Tuesday Treasures: The Treasure of His Promise

What things has the Lord said to you that, like Mary, you’ve treasured in your heart? These are things that aren’t to be shared flippantly or with just anybody. It doesn’t mean that the things the Lord has spoken are not true or will not come to pass—it’s just that these things are precious and need to be protected.

I think this may be what God is referring to in 2^nd Peter 1—as Peter talks about God’s “very great and precious promises,” indicating that they come to us through a) God’s divine power; and b) our knowledge of Him. Verses 3 and 4: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

What is the purpose of these promises? So that we may participate in the divine nature.  Certainly, we are given a divine nature when we profess faith in Christ—but I also believe that we grow in this nature over time, as we know Christ more and more—thus, the process of maturity. Becoming all we were designed to be as “children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring” (Romans 9:8b).

Peter wanted those who were in Christ to become mature in Him, so he went on to admonish them to add to their faith “goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” (verses 5b-7).

All these things are needed in order for each of us to fulfill our “promise.” I believe God put a promise in each of us when He created us—a destiny—the plan He had for us from before the creation of the world. And our destiny is always “too big” for us. We need his divine power and a close, intimate relationship with Him in order to carry it out.

The enemy will come against us, and we will have to fight for that promise. Thus, perseverance, through which we become more like Him—and as we do, we must put love for others at the forefront. God wants us to be a blessing—that is a big part of why we each carry the promise that we do—to be unique expressions of His multi-faceted love to the world.

People may know parts of our promise at different times—but the whole of it—that’s between the Father and us. If we start sharing randomly every little detail of what God shows us, a few things can happen: a) pride can set in; b)others may see us as prideful, even if we are not; c) we can actually derail ourselves from God’s plan as others give us their ideas and interpretations of what we should do.

I am not saying that input is always a bad idea—what I am saying is that we must be sure of our calling—and that we hear, first and foremost, from the Lord. That is why we must guard His promises with wisdom and humility. Not false humility—where we are always confessing how low we are, never able to accomplish anything great. I’m talking about true humility, in which we follow His leading in living out each part of our destiny, with Holy Spirit boldness and purpose—as He enables us, with a heart to glorify Him.

Remember when Joseph shared his promise? His brothers became enraged that he would be so presumptuous—Joseph didn’t take care to guard the promise. However, God worked in his heart and he kept it right. And so God worked all things together for good in Joseph’s life—and in the lives of an entire people. God is a redeeming God.

So ask the Lord what treasures of your promise He might wish to share with you. Take His words seriously. Ask Him questions. Ponder. Seek Him. Guard your heart. There is much more He has for you than you could ever imagine; in fact, you are a promise—and you’ve been given “the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13) to equip you to fulfill all that you were created to be.

Monday Memories: Dare to Find the Truth

I have several memories from my younger years of responding to dares from “friends.” (A word of advice: if you want to be a true friend, don’t tempt someone to do something you know could have a negative result. ) I decided to try the dares because: a) I wanted my friends’ approval and wanted them to think I was “cool.” b) I didn’t have strong enough convictions to keep me from doing foolish things. c) I was an immature kid who was not thinking through the potential consequences.

One dare was when I was nine or ten—a friend dared me to throw a stick toward the front of our house to make it land on the roof. I was a terrible throw, and the stick broke our front window, equaling an unplanned for and no doubt untimely bill for my parents—who were renters.

Another dare involved a different friend and the destruction of some school property. I was reluctant at first, but sufficiently egged on—I gave in to the pressure. This act too resulted in a bill for my disappointed parents. Preceded by a trip to the principal’s office.

A third dare was more of a mutual one between that same friend and myself—she encouraged me to goof off and see if I might get away with it, and I was also curious to see just how rowdy I could be and still get away with it. The result? Since this was inside a church building, during a church-sponsored event, I was asked not to return—thus ended my brief career as a “pioneer girl.”

Recalling these events now, I can see clearly why I was so easily persuaded to ignore what I knew to be right and embrace what was exciting but lacking moral integrity. I didn’t know my Heavenly Father’s heart—His thoughts toward me—who I was according to Him. Had I known Him better then and the value He placed on me, I believe I would have been able to say in my heart, ‘No, it’s God’s opinion that matters most—and He says I’m better than that.’

