Trust - 6

And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’  Luke 12:19

For people approaching retirement age, (and for Australia that is a huge percentage of the population,) the temptation is to look at your superannuation or savings and think it won't be enough. And it may not be.  It was however, not like that for the man in the parable Jesus told in Luke chapter 12.  He had an abundance of wealth to see him through.  But that night was to be his last. Death knocked at his door. Jesus told this parable to show how foolish it is to put our trust in money rather than making sure we are ready to face our maker. This man thought he had it made.  Just build some bigger barns to store his wealth and live off that for the rest of his life. But life, for him, was done.

The apostle Paul was grateful when he wrote to the Philippians to thank them for sending him money.  He said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"(Phil 4:12).  Paul didn't have a credit card to rely on, only the Lord and the generosity of His people.  But that meant he probably wasn't in debt either! 

Trusting in our bank balance can limit our lives in so many ways.  We may feel called by God to some special task but if all we can see is the lack of money in our bank to follow through with it we may never be obedient.  Did you know that God will provide all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus and that if he calls you to a task He surely plans to provide the necessary finance for you to do it.  If you had what was needed up front you wouldn't have to trust God and thereby have the joy of seeing him provide.

In the same way retirement is a step of faith.  Not one of us knows what tomorrow will bring and we should never trust in our savings to carry us through this life in our closing days.  We've seen plenty of global financial crises in the past few decades so we should know better than to trust in our money.  Rather, let us be open to God's leading in our last years.  Our 'use by date' is not passed until we move to heaven.  God has a task for each day, whether big or small and we do it because we are to live for His glory.  Trusting God in our finances will enable us to be free to do His will and bring him glory in the tasks he calls us to.

Prayer:  My God, my provider, help me to trust you rather than my bank balance.  You are faithful always and will never let me down.  Amen
 

Trust - 5

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

When a Pharisee hosted Jesus to dinner he got more than he expected (Luke 11:37-38). We don't know if the man actually voiced his thoughts, it just says that 'he marvelled' that Jesus sat down to dinner without doing the ceremonial hand washing that was so important to the Pharisees.  Jesus heard him anyway and launched into a stream of 'woes' against the Pharisees hypocritical, religious ways.  At first glance it may seem to us that this was rather rude of Jesus to do this in his host's home and certainly he placed himself at risk of being out out on the street before dinner!

However, there was something more important than food to Jesus.  It was that this man know the truth that would set him free (John 8:32).  The truth that Jesus needed to convey to him and his religious friends was... 'trusting in your religious rituals will do you no good and win you no prizes with God'.  They were trusting in their own outward piety and good works, but God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  They were concerned about cleaning up their outside, but their hearts looked putrid to God.  If they didn't change their ways they would incur God's judgment.  Jesus didn't want them to miss out on the blessing of God's favour.

God's approval will never be given on the basis of our good works no matter how good they are.  We can never be good enough for God which is why he sent His son Jesus Christ to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus had God's approval as the 'spotless lamb of God' and he died so that we might obtain the forgiveness that would qualify us for God's favour and eternal life.

It is such a temptation to try and perform our way into heaven but it will never do. We can never be good enough. It will just discourage us as we continually disappoint ourselves by our failures.  Trusting in Jesus as the one who died for our sins and has clothed us with his righteousness will release us from works and free us to walk in the joy of our salvation.

Even if we have been Christians for a long time, it is still good to have an honest look at ourselves to make sure that we are not going through religious ritual thinking that it will impress God.  He is only impressed by Jesus!

Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for providing a way for me to be acceptable in your sight which does not depend upon my good works.  Help me to remember always that trusting in Jesus' death on the cross for me is the only 'ticket' into heaven.  Amen

Trust - 4

But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh....?"  God answered, "I will be with you." 
 Exodus 3:11-12

Can you recall a time when you were asked to take on a task and your immediate response was, "Oh no, I could never do that!"?   Perhaps it was something in the workforce and you didn't have a choice so you did it afraid.  Perhaps it was a position in Christian ministry in your church or on a committee or Board; perhaps it was something you felt God wanted you to do but you really didn't want to do it at all.

There is a man whose story I was reading again recently who was in just such a position, except that this man had very real cause for concern when God spoke to him.  It was a pretty scary time in the history of the early church and Christians were dispersing from Jerusalem for fear of threats to their lives or at least imprisonment which may end in the arena with hungry lions.  One Saul of Tarsus was a scholar and zealous for his Jewish faith.  He knew the scriptures and knew them well.  He knew that the Christians were wrong and he was out to get rid of them.  He would put an end to this "Jesus nonsense" once and for all.  So, armed with letters permitting him to arrest any 'people of the Way' he could find and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial, he set out on his mission.

