How do we "see God" in all situations?

 

Matthew 5:8

8 "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

I've always heard this scripture taught from a futuristic standpoint. In other words, If we become/stay pure in heart, we will one day see God when he calls us home and tells us "well done." And I'm not here to refute that interpretation.

But, what if there's more to it than meets the eyes? Are there things we can do that will enable us to not only see God on that future day but that will also enable us to "see God" working within whatever situation we find ourselves in daily? 

And I'm not referring to just the everyday acts of kindness that show God's hand working through us. While it is true that when we "feed the hungry, visit and pray for/with the downtrodden, etc" then we are showing the love of God in action to a lost and dying world. This is not the "see God" I'm talking about.

I'm talking about seeing God on a much more personal level.

This famous scripture that has blessed and encouraged so many people can also become an impediment for some. 

Why? 

Because many do not look at it and say, "If I can just hold onto Jesus, I'll see him one day in the end (meaning when I die or am raptured out of here)." 

No, many read this scripture in the light of the world that they live in right now- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Many look around at the chaos in the world, the violence in the world, the utter dog eat dog attitude that is embraced by the "it's all about me" philosophy that seems to run everything and think: If there's a God, I sure don't see him in all of this! 

In truth, many Christians (including myself) have reacted similarly. We find ourselves dealing with struggles (lack of finances, relationship issues, sickness, stress, death, and so on) and we look around and wonder. 

We wonder "where is God in all this? I thought he said he'd never leave me or forsake me? I sure feel forsaken and alone. It's all I can do to try and hold everything together. I've got no help. I've got to work harder to shape my world into what it's supposed to be." 

There's a frustration pattern there that all humans fall into:

 

A) We focus on our problems.

B) Frustration sets in.

C) We start trying to figure out solutions to solve them.

D) We act on our plans.

E) When our plans fail (as most do because we are fallible humans), we reevaluate our plans to tweak them in order to fix what went wrong.

F) We act on the adjusted plans.

G) We focus on the problems that still exist.

H) More frustration sets in. 

I) Repeat steps B-H (probably many times over)

J) Frustration turns to anger and/or despair.

K) We give up.

But, it's in those times that we need to change our vision. 

We need to stop looking at our difficulties. This is because we tend to walk toward what we are focusing on. And it's very easy to try and fix whatever we're focusing on- including other people. 

We need to stop trying to fix things (and others) and start allowing God to fix us.

It's been said that if you have difficulties no matter where you are then the problem is not where you are, but who you are. YOU are the common denominator in all your life's problems. Put more succinctly, No matter where I go, there I am!

It is true that Jesus told us that in this world we will suffer tribulation. There is a certain amount of things we go through that are a direct result of us living for and being dedicated to Jesus. 

However, many of the things that we go through that cause us suffering are a direct result of our own focus and efforts.  In everything that we go through our true efforts should be on "what does God want in this situation?" 

SEEK YE FIRST

The first thing we have to remember is to seek his kingdom (his desires and his plans for ourselves, our families, and our communities) FIRST.

That's a tall order in and of itself. How do we seek his kingdom in the midst of trying to build our own?

The truth is that we should not try to build our kingdom. Yes, we have needs to take care of. But, Jesus said: 

Matthew 6:7-8:

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

Our focus tends to be on our needs, wants, and desires. But Jesus says we should be God-focused. 

His needs. His wants. His desires. 

That's not to say that we shouldn't pray for our needs. But, we should focus on what he wants to a much greater degree than we focus on what we want. When we do, then he will take care of our needs in whatever manner he chooses. 

SEEK GOD

But, the first thing we must do in order to seek his kingdom first, is to seek him first. The essence of prayer is not a list of things I want. The essence of prayer is communication and communion with God. When we pray, it is in order to build our relationship with him. The closer we get to him, the less likely we are to fall into that frustration pattern. Why? Because the closer we get to him the more we trust him. The more we trust him, the more we rely on him. The more we rely on him, the less frustrated we become!

AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

This goes along with the fact that the pure in heart shall see God. God is a holy God. He will not walk in close relationship to sin. So in order to see God, we must first become pure. 

Oh, we can see evidence of God in the world through his creation. And, if we're honest, everyone has seen a miracle that could only be God at some point in their lives. In fact, I believe, probably several miracles. I could name several I saw BEFORE I was born again. But, that didn't mean I was right with God. It just meant that God was drawing me in so I could become born again. 

