VICIOUS FAITH

Posted on June 7, 2012 by stevemidkiff

VICIOUS FAITH 

I’ve sat in three courtrooms recently, with three different people. Individuals who I feel very close too.

The first courtroom the judge, was in my estimation, unreasonable and cantankerous.  

In the second courtroom the judge was reasonable and deferential. 

In the third courtroom I felt the judge was intervening in some aspects, but not fully as cooperative to my desires in the outcome.  The judge removed a specific warrant, that had been menacing and uneven, but he recused himself on a non-compliance issue.   The District Attorney, in that last court, was condescending, disdainful, contemptuous and an aggravating irritant.   

Ultimately God is the judge, according to Psa. 75:6-7, as He sets up one and puts down another.

God is concerned about our successes and failures. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree Luke. 1:52

But our outcome in these arraignments is not the real indication of success and failure.  There is a deeper drawing, which determines achieving above the circumstance of surface events.  

We would all like a high-powered advocate to argue our case and quash all opposition, by suppressing discriminating accusations.  But ultimately we are better in our weak helplessness, for this pushes us to cry to Jesus for our defense in each cause.

One of the vital strengths of any objection, or what seems to be a grave opposition to our expectation, is to take the obstruction, whatever it’s source and turn it into a virtue.  By virtue, I mean view the challenging obstacle as an asset and advantage.  We too easily lose objectivity and become subjective victims losing sight of God’s purpose. 

When we face resistance, we need to be resilient. The solution, is in the antagonism.  For in this rejecting disapproval, is the glory of God, squeezing us to explore our faith in Him.

Faith is no easy task. We need an aggressive, assertive, vicious faith that won’t take anything but God’s will and glory as the explanation to everything. We need a suspicious faith, which as C.H. Spurgeon states: When we sleep, thinks that we are resting on the battlefield; when we walk, suspects an ambush in every hedge. —  

A vicious faith says wait, we’re not done yet.  There’s more to this story, the narrative is not finished, the last page has not been written.  Faith says I’ll pray this through to the end; I won’t yield to this condescending, I won’t surrender to anyone but God.  I’ll fight the good fight, I’ll finish the course and I’ll keep the faith by persisting through in prayer.  I’ll determine to be heard by the highest court of all courts, God Himself who loves me and gives Himself for me.

God’s Spirit guides us to pray through the things that make us groan within.  These pressing weights that make us moan in pain are the groans within that cannot be uttered.  They are the feelings we refuse but we actually need them to develop our faith.  The birth pangs of increasing pressure are what give birth to a vicious trust in the glory of God in all things. Our laments are not our losses but the language of our power and praise, it’s our howling’s that lift us up to Jesus.        

THE POWER OF PERSISTENCE LUKE 18:1-8

THE PROPOSAL V.1                          (TASK)

      BE AWARE         And Jesus spoke a parable unto them to this end,

BE ATTENTIVE

         Dependability   that men ought

Determination  always

Devotion              to pray,

BE AWAKE            and not to faint;

THE PREDICAMENT V.2                   (TROUBLE)

Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared

                             not God, neither regarded man:

   THE PLEA V.3                                  (TERMS)

 And there was a widow in that city; and she came

                              unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

   THE PROBLEM V.4                           (TEST)

And he would not for a while: but afterward he said

                              within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man

   THE PROSPERITY V.5                       (TRIUMPH)

Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her,    

                           lest by her continual coming she weary me.

THE PRIVILEGE OF PREVAILING V.6-8

  OR THE IMPACT OF THE INCIDENT

   THE JUDGE WAS ANNOYED V.6     (TICKED)

                           And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.

       THE LORD IS ALERT V.7             (TOUCHED)

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day

                           and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

       THE LORD IS APPROPRIATE V.8  (TIMELY)

 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless  

                   when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

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6. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part5) Prayers Position Phil. 1:6

Posted on May 23, 2012 by stevemidkiff

6. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part5)

   Prayers Position Phil. 1:6

     Regarding Others

        Pray Confidently   Being confident of this very thing,

To be confident is to have strong conviction.  Confidence is the assurance of being totally convinced and thoroughly persuaded.  Confidence is what emboldens us to a position in our prayers. 

Being confident is the only position to be effective in anything we hope to see realized.  The opposite of confidence is feeling insecure, vulnerable and uncertain about everything. 

Being confident is embracing the prayer persuasion that specific things are going to be accomplished. 

Our confidence leans against the obvious ability of God.  We have to look away from self-confidence.  In the prison of pain we can’t break out based on our own clever abilities.  The power of Joy is in:

Worshipping God in the Spirit, and rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3:3

The various aspects of pain we find ourselves in can shatter our confidence in God.  We wonder if life will wilt away as we sink deeper in a prison of pain.  Paul found power to be lifted in His confidence in God’s hand working through each ache to lift Him in pray and joys source, Christ Jesus. 

David in the Psalms speaks of His confidence being bolstered in Psalms 65 as he mused on God’s work and ability in what appears a disaster.

OBVIOUS ABILITY OF GOD  PSALMS 65:5

HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CALAMITY

      AWE INSPIRING RESULTS V.5             By terrible things

If we’re facing what looks to be a disaster, God’s responses can be amazing and astonishing.  One example that’s shocking to imagine is the Israelites walking across a dried up passage through the Red Sea while a murderous army chasing the Israeli’s is killed as the walled up Sea explodes back on them.  Can we expect this jaw dropping awe?  My conclusion is God is the same, yesterday, today and forever and whatever pain is chasing us God is working a work for us in it.

      ACCURATELY INGENIOUS RESPONSES in righteousness will You answer us,

Everything God does is right.  He’s going to respond back in His resourceful creative way when we seek Him, it’s guaranteed. 

You answer us,

AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE RECOVERY

OUR DELIVERER                        O God of our salvation;  

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. Psalm 79:10

Helping us naturally flows from His nature, He’s the God of Salvation and the God of our salvation.  To deliver us in our need is what glorifies and exalts His name.  His actions intensify the value of His person, promote His reputation and exonerate all His purposes.  He meets us where we are in our weakness, depravity and wasted lives to work His amazing impressive recovery.   

