“Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:4-5 ESV
Fulfilling a desire of your heart sometimes takes a lifetime. Striving and working towards that goal seems less strenuous as you picture that coveted desire in your mind. Finally, you reach the end of that rainbow only to find out the desire didn’t fill your heart. But take heart, there’s a better way to ensure your desires will fill your heart before you set out on that long journey. The fulfillment of the desires of your heart is a two-step process.
Step1: Delight yourself in the Lord, and totally commit your life to follow Him, trusting Him to lead you in the right way. The Lord God knows what is best you, He created you and understands you better than you understand or know yourself. Delight yourself in getting to know God more intimately through prayer and a daily reading of His Word. Commit to be obedient of all you have learned through Scripture, and trust God to help you through the Holy Spirit.
Step 2: Make sure your desires are God’s desires. It is not as difficult as it sounds if you are willing to let go and let God direct you. Take a good hard look at your desires and ask, is this a desire God would have for me? If you have strong desires that center more on yourself hoping that these are also God’s desires, ask God to change your desires to match His and He will.
The Lord God promises to act on our behalf when it comes to obeying Him in desiring what He desires for us. Again, God knows how He made us and how we are wired for His service. He knows we can only have complete fulfillment in the desires of our hearts when our desires are His desires. If you haven’t yet begun the two-step process there is not a better time than right now, it is time to start to have the desires of your heart fulfilled.
“That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.” Joshua 7:12 NLT
The Lord God has led Israel out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. Israel was assured of victory in every conquest. All they needed to do was to obey God. Christians today can also be certain of victory for it is the Lord who fights our battles. All we need to do is obey. When we fail to obey God, we will suffer defeat when we were assured of victory because sin became a hindrance as in story presented to us Joshua chapter 7.
After the successful battle of Jericho, Joshua sends men to spy out the city of Ai. The report is highly favorable concluding that a smaller number of warriors were needed to conquer it and not the entire fighting force. Ai was a town small in number and would easily be defeated. Without hesitation Joshua sent about 3,000 men on the mission only to be defeated being driven back and losing thirty-six men in the process. Distraught over the results, Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothes bowing down before the Ark of the Lord until evening. “Then Joshua cried out, ‘Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side! Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies?’” (Jos.7:7-8 nlt) It sounds like Joshua is having buyer’s remorse for having bought in to the Lord’s plan for them to enter the Promised Land. The Lord would reveal to Joshua what he did not know on why Israel was defeated. Israel had sinned against the Lord.
The first insight for us to learn is the consequences of our sin does not affect us alone. The Lord tells Joshua, “Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!” (Jos.7:11 nlt) One man, Achan, had disobeyed God’s command in the previous battle of Jericho by coveting, stealing, hiding, and lying about the things that were to be set apart for the Lord. The sin led to his family to being complicit in helping cover up the disobedience to the Lord and breaking His covenant. Achan and his family were part of God’s chosen people Israel. Sin had been committed by having disregard for God’s commands and directly disobeying them. God is a holy God having instructed Joshua and the nation of Israel to have faith, courage, and to be obedient. Israel as a nation did not do so completely in the battle of Jericho. God had said, “Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!”
Our second insight; as God is holy, He cannot deal with sin in His presence. God will not deal with us as we go our own way but will put the brakes on us as He did with Israel’s defeat at Ai. The Lord told Joshua, “I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.” (Jos.7:12 nlt) We must do the same. If we expect to see the Lord’s continued blessings we need to be obedient to Him and destroy (get rid of) any sin that is causing a major hindrance to that end.
Finally, the Lord’s blessings were seen by Achan and his family in the victory at Jericho. They witnessed the Lord fighting their battle and achieving victory; however, they were not content and wanted more. The Lord helps overcome major battles in our lives. His blessings continue to flow through our lives as we obey Him. If suddenly a small inconvenience becomes a major battle and wipes you out perhaps there is a ‘sin of Achan’ that needs to be destroyed. Being obedient to God and getting rid of that persistent sin will lead to God’s blessings.
