My Plans...Disrupted

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

Jane’s plans to become a speech therapist ended when an internship revealed the job was too emotionally challenging for her. Then she was given the opportunity to write for a magazine. She’d never seen herself as an author, but years later she found herself advocating for needy families through her writing. “Looking back, I can see why God changed my plans,” she says. “He had a bigger plan for me.”

The Bible has many stories of disrupted plans. On his second missionary journey, Paul had sought to bring the gospel into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus stopped him (Acts 16:6–7). This must have seemed mystifying: Why was Jesus disrupting plans that were in line with a God-given mission? The answer came in a dream one night: Macedonia needed him even more. There, Paul would plant the first church in Europe. Solomon also observed, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).
It’s sensible to make plans. A well-known adage goes, “Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.” But God may disrupt our plans with His own. Our challenge is to listen and obey, knowing we can trust God. If we submit to His will, we’ll find ourselves fitting into His purpose for our lives.
As we continue to make plans, we can add a new twist: Plan to listen. Listen to God’s plan. 

How can you submit your plans to God today? How can you listen to His plans?

All-knowing God, give me the faith to listen to You when my plans are disrupted, knowing that You have a greater purpose for my life. -Our Daily Bread for today, March 5th, 2020

Looking back on the last 7 years of my life, this devotional rings oh so true.  We have sometimes such a keen sense of what we think the immediate future should be like. 

8 years ago my future in the place where I worked was thrown into total chaos, at least from my perspective.  A new Supervisor brought in clearly to disrupt and force changes.  People left.  More importantly learned knowledge of the product that spanned hundreds of years worth were gone.  Then I found myself transferred to another department without my knowledge.  To me, it was horrific to watch everything that I was a part of creating, systematically being destroyed. 

Someone meant it for evil, but as Scripture says He will turn it around for good. His good.  

About this time last year I was convinced, and others had me convinced that a book was in my future.  Putting together all my posts from Facebook on the things that God was having me write.  

Then something powerful but small happened.  God simply telling me that I wasn't thinking big enough.  A book that could potentially go all over the world wasn't big enough?  He then shows me how.  A blog. Then shows me how it will be affordable.  Then tells me that He will give me things to say but it will be up to me to say them.  In my constant reading of my Bible, it came to me that I was being commissioned as a Scribe. Remembering something from the Old Testament, the watchman on the wall and his responsibility.  That's where "A Scribe on the Wall" came from. 

In this first year I have been endlessly amazed at the messages God has brought to me every single day.  They are never ending.  They begin after my time in His Word and my devotionals.  The words come until it's time to go to work.  Then I post whatever it is.  Even I am amazed by what is covered. 

That passage from Proverbs certainly applies to the direction of my life.  I also remember another passage. Isaiah 55:8-9 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts"

I also think on another from Proverbs. 16 verse 9 "The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps."

I think a lot as many of you already know.  But it amazes me how quiet my thoughts get when in this time of writing.  Words just flow.  I have dozens of books started.  Can't seem to seal the deal on finishing any.  

My thoughts on serving certainly aren't what He has in mind.  This blog has gone places no book ever could.  I look forward to hearing from Him on just who had their life changed because of it for Him.

8 years ago I was sunk into a deep depression and 7 years ago I had a breakdown on the way to work.  Financially we were going to be ok for a few months.  God saw to that. Then He began my new journey to being restored.  He kept His promise to never leave me nor forsake me.  In the rest of that time between then and now He healed more of me than I knew was damaged. There were Spiritual surgeries. More or less that means He showed me aspects of me that He was going to change.  To be healed it was necessary.  He was directing my steps. 

Then shortly less than 2 years ago I made contact with an old friend.  He insisted we needed to talk.  Today I find myself back where I left.  But I am not the same man that I was back then.  The mountains that had so blocked my way in terms of people were all gone. The culture that had damaged me so was gone.  He had spent the last year rebuilding my confidence there and using this blog to spread His messages around the world.  

I really understand that part of this devotional where it mentions Paul and his direction being changed. Hindered from going somewhere with the Gospel because God needed it somewhere else first.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight

Proverbs 3:5-6

This had been my journey and it can be for you too.  Don't get frustrated by comparing your life with Christ with that of others.  His plans for you are for YOU. Success is measured by Him. Not by what we see or think we should see. It's not measured by any worldly standards. It's measured by obedience and trust in Jesus.  What you do now, you will be giving an account for before Him.  Do you really want to be standing there talking about all the things you did for you and have little to nothing to say of what you did for Him?