OUR DEPENDENCE who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of

                                                   them that are afar off upon the sea:

Wherever we are, out in the middle of the ocean, or off in a remote area of our planet, we can depend on God to be there with us, and we can confide in Him.

 

PSALMS 20:7-9

APPOSING ALTERNATIVES V.7-8

HUMAN RESOURCES            Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:  

HEAVENLY RESOURCES    but we will remember the name of the LORD  

                                                           our God.

HARMFUL RESULTS           They are brought down and fallen:

HEALTH RESULTS              but we are risen, and stand upright.

APPROPRIATE AID V.9       Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call

PSALMS 65:6-

     HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CREATION V.6-7

         HE CONTROLS STABILITY IN THE PEAKS V.6

EVERY FOUNDATION IS SECURED BY HIM   Which by his strength sets  

                                                                          fast the mountains; being girded with power:

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth. By the end of the 2010 (climbing season) there were over 3,050 who attempted to climb to the summit.

There have been more than 219 deaths Because of the rugged conditions of Mount Everest and the horrendously difficult weather patterns.  After the death of those unfortunate climbers the corpses are left where they fell and many are visible as new climbers attempt the ascent from the climbing routes. 

A permit to climb Everest costs 25K to the local Nepal government.  Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal.  There’s no search and rescue team to reach out to your need. 

The grandeur of mountains reveals the majesty and permanence of God.  God created the mountains as unmovable and prominent by His strength.  The firmness of the mountains is that seen in that they depend on God in His immovability.  He girds them with power and He does the same for us.  The Lord is our stability.  David viewed the mountains as a stimuli of firm stability and confidence in an unmovable unwavering God.        

HE CONTROLS STORMS IN THE PUDDLE V.7

EVERY FLUCTUATION IS STABILIZED BY HIM     Which stills  

                                                            the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves,

The tallest wave ever recorded is a tsunami that was 1720 feet tall.  Dramatic wave heights are increasing in the Pacific to around 50 feet.  God alone can calm turbulence in unsettled seas. The noise of blustery confusion is only calmed by His voice.  The Lord is our stability and our support in shaky fluctuations and precarious nervous trembling.  The noise of the seas and the noise of their waves secure us in the confidence of putting our hand in the hand of the Man who calms the sea, Jesus our stability.     

HE CONTROLS SURGING IN THE PEOPLE

            EVERY FAMILY IS SATISFIED ONLY IN HIM and the tumult of the people

In our insecurity, uncertainty and confusion we can rest in God for peace and harmony. We are surrounded in a world of chaos and calamity but God is at work in every furor and turmoil.      

HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CIRCUMSTANCES V.8

        HIS PHENOMENA CAN BE PARALYZING V.8 They also that

                                 dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at Your tokens:

Spurgeon writes: tokens are terrible phenomena in nature, such as

Earthquakes, pestilence, tornado, or storm; and when these are seen, even the most ferocious people tremble before God.

The Increase In Earthquakes

DATES FROM & TO      PERIOD       NO. EARTHQUAKES (Mag. > 6.99)

1863 to 1900                  38 yrs                   12

1901 to 1938                  38 yrs                   53

1939 to 1976                  38 yrs                   71

1977 to 2014                  38 yrs                 164 (to Mar. 2011) predict >190

The Increase In Pestilence

Aids

1990 6 million    

2010 33 million 

The Increase In Storms

2010 600 twisters in the USA

2011 1300 twisters in the USA

2012 80 tornadoes in the month of March

The increase in earthquakes, pestilence and storms should makes us to rest in confidence on our God who has predicted their increase and assured us that these are the signals of His footsteps on the move to call us to His side.

HIS POSITIONS FROM POST TO POST

ARE PLEASURABLE

FROM EAST (SUNRISE) You make the outgoings of the morning

FROM WEST (SUNSET)  and evening to rejoice.

   HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CLIMATE V.9-13

        HIS VISITS BRING BLESSING You visit the earth,

 REFRESHMENT   and water it:

RESOURCES          You greatly enrich it with the river of  

                                                God, which is full of water:

REQUIREMENTS You prepare our corn, when You have

                                                 so provided for it.

RENEWAL V.10   You water the ridges abundantly:

REPAIR                  You settle the furrows thereof: You make it

                                               soft with showers: You bless the springing

REAPING V.11      You crown the year with Your goodness;  

REMEDIES            and Your paths drop fatness.

REVIVAL V.12      They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness:

REJOICING           and the little hills rejoice on every side.

 RESPONSE V.13  The pastures are clothed with flocks;

                                              the valleys also are covered over with

                                              corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. 

     Console Us In Prayers Promise

Pray Competently that he which hath begun a good work in you

Pray Completely will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Prayers Pressure v.7

Pray Concerned               Even as it is right for me to

                                                       think this of you all, Because

Pray Compassionately I have you in my heart

Pray Committed             inasmuch as both in my bonds

Prayer Participation

Pray Convincingly

Endorse                    and in the defense

Encourage              and confirmation of the gospel,

Embrace                  ye all are partakers of my grace.

Prayers Passion v.8

A Stable Fact                   For God is my record,

A Sincere Fixation        how greatly I long after you all

A Sensitive Feeling       in the bowels of Jesus Christ

Prayers Petitions v.9-11

Increased Love v.9       and this I pray, that your Love

                                                   may abound yet more and more

 Improved Learning

Comprehension           in knowledge

Capacity                          and in all judgment; 

Insightful Living v.10

Approval                        That ye may approve  

Advisability                 things that are excellent;

Indisputable Legitimacy

Sincere               that ye may be sincere

Sensitive            and without offence till the day of Christ

Imbued Light v.11

Controlled              Being filled with the fruits of righteousness

Christ like              which are by Jesus Christ,

Commendable     unto the glory and praise of God.

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5. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part4) Prayers Purpose Philippians 1:5

Posted on May 20, 2012 by stevemidkiff

5. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part4)

   Prayers Purpose      Philippians 1:5

     Relating to Others

        Association        For your fellowship in the gospel

                                        from the first day until now;

Fellowship is close association involving mutual interests.  Fellowship is sharing, communion, and entering an intimate relationship.  This connection is a partnership and participation in a common purpose with Jesus. 

The Gospel means good news.  This is not just any good news but news that is an announcement of perfect joy through a declaration of victory in Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection.