But I was thinking only of the moment—the thrill of disobedience—the rapture of rebellion…and then the hammer fell. Every time. Because I didn’t know who I really was—or whom I was called to represent. I had not yet allowed God to show me what was truly good—the life He had for me, only requiring that I do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8).

I was lacking discipleship. I needed someone to come alongside and tell me what God saw in me. I didn’t even know at that time how to hear God. I needed loving guidance—to be introduced to the kingdom in which I was to live as a princess. I didn’t have to do foolish things to get attention—I had every bit of my Father’s attention already. I just didn’t know it.

How often is this very story true of so many people—believers and pre-believers alike? They don’t see the gold God sees in them, so they live out of their knowledge of themselves as those who are poor, unacknowledged, unimportant. It is so incredibly vital to our futures that we understand what God says about us—and embrace that truth about ourselves.

The truth is—you are His dove, and He longs to see your face and hear your voice, “for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely” (Song of Solomon 2:14); you are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that [you] should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV); you are His child! "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18).

At the temple court one day, there was a woman who had been caught in adultery. Harsh judgment—even unto death—was about to be leveled against her. But Jesus told her that she was forgiven and to go and sin no more. He released her from the bondage of the life she had known and encouraged her to live a new life, embracing the truth.

“So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32, Amplified). When we know “the Truth,” which is Jesus, we will also understand the truth about ourselves. We will have the freedom to know who we are truly called to be—and leave behind behaviors that have separated us from our true identities all along. “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory” (Psalm 149:4).

True freedom is only found in Christ. Dare to trust in Him. For His truths are “more precious than gold, than much pure gold” (Psalm 19:10a). Dare to find out who you really are. Dare to follow Him. He will only lead you in paths of righteousness, for His name’s sake (Psalm 23), the place where you were always meant to walk. Dare to take His hand—and never let go.

Hearing God's Voice: An Overview

 

 

Certainly, we hear God through His Word, but today I want to talk about hearing His voice apart from Bible-reading, even though that obviously should be a part of the whole equation.

Sometimes when I’ve said things like “I heard the Lord say such-and-such,” I’ve gotten funny looks from people. At other times, those to whom I was speaking knew exactly what I was talking about because they’d experienced the same thing. The truth is, it should be more foreign for us as Christians to not hear a specific word from God than it is to hear one. We are New Testament believers, and the New Testament is full of the Lord impressing things upon people, giving visions, etc. But also of us, His sheep actually hearing His voice: John 10:27-28 ESV – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

John 15:26 (ESV) says,  “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.” In order to bear witness, one needs to be speaking and sharing. Galatians 4:6 indicates that the Holy Spirit within us causes us to cry out to God: “And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Psalm 145:18a declares, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him…” And because He is near, He is waiting to communicate with us. Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) – “'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'”

So how do we go about hearing Him? We often hear God’s words “in our own voice,” so to speak—since He uses our minds to communicate His message, it’s easy to think ‘oh, that was probably just me.’ As I see it, our spirits act as a sort of universal translator. The more immersed in His presence we are, the easier it is to know that it’s God who is speaking. We have to separate ourselves from our circumstances and “get away” with Him. When I begin my time with the Lord by praising Him for who He is, then thanking Him for all He has done and is doing, I find that I am more sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Some of the things that help me to know that it’s God’s voice I’m hearing: 1) I feel a sense of peace or joy inside. It’s something that wells up from the inside, and I know that I am “in the hearing zone,” so to speak. 2) I think ‘that definitely wasn’t me.’ This happens when God says something I was not even remotely thinking of or would probably not have come up with—it’s contrary to the workings of my own mind, so I know it’s God doing the talking. 3) It’s the opposite of all the discouraging things I’ve recently thought or heard. The enemy is going to pour on guilt and shame and discouragement. God never does that. 4) It’s a word that is calling me to a challenge. By “challenge,” I mean that it’s calling me above my circumstances, to do something that will require His help. 5) When it’s a word from God, my heart grabs hold of it, as if to say ‘yes, God, that’s you.’

Hearing God’s voice is not an exact science…it isn’t a science at all—it’s a heart connection with God. The more time we spend with Him, the more closely connected we are to His heart, so that we begin to even think the same thoughts He thinks—we are internalizing the heart and mind of God—not in its entirety, of course—I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that it is possible to have a friendship with God through which much of what we’re hearing is more easily interpreted. It’s like when you have a best friend—you sometimes don’t need a lot of words to communicate things to each other; you just know what the other person meant. And I believe it is possible to develop this kind of close communion with God as well.