We can easily be ingrown people.  Only looking at our woes, our problems. Our limitations. God is THE Creator. He can do anything that fits His plans. Join Him in what He is doing. Ask Him what you can do and leave the choice to Him. 

He's not going to care about your hobbies or sports teams or your retirement. When we give an account it will be about the people we touched for Jesus. 

Where did the People go?

I am writing this now because I believe that the time of Jesus Christ's return is imminent.  I believe He's shared with me that the Elijah that is to come is already here.  Read in the 4 Gospels and you will find the reference to the fact that Elijah is to come and teach. 

So where is everybody?  Why are there millions of people missing?  Where did they go?  These questions will be asked sometime soon. People will be scouring the internet looking for answers. 

World leaders are crafting a lie to explain away the lives that are missing.  Probably say that they had a disease and the Government as it exists took it upon themselves to dispose of the bodies.  Only the only bodies that will be buried are from the collateral damage of the Rapture of the Church of Christ Jesus.  There will be no bodies to be found of those who were Raptured.  What was this Rapture?  Read this from www.billygraham.org  "There are many Christians who believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will be in two phases. First, He will come for believers, both living and dead, in the “rapture” (read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). In this view, the rapture—which is the transformation and catching up of all Christians, dead or alive, to meet Christ in the air—will be secret, for it will be unknown to the world of unbelievers at the time of its happening.

The effect of this removal, in the absence of multitudes of people, will, of course, be evident on earth. Then, second, after a period of seven years of tribulation on earth, Christ will return to the earth with His church, the saints who were raptured (Matthew 24:30, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:13, Revelation 1:7). He will be victorious over His enemies and will reign on the earth for 1,000 years (the millennium) with His saints, the church."

The stark reality is that the Bible is real, in it we see that it has been poisoned by sin for over 8,000 years.  Adam and Eve sinned and it has been a sin cursed world since then.  That's what's wrong with the world today. 

This message and likely everything God has brought to my mind to share with you my Dear Reader, will probably be erased at some point by governing authorities in the future.  Why? Because they do not want the truth to get out.  The reality I mentioned will culminate in an end battle unlike anything in the history of the Universe.  The god of this world was indeed defeated at the Cross of Calvary yet the patience of God postpones the end of time to give people a chance to be saved.  

So where did everyone go?  Where are the people?  There indeed will be a day when myself and millions of others will vanish from the Earth in one single moment.  The Bible says in the blink of an eye.  Jesus is returning to take His Church out of this world.  Out of the line of fire.  First the dead in Christ will rise first. All of those who remain and are alive will join them. That's not a conspiracy theory, that's directly from Scripture.  In Romans it also says that "Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  We who are in Christ will not see the judgment to come. 

A world Leader will arise either at the same time as the Rapture of the Church or soon afterward.  This is the Antichrist.  He will claim many boastful things.  In a short time he will demand people worship him or be put to death.  He will be endorsed by all the leaders of the world because he controls the leaders of the world.  He will promise peace and prosperity but it will be a lie. The time of this all is called the Tribulation for a reason in the Bible.  God's Judgment is coming.  Read the book of Revelation.  What you see there is what is happening. 

In other books you will find more but the bulk is found there. 

Is there no hope?  Yes, there's hope for you.  Repent. Turn to Jesus while you can.  You won't be joining us immediately but you will be saved.  Confess your need for a Savior. Found only in Jesus Christ alone.  He or she who believes with their heart that Jesus is the Christ, that He died for their sins and arose 3 days later will be saved.  Believe it and confess it with your mouth and you shall be saved. 

It will be a difficult time for you but you won't be alone.  Life will not be the same. 

This world Leader will force people to get a mark on either their foreheads or the back of their hands if they want to buy or sell.  Essentially if you want to be recognized in this world and want to eat.  Do not give in! Do not take the mark!

God will provide a way for you. 

Keep a Bible with you.  Read it. Read Revelation every day if you can but start reading the rest of the New Testament.  That will help sustain you.  You will hear of it being labeled as contraband. Governments will ban it because it speaks against their Leader, the Antichrist. 

Hold onto your newfound faith.  Pray as often as you can.  Jesus will still hear you.  You will actually read that in Revelation too.

Some of this is written in the past tense.  It's on purpose.  I know not when my Savior is coming.  Could even be today.  No man knows the day or the hour but Jesus said we will know it by the signs revealed.  There are too many signs that point to it being soon.  This isn't being written to scare anyone.  There is no fear for those in Christ.  The choice is still available to those in this world now.  Soon that choice will be curtailed.  Jesus will come and those who listened and came to Him to be saved will indeed leave.  The choice will remain for 7 more years. But the option to leave at Christ's return will not be.  The ability to miss the judgment of God will not be there.  