Luke 2:10 the angel said…I bring you good news of great joy

We promote this partnership and participation in this declaration of joy and victory by an insistent determination in prayer.  We fight a battle with a cadre of lies backed up by organized platoons of demonic powers.  The way for truth to conquer the deceptions of pain and sorrow is by persistently overcoming prayer.    

The purpose of prayer is communication with the Lord.  Through this connection and rapport, communication achieves a relationship with Jesus Christ that grows. 

Relationship is authenticated by communication.  The genuineness of our connection is validated by having the ears of our heart listening to the Spirit’s voice in God’s Word and through this listening, the Spirit’s voice links up in dependent prayer back to our Father God.

Our hearts are tuned to various sounds that give us fun, happiness and relaxation.  These sounds may come in the form of music, movies, sporting events or maybe we’ve developed a relationship with a person who we just enjoy being with, talking to and hearing their voice. 

Jeremiah writes that he found his joy in God’s voice, listening to Him, digesting His individual words and writing them down.  He asserted:

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I did eat them; and Your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

This is more then the motivating opportunity of just meditating on God’s Word as a discipline, but it’s hearing God’s voice in every Word as our total Joy and then fellowshipping back in praying adoration.        

Verbal interaction is the only way we can get to know someone.  We can easily forget God is a person, a tender person with feelings.  His desire is to relate to us. He’s invested an extreme sacrifice to get us to trust in Him.  The Lord has never demanded our worship; He’s not insisted on our praise or required our gratitude.  He’s earned our respect and deserves it.  He merits our adoration by creating us in His design and then after we irrationally rejected and damaged His design purpose, He has restored us by paying an infinite eternal price. 

The purpose of prayer is change.  The change is not so we can achieve our will but its reception of God’s kingdom and His will that we solicit and implore to be accomplished.  We’re not talking God into something He doesn’t want to do.  We’re petitioning for His will not our will to be done.    

The purpose of prayer is confidence, certainty and conviction.  I dislike admitting it but my lack of prayer is a lack of confidence in God.  It’s insecurity, indecision and vacillating hesitancy in my heart that breeds lonely despair. 

But in prayer fellowship in the gospel of joy the prison of pain in the lies of lonely despair is replaced. We can find God’s design in His control of each detail in life.

I was crushed… so much so that I despaired even of life, but that was to make me rely not on myself, but on the God who raises the dead…He on whom we have set our hope, He will deliver us 2 Cor. 1:8-10     

The stress of pain builds a value for the joy of real life. Every moment is a new beginning in God. Our pressure gives us a feel for the heartaches in others, to understand and lift them up.

Death works in us, but life in you 2 Cor. 4:10

Resistance is what presses us to the source of our strength.  It’s in the struggle of opposition that we are pushed to joy in the communion with the Lord of all.    

 Prayers Position v.6

   Pray Confidently            Being confident of this very thing,

   Pray Competently          that he which hath begun a good work in you

   Pray Completely             will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Prayers Pressure v.7

   Pray Concerned               Even as it is right for me to

                                                        think this of you all, Because

   Pray Compassionately I have you in my heart

   Pray Committed             inasmuch as both in my bonds

Prayer Participation

   Pray Convincingly

    Endorse                            and in the defense

    Encourage                       and confirmation of the gospel,

    Embrace                           ye all are partakers of my grace.

Prayers Passion v.8

    A Stable Fact                   For God is my record,

    A Sincere Fixation        how greatly I long after you all

    A Sensitive Feeling       in the bowels of Jesus Christ

Prayers Petitions v.9-11

      Increased Love v.9         and this I pray, that your Love

                                                     may abound yet more and more

      Improved Learning

         Comprehension            in knowledge

         Capacity                          and in all judgment;

      Insightful Living v.10

        Approval                            

        Advisability                     things that are excellent;

      Indisputable Legitimacy

        Sincere                             that ye may be sincere

        Sensitive                          and without offence till the day of Christ

      Imbued Light v.11

       Controlled                       Being filled with the fruits of righteousness

       Christ like                        which are by Jesus Christ,

       Commendable               unto the glory and praise of God.

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4. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part3)

Posted on May 14, 2012 by stevemidkiff

4. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part3)

         Cultivate In Us Prayers Pleasure v.4

            Requesting for Others

Affirming    Always in every prayer of mine

for you all making request with joy

Affirmation is the supporting encouragement that we are connecting with a solution.  We need to daily look face to face into the powerful reality that God responds to every prayer.  We have perfect access into the most meaningful relationship of all relationships. 

Our God is infinitely concerned, individually compassionate, and He is our immensely considerate Lord and Savior.  Jesus is intricately connected with everything that takes place in each minute detail, and every moment-to-moment aspect of our personal history.  He is all encompassing, right down to the microscopic hairs of our head.    

When things turn upside down in our lives and the lives of those around us, it’s not a strange mistake.  Our God is not passive and inactive, it’s not as if He just merely use a bad situation for good.

Nothing is arbitrary or random.  He’s not stunned or alarmed with each turn of events.  Our condition, position and setting in life are not a surprise, nor is it, some kind of shocking bombshell to God.  We waste a lot of energy wandering through life acting insecure, fearful and stressed out.    

God is Sovereign, Jesus is Lord and the Spirit is active and dynamically vigorous in every setting and detail doing the good pleasure of His will. 

Phil. 2:13 for it is God that works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. 

Eph.1:5 God has predestinated us according to the good pleasure of His will . 

He’s not just allowing what occurs, but ordaining everything for His glory.  Nothing is allowed to happen, it is deliberate, designed, premeditated and planned.  

In the parable of Matt. 20:15, which is about work and wages being doled out and the amount of time being invested with our duties and talents, The Master poignantly asks the question:

“Is your eye evil (or are you coping an attitude of resentment) because I am Good?”  The issue is, does God do everything right?

God’s good pleasure is what makes Him pleased, it’s what gratifies Him and gives Him joy.  Many things that come our way bring us sorrow and pain.  But if the Joy of the Lord is our strength, then what gives God joy should be what gives us joy and transforms our pain to the power of joy.   

PERSISTENCE   Always

PARAMETER     in every prayer

PERSONALITY  of mine

PEOPLE                for you all

PLEA                      making request

PLEASURE          with joy

The first followers of Jesus were persistent and determined in four activities centering their joy.