“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9 NIV
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV
Are you an advocate for administering true justice with mercy and compassion? If so, where do you find the source for true justice, mercy, and compassion? There can only be one source, the creator God and His written word. The prophet Micah confirms this by saying ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.’ (Mic.6:8 niv) Therefore by following the principles and guidelines found in Scripture we have a solid foundation to build upon in administering justice with mercy and compassion.
Every Christian is to be outspoken with the injustices committed in our society. Whether it is the neglect of the poor and homeless, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. Christians should be out front not only with calls for justice, but with the actions to back it up. The New Testament book of 1 John tells us, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:17, 18 niv)
The key word in I John 3:18 is ‘truth.’ Our advocacy must be based on truth. The truth of God’s Word. There is a problem today for many Christians and it has made its way into many Christian churches. God’s justice (Biblical justice) is being intermingled with the world’s term of ‘social justice.’ They are not one and the same. It is true caring for the poor, the homeless, and standing against discrimination are tenets of “God’s justice’ as well as ‘social justice’, but not all the tenets of ‘social justice’ are tenets of ‘God’s justice.’
As Christians we are to be wise and discerning in what constitutes ‘social justice’ in our day. The cries of each injustice are to be examined in the light of Scripture to test and prove it is a Biblical principle that has been violated. It is to not contradict any other of God’s principles in Scripture when addressing it. If it passes the test then we are to be an advocate for the injustice by following what the Lord said in the book of Zechariah, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.” (Zech.7:9 niv)
“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.” 1 Timothy 6:20-21 NASB
What treasures have you been entrusted with? Those of you blessed with children have those precious jewels placed in their trusting care from God. Those who work in financial institutions have large sums of money entrusted to them. Those who serve in law enforcement have the safety of the lives they protect and serve entrusted to them. And those of us who are Christians have the treasure of the Gospel entrusted to us.
The apostle Paul instructs his son in the faith, Timothy, to guard the treasure which had been entrusted to him, the life giving message of Salvation. Timothy was instructed to guard or keep watch over the presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ against the false teachers of his day.
Just as Timothy had false teachers in his day, we also have false teachers in our day who distort the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to guard and keep watch, “through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” the True Gospel Message of Jesus Christ. And we can use Jesus’s own words:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life……….I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Jn.3:16, 14:6 nasb)
We have been entrusted with the most valuable treasure known to mankind. May we realize our responsibility and guard what has been entrusted to us!
“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Mark 13:33 NIV
Patients wait comfortably in a bright and clean healthcare clinic reception area.
The world has a hard time staying on schedule. It is easy getting behind schedule but difficult to get back on track. In a service industry the guests or clients bear the brunt of being behind schedule in waiting. Patience wears thin when waiting in a doctor’s office, a line in the grocery store, or waiting for your favorite artist to hit the stage (they’re never on time) or when you finish your popcorn before the movie starts waiting through the endless previews. Waiting can be frustrating especially if you are looking forward to the event (except maybe the doctor visit). Whatever your waiting for it helps to be patient and look for constructive ways to pass the time. In fact there is something worth waiting for in which we should anxiously wait.
Christians have an event we have been waiting for two-thousand years. It is the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, the opposite is often the case for some in anticipating Jesus’ return. Busy lives with the entrapment that Jesus’ return is in the distant future puts it ‘out of sight out of mind.’ We go our own way doing our thing as it pleases us putting aside the things of God. In explaining to His disciples His return, Jesus told them, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mk.13:12 niv) and to be ready.
Jesus then said it was like a man who was going away leaving his house in the care of his servants each with certain jobs to do. He specifically told the door keeper to keep watch for they would not know when their master would return. The Lord has given each of us tasks to perform until He returns and just like the servants were to work while waiting for their master to come home, we are to do the same. We do not know when that day will come. There is no other prophecy that needs to be fulfilled before Jesus’ return. He can appear at any moment. So let us wait anxiously for Christ’s return staying busy with what he has called us to do.
Solomon wrote, ‘a wise person is hungry for knowledge.’ A desire to learn all you can is wise and beneficial in life. Educational institutions from pre-school through college must continually provide opportunities for those with an inquiring mind to advance and grab as much knowledge as possible. But they do not always succeed, and we have been seeing the results of their failure throughout society. When hunger for knowledge is not met or redirected by school administrators a failed education system is guaranteed. Soloman also wrote, the opposite of the wise person who is hungry for knowledge is the fool who feeds on trash. Unfortunately, there is a lot of trash being passed off as education through schools and so-called educating the public venues through biased journalism and news broadcasts, and the ever-expanding social media.
