Luke 8:22-25 – “Now it came about on one of those days, that He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. 23 But as they were sailing along, He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended upon the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24 And they came to Him and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm. 25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”  NASB

Jesus’ question in verse 25 is important and interesting.  He asked, “Where is your faith?”  This was not a question of existence of faith as much as it was the location of faith .  It was a matter of trust. Jesus had said, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”  That alone should have been sufficient as it revealed the desire of the Master.  Their faith was challenged when the the elements, natural elements, impeded their progress. 

The disciples woke Jesus up and said, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”  Jesus awakened and took immediate action calming the storm.  Then He turned to them and said, “Where is your faith?”  His question was both location and existence.  His inference was that their faith was in what they could see more than what He had said. It was also a question of the existence of faith. 

Where is it was His question. He spoke in light of the fact that had it been with Him and had faith been present in them, they could and should have spoken to the winds and waves and not been fearful of dying?  Where, in the sense of what they were focused on. His question caused them to look in the mirror of their hearts and ask, “What do we trust the most, what we can see or what He has said?” 

 We all encounter situations in life where the question could and should be asked, “Where is your faith?”  Where in the sense of location and where in the sense of existence.  I am reminded of the words of the wise man in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “He that watches the wind will not sow and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.”  If we allow what we see and hear become a more powerful determiner in our lives than what God says, we will be as the disciples, fearful of life and filled with doubt.  We will need the Savior to rescue us.

Rescue is not the demonstration of the Kingdom of God nor what Jesus has commissioned and authorized for us.  He has authority over all the power of the enemy and has given us His authority.  His finished work on the Cross totally defeated the devil and triumphed over him.  We are seated with Jesus in the heavenly places.  We have been given the Power of the Holy Spirit to pull down strongholds, bind the strongman, and loose the dynamics of the Kingdom in this world.  Therefore, the appropriate question for each of us to ask is, “Where is Our Faith?”

Jesus came and operated as man empowered by the Holy Spirit.  If He did all He did as God, then I am impressed but do not feel the compulsion or commission to emulate Him.  If He did what He did as man anointed with the Holy Spirit and our example, then what He did I am to do.  We dare not forget the words of our LORD in John 14:12-18 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. 13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you.” NASB

Therefore, I ask, “Where Is Your Faith?”  I also urge me and you to commit ourselves to seek Him first and foremost.  I ask, “If Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever and if the Word of God always accomplishes that which He sends it to do, Why Not Now? Why Not Us?”

Lord, help us to place our faith in You and Your Words not what we see, feel, think, or experience in the natural if those things are contradictory to what You have said.  Let our Faith by in You and Your Promises.

God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him!

Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life-in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”  NIV

Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” NKJV

I truly believe that we should examine everything with due diligence and verify doctrines with the Word of God.  I also believe there is a place for willing obedience to those in authority in the Church.  I love what the apostle Paul had to say in 1 Corinthians 11:1 – “…follow me AS I follow Christ.”  In the earlier portion of the text chapter, Paul tells the hearers to have the same mind as the Lord Jesus walking in obedience.

We are taught in Scripture that we are “living stones” placed in God’s building by the wise master builders that God has selected to oversee our spiritual walk.  In the natural, a stone is placed where the mason desires as prescribed by the architect but in living stones, we tend to resist, argue, push back, and let our egos override our obedience.  We sometimes think of ourselves more highly than we ought at any particular time.

James 4:10 informs us that if we humble ourselves before God, He will exalt us.  When?  In His time!  Attitude is a problem in society and the spiritual realm.  Our attitude determines our altitude and our altitude determines our aptitude.  If we truly love the Lord, we should be content to bloom where He plants us and remain there until He transplants us.  If our assignment is cleaning the toilets, shoveling out the stables, sweeping the floors then let us be the best we can be at that task.  If our assignment is standing before people, then let us do that with humility and allow the Holy Spirit to live and speak through us. No matter our assignment we should pursue it without complaint and argument. 

