1 Peter 4

...live for the will of God...live in the spirit according to the will of God...good stewards of the manifold grace of God....so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

God's will, God's grace, God's glory...

Am I living for God's will?  How much does my will compete with His?

How does my life reflect the multifarious grace of the Most High God?

How precisely does my life-story communicate His glory?

Even in suffering, for whose honor, distinction, magnificence and preeminence do I work?  

Whose name do I try to make good in hardship and trouble?

Lord, it is so straightforward.  That renewed life of the one who 

                     ~survives and succeeds in the Spirit

                     ~accepts and abides as a bearer of the Almighty Name

                     ~loves intensely and demonstratively

                     ~welcomes others courteously, graciously and spontaneously

                     ~intercedes with tenacity

                     ~decides and does with divine discernment

  it is all for You...of Your will, by Your grace and for Your glory...help me to keep it simple and focused on You, of You and for You.

Hebrews 1

Jesus is God's message, His designated Heir, World-Maker, Glory's Radiance, True to God, Upholder, Power, Sin-Purifier, Finisher of His Work, Excellent Name, God's Son, the Begotten of God, The Firstborn, Worthy of Worship by God's Angels, Enthroned, Eternal in Reign, Righteous Power, Righteousness-Lover,  Lawlessness-Loather, God-Anointed, Gladness-Anointed, Anointed Above All, Present at the beginning,  Terra-Firma-Foundation Layer, Master Designer of Heavens, Perpetual and Enduring, Heavens' Keeper, The Same, Without End, Invited by God relax in regal honor, has enemies, Triumphant, Over enemies.


This is what God the Father speaks of Jesus. 


I am so struck by how much God says of Jesus in just this one grouping of words.  He's God, Jesus is God, the Holy Spirit is God.  And God the Father spends this passage on describing His Son.  


If He, Who is His Equal, says this much, how much more should I be saying and thinking and dreaming?  and after this, I am nearly speechless...


Praise You Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Acts 26

"And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'  

How very kind that the King of the Universe spoke in Paul's native language.  He could have chosen any language or method of causing Paul to comprehend; but the Most High Sovereign God spoke the language Paul had heard from birth.  

Thank You God that You are that detail-oriented with each of Your children.  You don't give a generic call to the masses; rather a specific drawing on the most intimate part of an individual.  Your kindness and creativity are to be praised.  Thank You that each story is different as a result.  You are not boring.

And now I am standing trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers... 

How am I standing for the Hope?   Would my faith get me in trouble like Paul or do I look too similar to the world to be of any interest to the enemy?  

God, please give me a heart to get in trouble like Paul.  Let me be a rogue for You.  Help me to not just seek the open doors; but to know, through divine wisdom, which ones need to come down to the glory and praise of Your Kingship.  I am too often timid; heal me of that deceptive quality.  You and You alone are worthy. 

While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad."

  

But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth...

Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."

And Paul said, "I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."  

  Paul's words are still being heard today.  That's a powerful testimony.

Festus has apparently hardened himself to the grace offered.  Agrippa appears to be somewhat moved by grace.  The sad results are the same - neither chose the gift of grace.  Neither came to receive the hope extended.  A hard heart or an intellectual assent to a persuasive argument are not changed hearts.  Not saved.  

God, help me to be careful to not smoothly present Your grace so that someone is merely convinced to be saved.  The Gospel act is only received through the work of the Holy Spirit on that one.  Keep me "uttering words of sober truth" for I am convinced that it is only You who draws and saves.  Let this be my aim  "whether in a short or long time...that all who hear me ..., might become such as I (Paul) am, except for these chains."

What am I saying and does it lead to Christ?  Father make me more concerned about the hearts of others and less about my schedule, my reputation, my "deal".  Help me to remember when I don't speak words of sober truth that I am in effect saying, "I choose to let you go to eternal punishment."  May all that is hindering me diminish in Your glorious and undiminishable Presence that I will steward Your precious gift well and to the expanse of Your Kingdom.

Acts 24

In view of the hope Paul had in God and the resurrection, he did his "best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men."  


I also have that hope.  What challenged me is sometimes, I have a hard time maintaining the blameless conscience before both God and people.  I know when I operate in the Spirit I am okay with having a blameless conscience.  But sometimes, when I am suddenly in a situation where I don't know just what to say or do,  I am afraid my conscience is "blamefull" before one or both.  