God so desires for us to know that we’re hearing Him that He will often confirm what He has said through other people. Or even through songs…or bumper stickers. I’ve found that the Lord will use just about anything to get His point across—and it’s a true delight when one doesn’t miss it! When there’s a “theme” that keeps coming up, God is telling you something.

God doesn’t speak to me in just one way. I find that He is very multi-dimensional, complex, and creative. Since we are created in His image, why would we expect Him to be any less?! Sometimes when God speaks, I will see a picture. At other times, I’ll be given a series of words. Or I may hear a word, but it’s not totally clear. Perhaps it’s just the beginning of a word like “sha-“ and I will keep listening for what fits—“shan, shandow,…oh, shadow” – and when I get the right word, it’s like my spirit goes ding, ding, ding. Then, I ask the Lord “What about “shadow”?” Let’s say He told me that I was living in the shadow of others. He might bring to remembrance a word He spoke to me in the past. God actually did speak to me in a couple different ways in the past about this word—one time in particular, the word was that I was not meant to live in the shadows.

I find that the Lord often reminds His children of things He’s spoken in the past—He may speak it in a different way, or even add something  to it, but He doesn’t want us to forget those things. They are significant, so don’t be surprised if He brings them up again.

In order to hear God’s voice, you must believe that He is there—present—speaking, and have an expectation that He will answer you. Hebrews 11:6 promises that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” He will definitely make Himself known to those who truly want a relationship with Him. I am not talking about punching a time-clock; I’m talking about the condition of your heart. Even if you’re struggling to spend time with the Lord, He knows your heart and will still speak to you. You are His child, and you’re precious to Him. And the more time we spend talking to God and hearing, the more rewards we will see—because He’s just that good.

Pursuing God: What's Stopping Us?

Do we truly understand what it means to pursue God?

When one thinks of the word “pursue,” it may bring to mind one of two things—pursuing a criminal to bring him or her to justice or pursuing another person in relationship.

Let’s look at the latter example for a moment. In this “instant culture” we live in, traditional courting isn’t the norm anymore in relationships. Instead, there’s something like a “You wanna?/Sure./Okay” kind of communication that takes place, and suddenly the relationship has “become serious.” But we’ve also forgotten what a “serious relationship” used to look like. It used to mean that a man and woman wanted to honor one another and take things slow enough to give the other person a chance to think and truly make informed decisions. It used to mean honoring parents or guardians enough to get permission and seeking that blessing as a vital part of the dating process, regardless of the relative age of the couple in question. It was a matter of doing what was right and honoring all concerned. There were important issues of timing as well—and courting meant caring enough to be patient.

I remember my mom telling me how my dad “pursued” her—how he didn’t give up, how he kept coming around—until he had successfully won her affections. Pursuing was a sign that the person one was after was worth all the time in the world—to get to know and, hopefully, spend the rest of one’s life with. It was a romantic and purposeful endeavor, to say the least.

But is that how we treat God, the lover of our souls? Do we put effort into how to express our love and admiration to Him? Do we think about Him all the time and plan out “dates” with Him? Does His presence make our hearts go pitter-patter? Or does just thinking about Him?

I Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually.” We need  God’s presence in order to have the strength He provides—we need to know Him and understand just how He sees our lives. In order to get His heart and perspective, we must seek (pursue) Him.

Hebrews 11:6 is one of the first Scriptures I ever committed to memory as an adult—“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” We come from the premise of knowing He is waiting to reward us. He is generous toward us; He is not going to hide His face from us when we are earnest in drawing near to Him.

In childlike faith, we must make a heart commitment—which will be reflected in a time commitment. Anyone who’s been in a thriving relationship knows that it takes time in order to thrive. And isn’t our Creator, our Savior, our Comforter and Friend most worthy of our time?

Psalm 16:11 promises, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Not only will the Lord meet us in our secret place—He will lead us on a path of life and fill us with joy—and we will have the pleasures our Father provides not just now but eternally. What a great and loving God!

He is the one who “first loved us” (I John 4). We are His children, His beloved, His chosen ones, joint heirs with Christ—He lavishes His love on us (I John 3:1). Psalm 23:6, in the Message, declares, “Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.” Our God is in pursuit—and there’s nothing we can do to stop Him. So what’s stopping us?