Psalm 37:3-4 (NIV), “3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
When we dwell with the Lord we find true safety. Abiding in Him is a covering for our lives. He will care for us and provide what we need to have an enjoyable life. The word pasture comes from the Latin word “pastus”, which means to feed or nourish. God assures us that he will “feed” us all we need to live successful and meaningful lives. His love will keep us well nourished spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. He promises to grant us our hearts desires when we delight ourselves in Him. Delighting in the Lord means to find great pleasure in Him and to enjoy being with Him. When we delight in the Lord, we will find ourselves having a hunger for the things of the Lord. Getting to know the Lord and loving who He is will lead us to want to live in obedience to Him.
I think it pays to ask ourselves often, “Am I delighting myself in the Lord?” It’s easy to lose focus due to the fact there are so many distractions in daily life. I thought about Luke chapter 15, where Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep. He said that if there are one hundred sheep and one is lost, the shepherd should leave the ninety-nine and go after the one to find it. That is how He feels about us when we are not abiding safely in the pasture He has prepared for us. He longs for us to return to Him. He is our loving Shepherd who takes great delight in watching over us.
Revelation 1:8(NLT),”I am the Alpha and the Omega–the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come–the Almighty One.”
Sometimes we just have to stop and remind ourselves that God is still God no matter what. When things are going smoothly He’s God. When things seem out of our control, He’s still God. That’s the beauty of serving our Risen Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing we do, nothing we encounter, nothing going on in the local news or in world around us can stop Him from being who He is. Jesus said to be of good cheer for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). He’s not limited in any way by anyone or anything.
Face each day with joy. Face each day with expectancy. Face each day with supreme confidence because God is still God. He will not fail you because He cannot fail. Failure is not in His nature.
Matthew 6:26-27 (NLT), “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”
He’s still God, no matter what. We must make a decision to plant that truth within our hearts everyday. Relax and enjoy the reality not only of Who He is, but of Who He is to you. He desires to be intimately involved with you, with every detail of your life. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking God’s blessings are for everyone but you. I know because I’ve had that happen to me many times. But no! He has a good plan for your life the same way He does for the people across the street. He adores you the same way He adores the person in the break room at work who seems to have it all. Some people have more than others in terms of material possessions, but it’s not having more things or more money that will sustain us. It’s having the love of Jesus in our lives and living according to His Word that keeps us strong and steady. The provision He gives to us extends far beyond material wealth.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV), “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
I see people around me everyday who obviously have more than me in terms of material wealth. There are times I do wish I had more so I can accomplish more, however I’m learning to be content in whatever state I am in. Part of trusting God is believing that He always knows what’s best for us, even when life gets hard. It’s in the hard times that we are tempted to doubt His sovereignty over our lives. I know that God knows what I am ready for and what I am not ready for. Even though waiting is not always easy, I love the fact that He is interested in making sure that I have the character I need to sustain me as He blesses me with the desires of my heart. There are things God wants to do in your life. He knows what you are and are not ready to handle. He is steadily working in your life to prepare you for what’s ahead. The present state you are in now is part of your preparation for the future. Even where you are now, if you are doing your best to follow Jesus, then you can be sure that you are making a difference because He is making a difference in you. Ultimately, God is preparing us for the life we will have with Him in eternity. Our eternal life with Him will far outweigh anything we could begin to imagine here on Earth!
There is only One who is perfect in all His ways. Only One. He is, and was, and is still to come.
Whatever it is friends and family (rather family through biological blood, through the blood of Christ or through both) that may have you troubled today, please know this…He’s Still God.
The greatest example we have of trusting God to do what’s best for us is this…
Luke 22:42 (NIV), “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
We see love, humility, strength and resolve in King Jesus as He trusted the Father, even as He was facing death. He requested that God remove the “cup” He had to bear, if it was His will to do so, but above all else He wanted to do the will of God. Doing God’s will meant suffering and dying for us. He rose again and now intercedes for us continuously before the Father.
Hebrews 7:25 (NIV),”Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”
“Not my will Lord, but Your will be done.” I pray that will be the cry of our hearts everyday. Jesus carried the shame and guilt of our sins, and paid the ultimate price as He endured the agony of the cross for us.
Jesus said yes to participating in God’s redemption plan for you, me and all of mankind. He said yes to God. He gave His life. Have you accepted His free gift of salvation? Have you said yes to the divine purpose God has for you, to help Him bring love, hope, and meaning to the world?
Father,
Help us to say yes to You everyday. Jesus set the greatest example of saying yes and trusting You that we will ever see. You want to do great things in us and through us, but we must first say yes to You. We give ourselves to You, to include our hopes, desires, strengths, weaknesses, hurts, pains, joys, successes and failures. Not our will Lord, but Your will be done. Come into our hearts and make us new. Teach us by Your Holy Spirit to live for You.
Galatians 6:9(NIV), “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Not growing weary in doing good will cause us to reap a harvest of blessings in our lives. In reality, every action we take, will reap some type of harvest, even the wrong ones. As Galatians 6:7 says, “You reap what you sow.” We must pray and ask God to tear down any walls we are holding up, so that we can clearly see His perspective as we are making daily choices. Not just when we have a big decision to make, but also in the little things we do. Little things that seem insignificant can mean a lot, and can alter our outcome.
Consistently doing what is right is not easy for any of us, but that is one of the ways God builds our character. It can be especially difficult to choose right when our emotions are steering us in the wrong direction. Although having emotions is a good thing, emotions just like everything else in our lives, must be governed by the truth of God’s Word. His Word is the standard by which we as Christians are called to live. We will of course at times fall short, but the more we learn to choose right over choosing wrong, or choose right over doing what’s easy, the better off we will be.
