WITH ALL YOUR HEART

A new journey with God can begin with a question, sometimes with just a little word. It happened one morning as I was reading Jeremiah 29:13. For some reason, my mind did  a double-take when I read these words: "You shall seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart." It wasn't like I'd never seen this before. After all, they were underlined in my Bible. But I felt drawn to its simple message in a new way, especially as I looked at one little word. All. What did that word mean in my journey with God?

     At first, the words 'surrender ALL to Jesus' came to mind. Was that the answer. But somehow, it didn't seem enough. It failed to touch me where I was. As I kept looking, I seemed to hear the Spirit say, "Come closer. Dig deeper." And that's where my journey began--a journey that's taken me beyond the casual touch.

     I know there's a ton of things to distract us from this journey. Our schedules are packed and the world keeps pushing in all directions. But no other journey is more worth our time than this one. For "this is eternal life that they may know You, the one true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). The depth of our commitment to God is the single most important factor that prepares us for heaven. Someday, we will follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4). Heaven will be continual communion with Him. So, if we want to follow Him then, we must begin here. 

     

I know that in many hearts, the inquiry arises, Where shall I find Jesus? There are many who want His presence, want His love and His light, but they know not where to look for Him...And yet Jesus does not hide Himself away; no one need search for Him in vain. 'Behold,' He says, 'I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear His voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me' (Revelation 3:20). Jesus invites us to accept His presence. We are to open the door of the heart, and let Him in--Our High Calling, EG White, pg. 55.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, my heart is open. Come inside and live with me today. Teach me to be a seeker of Your heart. In Jesus' precious name, I ask this. Amen.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

PRAYING WITH ALL YOUR HEART

Simple questions can sometimes be the most important questions we ask. Not too long ago at Prayer Meeting, our pastor asked us a very good question. I've not stopped thinking about it ever since. He asked, "What is prayer?"

I once heard a little boy give this definition-- "Prayer is asking God for things." It's like calling 911 when you're in danger. When troubles come, we get on our knees and pray. And there's nothing wrong with that. In Psalm 34, David prayed, "I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (verse 4). "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles" (verse 17). So whatever we're going through, Jesus is there and always ready to be the answer for whatever we're facing.

But great as that is, is that all there is to prayer? Have you ever thought that it might be a way to KNOW God? I have to tell you, until recently, I never thought about prayer like that. For years, I've been like that little boy, thinking prayer was only about asking God for stuff. But this morning, I want to share with you how prayer is much more.

Think about the closest relationships you've ever had. How did that relationship start? If you're like me, it probably began with some kind of pursuit. You wanted to get to know them. Something about that person drew you in. That's what God does for each one of us--He always initiates the relationship. He's the One who woos us with His everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He's the One who fills us with a hunger to know Him. And He doesn't want us to merely know about Him. He wants something much deeper and fuller than any relationship we've ever had.

He wants to know us through prayer. So a good beginning is to ask ourselves, "Why do I want Jesus?" 

Let's start out by exploring a familiar story, the one about the loaves and fishes. You remem-ber that one--when a little boy shared his lunch with Christ on a hill in Galilee. Thousands had been listening to Jesus all morn-ing and everyone was hungry. But there was no food to feed them with--only this boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 small fish. But when Jesus blessed it, the food multiplied in His hands and everyone had enough and to spare.

As the bread was passed from person to person, a crazy momentum began to build. Stronger and stronger the momentum grew-- until everyone thought, “Jesus is the Messiah! The Messiah is with us!” They tried to rush forward and crown Him king, to even use force if they had to. But Jesus knew what was happening. He knew if their plans materialized, it would lead to senseless bloodshed and His mission for us would have been squelched. So Jesus had to stop this mad frenzy. He told His disciples to row to the other side of the lake. He sent the multitudes home. And then, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray. He needed time alone with His Father.

But the news of the miracle spread like wildfire. Multitudes searched for Jesus by land and by sea. They thought He went to Bethsaida so they all went looking for Him there.