I pray for all who read this.  The saved and those who haven't decided yet.  Jesus is real, He really lived as a man on Earth for over 30 years.  Lived a sinless life. All the sin of mankind was heaped upon Him on the cross. He died to take your place and mine. He arose 3 days later.  Victorious over sin death and the grave.  The free gift of Salvation was made to all who would come to Christ.  Those are the facts. 

It's up to you to believe them. 

So those who vanished are with Jesus.  The global Leader that will be in the headlines is the Antichrist.  You will hear of a 7 year peace deal with Israel and their neighbors.  3 and a half years into that deal he will turn on Israel.  Those are the facts.  

Where it dwells...your mind that is...

If there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8b 

What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. What you speak about when your guard is down is a good gauge of what is in your heart (Matt. 12:34). Your mind needs exercise just as your physical body does. To keep your body healthy, you must be careful what you put into it, and you must exercise regularly. To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. To exercise your mind, you must contemplate things that are noble and truths that stretch your mind. Some Christians allow the world to fill their minds with ungodly thinking. Some people seem drawn to concentrate on the negative, choosing to be pessimistic about everything. Some remain satisfied with thinking of the mundane. Others fail to intentionally place Scripture in their thoughts, choosing instead to adopt human reasoning. Others, however, choose to expose their minds to the truths of God—to that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and good. The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably be a negative person. If you allow unholy thoughts to fill your mind, ungodliness will become common in your life. If you fill your mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christlike. What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in you a noble character that brings glory to God. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

There's that word again.  Choice. 

Oh the possibilities in that one word.

The possibilities of success and danger. 

Where we allow our minds to be taken says a lot about where our hearts are.  It's said in Scripture that it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31

Really think today my friend just what choices you have made.  Are they strictly for your peace, joy and comfort or are they God honoring decisions?  Are you passionate about the things of God or of things in this world?  Is your passion for making money or ?  

You choose everything that goes across the path of your life.  Some may argue that isn't exactly right.  Everyone chooses to go right or left, forwards or backwards.  Or even to stand still.  You choose to listen or ignore.  You choose to see or not to. God provided you with everything pertaining to life in godliness in Christ...all that requires choices.  

Regardless of the circumstances every person will stand on their own merits before Christ concerning every choice they made in their lives.  Nobody will stand with you, my friend, when that time comes.  Pastor so-and-so won't be with you. The family friend won't be with you. The pers or persons who may have helped make your life better or worse won't be with you. 

Your life, your choices.  Either you choose Christ or you don't and suffer the consequences.   Matters not what time period you were born in.  God placed choice in your hands.   

You choose whether to introduce idols into your life or to obey Him and drive them out.  You. 

You can ask God for help in your life or try in your own strength to do so, to your own peril. My dear reader, I wasted many decades of my life trying in my own strength.  I only found freedom in a great many things when I gave up trying and allowed the Almighty the chance to handle those troubles in my life.  Get over the fact that you are embarrassed or shamed by what you chose.  He already knows!  There is no revealing of information to an all-knowing God!  Never before in history or outside of it was it ever heard by any created being, God saying "Wow. Didn't see that coming!".

Are you embarrassed? Truthfully?  Remember, He already knows.  Then good! You are closer to repentance. 

Are you numb to the truth of God? Recognizing that is good. Do something about it.  Start praying right here and now.  He can fix that.

Do you look around and see idolatry in your life?  Wearing symbols of it, honestly having what really are shrines in your home or heart to things?  Get rid of them!  Movies and sports even politics can set up altars in a person's mind and heart.  The world calls it just being a fan of those things.   Jesus called what it was.  Idolatry. Who's opinion matters?  The world or God's Son?  You choose.  But remember, when you face Christ, you will answer Him concerning it.  "Just for fun" won't be the right answer.  Throughout His Word, Jesus says to cast such things away.  Don't consider the cost, just cast them away.  Destroy them if necessary. 

What you choose to put into the soil of your heart and mind is what will come up in due time as the crop. 

You sow bitterness you grow in hate.

You sow the things of God you find the fruits of the Spirit. 

You sow idolatry you ask for a jealous God to pay a visit that's not going to be a good conversation.  It's like I saw in a tv show between a mother and her son. She says for him to sit down they are going to have a talk.  He said you're not fooling him. Whenever she says they are going to have a talk it just means all he is going to do is listen.  To that she responded with "Well, stop talking!".

We cannot expect victories in this life as we keep trying to hold onto this life.  

