God's Hand at Work

Scripture:

Genesis 31:42 (ESV)

If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you.”

Devotional:

It is amazing what God does for us.  Even before Jacob fully accepted God as his God he was watched over.  God had blessed and protected Jacob.  Jacob prospered despite how others treated him.  Laban his father-in-law tried to cheat Jacob.  Laban pursued Jacob and God gave him a warning.  God intercedes for us all the time.  God protects us and provides for us, even if we do not see or recognize it.

Can you look back on your life and see where God has provided?  Can you see where He has protected?  Do you see where God has interceded for your benefit?  Sometimes it doesn’t look like it.  Sometimes it might appear that we have been abandoned.  But if you look close enough and deep enough you will see God’s involvement in your life.

How many times have anyone of us prayed for something and felt that the prayer was not answered, or it was answered with a no?  God didn’t give us what we wanted.  God has left us.  God has…  If you really take a look at the events in your life you will probably see where God said no to one thing only to give you something better.  God might have said no only to protect you. 

We may never fully see God’s hand at work in our lives.  You can be assured that He is at work.  He has been with you in the past.  He is with you today.  He will be with you in the future.  If God says no to something now you just need to wait.  God has something better in store for you.  God will protect and provide.  He is with each one of us.  He is there working in our lives even if we cannot see it or feel it…

Despite US

Scripture:

Genesis 29:18-25 (ESV)

Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”  Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”  So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”  So, Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.  But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.  (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)  And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

Devotional:

Oh, how the deceiver became the deceived.  Jacob deceived his father Isaac and received the blessing meant for Esau.  Jacob left his parents to live with an uncle because of Esau’s anger at losing his blessing from his father.  Eventually Jacob does accept God as his God and not just his father’s God.  Genesis 28:20-21 (ESV) “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God…” 

How many of God’s chosen people have shady backgrounds?  Abraham who is known for great faith lied and deceived two different rulers.  He still was faithful to God.  David, a man after God’s own heart, committed adultery and murder.  Both were used by God and were great men of faith.  Both followed God and sought out His will.  I can give other examples, but the point is that none of the people God used were perfect. 

What is it that we might have said or done?  Each of us have sin in our lives.  Each of us have had weak moments.  But we can all be used by God in tremendous ways.  It doesn’t matter what our background is or where we came from.  What matters is our faith.  Through our faith the condition of our heart will change.  Through faith the Holy Spirit will change our hearts and our lives.  Through faith God will use us. 

Do not think I cannot do this, or I am not smart enough or strong enough.  God has shown us time after time that He can use anyone.  Look at Gideon.  He was the least of the least and yet he became a great profit of God.  Look at David, a small shepherd boy who became one of the greatest kings.  Noah built an ark.  Moses led God’s people to freedom.  The list goes on and on…  If God can use them and change the world, I believe He can use us.  I firmly believe that God does not call the qualified.  But that God qualifies those He calls. 

What is God calling you to do?  Pause and listen, wait, and hear Him.  He will make His will known to you.  If in doubt read the scriptures and ask fellow believers.  One thing you can be sure of no matter what it is God calls you to do it will not go against His character.  If what you think He is calling you to does not match up with what the Bible says you can be sure He isn’t calling you to it.   You can also be sure that God will equip you and be with you the entire time.  You can do whatever it is through Him.  After all He gave us the Holy Spirit.  Acts 2:4 (ESV) “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

To Be Heirs…

Scripture:

Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Devotional:

We ARE heirs of God...  not by rights or deeds but by His gracious gift...  He is our father.  What else can be said?  Too often I left fear of something cripple me.  Uncertainty fills my mind & heart.  I constantly question, ask, and repeat.  The uncertainty becomes fears and the fear cripples me into inaction.

Does any of this sound familiar?  What are some of your struggles?  I ask myself and you what are we focused on?  Do we see our struggles, problems, worries, or _____ fill in the blank dominate our thoughts and focus?  The truth is we are heirs.  We are not heirs of fear.  We are not heirs of worry.  We are not heirs of strife or worries.  We are not even heirs of this world.  WE ARE HEIRS of God.  It is not by rights or deeds.  It is by His gift.  Jesus has made it possible for us to be heirs of God.  Jesus makes it possible for us to call God Father.

Let’s face it.  We cannot earn it.  We do not deserve it.  But God loves you so much He sent Jesus to pay the debts that none of us can ever pay so that each of us can be reconciled back to Him.  Jesus made it possible for us to become heirs of God…

The Greatest of These

Scripture:

2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Devotional:

Through Christ we have redemption.  We are set apart from the world.  Because of this we are to leave our sinful nature or our old lives behind.  As we leave the old behind, we strive to be more Christ-like.  Our goal in this life is to become as Jesus was and to be perfect.  Now of course we cannot ever be perfect.  Jesus is the only man to have lived a perfect sinless life.  So, what is the point?  Through the blood shed on the cross we have been atoned for.  Our debt to sin has been paid and the perfect righteousness of Christ is covering us.

We are a part of the body of Christ. His divine nature is part of who we become.  While we cannot become sinless, we can continue to grow in the likeness of Christ.  How do we do this?  I am glad you asked.  We allow the Holy Spirit to work in us.  We allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts and be part of who we are.  We read the scriptures.  Most of all we pray.  We can hold regular conversations with God.  We should be seeking His council in every aspect of our lives.  We need to surround ourselves with like minded people, other believers.  As hard as it might be, we need to forgive wrongs done to us.  We need to show kindness to EVERYONE.  We do not have the right or luxury to pick and choose whom we are to love, be kind to, and forgive.  Nobody said it will always be easy.  But we do need to accept anyone and to show love and kindness to them.  Jesus came to seek the lost.  He lived among the sinners and societies downcast. 

Jesus never preached about burning down buildings or showing hate to those who appose him.  Just because someone chooses a sinful lifestyle, or lives and does things that are sinful and wrong does not give us permission to treat them badly or unjustly.  We still need to love on them.  Show them the love of Christ. 

There have been times when people burn down clinics because of abortion.  We see hateful comments and actions because someone chooses to have relations with others of the same sex.  Women are looked down upon because they live a life of a prostitute.  If you recall Jesus forgave a prostitute.  He was around those that blatantly lived a sinful lifestyle.   He forgave, even the thief on the cross.  In fact Jesus asked God to forgive the very people that were responsible nailing Him to the cross.

We are not to live lives of hate, fear, or selfishness.  We are to love those around us as Jesus loved them.  We have nothing to fear.  Christ gave everything, shouldn’t we?  You will never change someone else’s life or heart.  But the Holy Spirit can.  You just might be the one to introduce the Holy Spirit to another person. How can you if you show hate and cruelty?  You can’t.  It is through love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”