But why? Why did they want Jesus? Did they crave to hear His words? Had they burned in their hearts like a fire? Were they drawn by His compassion and love? I'm afraid not. They looked for Jesus like a child looks in the window of a toystore. All they could think was "I want...I want..." Sure they wanted Jesus. They knew if they could attach themselves to Him, they'd have everything they ever dreamed of: health, riches, power--they'd have it all!  But   they didn't really want Jesus--only what He could give them.

In John 6, Jesus nails it on the head. "I tell you, you are looking for Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves" (verse 27, NRS). In other words, "Desire not merely His blessing, but Himself" (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 131). It's okay to ask for God's help when you've lost a loved one. It's perfectly fine to ask for forgiveness. Just don't stop there. God wants to bless us, but He has so much more to give. More than loaves and fishes. More than health or strength. More than stuff and more stuff.

"Seek and you will find. Yield to that drawing. Christ is pleading the cause of the tempted, the erring, and the faithless" (ibid). I fit in that sentence somewhere, don't you? Tempted, making mistakes, falling down, walking away. But Jesus is seeking us anyway! "He is seeking to lift them into companionship with Himself." The Bible re-echoes that theme. "If you seek Him, He will be found by you!" (1 Chronicles 28:9) Isn't that great news? And it says so much about prayer!

Jesus wants to be our Provider, our Healer, and Redeemer. But He wants to give us something that goes beyond those gifts. He wants to give us Himself! I see this so clearly in this verse--"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Can you hear His love poured out in this verse? I hear Him saying, "My child, I know you're hungry, but what you need most is Me. I know you're lonely, but I am here. You need communion with Me, mind to mind and heart to heart."

Our prayers can bring us into that kind of companionship with Jesus, into an intimacy with Him that we've never had before. We may know Christ's presence at every step. We may hear His voice clearly each and every day. We may even hear Him say, "This is the way; walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21).

But prayer is much more than clear-cut guidance. I'm talking about the heart of and soul of prayer. It's very essence is a deep encounter with God. It's coming right into the presence of the Lord. It's entering an atmosphere so heavenly that you can almost hear the flutter of angel's wings. Prayer can be like that if we will take the time to linger and to open our hearts to the One who loves us so.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?

“Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name. I give thanks to thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever” (Psalm 86:11,12).

What would it look like if I was working for Ben Carson today, setting up speaking appointments, organizing fundraising dinners, and promoting his speeches on social media? You’d probably think I was a strong supporter and he was my choice for president. But what would happen if I switched camps the next week? If I was conducting interviews on CNN supporting the positions of Hillary Clinton? Would you know where my loyalties lay? It would be hard to decipher, wouldn’t it? And maybe, it would make you wonder if I was loyal at all.

It would do little good for either side, Republican or Democrat, if I tried to vote for both candidates. When it comes to politics, you have to be on one side or the other. And the same is true with Jesus. We can’t straddle the fence, putting one foot on Christ’s side and keeping one foot in the world. It’s impossible to belong to Him unless we are His entirely. He wants our undivided love, just as our husband or wife does. They want a full commitment to our union together.

And the same is true with Jesus. He can only come in when we give Him an undivided heart. “God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Sin is darkness, and the two cannot exist harmoniously side by side. For one will always be in conflict with the other. “ Which is why Jesus says, “No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

It's One Or The Other!

In the days of Elijah, Israel tried to do both. Through the influence of Jezebel, she bowed the knee to Baal and his worship in the high places. And yet, she had not fully turned her back on the Lord. But for the most part, her feet were planted on the side of Baal. For 3 years, God had withheld the rain, hoping to break the hold that idols had upon His people. Finally, the time had come for a show-down between the Lord and false worship.

Standing upon Mt. Carmel, Elijah called for a test. “Let us offer a sacrifice to our God,’ he said. A bull would be slain and laid upon an altar but no fire would be applied to burn it up. Elijah said, “You call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God” (1 Kings 18:24). The priests were hesitant, but the people agreed to the conditions.

For a whole day, the priests of Baal jumped and danced, yelled at the top of their voices; they even cut themselves. But, Baal did not answer in the silence upon the mountain. Finally, the exhausted priests had to give way to Elijah. It was now his turn to defend the God of Israel.

