“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” —ROMANS 7:6

A young woman falls in love with a wonderful man. He is the most perfect man. He cannot be faulted for anything and people respect him. The couple gets married. His name is Mr. Law, Mr. Mosaic Law. She loves him dearly and feels secure in his disciplined life. 

When they come back from their honeymoon and he goes to work, the first day he says, “While I’m away, I want you to behave exactly as I behave. I am giving you a list of things I want you to do. When I get home, I am going to make sure you have done everything on this list.” When he comes home, he does not ask her how she is, nor does he give her a kiss. He says, “Bring me the list. Let me see how you’ve done.” Looking at the tasks he has given her, he says, “This one looks okay, but most of them have not been done very well. Tomorrow I am going to give you the exact same list and you’d better do them well, because I’m going to check it when I get home.” 

This goes on for months where he does not show his wife any love, but only makes demands. She becomes exhausted, develops a huge inferiority complex, and is plagued with guilt and failure. Then one day, Mr. Law dies. She is polite about it, and mourns properly. But what a relief! 

Later, she meets another man, and he is just as perfect as Mr. Law. They fall in love and get married. His name is Mr. Life, Mr. Resurrection Life. He also makes demands and his standards are the same as Mr. Law’s, but he says, “I want you to know you cannot do this alone. We can do this together because I am able to infuse inner strength into you.” Sometimes she fails, but he does not condemn her. He says, “There is no condemnation in this marriage. In everything, I am here to help you.” She is relieved and Mr. and Mrs. Resurrection Life live happily ever after. 

This portrays what Paul is teaching when he says, “We have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” Is the law sin? Certainly not. Is Mr. Law a bad man? No, he is a good man. The law, although it reveals the character of God, is totally insufficient for our needs. All the demands of the law, which expose our sin and failures, were crucified with Christ, and the goal of Mr. Life is to restore the character of God, which Mr. Law reveals.

Dear God, thank You for sending your Son who exemplifies your character, and is always patient and loving with me. 

Do I tend to depend on Mr. Law or Mr. Resurrection Life?

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” —MATTHEW 10:16

When sheep and wolves meet it is normally the sheep that are vulnerable. In our discipleship for Christ, we are the sheep, but who are the wolves? Before sending His disciples out, Jesus identifies three packs of wolves, which are still with us today.

There is the religious pack of wolves. Jesus said, “Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues” (Matthew 10:17). Of all people who should know better, it is those meeting in the synagogues with open Scriptures who become the first source of opposition. Today, the work of God has to grow against opposition from organized religion at large, but also from within its own ranks. There are those who are blinded by prejudice, and lack sensitivity to God in understanding and recognizing His work.

Secondly, there is the government pack of wolves. “On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles” (Matthew 10:18). James was the first disciple to die at the hands of government leaders. By the year 64 A.D., Christians had been singled out as the enemy of the Roman Empire, and were ruthlessly persecuted. In many parts of the world, Christians are still being persecuted because of legislative laws, but it is interesting that historically the church has generally grown best when persecuted. This is not to encourage persecution, but to be realistic in seeing that when the church is not under pressure, it is in danger of being superficial.

Thirdly, there is the family pack of wolves. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child…” (Matthew 10:21). This is probably the most distressing of all opposition where members of our own families will alienate and disown us because of our faith. Subsequent history has proved the truth of these warnings, and shown the cost of true discipleship. There is no promise of an easy road. Paul tells Timothy, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Jesus tells us, “Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” Snakes do not go looking for trouble, but if they perceive it, they will respond, which is why Jesus said, “Be on your guard against men.” When trouble comes, we are to be “as innocent as doves”. The innocence and clean living of the Christian will mean that when people start throwing mud, it is given little reason to stick! The reality of what we are will carry more influence than the cleverness of anything we might say, because it is Christ Himself who will be revealed through us.

Dear Lord Jesus, grant me your strength and courage to be a bold and faithful disciple for You. 

How would I respond to persecution in my witness for Christ?

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” —ISAIAH 6:1

There are times in the lives of many Christians when they allow something or someone to create a barrier between themselves and God. This may have been what happened to Isaiah in the beginning of his ministry. The reference to the year King Uzziah died is not merely dating the event, but more likely the event of his death became the means that brought Isaiah into this extraordinary encounter with God. 

King Uzziah’s life was both exciting and tragic. At 16 years old, he became king and reigned in Jerusalem 52 years. God gave him victory not only in warfare, but in building up the land of Judah. His fame spread and he became a hero to the people and a role model for the youth of Judah. Then something went wrong. We are told, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense” (2 Chronicles 26:16). This was something only a priest was allowed to do, but thinking the rules did not apply to him, Uzziah ignored the priests’ warnings. The Lord struck him with leprosy and he lived the remainder of his days in isolation.

There are two possible explanations why Isaiah did not have this remarkable vision of God until after King Uzziah died. Perhaps he was unaware Uzziah’s leprosy was a judgment from God. He had grown up under his reign and his own dealings with God may have become second-hand through Uzziah whom he had looked up to as a great spiritual leader. The other explanation may have been that Isaiah did know Uzziah’s leprosy was God’s judgment, and his own confidence was shaken. When Uzziah died, Isaiah then saw the Lord where He has always been – seated on the throne. This is a fresh vision for him as in his mind it was Uzziah on the throne. 

Seated on a throne is being seated in a position of authority and power. High and exalted is a position of supremacy and sovereignty. This presents a problem for many people in that they feel inadequate or even intimidated to deal directly with God. They think it much safer to latch onto the coattails of someone they greatly admire in ministry or to a close friend or family member who has a much stronger faith. What they fail to realize is that God’s position of authority, power, supremacy and sovereignty is to their benefit. We all stand on equal ground, and if we really mean business with God, there is no substitute for dealing with Him directly.