The Disciples are never heard saying they regretted following Jesus.  We don't hear of the 12 gripping about anything that He taught them.  Their lives weren't the same because their Savior was teaching them life!  Many of the things He taught may have been confusing at the time, but, as Jesus said, after the Holy Spirit comes, He would explain all things.  The 4 Gospels were written many years after the events we read about. 

So what choice are you going to make today?  You aren't helpless in your life if you are a Christian.  The power of God is available to you.  You can choose to embrace the world or embrace His plans for you.  There are only two options. 

You choose to live your life your way or choose to live your life His way. 

As I have said at work. Even a mountain of granite can be moved, one piece at a time.  When we put our hands to the task of obedience to God, He will honor that by bringing in the Holy dynamite at times. Mountains will move. Fear not what changes He might bring.  The Disciples had their entire way of life changed. Only one of them didn't put their all into it.  

Retirement doesn't exist in the world of a believer.  Jesus always has something for a believer who trusts in Him to do until their last breath.  No believer is conquered by physical ailments in this life.  They are many times simply cured in their death.  Their as safe and secure in His arms in Heaven as they were here. As Billy Graham said, only their address changed.  What we see as an end, God sees as only the beginning of their lives into eternity with Jesus.   Unbelievers have their beginnings in Hell if they choose not the free gift of Salvation in Christ.  

Choose rightly what goes into your heart and mind this moment and every moment of the day God gave you today.  In your idle moments you will see what's growing in your heart.  

Choose wisely.  Weed the Garden of your heart of things you don't need.  Don't compromise in any area, lying to yourself, that you are just using those things to reach the lost.  If God calls it an idol then it's not a tool of His in the furtherance of the Gospel message.  You have been deceived.  

He has Chosen, We choose

I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah 48:10 KJV 

Troubled believer, comfort yourself with this thought: God says, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Doesn’t that come like a soft shower, lessening the intensity of the flame? Isn’t this a fireproof armor, against which the heat has no power? Let the affliction come—God has chosen me. Poverty, you may march through my door, but God is already in the house—and He has chosen me. Sickness, you might intrude, but I have a healing balm ready—God has chosen me. Whatever I experience in this world of sorrow, I know that He has “chosen” me. Christian, if you need even greater comfort, remember that you have the Son of Man with you in the furnace. In your quiet room, sitting beside you is One you have not seen, but whom you love; and often, when you don’t even know it, He makes your bed and smooths your pillow as you suffer. You are living in poverty, but the Lord of life and glory visits frequently. He loves to come into desolate places, to be with you. Your friend sticks close to you. You can’t see him, but you feel the touch of His hands. Don’t you hear His voice? Even in the valley of the shadow of death, He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10). Remember that noble speech of Caesar: “Fear not, you carry Caesar and all his fortune.” Fear not, Christian—Jesus is with you. In all your fiery trials, His presence is both your comfort and safety. He will never leave a person that He has chosen for His own. “Do not fear, for I am with you” is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in the furnace of affliction. Won’t you then take firm hold of Christ, and say, Through floods and flames, if Jesus lead, I’ll follow where He goes. “In All My Lord’s Appointed Ways,” John Ryland (18th century) - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening. 

There are just some children, and let's be honest, at the realest level adults really are nothing more than experienced children, who will calm down at just the right touch. Be it from a soft hand or a warm blanket.  

There's much comfort in a friend who shows Christ in their level of caring for others. 

My friend, if you are still on the fence concerning choosing to give your life to Jesus, consider this, before you were born He sought to have a relationship with you. 

He knew you before you were born.  

We are the most easily deceived of all creation when it comes to Spiritual things. 

We can easily believe the wrong things because we allow feelings to get in the way.  We seek joy and peace based upon what we surround ourselves with rather than on a deeper relationship we cannot touch as of yet.

We seek it in whatever this world has to offer.  Both believers and unbelievers alike are often caught up in that trap.  More often than not both have no clue as to how deceived that have been.  However, in the case of the believer, the Holy Spirit indeed will instruct and open the eyes to what God really sees. 

It's never fun, in the physical world, to be in a pitch black room or space and being forced to navigate it. The first few seconds of it we sort of laughed it off until we realized it's not getting any better.  Many times we quickly dismiss the relief that we feel at the sight of a light, any light, that takes away the cold darkness. 

Jesus is the light within a believer, but I have learned that it's only as bright as I allow it to be.  It only illuminates those rooms of my heart that I allow it to enter. 

Why is this so?  Fear.  It takes experience in the relationship with Jesus to learn that He's not kidding about forgiveness.  It takes experience with Him to learn that it's ok to fling open all those thought to be hidden compartments of our hearts to Him.  Sooner or later it's going to happen.  Out of obedience to Jesus we let go of that ring of keys to those places in our hearts because we learn His love is more than a match for whatever is behind any door. 