I am not suggesting that you mindlessly obey human authority but that you allow the Holy Spirit to hone and develop you in His time and in His way.  Iron sharpens iron and few of us like being sharpened for it is sometimes painful and hard on our egos.  Paul, a mighty apostle of God could honestly declare that he was content wherever God placed him and in whatever condition he found himself.  Why?  Because his inner peace, contentment, and significance did not come from external recognition or position it came from a relationship with the Lord Himself.  It came through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

When God determines it is time to promote you, He will, and you will find success.  If you force doors open you will find discontent, dissatisfaction, and disappointment.  Let your attitude be one of obedience and I am convinced God will open the doors to your dreams in due time!   

God bless you as you go through this wonderful day!

1 Corinthians 4:7 – “For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  NASB

This is not a political post but a devotional and hopefully it will be inspirational.  I had a man tell me a few years ago, “I am a self-made man.”  I responded, “Satisfied with second best, right?”  He was perplexed and became a bit agitated at my question and said, “Everything I have I have produced myself and earned.”  I said, “Still second best.” 

Before he could go over the edge and lose his cool even farther, I quoted the text verse and said, “Truthfully, as James 1:17 declares, “Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.” I continued my discussion and said, “If you are self-made that is not the best.  If you are God-made that is the best, so which would you prefer?”  After he reflected on that a moment, he said, “God-made.” 

I appreciate ingenuity, creativity, enterprise, and energy in the pursuit of the goals of life.  I appreciate a person that is a doer, not just a talker or hearer.  I appreciate the willingness to dare to fail rather than failing to dare.  However, if I am to be all I can be in life and the Kingdom of God, I must recognize the source of my strength, gifts, talents, and abilities.  It is God! 

God owns everything including you and me.  I love the words of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”  The Promises of God are incredible and filled with hope. 

Jesus warned that we could not serve two masters and let me expand that to include self.  If we believe we are who we are solely by our own efforts, we are serving the wrong master and shortchanging ourselves.  The gifts and talents God has bestowed upon us are for service rather than personal benefit.  They do benefit us but that is not their purpose.  Peter said, in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

I love the reminder of Jesus in Luke 6:38, “Give and it (what you give) will be given to you.  Good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  We are to be salt and light in this world.  Therefore, why not brighten up the corner, room, or place we are and impact our world for God and good?  Why not?  Why not?  Why not?  That is not a question but a prayer that from this day forward we realize that who and what we are is the result of His blessings and grace, not our own ability.

It is in Him that we live and move and have being. (Acts 17:28).  It is ‘in Him’, ‘by Him’, and ‘through Him’ that we are able to do what He desires and what is required.  I pray that the peace of God that surpasses human understanding will flood your hearts and fill your minds with His comfort and confidence.

Let your light shine and testify, “I am what I am by the Grace of God!”  God bless you as you enjoy this day in Him!

Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God…”  NKJV

In taking only a portion of a verse I am always concerned with missing the context but in this case, I believe it appropriate to do what I have done.  Read the verse with me and notice it speaks of the “beginning” or the starting point or origination and then it offers the most captivating thought one could encounter, GOD.  In the beginning God.  That leaps off the page when I read it for it speaks of the “IS”-ness” of God.  God IS not simply Was or Will Be but HE IS! 

Have you considered how many times the Bible says, “God is” and then conveys a truth that is life-changing?  I will not attempt to exhaust the references, but they are numerous, but could we consider some of them in hopes of building your faith and confidence in Him.

GOD IS TRUTH…

He is present truth not simply past truth or future truth but Present Truth.  Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life…”  Numbers 23:19 declares, “God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent (change His mind).  Has He not said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  He is Truth and we know from John 8:32 that Truth liberates and makes free.  That freedom is Salvation and the New Birth.  The “IS”-ness” of God inspires our hearts and gives us a complete contrast to the devil whom Jesus said in John 8:44, is a liar, the father of lies, and the truth is not in him.  It is in the “IS”-NESS of GOD that we find the freedom and revelation of Truth! 