The Acts 2:42 and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

As has been said:

THEY HAD TENACITY  they continued steadfastly

THEY HAD TRUTH        in the apostles’ doctrine

THEY HAD TIES              and fellowship

THEY HAD A TABLE     and in breaking of bread

THEY HAD A THRONE and in prayers

Peter quotes David in his message to the people in Jerusalem. 

In Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You make me full of joy with Your countenance.

FACTS        You have made known to me

FAITH        the ways of life

FEELING  You make me full of joy

FACE           with Your countenance

When we find ourselves in the prison of pain the power of joy is found in adjusting our perspectives with the facts.  Since we lack wisdom and are saturated with our own stymied brain paths that thwart us with predictable patters in pain we need to see things from God’s perspective.  He’s the only one who can make known to us the reasons for each frustration.  Our ways are not His ways so we need His constant enhancement into the ways of life.  When the Lord gives us the facts and stimulates our faith our feeling will change from pain to pleasure as He makes us full of joy with His face. 

We have to continue steadfastly, be persistent daily, continue in His Word and His truth will set us free. 

The followers of Jesus were insistent and unrelenting in staying close to Christ.

Acts 6:4 we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 

When someone was trapped in the prison of pain they prayed without ceasing.

Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

INCESSANTLY     give our selves continually to prayer

INQUISITIVELY  and to the ministry of the word.

INTENSITY            but prayer was made without ceasing

 

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3 The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part2)

Posted on May 11, 2012 by stevemidkiff

3 The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part2)

Joy Comes Through Our Confidence In Christ Phil. 1:1-11

     Christ’s Prerequisite Of Prayer v.3-11

Captivate Us in Prayers Privilege v.3

            Recognizing Others

               Appreciation               I thank my God

Clarify To Us Prayers Picture

            Remembering Others

               Acceptation                  upon every remembrance of you, 

There is a series of what seem contradictory phrases in 2 Cor. 6 but they really are actually not as clashing as they may seem.  Most of us idealize life.   We try to stuff our days with false fillers to evade these seeming polar opposite feelings and experiences.  The various contrasts and tugs of life are really where the balance lies.  A feeling that pulls us two different directions is disruptive to the our sense of equilibrium.  A major part of our reactions of pain and disgust come from what we view as the negative side of the pull in our being, the pain, yucky people or dysfunctional aspects of our personal environment.  Reality is this should be the things that are a trampoline to jump for joy.

The paradox of pain and joy seems as distant as the North and South Pole.  Paul states it this way:

“As sorrowful but always rejoicing.”

The Greek term for sorrowful is pain.  Paul is expressing, in the prison of pain I have the power of joy.

I Have Appreciation: I thank my God

I Have Acceptance:    upon every remembrance of you

Paul is stating: I appreciate what God is doing in you’re lives. I acknowledge what He has done. I look forward to what He is going to do.

Having gratitude for those God has brought into our life, placed in our hearts and burdened us about is both a pain and a joy.

The joy is realizing our part in others lives through prayer as we recognize that God is perfecting His life in others and ourselves through our prayer relationship with Jesus.  This gives that inner peace of Spirit lead love, joy and peace.

The pain is that our efforts can be misinterpreted.  Paul was slandered for His efforts and treated like a phony apostle.  The heartache of baseless accusation digs deep into our soul. The joy of finding our assurance of acceptance in God’s truth and our place of closeness in Christ by His Spirit replaces the feeling of insult with joy.

The pain of watching those we deeply want to see succeed and prosper, but who often do one foolish things after another, is heart rending.  But the hope of carrying each item of concern to the Lord in prayer engenders optimistic anticipation and a joyful eagerness for new possibilities with each day.

There is the pain of vicariously feeling the disappointment of those we love.  We grieve for those we long after.  We pray and we try to empathize in their distresses and dissatisfactions.  Again, in this pain, we have the joy of rolling it on to the Lord in grateful praise, asking for His touch of healing and renewing.

Paul felt the pain of His nation who had preferred blindness, favored being deceived and having a hard heart to being soft to Jesus.

He Had Pain Rom. 9:2 I have a great heaviness and continual  

                                               sorrow in my heart for my nation. 

He Had Joy Rom. 9:27 but a remnant will be saved 

It is difficult to comprehend the free choices of our self and others, and the freedom to make bad decisions.  This can be a source of imprisoning pain.  Our liberty and joy is in the Lord of All, our sovereign all powerful God.  He does everything perfect and patiently restores the years that the locust have devoured.  God gives beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for sorrow and grief, as we turn it all over to His creative power.

 

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The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part 1)

Posted on May 10, 2012 by stevemidkiff

The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part 1)

Joy Comes Through Our Confidence In Christ Phil. 1:1-11

Our Possibilities Through Christ Phil. 1

  Confidence the Stability for Joy   Philippians 1:1-11

Confidence gives us the certainty of conviction.  This is our stability of strength and the steadiness of our potential through Christ’s life in us.  Nehemiah 8:10 describe it this way:

“The Joy of the Lord is our strength”

     Christ’s Provision Of Partnership v. 1-2

       Recognizing God Our Source Of Joy

Provision Comes Through Preference v.1 Paul and Timothy,

Our Recognition as Servants                       the servants of Jesus Christ,

         Provision comes through Participation

           Our Recognition as Separated                    to all the saints in Christ

                                                                                            Jesus, which are at Philippi,

Our Recognition of Skills           with the bishops and deacons:

It is an advantage and freedom to serve Jesus by venting praise to Him.  We develop our joy by departing from irrational feelings of complaining and replacing each unreasonable feeling with loyalty to Christ, accepting Him as Lord of everything that comes our way.  The Spirit will enable us in skillfulness in the Lord.  We grudgingly become venter’s who spout negative feelings and even hostile emotions.  We need a reversal in perspective from sour acridity over what jabs us in pain too the healing tonic of seeing the Lord’s comforting touch in our pain.     

The Psalmist states in Psalm 119:162

I rejoice at Your Word, as one that finds great riches. 

As God opens our eyes in His Word we embrace treasures of truth and gemstones of grace.  We at times have to choose between the wealth of the world and the wealth of the Word, the fading joy of this life or the real joy of Christ’s life. 