Humans are the chosen in all creation.  We are the image bearers of God.  Did you really know that?

Oh believer and unbeliever, both of you need to realize that in sickness and in health, in all your highs and lows of life, at your best and at your worst, His love for you nailed Him to the Cross. 

It's that love for you.  He chose you. No matter where in this universe you may be, He would love to spend time with you. To save those who haven't come yet to Him for Salvation, to those who have, a life of love unlike any other. 

Yes this passage is a huge comfort to believers in that He says "I" have. 

In the life of those who haven't yet believed, that "I" is really ready to include you, should you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  

A day is soon coming when choosing will be no more for this present generation.  Soon there will be a taking up, or Rapture of the Church.  Those who have Jesus as their Lord and Savior will vanish from this Earth.  Those who have died in Christ first, then those who are alive will join them in the air to be with Jesus forever.  If you haven't yet come to Christ, in that moment it will be too late.  

I can promise you my friend that for whatever reason you have for turning away from Salvation in Christ today, the horror of being left behind in a world that will be countless times more dangerous it will then hit home with you.  It will be possible to be saved, but you will not be joining those who have left just yet. 7 years of judgements will be happening upon mankind and the world.  Read the book of Revelation.  Governments will be lying to everyone about where everyone went.  There will be a global coverup of those who left to be with Jesus.  There will be someone who sets himself up to be a new world Leader.  In time he will demand that everyone worships him. You do that or die.

Horrors will be everywhere.  Life as you now know it will never be the same.  

You have a choice before you my friend.  In the here and now.  He already chose you.  But you need to recognize your need for a Savior.  You need to ask for forgiveness of your sins and invite Him into your life to be Lord of it.  

Choice is before you now.  

He chooses to be with everyone but we have to also choose Him. 

Don't wait until you get your life cleaned up.  Don't wait until later. There may be no later.  

For those who have come to Christ, He chooses to be with you no matter where it is or under what circumstances. 

Today both believers...and those who don't...don't harden your heart towards what God wants of you.  He wants a real relationship with you.  He wants to share His love in a very personal way with you.  Fear not what may come because of what He sees in your heart.  He will never turn away. For unbelievers only you can do that.  Only you can forbid Him to enter. 

There is a Heaven or Hell difference in what you choose in this moment. 

To all: Jesus LOVES you!

Now...not later...

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Isaiah 61:1a-2b 

God's timing is perfect! When He speaks, the time to respond in obedience is now. We often act as if we have all the time in the world to obey Him, but history doesn't wait on our commitments. There is no such thing as postponing a decision with God. Either we obey, or we disobey. It is either faith or unbelief, obedience or disobedience. When God announces that now is the acceptable time, what you do next is critical. How often people have been unprepared when a word came to them from the Lord. God said, “Now is the time for you to respond to Me” and their response was, “But I'm not ready. I have some things I need to do first. I'm too busy!” (Matt. 8:21). God's timing is always perfect. He knows you, and He is fully aware of your circumstances. He knows all that He has built into your life until now, and He extends His invitation knowing that His resources are more than adequate for any assignment He gives you. That is why Scripture tells us God is concerned with our heart. If we do not keep our heart in love with Jesus, our disobedience when God speaks could affect the lives of others. When God speaks it is always out of the context of eternity. We don't have to know all the implications of what He is asking. We just have to know that it is a word from Almighty God. “Now” is always the acceptable time to respond to the Lord. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Add this devotional too...

"So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 1 Samuel 13:20 NLT

We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving—all must be brought into action, and the talents we’ve thought too humble for service must now be employed. Picks, axes, and sickles may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools can deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegant as long as it is effective. Each moment of time, in season or out; each bit of ability, educated or not; each opportunity, favorable or unfavorable, must be used—because our enemies are many and our army is small. Most of our tools need sharpening. We need better perception, tact, energy, promptness—in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord’s work. Practical common sense is very scarce among many Christians. If we could, we should learn from our enemies and have the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This morning, if nothing else, let us sharpen our zeal by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the cults, how they travel sea and land to make one convert. Are they to monopolize spiritual earnestness? Note the tortures the tribes endure while serving their idols. Are they alone to show patience and self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how much he perseveres in his endeavors. See how unabashed he is in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in everything! The demons are united as one in their disgraceful rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God—we scarcely ever work with unanimity. Oh, that from Satan’s hellish diligence we might learn to be good Samaritans, seeking people to bless!" - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Living for Jesus.  Think about that.  It's not just on Sundays or for a few hours a week when we meet with other believers.  It's a life. Indeed, how WILL you answer when asked why you buried the talents that He bestowed upon you through the Holy Spirit?  There's a whole range of unacceptable excuses to choose from!  "I was too busy" on to "I was afraid!".  Also included are the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.  Selfish desires.  Living to make money rather than living to reach others for Christ.   