An example comes to mind:  A friend began a theological conversation with me the other day.  After quite a long conversation, I began to share the Gospel with him, the law in particular.  The trouble arose when I wasn't sure where to go with it based on his response to a couple of questions.  I understand God is sovereign...I am so grateful for that...but I wonder how I was supposed to proceed.  My heart was very full to make sure that his hope was valid and not misplaced; but I got stuck.  

You see, another mutual friend had struck up a theological conversation with me some years ago.  That conversation was quite pleasant and at one point, we actually followed the script of a well-known evangelism program (I was a student of that program, at the time).  It was a very natural conversation and in the end, she declined the offer to receive God's gift of salvation.  I thanked her for her honesty and said if she wanted to talk about that again, I would be happy to do so with her.  We ended up spending more time discussing a variety of topics.  When we parted, it seemed quite normal and cordial.   However, I didn't talk to her for about a year after that...given the circumstances and our proximity, I believe it was avoidance and not schedules that kept her from further conversation.  God is sovereign and all-powerful, He allowed some circumstances to bring us together and we've been speaking ever since...just that one year gap.


Okay, so fast forward to present day and where I am stuck.  In regard to these and probably every other Gospel interaction, I struggle with desiring to share unto salvation or at least plant/water someone else's planting and not wanting to go too far so they uproot any seed that may have been deposited.  I want to have a  blameless conscience before God and people in having shared the Gospel; but I don't want to  roto-till a potential harvest. 

I am reminded that God does work all things for good to those who love Him and are called by Him.  But I have a responsibility in this, too.  I want my life to demonstrate holy intentions and truth spoken carefully wrapped in His perfect love so that I might be blameless in thought and deed before God and man.  God is the Knower and Discerner of thoughts and motives; He knows.  Man may or not figure it out; but man will live in response to me.  I am not sure I can maintain a blameless conscience before  him/her if I fail to adequately impart the grace of the Gospel.  


God, I don't even know if this makes sense to anyone but me; but I want that blamelessness of conscience.  Help me to rely increasingly on You and Your leading, be bold in the opportunity You present, and to share how and what You have given me to share.  I understand that this does not mean I will get along with all people and that I will never be voted most popular; but I do crave the peace that accompanies the blameless conscience.  Thank You for making this possible and for teaching me Your ways.  ♥

Acts 23

Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth.  But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”... As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress.

I wonder if Paul went to bed that night with the thought "that really went well...NOT!"  Circumstantially, things really seemed to be going from bad to worse for Paul.  God, graciously reassured Paul that he would preach again in Rome...just as he had in Jerusalem.  Paul would live another day; but I wonder what Paul thought about the truth spoken to him that he would witness of God just as he had done in Jerusalem.  

I wonder if he thought, "Gee, this hasn't been such a successful witness...They want to kill me - really rip-me-apart kind of kill me.  What a pitiful show I am making of the Gospel...I am not demonstrating grace at all.  Oh, and that retort to the high priest...the stinkin' high priest of all people.  How did I miss that!?!?!  I sure did leave them wanting more...but it was more of my pain not God.  How on earth could this be useful to the Kingdom?  And now, to get to go to Rome and do it all over again, in Latin (just a joke there).  I don't see how this will go any better there.  In fact, I bet my enemies will beat me there and really set the stage to mess up my testimony.  Return now, precious Lord." 

I don't think he thought that, either.  But I probably would think that or worse.  But as God spoke to Paul, it seems that all was as it should have been.   Whoa.  Just as you've done here, so you shall you do next time.  And this was chaos and crazy...catastrophic, maybe.  But God was still moving this thing forward.  God was and is still sovereign.

When my life's circumstances spin wildly out of control, how do I demonstrate my complete trust in God?  When I feel I have messed up beyond belief, how can I inwardly and outwardly wait on the Lord in quiet submission, confident of His purpose and plan?

It takes so much less than venomous threats to convince me that I have broken the unbreakable, unshakable, immutable plan of God.  A little insecurity goes a long, long way.  But I can quite deftly unwind some serious Savior study with too much thought on my importance in the universe.  Since God is sovereign, I cannot foil His plans.  I can choose to completely cooperate to the glory of His Name and the spread of His fame and my peace.  Or I can wig out.  My choice.  

Lord, let my choice be for You, always.  Let my trust in You, my God-confidence be a hallmark of my life here.  I need to stay so in tune with You that my fearful flesh is never strong enough nor loud enough to adversely impact my response to You and the divine circumstances You have for me.  Help my heart be strong.  Thank You Jesus.