Lasting Treasure

 

 

God knows the thoughts and objectives of our heart (Hebrews 4:12). We walk out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ who dwells within us in all of His divine fullness (Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 1:4). We walk in His Light, because Christ in us is our light (Psalm 27:1; Matthew 5:14-16). Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but when He works through us, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26; Philippians 4:13). We abide in Him and He teaches us to believe, talk, think and act like Him (Galatians 2:20).

Then, we live in the center of God’s will for each moment of our day. The Spirit and Christ in us lead us to follow Jesus’ example and to do only those things, which our Father instructs us to do. This takes no striving or human effort on our part. As we wait on the Lord, He renews our strength and we rise up on eagle’s wings (Isaiah 40:31). We only get caught off guard or walk out of the Spirit when we rely on our human effort and understanding instead (Proverbs 3:5-6).

We no longer struggle with fears, doubts and unrest. We enter into His rest (Hebrews 4:10). We no longer attempt to earn our salvation or our sanctification, because we know that just as with glorification, we can do nothing to attain these states of Christian maturity. We live in peace, which transcends human understanding (Ephesians 3:20-21), and we walk in His Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25).

We walk in contentment regardless of the amount of this world’s goods, which we lack. We can live in a mud hut in Africa without a blanket to our name and still be rich in His wisdom and grace (Proverbs 19:11). We find abundant delight as we walk in His will (Psalm 119:35). We abstain from carnal lust, which war with the desires of our heart, because we are not tempted or drawn to this wicked and perverse world (1 Peter 2:11).

We walk in joy, regardless of the trials in our life, and persevere in walking by His Spirit. We witness a transformation in our life as He leads us ever further into His perfection (James 1:2-4). This happens when we realize that each trial is a new adventure in Christ. He uses us to further His Kingdom in the earth regardless of our limitations or failings, because Christ in us is our true treasure and our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Nothing will ever separate us from His love (Romans 8:35-39).

Prayer:

Father God, we have no desire to lay up treasure on this earth, because they usually end up broken or stolen eventually (Luke 16:8-9). Help us to lay up treasure in heaven instead, because this is where our heart truly lies (Matthew 6:19:21). When we come to the end of our life, we see our true accomplishments only in the people in whose lives You use us to minister (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

Thought for the Day:

When we abide in Christ, people no longer see us, but Christ in us. – 1 Peter 2:9

Reciprical Relationship

We do not have to arouse an inordinate amount of faith within us, in order to survive the issues of life. As we keep our focus on each current moment, we will live by God’s Spirit through every second of our day. If we can abide in Christ in each instant, then we can put all of our moments together and end up abiding in faith in Christ all day long. Every time a sin or a disturbing event threatens to rob us of our peace, we remind our self that we are safely abiding in Christ.

As we abide in Christ, He replaces our carnal nature with His Spirit’s fruit and His character (2 Corinthians 3:18). Christ in us leads us to a life of complete surrender and undivided commitment to God. We lay down our goals, self-will and pride. God alone is our King, and He rules over every area of our life according to His will. He exerts His power, overcomes our enemies and provides us with His anointing to accomplish His service. His contentment, peace and joy permeate our soul by His Spirit.

When people are in our presence, they see Jesus instead of us (Acts 6:8-9). We live moment by moment by the faith of the Son of God, who loves us and sacrificed Himself for us (Ephesians 5:1-2). We readily forsake this world and the flesh in order to gain the excellency of Christ and to live in Him (Philippians 3:8-9). The power of His divine life within us works in this present moment and also extends into the next moment, until we walk in His Spirit throughout the entire day.

We live in a reciprocal relationship with Christ, receiving and restoring all that Adam lost in his fall. We abide in Him, and His words abide in us (John 15:7). As we give to others what Christ gives to us, we receive even more – whether it is encouragement, money or time. As we empty our life for Christ, His divine fullness heals us. He replaces our thoughts and feelings with His fruit as we abide in the Vine (John 15:4).

If we are too full of our self, there is no room for God’s divine life to fill us. Humbling our pride is the first step to a fulfilled life. There are many examples in Jesus’ parables, which teach us to forsake what we are and what we possess in order to seek His treasure. We lose our temporal life, so we will find eternal life in Him. We leave the many to seek the One. We count everything as lost in order to know Christ more fully (Philippians 3:8).

Prayer:

Father God, once we repent and walk away from our sin, we enter into Your plan of salvation through true conversion. It is impossible for us to conquer sin on our own; however, the power of Christ in us, removes from us all desire to sin (Galatians 5:16, 25). We hunger and thirst after You and request that You give us a clean heart and to purge us of anything thwarting our intimate relationship with You (Matthew 5:6). We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to Your righteousness (Romans 6:18).

Thought for the Day:

Rather than to work for God, we depend on the Holy Spirit to do the works of God in and through our life. – Ephesians 2:8-10

Hide Me in the Cleft of the Rock

God has our best interest at heart, although according to human reasoning, it does not always appear so. We often unwittingly pray against the will of God in our life, and He cannot answer those prayers (1 John 5:14). We fight life’s negative circumstances and cry out for Him to correct them; when He is actually using them to correct our course in life (James 1:2). His desire is for us to fully surrender to Him in trials, so that He can use them to do His perfect work in us (James 1:2-12). The comfort we seek often first depends upon our repentance of our current sins (2 Corinthians 7:10).

The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life often fuel our prayers and our activities in life (1 John 2:16). We want bragging rights for our hard earned achievements, rather than realizing they are the result of God’s Spirit working in and through our life. We want worldly gain, when God’s will is for us to walk in holiness (Isaiah 35:8). As we seek first His Kingdom, He provides us with everything we need (Matthew 6:33). The flesh is worthless, but God’s Spirit gives us life. We find both life and spirit in the words of Jesus (John 6:63).