GOD IS LOVE…

He is now Love not simply God has love, but He IS Love!  That is the “isness” of God coming to light again.  In 1 John 4 there are numerous references to this truth as John declares GOD Is Love!  The apostle Paul highlighted a truth that should encourage our hearts in Hebrews 13:8 declaring that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Taking from that revelation we can anchor in our hearts the reality that God was love in the past, will be love in the future, and is love in the present.  Then when we view the extent of that love in John 3:16 we should be brought to our knees in humble adoration, appreciation, and awe.  God loved us enough that Jesus would die on the Cross for our sin.  God’s Love is found in His “IS”-NESS.

GOD IS LIGHT…

When darkness covered the world, God spoke and called forth light for that is what He is, and light dispels darkness.  1 John 1:5 tells us that, “…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”  He is completely devoid of darkness and light is more than truth it is a revelation and affords guidance.  The Psalmist declared in 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Jesus, the Bible declares in John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

God is the truth, love, light, life, and the whole of the IS-NESS of GOD can be found in God’s declaration to Moses at the burning bush when Moses insisted on knowing God’s name.  God declared in Exodus 3:14, “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.'”   I “AM” not simply was or will be but I AM.  The “IS”-NESS of God declares to us the Now Reality of Who God is, what God does, and what God has for His children.

He is love.  He is power.  He is truth.  He is light.  He is life.  He is a consuming fire.  He is mercy.  He is longsuffering.  He is THE LIVING GOD!  Some want to declare in the thinking of the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche that “God is dead” but I’m here to declare that God’s not Dead! No, No, No HE IS ALIVE, so rejoice, in the “IS”-NESS of GOD!  I encourage you to grasp the “IS”-NESS of God and as you discover the powerful revelations of His word and experience the awesomeness of His person you will find a new boldness and confidence in the face of the world’s darkness.

God bless you as you go through this wonderful day in Him!

Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” NKJV

The event that prompted this devotional article was in a store some time back. I had the misfortune of being behind a young woman, in the check-out line, that had a brat in tow.  That child was not only demonstrating incredible unruliness but disrespect to a level that caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up, but I held my tongue.  The mother was clearly distraught and struggling with the cost of what she had in her basket.  I know that from her appearance, and what she said to the child. 

The child was demanding several items that she had not put in the basket and she calmly tried to explain that it was not something that they could afford at this time and since it was near time to have lunch he could have no candy.  He threw a fit and said, “You b**** you are just no good.”  My face turned red in indignation (righteous or not).  I had to restrain myself from speaking but I did and prayed silently for the mother and the child.  She had tears well up in her eyes but did not move with anger toward the child.  Her approach was to attempt to ignore his ranting which was becoming noticed by people in our line and several lines over and I could tell others were having the same reaction as I.

I will confess that if that had been me with one of mine when we have rushed out of the store, if we made it that far, and he would have experienced the board of correction on his backside.  Criticize me if you desire and think less of me if you will but I believe that there is a time for corporal punishment and that was one of those.  I cannot imagine saying anything like that to either of my parents.  It would not have been tolerated and I had enough respect for them to never go there.  Oh, there were times they made me angry and I totally disagreed with them but I never failed to “honor them” and “respect them” even if there were times when out of their sight I did not “obey them.”

My maternal grandfather lived to be almost 101, and one of the things he instilled in me from the earliest memories of him was, you “respected” and “honored” your parents.  My parents taught me the same thing.  I have and have had visible examples of people fulfilling this commandment and longevity.  I believe that one of the rewards to be enjoyed is a long life.  No, I am not saying that those who die early did not honor their parents but incorporated in that blessing is the hope of longevity! 

I realize that some have had parents that are completely dishonorable yet still gave them honor as the parent.  I am not suggesting that you blindly obey whatever is said by a person of that ilk, but you can give them honor without allowing them to negatively shape your life.  But to call your mother a “B****” is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! That mother and child both need help.  The child needs someone to get his attention and explain right and wrong and the mother needs guidance in giving “tough love” and “discipline” to that unruly child.  If she and her husband fail to do so that child is being abused in a way that is even worse than some physical abuse and I do not condone or tolerate that.

