“When you fight to get victory, then you have lost the battle at the very outset… What then should you do when he attacks? You should simply look up and praise the Lord. ‘Lord, I am faced with a situation that I cannot possibly meet. Thine enemy the Devil has brought it about to compass my downfall, but I praise Thee that Thy victory is an all-inclusive victory. It covers this situation, too. I praise Thee that I have already full victory in this matter.’”

This quotation intrigued me because it reveals where our trust for the victory really is. Are we looking up to Heaven for help OR are we looking down from Heaven for appropriation of His already gained victory? So much of the time we head down the road of life asking God to come along and help us when that isn’t what He is really after. He doesn’t want to “help” us. He wants to lead in this relationship. His desire is for us to count ourselves dead to self, living from Heaven the life that is only Christ’s. His desire is for His people to look and live from Him… To see from His perspective… Only then do we truly live out the resurrected life. This is deep stuff! God wants us looking down from our position in Christ, not looking up from our condition. - This is something that God must teach us as we go through trials.

People who say they have no regrets must struggle with their memory. Maybe “regrets” is too strong of a word, I don’t know. But as I look back on my saved life I have many things I would have done differently. There are a good strong handful of conversations I have had with folks over the past many years that I would like to have back. I wish I could reinstate the “automatic do-over rule” that worked so wonderfully in our back yard wiffle ball games in 4th grade. But such is not the nature of this life we live. And it amazes me as I continue to grow in the Lord just how much growing I have yet to do! At each stage of life God reveals new areas in my life that scream of sin, insecurity, and immaturity. Sometimes, when God reveals more of me to myself, I will say, “Have we not progressed past this point!?!?” The sad answer is “no.” God is still about His work in me. I have a lot of growing up to do!

“Norman Douty writes, ‘If I am to be like Him, then God in His grace must do it, and the sooner I come to recognize it the sooner I will be delivered from another form of bondage. Throw down every endeavor and say, I cannot do it, the more I try the farther I get from His likeness. What shall I do? Ah, the Holy Spirit says, You cannot do it; just withdraw; come out of it. You have been in the arena, you have been endeavoring, you are a failure, come out and sit down, and as you sit there behold Him, look at Him. Don’t try to be like Him, just look at Him. Just be occupied with Him. Forget about trying to be like Him. Instead of letting that fill your mind and heart, let Him fill it. Just behold Him, look upon Him through the Word. Come to the Word for one purpose and that is to meet the Lord. Not to get your mind crammed full of things about the sacred Word, but come to it to meet the Lord. Make it to be a medium, not of Biblical scholarship, but of fellowship with Christ. Behold the Lord.’

Thou sayest, Fit me, fashion me for Thee.

Stretch forth thine empty hands, and be thou stilll:

O restless soul, thou dost but hinder Me

By valiant purpose and by steadfast will.

Behold the summer flowers beneath the sun,

In stillness his great glory they behold;

And sweetly thus his mighty word is done.

And resting in his gladness they unfold.

So are the sweetness and joy Divine

Thine, O beloved, and the work is mine.” - Ter Steegen

The freeing part of all of this is that it isn’t on me to be transformed.  That is God’s job.  My job is to be in His Presence and behold the beauty of the Lord.

The following quotation from Miles Stanford so perfectly describes the life of a young believer that I wanted to post it this morning.  It continues to encourage my heart to know that God is having His way over time and that He isn’t in a hurry.  And He has you in His arms and develops you just as the Oak tree is developed…  through much sunshine and rain…  through times of observable growth and through times of seeming pointless existence…  over much time…  A strong, hard-wood tree takes longer to develop and grow but it also is more stable and strong being more apt to withstand difficulties.  Nothing is wasted with God.  And there is method to what some would describe as madness.  What a blessing!

“It seems that most believers have difficulty in realizing and facing up to the inexorable fact that God does not hurry in His development of our Christian life.  He is working from and for eternity!  So many feel they are not making progress unless they are swiftly and constantly forging ahead.  Now it is true that the new convert often begins and continues for some time at a fast rate.  But this will not continue if there is to be healthy growth and ultimate maturity.  God Himself will modify the pace.  This is important to see, since in most instances when seeming declension begins to set in, it is not, as so many think, a matter of backsliding.