Dear Lord, in my spiritual growth, help me to keep my focus on You, and not on what I admire in the faith of others. 

Do I tend to look to someone else rather than to God? 

“Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” —1 SAMUEL 15:23

Saul was the first king of Israel. He had been called by God, anointed by God and empowered by God. He was also a man of vision, but visions from God only come to fruition when acted upon in obedience. Because of disobedience, God withdrew His anointing and Saul’s life came to a sad and tragic end. 

Saul had everything going for him, but his failure in office was a direct result of his failure in his relationship with God. 1 Samuel 16:14 tells us, “Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.” That raises a red flag for many of us as once we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we cannot lose Him, but this event takes place prior to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon people for a specific task and was then withdrawn because the task was completed, or in Saul’s case, because of disobedience to the will of God. 

In the era after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit does not withdraw. We can never lose the presence of the Holy Spirit, but we can quench, grieve and limit His work in our lives. When it comes to service, we are to operate in His fullness, but we can lose that fullness. In the case of Saul, God withdrawing His Spirit left a void which an evil spirit filled. The result was psychological disintegration in which he suffered delusions of being persecuted, severe depression, homicidal tendencies, and later even played with the occult. When we see the spiritual decline in a man like Saul, we have to realize we too are vulnerable. 

Despite being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, if we are disobedient and harden our hearts towards God, we will not be left spiritually and emotionally unscathed. There will be consequences. If the Holy Spirit is quenched or grieved and ceases to operate as He wants to, we will not function in a vacuum. Something else will always move in and lure us away from God. In our day, Saul would have been diagnosed with a psychological breakdown. We should, however, not assume that all emotional and mental breakdowns have a spiritual cause as there are hereditary, medical, circumstantial and environmental causes, but also the possibility of demonic attack, which without God we will be unequipped and unprepared for.

When we withdraw from God, He withdraws, and we lose the safest, most secure anchor for our souls. We are all capable of spiritual disintegration, but also of healthy spiritual growth. Which direction we take will depend on our response to the grace, goodness and will of God in our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father, keep a tight reign on me. Be my strength and bring me increasingly closer to You. Thank You, God.

How would I prevent spiritual decline in my life? 

“In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.” —1 SAMUEL 3:1

Since Israel’s conquest of Canaan, God had raised up judges to govern the nation. During this period, the people grew tired of appointed judges, and wanted a monarchy like other nations. Samuel was God’s prophet at the time and this displeased him, but he brought the people’s grievances before God. “It’s not you they have rejected,” God said. “They have rejected me as their King” (1 Samuel 8:7).

This national rebellion had its roots in a spiritual declension. The first book of Samuel opens when the spiritual life was centered in Shiloh, a small town about thirty miles north of Jerusalem. The priesthood was led by a man called Eli, along with his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who are described in Scripture as wicked men, having no regard for the Lord. They exploited their position as priests for self gain, and Eli, old and weak, failed to restrain them. What happened to the priesthood in Shiloh?

No one sets out to be a spiritual phony. No one comes to Christ wanting godliness without power, yet many Christians again and again degenerate into that condition. Their lives are reduced to an outward form, and any sense of spiritual reality is lost. They know little of what it means to walk with God, to hear His voice, to depend on His indwelling Spirit, and consequently, have no expectancy of His working in their lives. They may know spiritual language but nothing of spiritual life and this is the state of the priesthood in Israel. They performed their duties religiously, but it had become a cold, barren routine in which the ritual replaced the reality. 

When ritual replaces reality, one of two things happens; either the ritual becomes desecrated or we deify the ritual and make it the all important thing, leaving God out. The value of any ritual is not found in the ritual itself, but in what it points and speaks to. Baptism, communion, prayer, Bible study all point to Christ, but apart from intimate communion with Him merely become outward form. 

God is committed to only one agenda and it is His own. To the extent we deviate from it is the extent to which we are on our own, and this was the diagnosis in Israel. Psalm 78:60 says of God, “He abandoned the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent he had set up among humans.” But to the extent we have a genuine desire to accomplish God’s purpose is the extent to which we come to experience His presence and power in our lives.

Dear Lord, I pray for a work of your Holy Spirit that fills me completely and keeps me in intimate union with You. Thank You, Lord.

Does it feel like I am simply going through the motions or am I enjoying a genuine relationship with Christ?

“For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” —ROMANS 7:22-23

The Christian life is not so much about God changing us as replacing us. It is what Hudson Taylor, a great pioneer missionary of the 19th century, said: “The secret of a changed life is in discovering it’s an exchanged life.” I give my life away to Christ in all its weakness and poverty, and He gives His life away to me in all its richness and power. 

Paul talked about this when he said, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (Romans 7:18-21). Paul is saying there is an ongoing battle taking place in his heart and this is a battle we all face. 

We know what is good and right, yet we keep giving in to sin. As Paul says, there is a law of sin living in us. To illustrate, if we throw a pen in the air, it is going to fall, not because of the push we gave it, but there is a physical law of the earth called ‘gravity’ that says, “what goes up must come down”. We cannot change that law anymore than we can change the law of sin within us. But there is another law, says Paul. In verse 24, he writes, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” He then answers, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” And this is the law of the Spirit of Christ who gives life and sets us free from the law of sin and death.

The problem for many of us is that we are trying to battle the power of the law of sin in our hearts under our own steam. We take responsibility for it, pleased with any progress we make in becoming more Christ-like, but again and again, become frustrated and disheartened when we give in to our sinful natures. We can no more step out of the law of sin than we can step out of the law of gravity. That is not what an exchanged life is about. It is allowing Jesus to be Jesus in our lives, and whatever progress we make is the life of Christ revealed in us.

Dear Lord, I ask for a deeper work of your Spirit, so that your life may be increasingly reflected in me. Thank You.

Am I battling with sin in my own strength?