Children – Honor your father and mother.  Parents –Teach your children discipline.  Family –help the younger parents be able to provide consistent, godly, discipline and in so doing you are LOVING THE CHILD more than you will possibly ever know.

May God be with you as you go through your day!

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 – “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?” NKJV

I do not desire to offend, but many if not most of us have known, been a part of, or encountered Christian groups who truly believe they are the “Select of the Elect”. If you do not align your beliefs with theirs they deem you either not saved or 2nd class citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Too often, groups will put particular identifiers in their declaration of who they are.  We call ourselves “full gospel” as though we had a corner on the gospel and as mere mortals could somehow capture the fullness of the gospel.  We call ourselves “holiness” and if I am not mistaken, the Bible calls for everyone to “Be Holy for He is Holy”.  We call ourselves “Missionary, Primitive, Southern, Reformed, etc.” or some other descriptor in our name as a badge of honor.  We call ourselves “The Church of…” whatever as though we are the ONLY ones who are.  I realize that I’m treading on thin ice now but consider what Paul said to the Church at Corinth on this matter.

Paul told the listeners that he could not come to them with a spiritual diet because of their carnality. He went on to inform them that their carnality was directly connected to sectarianism.  Our divisions, fighting over petty doctrines of men causes more harm than good in the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God is not meat or drink and God shows no partiality nor does He have favorites.  The strife and divisions where one says, “I’m Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Charismatic, Holiness, Pentecostal, etc.” usually provide more basis for division than unity in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

I fully believe that on matters essential to salvation and the reality of God the Bible is clear.  On many of the dividing matters, we tend to fight over and divide over are significantly unimportant to the overall objective of the Kingdom of God.  I am sure some will disagree.  For the most part, the identifiers in our names are to attract those who agree with us more than they are designed to advance the Kingdom of God and reach the world.

We are to be the Body of Christ not isolated unrelated parts.  Can you imagine a human body trying to function where the feet said to the hands, “If you want that glass of water, then you find a way to the table…”  Imagine the heart saying to the lungs, “If you want blood pump it yourself…” or vice versa the lungs telling the heart, “If you want oxygen learn to breathe…”  NO!  Each member of the human body is dependent upon and works in harmony with the other members of the body.  All the members do not look the same, they do not function the same, they do not have the same individual objectives and if they could express ideology as to what is most important I am quite sure they would give us very differing opinions.

We must stand against the wiles of the devil. The enemy who desires to divide us and thereby conquer us or hinder our progress.  If we do great exploits as isolated individual groups consider how much more could we do if we lost the sectarianism. How much more impactful would we be if we labored in the Harvest as a unit with a common objective of Proclaiming the Good News to the Entire World!   Of course, the various groups have a benefit.  They provide a means of fellowshipping with people who think alike and have the same primary objectives religiously or spiritually.  That is not all bad but when we allow it to divide and cause division, strife, envy, and bickering it is.   All I am saying is rather than view ourselves as THE let’s consider ourselves as A.  We are not THE CHURCH we are part of THE CHURCH!  The Church belongs to Him and we are living stones within that building He is assembling.

God bless you as you go through this day!

1 John 2:1-2 – “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  NKJV

I have a preacher friend who adds, “If we sin?  No, when we sin…”  He then usually says, “Some hold varying doctrinal views regarding grace, salvation, eternal security, etc.  We believe in backsliding as evidenced by how frequently we practice it.”  He was serious yet attempting to add some levity and call attention to the humanness of mankind.  I would tend to agree it is more likely, “When” rather than “If” for most of us of today.

The truth presented by John was not focused on “if” or “when” but the Hope of an Advocate.  We have the one who paid the price for our sin standing before Heaven’s Throne having poured out His sacrificial blood interceding for us.  If you can have a lawyer you want one that has influence, authority, and knowledge.  You want an advocate who has standing with the court and in this case, the legitimate right to plea for leniency and mercy.  He died to obtain it and “if” or “when” we miss the mark and fall short He is there to plead our case for us.  Not to justify our sin but to identify our repentance and therefore extend the olive branch of mercy offering His blood to cover our failure.