If anyone should be interested in increasing knowledge and having a complete understanding of the world it is every Christian. Christians should have the desire to increase learning and keep up with current events. The problem is where do we go to get current, trustworthy news and information. Which institutes of higher learning would provide the best non-biased education. These decisions will not come easily, but the place to start is with the Bible, the Word of God.
Our hunger for knowledge begins with our hunger for God. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” (nlt) We can be sure what we learn from God is true knowledge and it is His holy agenda. The Bible is trustworthy, the very words of God Himself. Immersing ourselves in scripture daily will give us insight as we seek sources for our continued education. Looking for a reliable platform to research and learn more about the current events in our world will come through observing through God’s eyes. You’ll start to analyze and know the difference between true and false information. Satisfy your hunger for knowledge with the Lord through His Word. He will teach you through His Word and will guide you to make the right decisions in increasing your knowledge.
“This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’” Jeremiah 7:23 NLT
Do you believe in God? If your answer is yes, do you want Him to be your God? You may be a bit confused at this point, but just think it through. Just because you say you believe in God is He really your God or just one of many. Is He in competition with your career, your spouse, your vacation home, automobile, boat, or your favorite sports team? Does He hold first place on every shelf in your life, and do you obey Him wholeheartedly in everything you do? If not, then He is your God in name only.
The Lord speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of Israel says, “…. Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” (Jer.7:23 nlt) This is what the Lord God wanted Israel to do when He led them out of Egypt. He didn’t want their offerings or their sacrifices, he only wanted their obedience. They believed in God, but also had other gods from the desires of their hearts to put alongside the God of heaven. Over time these idols, other gods, began to push the true God out of their lives. The Lord God says of them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the LORD their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.” (Jer.7:28 nlt)
God is not to be the top rung on the ladder of our gods. He is the whole latter from top to bottom and our access to eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son. There is no other way of salvation and there are no other gods able to bring us satisfaction and joy in this life than the true God of heaven. Believe God when He says, ‘Obey me, and I will be your God’ and know for sure that He is.
Throughout any given day we make hundreds of choices. If our day is not already preplanned, we have the task of deciding how to fill the day. Even in those preplanned days, would our scheduled activities please the Lord? Obviously work, fulfilling family needs, spending time with the Lord, and volunteering in the community would be pleasing to God. It is those gray areas that are concerning for the Christian. Areas of personal conviction between you and God if you participate in them hinders your relationship with Him. It doesn’t need to be outright sin that would displease God, James tells us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” (Ja. 4:17nlt) This is especially true in the things you hold in conviction to do or not to do.
Developing convictions between you and the Lord begins with spending time in the Bible and in prayer with Him. During times of confusion in certain areas of your life search the scriptures and ask God for guidance as to what He pleases Him, then go do it or not do it as the Lord placed the conviction on your heart. Not every Christian will have the same convictions. What is a conviction for me may not necessarily be a conviction for you and vice versa. That doesn’t mean that God is not pleased with both of us. He is pleased as we are obedient to His will for us.
There are common denominators for all Christians to agree with convictions in what pleases and displeases God. Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret…… Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (Eph. 5:11-12, 17nlt) As you plan your day, carefully determine what pleases the Lord by developing convictions.
“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.” Genesis 17:4-5 NLT
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Your name is significant. It identifies you. It may have a special meaning or be in honor of one of your parents or someone nestled in your family tree. Overall it is unique to you even if others have the same name. There is a purpose for it, and that purpose is you, it is your name. Imagine having your name changed at age ninety-nine. Imagine living until age ninety-nine. Abram was quite alive when he was ninety-nine years old and he had his name change by the Lord God. There was a special purpose for it, Abram was about to Abraham, the father of many nations.
