Tag Archives: Christian

Christian Apologetics, Motivational

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOUR GLORY OR MY GLORY…IT’S ABOUT HIS GLORY!

“It’s Not About Your Glory or My Glory…It’s About His Glory!”

“Let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing.” (1 Peter 4:19)

I’m not much for thrill rides. In fact just seeing them makes my blood run cold. But this summer I took my family to a theme park and so thrill rides were part of the journey. One such experience was walking up the endless flight of stairs, with my son, and ascending the 6 story slide to find ourselves resting on a straight drop. For me the worst part was sitting on the slide waiting for the all clear, but by the time I got there is was too late. I was committed and down the slide I went. Within seconds it was over, and I survived while leaving my stomach somewhere between the third and fourth story. It seems kind of silly but that water slide taught me a little more about myself and this morning I want to place my summer journey within the context of suffering. To be honest a water slide is the farthest test of suffering, but if you knew I have a fear of heights then you would know every step, I took, I was suffering.

Let’s face it! We all cringe at the very idea of any type of suffering. Questions of fairness, why me and God’s silence are just a few of the many thoughts that arise during such times. Guess what? To choose to suffer means there is something wrong; but to choose God’s will even if it means suffering is a very different thing.

No healthy believer ever chooses suffering; he or she chooses God’s will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And here is another “guess what moment” NO OTHER Christian should interfere with the suffering of another saint. This is not to say we don’t offer words of encouragement, aid or love in a trying season. But our role is not to rationalize their trial or play armchair theologian to help them dismiss their season. Our role, as the disciples at Gethsemane, is pray and stay on watch.
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The man or woman who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other believer strong and mature for God. Oswald Chambers said, “The people who do us good are never those who sympathize with us, they always hinder, because sympathy always deprives strength. No one understands a saint but the saint who is nearest to the Savior. If we accept the sympathy of a saint, the reflex feeling is—‘Well, God is dealing hardly with me.’ That is why Jesus said self-pity was of the devil (see Matt. 16:23). Be merciful to God’s reputation.”

Questions of God’s goodness are hard for the heart of flesh and the spirit of this world to comprehend. In fact, at every turn, the anti-Christ spirit will always try to blacken God’s character. Exercise great caution if you believe Jesus needed sympathy in His earthly life. Jesus refused sympathy from man because He knew few understood His call or purpose. Jesus took sympathy from His Father only. (Cf. Luke 15:10.)

Likewise, according to the judgment of the world, God plants His saints in the most useless places and often seems to waste their talents. This is NOT Throne Room perspective or Kingdom thinking! For the true believer, in the Biblical Jesus, we say—‘God intends me to be here because I am useful.’ God puts His saints where they will glorify Him, and we are not in the position to judge where that is.

Blessings – JOSHUA

Inspirational, Motivational

THE LOUD VOICE OF GOD IN WHISPERS

Not long ago I was having a conversation with a fellow Christian and the question came up, “Have you ever heard God speak?” This fascinating question has been mulled over by Christians, in every walk of life, for generations and still we continue to ask as if there has never been an answer. While modern movie magic has gone a long way in making God’s voice as a big, booming, earth-shattering event, the voice of the Spirit can be so gentle, that unless you are living in communion with the Father, you never hear it.

In our marriage Jeannette and I communicate many different ways. Sometimes we have long running discussions that may last days or even weeks. Other times we just having passing one-liners which plant a thought that later require an action. In the same way we should live expecting the full spectrum of conversations with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Have you ever heard a person say, “I just had a check of the Spirit?” For me it can be a feeling, deep within, of peace or caution. Either way such an encounter becomes a prompting of how to act in that moment. In short: this brief conversation is a prompting, by the Spirit, of how to live in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes in the most extraordinarily gentle ways, and if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice you will quench it, and your personal spiritual life will be impaired. His checks always come as a still small voice, so small that no one, but he or she who is in communion with the Father, notices them.