“Unashamed, unterrified, the prophet stands before the multitude, fully aware of his commission to execute the divine command…In anxious expectancy the people wait for him to speak. Looking first upon the broken-down altar of Jehovah, and then upon the multitude, Elijah cries out in clear, trumpetlike tones, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings 18:21)" (Prophets and Kings, pg. 147).

Not a single one would take their stand for God. A dark cloud of deception held them captive and closed their mouths. How had it come to this? It didn’t happen overnight. Very gradually, Israel hardened their hearts. When God sent messages of warning, they resisted the voice of the Spirit, who called them to return and repent. Every time they chose their own way, their guilt grew stronger and they wandered farther afield from God. So when Elijah called for them to make a decision one way or the other, they seemed powerless to move forward. They answered him not a word.

Israel had no idea whose side she was on. She thought she was on God’s side, but she had chosen another Leader. She didn’t realize that by not choosing the kingdom of God over the kingdom of Baal, she was inevitably choosing to be on Baal’s side. The same is true today. I don’t have to intentionally decide to follow the ways of the world in order to be in the kingdom of darkness. As long as I neglect to choose Christ, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, my life will be controlled by the devil.

“We must invariably be under the control of the one or the other of the 2 great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world” (Desire of Ages, pg. 324). If I neglect to make God first in my life, “Satan will take possession of the heart, and make it his abiding place…Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan, but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome” (ibid).

I must know Jesus on a personal level every single day. I must be in constant connection with Him through prayer and through the study of His Word. And that connection will only be as good as I'm surrendering myself to Christ by following His Word. I must give Him every square inch of myself in order to be His and His alone. So I'm praying, like David, to learn to walk in the ways of the Lord. But at the heart of that prayer is my decision to give God my undivided heart. “Take my life and let me be consecrated Lord to Thee!” Full consecration is my earnest plea.

REVIVE US AGAIN

"Will You not revive us again that Your people may rejoice in You?" (Psalm 85:6)

You can't read through the Psalms without hearing God's call to return to the Lord and be revived through His Word. Lately, as I've read this precious book, I've heard that invitation over and over again. And I've discovered that revival permeates the Psalms and even the Old Testament. The word itself is used 27 times in the Bible, but only once in the New Testament.

Paul describes how sin 'revived' in our lives; that is, it pointed out the filthy condition of our hearts, as we've examined ourselves in light of God's Law (Romans 7:9). But in the Psalms, revival is reserved for experiencing new life in Christ and walking in His ways.

In Psalm 80, we pray for revival so we may call upon the name of the Lord (vs. 18). In the longest psalm, we plead for God to revive us according to His Word (Psalm 119:25, 107, 154). We need it so we can turn from worthless things and be revived in following Jesus (vs. 37).

A similar word to revival or being revived is the word 'restore.' In Psalm 60, King David prayed for God to "restore us again" (vs. 1). It's almost a parallel prayer to Psalm 85:6--"Will You not revive us again?"

Why would David and the other psalmists pray this prayer? I believe it's because salvation depends on a restored or right relationship with God. We are helpless and hopeless without Him. We are dead through the unceasing cycle of falling, sinning, and running from the Lord (Ephesians 2:1). We end up being blind to our greatest need, thinking everything is okay. We may say, "I'm a good person. I'm a child of God." But are we? Are we really? Through the deceitfulness of sin, we may not realize how far we've wandered from our Father's house.

One of my favorite Christian authors put it this way--"The Lord has not closed heaven to us, but our own course of continual backsliding has separated us from God. Pride, covetous-ness, and love of the world have lived in the heart without fear of banishment or condemna-tion. Grievous and presumptuous sins have dwelt among us. And yet the general opinion is that the church is flourishing, and that peace and spiritual prosperity are in all her borders. The church has turned back from following Christ, her leader, and is steadily retreating toward Egypt. Yet few are alarmed or astonished at their want of spiritual power. Doubt and even unbelief of the testimonies of the Spirit of God is leavening our churches everywhere” (Christian Service, pg. 39).