When we suffer from stress, abandonment, grief, anxiety, failure or illness and we feel overwhelmed and defeated by life, God hides us in the cleft of the rock and reveals Himself to us (Exodus 33:22). Our Rock of Ages is ever present to help us in our time of need (Isaiah 26:4). If we only seek His provision, we will never be happy; however, if we seek Him and His presence in our life, we will live a fulfilled life regardless of our circumstances. We can dwell with the most disappointing husband, rebellious children, horrible work experience, most devastating illness or the driest church life and still live in the fullness of God through Christ in us (Galatians 2:20).

God desires that we live in such constant fellowship with Him that His rivers of living water flow in us, through us and out of us and upon everyone we come in contact with throughout our day (John 7:38). When the comforts of this life fail us, we find our refuge in the love of Christ within us (Psalm 46:1). He reassures us as no one else can, because He lives inside of us and knows our every thought (Colossian 1:27). He inhabits eternity and uses all of His power and authority to meet our needs (Isaiah 57:15). He is waiting with open arms to embrace us at any moment we care to cast our soul upon Him.

As the Lord searches our heart, He understands the motives behind our thoughts (1 Chronicles 28:9). His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). God hides us in the cleft of Salvation, through Jesus Christ our Rock, before revealing Himself to us (Ps 18:2; 62:6; Exodus 33:22). We live as imitators of God, as His beloved child (Ephesians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 11:1). As we walk as a fragrant gift in surrender to God’s will, we savor the sweet love Christ gives to us (Ephesians 5:1-2). Even if we fall, we are never utterly cast down, because He sustains us in His hand (Psalm 37:24; Song of Solomon 8:3).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, overflowing with Your divine fullness we find that nothing is impossible for us to achieve according to Your will (Philippians 2:12-13). You brought us up out of the miry pit of self-centeredness and set our feet upon the Rock of Christ (Psalm 27:5, 40:2; 1 Corinthians 10:4). In troubling times, You hide us in Your tabernacle. There is nothing to fear, because nothing can separate us from your love: not the trials of life, spiritual powers, the past or the future, no mountain top or deep valley of circumstance, no created thing and not even death (Jeremiah 42:11; Romans 8:38-39). You hide us in the depth of Your love (Acts 17:11).

Thought for the Day:
Is Jesus Christ actually dwelling within you? – 2 Corinthians 13:5






Thank you, Vickie Liu, for the use of your photo.

Cure for Discouragement - Part 1

 

Years of turmoil give us a probable reason to lose hope in God’s intervention in our life. However, is it really His fault? At times, we have unrealistic expectations of the Lord in the areas of marriage, home, finances, job, church life, community, etc. We do not have what we need, because we either do not ask for it specifically or because we ask for things that are contrary to the will of God for our life (James 4:3). Where do we turn when life lets us down? The Word of God is full of encouraging verses that speak to our particular seasons of life.

We have no need to be afraid of or discouraged by the difficulties and disappointments we experience in life, because we have a greater power within us than is in the people and events coming against us (1 John 4:4). We have the Lord as our Helper to fight our battles (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). As we learn to walk in the presence of God moment by moment all throughout our day, we will see and know without a doubt that God is with us and that He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28).

The more time we spend with God, the more authentically we come to know through practical, personal experience that God’s love within us far surpasses anything Satan or this world can use to discourage us. We are filled through our entire being with the richest measure of all the divine fullness of God. We feel God Himself completely flooding us with His divine presence (Ephesians 3:19a, Amplified Bible).

God is completely able to fill us with his power, which works within us. He is able to carry out His purpose for our life supernaturally in ways that far exceed anything we could ever dare to think or even to ask for. As we walk with Him and in Him, He provides for us and answers our prayers infinitely above and beyond our wildest dreams, hopes and desires (Ephesians 3:19b, Amplified Bible).

As we trust God with all of our heart, we start to see His victorious hand working in our life. Regardless of the outcome of any battle we go through, we know that Jesus already won the war and has given us eternity as our reward (1 John 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Ecclesiastes 3:11). With our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), we walk in victory through every physical, emotional, emotional and mental trial life brings our way.

Loss comes to us in many forms. We may lose a pet, a friend, a mate, a family member, a job, a home, a church family, a special material item that we love, etc. Grieving is healthy and a necessary part of loss in life. Our tears wash away our pain as we submit them to God’s care. He keeps every one of our tears in His bottle and He writes about them all in His journal (Psalm 56:8). He will also bring revenge on those who caused our tears (Romans 12:19; Isaiah 35:4).

God never fails to show us His unfailing love when we put our trust in Him. He directs us in the way we should go and He lifts up our soul from the pit of discouragement. He rescues us from our enemies as we hide our self in Him. He teaches us to do His will, because He is our God. His Spirit leads us through life on a level path, free of any mountains or valleys (Psalm 143:8-10).

Prayer:

Father God, You gave your Spirit to instruct the Israelites. You did not withhold Your manna from their mouths, and You gave them water for their thirst. (Nehemiah 9:20). You provide for me in the same ways. You refresh my soul and guide me along the right paths for Your name's sake (Psalm 23:3). Search me, Oh God, and see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in Your everlasting way (Psalm 139:24). Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are my God and my Savior. My hope is in You every moment of every day (Psalm 23:5). 

Thought for the Day:

Allow the Lord to show you His ways and to keep you on His path for your life.
- Psalm 25:4