Things Above Thought
TAT #45
Everything?
Because of the trial that Satan brought upon Job, Job lost his children, his money, his friends, and his status but he did not lose his wife, (Job 1:13–37:24). But many of Job’s day to day workers did lose everything, they lost their lives.
Am I willing to live righteously and lose everything or just lose what Job lost?
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #44
Prepared
Hostility toward God’s chosen is growing worldwide.
Are you prepared for an obedient life to the LORD in light of this?
Really?
How have you prepared for it?
Let’s go through a short check list:
1. Strong, intimate and consistent relationships with members of God’s spiritual family?
2. Consistent Bible study?
3. Consistent prayer throughout the day?
4. Recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart and working on your character?
5. A desire for God to use you to glorify Him with your coworkers and worldly friends who are now becoming contentious and hostile toward God’s chosen?
6. A growing desire to throw off religious beliefs which are created and promoted by human institutions and return to a simple life of obedience base on accurate biblical knowledge?
7. Feelings of inadequacy and a longing to be with Him in your eternal home?
I’m so convicted by my lack of preparation I think I’ll stop writing now and go study.
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #43
Understanding God’s Plan
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:6–8)
If you think you’ re only one, unimportant, person and that what you do makes little impact, then you have a problem. You have a problem of a lack of understanding. When you think you are small and unimportant you do not understand all the facts. When you understand God’s designed witness to the angels you realize you are important:
Through God’s spiritual family the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 3:10 NET, clarification added)
They are watching our daily lives to understand God’s wisdom and by this we glorify God!
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #42
Timing
“Tell no man”
I loved the April 7th reading of Oswald Chambers. How many times have you heard a preacher, teacher, or lecturer tell us don’t tell anyone about something? None! Yet in Mark 9:9 Christ Himself is telling these two men not to tell what they had seen – UNTIL – He was risen.
The proper truth shared at the proper time is always important.
Let our timing be perfect. Study and be prepared to do so.
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #41
Focus
Doing the Lord’s will is not always enjoyable. I know that sounds like heresy to some Christians but look at Job, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Paul, and of course our Lord Jesus Christ, they all had lives of great suffering but they endured. Why were they able to do so? I also know I am called to suffer (Heb.12:2; Col. 1:24–28; 2 Timothy 2:3).
James tells me that suffering can make me perfect and complete (James 1:2–4). But why is it important for me to be complete and perfect? Hebrews 11 and 2 Tim. 2:12 answers that question – to prepare me for a particular spot in God’s eternal kingdom. I know my salvation was achieved by Christ and is secure but there is more possible, (1 Corinthians 3:14–15; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 22:5).
The strange thing about my suffering is that when I focus on the joys, comforts, and present rewards on this earth I become less comfortable and less intimate with my Lord Jesus. Present earthly joys, comforts, and rewards blind me from the joys of my present sufferings. But when I focus on the future eternal joys and intimacy with Christ then my present sufferings seem to disappear.
It is my eternal focus that strengthens my present endurance in all my sufferings and turns those sufferings into joy (Heb. 12:2). Look at the focus of each of the following verses.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.
(Heb11:1 NET Bible)
For if only in this life – I – have hope in Christ, – I – should be pitied more than anyone – else.
(1 Cor. 15:19 NET Bible, personalization added)
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:16)
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2)
Things Above Thought
TAT #40
Failure & Living
None of us live a consistent righteous life as Job did.
Some claim to be so sinful that they never see hope.
Some just keep on enjoying their sin!
Others keep waiting for the Lord to magically transform them into a perfect person.
Many join a comfortable religious group and settle into comfortable ruts.
A few try to recognize, acknowledge, and accept their sin, then repent from it and start again.
“Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.” (Pro 24:16 NET)
Let us not be discouraged by our earthly sin; let’s get up again and stand firm in our faith.
And let us be those who encourage and help others to – look up, “get up” and stand.
“I would rather fail trying to live for my Lord than to live as a failure.” (Anonymous)
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #37
Improvement or Perfect?
Paul lived under a dictator who demanded that the citizens revere him as a god and killed all who disesteemed him. To improve on that problem Paul wrote volumes on government improvement? No he wrote:
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, (Titus 3:1)
Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (Romans 13:1)
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. (1 Peter 2:13–14)
Paul suffered much for his faith—many imprisonments, close to death several times, 195 lashes, beaten with rods three times (number of lashes unknown), stoned, three times, shipwrecked and drifted for 24 hours, in frequent danger from and in the environment, in the cities, also from robbers, from his own countrymen (Jews), from Gentiles, and from false brethren. He labored through hardship, many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst (often without any food), and without proper clothing to protect him from the elements. Apart from all that, there was the daily pressure of concern for God’s spiritual family (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). To improve on that problem Paul wrote volumes on the “getting even” aspect of faith? No he wrote:
malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
(Titus 3:2)
It seems to me that Paul had a “hidden” agenda:
“for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11–13 emphasis added)
Paul’s “hidden” agenda was equipping us so that we could work in the service of building up (perfecting) other saints, helping each other mature to the fullness of Christ.
So how’s all our “building” coming along today? Are we working for human improvement or godly perfection?
Things Above Thoughts
TAT #35
Foolish or Faithful
The Colossian believers are identified as “saints and faithful” (Colossians 1:2). “Saint” is a believer’s heavenly and eternal status. “Faithful”refers to one’s earthly walk with the Lord. The Galatians are identified as “deserters” and “foolish” (1:6; 3:1). Both appear to be God’s children!
What kind of child are you, a foolish deserters or a faithful?
Things Above Thought
TAT #34
Don’t Be Satisfied
Are you satisfied with your biblical knowledge? Are you satisfied with the frequency with which you learn biblical knowledge? Are you satisfied with your biblical study habits? Are you satisfied with your ability to help others understand the Bible? Are you satisfied that the biblical knowledge you have is accurate? Don’t be satisfied with biblical knowledge!
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects,
(Col. 1:9– 10)
Things Above Thought
TAT #33
Victory
Christ was victorious over all of Satan’s attempts to rule Christ’s life.
Are you being victorious over Satan’s attempts to rule your life?