Nearing Damascus he was blinded by a great light, fell to the ground, heard a voice and asked a question, "Who are you Lord?"  Yes, Saul had an encounter with Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever.    It is the man who was sent to him that caught my attention.  His name was Ananais and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him that he should go the house of  Judas and there he would find Saul of Tarsus who was blind.  Ananais' mission was to pray that Saul's sight would be restored.  Now that was a scary mission. " Really Lord?  Don't you know that he's come to kill us all?"  But the Lord told Ananais that he had chosen Saul to carry His name to the Gentiles and in doing so he would suffer much for his message.  This was a huge trust challenge for Ananais.

I thought about Ananais and what he was called to do was; what if he had refused to do it?  Well, no doubt God would have found someone who was willing.  But what if this was to be Ananais' main mission in his whole life and he had missed it through fear and disobedience?  We don't hear of Ananais again but his trust-filled obedience set in motion a whole new part of God's plan to reach mankind.  His one act of obedience opened Saul's eyes to a whole new way of thinking and living.  Now that was radical, but he could have missed his place in history if he had not been obedient.

Is there something God has asked you to do and so far you have resisted?  Perhaps you ought to think again, because if God asked you to do it, then he has also provided the ability and resources for you to accomplish it.  Perhaps your act of obedience will open to you a whole new way of living and ministering or maybe your praying for someone will open the way for their greatness in God's kingdom.  Perhaps this opportunity is what you were created for.  Don't brush it off.  If you are scared, then "do it afraid", as Joyce Meyer says, but do it anyway.

Prayer:  Father, please give me courage to obey you when I feel inadequate so that I allow you to accomplish through me, what you have created me to do.  Amen

Trust - 3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

This week I have been looking into the difference between the words 'believe', 'trust' and 'faith'.  In checking them out in Strong's Bible Concordance I find them to be quite similar which is not very surprising, but I thought it worth the exercise.  Believe is to support, confirm, be faithful and uphold.  Trust is to have confidence in, trust in, be bold, be secure. Faith means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness and steadiness.

I thought this picture illustrates quite well the belief, trust and faith of the people who live in these 'island homes' and use this walkway which connects them to the mainland.  To me the bridge/path looks uneven and not particularly safe yet I am sure these people use the path confidently on a regular basis.  They probably don't even think about whether or not it will hold them because they are familiar with it and have gone this way so many times.  If I were to go for a visit, (perish the thought), I know that I would want a walking stick for extra balance and I know that I would have to watch my feet every step of the way, because my confidence in the safety of the path would not be strong.

When Joshua was given the incredible responsibility of leading the Israelites into the promised land God spoke these words to him, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God [is] with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9.
Even though Joshua had spent much time alone with God in the tabernacle and much time in the presence of Moses where miracle after miracle had kept the people alive in the wilderness, God still had to encourage Joshua with these words to build his faith.

There come times in our lives when God requires us to step out on new and unfamiliar paths that will stretch our confidence and even our willingness to trust Him.  Those are the times we need to go back to His promises and support our faith with the faithfulness and truth of His Word.  The Word is the foundation for our belief, faith and trust in Him who is always faithful.  It is our 'walking stick' if you like which aids us greatly in our times of walking in unfamiliar territory.

I have written this before but it is a good illustration from my own experience.  In 1976 when we were preparing to go to Papua New Guinea I asked God to confirm our plans through a specific word to me.  Three times, over a number of weeks, I came across this scripture in different ways (one time it was even on a picture in a house I had not visited before); "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold me." Psalm 139:10.  And He did!

Prayer:  Faithful God, help me to realize that there will be times when I feel you are asking me to go out on shaky ground.  But help me to draw near to you and trust you to bring me safely through.  Amen

Trust - 2

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in him.
Nahum 1:7

If you haven't read the previous Daydrops, Trust - 1, please do so now as this is a continuation of the thoughts begun there.  Also you may like to remind yourself of what I wrote last week.  How did you do on bringing God's will to earth?  I know I missed it a few times but let's keep working on it!

There is nothing more comforting, when you are in a place you are not familiar with, to have someone to guide you and give you local information.  Some time ago we were in a huge traffic hold up in North Sydney on our way home and Colin headed off down a side street and wound his way through beautiful leafy suburbs.  I had no idea of the direction we were heading after so much twisting and turning but he knew, because he'd been that way before and he soon brought us out onto the highway past the blockage.

When we get into a tough place and try to rely on our own resources, strength and wisdom, to find a way out instead of inviting Jesus to come and guide us through, we risk 'getting lost' and lengthening our journey.  However, it takes trust to invite him to come and take the steering wheel that we so badly want to keep hold of.

Nahum says "He is close to those who trust in him."  Trust is like a magnet for God.  He is drawn to those who trust in him. In fact he can't resist it.  It releases his power to go to work on our behalf. Think of the response of a loving father whose child says, "Daddy, please show me what to do," or "please can you help me with this...".  The heart of a father is drawn to give help and guidance and is delighted to do so. 