Those are hard words to swallow, aren't they? And we might be tempted to shake our heads, thinking I'm not included in this diagnosis. I'm not a Christian like that! But only God can open our eyes so we can see what God sees. And only God has the remedy for this blindness, in seeing our heart's true condition. And salvation depends on knowing the true state of our heart. Without this knowledge, we're in the greatest spiritual danger, for sins unacknowledged become sins unrepented of. They become cherished sins that silence the voice of God in our souls.

But "the closer you come to Christ, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. This is evidence that Satan’s delusions have lost their power; that the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God is arousing you.

No deep-seated love for Jesus can dwell in the heart that does not realize its own sinfulness. The soul that is transformed by the grace of Christ will admire His divine character; but if we do not see our own moral deformity, it is unmistakable evidence that we have not had a view of the beauty and excellence of Christ” (Steps to Christ, pp. 64-65).

Jesus points out our sins that we may cry out for a Savior. He reveals our impurity that we might crave His cleansing power. “A view of our sinfulness drives us to Him who can pardon” (ibid). And when we reach out to Christ, He will reveal Himself to us as our Redeemer and Deliverer. He will unlock the shackles of our sins and give us new hearts, so we will be born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13).

Victory will no longer be beyond our reach. We shall know by experience that MY God is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24). We will know firsthand that the gospel is the power of God in our lives. For Jesus is formed within us, the hope and reality of the gospel.

Nothing will shut our lips or keep us sitting in the pew when this is our experience. We will want nothing more than to be God’s witness—in our home, our neighborhood and everywhere else we go. We will want to tell the world what a wonderful Savior we have! We will want to be His demonstration of a loving and faithful Christian, who lives by God’s Word—even His Law and commandments. We will want our lives to testify that “I no longer live but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Christ will do all this and much more when we seek Him with the whole heart. “A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work” (Christian Service, pg. 41). May we pray along with David that God will revive His people so we may rejoice in the Lord and in His saving grace.

How to Treasure God's Word

The biggest difference in my life began when I opened the Bible for the first time. As I read the gospel of Matthew, I came face to face with a Savior I didn't know. And as I read, Jesus filled a gaping hole in my life--replacing emptiness with peace and giving me a joy I didn't think possible! 

I became like a sponge, soaking up all I could of God's wonderful Word, carrying my Bible with me wherever I went. Every available moment I spent with Jesus. I just couldn't get enough of Him--His words, His miracles, His promises. I had to know Him and His wonderful will for my life!

I felt like the man in the parable who found treasure in a field. "And for joy over it he goes and sells all he has and buys that field" (Matthew 13:44). His family and friends must have thought he was crazy as they saw him selling off everything he owned. But he knew what he found. And the treasure was worth far more than anything and everything that he had.

I see this parable as holding the key to how I can experience an intimate walk with Jesus. To be one with Him just as Jesus was one with the Father. To live as He lived--with such faith and love and faithfulness to God. This parable holds the key. For Jesus is the priceless treasure that is worth seeking for. So my first step is to earnestly search for Him with all my heart as I read the Bible from cover to cover. For every page holds a revelation of my Savior and the hidden treasure He longs to put in my hands.

But I've discovered that merely reading the Bible won't help me uncover that treasure. I must open it with a hungry heart--with a deeper sense of my need for God and to follow Him with all my heart. Without that hunger, the words of Jesus will be merely words on a page that I never experience for myself. And when you hunger for God, you want that kind of knowledge, a knowledge that saves and changes you into the image of Jesus. To reflect His love and righteousness, His truth and mercy, His obedience and faithfulness.

A large part of soul hunger is to have faith in the Word I am searching--a faith that reaches beyond a mere belief that Jesus is God and the Bible is true. "Faith in Christ as the world's Redeemer calls for a heart that can discern and appreciate the heavenly treasure. This faith is inseparable from repentance and transformation of character. To have [this] faith means to find and accept the gospel treasure, with all the obligations which it imposes" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 112).