The phrase is one who finds great riches or as the KJV renders it “spoil”.   Spoil was the plunder found after a battle where you could rake in pillage from the defeated enemies.  Rejoicing in the bootee of the Word is greater bounty.  

         Provision Comes Through Privilege v.2

           Our Recognition of Strength        Grace be unto you,

Our Recognition of Serenity         and peace

Our Recognition of Sovereignty  from God our Father, and

                                                                             from the Lord Jesus Christ

In the Greek language, the words for grace (charis) the word gratitude (eucharistia) and the word for joy (chara) is tightly woven together.  They all have the same root, (char). 

Here’s how it works: grace, arouses and induces gratitude, and as we express gratitude in growing thankfulness joy within explodes. 

What is joy? It is the personal experience of gratitude being expressed as individual grace is experienced! All three are linked.  

When the Spirit leads us to pray for grace and we grow in the realization of the abundance of the grace we have we express gratitude.  When we thank the Lord in gratitude for His lavish grace we are filled in joy. 

We may not feel the Spirit is leading but He is always speaking as Proverbs states:  

Wisdom cries without, she utters her voice in the streets

There are many phrases in the Word that are is the Spirits voice.      

“In everything give thanks”  “rejoice evermore”

“Consider it all joy”  “glory in trouble”

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The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (Intro)

Posted on May 10, 2012 by stevemidkiff

The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians

Pain is a worldwide, non-optional experience that everyone has the misadventure of enduring. Pain is a compelling signal that echoes through life from conception to cessation.

The bars of pain’s prison are invisible to others, but prominent and conspicuous to us as individuals in the personally designed cells of our self-absorbed aches and agonies.

Pain is awkward to communicate, yet connects us with others.

Emily Dickinson wrote:

Pain has an element of blank; it cannot recollect

When it began, or if there were a day when it was not.

It has no future but itself, its infinite realms contain

Its past, enlightened to perceive new periods of pain.

Pain comes in a variety of faces, shapes, and sizes.  It may be mental, emotional or physical pain.  What is agony to one person may be irrelevant to another person.

To say pain is all in our mind is not to far from reality.  That is not to minimize the torment and heartbreak but the central processing unit of our brain is what signals the explosions of pains distress.  If we could just reroute the mind pathways or reroute with a new perspective on each miserable throb and aching pulsation.

Is pain impossible to correspond?  Ridiculousness may be our feeling as we seek a tangible explanation of our pain.

We’re asked to mark its measure on a scale of one to ten, but that is impossible, unreasonable and arbitrary. What is one person’s “one” may be another person’s “ten.”

There is no way to imagine pain in that way; as if we are framing a window for others to look through, into our feelings.  But we can express and must, even though the precision staggers real appearance.

Pain is really not the ultimate enemy.  We try, in periods of our lives, to relieve pain by various prescription opiates, physical manipulations, structural reconfigurations and mental reevaluations.

No attempts ever fully alleviate our pain.  The prescribers are “the practicers of medicine”.  Attempts will not remove, but skew our brain chemistry to reinterpret the pain signals.  The pain is still there but the slant and spin of our thoughts are distorted.

The problem is, not only are our pain values adjusted but our pleasure center becomes cannibalized away also.  The ultimate enemy is the pilfering of our joy.

In the Bible, the letter to the Philippians unfolds the power of joy in the prison of pain.

Philippians Explains How We Experience Joy

Joy Comes Through Our Confidence In Christ Phil. 1:1-11

Joy Comes Though Crushed In Circumstances Phil. 1: 12-30

Joy Comes Through Connecting In Christ’s Character Phil. 2

Joy Comes Through Craving Christ’s Captivating Charm Phil. 3

Joy Comes Through Casting All Concerns In

The Calming Care Of Christ Phil. 4   

Joy Comes Through Our Confidence In Christ Phil. 1:1-11

Our Possibilities Through Christ Phil. 1

  Confidence the Stability for Joy   Philippians 1:1-11

     Christ’s Provision Of Partnership v. 1-2

       Recognizing God Our Source Of Joy

 Provision Comes Through Preference v.1 Paul and Timothy,

Our Recognition as Servants the servants of Jesus Christ,

         Provision comes through Participation

           Our Recognition as Separated to all the saints in Christ

                                                                   Jesus, which are at Philippi, 

Our Recognition of Skills with the bishops and deacons:

Provision Comes Through Privilege v.2

Our Recognition of Strength         Grace be unto you,

Our Recognition of Serenity         and peace

Our Recognition of Sovereignty  from God our Father, and

                                                                            from the Lord Jesus Christ

       Christ’s Prerequisite Of Prayer v.3-11

Captivate Us in Prayers Privilege v.3

            Recognizing Others

               Appreciation                    I thank my God

Clarify To Us Prayers Picture

            Remembering Others

               Acceptation                  upon every remembrance of you,

Cultivate In Us Prayers Pleasure v.4

            Requesting for Others

Affirming                  Always in every prayer of mine

                                                    for you all making request with joy       

Capture Us With Prayers Purpose v.5

            Relating to Others

Association        For your fellowship in the gospel from  

                                            the first day until now;

Confide To Us Prayers Position v.6

               Regarding Others

Pray Confidently Being confident of this very thing,

 Console Us In Prayers Promise

Pray Competently that he which hath begun a good  

                                                     work in you 

 Pray Completely    will perform it until the

                                                    day of Jesus Christ:

Concentrate In Us Prayers Pressure v.7

Pray Concerned    Even as it is meet for me to

                                                  think this of you all, Because

Pray Compassionately I have you in my heart

Pray Committed          inasmuch as both in my bonds

Confirm To Us Prayer Participation

            Pray Convincingly

Endorse                   and in the defense

Encourage              and confirmation of the gospel,

Embrace                  ye all are partakers of my grace.