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.’ (Gen.17:1 nlt) It had been thirteen years since Ishmael was born, Sarai’s and Abram’s plan to have a child through Hagar, Sarai’s servant. Abram was commanded to live a blameless life by the Lord ‘El-Shaddai’ which means ‘God almighty, nothing is impossible with God.’ Abram must respond in obedience to receive God’s promises for him. Abram fell down to the ground as the Lord spoke to him about the covenant He would make with him.
The Lord God told Abram He was going to make him the father of many nations. He then said to Abram that his name would change from Abram (Exalted Father) to Abraham meaning (father of many nations). God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be fruitful and become many nations with many kings. This covenant would be an everlasting covenant lasting throughout the generations and the Lord promised He will always be his God and the God of his future descendants.
God also said, “And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever.” (Gen.17:8 nlt) The Lord includes the earlier covenant He made with Abram in chapter 15 here in chapter 17. The Lord promised the land where Abram was standing would be his descendants forever. Abram was to walk through it and claim it. This everlasting covenant is still in effect today and beyond. It does not end. The Lord God has promised that land to Israel.
Abraham had one responsibility in this covenant along with all his future descendants and that was to conduct the sign of the covenant, circumcision. “From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.” (Gen.17:12-13 nlt) Circumcision was common in Abram’s day. It was carried out by various people groups. The most common reason was for hygienic purposes. Here God uses it as a symbol of cutting away sin and being cleansed, and it served as signifying consecration to the Lord.
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Sarai also gets a new name. “Then God said to Abraham, ‘Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.” (Gen.17:15 nlt) Both Sarai and Sarah mean ‘princess’ although ‘Sarai’ includes ‘my princess.’ This name change would emphasize Sarah would be the mother of many nations as Abraham’s wife, for she will bear a child to him and serve God’s purposes. “And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” (Gen.17:16 nlt) Abraham could not believe what he heard and laughed to himself, after all he would be one hundred years old and Sarah ninety.
Abraham seeks a simpler solution that is right in front of him again. He once again asks God for Ishmael serve as his heir. But again God says ‘No!’ Sarah will have a son and you will name him Issac, meaning ‘he laughs.’ Abraham did laugh, if only to himself. God said that He will confirm His covenant with Issac and his descendants for he is the covenant child of promise, not Ishmael. But God does indeed bless Ishmael and his descendants. Abraham will be the father of many nations and Ishmael descendants will help fulfill that promise. The Lord God said, “As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.” (Gen.17:20 nlt)
On that very day when the Lord left Abraham he immediately obeyed God by fulfilling his responsibility by circumcising his son Ishmael and all the male servants in his household. “Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.” (Gen.17:26-27 nlt) Abraham obeyed God. He did not delay by thinking about it. He had faith that God would do what he had promised even though it may seem impossible. Abraham’s faith is an example for all of us. May Abraham’s faith be contagious to us in our day to catch his faith through the help of the Holy Spirit because El-Shaddai is God Almighty wherein nothing is impossible.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLT
We have just come out of the Easter weekend holiday. I heard messages last weekend of hope, peace, light and other necessary needs for our present world made possible through Jesus Christ rising from the dead. His resurrection gives us all hope for the day in which we live was expounded in their sermons. These words came from some of the world’s renowned and most respected Christian leaders. But there are serious flaws in their messages. It was not what was said, but what was not said.
I will not take away anything from those who pray for peace in this world, we need more spiritual leaders to be part of this. Their Easter message of hope and peace is available to all because of Christ’s resurrection but only through the saving grace of God as one accepts Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for their sins does it apply. It is a personal experience. The main message of Christ’s resurrection has been replaced by a general one-size-fits-all secular version of hope and peace for this world neglecting the true reason why Christ came; to lay down His life for sinners. Jesus Christ came to save us all who are dead in our sins and believe on Him for salvation saving us from eternal punishment of hell’s fire.
It is true that those who accept Christ as savior from their sin have received joy, peace, and the light of Christ in this dark world that shines for all to see. That alone brings some peace to the world but realize it is a changed person who is now alive and has the Holy Spirit within them because of Christ’s resurrection. The hope of the resurrection we celebrate is future, an eternal hope. Christians who truly know the Lord as savior have the assurance (hope) of being resurrected on the last day and assured of eternal life. That is the true message of Easter (Resurrection Sunday) from the true God of eternal hope.
Word for the Soul 