I believe it is biblical to strive for a sinless life.  I also understand that we are flawed vessels and although we should be and are maturing in grace, we still have the potential of missing the mark.  I had someone tell me once, “If you sin after you claimed to be saved it is evidence you were never truly saved.”  They believe that once you have accepted Christ as your Savior there is no longer the possibility of sinning in your nature for you have been transformed and as a transformed being, you are now incapable of sin.  If that were the case this passage would not exist. 

I long to be righteous at all times and in all things. Yet we can take heart the words of the apostle Paul in his address to the Philippian church in 3:12-14 where he informed them of his humanity.  He revealed that he recognized he had not reached a state of perfection but had turned his back on the past and continually reaching for the Hope in Christ.  He was pressing toward the mark or goal, the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Although he missed the mark, at times, his ambition was spiritual perfection, and when he failed, he did not justify it but pressed toward that which was afforded by the Cross.

I am not perfect.  I’m sure that is no shock to anyone and while I refuse to justify my imperfections spiritually with, “I’m only human” I also recognize that “if” or “when” I fail it is not final for I have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.  In Him, I live and move and have my being.  I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.  I am incredibly comforted with the knowledge that I have an Advocate with the Father.

God bless you and make this day productive!

Proverbs 3:5-8 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.”  NKJV

When we know the Will of God for our lives and are convinced of that will we, can give thanks in all things!  That is a powerful place spiritually and affords us such peace that people will often wonder about us and possibly seek to know our secret.

In Colossians 1:12-13, the apostle Paul speaks of “giving thanks unto the Father who has… made us FIT [capable] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.”  Paul is not saying maybe, he is saying God has already made us capable or fit, in Jesus, to be partakers of our inheritance. 

That is not a promise to be realized after we die and go to heaven It Is NOW!  In Colossians 4:12, Paul instructed, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ salutes you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand PERFECT and COMPLETE in ALL the Will of God.”  [Emphasis mine].  Paul’s prayer was for them and us to KNOW and DO the Will of God for our lives.  Clearly, it is possible to Know the Will of God else why pray such a prayer?

In Romans 12:1-2, an often-quoted passage, we read, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”   Transformed by the renewing of our minds is a powerful image and is the same word used to describe what happened to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.  God remolds our minds from within.

When God transforms us in our minds, we think differently than we have ever thought.  I heard an illustration that fits in illustrating this truth and reality.  Imagine a little boy looking through a knothole in a fence at a parade going by on the street. He can see only a small portion of the parade at any given time.  If he sees a clown, he is full of laughter and joy but if he sees a lion he is filled with trepidation and fear.  If there is a space between the band and the acrobats, he may think the parade is over.  It would or could be a very frustrating experience attempting to evaluate a parade only based on what he can or cannot see at any given moment. 

Then suppose his big brother invites him to the top of the fence where he can see the entire parade, not just small segments, his view would be completely different.  Sadly, too often we are viewing life through a knothole and our elder brother Jesus is inviting us to rise to the top of the fence and see what He sees.  Ephesians 2:6, “And (He) has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” 

Someone said to me, “Keep looking up!”  I said, “No, I need to keep looking down because I am sitting with Jesus in heavenly places and am not under the circumstances but looking down on them from God’s perspective.”   Isaiah 55:8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says 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.”

Sometimes people see a promise in Scripture and claim it only to find that those they love, and respect do not respond positively.  Then, over time, they lose heart and begin to complain, “Ever since I began to claim God’s Promise, things have gotten worse.”  Well, Praise the Lord!  I had a preacher tell me once, “The man who is angry is nearer to God than the man who is indifferent.”  Romans 12:2 gives a practical outline for mind renewal.  Do not let the world squeeze you into its mold and embrace the changing of your mind by the Spirit of God.  Romans 12:1, tells us exactly how to do that.  We do so by deliberately giving our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, we open the door for God’s transformation to sweep through our entire beings.

We can fear the Will of God or embrace it and in embracing it we will find that it requires a Complete Overhaul or Transformation of us from the inside out. 

God bless you as you embark on the rest of your life’s journey beginning with this beautiful day in Jesus!