It’s always beneficial to surround ourselves with like minded people who can encourage us in our walk with God. However there will still undoubtedly be times we will have to stand alone in doing what is right. Just know that God is always near, and He promises to reward your diligence, so don’t grow weary. There is a harvest of blessings ahead for you. Even now as you may feel the pressures of choosing to do what is right, God will bless you with strength. He will also give you that contentment that comes from knowing, you have chosen to do His will above all else.
Matthew 5:10 (NLT),”God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”
Psalm 34:17(NIV), “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”
Has anyone besides me ever asked themselves this question, “Is God Listening?” I know I’ve asked myself this question more times than I can even remember throughout my relationship with Jesus. Usually for me, as a Christian, one of the most helpful ways to remind myself that God is listening, is to reminisce about His past faithfulness to me and my family. Psalm 77:12(NIV) says, “I will consider all your works, and meditate on all your mighty deeds”. When I meditate on His deeds, it’s evidence of His love and His presence in my life. Looking back on what God has done, gives me confidence in Him now in the present, and helps me to put my hope in Him for my future.
But still, how do I know He is listening? How do we know He is listening, at that very moment when we cry out for help?
I have come to know that God is listening because…
He gives me peace as I talk to Him (Philippians 4:7). He carries my burdens and gives me rest (Matthew 11:28). He gives me strength when I feel weak (2 Corinthians 12:9). He reminds me of His words in scripture or He will speak to my heart about what He wants me to do in my situation (Hebrews 4:12). Usually when He speaks, His words will resonate with me.
When I cry out to God, I simply do it by faith. Then I wait in expectation for what He will do for me (Psalm 5:3).
Psalm 34:17 says that He hears us and will deliver us. Our struggle comes when we have to wait to be delivered, because sometimes God comes quickly, but other times we must wait. The good news is that if we must wait, He is still with us everyday giving us exactly what we need. I can remember going through a season of difficulties on a particular job, and God spoke to me and told me that as long as I was there, He would take care of me, and He absolutely did! Even though God spoke those words to me years ago, I have found them to be a comfort on every job I have had since then.
When we must wait for His deliverance, He will always hold us up with His strength if we trust Him to. He will always fight on our behalf. He will make a way, but the when’s and the how’s we have to leave in His hands.
Is God really listening? Yes, He is listening to you, He is listening to me. He cares deeply about our needs. When doubt tries to steal our peace, let’s remind ourselves of Psalm 34:17. Our Heavenly Father not only listens, but He answers, and His answers are always right.
Thank you for allowing us to see this day. We pray that You will show us how to trust You, even when we do not understand what is going on. Learning to trust You is not always easy, but it is something that develops as our relationship with You grows. As we trust You, we know that You promised to give us peace of mind and direct our paths. Help us not to be afraid to trust You, because You also promised us that You will never fail us.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Success isn’t just reaching the final goal, but it’s also the steps you take toward that goal that count. Every bit of progress you make, regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem at the time, is an important part of the process. There is no one way of doing things, and there is no one mold that every individual has to fit into. What may work for some, may not work for others. When you understand that you are unique and have a unique purpose, you can focus on what is best for you without comparing yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is one of the fastest ways to lose focus and get off track. Society has not been shy about giving us its viewpoint on what success is, and it definitely has not been shy about making sure that viewpoint reaches the eyes and ears of every single human soul that is willing to watch and listen.
I have heard many successful entrepreneurs say that we should never be afraid to question what it is that is being suggested to us, because we actually do have a choice in the matter. We can choose what we will do with our lives. We do have the right to question the things we are told to do and a right to “break from the norm” and choose an alternate route. True success is just simply doing what God, not society, has called you to do. Psalm 37:23-24 (NIV) says, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” When we delight ourselves in the Lord, He promised to make our steps firm. That is a promise that society can never make to us.
As I continued to think about success, Joshua came to my mind. In the book of Joshua, chapter one, we read about Moses dying and Joshua then being installed as the leader. Joshua’s task was to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River and into the land the Lord promised to give them. The Lord gave Joshua some very important instructions about being successful in his new leadership role.
He told him to…
Be Strong and Courageous
Obey the Word of God
Meditate on the Word of God Day and Night
Do Not Be Discouraged
Remember God is With You Wherever You Go
God told Joshua that if he does these things he would be prosperous and successful. Based on the instructions God gave Joshua, we can reach the conclusion that fear, disobedience to God, a lack of spending time in the Word of God and discouragement are all pitfalls that can keep us from being successful and taking hold of the blessings that God wants to give us. There are times in life that we may even question the things God is asking us to do because of doubt and fear, but God is always patient with us as we get to know Him better and learn to be obedient to Him. I’m learning more and more each day that the wisdom of God can handle our questions and that the love of God can surpass our doubts and fears.
By the way, Joshua and the Israelites did successfully cross the Jordan River. When they crossed, they set up twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. They put the stones in place so that when future generations of children question what the stones mean, they could share with them the story of how God allowed them to cross the river on dry ground, just as He had done for Moses when He split the Red Sea. The stones would also serve as a reminder to all the nations of the Earth, that the Lord’s hand is powerful (Joshua 4:21-24).
Don’t be afraid to question the ideas of success that are being presented to you by society, after all it’s your life and you only get one chance to live it. Like Joshua, allow God’s power to work in you and through you so that you too will leave evidence of His power to future generations.
Father,
As we aim for success help us to discern right from wrong and produce fruit that will make a difference, not only now in the present, but also in the future. May the works we do leave evidence of Your love and Your power for generations to come.
Drawing Closer to Christ 