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” —MATTHEW 28:19-20

In the above command, which Jesus gives to every Christian, the primary verb is “make” – we are to make disciples. The subsidiary verbs are ‘go’, ‘baptizing’ and ‘teaching’, but we can “go” and accomplish nothing. Baptizing is a necessary expression of our response to the Lord Jesus, but it is not to go and accumulate as many baptisms as we can. Neither is it teaching them to obey. These are supportive actions that make the main objective possible which is to “make disciples”. 

The first step in making disciples is in recognizing we are under the Lordship and authority of Jesus Christ. We can be Christians and do our own thing, but we will not be fruitful in making disciples. That is the corporate agenda of the church of Jesus Christ, and is one to which all our personal agendas must be a contributing factor.

There are many good and valid projects taking place in the church of Jesus Christ: missions abroad and domestically, education, literature distribution, media ministry, addressing justice issues and fund raising for needy causes. These things, however, are all temporal. The danger is that sometimes they become substitutes, overriding and eclipsing the eternal dimension, which is to make disciples. If the church does not have a disciple-making agenda as its central thrust, then we are simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

As making disciples involves teaching people to obey Christ’s commands, how are we to do this? Jesus ends His commission with, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). His presence is not a nice finishing touch to encourage us. It is the essential ingredient. In John 15:5, He said, “If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” What enables us to bear fruit is that we are identified with Christ, and His presence in us provides the motivation, strength, direction and empowerment to make disciples.

It is in union with Christ that His Spirit works in us and through us to produce fruit that will last. Though we may have doubts as to our ability, the antidote is obedience. John Stott, author of ‘Basic Christianity’, said, “Preach what you can trust and be willing to go beyond what you can trust on the grounds this is what the Bible says.” It is not intellectual rhetoric, nor our strategies that will make disciples for Christ, but the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of the word of God penetrating the hearts of people.

Thank You, Lord, for being everything we need in helping to bring souls to salvation and in making disciples.

Am I dependent on the leading of the Holy Spirit in my witness for Christ?

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me.” —PHILIPPIANS 1:21-22

Chapter One of Philippians is one of the most autobiographical statements in all of Paul’s writings. Forty times in this chapter he uses the words “I”, “me” and “mine”. He is writing this from prison, and he says, “I want you to know what my frustrations are and what my circumstances are, but at the same time, I want you to know how I have discovered an underlying sense of confidence and joy; joy being one of the words that occurs frequently throughout this book. 

The key verse not only in all of Philippians, but possibly in all of Paul’s writings is “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain”. Normally, if we meet someone who tells us dying is going to be a better option for us, we would be worried about them. Most of us, without question, would say living is the better option. But Paul says that “to die is gain”. What makes him say that? Here is a man who is enthusiastic about death. How often will we meet someone like that? 

What Paul is saying is that he is torn between two things. I desire to depart and be with Christ. I desire to die, but it may be that my staying alive is going to be useful to other people, namely to you, he says to the Philippians. So I am not sure what to do. I would like to die, but I probably need to stay around a little longer because you need me. He is saying that life is fantastic, because despite the troubles and sufferings, he has all the resources he needs by the presence of Christ within him to accomplish what he has been called to do. But he is also saying there is something I cannot wait for. I cannot wait to be with Christ, which is a reality far better than his mortal existence. 

Paul is not depressed, but confident. He would actually prefer “to be away from his body and at home with the Lord”. This turns on its head the secular view of death where everything we are and everything we have ends. We only know how to face life when we know how to face death. “To live is Christ,” Paul says, and therein lies the key to a contented life, because Christ becomes our life. In Him we have eternal life, and there will come a day when all struggles and turmoil will cease. For the Christian, death has lost its sting, and like Paul, we look forward to our heavenly home with Jesus.

Dear Jesus, thank You for giving us the inner strength and confidence in dealing with death, and for encouraging us to live our lives to the fullest in your name. Amen.

What does the statement, ‘We only know how to face life when we know how to face death’, mean to me? 

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —MATTHEW 5:4

When Jesus talks about mourning in the beatitudes, He is not talking about death and funerals, but rather linking it with what has gone before. When we recognize and face our poverty of spirit, we can do one of two things: we can hide it and pretend it does not exist, or we can face it honestly and mourn it.

To mourn our poverty of spirit is repentance. Repentance is not simply being sorry for what we do, but it is recognizing that the cause of what we do is what we are. We are sinners, not because we sin, but because that is our inherent nature. When we were born, God did not look down from heaven and say, “That’s a cute little baby there. I hope I can keep that one.” And then one day, we sin and God says, “Oh, no! Not another one gone.” All God expects of us is failure, because the natural condition of our hearts is corrupt and therefore, we sin.

Paul wrote about himself, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14). He is describing himself apart from God, and what we are like in our natural selves. Our natures are inherently corrupt and we do not grow out of this state. That is why we need to face and mourn our poverty of spirit. Repentance is not a one time act, but an ongoing attitude and disposition of heart; a change of mind in turning from the things which are not of God to the things of God. It is turning from dependence upon ourselves to dependence on God, and operating not in our strength, but in His strength. It is turning from living our way to living God’s way.

When we acknowledge our poverty of spirit and mourn it, the wonderful thing is that we are not criticized, humiliated or condemned because of it, but in response, God forgives, cleanses and sends His Holy Spirit, “the Comforter” as Jesus called Him. The Comforter is the antidote to our poverty of spirit and He comes to indwell us, so that He can replace the corruptness of our hearts with the righteousness of Christ.

I would suggest that the measure of our repentance that will mark the measure of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. And the Holy Spirit’s task is to replace our poverty with the riches of Jesus Christ, our weaknesses for His strength and our defeat for His victory. The Comforter is the presence of Christ within us and that is incredibly comforting!

Dear Lord, help me to live every day in repentance and to be totally dependent upon You. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I living in day to day repentance? 