Conform Us With Prayers Passion v.8

A Stable Fact               For God is my record,

A Sincere Fixation     how greatly I long after you all

A Sensitive Feeling    in the bowels of Jesus Christ

Concern Us With Prayers Petitions v.9-11

 Increased Love v.9     and this I pray, that your Love

                                                        may abound yet more and more

Improved Learning

Comprehension         in knowledge

 Capacity                        and in all judgment;

Insightful Living v.10

Approval           That ye may approve  

Advisability      things that are excellent;

Indisputable Legitimacy

Sincere                           that ye may be sincere

Sensitive and without offence till the day of Christ;

Imbued Light v.11

Controlled Being filled with the fruits of righteousness

Christlike    which are by Jesus Christ,

Commendable  unto the glory and praise of God.

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9. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom or how wise hearted are we?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by stevemidkiff

9. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom or how wise hearted are we? 

The Aim v.2-4

 To Acknowledge v.2        To know wisdom and instruction;

To Apply                               to perceive the words of understanding 

To Accept v.3                      To receive the instruction of wisdom

The word to receive means to take, grasp and accept.  This acceptance is to lay hold of and seize from another by embracing what is being given to us.  When Noah was in the Ark he reached out and “took hold of” the dove, to bring it back into the ark Gen. 8:9.

The ESV renders this phrase:

To receive instruction in wise dealing,

The NIV

For receiving instruction in prudent behavior,

The term wisdom in Proverbs 1:3 is a different Hebrew word from the word wisdom in Proverbs 1:2.

The suggestion in defining wisdom in vs.3 is the overtone of “to bereave,” or “to miscarry.”  This term bears the idea of learning through the disappointing experiences of others, or absorbing heart lessons from our own mishaps and misfortunes.

Wisdom in vs. 2 is the biblical science of comprehending God’s design, by applying non-negotiable scriptural principles to determine the best decision, the appropriate methods, and the ultimate solution.

God’s wisdom, which is the wisdom from above is all contained in His Word.  God isn’t silent or shy in explanation.  In fact He’s been publishing and disseminating His Word into more media opportunities in the present then in the entire history of time.

God is speaking loud and clear with precise, vociferous volume.

Are we accommodating, adapting, cooperating and receiving His wisdom?  That’s where this second shade of meaning comes to us from verse 3.  To accept the specific tones of wisdom and be receptive.

To be receptive advances the flavor of being amenable, accessible and approachable. When Jesus told the parable of the four soils He was uncovering the fact that not all who hear about Christ receive Him.

The parable statistics are only 25% of those who hear a presentation of who Jesus is, what He has achieved, and the relationship He offers to us; only 1 out of 4, actually open their heart up to Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Jesus says the heart is like dirt, in which the seed of the wisdom of truth is attempting to penetrate and take root in. Matt. 13:1-9

Our heart has an attitude, a tendency, which we could call a propensity, a leaning, or our prevailing predisposition and inclination.

This heart of ours is covered in a surface texture of one of four dirt qualities.  We have one of four hearts.  Our heart material is either a stepped on, a stony, a squeezed or a sincere heart.

The Stepped on Soil (heart) 

This is ground that is pathway soil that has been trampled on and packed down.  Many feet, or many years of rejecting truth makes for a hard path.  Stuff doesn’t grow in a road that is well traveled by paraphernalia.  Romans 1, describes this as natural bent toward suppressing the truth.  The seed of the truth of Jesus just bounces off as real wisdom is quashed and refused by rejection.  Opposition determines this brand of heart.

When the heart is worn from the trampling of the popular schemes and predetermined arguments of doubt, prejudice toward God, bias toward those who have faith in Jesus and prejudged bigotry to God’s Word; the seed sits on the surface of the heart and gets snatched by birds.

The stepped on heart says no to Jesus but the next three hearts say yes to Jesus, but only one is a real heart yes.

The Stony Soil (heart)

This is ground that is a thin layer over rocks.  This is a shallow heart.  It’s creepy that the stony soil acts like it is receiving Jesus.  But this heart is superficial, no deep root into the heart.  The heart postures, pretends and positions as if they are Christ’s follower, but there is no root and no fruit.  No real proof of change, no evidence really of Jesus.  Just all words and Pollyanna pretension, and then the scorching tests of the sun and the seed with all the external tentacles wilt to nothing.

The Squeezed Soil (heart)

This is ground that is choked with weeds.  This is another phony sham reception, but the noxious weeds clog and block reality. The thorns of worry, the clogging uneasiness about money, and the possession of things smother out the artificial profession.  There is a claim of being an accepter of Jesus, but deception squeezes the heart with surface interests, and external duality, and a divisive dichotomy stifles the realty of any real relationship with Jesus.

The Sincere Soil (heart)

This is ground that is receptive and lets the truth take deep root.  The indication that there is a real relationship with Jesus is there is the fruit of Christ in the life.

This sincere soil is a procuring, prepared, perceptive and productive heart.

A Procuring Heart     He that received seed

A Prepared Heart       into the good ground

A Perceptive Heart    is he that hears the word & understands it

A Productive Heart   which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an

                                           hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty 

The evidence that we have been with Jesus is seed takes root and flourishes in fruit.  There is connection to the vine and the vinedresser prunes and purifies to bring prosperity.

Receiving Jesus is the beginning of wisdom.  Receiving His voice, through a growing relationship in His Word is our walk in the wealth of all that wisdom has to offer.  Receiving the solutions of God through all the dark moments of life’s multicolored curricula is the softening of a sincere heart of accepting the instruction of wisdom.

Only God through this mysterious overtone of wisdom that is “to bereave,” or “to miscarry.”  Only the Lord can turn our sickness, pain, poverty, unemployment, failed relationships, shame, guilt and heartache into wisdom.  Only Jesus can bring blessing and power out of the sour betrayals of our yesterdays.

It’s by receiving the instruction of wisdom that we allow Jesus to be our Lord.  When we submit to Jesus as our Lord, we are saying every sovereign action He has injured our life through in the past, present and future is for our good and His glory.  This is the wisdom of all things working together for good.

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8. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom or getting kicked around

Posted on March 5, 2012 by stevemidkiff

8. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom or getting kicked around

The Aim v.2-4

To Acknowledge v.2 To know wisdom and instruction;

To Apply to perceive the words of understanding

We covered Wisdom’s Describer Proverbs1:1

Now we’ll continue exploring Wisdom’s Definition Proverbs 1:2-7

To perceive means to distinguish, identify and sense. It’s an expression of penetration and discernment. This penetration is piercing and getting below the surface and separating to the words of understanding. The words of understanding are true genuine insight.