Every single Christian has a special, specific to them, mission from God.  Look at that parable of the talents again.  Each was given something specific to each of them. In Christ we are His workmanship. God only creates masterpieces.  Each unique in their own way. Indeed God's timing is perfect.  Now is when we should be living for Jesus. Living in obedience. 

Not later, not when we think we have our lives in order.  Not when we think we are holy enough to participate in whatever it is God wants from us.  Certainly not when our level of Spirituality is waiting to be as great as a Billy Graham or a Spurgeon. 

Jesus called YOU my friend.  Where you are in the situation you are to live for Jesus.  

I really like how Spurgeon puts it "Every weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying, giving—all must be brought into action, and the talents we’ve thought too humble for service must now be employed."

Every one of those is an action word. 

What are you doing?  Still only looking in a mirror at yourself seeing nothing but a filthy person?  Look. See yourself as your Savior sees you.  He doesn't see a person in filthy rags.  He sees one whom He died for and has replaced the filthy rags with whiter than snow robes. All dirt of sin cleansed.  Why do we insist upon throwing dirt onto what He cleaned?

If indeed you are saved in Christ, you are a new creation.  Old things past away new things have come.  Scripture says so. It also says to put off the old self and put on the righteousness of God.  Renew your mind. 

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

It's not to be taken lightly. 

"so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word," Ephesians 5:26.

He did the work of cleansing us when He saved us.  Each day we need forgiveness to wash off that day's sin.  

We have a mission and you don't have to look far to see that the enemies of God know it better than you do. 

Every sly seduction will be employed against us. Every small sin that we can be made to delve into changes the course of lives.

Any river can have its course changed just by adding a single pebble at the right place upstream.  A single life can wake up one morning to wonder how it got to be this way!

My friend, rely on Christ.  Seek Him first in your life.  Employ those weapons to combat the schemes of the enemy.  As Blackaby points out we are either obeying or disobeying.  There is no middle ground. 

The greatest regret that I have is not putting more into my walk with God earlier in my life. 

I am not the man of God that I could have been.  But I am indeed the man that God is working in and using for His mission for me.  Being willing to let go is huge.  Yes there's a great many temptations and opportunities in this life for endless joys and sorrows. But I need to remember Paul's words when he said he counted it all as loss for the sake of knowing Jesus. 

Do you?  To take up your cross means to be focused on the mission.  To be firmly involved in holding onto what it is you have been called to do.  We in the United States may be living in the land of opportunity but it's also a land rich with distractions from holding onto our cross.  We believe lies just as anyone in any other country.  Lies of what we deserve.  We do not deserve lots of money, a fancy house or car. We don't deserve rich vacations or living on a whim, going everywhere we want to go. We deserved death on a cross.  We are to live for the one who took our place. 

To find a peace that passes all understanding means living for Jesus. Then we find a peace, a contentment that isn't found anywhere else. 

Look again at what Blackaby said "How often people have been unprepared when a word came to them from the Lord. God said, “Now is the time for you to respond to Me” and their response was, “But I'm not ready. I have some things I need to do first. I'm too busy!” (Matt. 8:21). God's timing is always perfect." Or we are so looking into ourselves that we don't look up at Jesus. 

We live for Jesus because He first loved us.  Jesus is returning soon.  What will you say when He asks you how you invested what He gave you?  Think on that long and hard because everyone will be asked that question. 

Let go of your past. It doesn't define you. 

If you are indeed a child of God, have been saved by the blood of Jesus, then THAT is who you are. Live like it!  Quit with the constantly telling the Great Physician "But God, this can't be right! You don't realize how filthy and sick that I am!"  You do realize that words like that are you saying that when Jesus said, "It is Finished!" that you are calling Jesus a liar?  Your saying those kinds of things is saying that His perfect sacrifice wasn't so perfect after all. 

Let go of your past.  Take it to the feet of Jesus and leave it there. One and for all. Leave it there.  

Live for Jesus today.  Start your day with Jesus.  Be reading your Bible. Find a Bible believing, Bible preaching Church. Grow with other believers, be in prayer.  Be who God is making you to be.  Don't trust your feelings. They will be used against you. Trust in Jesus and follow Him as the Disciples did.  Find your mission and do it.

