Windows of the Soul

Plans

 

Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

 

 

 

 

Stop a minute.  Read this verse again.  One more time. 

 

Does this say what you and I think this says? 

 

Of course it does. 

 

The Sovereign LORD of the universe does nothing without revealing his plans. 

 

So there are certain people who know ahead of time what God intends to do. 

 

Yep. 

 

Those in whom God reveals are those whose lives are fully devoted to Him.  In other words, His prophets. 

 

Ok, so who are the prophets?  People selected by God to deliver His words, His message to a dying and rebellious world.  Moses, Elijah, Jeremiah, Jesus - to name a few. 

 

Did God speak to the prophets and through them?  Yeah, He did.  You can check it out in your Bible. 

 

What about you and me?  God will reveal Himself to those who draw near to Him in faith.  Those who prove themselves faithful to God.  Those whom He can trust. 

 

Has the LORD revealed His plans to you?  If yes, you are close to God.  If not, seek Him while He may be found. 

 

Selah.

 

Treasures

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (I Timothy 6:17-19)

One of the things about life we can count on is change.  Today’s scripture talks about treasure.  Paul is writing to Timothy and encourages his son in the faith to encourage those in the church to put their hope in God rather than things of this world. 

 We can easily let our faith guard down, so to speak, when things are going well.  Money is good.  Work is going along fine.  Family.  Friends. Everything is just moving along like clockwork.  But then, stuff happens.  The stock market crashes, or work dries up, or some unforeseen thing happens to someone you love.  Or maybe even you.  And your whole world comes crashing down. 

That’s when many lose their faith.  They become angry  at God.  At circumstances.  At others.  Their circumstances are dictating how they feel.  This is easy to do.  In fact, I would venture to say, most of us do exactly that. 

 

But Paul charges us to place our hope in God regardless.  When things are good.  And when they aren’t so good.  Do good to others, and be generous with material things. 

The truth is that we find life … when we lose it.  When we give ourselves away by doing good to others, sharing our time and our talents, our wealth and our selves, we find ourselves.  This is when we take hold of real life.  True life.  When we give ourselves away.  And, when our hope is in God, regardless of our circumstances. 

Your treasures of this world will rust, fade, wear out, be lost, stolen or decay.  May your treasures be found in the intangible things.  That which places its hope and faith in God, and imitates Him in all His goodness. 

Selah. 

Faith

15He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20:15,17, 20-21)

Today as I read the familiar verses about the battle being the LORD’s really spoke to my heart.  But more so, our part in the battle.  Jehoshaphat had a part to play, too.  He had specific instructions to follow to be successful.   And he set a template for us as battles are waged against us in the world. 

 

First, Jehoshaphat was instructed to take up his position. Then to stand firm.  Then watch the deliverance of the LORD.  He was told not to be afraid, not to be discouraged; to go out to face the enemy and the LORD will be with you.

Not only did Jehoshaphat do this, but he encouraged the people of Judah to have faith in the Lord.  The result?  You will be upheld.  Have faith in the prophets – the men of God who speak the truth of God, and you will be successful. 

Not only did Jehoshaphat do this, but he then appointed men to sing to the LORD and praise and give thanks to Him.  They had not even engaged in battle yet.  They were following God’s directives to the letter, and then they were thanking and praising God before they were even delivered.  That, my friends, is faith. 

What about you and me?  Are there times when you are in the heat of battle and you are trying to do it on your own?  I know and am embarrassed to admit, that I have been there, done that many more times than I would like to admit.  The battles of life, personal, career, finances, jobs, enemies – they aren’t ours.  We need to understand that the battle belongs to God.  He will uphold us.  We will be successful if we have faith in the LORD.  Let God know your concerns, worries, fears.  And then have faith that He has the answer.  He has the battle plan.  He will win. 

Then, take up your position.  Stand firm.  And watch the LORD deliver you.  Do not be afraid.  Do not be discouraged.  Trust God, and praise him.  Give God thanks for what he will do.  And you will be delivered.  Have faith. 

LORD, may we remember the story of Jehoshaphat as we find ourselves in battle with the enemy.  May we trust you to fight and win the battle.  And may we find our lips thanking and praising you for what you will do.  Amen. 

Character Clothing

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:13,14)

 

Today’s verse is Colossians 3:12.  I included verses 13 and 14 for you to think about as well.  They offer more practical admonishments to today’s character clothing. 

 

As God’s chosen – His people -  there are expectations.  We are holy and dearly loved children of God.  And as such, Paul admonishes us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

 

We don’t tend to think of these character traits as something to put on each day such as we would with clothing. 

 

But have you ever heard the expression, those two are cut from the same cloth?  What does it mean?  It can mean there are observable similarities.  It usually means the similarities are in their thinking, weaving of common interests and character traits.  Two people will often discover this about each other, or make comments about it among friends. 

 

Our discovery, however, is God.  And the cloth we are cut from in our new birth is His righteousness, which we take on as Christ followers.