John Darby makes it plain that ‘it is God’s way to set people aside after their first start, that self-confidence may die down.  Thus Moses was forty years.  On his first start he had to run away.  Paul was three years also, after his first testimony.  Not that God did not approve the first earnest testimony.  We must get to know ourselves and that we have no strength.  Thus we must learn, and then leaning on the Lord we can with more maturity, and more experientially, deal with souls.’

Since the Christian life matures and becomes fruitful by the principle of growth (2 Peter 3:18), rather than by struggle and ‘experiences,’ much time is involved.  Unless we see and acquiesce to this there is bound to be constant frustration to say nothing of resistance to our Father’s development processes for us.”

     There is a notion which blesses my heart and allows me to hit the “reset button” on my perceptions through failure.  It is summed up in the Green Letters written by Miles Stanton:

     “We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means.  I say - and say it deliberately - trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.  On this same subject, James McConkey wrote:  ‘Faith is dependence upon God.  And this God-dependence only begins when self-dependence ends.  And self-dependence only comes to its end, with some of us, when sorrow, suffering, affliction, broken plans and hopes brings us to that place of self-helplessness and defeat.  And only then do we find that we have learned the lesson of faith; to find our tiny craft of life rushing onward to a blessed victory of life and power and service undreamt of in the days of our fleshly strength and self-reliance.’”

     So if you find yourself “let down” or disappointed with your results it is likely that it is exactly what The Doctor ordered so that you could be weaned off of yourself.  And this can’t be learned in a book and applied.  It must be lived in order to be learned.  And the cool thing is that you will get plenty of opportunities to learn it.  But, to me, the blessing of blessings is that EVEN MY FAILURES are not wasted with God.  He is using all of it to form me into His image and engage me with His purposes and power.  Praise God!

     There is an idea that has intrigued me of late and I wanted to throw it out to you.  Here are the two verses that sparked it in me…

Luke 22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 

Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

The context of the passage in Luke is Jesus betrayal.  He is getting reading to be betrayed and He says in essence:  “It has been predetermined in eternity past that I would be betrayed but woe to the man that betrays me.”  The context of the John passage is Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  Interestingly enough, even though Jesus is miles away, He already knows Lazarus is dead and He already knows He is going to raise him up from the dead.  How did He know? - The easy answer is “Because He is God.”  But go a little deeper into it.  He knew because there was a plan already in place. 

     Here is the point I want to bring out this morning…  These things were predetermined to take place!  This was Jesus’ mission - to fulfill what had already been predetermined that He do.  It was already mapped out for Him.  It had already been decided in Heaven what He would do and He did it.  Jesus was simply fulfilling what had already been written of Him in centuries past in the Old Testament. 

     The question for us this morning is this:  What has been predetermined for us to accomplish for today?  I believe God has a plan for the day and we can cooperate with His predetermined plan for our lives today or not.  It’s our choice.  But there has already been something mapped out for us to do!  And I mean for us as individuals!  I’m not referring to the things that are true of all Christians.  I’m referring to the idea that each individual has a plan specific to who he/she is. 

     Someone may be wondering…  “But how do I fulfill this plan?  I don’t want to not do what God wants me to do today.”  The answer to that question is simple.  Just a couple of things to consider…  First, seek Him.  Spend time alone with God communing with Him asking Him for direction for your life today.  Secondly, abide.  Just actively know His Presence and live in that confident yielding.  We can’t miss God’s plan for our lives today if these things happen in our lives.

     God, Please don’t allow us to miss what You have planned out for us today.  May what has been predetermined for our lives today play out in our lives today.  May we fulfill Your plan for our lives and bring You glory.  We confess that we can’t do any of it in the power of the self-life.  And we don’t want to try to pound it out either.  We just want to diligently abide in You and see You have Your way in and through our lives.  You are worthy!