This is the big difference why sometimes we open the Bible and get nothing out of it or other times why it radically changes our whole life. When I open the Bible with humility-laying aside my ideas and listening only to God, He can speak to me. When I give myself fully to the Lord in heart surrender, there will be no roadblocks between God and me. Instead, He'll find an open doorway where He can enter in with the gospel treasure and all the riches of His grace. That's why my attitude is so vital in seeing and treasuring the riches in Scripture.

And I think that's why Jesus said to Nicodemus, "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). He can't perceive the love of Jesus, the joy found in obedience, or the peace that's found in walking in His will. "Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14, NRS). "He may conjecture and imagine, but without the eye of faith, he cannot see the treasure" (ibid). He might pick up some knowledge along the way. But it won't be saving knowledge unless he feels his emptiness and knows it can only be filled by knowing God. 

So if I fight against the Spirit of God, wanting to do my own thing or hold onto my own ideas, I'm shutting my eyes to the light of God's Word. And I won't be able to see what delights Jesus has in store for me. My disobedience will close the door to "a vast amount of knowledge that might have been gained from the Scriptures" (ibid). True understanding can only come when I'm humbly seeking to know God and to know His way that I may obey it.

So in my journey with Jesus Christ, I am praying each day for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit so He can open my eyes and my heart to the treasures in His Word. "Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your Law!" (Psalm 119:18)

WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP?

"It is often said that Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 'Relationship' has many meanings. So we must ask what KIND of relationship we have. Some people ignore Jesus. Some are afraid and some are angry. These are defective relationships."

The Bible describes a healthy relationship with Jesus in many ways. When I first came to know Jesus, I was delighted that I could have a warm relationship with God as my Father. I loved how the J.B. Phillips translation put it, "Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God”—and that is not just what we are called, but what we are" (1 John 3:1). I found such amazing love in knowing I was a daughter of God and especially that His love was always there. Even when I messed up, He loved me. This family relationship was just what I needed to want to know Him more.

I later discovered that Jesus could be my best friend. He was someone I could spend time with and confide in, with no fear of ridicule or rejection. I could tell Him anything and He was always interested. He cared about every little or big part of my life. He would be my forever friend who would "never leave me or forsake me" (Hebrews 13:5). He has been always there for me--in good days and bad, in sickness and health. He is someone I can always rely on because He is the best friend I could ever have!

But being a friend of Jesus is more than being a friend with my next door neighbor or someone I've grown close to at church. Jesus explains it this way, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:14). That's not usually what we think of when we think of friends. But if I look at it through God's perspective, I can see it. God connects friendship with loyalty, just as we do (don't we all want a true-blue friend?). I think this verse also shows that He's looking for a relationship with us that demonstrates perfect trust. If we have total confidence in God, knowing He wants only the best for us and loves us to the nth degree, we will do what He says. We'll follow wherever He leads, because He's our trustworthy Friend.

But there's another side to our relationship with God that figures in here. God has become my Saving Lord! He came to my rescue when my life was out of control. He knew I was headed for destruction, so He came to this earth to die in my place, to pay the price that my sins deserved. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13, NRS). No one has ever loved me that much--to give themselves so completely and selflessly. Most have strings attached to their love. "I'll love you IF..." is what they almost say. But not Jesus. His love on Calvary's cross says it all. "God proves His love for us in that while we were STILL sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

When I accepted that incredible love, it broke my heart! And it changed it in a dramatic way. It delivered me from the sins that had kept me in chains. And it set me free, so I could follow Jesus wherever He went. Our relationship was now in terms of Savior and Delivered prisoner.

But it instantly moved beyond that--all because of His love. Jesus became the One who led. I was no longer running my own life. I didn't want to anymore. I know where my sinful heart leads me--and I am tired of being riddled with guilt and despair. I want the full, abundant life that Jesus gives. So I moved into a relationship with Him where He is my Lord. My Saving Lord (or Lord and Savior as the Bible says).

And that brings me full circle back to being His friend--His devoted and delivered friend, who wants nothing more than to be like Jesus and to do whatever He wants of me. As Jesus says, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."

