My friend, if you are willing, that means you have a heart prepared to go and do what others may not be willing to do. You see the possibilities and enthusiastically embrace and receive what may be ahead simply because the Master wants to use you.
Willingness for what? Ah, my friend, only you can answer that question because only you can know the call you have been hearing or the pull in a certain direction that you have been feeling. But it is not until the feet of faith have moved to the fulfillment of those things does your willingness shine through.
And shine you will. For those who respond to God’s drawing in to follow and fulfill – that one, moving in obedience, shines, for “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” Matthew 5:14, 16.
That three-letter word “let” is asking for your permission to be allowed to be used by Him. It’s asking are you willing? Are you ready to respond in the affirmative with a steadfast “Yes”?
Second Corinthians 9:7 reminds us that God loves a cheerful giver. Stretch that possibility beyond the gathering of an offering to be worked out in our everyday lives. Are we cheerfully giving of ourselves? Are we allowing the Master to use us as vessels fit for the job, “prepared unto every good work” 2 Timothy 2:21?
Many are agreeable in tongue, but has our willingness reached the point of being ready, pliable, and active in services to our King? Paul implored the Roman church, and us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” Romans 12:1.
“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:6, 7
Sin is ugly and has been a battle mankind has fought since the Fall. Sin is an intrusion into this world and our lives. It was never supposed to be a part of the program nor was it supposed to act like it has dominion, because it doesn’t.
God has the final answer for sin. The psalmist declared, “Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away,” (Psalm 65:3). The word “purge” means to clean out, to get rid of, and eradicate it from the vessel that was holding it.
Although there is no possible way for a man, woman, or child to get right before God on their own, when that person brings themselves before the only true God who can do the holy restorative work needed in that life – they can become clean. He will purge it from that trusting life. There is forgiveness and redemption found in God.
In Isaiah, He says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool,” (Isaiah 1:18). God has the means to do away with all iniquities and transgressions, and His name is Jesus: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7
David, the author of Psalm 65, quoted above and below, knew personally what it was like to be on the receiving end of God’s forgiveness. He knows what it’s like to be taken in a fault and feel overwhelmed in this battle against sin. He knows that God is to be praised because He is the one who has made atonement for the sins of mankind (read entire Psalm 65).
Recognizing the wonder and beauty of it all, he writes: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple,” (Psalm 65:4).
“Blessed;” happy and full of joy is the one who is allowed “to approach unto thee.” This individual has received God’s answer to the sin problem of this life. The barrier that those iniquities and transgressions caused between man and God has been pulled down, and now, that one has open access to the Almighty. Therefore, they are “blessed.”
“That he may dwell in thy courts” gives the impression of permanence. The bond between the redeemed and the Redeemer has been sealed and solidified with everlasting love through the ever-saving blood of Jesus Christ. The usage of the word “courts” brings the repentant heart to where He is. Those blessed individuals are so because they have been welcomed to enter into the realm of His holy Majesty. The “blessed” have become holy courtiers in His kingdom. With the lifting of the plague of sin that blocks the unbelieving from entering, this one who has received forgiveness can enter those holy grounds on the premise of His grace: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14; see also Ephesians 2:8).
David continues to write, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” God satisfies with “goodness” those who come to Him (see also Psalm 36:8). With the inclusion of the word “we,” King David also applies this to himself as being on the receiving end of the blessings that flow from God. With the dissatisfaction of dealing with everything wrong in this life, he looked forward to a day when he would know the sweet, uninterrupted joy of His “goodness” continually and freely flowing upon him.
This goodness is found where He is; in His “house, even of thy holy temple.” As much as sin and iniquities have tried to prevail or overwhelm – more so will His goodness overshadow and satisfy us when we repent. Corrie Ten Boom reminds us, “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.”
To the soul that turns to Christ, the ugliness of sin is done away with and He will satisfy with the beauty of redemption.
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:12-14
Peter, one who walked with Jesus and walked on water, knew the value of the faith he believed and carried in his heart. He had a deep concern that others would know this value too and refused to let anything stop him from passing it on.