Here is a quotation from Benjamin Franklin: “Would you live a life of ease, do what you ought and not as you please.” I like that but allow me to rewrite it in a way that he might have written it had he been a Christian. Here it is: “Would you live a life of peace, do what you ought and not as you please.”

Men and women of God MUST do things that go against their present wants in order to put themselves in a position of peace with God. Time in God’s Word on a daily basis just isn’t an option. I know you might not always “feel” like it but that’s okay. That’s life. That’s your old sin nature you are stuck with until God takes you home to be with Him. So what are the options??? Give into your old sin nature? - No way! Do what you ought and not as you please! Get in God’s Word. Meet with Him. Share your heart with Him. Allow HIm to minister to you.

It’s funny how simple encouragement from God comes… This morning I read from Luke 18:1: “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Immediately it encouraged me to keep praying for those things I haven’t seen God work in as yet. Immediately I had the wherewithal to keep praying. How cool is that? And how simple is that? - I didn’t say it’s easy. I said it was simple. This Christian life is supposed to be a simple life. There is, as the Bible puts it, “simplicity in Christ.” Mark it down: Whenever your life feels complicated you need to hit the reset button and recommit it to God’s keeping.

So… Do you want to experience peace and rest? Do you want to be a God chaser? Do you want your life to count for something important? Do you want to see God’s eternal plan worked out in your life? Then do what you ought and not as you please.

Tonight is our next installment of Worship Wednesday at the Point at 7 pm.  It is going to be a good time.  We have folks driving in from North KC, Iola, and Liberty.  As a matter of fact, there are 2 buses coming in from Liberty.  It should be a great time tonight.  Be there if you can make it happen.

Last night we had an awesome time of prayer.  Every Tuesday night in the Upper Room of the Point @ 7 pm we pray as a church body.  This is one of those things that impacts the heavenlies and brings God’s will down to man.  This is one of those things that not only changes the landscape of Heaven but also the landscape of our schools and society at large.  God answers prayer and I believe He wants all of us to come together as a Body to pray.  My prayer is that you will make praying with your brothers and sisters in Christ a priority of priorities.

     I have been thinking about all of the bad things one has to deal with in their lives when you have a walk with God…  And I was considering a brother of ours in the ministry that our pastoral team met and prayed for yesterday afternoon…  One of our pastors made the comment that he knew God was doing a work in this man’s life through the horrid adversity that he was facing. 

     While reading in Luke 6:20-36 this morning I couldn’t help but see how Jesus was equating all of the bad things life can throw at you as good things.  (I’m not saying that ALL bad things are good things.)  But look at what He says here:

Luk 6:20 

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Luk 6:21 

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Luk 6:22 

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Luk 6:23 

Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Luk 6:24 

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Luk 6:25 

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Luk 6:26 

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Luk 6:27 

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

Luk 6:28 

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Luk 6:29 

And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

Luk 6:30 

Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Luk 6:31 

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Luk 6:32 

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

Luk 6:33 

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

Luk 6:34 

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

Luk 6:35 

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luk 6:36 

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Notice that He says you are “blessed” if you have these bad issues because that means God has something good for you on the other side of that issue.  Difficulties breed fellowship and a oneness with Christ.  Difficulties perfect us.

     And now notice something else…  Here is the one thing that ALL OF MANKIND strives for - Peace and prosperity!  See the other side of peace and prosperity in these verses.  A life of ease breeds a life of disease on the other side. 

     Rest (in God) in the pain.  Relate to God in the pain.  Rejoice in the pain.

     And finally see this:  Notice all of the adversarial issues brought up in the second half of that passage.  Your enemies…  those who use you…  they who hit you…  those who steal from you…  Here’s what Jesus is saying in this passage…  DON’T AVOID THEM!  Is that not counterintuitive?  Embrace those moments.  Be Christ in those moments.  Uggh!  That is hard.  My experience has been that 99% of the problems I face with people are with Christian people.  It reminds me of the list of difficulties Paul writes about in 2 Corinthians.  The last one he mentions which is obviously a prominent one is “the care for all the churches.”