I know there's so many more facets to a healthy relationship with Him. But I think these are some of the big ones. The saving ones. When my relationship with Jesus is like this, it will move into other saving facets--I will work along side Him in helping others to know Him. I'll worship Him as my Creator and Redeemer. I'll pour out my love in loving obedience and devoted service--not to earn His approval or any reward. Just because I love Him so much and I certainly want to follow in His footsteps--to love as He loved me.

FAITH STRENGTHENED THEIR HEARTS

"Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16).

During the lifetime of Joseph, the children of Israel prospered in Egypt. "On account of the service that Joseph had rendered the Egyptian nation, they were not only granted a part of the country as a home, but were exempted from taxation, and liberally supplied with food during the continuance of the famine" (Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 241).

But all prosperity ended when a new king came to power who "knew not Joseph." The Egyptians "set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens" (Exodus 1:11). But "the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew" (Exodus 1:12). And when Pharoah commanded the midwives to slay the Hebrews' baby boys, "the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the children alive" (Exodus 1:17).

So the king commanded the entire nation to kill their infant sons. But when Amram and Jochebed gave birth to a baby boy, they refused to let the king destroy him. At first, they hid their baby at home. But when he was too big, they knew they had to do something more. So they make a little boat from rushes and hid him among the flags of the river.

As I read the first 2 chapters of Exodus, repeatedly I saw God protecting His people from the oppression and persecution of evil men. Whenever Satan plotted their destruction, the Lord intervened for their deliverance. When in faith, God's people looked up, He was there. Faith in Him was their shield, quenching the darts of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16). "Faith in God strengthened their hearts" (Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 243).

Later in the story, as Moses grew, it was also by faith that he turned his back on Egypt, "not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27). In spite of dire circumstances, Moses saw God--not physically or face to face--but with spiritual eyesight that saw Him through His covenant promises. As Abraham did before him, he "waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (Hebrews 11:10).

Faith enables us to hold onto hope, knowing God is present, knowing He is trustworthy, and He is in control. What He says, He will do and His word cannot fail. One of His most precious promises says, "So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

I cannot see what lies before me or all the ways God is working His purposes out. But I know He is. My faith waits for His timing because it sees Him who is invisible, upholding me and working out His perfect will.

"God is working His purposes out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working His purposes out
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea."
(Arthur C. Ainger)

THE LIFTER OF MY HEAD

Lately, I've been reading through the Psalms for my Quiet Time with Jesus. They are my favorite place to turn whenever my temptations seem overwhelming or I've been stressed out with life's problems. This morning, though, the stress has rolled away and I find myself singing. 

It's so cool when I'm reading the Bible and find a Scripture song I've known for a long time. This was one of those times. In Psalm 3, David is praying, "Many are they who say to me, 'There is no help for him in God.' But You, Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head" (Psalm 3:2-3). 

When I went to Christian college, I first learned about Scripture songs and this was one of my favorites--

"My glory and the lifter of my head, my glory and the lifter of my head.
For You, Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the lifter of my head. 
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, I cried unto the Lord with my voice.
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill."

King David sang this song when he was fleeing from his son Absalom (who was coming with an army to take over the kingdom). I can hardly imagine how low David must have felt--to have his son turn on him like that! II Samuel 15 says that as he left Jerusalem, David climbed up the Mount of Olives, and he covered his head, and wept. He bowed his head in weeping and crying and grief. That's usually what we do when we're going through tough times--our heads are brought low and bowed down.

But when God is the Lifter of your head, He delivers you from your time of trouble. Your focus is no longer on the trial or temptation you've been going through but upon God's healing love. And He helps you to look up again--to see beyond your tears or the darkness. You're no longer in misery or pain because God has lifted up your head.

Years ago, Charles Spurgeon said to his congregation:

“Some of you have tried to find refuge out[side] of God. You have sought to find it in your wealth, but you have pricked your head when you have laid it on that pillow. You have sought it with a friend, but that friend’s arm has been a broken reed, where you hoped it would be a wall of strength. You will never find rest except in God; there is no refuge but in Him.” (“The Glorious Habitation”, Vol. II, p.8)

God may use people to help us out of our problems. But ultimately, they are not the answer. God is. And Spurgeon was saying the same thing that David did in Psalm 3--make GOD your refuge; turn to Him for help and salvation. HE will be the One who will deliver you from your situation, whatever it is. HE must be “the lifter of (your) head.

