How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?
Notice the multiplication here. Logical math would tell you that if one takes on one thousand, then two takes on two thousand. But in this versd two takes on ten thousand. This is why we need prayer backup. This is why we need to be part of a body of believers. This is why we need to form friendships with Godly people who will pray with us and fight with us.
A man was talking to a great musician saying, "I wish I could play like you!"
"No you don't," he replied.
Somewhat shocked by this, the man said, "I do! I really wish I could play like you do."
The musician said again, "You do not, sir. To play as well as me you need to practice for five hours everyday for over a decade."
Often I wish, I was this holy, this pure, this good and I knew God this well. Then, I need to put in the effort and seek God everyday. There is no point wishing. There is point working.
There is a married couple. The husband absolutely adores his wife. He does everything within his power to make her comfortable and happy. He consistently tires himself for her benefit. The wife, however, does not reciprocate this. She does nothing for him and rarely thanks him because she takes everything for granted. Yet, in spite of this, the husband continues to try and please her; he works hard in the hope that she may glance a smile at him. Onlookers wonder how long he will keep it up, but he has already married her for more than fifty years.
You might say that is a very hypothetical story, but actually, it's true. The husband is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ; the wife is his church. Jesus has continually loved us. He has saved us and died for us. He provides for us, makes promises to us, protects us, helps us and much more besides. He has faithfully done this for years. His church, however, for the most part does her own thing, forgets to thank Him, takes all her benefits for granted and rarely spends time with Him.
Now suppose the wife begins to smile at her husband and greets him and begins to do little somethings for him. Would not his heart be filled with joy? Do you not suppose he would rejoice and would hardly sleep for happiness?
Church, you are the bride. Seek to fill your husband with joy. You can look at the Bible as a boring list of rules and regulations if you want. But why not look at it as a book containing hints as to what your husband likes and would be overjoyed to see in His beloved bride. As His wife, surely you should desire to make His heart glad, and will long to read His Word to find "little somethings" you can do for Him.
I remember my dad going through the entire house and burning or throwing out any thing that was not pleasing to God. He burnt up books, ripped up DVDs, threw out tapes and such like. That is called sincerity. No one can pick and choose what you decide to dump of your own things. That is between you and God. Some may go as far as David Brainerd, others maybe not so. But the point is to gather up all of your possessions and go through them on your knees before God. One who does that is truly sincere about serving His God. One who does that makes God his God.
I have a strong desire. I long to see it fulfilled in myself and in every Christian I meet. I long for a sincere heart that would give up everything and every ambition for Him. A heart that would gladly lose everything just to have fellowship with Him. A heart that is constantly praying earnestly to the Father. A heart that devotes its self to God. I know I fail many times a day, and I mean that, but at least (and I do not intent to esteem myself better than any other person by saying this) I do have a heart that longs to be totally, sincerely true and pure. I want to see that heart in every person. I do see in many a heart that is wishy washy. A body that goes to church on a Sunday but does not change. As for me, I yearn to be a living and growing Christian. I yearn to hate darkness and love light. I don't want to be a lazy, unhealthy, uncaring Christian. I want to be like Jesus.
If you were to look at the former posts, you will get the idea I am trying to draw the reader back to the amazing love of Jesus as he took my place on that cross. I just want to say it again. He died for me, of all people, me. I wish I could express myself properly. But I am glad I can't, because if I were able to fully comprehend and describe His love than it would not be infinite.
Jesus loves me. Jesus loves you. He did it all. Repeat! Emphasis! Stand up on your chair if you have to just to emphasize this incredible wow!
So how can I put this into words? I rubbed out a couple of lines there because they were not good enough. God calls me His son!!! Me?!! A wretched sinner like me?!!. I was dipping a tyre in work today when it just hit me again, I just looked up at the light and was like, "wow!" Me, of all people. Most guys out there are more worthy of this than me, but God calls me His son. What can I say. Maybe just, "whooooooop!" Some things can just not be explained. But wow!
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. Isaiah 33:22
When I read this I thought, "Is He?" Here I see words stating He is my Judge, Lawgiver and King. Can I say that? Does He have rule over my life? When He gives the laws do I obey them? Do I let God judge my life and decide what I should do? Does He have the final word.
I should let God have the final word. I should just give myself totally to Him.
I have been in this place many times recently and how much more I realize I don't realize what He has done for me. What a God!
Once Again - Matt Redman (with lyrics): http://youtu.be/ebFji3n0cCA
What do I mean when I call myself a Christian? Well, I like to think of it this way. A European is somebody from Europe, an Asian is a person from Asia, an African is someone of the African race and a Christian is somebody of the race of Christ. God says we can become the sons of God if we receive Him and believe on Him. (John 1:12)
Now, you can often tell where a person is from when you see them (colour of skin, type of hair, shape of the face and facial parts and by their accent), so if I am a Christian I should look like Christ. Now, this will not be a change physically. When a became a Christian I didn't develop a Christian nose. No, these Christlike features are internal, but, they should shine through me so that others should notice and say, "Look at him, there is something different about him. He must have God living inside of Him." That is how I want to be. Nothing less of that, I hope, should ever satisfy me.
But how does this happen? Well, because it is internal and deals with my character, no amount of make-up or surgery will do this. This requires the Holy Spirit and me to work together to shape my character to that of Jesus Christ. It takes the Holy Spirit to do the shaping and me to do the yielding. God will not force me; I have to be willing. I have to be receptive to the movement of His hands over my lump of clay. I also need to seek out His Word and see what is says about being holy and how I should live as His son. Now, I could post up all the Bible verses there are about that here. But, that would require me typing out the whole Bible. So, I may go to my room, pick up that Bible and read it thoroughly and see for myself how to radiate His life and light. And I urge you too, reader, to do the same.
Be a Christian!