Don't be like that servant that went and buried that which he was given. 

Real eyes that Really See

“But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear.” Matthew 13:16 

When you became a Christian, God gave you spiritual sight and hearing so you could begin experiencing His presence and activity all around you. The Holy Spirit helps you to develop these spiritual senses as you walk with Him. Spiritual sensitivity to God is a gift that must be accepted and exercised. Scripture indicates that those who are spiritually dead cannot see or understand spiritual things (Matt. 13:14—15). Without spiritual eyes, you can be right in the midst of a mighty act of God and not recognize it. There is a radical difference between seeing your surroundings from a human perspective and seeing life through spiritual eyes. Non-Christians will see world events around them and become confused. You will look at the same events, recognize the activity of God, and adjust your life to Him. When you meet a person who is seeking God, you will recognize the convicting work of the Holy Spirit and adjust your life to God's activity (Rom. 3:11). Someone without spiritual perception will encounter that same person and not grasp the eternal significance of what is happening in that person's life. Others will hear of new philosophies and trends in society and not know how to discern the truth. You will hear God's voice over the din of the world's voices, and you will keep your bearings in the midst of the confusing circumstances. Sin dulls your senses, ultimately leaving you spiritually blind and deaf. Do not be content with merely seeing with physical eyes and hearing with natural ears but not sensing what God is doing. Ask God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to sensitize you to His activity all around you.

- Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Although there's much in this devotional, there's a vivid Biblical example that ought to be read as well.  Actually several that can be, but for today, God's shown me two right from my Bible-in-a-year plan.

Nehemiah 22:22-35 "But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. The angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”  Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground. The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way was contrary to me. But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live.” Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back.” But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you shall speak only the word which I tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak."

Now, Mark 7:1-13 "The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’; but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

Really look at those passages.  Take in the message of what Jesus is saying.  Look back at the part from the Old Testament.  

When we who have truly come to Christ, our eyes are opened for the first time ever. 

Interestingly, to me, a movie quote comes to mind.  The only similarity is in what's being said, I am not at all saying any other Spiritual connotation to that movie.  

In 'The Matrix' Morpheus is looking down on a Neo that is looking up at him asking why his eyes hurt. Morpheus responds with "It's because you have never used them.".

When we come to Christ our Spiritual eyes are opened for the first time.  Whereas before we only had a dark description of sin and what it was, now we see just what it is.

But things can still be twisted towards those who believe too.  Satan tried for 40 days to tempt Jesus. To twist Scripture.  Look at what Satan achieved with the so-called Jewish leaders. That mentality still exists today in the modern Church. You have the very same things happening. Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.  Dressing a certain way. Having to read only a specific version of the Bible. Having to pray a specific way. Only on certain days you worship, the others you can do what you want. The list goes on.  

None of this really comes as a surprise to those who really are seeing with Spiritual eyes.  2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not hard sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,"

People will always seek people who will agree with them. 

In this day and age to not agree means you are being intolerant.  Within the Church you can be branded as one who's not a true follower of Christ. 

Something hit me this morning concerning that part from the Old Testament.  This actually marks the SECOND time someone not traveling with or living with the people of Israel were spoken to by the Lord.  It's obvious by his reputation Balaam was indeed in some level of communion with God.  God did speak to him and apparently through him. The other was Melchizedek.

With open eyes comes a realization of true reality.  You wake up in the morning and leave behind your slumber.  Your eyes adjust to your surroundings. Once they do you can navigate your world.  Until they do, it's not safe. You, in essence, await for truth to be revealed before acting. 

In Scripture, it's what we are told to do Spiritually.  Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.  

Every single person Jesus healed had their Spiritual eyes opened.  Many outright dropped down to worship Him.

We really mess things up when we try to squint through the Spiritual eyes we know are working properly, working perfectly. 

God isn't limited by anything but the obedience of His people. But as Scripture shows if we don't obey, He WILL find someone who will.  Then on that day we face Him we will be explaining why we didn't. 

Today, open your eyes.  Look at your world around you with what God wants to do in mind. Talk with Jesus. See what it is He had for you today.  I guarantee you that He does.  Use your eyes, live as though today you could be meeting Him at any moment. Truth is, that's also what Scripture says. 

The hymn Living for Jesus. 

Living for Jesus a life that is true, striving to please him in all that I do,
yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, this is the pathway of blessing for me.

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to thee, for thou, in thy atonement, didst give thyself for me;
I own no other master, my heart shall be thy throne, my life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for thee alone.

What are you doing?