This morning, Jesus made it so clear to me--When I cry unto the Lord with my voice, as David did, even if tears are rolling down my cheeks, Jesus will hear me. And He will come to lift me up so I can rejoice and sing this song. I'm gonna be singing all day long!

THORNS AND GRACE

"Behold a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed,  some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and scorched them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop--some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 13:3-9).

Because it's spring, I'm reading and studying the gardening parables of Jesus. This morning I was reading about the different soils where the farmer sowed his seed. The one about the "thorns really spoke to my heart. In Christ's Object Lessons, I read, "thorns of sin will grow in any soil...but grace must be carefully cultivated" (pg. 50).

I see this all too well in my garden. Even though the soil is just waking up, already I've found weeds growing! Last fall I laid down some cardboard where I wanted to lay some new brick paths this year. You would have thought after no light and wintry temperatures, nothing would be growing under there. But unfortunately for me, sitting green and thriving under that soggy cardboard was my gardening arch-nemesis--Creeping Charlie! Nothing kills that weed! It can grow anywhere!

But my flowers and veggies are more like grace. They need proper nutrients as well as light and water in order to thrive. And the same holds true with God's grace. If I want those heavenly qualities like faith, patience, and courage to grow in my life, I must give them the right conditions to grow. I must prepare my soil. That's one of the 1st lessons a gardener needs to know--whether you're growing geraniums or tomatoes--you won't get much out of the garden if you don't put anything in.

So I need to follow the same routine when it comes to growing in grace. Soil preparation is a must. So every morning, I prepare my heart by spending much time in the light (soaking up heavenly truths from God's Word). Weeds won't get so easy a foothold if I'm absorbing the light of truth and drinking in Christ's living water.

"Sow the seed under the right conditions, and it will develop its own life in the plant. Receive into the soul by faith the incorruptible seed of the Word, and it will bring forth a character and a life [patterned after]...the character and the life of God" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 38).

Why will reading the Bible make such a difference? Because the words of God, like the seeds I hold in my hand, have the germ of life inside. When I come to God's Word with a willing heart, I've set up the perfect condition to receive the very life and character of Jesus! It's so amazing, it just boggles my mind. But as Jesus said, His words aren't merely words on a page. They are spirit and they are life (John 6:63). And that life is His very own!

YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES INDEED

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!" (John 8:31-32)

I certainly want to be counted as one of Christ's disciples--someone who follows Jesus and is learning to be just like Him. As I was reviewing my memory verses this morning, this one really spoke to me. Especially the part on abiding in Christ's word...it sounds like more than just knowing what it says.

When Jesus talks about abiding in the New Testament, it has more to do with staying connected or continuing as a living branch is connected to a vine, or living with someone in a house. It's a continual experience, where the Word comes deep within me, effecting all I am. In this verse, it's what enables me to know God's truth in an intimate way, enough so I will be set free from sin, so I can have victory in Jesus! Every day. Every moment of the day.

I believe that's only possible as I drink in His Word, believe in its power to save, and to live by it--by connecting my life with Christ's. And knowing the truth is both understanding and obeying what God says, because truth is the revelation of My Father's mind and heart. Something I truly want for myself. As Paul says, "We have the mind of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2:16). Isn't that an incredible verse? And to think it can be an reality in your life and mine--as we abide in Christ's Word and live by the power of the Holy Spirit!

WE HAVE THIS TREASURE

This time of year, my mind turns towards the awesome privilege that Mary had in being the mother of Jesus. What thoughts must have run through her head in thinking, I am carrying God in my womb! What awe and reverence must have filled her--To be singled out for such a glorious mission!

And yet, the greatest wonder is not so much that Mary should become the mother of God--but how it would happen. For the Holy Spirit would come upon her and envelop her with divine power--so she could carry her Lord--God Himself-- within her own body. She certainly held "this [divine] treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God" (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Divinity merged with her humanity to bring forth Jesus! God's power enveloped a humble girl to bring salvation to this world of sin! It truly boggles my mind the more I think of it! What an awesome privilege Mary had!