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  This verse tells me that God is simply 'hanging out' for us to call on him for help and he is ready with open-handed liberality.  

Not all of us have had a good father role model and this can be a hindrance to our being able to trust God as a father.  If this is an issue for you try and find a good 'earthly father', look at how he relates to his family in love, protection, provision, kindness and wisdom and then realize that this is what God our heavenly Father is like, and so much more.  Then ask yourself why you should not trust such a One.  He is worthy of our full trust.  Draw near to him in faith and enjoy Him. God is good.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being the very essence of  love and goodness.  Please help me to trust you fully with my life in every situation I face and each ordinary day. Amen

Trust - 1

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7

Recently I prayed with a lady whose life is filled with trouble.  Having dealt with breast cancer in the past couple of years, she is now having chemo for lung cancer.  She is a believer but she told me that when she was diagnosed with lung cancer she had drawn away from God but now she was coming back.  It was so good to be able to remind her that God is indeed good and that he had not sent this; that the enemy of our souls, the devil is the one who comes to rob, kill and destroy, and that Jesus came that we might have abundant life (John 10:10).  The devil's mission is to destroy our future, our hope and the purpose that God has put us on earth to fulfil. Jesus mission was to stop the enemy's destruction and to take back the ground that had been given to the devil when Adam and Eve sinned.

This verse from Nahum tells us that the Lord is good, and that he is a strong refuge when trouble comes.  We all need a strong place to run to when trouble comes; why then do we often turn away from the One who can help us?  I believe that the simple answer to this is that we believe the lies that the enemy puts into our vulnerable mind.  Lies which Christians often buy into so easily.  Lies like, 'God doesn't really love me or he wouldn't have let this happen to me', God has sent this to teach me a lesson', 'God wants me to glorify him in my suffering'.  Lies which we may not actually give voice to, but which we allow to niggle in the back of our mind.  Doubts!

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).  How did he demonstrate this during his time on earth?  He went about doing good, healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). He came to show us what God wanted us to continue.  "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.." We can pray those words without really thinking into them, but if we stop a moment and consider them, it will change our way of doing things.  Selah.... pause and reflect.

I was going to keep writing but I feel that I need to leave you to reflect on those words this week and I will continue with part 2 in my next Daydrops.

Prayer:  Lord help me to reflect on these simple yet very important words.  Keep me mindful of your desire to bring heaven to earth, so that I become an active part in the answer to my prayer, recognizing that Jesus lives and works in and through me.  Amen

Keys to Growth - 9

I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

This photo was taken at the cellar door of a vineyard in the Hunter Valley. This grapevine was trained up a veranda post and was only there for decoration but it was preparing to bear fruit just like its cousins in the vineyard nearby because fruit bearing is in its DNA.  Given the right conditions of nutrients and climate it couldn't help but bear fruit.

Jesus likened our relationship with him, and our ability to bear fruit, to a vine.  He said that if we stay connected to him and allow his life to flow into us we cannot help but bear his kind of fruit.  How do we do that? Further on in verse 7 he says it again with an addition... "...if you abide in me and my words abide (remain) in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be given to you." (NLT).  That seems like such a simple promise but sometimes we misunderstand it.  That's why we have to read in context and compare scripture with scripture so that we get understanding.  God is not just going to give us whatever we ask for, like a father spoiling his child.  There is a purpose to his giving, and that is found in the following verse (8), to bring glory to God.

The key to this is in the abiding which is to be vitally connected to Jesus and having his words residing within us, not just in a head knowledge way but in a way that gives us intimate understanding of His ways and desires for His children.  Proverbs, the book of wisdom. speaks a lot about getting understanding.  Get wisdom but also get understanding (Prov 4:7).

 I think we all like that verse in Psalms 37:4 which says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart."   The promise is conditional; we first have to delight, make merry, rejoice, in the Lord.  To do that we need to know him, have a relationship with him which means we have to spend time with him, get to know him and how wonderful he is, then we take pleasure in him.

It is an ongoing challenge for me to spend meaningful time with Jesus.  It's not easy to quiet myself  and my mind for long enough to hear him clearly but when I take the time to nestle into his presence and allow his words to soak into my being and become a very part of me, I truly become delighted with him.  When I am delighted with him, he becomes my heart's desire.  Fruit bearing then just happens.  Just like the vine, we don't have to struggle and push and try hard to bear fruit, it will come naturally.  The struggle is about making the decision to spend time with God, alone in his presence.
Will you join me in a new season of actively pursuing his presence to allow the nutrients of his Word and Spirit to bring forth a harvest in us that will bring him glory?  It will be worth it.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to take the time to delight myself in you so that I will bear much fruit for your glory, for I cannot do it without abiding in you.  Amen