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —MATTHEW 5:4

When Jesus talks about mourning in the beatitudes, He is not talking about death and funerals, but rather linking it with what has gone before. When we recognize and face our poverty of spirit, we can do one of two things: we can hide it and pretend it does not exist, or we can face it honestly and mourn it.

To mourn our poverty of spirit is repentance. Repentance is not simply being sorry for what we do, but it is recognizing that the cause of what we do is what we are. We are sinners, not because we sin, but because that is our inherent nature. When we were born, God did not look down from heaven and say, “That’s a cute little baby there. I hope I can keep that one.” And then one day, we sin and God says, “Oh, no! Not another one gone.” All God expects of us is failure, because the natural condition of our hearts is corrupt and therefore, we sin.

Paul wrote about himself, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14). He is describing himself apart from God, and what we are like in our natural selves. Our natures are inherently corrupt and we do not grow out of this state. That is why we need to face and mourn our poverty of spirit. Repentance is not a one time act, but an ongoing attitude and disposition of heart; a change of mind in turning from the things which are not of God to the things of God. It is turning from dependence upon ourselves to dependence on God, and operating not in our strength, but in His strength. It is turning from living our way to living God’s way.

When we acknowledge our poverty of spirit and mourn it, the wonderful thing is that we are not criticized, humiliated or condemned because of it, but in response, God forgives, cleanses and sends His Holy Spirit, “the Comforter” as Jesus called Him. The Comforter is the antidote to our poverty of spirit and He comes to indwell us, so that He can replace the corruptness of our hearts with the righteousness of Christ.

I would suggest that the measure of our repentance that will mark the measure of the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. And the Holy Spirit’s task is to replace our poverty with the riches of Jesus Christ, our weaknesses for His strength and our defeat for His victory. The Comforter is the presence of Christ within us and that is incredibly comforting!

Dear Lord, help me to live every day in repentance and to be totally dependent upon You. Thank You, Lord. 

Am I living in day to day repentance? 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven.” —MATTHEW 5:3

When we hear of someone being poor, we usually think in terms of money or monetary possessions, but in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about being ‘poor in spirit’ as the first beatitude. What does He mean by ‘poor in spirit’?

The first step Jesus says to true happiness is becoming clear about one fundamental fact, and it is that we do not have what it takes to be what we were created to be. Many of us may think this true for those who are not Christians, but it is equally true for Christians as well, and is the biggest barrier to the Christian life – that “in myself and of myself and by myself, I do not have what it takes. I am poor in spirit.” We do not grow out of this poverty, but actually live in it on a daily basis. 

Recognizing our own inherent inability is crucial if we are going to live the life that God has called us to live. In his book, ‘Mere Christianity’, C.S. Lewis writes: “God made us, or invented us, as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on gasoline and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He, Himself, is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn. He is the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy without Himself. God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.” 

The fuel human beings are meant to run on is the Spirit of God, living and operating in us and through us. To discover this, we must first come to the realization of our poverty of spirit, which we usually learn when our backs are against the wall. God, in His mercy, will allow us to get into tough and trying situations so that we will discover we are insufficient in ourselves, and that we need to connect with Him.

Repentance is a change of mind that says of us, “I can’t” and faith says of God, “You can.” When we turn to God, we discover energy we never had before, because we are no longer living with human resources, but in the divine energy of the Lord Jesus Christ. “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus said. Not only is that comforting, but it is absolutely liberating; our poverty exchanged for the riches of Christ and all the resources of heaven made available to us.

Lord, thank You for the gift of yourself and being all that we need to live as God intended.

Have I realized my poverty of spirit?

“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.” —PHILIPPIANS 4:12-13

In the above verse, Paul is describing what living a blessed life is about. Jesus used the word ‘blessed’ in each of the eight beatitudes. That may not excite us too much because the words ‘bless’ and ‘blessed’ are vague words, often used without much meaning. For instance, we get up in the morning and say, “Lord, bless us today.” At meals, we say, “Bless this food,” and when someone sneezes, “Bless you,” or the dog has eaten the steak thawing on the counter – “that blessed dog!” Sometimes when we pray for someone, we do not know what to say, so we simply say, “Bless them,” and are basically asking God to fill in the blank.

In Scripture, the word ‘blessed’ actually has a very profound meaning. In Greek it is the word ‘makarios’, which literally means to be happy; not a sunny day, cold drink in hand kind of happy, but a deep inner sense of lasting peace and well being, regardless of our circumstances. This is exactly what Paul knew when he wrote to the Philippians from a prison in Rome. He said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). He goes on to say, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (4:5-7). 

In the beatitudes, Jesus is talking about being happy ‘makarios’ style, and He tells us, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Many people get so wrapped up in “these things”; food, clothing, length of life, that in their pursuit of happiness, they strive for material wealth, thinking that will make them happy, but they have it backwards. 

Human beings are the only living species God created with the capacity for spiritual life. Our spiritual side is the part of us that reaches outside of ourselves for answers to life’s most profound questions, such as those concerning creation, our futures, why we are here and where are we headed. It is not nourishing our bodies or even our souls that are most important, but nourishing our spirits that needs to be the priority. Spiritual life is found in Jesus Christ, and He said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). In Him, we are blessed beyond measure for He is the life that empowers us to live it to the full.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us yourself and being the answer to all of life’s turmoil and struggles. 

Am I living a ‘blessed’ life or simply happy from time to time?

“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned….” —MATTHEW 11:25

It was at the time of Jesus’ condemnation of unrepentant towns (Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum) that He prayed the above. The frustration of the “wise and learned” is in their assumption they might know God through what they have been taught.

It seems a fact that the great influences on our knowledge of God and godliness rarely, if ever, emanate from our theological schools. Paul’s own testimony was that the ‘surpassingly great revelations’ given him by God held the potential to lead him into arrogance, which is why God allowed the thorn in his flesh to keep him dependent on Him. Paul wrote of the danger in knowledge “puffing us up”, which he contrasted with the fact that “love builds us up”. (1 Corinthians 8:1) He tells the Corinthians believers, “Not many of you were wise by human standards… But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” (1:26-27).