And yet, you and I may share that same privilege--we too may have God's treasure in our earthen vessel. "For it is the GOD who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Just think of it! The same God who created this world out of nothing, who was born of the virgin Mary, has come to us--to give us light from heaven through the presence of Jesus. And when we invite Him to come into our lives--to give us a new heart through the power of the Holy Spirit--we too may have a divine treasure in our earthen vessel! We too may carry 'God with us'--for He lives in us--and abides in us--and shines out through us. What an awesome privilege we have--in being a vessel for Jesus to be seen!

And just like Mary of Nazareth, "we have this treasure in [our] earthen vessel, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." The glory belongs to God, not to me or to you. For just as Mary could not conceive a baby on her own--and certainly could not conceive the promised Messiah--neither can we turn our own lives around. We can't conceive new life in our hearts. But when we're willing as Mary was willing--to be an earthen vessel for the Lord, Jesus will be born in us and we will be a new creation--for the honor and glory of His name!

DRESSED FOR THE WEDDING

"Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous." 1 John 3:7.

As I'm thinking of my wedding today, I've been reading about a story that Jesus once told. It was a royal wedding and guests from far and near had been invited. Everyone was dressed for the occasion--the bride and the groom were in their new wedding clothes. All their attendants were dressed beautifully. But so were the invited guests. As they entered the king's palace for the festive occasion, they were given a wedding robe to put on. Coming from the king, it must have been an elegant garment. 

When we accept Jesus into our lives, He gives us a wedding garment as well. The Bible calls it a robe of righteousness. "For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10). "By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will possess. To the church it is given “that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,” “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” Revelation 19:8; Ephesians 5:27. The fine linen, says the Scripture, “is the righteousness of saints.” Revelation 19:8. It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 310).

Jesus clothes us with His spotless life. The merits of His righteousness stands in place of our own. Our sins are washed away. And our righteousness, which is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), is replaced with the royal robe. This beautiful garment has no human threads; it is all from Jesus. For only the robe that Christ provides can make it possible for us to stand, washed and clean, before the presence of our Father's glory with unspeakable joy (Jude 24). 

But this robe is more than just a robe of cleansing. It is the robe that all will wear who have experienced the life-changing miracle of the new birth. For when we put on this robe, we are really putting on Christ. His character has become our own. "Old things have passed away; behold all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17. That is certainly true when you are married, and when we are born again, we are married to Jesus, the greatest Love you can ever know!

So what does it mean to put on Christ? (For as Paul says, "As many of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:27). Putting on Jesus means receiving His righteousness. We receive His righteousness because we are forgiven and cleansed. But at the same time, we experience new life through Him. And this life empowers us to live like Jesus--to be as loyal to the Father as Christ was to God.

I love how it is explained in my book on Christ's parables, "When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment of His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 311).

What a beautiful picture of conversion! This is what the new birth is all about! And like my marriage to my sweetheart, it's not merely a one day event. Love is meant to be experienced every single day. The commitment, once made, on the wedding day, should be lived out in our lives "from this day forward." So, in a sense, the wedding garment must never be taken off. It is a testimony that we continue to be in love with Jesus, filled with His Spirit, and overflowing with faithfulness to God. It is only as we demonstrate love that love can flourish in our lives. For as John the beloved says, "He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous." 1 John 3:7. 

Our righteousness is only experienced through the presence of Jesus in our lives. And it's also defined by the righteousness we see in His life. I might make the mistake of saying, "This is the right way to go or the right way to live." But that would be holding onto my own righteousness, like the man in the parable who refused to put on the King's wedding garment. But true righteousness is seen only through the life of my Lord and Savior.

The Father also gives me His robe of righteousness so that He's not the only one who will see the character of Jesus in place of my rags. He wants the whole world to know that I belong to Jesus and He belongs to me. And as I follow Jesus, obeying His word and walking as He walked (1 John 2:6), everyone will know that I have been to the wedding with Jesus. And I am His chosen bride. He is my Beloved and I am His!