A Changed Attitude

At any given moment of the day, when we least expect it, circumstances arise that cause fear and despair to darken our attitude. Heaviness shrouds our spirit and joy flees in retreat.

Eventually anger may arise to shield us from impending pain and we explode and strike out at those around us. For the smallest offense, we react with severe sharpness that leaves the other person cut to shreds.

Our soul pours forth a storm of abuse that drenches the recipient to the point of drowning! Then we feel guilty for over-reacting and causing someone else pain and unhappiness.

Our anxiety and depression deepen and we withdraw into a stoic abyss. James did not believe in his half-brother's deity until after His resurrection.

However, God used James mightily to further His Kingdom in Jesus' footsteps. He remembered things Jesus taught and shared them with the Body of Christ both then and now.

One very famous concept was something very similar to what the apostle Paul taught. James reminds us that when we are tempted to sin, we can consider it a joyous time.

This occurs because we know without a doubt that when our faith is tried, the circumstances allow God's Spirit to use our faith in Christ to work patience into our life.

As we learn patience, we lose much of the anxiety and grief which circumstances previously spawned in our life. Life is much simpler; we want less of this world and more obedience to His Spirit.

We realize that regardless of issues we are experiencing, we have need of nothing.  God is our supply, and He has everything in His control (James 1:2-4).

Prayer:

Father God, You are the same Creator who made the majestic mountains, the depths of the sea, the myriad of galaxies in the heavens and the variety of species of plants and animals on this earth. You also have a wonderful plan for each of us, filled with love and peace through our Rock, Jesus Christ.

Most people prefer to make our own rules and live according to the dictates of our own heart, rejecting You for much, most, or all of our life. Some of us totally spurn Your offer of love and lead a hate campaign against You. Others attempt to earn our salvation by our good works.

A few of us will receive Your free gift of salvation through Christ (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Even then, we look to You to forgive us each day for transgressing against Your will and way for our life.

Thought for the Day:

As we allow God to sanctify our carnal nature, we grow into a more mature Christian, exhibiting the fruit of His Holy Spirit and having the nature of God as we readily and fully surrender to God’s sanctifying process.

The Glory of the Lord

 

Each person of the Trinity is unique, with a special function and purpose; yet, equal in divinity and power. The Father is the personification of the Deity, the Son is the manifestation and the Spirit is the inspiration.

God's Word describes Him manifesting His glory through thunder, lightning, loud trumpet blasts, angelic encounters, a cloud, flame of fire, dew, manna, and even a mighty rushing wind and other miracles (Exodus 16, 19:9, 16; 40:36, 38; Judges 6:37-38; 1 Kings 19:5-7; Acts 2:2, 12:7-11, John 5:1-15; Matthew 17:27).

Jesus is the radiance of God's glory (Hebrews 1:3). I am told that this Hebrew word for glory is "kabod", and literally means the tangible presence of the abundant riches, glory, splendor and honor of God.

Through Jesus, this multi-faceted glory abides within every authentic Believer (2 Corinthians 3:7-10). As we grow in our understanding of the reality of God's glory, it helps us to enter His rest as it heals our soul (Hebrews 4:10). 

The glory of the Lord depends upon holiness in order to manifest, and is the only entity, which will truly quench our spiritual hunger and thirst and increases our intimacy with our God and Savior (Psalm 92:12-14).

When, like Moses, we cry out to see God's glory, He reveals to us His nature and character, personified in Jesus (Exodus 33:18, 34:6-7). Experiencing the glory of the Lord transforms our life into the precise image of His Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 1:17-18; Galatians 1:15-16).

We repent of our sinful lifestyle (Romans 1:16, 3:23, 6:23; Ephesians 2:4-5), we depend on God to change us from one level of holiness to the next,  and we draw nearer to God each moment of our day (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Prayer:

Father God, Your Spirit brings us liberty from the presence, practice and power of sin through Your glory within us (2 Corinthians 3:17). As Your children, we are led by Your Spirit daily (Romans 8:14) and destined to future, eternal glory when we are like Jesus in every way (Romans 8:29-30).