The incredulity of the educated religious leaders when questioning the disciples, Peter and John, was contributed to by their realization they were ‘unschooled, ordinary men’ (Acts 4:13). This is not to play down the validity of academic investigation into spiritual things, but to get that discipline into proper perspective. We do not come to know God through investigation, but by revelation. Revelation does not depend on intellectual capacity, but on the disposition of heart. In His prayer, Jesus said, “You revealed them to little children. Yes, Father for this is what you were pleased to do” (Matthew 11:25-26).

The revelation of God is at the Son’s discretion for, “No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (11:27). Jesus then says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (11:28-29). It is those people who are weary of carrying their own burdens, and come in humility to Jesus, placing their burdens on His shoulders, who find rest for their souls. To them, Jesus says, “Learn from me.”

Before the mind is ever thrilled with Jesus Christ, the disposition of the heart must be one of insufficiency in ourselves, which leads to full submission to Christ. The tests applied by God to people in Scripture were never tests of their intellectual grasp of truth, but of their disposition towards God, and the measure to which they depended on His sufficiency.

Thank You, Lord, that it is not how clever and learned we are, but our disposition of heart that allows us to come to know You.

To what do I most credit my knowledge of God?

“What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.” —ROMANS 7:7

If we were to stop people on the street and read them the Ten Commandments, the general consensus would be that most of the commandments are good. We may not get ten out of ten in agreement, but perhaps six, seven or eight. Yet although we agree that the Ten Commandments are good, we have to admit they are unrealistic because with the exception of Jesus, every single person has broken the law of God. That raises a very important issue: why has God given a law we cannot keep? 

If we ever get involved in making rules, a basic principle is that any rule people cannot keep is a bad rule, yet God has given a set of requirements in His law that we recognize as good, but are unable to keep. In fact, Paul says here, “I would not know what sin was except for the law. It is the law which actually makes me aware of my failure, because a failure I am.” We can be living in violation of the law with a totally clear conscience until we read the law. Suddenly we realize, “Uh oh, I’m a failure.” Is the purpose of the law simply to embarrass, humiliate and condemn us? That is the effect of the law, but is that the purpose? Why did God give the Ten Commandments? 

The law was given in order to reveal the moral character of God so that human beings might understand what we are to be like as we were created in His moral image. But in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve acted in disobedience and at that moment, ceased to show what God is like. Since then, every man, woman and child have inherited a sinful nature and sin separates us from God. The point in God giving His laws was not as an arbitrary set of rules or guidelines so that we can sort out the mess our lives may be in, but so that we see ourselves in our unrighteousness and come to the realization that we need saving. As God knows we are incapable of keeping His law, He provided a solution in sending the life of His Son to indwell us in order to reconcile us to Himself. 

Christ is the exact representation of the Father, and the only one capable of keeping the law of God. Without Christ, we are still in our sin, but when coming in humble repentance to Him, our sin is forgiven, washed away, and we have the transforming Spirit of Christ who works in us so that we may increasingly reveal what God is like.

Dear Lord, thank You for revealing what You are like and for the work of your Holy Spirit in conforming me to your likeness.

Which of the Ten Commandments do I need the Lord’s help with the most? 

“Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” —ACTS 9:17

Though Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the Damascus road, he did not in truth become a Christian at that point. The definition Paul gives of a Christian is one in whom lives the Spirit of Christ. In Romans 8:9, he says, “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” The immediate consequence of Paul’s encounter on the Damascus road was not regeneration, which is the receiving of new life, but revelation, the receiving of new understanding.

The immediate result for Paul was a state of blindness that lasted three days, which symbolized the darkness of his soul in the natural state of separation from God. In Damascus, God spoke to a man named Ananias and sent him to the house where Paul was staying. Saul had experienced a vision of Ananias coming to him and placing his hands on him in order that the work of God, which had begun on the Damascus road, might be completed.

After Ananias came to Paul, two things took place, both of which constitute the ingredients necessary to spiritual birth; Paul’s sins were forgiven and he received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The decisive issue that precipitated Paul’s change of heart was the discovery that Jesus Christ was alive. Christ being alive has, to Paul, both an objective and a subjective aspect. Objectively, he summarizes the irreducible content of the Gospel to “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

The objective truth of the resurrection of Christ must also become a reality in subjective experience. Writing to the Galatians, Paul says, “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me…” (Galatians 1:15). Paul is saying that the revelation of the risen Christ to him became the revelation of the risen Christ in him. Having been raised from the dead, Christ’s purpose is to impart His resurrected life to the believer experientially. Paul tells us, “Christ, who is your life” (Colossians 3:4); “Christ in you, the hope of glory (1:27); “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). 

Jesus is not only the giver of life, but the life itself. The reception of this life constitutes regeneration. It is being born again of the Holy Spirit, and given new life – the life of Christ to indwell us. 

Thank You, Lord, for indwelling me and giving me your life, which I pray will take over mine. 

Having been regenerated by the life of Christ, what changes have I noticed most in myself? 

“My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me. ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.” —ACTS 22:9-10

The Christian life is a very personal one. Every one of us begins the Christian life alone. We do not become Christians by inheriting something from our parents or associating with other Christians and somehow picking it up. Becoming a Christian involves a deliberate, wilful response to God at some point in our lives. It is like getting married. There comes a moment when we say “I will”, and at that moment something happens. Our relationship changes, our status changes.

Paul was previously Saul of Tarsus. He was the arch enemy of the church of Jesus Christ, intending on doing everything he could to annihilate the new wave of believers in Christ. On that fateful day when he encountered Jesus on his way to Damascus, Paul discovered two things. The first is that Jesus Christ is alive. Christians are not following the teachings of Jesus who once was. He is alive and willing to live His life in us. The second thing Paul discovered is that Jesus has the power to transform his life. 