He writes in 2 Peter 1:15, “Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance,” because for people like Peter, Paul, and the others that carried this holy message, facing death, suffering, and hardship due to the ministry was not a surprise. It’s as if they knew it was part of the package of following Christ (see 2 Peter 2:14; compare 1 Peter 4:12, 13).
Rather than let the thought of what they would face deter their faith or cause them to shrink back, they used it as a propelling place, putting even more fervency in the work of the ministry while they had time.
What about us? For some, when things get hard, it pushes a stop button on any progress gained. But what if we, with the same zeal and enthusiasm as they, refused to let the hard places stop our mission? What would happen if we, like a woman in the process of a painful birthing experience, continued to push through it all to receive the reward at the end?
There is power in the push! We are called to be relentless in our faith – not backing down, not easing up. We have the goal of heaven before us, and as those working as “joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17) in this Kingdom work, we want to help and assist as many as possible to find their way to this faith.
That cannot happen if we stop or if we let the thought of what could happen hinder our progress.
We must adopt the mindset of the apostle Paul and say for ourselves, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14). This is a forward march that refuses to lessen the pace, instead the stride is intensified knowing the prize is ahead. The work continues with valiant efforts for the benefit of others.
Continue the push. Be relentless. None of what we go through or do for Christ will be in vain. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord,” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Our faith is of premium value. Nothing can compare to what we have in Christ. Refuse to back down. Refuse to step aside from the ministry God has laid on your life. Others are depending on you to keep pushing forward – to be relentless.
“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39
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Caring for someone is not a trivial thing. The importance of one’s love for you can be felt in what they do for you and by the words and the way they speak over you. The Father’s care for us can be experienced by both. In our daily lives, we see His love manifested in myriad ways. And in His Word, we read what He thinks of us and how important we are to Him. In Matthew 6:30, Jesus confirms this by telling us, “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” You cannot begin to understand how important you are to God, just trust that you are. And the daily things that concern us are not a worry in the heart of the Father. “He’s got you!” Those words are not just another casual phrase to be tossed about. They are words of promise you can stand upon in faith today!
Our posture is not a hung-down posture of giving in or giving up. We stand upright knowing who we are and Whose we are. Our posture is that of winners. As children of the Most High, we have a promise that will not be destroyed and we will not be defeated. We are always victors through Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:57). The Bible declares, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
As a Christian, you are victorious! You stand boldly knowing that regardless of what your current situation may tell you, God’s holy Word says that you are an overcomer (1 John 4:4).
More winning promises:
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” Psalm 118:6
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4
The world we live in currently bears the scars of the travesty that has taken place. When sin entered, it did more than cause our separation from God (which was the worst). It also caused hurt, disorder, dysfunction, and disease where there was only to be peace, love, harmony, and health.
Our Garden of Eden has become a briar patch of thorns and pain that hurt and hinder where the Word was spoken for good. The truth of this condition is told in Scripture as the Apostle Paul says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22, 23).
When something is groaning it means something is not right. Think along the lines of an upset stomach. People tend to groan and hold themselves tightly to express their utter discomfort at the wrong they feel going on inside themselves. Their body is in pain until that which caused the discomfort is cured and eased.
In the above verses, there is groaning seen in the state of man and creation alike. But the promise for those in Christ is that it will not remain as it is now. Healing is on the horizon. Nature will regain its right order. That which was called good will shine brighter than its original beauty before. And we, my friends, who have experienced and lived through the turmoil of this world, will finally find the ultimate peace and completion of true wholeness.
That which is flesh will be given over to the Spirit. That of the world will dissipate before glory. The enemy you see today, you will see no more for everything will be healed. You will be freer than you have ever been before as the burdens of this life are laid down once and for all, as the culmination of everything we have maintained this hope for comes to pass.
As we carry His Spirit in us today, we carry it with the knowing that our faith, although it has seen many trials, is not in vain. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).
The promise is there, and the promise is real. Everything not fitted for the purpose of that glorious Kingdom will be done away with. Tears and death, hopelessness and despair, pain, and suffering – all will be passed away (Revelation 21:4). “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new . . .” (Revelation 21:5). What was wrong will be righted. What was broken will be fully and completely healed as groanings are replaced by glory forever.
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” – Isaiah 65:17
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – 1 Peter 5:10
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” – 1 John 5:4
Word For Life Says... 