Happiness and hope

Proverbs 11:23 says "The godly can look forward to happiness..."

We can look forward to happiness.  I like that.  And yes, I did assume myself to be the "godly".  I know it might seem simple or freshmen to be pointing out this verse and writing about it, but the point of this blog is to share my thoughts and this morning brings this thought.

Who is considered the "godly"?  Well, a quick Google search on "who are the godly?" Brings up a study on godly living.  As true as it is that we should live our lives in a certain way to show that we are children of God, I don't believe we can expect too much of what we do in our lives to make us that much more worthy to receive a specific title from heaven.

The book of Ephesians says we are children of God.  It says if we are in Christ, if we believe in Him, we are seated in heavenly places.  If I can believe I am seated in heavenly places, it would also be safe to assume I can have the benefits of those heavenly places, right?  I mean, if I am seated court side with Jack Nicholson at the Lakers game then I would assume those benefits would be mine as well.  I would expect to see Kanye and Kim or high-five Kobe or get my picture in some national publication sitting next to Jack or any of the other benefits that come with sitting next to Jack Nicholson court side.  

The same should be true when we consider our lives as believers and followers of Jesus.  We are seated in heavenly places.  Those benefits of heaven are mine and they are available to me right now.  I'm not going to be seated in heavenly places, I wasn't seated in heavenly places in a time before right now, I AM seated in heavenly places.  Right now, right here, I am seated.  Those benefits are mine NOW!  Not later, not sometime in the future, right now.

How can I be sick, poor, broken, hurt, jealous, troubled, depressed, lonely, or anything else expect good if I am seated in heavenly places?

It's true, I can look forward to happiness according to proverbs 11.  I can look forward to happiness right now and for the rest of my life.  Why?  Because I am seated in heavenly places.

Ephesians also says that God ordered that all things would fall under the authority of Christ.  What things? ALL THINGS.  That includes my happiness.  My happiness falls under the authority of Jesus!

So here's the deal.  Say it to yourself.  Say, "Self, You are seated in heavenly places.  You are happy because you are under the authority of Jesus."

A solider who falls under the authority of a General will experience the benefits of that general.  When war breaks out, if that General is the smartest and most experienced in combat and war, that soldier will experience those benefits.  We experience the benefits of Heaven for two reasons.  First, we are submitted to Jesus and His authority.  Second, because we are under His authority we are seated in Heavenly places and experience the benefits of Sonship, of being royalty, and of the palace of Heaven.

- cheers.

Solution to striving.

Tonight, November 13th, I got in my car to drive out and get a coffee because I was bored sitting at my house.  As I got in the car I started thinking about what has been going on in my life lately. Then I heard God say to me "clarity does not come in striving, clarity comes in peace."

There have been so many negative things happening all around me over the last few days.  Stress of traveling half way across the country for the Holidays and all that goes along with it.  Friends who are facing unthinkable devastation in their family.  My church back home facing difficulties to the worst degree.  My family members experiencing sickness and fear.  Church members facing sickness to the verge of death.  And all of that on top of typical stress with life.  I have been quietly wondering what I am supposed to do, what can I do to change things in my life and to help all these people around me.  It has been impossible to focus on one issue because there are so many different things weighing on my mind.

I have begun to shut down to it all.  Too tired to seriously think about it and even more tired to do anything about it.  The thought of facing these issues has left me telling myself to just sit back and watch what happens.  Instead of adjusting to overcome the issues I have been doing nothing but waiting to see what is left after the destruction.

Without doing anything I have been striving internally.  It is like warning signals are going off inside and all around me.  When I begin thinking about one issue another area of issues pops up and takes my focus away.  I have been striving like never before.  My thoughts have been clouded and I have not been myself.

It is natural to strive when things go wrong.  Maybe things went wrong because I was not showing enough attention to a specific area.  If I strive to figure things out I can somehow fix it all.

God is showing me that relief and clarity do not come in striving, they come in peace.

Earlier today I was so exhausted from it all that I couldn't get out of my bed.  I needed to get up and go to church to get some things done but I literally could not get out of bed.  I stayed there and thought "God what do I need to be learning right now?"  His response was " Trust Me."
Right then and there I stood up, got dressed, and began saying out loud what I believed about God and my life.  I started saying "I am a son of Abraham and his blessings are mine.  I am blessed in my coming and blessed in my going.  I am blessed in the city and blessed in the field.  My descendants will be as vast as the stars in the skies."  "I am a brother of Jesus and a son to The Father.  He has a plan for my life.  A plan for good and not for evil.  I have been healed and blessed and I am prosperous."  I audibly spoke anything and everything I could think of that told me who I am in Christ Jesus.  I was not thinking about the issues I was dealing with, I was not thinking about solutions to my problems.  I was focusing on who I was in Christ.  I had stopped striving and instead confessed who I was in total peace.

Psalm 34:4,5 says
   4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
   5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

Among other things the hebrew word for "sought" means to "frequently follow".  Following someone can be difficult or easy depending on the trail you are on.  Jesus said in Matthew "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."  Therefore we know that frequently following Him will not be a burden we are unable to handle.

To seek The Lord is not to strive.  To seek The Lord is to remain in peace in His presence and in the understanding and knowledge of who you are in Him.

My plan to succeed during these times of difficulty in my life is to remain in His presence and to remain in His peace.  To remind myself daily who I am in Him and to remind myself of His promises to me.  I never asked God to make the promises to me, I wasn't alive when He made them.  Therefore I do not feel guilty or greedy when I remind Him what He said He would do.  He said He would do all things according to His glory.  He said He would do exceedingly and abundantly beyond all I could ask or think.  I refuse to feel greedy when I expect Him to hold true to His word.

Wherever you are right now, if things in life are falling to pieces, if friends and family members are going through tough times, or if things are great for you, choose to remain in His peace and refuse to strive for the answer to your prayers.

Working yourself into blessing

I have been thinking lately. That's right, I have been thinking. If we get out of something what we put into it...why do we expect more than we should out of life? I have been thinking about this in relation to the outward working of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am flirting a line of saying that "works" will bring us the gifts of God. That is Not necessarily true. Does God require sacrifice and service to Him? Yes, But God does not only release blessings to His children after they have "done the dishes". Think of our salvation, none of us had to work for that. If that were true none of us would ever receive anything from Him. Read Romans for a better understanding.
I believe that grace brings us to a certain point with God. I believe that our actions bring us to a higher point. Again, we cannot work our way into heaven or into love and relationship with God but we can work our way into greater blessings. The blessings God extended to Abraham are ours today. We are descendants of Abraham which means his blessings are ours. Unless we work into those blessings we will not receive them. When I say work I mean pray, have faith, trust in those blessings. Having faith in God and His word is work, It requires constant fellowship with Him and constant study of His word. Certain amounts of faith are birthed in us from the beginning but greater faith requires work, practice, patience.
Sit down and examine your life with God. Ask Him to show you where you can decrease and He can increase. Consider how you can do more.