Oswald Chambers said, “Beware if in personal testimony you have to hark back and say—‘Once, so many years ago, I was saved.’ If you are walking in the light, there is no harking back, the past is transfused into the present wonder of communion with God. If you get out of the light you become a sentimental Christian and live on memories, your testimony has a hard, metallic note. Beware of trying to patch up a present refusal to walk in the light by recalling past experiences when you did walk in the light. Whenever the Spirit checks, call a halt and get the thing right, or you will go on grieving Him without knowing it.”
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Maybe you are in a crisis, a dry season or feel as if you haven’t head from the Spirit for far too long? Suppose God has brought you to a place of encounter and you nearly engage Him but not quite? The Father will engineer the encounter again and again but it will not be as it was before. If we are not discerning, of the Spirit, than we will miss the awesome opportunity of obedience to His will. But if you go through the encounter, listening to the Spirit, there will be a testimony of praise to God. “Never sympathize with the thing that is stabbing God all the time. God has to hurt the thing that must go.” (Chambers)

BLESSINGS – JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Motivational

“FROM BIG WHEELS TO TRAINING WHEELS TO RIDING A BIKE”

“From Big Wheels to Training Wheels and Finally  Riding a Bike”

Do any of you remember big wheels? If so, then you probably owned one at some point in your childhood. If not, then the picture (below) shows you all you need to know and I can still remember pedaling all summer hearing the sound of pavement grinding underneath those large plastic wheels. Then, I experienced the training wheels phase of learning to ride a bike and though I can’t remember this time too clearly I am reliving it, in some ways, as I am teaching my daughter how to ride her bike. Eventually, she like I, and millions of others will learn how to ride a bike.

In our journey with Jesus we too have to learn how to mature from big wheels to training wheels and eventually riding a bike. Using God’s intended spiritual pedal system (the Holy Spirit) you begin to mature to a place where the training wheels are no longer necessary to hold you up and this is demonstrated in the life of Elijah and Elisha.

The great prophet Elisha who, in some ways, experienced more miraculous events than his mentor, began learning on the “training wheel” of Elijah. As a mentor Elijah was there to help, guide and instruct Elisha through his “training wheels” season because  it was necessary for Elisha to learn how to pedal. However, a time soon came when Elisha was ready to pedal on his own and he would have to let go of Elijah.

But why? Isn’t it better to always have Elijah close by? Wouldn’t it have been best for Jesus to stay with His disciples a little bit longer? It sounds like a flawless plan, perfect and without error but that is not the plan of the Kingdom. God’s plan for our life is not keep us pedaling on big wheels or training wheels but to prepare us solo bike journey (with Him). We would all say, “Something is wrong?” if we witnessed a grown adult, on a professional bike, still needing training wheels which is why God’s Kingdom intention is for you to let the Holy Spirit guide you in all truth and when you say, “I cannot go on without Elijah.” God says you must.

Oswald Chambers spoke of three alones every believer must face in their walk of faith. The first is the “ALONE AT YOUR JORDAN.” This is the place where there is the type of separation, and there is no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one can take the responsibility for you. It is at this season in life you have to apply what you learned when you were with your Elijah. “You have been to Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are up against it alone. It is no use saying you cannot go; this experience has come, and you must go. If you want to know whether God is the God you have faith to believe Him to be, then go through your Jordan alone.” (Chambers)
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 “ALONE AT YOUR JERICHO.” Jericho is the place where you have seen your Elijah do great things. “When you come to your Jericho you have a strong disinclination to take the initiative and trust in God, you want someone else to take it for you. If you remain true to what you learned with Elijah, you will get the sign that God is with you.” (Chambers)

 “ALONE AT YOUR BETHEL.” At your Bethel you will find yourself at commonsense’s failure and at the beginning of God’s perspective. “When you get to your wits’ end and feel inclined to succumb to panic, don’t; stand true to God and He will bring His truth out in a way that will make your life a sacrament. Put into practice what you learned with your Elijah, use his cloak and pray. Determine to trust in God and do not look for Elijah any more.” (Chambers)

We all face alone times in our life. It feels great when the company of friends, family and allies hold up your arms, co-labor with you and press toward the goal of the Kingdom. And yet, as wonderful as these times are, we need to remember they are training seasons preparing you for those alone times where it is just you and God. In those seasons the Holy Spirit is never far off and God’s silence should not be mistaken for His absence. It is the alone times we remember what God has done, for us, and promised to do. So, boldly get off your big wheels, or training wheels, and start riding your bike.

He is with you at Jordan, Jericho and Bethel…and He is with you now in your next season!

Blessings – JOSHUA