Thomas was not present to witness the event, and a cloud of skepticism began to hover over his already depressed and defeated soul as he heard of that which had taken place. How much more excluded could he have felt at the moment? Doubts flooded the very core of his being, causing him to now experience a deeper sense of isolation.
Thomas seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and was not able to restrain the displeasure he felt as his fellow believers conversed about what had just transpired: ‘But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’ (John 20:24-25). Where or to whom could he turn to? He must now face the turbulent storm raging deep within alone; Jesus was nowhere in sight to calm the restlessness he now faced. And now he must endure the delusions and foolish talk of his brethren? What had they been drawn into? How much more desperate could a situation become?
All the same, even if our own disappointments and invariable states of sorrow should cause us to fail to notice something wonderful that the Lord is attempting to accomplish in our lives, they will not cause Him to leave us out of the work that He is actively engaged in. When Thomas was understandably overwhelmed and confused, it was at this point that Jesus appeared to Him and addressed him personally: “After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see my hands; and reach here your hand and put it into my side; and do not be unbelieving but believing” (John 20:25-26). God will single us out with great adoration and empathy, revealing Himself to us in ways we could never expect otherwise, taking the time to meet with us and care for us individually.
Jesus disclosed to a bemused and despairing disciple that He had knowledge of and was also aware of the thoughts of his troubled heart. The Lord attended to his every concern, spoke directly to him with regards to his fears and doubts, and answered every single lingering question, while in the process of increasing his faith. His words began to have meaning and the future no longer appeared bleak. Jesus will also visit us in these rare and defining moments and we will then begin to see Him as Someone in whom we can rely and believe in, saying along with Thomas his own proclamation of faith that Jesus alone is, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28).
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August 20, 2023
“He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.“ -John 11:6
Have you ever felt so alone in your circumstances that you whispered a desperate prayer wondering where God was only to find Heaven silent? Unreciprocated pleas are usually trying; they can cause us to wonder if what the entire bible says about God is true. We may silently murmur to the Lord: “If you are really a God of Love, why don’t you answer me and let me know that you are truly listening? Don’t you see I really need you right now? Doesn’t the Word say, ‘the LORD hears when I call to Him?’, (Psalm 4:3). And that ‘He hears my voice and my supplications?’”, (Psalm 116:1). There are times when we sense such a deep conviction that He will answer our requests instantly due to the urgency of the matter at hand. However, often such is not the case.
Mary and Martha had similar thoughts and expressed their frustrations to Jesus when facing a serious and deadly crisis (John 11). Their brother Lazarus was very ill and in need of immediate medical attention, they saw no one else to turn but the Lord. Their petition was sent to him with great urgency and they concluded that he would return without delay, heal their brother, and everything would then turn out for the best. Still, they found only silence, a sense of abandonment and of being forsaken by the One whom they loved and who loved them dearly as well. Lazarus died, was buried, and their disappointment turned to deep regret and great sorrow. When the Lord finally arrived it appeared that he was too late. Or was he?
What is clear is that Jesus’ intention was not to heal Lazarus but raise him up from the dead. What he wanted from them was a simple trust, a knowing that He had everything under control, was well aware of the situation and what they were feeling and thinking: “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all”, (Psalm 139:1-4). We will experience occasions in our walk with God when we will not see the things that we desire come to pass exactly or as quickly as we wish them too.
We may also feel that the unanswered prayers which lay heavily upon our hearts may never come to a realization. An extended period of time may pass before we see any movement on God’s part. “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going”, (John 3:8). Our Heavenly Father may be in the process of withholding an answer to our prayers in order that we may see another side of Himself and His glory in order to provide something much greater than we can ever expect or hope for since He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think”, (Ephesians 3:20). Our response in times such as these is extremely crucial. Let us not react as the heathen do where with utter pride and contempt they cry out, “Where is the promise of His coming?”, (2 Peter 3:4). Faith and Hope must continually be our companions as we slowly move forward to His place of rest and contentment.
When we feel as if life has us on hold and we do not see a guarantee of a fulfilling future we must continue to remember that “the Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you…and without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him”; ( 2 Peter 3:9; Hebrews 11:6). Mary and Martha both had come to these same conclusions and witnessed one of the greatest events ever recorded in Scripture. Our Father in Heaven has not left us alone to handle our difficulties. He has provided His Spirit to help us along every step of the way. “When He the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth”, (John 16:13). He is listening to you attentively and is waiting for a grand opportunity to “show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…do you believe this?”; (2 Chronicles 16:9; John 11:26).
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