Author: admin

People throughout the ages have sought to know and understand God. Scientists have attempted to ascertain the mysteries of the universe and the laws the Creator built in to it. Theologians have grappled with doctrines and sought to glean from various Bible verses a clear picture of who God is. Philosophers have debated difficult issues such as: how could a loving God allow evil into the world? Countless Bible studies are held each week, around the globe by people sincerely desiring to know God better. The apostle Paul, one of the greatest theologians in history, declared that his greatest aim was to know Christ.

After we have spent 10,000 years inhabiting heaven, we will still have only begun to grasp a sense of who God truly is. Nevertheless, this verse offers a glimpse into the divine character for those who wish to understand His heart.

Ever since humanity’s fall in the Garden, God had been planning His glorious rescue of His creation. He had prepared His people by sending prophets throughout the centuries. God had waited until the Roman Empire had a common language and transportation system to carry the Gospel message to the corners of the globe. God had preserved His people through centuries of enemy attacks and global crises. Finally the time came to launch the greatest assault ever taken upon evil. The fate of humanity throughout the ages hinged on the outcome. Yet there was no room. When God’s only Son came to earth, there was no room for Him. He had to be born in a stable and laid in a feeding trough. Almighty God’s Son! Could God have found a palace for the sacred birth? Certainly. But He chose instead, the most humble of circumstances. That is God’s heart. It is not pomp and pageantry that delights our God. Rather, God is driven by a love that is willing to do whatever it takes, and a humility that delights in the lowly. That is the God we serve, and love.

History rolls on relentlessly. Time refuses to stand still for anyone. There was a time when the world trembled at the deeds of Alexander the Great. But he has now been dead for thousands of years. The world was also once under the powerful rule of Caesar August, the greatest emperor the world had ever seen. But he, too, eventually drew his last breath. Too often we function as if world events are being driven solely by the ambitious men and women who march across the world stage. It is as if dictators and terrorists are determining the future. But that is not so.

God has a divine plan He has been orchestrating since sin first entered into humanity. World leaders may defy God and blaspheme His holy name, but ultimately they are but instruments in his hands. How could the mighty Caesar in imperial Rome know that a decree to increases his revenues could assist in God’s plan to redeem the sins of humanity? In fulfilling a tax requirement, Joseph was bringing his betrothed wife to a divine appointment. God can use the most mundane human regulations and requirements for His purposes. Always be watching for God’s activity around you. Sometimes it occurs in the most unusual of circumstances.

Have you ever done a survey of all of God’s promises in the Bible? Have you ever made a list of everything God has promised to do for you, if you would believe Him? Or Obey Him? Or love Him? God offers many promises that aren’t even contingent on us doing anything! It is amazing enough that the Creator even knows us individually. What is incomprehensible is that He actually has plans for us in which He intends to use our lives for His divine purposes.

Too many of God’s people live their lives as if they must do the best they can for God. They try to be moral. They try to be faithful spouses and kindhearted parents and hardworking employees. But it never crosses their minds that almighty God has infinitely more He intends to do through them. We are content to offer up our ordinary, mediocre lives as an offering to infinite God.

The teenaged Mary could have dreamed all of her life and never imagined all that God intended to accomplish through her ordinary life. Developing her own plans would have been a colossal waste of time. Instead, Mary was an “early adopter!” That is, as soon as God revealed His plans for her, she was quick to embrace them, regardless of how frightening or immense they appeared to be. Oh that we had the simple, obedient faith of Mary! Could we not also pray, “Behold the servant of the Lord! Be it done to me according to your word!”

Too often we measure our lives based on what we think is possible. Can I qualify for that program in university? Can I get that job? Can I earn that promotion? Can I be selected for that committee? Can I make that team? We spend much of our life fixated on our abilities and capacity or lack thereof. Such a focus leads to an extremely limited existence. It causes us to live our lives based on our limits rather than our possibilities.

We can do the same thing with the organizations we are associated with: “My church will never change . . . It’s impossible for revival to come to my nation . . . My boss will never change . . . I can never get out of this hole . . . She will never forgive me . . .” Without even realizing what we are doing, we rehearse in our minds all the impossibilities that limit what our life can expect. As a result we live a negative existence and one that fails to experience the power of God.

The key is not what we can do but what God is capable of doing. What are the limits when God is involved in something? What are His constraints? With Him, the issue is not the problems but the possibilities. We claim to believe that our God is all-powerful but we live as if He is weak and overwhelmed by our problems. Which one is it?

Is there anything currently happening in your life that you cannot explain? We typically like to be in control of our lives so we know what to expect and how to manage our circumstances. But the greatest reward of our lives may be in those moments God does something through us that cannot be explained in any other way but that almighty God chose to use our ordinary life for His purposes.

