Approval?

2 Cor. 10 : 17: 18

“But, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord
commends.”

We live in a time where self propagation is the order of day! We want to excel, be the best, get the biggest promotion or secure the most financially secure position! We get caught on the comparison wheel of “My kids are and my kids can and my kids won! Not only does our discontent send us in relentless pursuit of ‘more’ at all cost, but we can’t keep our mouths shut about the good things we’ve accomplished. Oh don’t we like to brag and build ourselves up? After all, if we don’t, no one else will, or so we think. What a turn off our boasting invites. We forget in God’s economy it’s our spirit of humility that receives God’s stamp of approval and true honor in His sight and as well, in our circles of influence. Our God desires for us to enjoy abundant life to the fullest; to be content as we recognize that every good thing is from His hand of blessing. Every skill, and every talent has been handed over to us by a Sovereign Lord for us to use for His glory!

Our Righteous Judge


Isaiah 33:22

“For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.”

The Lord’s rule is a part of His divine order and as Creator of all things His rule is just and righteous. He is the Ancient of Days and has served as law giver and judge from the beginning of time. He will continue to maintain His sovereign position until the end of time.

The God who oversees our actions, behaviors and motives in the beginning, sees them at the end. It’s frustrating and possibly frightening when medical reports get lost in the shuffle of transient doctors and a personal, medical history disappears into the archives only to leave a new doctor without the whole story of our health. God isn’t transient. He doesn’t move, or change. He doesn’t lose our information and our history doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. He knows us well! He knows the end from the beginning and will judge us accordingly! Our King, our Messiah our Ancient of Days will reign and will usher in a just world. He is our saving grace, our protection and our salvation. His Spirit will change a heart and one day will transform the world into a place of righteousness, justice and peace.

I think this is so important to grasp a hold of in light of our forgiveness, and /or our desire to retaliate and get even with sweet revenge. We so often think that we sit alone in our hurts and unfair dealings. As God knows our hearts, motives, and actions, we can be assured that He also knows the heart motives and actions of those who have offended, betrayed, spread rumors or lied about us. He doesn’t loose track of who does what, and why they do it? God is just and righteous. He will grant mercy and justice when and where it’s needed, as well as judge the unforgiving spirit of ourselves or another. This knowledge of the just God should take a burden off our shoulders. Our offender/s will not get off free under our Sovereign God’s rule. Then again, nor will we if we are to blame but live in denial.

Rejected?

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

We live in a culture where image is everything. It screams at us from the billboards, the media and the magazines. Everything about life says image is where it’s at and it’s all about me: how I look, how I excel and how much I deserve it. It’s about my rights and me, me, me. It’s the concept of how good can “I” look in the eyes of others that drives us on a wild goose chase in relentless pursuit of illusive happiness. Choosing to live this way leaves us empty and confused. How deceived we are when we get caught in the enemy’s trap where image also becomes our perception of others as well and our observations of externals control our conclusions about them. God views us so differently as He sees past all the surface, the masks and the façade. He sees the hurt and confusion as He peers into the deep motivations of the heart and soul to the true character of the person. He alone, can change a soft heart and create an inner beauty that allows us to see ourselves and others in different light. In His light! The light of His love! Let’s also remember that God chooses different people for different things. God’s rejection of Eliab was not a rejection of the person himself, or of the way he looked, but simply a rejection because He had another choice for the job at hand. He had another man whose destiny it was to be king. It was to be David and David it was! We do well to remember this, when things don’t go for us, as we think they should. When doors close for us and seem to open for others, It’s not God rejecting us, but simply saying that what we have in mind is not what He has in mind for us. David was a man after God’s own heart. If our hearts are right and righteous before God, He will use rejections to open up new doors for our destiny. That’s what He does. I love how He does it.

A Very Rich Inheritance!!

 

John 1: 12, 13

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

There is no higher calling than to be a child of the most High and Holy God and be born into His divine family through faith in His existence and belief in His Son. What a royal and divine inheritance we can claim as our own if we but believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

What’s our inheritance? It’s rich indeed! Some of it we receive… immediately; A sweet forgiveness from the ravages of sin that entangle us! A balm of healing for our sin sick soul as mercy meets us, sweet grace forgives, cleanses and ushers in a divine, supernatural peace, love and a joy that can’t compare to anything available through worldly dimensions! Then friends, at the end of the day and at the end of the line, the Hope of eternal life awaits! When this temporary, earthly life is put to rest, life for those who have received Him will have only just begin in the Heavenly realm as we meet our Savior face to face around His throne of Grace.

Are we aware of our divine, inherited’ rights’ today? Belief, entitles us to supernatural rights to be His child. God is faithful! Our inheritance is sure and steadfast. Our destiny, awesome! Why would you wait to receive it, when it’s yours for the asking!