     Good leaders don’t avoid pain and conflict because they can see that good is on the other side.  Good leaders look for what God is doing in a situation and see it through.  Good leaders see that they need to be stretched and challenged.  Adversity is how God does this in our lives.  You see, not everything that is bad is bad.  And not eveything that is good is good.  We need to see as God sees - in the light of God’s eternal purposes and perfecting hand. 

     Oh God, Grant us eyes to see Your eternal purposes and plan.  Grant us grace to endure IN JOY.  Father, Your love is great and You are great.  Enable us to learn to rest in Your greatness.    

I was just reading through Luke 1 and thought about all of the potential disappointment one can find in this chapter.  Here’s what I mean…

* Zacharias is told in verses 13-17 that he and his wife are going to have a child (John the Baptist) who is going to be used of God to turn many hearts back to the Lord.  In verse 17 it says he will precede the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elias (i.e. Elijah), to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  Consider:  I wonder what those who knew what was prophesied of this child thought when they heard John was beheaded?  Did John’s life fulfill the expectations of those around him?  What about his mother’s.  What about his own expectations?

* Mary is told she is going to conceive the Lord Jesus in verses 26-38.  Verses 32-33 state that Jesus will take the throne of David, reign over the house of Jacob, and it shall be forever.  Consider:  When Jesus was on the cross being put to death, what was Mary thinking then about God’s promises?  I wonder if her expectations were greatly challenged at that moment?

* Think of what was prophesied of John the Baptist by the angel Gabriel.  Think of the miraculous manner in which John’s father, an extremely important and influential man, was given the news of his coming child.  Did not EVERYONE know who this child was?  Obviously they did which is the reason we are told that even the Pharisees came to be baptized of John in the wilderness later on.  (Matthew 3:7)  But now I want to consider the Pharisees…  Were their expectations met with John?  What about when John pointed them to Jesus…  Were they looking for the God of the Universe to show up in the form of a humble man?  Were they understanding that this great Priest King would not reign like previous kings had?  And that it would not be immediate?

I think most of you can readily see that in each of the three cases above, expectations were probably not met.  I’m sure they had no idea that, although everything that had been written would be fulfilled, it would not be fulfilled in the manner in which it was.

So what can I learn from all of this?

1. Don’t confuse your expectations with His promises.  God hasn’t promised that YOUR expectations will be met.  He has only promised that His promises will be fulfilled.  He will fulfill His promises!  Make sure you line your expectations up with His promises.

2. Our expectations are a funny thing and sometimes carry with them a prideful anticipation.  We need to be wise to maintain humility and understand that God certainly does not owe us anything.  And, by the way, who are WE to “expect” from God anyway?  He is the LORD!  He is the Master Architect!  His will be done! - And, by the way, it will.

3. See His promises through to the end.  While, in the above examples, Elizabeth and Mary saw their promises through and held onto their hope, there were many others who lost hope.  With lost hope comes regret and forfeited blessings.  God will fulfill His Word.  Repent and get back on board.

Just checking in with everyone to let you know Kelly and I are on vacation this week.  We are being treated by my parents this week at Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks.  We’ve been having fun in the sun with our three boys.  Yesterday we spent the day at one of their outdoor pools with a water slide.  I had Matthew and Jonathan who went down the slide with me several times.  I found myself coming to the end of the slide trying to hold up Jonathan so that he wouldn’t go under water in the receiving pool.  In the process, I had a couple of different times when water went up my nose, down my throat, and into my stomach.  Fun!!!

Last night both my folks and my family hooked up with the Perry’s who also happen to be on vacation at Lake of the Ozarks.  They are about 15 minutes away from us so we all went out on the boat with them and then rode on their jet skis.  It was good to be able to spend some additional time with them as well.

Anyway, we are having fun.  Right now Kelly took our boys down to play some video games at the main lodge while I am left at the cottage to read.  Hope you are all well.

I’ll see you guys on Sunday!