But, to really SEE GOD. To really discern God in all things, we must become pure. 

As humans, that's impossible for us. But, with God, ALL things are possible. 

He became a man, lived a perfect life, allowed himself to be crucified to shed the blood required to pay for all of our sins, was buried, rose up from the grave, and lives forevermore as king of kings and Lord of Lords!

So all who obey Acts 2:38 are made pure and holy in his sight.

If we fall after being born again, scripture tells us that "If we confess our sins (to God) he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness." - 1John 1:9 

The first thing we must always strive to do is be in and maintain the right relationship with God. 

James 1:21

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Hebrews 12:1

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"

As we get into the word of God and pray, we must humbly ask God to show us ourselves. And as his word illuminates our faults, rather than try and make excuses for our sins, or rebelliously hold onto our sin and pride, we must turn to him, bend our wills to his, and repent (confess and turn away). When we do that, he forgives those sins (washes them with his blood) and we then stand righteous in his eyes once again. 

The word for engrafted here, in Greek, means implanted. In other words, we are to allow the seeds of his word to be planted in our hearts and minds. These seeds are watered with his word by his spirit and through prayer. So the more they're watered, the more they grow. And the more we humbly submit to his will and allow him to correct us, eventually, we will begin to display in our everyday lives, the "peaceable fruit of righteousness." (Hebrews 12:11) 

Why is all of this important? What does this have to do with seeing God? 

Well, first we practice seeking him and his kingdom, through prayer and study. 

Then, while continuing that, we humbly repent when we are corrected by him. 

Then, whatever situation we find ourselves in, whether good or bad, we will be able to "see God." 

We will have a much better understanding of God and his ways because we are walking in relationship with him and studying his word. We will be able to see his undeniable footprints walking through the situation. And even if we don't understand what's going on, we will trust him to take care of things. 

But, and more importantly, if we absolutely cannot see God working in a trial, we will still have enough faith and trust in God that we probably will not resort to trying to make things work out. We would rather wait on him to move than try and fix it.

Recently, we were in a very grave trial. We were in a situation that absolutely required a move of God to fix. Rather than just live, pray, and trust- only moving when he told me to, we (especially I) tried our hardest through many different possible avenues. The more these avenues didn't pan out, the more frustrated we (especially I) grew. Finally, when every other human effort had failed, THAT IS WHEN GOD MOVED. 

I really had to repent.

All my worry fixed nothing. All my efforts solved nothing. All my anger and frustration just made ME a worse person and had NO effect on the ones causing the problem. Nor did my manipulations cause God to move on my situation one second before he was ready to. 

But, when he did move, it was as if he had leveled a mountain! It was done in a way that only he could arrange and do. 

We can't change our situation without God. 

God's goal for our lives in every situation is to "conform us" into what he wants us to be. 

So every situation and trial we go through is allowed by God for our good and his glory. So, hold to God's unchanging hand, as the old song says!

And always remember as my pastor Stanley Lane quotes:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. And lean not on thine own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him. And he shall direct thy paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

The parable of the herd

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There are many different theories on how to successfully live for God. And there are many aspects to living for God in different areas of our lives. 

However, we, like the Pharisees of old have a tendency to add rules in an effort to keep people from crossing the line from holiness to sin. Man excels at coming up with fences (Christian standards) to place inside the fences that God has already built within his word. 

But we don't realize what we are doing when we do that. 

Do we, for instance, treat cows the way we do each other?

Do we build fences to keep them safely within a pasture (and to keep predators safely outside the same pasture)? Do we then, after building the fence, then turn around and build another fence yet a few more feet within the fence we've already built just to keep the cows from going outside the original fence? 

No! 

What sense would that make?

First of all, we'd be keeping the cows away from perfectly usable grazing land that could help to nourish our valuable livestock. This makes us have to work that much harder to feed them because we aren't allowing them to eat from that section of the field. 

Secondly, by not allowing the livestock to graze in the perfectly acceptable land, the grass and weeds that would otherwise be eaten or trampled down are allowed to grow wild. And what happens when grass and weeds grow tall? Snakes and preditors come in, hidden by the brush that has been allowed to grow. 

And what do we do? 

Rather than tear down the inside fence and cut down the wild brush, when we see the dangers that now exist there, we build yet another internal fence to protect the flock from these dangers. 