Our prayer should be:

Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding (true genuine insight) and I will keep Your Word; Yes, I will observe it with my whole heart.

Psalm 119:73 Your hands have made us and fashioned us: Give us understanding (true genuine insight) that we may learn You Words.

Strong’s Hebrew dictionary calls understanding the ability to skillfully respond to life’s situations by penetrating the deeper meaning of God’s Word.

The Theological Workbook of the Old Testament writes:

While understanding is a gift of God, it does not come automatically. The possession of it requires a persistent diligence. It is more than IQ; it connotes character. One is at fault if he doesn’t have it and in fact, not to pursue understanding will incur God’s discipline.

Proverbs 2:1–2 explains how we adjust and synchronize with life’s circumstance by understanding in God’s Word and Ways.

My son, if you will receive my words, and hide my commandments with you; So that thou incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;

Regulate Us With The Right Response To Opportunities Prov. 2:1-4

Impress Us With Inner Discipline v.1

A Receptive Attitude My son; if you will receive my words,

A Recording Mind and hide my insights with you

Inspire Us With Inner Desire v.2

A Attentive Ear so that you incline your ear to wisdom,

A Obedient Heart and apply your heart to understanding

Induce Us With Inner Devotion v.3

A Personal Cry Yes, if you cry after knowledge,

and lift up your voice for understanding

Impel Us With An Inner Drive v.4

A Persistent Seeking If you seek her as silver,

A Patient Search and search for her as for hid treasure

Naomi fought with perceiving the words of understanding after her grief. She couldn’t see the insight of God because of what she had lost. She had a difficult time receiving God’s way in her life. Ruth her daughter in law explain Naomi this way.

Ruth 1:21–22

The Security I went out full,

The Situation and the Lord brought me home again empty

Blaming the Lord for our losses is an inadequate assessment

The Suffering

The Pleasant One why do call you call me Naomi

The Persecuted One seeing the Lord has testified against me,

and the Almighty has afflicted me?

Naomi was badgered with she lost her security

Naomi was broken by her situation.

Naomi was resentful and deeply bitter by her suffering as she asked to be called Mara.

Naomi had lost hope. Emily Dickinson stated: “hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”

At times we can’t fathom what God is doing but discerning and discriminating to the Lord’s insights is where we perceive understanding.

The account of Ruth shows Naomi perceiving the words of understanding in the end of the account of Ruth after their return from Moab.

In our prayers we need to perceive the words of understanding as we ask in dependence. We see this in the poem of the unknown confederate soldier in his civil war creed of the disabled.

I asked God for strength that I might achieve

I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey

I asked for health that I might do greater things

I was given infirmity that I might do better things


I asked for riches that I might be happy


I was given poverty that I might be wise


I asked for power that I might have the praise of men

I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God


I asked for all things that I might enjoy life


I was given life that I might enjoy all things


I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for 


Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered 


I am, among all men, most richly blesse

In Annie Johnson Flint’s poem, the answered prayer, she expresses a similar thought on perceiving the words of understanding

I prayed for strength, and then I lost awhile


All sense of nearness, human and divine

The love I leant on failed and pierced my heart

The hands I clung to loosed themselves from mine

But while I swayed, weak, trembling, and alone

The everlasting arms upheld my own.

I prayed for light; the sun went down in clouds

The moon was darkened by a misty doubt

The stars of heaven were dimmed by earthly fears

And all my little candle flames burned out

But while I sat in shadow, wrapped in night

The face of Christ made all the darkness bright.

I prayed for peace, and dreamed of restful ease

A slumber free from pain, a hushed repose

Above my head the skies were black with storm

And fiercer grew the onslaught of my foes

But while the battle raged, and wild winds blew

I heard His voice, and perfect peace I knew.

I thank You, Lord; You were too wise to heed 


My feeble prayers, and answer as I sought

Since these rich gifts Your bounty has bestowed


Have brought me more than I had asked or thought

Giver of good, so answer each request


With Your own giving, better than my best.

Things are hard to understand but Proverbs was written so we could perceive the words of understanding.

Gary Richmond tells about the birth of a giraffe:

The first things to emerge are the baby giraffe’s front hooves and head. A few minutes later the plucky newborn calf is hurled forth, falls ten feet, and lands on its back. Within seconds, he rolls to an upright position with his legs tucked under his body. From this position he considers the world for the first time.

The mother giraffe lowers her head long enough to take a look. Then she positions herself directly over the calf. She waits for about a minute, and then she does the most unreasonable thing. She swings her long, pendulous leg outward and kicks her baby, so that it is sent sprawling head over heals. When it doesn’t get up, the violent process is repeated over and over again. The struggle to rise is momentous. As the baby calf grows tired, the mother kicks it again to stimulate its efforts…

Finally, the calf stands for the first time on its wobbly legs. Then the mother giraffe does the most remarkable thing. She kicks it off its feet again. Why? She wants it to remember how it got up. In the wild, baby giraffes must be able to get up as quickly as possible in order to stay with the herd, where there is safety. Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs all enjoy young giraffes, and they’d get it too, if the mother didn’t teach her calf to get up quickly and get with it.

Life may not have started out quite that hard for us, but some days we feel as though it’s gotten hard. The kicks come.

There are financial burdens, marital and family disappointments, frustrations at work, conflict with friends (often unresolvable conflicts), frustrations spiritually (unresolved conflicts in our spiritual lives), mistrust, cancer and car accidents, and death (and all death is way too sudden and early!).

Things happen to us that we are powerless to change, but we have to deal every day with the consequences.

We may feel inside, doesn’t God care? Or even worse, we quit caring about God. Some might say, talking about Jesus is nice, but I just don’t know how to process what’s happening in my life.

Why? We’re being kicked to remember how to get up. In the wild, we need to be able to get up as quickly as possible in order to stay with the flock, where there is safety.

Lions, hyenas, leopards, and wild hunting dogs are looking to scarf us up, and they’ll do it, if we don’t learn from our Shepherd to get up quickly and get with it.

The first thing when we get down is we cut away from the protection of the local church and it’s certain we will be bitten by the predators that stalk us.