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19 

A mark of spiritual maturity is a willingness to sacrifice personal comfort in order to strengthen other believers. Paul urges Christians to pursue only activities that promote peace and behavior that builds up others. To pursue means to passionately focus one's undistracted effort toward a goal. This is not a casual matter. It involves using all the resources God has given us to ensure growth and peace in the life of a fellow Christian. To the Colossian church, Paul said he labored, “striving … to present every man perfect in Christ” (Col. 1:28—29). This took concentration and effort! For Paul, choosing to edify Christians meant refraining from any activity that caused others to stumble. He did not concern himself with his own rights or comforts because his greater priority, over his personal freedom, was to lead others to Christian maturity (1 Cor. 14:12, 26). This is how Jesus related to His disciples. He taught them that they could express no greater love than to lay down their lives for one another (John 15:13). As Christians, we ought to be so devoted to strengthening one another's faith that we pursue this goal relentlessly, even if it means laying down our own lives. This behavior characterized the early churches (Acts 2:40—47). This is what love is like among God's people (Gal. 6:9—10). As God reveals to you what those around you need in order to grow in their faith, be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice on behalf of your fellow Christians (Col. 1:29). - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

It's an interesting shift in thinking.  

We watch television and movies, can see the so-called fruits of people setting ridiculous goals and expectations and because of the plot lines they achieve them.  These other-world experiences we unwittingly take into our subconscious and start believing we deserve this or that.  This look or that vehicle. 

It always begins as a child.  Firmly holding onto what we perceive is 'mine'.  Interesting, at least for me, is Jesus says we must come as a child to Him for Salvation.  In that scene we want what is ours to receive from Him.  

But this perception of 'mine' in regards to looks, possessions or anything else is in direct opposition to what a follower of Christ is to be about.  It's not about us.  Right after confessing that indeed Jesus is the Christ, Peter goes straight to a bit of selfish talk and is called out on it by Jesus. 

It's really a really quick, really deep seduction to the way we think.  Mainly because it's to do with what we think we ought to have or be like.   

Freedom in Christ comes from letting go of what we think we ought to have or be like. 

It's sadly taken decades of my life to learn the value in letting go.  Everything that I feared was for nothing.  I don't miss what I have given up.  Either in possessions or activities.  My place, as a Disciple of Christ is to follow Him, doing what He is doing, behaving as He behaves. Obeying as He obeyed.   The more that I do that, the richer my life becomes.  

What are you doing?  It's funny to me how in the English language you can say the exact same words, barely put the accent in a different part of a word and totally change the meaning of the sentence. 

WHAT are you doing?

WHAT are YOU doing?

What are you DOING?

Really.  What are you doing? Are you living for yourself or Jesus?  Are you seeking out financial security over obedience to God? Are you seeking out everything there is to see in this world rather that to be where God wanted you, doing what He wanted?

We as Christians are not here to live for self.  It's another reason the term retirement doesn't apply to us.  We have a mission until our last breath to achieve for Christ.  We may be blessed to see His creation in traveling but our mission is still people. As one put it, we aren't to come to Christ only to sit on our blessed assurance every day.  We have a mission to complete.  Yes, Jesus taught us that rest, away from things is necessary, but He always brought His Disciples back into the game.  The business of the Father still needed to be done.  If we are living for ourselves then we are not about the Father's business. 

What about hobbies?  Read what was just said. There's value in down time.  It's necessary.  Permanent down time is not allowed.  It's then we become useless to completing the Father's business. 

There's much compared in Scripture between a life of a soldier and that of a believer.  Soldiers have R&R. So must we. 

Soldiers live in obedience to those they swore an allegiance to. 

We as believers are to do the same in regards to living for Christ. 

Scripture tells us plainly that we should avoid things that cause us to stumble.  If it's slowing down your walk with God, get rid of it.  Jesus said we cannot serve two masters.  It's not just in regards to money.  We literally do not have the capacity to serve ourselves and others at the same time.  Oh we will always try but the efforts certainly are never 100% towards either ourselves or the people our efforts went towards. 

So what are you doing for Jesus?  We layer ourselves in so many chains of our own making.  Things we buy things we take on that will never help us in becoming more like Christ.  

I still am finding things that He isn't suggesting that I get rid of, He's telling me to get rid of, out of my life.  We often fight back with a whine about how much that cost to get or how much it's worth.  

Jesus still replies with "You. You follow Me."

Life as a Christian isn't going to be all sunshine and roses. It's going to have heartache and heartbreak. It's going to have pain and loss of self. It's going to eventually bring about more joy than you can handle as you let go of self and obey more.  To find that peace that passes all understanding you have to obey and let go of you, making room for more of Christ. 

So, what are you doing?