And the process happens over and over. More wild brush leads to more dangers- and more fences put up to protect them from the outside of that fence dangers.

Before long, the pasture area that is meant to be a place of provision and safety is neither. It's become too small to be able to nourish the flock. And the areas on the other sides of the fences that used to be good pasture are now full of snakes, wild predators, and poisonous vegetation. 

Soon the herds that we are trying to protect begin to feel malnourished because they're running out of food. They begin to fight each other for the scraps of food that can be found in an effort to stay alive. And finally, some will decide to crash the fencing in a desperate attempt to find the sustenance that their body craves. 

I pray that as Christian leaders we will learn the lesson presented here. 

Yes, there are dangers in the world that we want people (including ourselves) to stay away from. There are many, many things out there that will absolutely destroy us and our walk with God. And these we should stay away from and publically denounce! These fences should be built and heartily maintained- because they are established by the word of God. (The ten commandments come to mind as an example)

But, we must also remember that Jesus, and not us, is the great shepherd. It is his spirit that will "lead and guide into all truth." If we begin to build fences within the fences already established by God's word, we are headed down an ultimately destructive path. 

Want to know why so many are leaving the fold? Because in many cases (not all) we've built so many interior fences that they are forced to break out in an effort to survive!

Our job is to speak the truths that the Lord leads us to speak and to live a Godly example. Our job is to be the hands and feet of God. We are to allow God to love them through us to help to lead them (and us) to where he wants us all to be- with him. 

It is not our job to run anyone else's home and life. That's between them and Jesus. We're just a tool that he uses to help to do this. 

When God calls us out of darkness and into his marvelous light, he gives us a command: Follow thou me. 

Our whole life is to be devoted to being in hot pursuit of one thing- a closer walk with God almighty. 

True Christianity is a personal walk with God. Our relationship with God does not depend on other people. Our relationship with God is dependant upon our own praying, our own worshiping, and our own bible study. The more we do these things, the more his light shines into our lives. This light then shows us what things to repent and walk away from, and what things we should do more of. 

Yes, God gave us the five-fold ministry to help to guide that process, but what is the real goal of the five-fold ministry?

Ephesians 4:11-12

King James Version

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

So, the five-fold ministry is to help to perfect the saints through our teaching and example. Why? So that they (the flock) will perform the work of the ministry. And this edify's (builds up) the whole body of Christ. 

In other words, through seeing the example of our walk with God and hearing the truths that God has taught us being taught, they learn to follow God (not us) for themselves. Then, God can use them to blaze the trail for other hungry souls! Then we have a real revival! 

But, if we keep adding layer upon layer of extra rules that the Bible doesn't actually teach, then we start to hem them in, and soon they are literally dying to get out.

God's way leads to a hunger for him and holiness will grow. The Pharisee's way leads to danger and starvation. And many that get out won't come back because they'll remember the prison they were in. 

When God calls us out it is an individual call to leave the world and follow him. Just as Abram of old, we are personally called and told to leave our old lifestyles, to follow a God we don't know to a promised end. 

If we leave God's biblical fencing up, many can find the way to God. If we put up extra fencing, many will leave his way and die outside the fold.

It's our choice whether to follow God's way- to let God be God and stop trying to control others- or to try and control everything and wind up making them two-fold the child of hell (and we become the first fold child of hell).

What's your choice? 

I pray we make the right one.

"12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran."

Another lesson from my dogs

 

ANOTHER LESSON FROM MY DOGS

James 4:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

The older I get, the more I am learning that attitude is everything. Two people can be in the same meeting and hear the same words being said, but the meaning they get from the words they have heard will be determined by their attitude.

Today, I learned a valuable lesson from my dogs about that very thing. 

Della and I own 3 mixed breed large dogs: Dakota, Cole, and Cowboy. 

Dakota is the mother of the other two. She's a mixed breed lab, huskey, and Weimaraner. Cole and Cowboy have those breeds in them , plus Chow and Staffordshire Terrier. We love all three of them, but they all have vasty different personalities. And with those personalities come attitudes. And those attitudes affect how they see things and how they react to certain situations. 

Dakota is a little bit full of herself. The rest of us live in her world in her opinion. She's got a big heart. But she holds it in reserve. She wants attention when she wants it and how she wants it. It's her way or no way at all. So consequently, she suffers and so do we. She gets in trouble for scratching our arms trying to get our attention when we're busy trying to do something else- like sleep. She sulks in the position she's in (chair, corner, carpet, etc) rather than respond to a call to come to us so we can pet her, etc, when we have the opportunity to do so. But, she's ours and we love her dearly.