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7. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom

Posted on February 25, 2012 by stevemidkiff

7. Proverbs 1:1-6 The Personality Of Wisdom

The Aim v.2-4

To Acknowledge v.2 To know wisdom and instruction;

Wisdom is acquired by knowing instruction. Instruction is the Hebrew word “musar” and occurs twenty-six times in Proverbs, it’s rendered not just instruction but also “chasten,” and once “chastening.” It means child training and discipline. All learning that results in a skill comes through the effort of discipline.

So to genuinely know wisdom, which is the real goal of learning, we have to be disciplined. Wisdom is skill in a specific area.

Christopher Parkening is celebrated as one of the world’s preeminent virtuosos of the classical guitar. For more than a quarter century, his concerts and recordings have received the high worldwide acclaim. Andrés Segovia proclaimed him one of the most brilliant guitarists in the world.

In his biography, “Grace Like a River” he tells of his father waking him at 5am every morning to practice the guitar at a very early age. He learned wisdom in classical guitar by persevering in this daily discipline to master his craft.

I’m not a wise or skilled carpenter, or a mechanic. I don’t have skill as a pilot and I lack the wisdom of being a Doctor or Lawyer. To be able to build a house or overhaul a car I would need to discipline myself in how to read instructions, then follow those disciplined plans, and employ the correct tools and materials to achieve the end result that would appear as a wisely constructed structure.

In the various varieties of wise skills we learn by the study of books, passing tests and practicing on the area of wisdom we want to be capable in. All this takes discipline.

Reaching a wise goal takes disciplined effort, correction of error; in an environment that has exacting expectations.

If its wisdom in a skilled occupation, wisdom in a hobby, wisdom in an athletic ability, or wisdom in using a musical instrument it all takes discipline to achieve some ability and excellence. The higher the degree of discipline the deeper the prosperity in the skill of interest.

In the area of God’s wisdom and growing in spiritual things, there needs to be moral wisdom, character development, diligence in learning God’s principles, purposes and designs.

Then, there has to be a vision of the value of what we desire wisdom in, and that vision will create a passion and motivation to learn.

We are not born wise, but we all begin as infants, completely needy and dependent. Child training begins immediately, and hopefully tenderly, to develop an element of wisdom to function and survive.

We all have a natural desires and a tendency to react as babies, and gradual instruction brings us along to maturity. The more we respond in positive change to training, and see the importance of restraining natural desires that are lazy, harmful and risky, to greater we succeed, and the wiser we become.

We each have talents, gifts and potentials, but we will fall short of our capabilities, and shrink our capacities, if we don’t know the value of instruction, discipline, and the importance of chastening and correction from God.

The Lord’s training is not philosophical; it’s not just academic, nor is it merely the accumulation of theoretical facts and information. God trains us as a father in practical, real world, applicable sensibility.

Jesus in Revelation 3:19 said those who I love I discipline.

God warned David after Bathsheba had David’s child that the child would die. This was instruction, imposed discipline.

2 Sam. 12:13-14 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also has put away your sin; you won’t die.

David was forgiven and God didn’t remove his life. But the Lord taught him to know wisdom by discipline.

But, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto you will surely die. (the baby lived for 7 days)

Does our life or our actions make those who are against God blaspheme Him. To blaspheme means to say God is worthless. When others look at our life and our claims about Jesus, does our behavior make faith in Jesus look meaningless, insignificant and pointless?

David begged the Lord not to take the baby.

David said, 2 Sam. 12:22-23 while the child is alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

David knew he would see the baby in heaven and he accepted and surrendered to the Lord’s discipline.

Proverbs is God’s practical wisdom. This is as a workshop on life, almost like a life lab.

All of God’s Word comes directly from His heart and is breathed through those He chose to write and compose His Word into various sections. He elected writers who he trained in His wisdom through imposed discipline that each writer translated this instruction into self-discipline.

The Word is profitable to teach us the truth. The Word reproves and convicts us of lies, deception and error. The Word corrects us redirecting us to stand straight and live right. The Word instructs us, training through discipline in right character.

As Phillips writes: discipline commands us, convicts, corrects, and counsels us. It curbs us, commends us, and comforts us.

Heb. 4:12 state the Word of God is a discerner of our thoughts. God’s Word is a critic of the feelings, beliefs and the intents of our heart. As we read the Word of God, it probes into the inner recesses of our beings and explores all our motives. It divides between what’s spiritual discipline and what’s carnal laziness, what’s selfish and what’s of God for His honor and love.

Jesus in John 2:25 says: He knows what is in a man’s heart. The impact of Jesus comment is that our natural inclination is opposed to God and His wisdom.

The unwise don’t want to be disturbed or agitated in any way.

Luke 4:34 is the heart echo:

Let us alone; what have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Are You come to destroy us? We know You, who You are; the Holy One of God.

The unwise tend to resist and reject spiritual things

Some look at the Word of God and think it’s weird to understand and doesn’t jive with the world’s wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2:14 the natural man doesn’t receive the things of the Spirit of God: they are foolishness to him: he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The unwise feel Spirit stuff is unacceptable. God may train instructing by circumstances. But if we are unwise it just doesn’t make sense to us, so we avoid God’s perspective.

Receiving and accepting Jesus Christ by living for Him is different then just agreeing with some historical and intellectual facts about Christ.

To really believe in Jesus means we walk with Him and listen to Him and want to grow in Christ through His Word. This means we hunger to be wise. But if it is inconvenient to our real feelings maybe we only want Jesus if He’s convenient.

Unfortunately Jesus is not convenient for the schemes of the limits of earth’s viewpoint and His wisdom is opposite to conventional secular wisdom.

In Jeremiah’s time Israel was in captivity under the Lord’s hand of discipline for their idolatry of putting other things as a priority over love for God. But the Lord still had loving thoughts to them and spoke through Jeremiah to them.

Jer. 29:11-12 God wanted them to have what is best. Jeremiah said, the Lord isn’t against you in this discipline, He’s your friend and He’s uplifting for you.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Then will you call upon me, and you will go and pray to me, and I will hearken unto you. And you will seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, says the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, says the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

God’s wants us to respond even though we get all down wondering how we should live.

Ezk. 33:10 If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?

God says we need to know his discipline and instruction. They complained about God’s dealings with them, but God says to turn to Him and have life.

Ezk. 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?

 

 

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