Psalm 46 says, Be still and know... in other words, make the time to allow God to inspire our thinking, our decisions, our vision, our knowing, our faith! As we unpack this talk, no matter how uncertain, stuck, afraid, hurt, disappointed you may feel, faith inspired knowing is what enables any believer to having done all to stand, we stand. These are the ones God is patiently looking for, The Faithful.
Psalm 46 says, Be still and know... in other words, make the time to allow God to inspire our thinking, our decisions, our vision, our knowing, our faith!
As we unpack this talk, no matter how uncertain, stuck, afraid, hurt, disappointed you may feel, faith inspired knowing is what enables any believer to having done all to stand, we stand. These are the ones God is patiently looking for, The Faithful.
Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV- Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Here’s a little take home for ya, Nobody gets to go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today a make a new ending.
Isaiah said, “I’m about to do a new thing...”
God spoke through Zechariah saying, “How dare any of you despise the day of small beginnings.”
So, regardless of what you have or haven’t done, regardless of the challenges, disappointments and criticisms, let this God ordained, Kingdom of Heaven reality settle into your thinking. God’s not finished with you. He’s eternal!
I understand, for God there’s nothing new under the sun, but for every believer, this is Isaiah’s point, there’s always going to be a new thing we’re just seeing because God is progressive in His revelation of Himself.
This is why faithfulness is required, we’re the clay on the Potter’s wheal.
Let’s all of us leave here with a refocused acknowledgement that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Which means it’s time to refocus our believing; one decision at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time. Let God enlarge our vision. (Jabez)
Here’s probably the most overlooked point of Jabez’s prayer, how’s my vision? He wasn’t just asking for more, but to enlarge his ability to receive from God. Think about it, when’s the last time you’ve checked your vision? Be still and know!
Remember, whatever a man sows. How consistent do you sow into your God given vision?
Here’s the deal, there is no silver bullet, even though God will absolutely stretch our vision, give us dreams bigger than we are; (otherwise what do we need faith for?) we still have to take them on one day at a time.
And it starts by being faithful in the little. Remember what God spoke through Zechariah, “How dare any of you despise the day of small beginnings.”
Mother Teresa said, “Our strength lies in being faithful in the little things.”
Proverbs 4:18,NLT- “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”
Solomon said, “The end of a thing is better than the beginning.”
Here’s a reality Christians have to come to terms with, God actually expects us to live beyond our humanity, to be one of His faithful, actually living a spiritual life.
Remember, Jesus told us we can’t put new wine in old wine skins. In other words, God’s ways, God’s Kingdom isn’t humanity’s way, and it’s definitely not religion’s way.
1 Corinthians 2:9-14,NKJV- But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Understand, God’s entire system will go against everything our natural life has grown comfortable with, as a matter of fact, God’s ways will absolutely go against all human reasoning.
This is why Jesus made statements like,”If you can believe, all things are possible for you,” "Whatever you ask for believing, you'll receive it."
But here's the thing, the only way a person starts believing differently is by thinking differently.
And right thinking, Godly thinking is a direct result of time with God, time with His word. The challenge most of us face today is that we get so busy, so occupied with our circumstances, with life and it clouds what God is wanting to show us.
Matthew 6:22-23,NKJV- The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
What we put in front of us, our spirit is exposed to. Make no mistake, it influences our vision.
Paul helps us with this truth in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, As we behold His glory, we are transformed into the same image.
Luke 6:45,NKJV- A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Everything about God and His world was spoken into existence. God’s original plan for words wasn’t communication, it was creation.
Remember Ezekiel, “Prophecy to bones” So what about today, who’s God’s voice in the earth? Who’s gonna do the prophesying today?
Paul said, Clearly you are an epistle of Christ, not written with ink but by the Spirit of the living God. What if when Jesus told us to follow Him, that included talking the way he did. Saying the things He said?
According to Proverbs 6, I wonder how many of us are snared by the words of our mouth?
Like Ezekiel , like so many of God’s people, what if we started prophesying our future? Get up everyday proclaiming God’s blessing over you life.
You want to know what you’re gonna be like five years from now? Just listen to what you’re saying?
According to Proverbs, sometimes we need to put a guard over our mouth.
Here’s a thought, what if we stopped using our word to describe our situation, and start using them to change our situation?
Seriously, if we’re going to be the faithful of the Lord, it starts with the little things. It starts with our tongue, after all, James tells us it’s the ruder of our life.
Let me ask y’all, how many of you honestly believe God means what He says? So according to Proverbs 18, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” how about this one? Do we really believe this?
We can’t talk failure, talk the problem, the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve and honestly think we’re being faithful in what He told us.
Galatians 6:7-9,NKJV- Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Remember Psalm 46, Be still and know that He is God.
I get it, making ourselves available to God, to spiritual realities isn't something that comes natural to our human nature. This is where faith comes in. God is absolutely looking for, counting on the faithful.
Jesus actually told us, those faithful in the little will be faithful in much.
And it all hinges on believers embracing this new, different life in Christ. This is why Paul instructs us that we are to put on our new man in Christ.
Those who live spiritual, it starts by setting their minds on spiritual things.
Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”