In response to Jesus stating who He was, Saul asked, “What do you want me to do?” Jesus told him to go into Damascus where he would be given an agenda for the rest of his life. Paul was to become a witness for Christ among rulers and Gentiles, which would involve hardship, suffering and persecution. All of this worked out in the remaining days of his life. The point is this: Paul had bowed his knee to the Lord Jesus Christ; Saul of Tarsus was never the same again. 

There has to come a moment when we say “I will” to Jesus, and make that complete surrender to Him. Until we come to the point of saying, “Lord Jesus, take over my life”, we are not yet Christians. We may be religious, have grown up in a Christian home and be God fearing people, but there has to come that moment, as it came for Paul, when the Christian life becomes personal, and we come as sinners to Jesus. What we will discover is that Jesus loves sinners and specializes in cleaning us up. He does not come alongside us, but in us, and is Himself the power to transform lives. And in our honest moments, we know there are things about us that need changing. The Christian life is personal!

Lord Jesus, I want to say “I will” to You, so that your work and your life is lived in me and through me. Amen.

Have I made the conscious decision to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour? If not, am I ready to do so? 

“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” —PSALM 139:9-10

We all long to live a life of substance, but in the grand scale of things, we are given such a brief time to do so. The book of James tells us our lives are like a vapour. It appears for a short while then disappears. So how do we make the most of the time we have? 

Many of us would think it wonderful to have some sort of spiritual GPS to map it out for us. “Go to this university and study these subjects. See that girl over there. Marry her. Get this job. Buy this home and live happily ever after.” That would take the guesswork out of everything, but God does not work that way. In the grand scale of things, there is a big picture, and it is not about our agendas, but God’s agenda. 

We can look at it this way. If we were on the hunt for a new job, the first question we would ask of the company is not, “What would you like me to do?” The first question would be, “What is the nature of the business?” Then having understood the nature of the business, ‘what would you like me to do’ makes sense in light of our capabilities, and becomes significant in the bigger role and purpose of the business. That is why the question, “What is the will of God for my life?”, while certainly valid, is not the best question to ask. It should be, “What is the will of God?”…period. What is the big picture of what God is doing, and how can I, as an individual, play a role?

We only discover God’s personal will for our lives when we understand the general will of God for the world. His plans for us play a key role, which furthers His agenda. As Christians, we are called to be partakers of God’s work in this world, and God Himself will assign each of us the role He has for us. We do not pull the strings. We do not orchestrate anything. We simply walk through the doors God opens and it will be a case of the right people at the right time for the right purpose. 

In our service to God, He has the big picture in mind, and so must we. Psalm 139:16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” That is the wonder of being created and coming into this world. God already has a divine plan for us in which He promises His guiding hand.

Dear Lord, thank you for the privilege of being given a role for your agenda in this world. I can’t imagine a higher calling.

Am I walking through the doors God opens? 

“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” —ROMANS 6:14

If there is one thing we all share in common, regardless of how long we have been Christians, it is our struggle with sin. Sin is a problem; temptation is a problem, and so one of the big questions we are faced with is: “What are we supposed to do about sin?” 

There are two extreme attitudes Christians take in dealing with sin. One is ‘legalism’, and the other is ‘license’. Legalism is basically reducing Christian living to a set of rules, which make us feel secure, because we are living within those rules. It says things like, “You shall only listen to approved music. You shall not drink alcohol at any time. You shall not wash your car on Sundays,” etc., etc. When many people first come to Christ, they experience a new liberty and freshness, but little by little, become strangled by legalism, which unfortunately is often induced by other Christians. The telltale symptom of legalism is that we begin to insist everyone keep the rules, and judge them according to how well they keep them.

The other extreme is license, which says because God is so kind, so merciful and gracious, and because we have been justified before Him, it does not really matter how we live. We can sin, come back to God, and He will cleanse and forgive us. In any case, we are going to heaven, so we begin to live more and more as we please. This is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor who was put to death near the end of World War II, called “cheap grace.” It is tempting, but reveals little, if any, change in us. 

Paul adamantly rejects both legalism and license as the means to holy living. So what is his answer to sin? Is it a compromise where we allow a bit more liberty with the law, or is it exercising a little more restraint in license to stop us from going too far? Paul’s answer is not in taking a middle ground, but he says that we are to, “offer every part of ourselves to God as an instrument of righteousness” (Romans 6:13). 

The all important thing about an instrument is whose hands it is in. Who is operating it? When we allow Christ the freedom to work in us, we become His instruments in which He plays His tune of righteousness in us. Dealing with sin does not come by trying, but by trusting in the sufficiency of Christ. We are not made holy by legalism or license, but by life – the life of Christ dwelling in the heart and soul of every believer.

Dear God, I submit myself wholly to You, so that You can produce in me your character and righteousness. Thank You, God. 

How can I combat veering off into legalistic or license-like attitudes?

“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” —JEREMIAH 31:33

In the beginning, God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…” (Genesis 1:26). The image God is talking about is His moral character, and we were created for the purpose of displaying His moral character. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments in order to reveal to humanity what He is like, so that we may understand what we are supposed to be like.

But since the law was given, the one word that could be written across the pages of the Old Testament is ‘failure’. The historical books recall the details of that failure. The prophetic books preach about it and the poetic books weep and mourn over it. When we come to the end of the Old Testament, we do not look back and say what a glorious history Israel has had. It is a history of failure, because humanly, it is impossible to keep the Law of God. 

In the New Testament, something wonderful happens. Jesus comes on the scene, and the expectancy of the people would have been that He would make the law less demanding or even dispense with some of it. But in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clearly says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). This tells us the New Covenant is not going to involve a revision or rewriting of the law, but a relocating of the law. Until then, it had been written on tablets of stone. We could stand back, read it and go home feeling utterly condemned, because we cannot keep the commandments. The New Covenant is not a revision of the law, because it is absolute, and reveals the moral character of God which is unchanging. 