Proverbs 3:5-8 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.”  NKJV

Let me make a bold statement and hopefully not lose anyone at the outset. Most Christians major in minors.  We pray: “Lord, help me make this payment, find a new job, get a new car, etc.”  Those should be minor concerns but often are at the top of our lists.  Before you reject my statement and challenge me.  I suggest we consider how the apostle Paul viewed and approached daily life.  I find this revealed in a powerful way in his prayer for the new church at Colossae in Colossians 1:9, “…we…don’t cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His Will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”  [Emphasis mine].

I believe that the basic underlying premise for all Divine Guidance is that it is possible to know the will of God.  If it is possible to know God’s will then that knowing should be at the top of our prayer list.  Remember the prayer when Jesus responded to the disciple’s request, “Lord teach us to pray.”  Do the words, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” resonate in your spirit.  THY WILL BE DONE!  We are not likely to do the will of God unless we know the will of God, therefore the pursuit of knowing should be a top priority.

Man was created to have communion and fellowship with God.  God created man with the ability to know God and in knowing God, man would also know the Will of GOD.  Rebellion disrupted the channels of communication in the Garden. But through the Last Adam, Jesus, those lines have been restored affording us the intimacy of fellowship with God.  If we are to know the Will of God, we must learn to walk in intimate fellowship with Him.  Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”  First is God, His kingdom, and righteousness in which we find the will of God, and then those things we put at the top of our prayer lists become secondary items because they fall within the “AND SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.”

The apostle Paul understood what transpired in a person’s life when that individual came to Know the Will of God.  In Colossians 1:10-12, he lists seven (7) expected results and I will highlight them in the passage for your consideration.

Colossians 1:10-12 – “That you might WALK WORTHY of the Lord UNTO ALL PLEASING, being FRUITFUL in every good work, and INCREASING IN THE KNOWLEDGE of God; STRENGTHENED with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all PATIENCE and LONGSUFFERING with JOYFULNESS; giving thanks unto the Father, who has made us FIT TO BE PARTAKERS of the inheritance of the saints in light…”  [Emphasis mine].

If we are to Walk Worthy of the Lord, we must know what He wants from us, right?  Jesus walked unto All Pleasing.  He was a Father Pleaser!  That should be our daily prayer, “Father, I want to be a son/daughter who pleases you.”  However, many people are self-pleasers, others are man-pleasers but until we mature and come to the place that the overwhelming drive and desire of our heart are to be GOD-Pleaser we will never fully understand the will of God in our lives. 

Let me insert, it is only by doing the will of God that our lives truly become Fruitful.  Imagine an apple tree praying, “Lord, please bring forth apples from my life.”  NO!  An apple tree would not pray to bear apples that are what it is and does.  It has to bring forth the Life that is in it, that is what it was created for.  It does not have to strain or struggle to bear apples, fruit should come naturally as a result of the life that is in the apple tree.  The same is true of our lives!

As we know the Will of God and we increase in the knowledge of God and are strengthened with all might according to His glorious power.  That is real strength!  Too often we focus on our weaknesses rather than God’s strength.  I have had people on numerous occasions ask me to pray that they would have more strength, joy, victory, etc.  That is not necessarily bad or wrong.  I would suggest that as we seek to know the Will of God for our lives, we should remember that one of Paul’s requests was to be strengthened with all might according to God’s glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joy.  

What does that suggest to you?  It should convey the understanding that in the Will of God and our walk we will face times where those are needed. That means it will not always be smooth sailing and instant answers.  The biblical promise is that when we KNOW we are in the Will of God we can withstand any hardship and do so with a quiet confidence and joy!  It is when we do not know for certain that confusion comes through the front door and patience heads out the back door.  Patience (hupomone) means to remain standing when everyone else has collapsed.  It is when you know that you know that you know you can give THANKS IN ALL THINGS!

I cannot simply end here for there is another thought or two that I feel needs to be inserted so I will pause and pray that God grant you knowledge of His will in all things and at all times in your journey.  

God bless you richly is my prayer!