Cowboy is a bighearted little boy with a bit of attitude. He's the smallest of the boys in his litter and therefore he has the small dog attitude. He wants to prove (mostly out of fear) that he's just as big and bad as his brothers. This has caused him to be hurt by his brothers. Consequently, he walks around with both a chip on his shoulder and a heart that screams "somebody love me, please!" So when it comes to Della and I, Cowboy tends to hang back from fear, but when he sees a clear opening, he charges in happily to gain our attention. He is most at peace when he's laying on one of us in some way with us stroking his head and neck. 

Cole is the big ball of sunshine. He's not perfect. He can sometimes be a little full of himself. But, mostly, he's happy go lucky. He charges in for our attention like he hasn't seen us in years- even if we just stepped out the door and came right back in. He's quick to climb up in my lap or jump up on the bed and begin to kiss Della or I just to say: "I love you! I love you!" And Cole is so sensitive to the moods of his masters that he lovingly responds when we are upset. He can't fix whatever is bugging us, but his loving response helps to ease our aggravation. 

That having been said, due to their attitudes, I am closer to Cole, who I call my 120 pound lapdog, than I am the other two. 

I love them all the same, but it appears to the other two that Cole is my favorite. 

But the truth is that Cole from day one has actively worked at showing us his love and building a relationship with Della and I. He doesn't expect us to meet him on his terms. He just takes full advantage of every opportunity he has to tell us he loves us and to show it in every way he can. He deliberately spends as much quality time as he possibly can with us.  

The difference between the three is their attitude. The difference between our relationships with them is their attitude. 

It's the same with us and God. Jesus loves us all the same. Jesus died on the cross for us all. Jesus gives the same offer of salvation to all. "And few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14"

Even to those of us who are born again, there can be a difference between our individual relationships with God. 

Some of us are like Dakota. We love God, but we expect him to do what we want, when we want, and how how we want. And when he doesn't, we try to punish him by holding ourselves back and giving him our cold shoulder. All the while, we long to be close to him and held in his arms. Sometimes, we'll take jabs at God to try and scratch him to get him to move in the way we want him to. But God is God and we ain't. He moves and does things when he knows it's right for us and the right time for it to happen. All the while, he beckons for us to come close and let him give us the love he wants to share. 

Some of us are like Cowboy. We have low self esteem- even though the cross proves just how valuable to God we truly are. We spend our time fighting with our brothers in an effort to show that we're just as good as they are. We try and get the attention of those that we don't feel threatened by to gain their approval and feel validated. And when an opportunity comes where we feel totally safe, then we drop all our walls and run to Jesus screaming, "I love you, daddy, I love you!" And for a short time, we feel the love and acceptance we truly long for. A love that we truly had all along, if we had just not held ourselves back. And sometimes, we even get to lay our head in the lap of our master to soak in as much love as we possibly can- in perfect peace. 

And some of us are like Cole. It doesn't matter to us what others think, we're going to charge in to be as close to Jesus as we can at every opportunity. Sometimes, we do dumb things and get into trouble because we get our attention diverted by things other than our master. But, always we run back to him looking to lavish him with our love and build our relationship with him. And like Cole, we are sensitive to the moods of our Lord. We become instantly attuned and are moved by what moves Jesus.

The truth is that we probably all have moments where we are all 3. Sometimes we act like Dakota. Sometimes we act like Cowboy. And sometimes we act like Cole. 

But always, God is totally in love with us and has our best interest and care in mind. 

So the question, every day, truly is what is our attitude with God? Because what our attitude is will determine our relationship with God and what we are able to get from God.

 

Out of the ashes.

 The following post was given to me by God on Sunday June 28, 2015. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015

"A sad message from the Lord for America.

Thus saith the Lord God of heaven and earth:

When you were young and new, you delighted in my word and I protected you.
When you had trouble, you sought me with your whole heart and I delivered you.
But you prided yourself in the blessings I gave you. You took credit for the prosperity I gave you.
You turned from my ways and followed after other gods, which are no gods at all.
I sent messagers to you, time and time again, but you vilified and ignored what they said to you.
I lowered my hand of protection and allowed your enemies to attack you and for a short season you sought me.
But, in short order, you turned your back on me again and swore to rebuild yourselves better and greater than you were before: as if it were you, and not I, that prospered and protected you.
I sent more messengers to you and still you did not hear.
Therefore, BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED ME AND HAVE EMBRACED AND CELEBRATED THAT WHICH I CALL AN ABOMINATION, THE PROTECTION OF MY HAND IS LIFTED AND YOUR ENEMIES WILL SPOIL YOU.