The nature of the Gospel is about restoring the character of God into human experience. In Ezekiel 36:27, God says, “I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” As a man on earth, Jesus was the exact replication of the moral character of God, and it is His Spirit God imparts to us. What we try so hard to do ourselves in keeping the law become liberating promises with the indwelling Spirit of Christ. The law is expressed by the outworking of an appetite on the inside, which Jesus calls ‘a hunger and thirst for righteousness’. Under the New Covenant, Christ is our enabling, conforming us day by day into what our heavenly Father is like.

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us Jesus, our only means of expressing your moral character, and fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

How has the indwelling of Christ changed my view of keeping the commandments?

“I am the way and the truth and the life.” —JOHN 14:6

Some years ago, I visited the flight deck of a Boeing 747 on a flight from western Canada to London. I asked the Captain if it was somewhat boring to fly a plane once it was in the air. He told me that he was constantly checking his position and direction, and that the routing to London was an extremely narrow one.

If the plane was one degree off course on the compass bearing, that would take us hundreds of miles in the wrong direction. I was very glad we had a pilot who was interested in the narrow way! I would not want a Captain who perceived that all routes went to London, put his feet up on the instrument panel, and took a nap. It is in this sense the road to life is narrow. 

Paradoxically perhaps, it is in travelling the narrow road, which deprives us of many indulgences the secular world offers, that true freedom is found. To illustrate, our cars work best when we put gas in the tank, not ginger ale. Our engines work best when we lubricate them with oil, not syrup, and our tires work best with the right poundage of air pressure, not the right poundage of bananas. To insist on gas, oil and air for our cars may seem restrictive, but in keeping with those instructions, the car is free to function as intended. And that makes us feel good and confident about driving the car. Why? Because our car is sufficiently taken care of and we can drive it at liberty.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” He does not simply show us the way and tell us the truth, so that we may enjoy the life, but He is Himself, the way, the truth and the life. That is why, if we were the car, we cannot put ginger ale in the gas tank, syrup in the engine or bananas in the tires. Human beings are not meant to run on anything but the indwelling Spirit of Christ. If we fail to bring Jesus into our everyday lives, and lean instead on our own way of thinking, our own understanding, we are running on insufficient power. Our compass bearing will be off course, and we will be taken hundreds of miles in the wrong direction, one that will inevitably lead to the broad road and the wide gate. 

Entering the Kingdom of Heaven through the narrow gate – we simply cannot imagine what that will be like, but we know with certainty only Jesus can take us there.

Precious Lord, I pray for that deep, inner strength that comes from You to keep me on your path, and headed for the narrow gate. Thank You, Lord. 

Have I given thought to how much it would please Jesus to greet me at the narrow gate?

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” —MATTHEW 7:13-14

Life is like a road. We are all going somewhere, but the big issue is in knowing where we are going. There are only two possibilities Jesus spoke of: a broad road and a narrow road. The broad road has a wide gate and plenty of company, but has a major problem in that it leads to destruction. The narrow road has a small gate and with only a few people on it, but it leads to life.

This passage is often used evangelically to good effect; the broad way being that of people outside of Christ, and the narrow way being the Christian life. However, the context in which Jesus said this does not suggest this as an accurate interpretation. Though many heard the Sermon on the Mount which was actually spoken to Jesus’ disciples, it can be addressed to every believer. It warns of the danger of a broad road, leading to destruction, on which a Christian may go. It is not the eternal destruction of the soul, but the destruction of all that might otherwise have been the fruit of their lives. 

Paul tells us, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:11-13). This is the end of the broad road of which Jesus warns.

The broad road appears more attractive, and the narrow road is not at all a popular concept. Most people would like to be considered ‘broad’ and tolerant, as it suggests a mark of maturity. However, to be ‘narrow’ is to be virtuous, because it is to be aiming at a godly target and going for it. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). 

The broad road takes down the perimeter fences of Christianity, and invites us to live pretty much as we please, but with many outside influences that will ultimately lead to destruction in this life. It is on the narrow road, confining our interests to those of Jesus Christ that we find real freedom, real contentment, real purpose and real life.

Lord, I have experienced and know how easy it is to travel the broad road. Be my strength and lead me on the narrow road. Thank You, Lord.

Am I aiming for the narrow gate?

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” —MATTHEW 7:24

The final story Jesus gives in the Sermon on the Mount is possibly the most familiar. It is the story of two men who each built a house, which to all appearances were equal until a storm broke. The rain hammered down, the streams rose and the winds beat against the houses. One of them remained firm and erect. The other fell with a great crash. 

The difference between the two houses was the foundations on which they were built. One was built on sand, and the other on a rock. The assumption frequently made is that the sand represents a foundation built on anything but Christ, and the rock represents a foundation in Christ. This, however, is not the case. Jesus said the wise man who built his house on the rock was the man who “hears these words of mine and puts them into practice.” The foolish man who built his house on sand was the man who hears the words of Jesus, but does not put them into practice. The rock represents obedience and the sand disobedience.

It has often been said that the greatest need of many Christians is not to know more, but to obey what they already know. To listen without obedience is deception. James tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Spiritual growth is more than an intellectual process; it is a volitional process. The word of God is effectively read and understood only from a disposition of submission and obedience to God.

The more we know, the more our capacity for sin increases. James tells us, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17). It is a sobering thought to realize every new lesson we learn, which does not meet with a response of submission, creates a new avenue for sin. With knowledge and understanding comes responsibility, and it is in submission to the word of God and obedience to the will of God that we build a rock foundation.