We want our nature and countenance to reflect Your glory here on earth as well. Change us from the inside out, and make us clean so that we can be fitting vessels for Your glory (Matthew 23:25-26). We rest on your promises and look to You to create in us a clean heart and to fill us with Your divine nature (Psalm 51:10; 2 Peter 1:4).

Thought for the Day:
Experiencing the glory of the Lord causes us to get on our face before the Lord and to worship Him in spontaneous praise and humble thanksgiving throughout the day. - Exodus 34:8

For Such a Time As This

Read: Esther 4:1-17

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14

I love this phrase in Esther where Mordecai tells Esther to view her life as being part of God's wonderful plan for her and His people. “You have come to this royal position for such a time as this.” Do you realize that God created your life with a built-in purpose as well?

In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” That is so exciting to me. As the Master Potter, God uniquely designed us and placed each of us in the world at this exact time in order to carry out His will (Jeremiah 18:1-6; Isaiah 45:9, 64:8; Psalm 100:3; Romans 9:20). What happens if we live according to our own will and neglect the works God created us to perform?

Queen Vashti gives us a perfect example. She is the Queen of Persia, a woman with immense influence. She shapes her world by her words and example and everyone in the kingdom, including her husband, knows it (Esther 1:17-18). I think she must have been the first recorded Women’s Liberation Movement leader! In the Biblical account of her life, Vashti is in the middle of a party, which she threw for all the women of the palace.

Her husband, King Xerxes, commanded seven of the chamberlains who waited on him to bring Queen Vashti to display her beauty to the people and nobles. He knew better than to ask her himself, or to send even one or two of his chamberlains. So he sent seven emissaries to do his bidding! The Queen could not be bothered, however, and refused the King’s wishes. Of course, this act of rebellion and disrespect came at a high price to her. She lost her throne in the palace, her position in the court and her authority in the kingdom.

There are three different types of people in the world. Some, like Queen Vashti, live for themselves, caring little about anyone else. They focus their entire being on climbing the corporate ladder of success or amassing exorbitant financial gains or serving their own family. They build their own kingdom rather than furthering the Kingdom of God. They have no eternal focus and little to no spiritual desire. They disobey and deny King Jesus with their life, and give Him no alternative but to deny them before His Father (Matthew 10:33).

Other people exhibit a bit more spiritual desire and they give God a fraction of their time and money. Some of them worship with other Believers one or two hours a week on Sunday morning. They may even pray when they are in need, but they rarely spend time praising God or reading their Bible. I saw a church sign during our travels that relates to this group of people, “God does not want just weekend visits with you; He wants full custody of your life.”

Lastly, we have people like Esther, who risk their whole life for God and His people. Prior to the King choosing her to take Vashti’s place, Esther cherished her own dreams for her life. However, she gave up her individual aspirations and stepped out with faith and courage for the Lord’s purpose. God used her to save His chosen people, the Jews. God created Esther for only one defining moment in her entire life; but, in return, God granted that Esther live the rest of her days in luxury as the Queen. Faithful people like Esther seek God’s purpose. They live their life fulfilling His will for them and reaping His benefits (Psalm 103:2, 116:12).

God’s purposes shall come to pass and His plans will unfold throughout the ages, just as He decreed them before time ever existed (2 Timothy 1:9). However, He only uses willing vessels to fulfill His intentions in the earth. You and I may never have a noteworthy role in history like Queen Esther did, but God needs us to serve Him in the place where He created us to live. Our little microcosm in the world is our mission field. This is where God anoints us to serve Him with our whole body, soul and spirit. We may have a lifelong calling, or just one important moment in time like Esther; but if we respond to His direction, He will bless us abundantly in every way.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as we listen to the direction of Your Spirit moment by moment throughout the day, You put us in the right place at the right time to fulfill Your purposes and to further Your Kingdom in the earth. If we fail to pay attention, and focus instead on our own dreams and pursuits, we may miss Your calling. Then You will choose someone else to bless in our place. Help us to follow Your Spirit and to hear Your direction for each of moment of time.

Thought for the Day:

God birthed each of us in our current life station “for such a time as this”.