Too many of God’s people today are playing it safe with their lives. They try nothing new. They attempt nothing outside of their comfort zone. They live predictably within their means. They make use of their strengths and avoid their weaknesses. When they come to the end of their life, their world is largely unchanged because of how they lived.

Over the course of our life, the greatest moments we will experience are those times when God intervened to accomplish His purposes through us. We’ll look back and wonder how God could have achieved such amazing things through our ordinary life. Much of our life might only be described as “existing” rather than “living.” But then there are those moments where the almighty chooses to do a special, divine work through us and we get to enjoy the amazing privilege of participating in the work of heaven. That is truly living!

Living a life that is pleasing to God does not mean we will never face challenges or problems. In fact, one of the ways God demonstrates His pleasure with our life is by giving us far more to do than we can accomplish in our own strength. Sometimes it is as we stand before frightening circumstances that we know God loves us!

Mary lived a righteous life. God was pleased with her humble, obedient heart. He could have rewarded her by granting her a kind husband who provided her a comfortable, undistinguished life in a backwater town in Judea. For some young women, that would be all they would want for their lives. But God desired to do far more through Mary’s life.

God granted Mary the privilege of giving birth to God’s only Son and ushering in God’s plan to redeem lost humanity. She would raise the Messiah! She would watch Him speak to large crowds and perform miracles. But there would also be challenges. She would endure her neighbors discussing how an alleged virgin could give birth to a child. She would hear people from her town mocking her Son for his pretensions at being the Messiah. She would one day stand at the foot of the cross where He would be crucified. Mary’s life would not be easy. But it would always enjoy God’s favor. To receive God’s favor means He sweeps you in to the midst of His activity. Are you presently experiencing the favor of God on your life?

God has innumerable ways to communicate with us. He can use angels, dreams, or burning bushes. But one of His preferred methods is through other people. God is not dependent upon people. If He wanted to ensure that we received a pure, undiluted, word straight from His own mouth, He could use a more reliable source.

God works through people because He has created us to be interdependent. He does not intend for us to function independently of others. To fully know God’s will, we must listen to the Body of Christ. Those who isolate themselves or who become defensive when people express concerns to them will miss out on significant opportunities to understand God’s will.

Who have you connected your life with that can relay divine messages to you? Are you listening to what they are saying? Be careful you do not tune out what others are telling you in your desire to hear a word from God. God may be sending His message to you through the mouth of one of your friends.

Some people are uncomfortable slowing down. They are people of action who stay in continuous motion. Yet it is hard to hear from God when we are constantly on the run. That is why God allows circumstances in our lives that force us to stop, and listen.

If our work prevents us from responding to God, He may remove our job. If our money and possessions hinder us, God may relieve us of them. If relationships or commitments stifle God’s activity in our life, God is not adverse to eliminating them from our life. Nothing is more important to us than hearing God’s voice and properly responding to it.

God got Saul’s attention after He took away his sight, and caused him to lose his appetite for food or drink. Humbled and no longer distracted, Saul was in a position to receive the life-transforming message God had for him. It was crucial for him to clearly hear what God was saying, for it would change not only Paul’s life, but also his world.

God always knows the next step we must take. Sometimes we can be at a loss to know what we should do. We may have made a huge mistake and now are bewildered to know how to recover from it. Perhaps we are facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Or, we feel overwhelmed by our responsibilities and inadequate to deal with them. There are numerous circumstances that can knock us off our feet!

Whether God is the One who halted us in our tracks, or it has been our circumstances, He knows what we should do next. God does not often give us all the details at once. Often He will merely reveal the next step we are to take. But, as we heed His voice, we will eventually find ourselves exactly where God wants us to be.

Are you earnestly seeking a word from God? Do you need to know what to do next? Listen carefully for His voice and then quickly take the next step He provides you. He may not tell you much about your future, but He will give you enough to handle tomorrow. Follow Him one step at a time and you will be amazed where that leads you!

It takes a lot to break some people of their pride. We are certain we know what is best. In our relationship with God, we do all of the talking. We are so busy serving that we have no time to ensure we are doing the right things. But God has a way of getting our attention!

God will humble us if He needs to. He will slow us down until we are finally prepared to listen to what He has to say. He will allow us to come to the end of ourselves until we acknowledge our need for His intervention. For some, this will only require a still, small, voice. For others, it will entail a blinding light and a voice emanating from heaven. But God will do what is necessary.

When God gets your attention, it is not so you can suggest what you might be best suited to do for Him. It is not so He can explain Himself to you or to seek your counsel. God will initiate a conversation with you where you can ask that all-important question: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”