New trends, religions, philosophies, and new age thinking will come and go, but as Peter says, “the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25). Jesus tells us, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). Obedience to the will of God is the rock foundation in which Christ is our stability and security, regardless of how fierce the storm is.

Dear Lord, help me build my life on the rock foundation and become more obedient to your word. Thank You, Lord.

In what areas do I need the Lord’s help in obedience?

“So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only...” —1 SAMUEL 7:3

After two successive losses against the Philistines, the response of the Israelites can be summed up in three words: remove, return and rest. Firstly, they ‘removed’ all the foreign gods that had been imported into Israel. Secondly, they ‘returned’ with all their hearts to the Lord, and thirdly, they began to ‘rest’ in God’s strength and sufficiency. 

C.K. Chesterton famously said, “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything.” I would like to come alongside that and say, “When people stop depending on God, they don’t become independent; they don’t depend on nothing; they depend on something else.” If we are serious about God, we have to rid ourselves of every object of dependence other than God Himself. 

We may have dealt with the same sin many times, but like the Baals in Israel, they rear their heads again and again. If our guard is not up, just as the gods from Canaanite pagan religions had repeatedly infiltrated God’s own people, they will creep back into our lives and drive us increasingly further from God. We need to confess them, and bring them in humble repentance to God. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This is not passive, but active. We are not simply confessing our sin, but are returning to God to serve Him only. 

One of the biggest needs in our Christian lives is not actually to go on, but to go back. Jesus said to the church in Ephesus, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:4). Growth in the Christian life is not a growth from one point to another, but a growth in our relationship with Christ; in our knowledge of Him, dependence on Him and experience of Him. We do not grow out of anything as we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, but we can slide away, and Christ says we need to return and remember the love we first had for Him.

Having removed the barriers, and with all our hearts returned to God, we are to rest in His sufficiency. Resting in God is living every day dependent on Him, not only for material needs, but in every circumstance we face. Victory in the Christian life is never won, but received, yet many are still living in a frantic self effort to accomplish what only God can accomplish. Returning to God with all our hearts is what allows us to rest in His total sufficiency.

Dear Lord, I ask for your help to remove any form of dependency there is in my life other than on You. Thank You, Lord. 

Do I feel a need to return to God with all my heart?

“Why did the LORD bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the LORD’S covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” —1 SAMUEL 4:3

What God blesses as an expression of Himself, He will condemn when it becomes a substitute for Himself. This has been the case throughout the history of the Israelite people, and is a commonplace among Christians today.

The Ark of the Covenant had brought success to the Israelites before, but after losing a battle against the Philistines, the Israelites believed bringing the ark from Shiloh and taking it into their next battle would bring them victory. They did this, and not only did they suffer an even greater defeat, but the ark was captured by the Philistines. Wherever the Philistines brought the ark, God caused an outbreak of tumours. After seven months, it was returned to the Israelites, and brought to a place called Kiriath Jearim. 

1 Samuel 7:2 says, “The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time - twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the LORD.” Samuel then tells them to rid themselves of foreign gods, commit themselves to the Lord, and He will deliver them from the Philistines. “So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only” (7:4). The people fasted and confessed their sin. They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines” (7:8). God gave them victory, throwing the Philistines into such a panic they ended up killing their own men and running from the Israelites. Throughout the rest of Samuel’s lifetime the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 

Something very different is happening now. The people recognized their own ideas and means of dependence were bankrupt of any power. Only God is alive and active. Detached from God, the ark was a lifeless piece of furniture, and merely representative of God. All the pagan gods imported and erected in Israel were, of course, useless. The subtlety of our day is that the better the object of our trust, the greater the illusion we have. 

What are the arks of our day that represent hope that help us? Perhaps family, friends, pastors, counselors, programs, techniques or self help books? These may be of tremendous value, but there is no substitute for dealing with God Himself. After the Israelites' victory, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it ‘Ebenezer’, meaning “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” If we bring God in and if we keep Him in, the Lord will help us.

Dear Lord, may I never fail to bring You into every circumstance as my source of strength and deliverance. Thank You, Lord. 

Have I substituted dealing directly with God with something else?

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” —1 SAMUEL 16:7

How do I become someone after God’s own heart? What is He looking for? What will please Him? In Acts 13:22, Paul records what God says about David. “God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’.” 

David’s predecessor was Saul who disobeyed God in order to please the people. He said, “I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them” (1 Samuel 15:24). David, in contrast, obeyed God, and always “inquired of the Lord”. In every generation, the views and expectancy of others can be so influential we tend to think like Saul. Life is easier to go with the flow, but a person after God’s own heart does not make their own plans, but will go against the flow, because their ears are tuned into the voice of God. 

A person after God’s own heart does not manipulate their own process. David spent years on the run from Saul, but did not do anything to instigate or speed up the process of getting himself on the throne of Israel. Though he had several opportunities to slay Saul, he refused to even harm him, leaving the course of events entirely up to God. When we sense God’s leading, there is often opposition that will block our way, and the temptation is to manipulate it out of our way. But then, it becomes our fight, our responsibility. Rather than trying to fight God’s battles for Him, our role is to trust Him, and allow God to bring about His purpose His way. 

A person after God’s own heart does not manufacture their own power. David was fully aware of his own inabilities, but at the same time, fully aware of the power of God. He said to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty…” (1 Samuel 17:45). Saul would have been the likely candidate to battle Goliath, but he trembled in fear, because his strength was no longer sourced in God, but in himself.

To be someone after God’s own heart is being obedient to Him, doing what He says, and knowing that every day we live in dependence on Him, aware of His presence and being grateful for it. God is the fixed point for any crisis, any temptation, any illness, anything that frightens us, and we not only trust Him in these times, but live in His strength, confident He is working out His good purpose for us.

Lord, help me to live in your strength, dependent on You every day, and trusting You in every circumstance. Thank You, Lord. 

In my actions, does the voice of God take priority over what others may think?