I WILL DIVIDE YOUR LAND AS A SYMBOL TO THE WORLD THAT I AM INDEED GOD OF ALL. I WILL SAVE A REMNANT FOR MYSELF AND WILL RAISE THEM UP FOR THE WORLD TO SEE. BUT, WHEN THIS DESTRUCTION COMES, REMEMBER THAT IT IS FROM I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND REPENT."

The only thing he has impressed upon me to add is this:

"Out of the ashes of the old nation, I will raise up a better one- a people who will follow my ways and stand against the ways of the enemy. 

Two nations will emerge from the current United States. 

One will stand with me and follow my ways. It will expel the apostasy that afflicts the current united states and the world. I will bless and protect them.

The other will reject me and my ways and join with the evils of this world. These I will spew out of my mouth and reject. These will be judged on the day of judgment.

May those that have an ear listen and obey."

Even so, come Lord Jesus!   

Rehashing old truths in the new year, Part 1: the truth about who's truly good and bad.

 John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

This world is a very harsh place. Everybody is trying to make their dreams come true. Everybody is trying to create their own version of paradise for themselves and their families. 

The common belief is that people are good or bad based on their actions. And not just their actions in general, but their actions towards me. If they treated my loved ones and me well, then they're good people. If they treated my loved ones and me badly, then they're bad people. 

And truthfully, I understand the sentiment to a point. A truly good person tries to treat others well. A truly bad person does tend to mistreat people. But, there's another side to that coin:

Sometimes bad people will do good things in order to manipulate people into doing what they want them to do- some politicians for example. And sometimes good people can be pushed over the edge in anger or desperation and do some pretty bad things. But, truly this makes sense. For scripture clearly says that "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23

And herein lies the true difference between good and bad. 

If we judge ourselves against other humans, it's possible to believe that we are inherently good. After all, If we've told a few lies and wronged a few people, but we compare ourselves to a mass murderer or a child molester, we look at it that we're not so bad. After all, look at all that they have done. "I'm not so bad," we say.

But scripture says," 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2 Corinthians 10:12

People in the world compare themselves among themselves in this same way. But, scripture clearly tells us not to do this. We are neither to judge ourselves in comparison to other people. Neither are we to judge other people in comparison to ourselves or other people we consider to be good. 

The truth of the matter is that there is coming a day when we all will be judged by God. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" Hebrews 9:27

And God almighty will not judge us like we do. He doesn't grade on a curve. He doesn't have a grading scale like schools used to have (A-90%, B-80%, C-70%, D-60%, F- 59% and below. Anything 60% or better is passing). We either pass or fail. Period. He judges us against one thing and one thing only: 

"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." John 12:48

On that day, we will be judged by how we lined up to and obeyed HIS word. He won't look around and tell us, "Well, you were better than these people so I'll let you in." Neither will he say, "you were worse than these folks, so I'm sending you to Hell."

Many times, when we were raising our daughters and one of them had done something wrong, they would respond with, "but what about her?" In their childish minds, they knew that their sister had done some "really bad stuff" and therefore in comparison, they should get off the hook and we should deal with their sister. 

This is the mentality of the world today. 

The liar says, "look at the thief." The thief says, "but look at the molester." The molester says, "Look at the murderer." All believe they should get off the hook for whatever they've done because it wasn't "that bad."

We had to redirect our daughters by telling them that, "we're not discussing your sister. We're discussing what you did wrong." 

God's word says, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelations 21:8

Furthermore, it says, "9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

And these are just the tip of the iceberg.

If we take an honest look at ourselves in comparison to the ways that scripture says we need to live we will come to realize that scripture is true: "... all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23

But, God loves us all, right? Yes, he does. But, just because he loves us does not mean that we will make heaven. Most people, if they're honest, believe that some people they've known have been too bad to make heaven- even though God loves them. Just ask the families of murder victims if the murderer made heaven after they were executed. 

With that being said, how in the world do any of us have a chance to make heaven?

...to be continued