 

So the cloth we are cut from and that we are to clothe ourselves in are the very same character traits we see in our God.  Compassion.  Kindness.  Humility.  Gentleness.  Patience.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. 

 

How do we take on these character traits?  By renewing our minds with the Word of God.  By studying the Word, learning from it, attending church, and prayer.  We also may see His character traits in our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 

So, as you dress each morning, don’t forget to clothe yourself in His righteousness.  It will keep your relationships positive and it will glorify your Father in Heaven.  People will know you are ‘cut from the same cloth’ as your Father in Heaven. 

 

Something to think about.

 

LORD, may we honor you with our lives as we put on the clothes of your righteous character traits each day in all we say and do.  Amen. 

Rx for Anxiety

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Stop everything and take another moment to read and reflect on the verse above. 

Ever have a day that was one of those days?  Just not a good day.  Nothing earth shattering at work.  Just the grind.  And left to very tedious, monotonous work, perhaps you became very dissatisfied, and even disgruntled.  Then came the ride home. Maybe you had a call from your husband, who had a bad day and in fact was on his way to pacify a customer, correct a mistake, or make sure something got finished.  Maybe your livelihood was or still is in jeopardy.  Perhaps your life hasn’t been easy, or you just got some bad news.  So, it might be convenient to get angry at the world, get mad at God, or feel sad at the way things are. Been there?  Done that?

We may find ourselves in a place where it impossible to accept things the way they are.  We want our circumstances to change.  As a human beings, many of us strive to set goals and attain them.  Or maybe you have literally turned yourself inside and out to do as much as possible at home or in a relationship, and it didn't work out.  Perhaps at work, your efforts go unnoticed or maybe you got passed over for promotion.  Or you find yourself at the breaking point over a stressful or even traumatic event.  

Many of us like to mastermind and work out our life plans. Others of us find ourselves fretting and worrying in response to life events.  But in either of these mindsets, you won't hear God speak.  

The above verse offers a solution for when we feel anxious. In response to the pressures of life, consider prayer.

Then follow the advice offered in Scriptures:  

Do not let yourself become anxious.  About anything.  Not jobs, houses, income, promotion, money or lack of money, anything.  

In everything, take it to God in prayer and petition, with a thankful heart.  Everything means EVERYTHING.  Every last detail, take it to God in prayer. Prayer either changes the situation, or it changes our hearts.  Pray with thanksgiving – a spirit of gratitude – before any answer or resolution is seen.  This is the essence of faith.  

And then let go and relax.  Get busy going about your life. 

The results?  

God’s peace will dwell in your heart and mind. (Philippians 4:7) 

Selah.  

Pray-er Power

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:16-21)

 

These verses caught my eye this morning in my quiet time.  Paul prayed.  He prayed specifically for the believers at the church in Ephesus.  And there were things he wanted believers to have and know.  He wanted them to have several things, but one was power.  The power of God. And he wanted them to know love. The love of God.

 

First Paul prayed for the believers to be strengthened with power through God’s Spirit.  Strengthened on the inside.  In their inner being.  He wanted them strong for a reason.  That reason?  So that Christ would dwell in their hearts through faith.  Strengthened so that Jesus could dwell in their hearts through their faith in Him.  Prayer for them to have the strength to have that faith in Christ.  And that Christ would dwell in their hearts.  In a lost and dying world, both then and now, it is not easy to walk in faith.  There is a lot of opposition to faith, to a Christian world view, to living in the world, but not being of it.

 

What happens when something or someone dwells in your hearts?  You draw closer to that person.  You identify with that person.  You typically have that person on your mind in a good kind of way. 

 

So then Paul prayed for the believers to be rooted and established in love.  Once again, having power to grasp the full measure (wide, long, high and deep) of the love of Christ.  And to know this love beyond just knowledge of God.  To be filled all they way up with the fullness of God.  Understanding God’s love, not from head knowledge, but a knowing in their whole being.  And not only understanding, but being full of the love of God. 

 

They say love changes a person.  And the love relationship is often the catalyst for dramatic changes in people’s lives.  (Now, I am not just talking about love between a husband and wife, but rather, love in friendship, called agape love.)  Paul is praying not only for believers to be rooted and established, but to really know God’s love in every fiber of their being and to be full of God’s love.  Literally love flowing in and out of the believer’s life. 

 

This love translates into power.  Power to change. Power to love ourselves and  others.  Power to accept ourselves and others.  Power to live freely.  Power to live abundantly. 

 

Finally, Paul goes on to praise and acknowledge his own trust in God. 

 

To Him.  To God. 

 

Who is able. 

 

Able to do what?  Able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine. 

 

According to (here it is again – you guessed it) His power.  And that power is at work within us – within believers. 

 

To Him – God – be glory.  God’s glory both in the church here on earth (that is, in you and in me) and in Christ Jesus. 

 

For now.  And for always.  Forever.  And ever. So be it. 

 

Amen.