We who are Christians are the radiant dust which became dirt and lost its glory.
For a Christian (Matthew 6:31-33) to worry is to slander God, not just about physical and material needs but also for victory in every situation. How rich is God? His riches are according to His limitless wealth (Philippians 4:19) in Christ Jesus and that is the Source from which we will be filled to the full and overflowing for all our needs. Why would we waste our time worrying, or attempting to figure things out or trying to conjure up what to do? Worry can be harmful to our physical and emotional health but will achieve nothing to help. If (Matthew 6:33) your main concern is God’s kingdom He will abundantly supply your every need. If you were watching a parade, when you saw the beginning of the parade you would not be able to see the end of it. If you were over the parade in a helicopter. you could see the start and the finish of it. Eternity (Isaiah 57:15) is God’s helicopter and He sees everyone, everything, everywhere, all the time from beginning to end. Nothing can be hidden (2 Chronicles 16:9, Job 24:1, 1 Peter 3:12) or kept secret from God because He has already declared (Isaiah 46:10) the end from the beginning.
If I am uncertain or totally ignorant of what is coming up for me, I can have perfect peace, assurance and security. How? Because I know that my loving heavenly Father knows exactly what it is, when it will come, how long it will last, what will be the outcome and (1 Peter 5:7) He never stops caring for me. The Lord has all the wisdom to know what is best for me. He has all the power to do what is best for me. He always loves me so He always wants what is best for me. He is always with me so He always does what is best for me. It’s obvious that there is no place and no room for worry in God’s program for me.
If we embrace the Omniscient foreknowledge of our all-wise God we will be protected from error and deception. Or we can foolishly choose to go it on our own. Do you turn off the light of your conscience when temptation beckons you? If you do, you will be (Matthew 6:23) groping in the dark by your own choice. If you continue to turn off the light the darkness will become greater, more intense and eventually you won’t even be aware of it because your conscience (1 Timothy 4:2) will become seared, cauterized and calloused.
The FLESH is the self-centered human nature without God. The traits of the flesh are listed (Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 2:1-3) and we all have inclinations toward one or more of them. But we don’t have to make them our lifestyle because we have the enabling power (Romans 8:2) of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Father has delivered us from the control and dominion of darkness (Colossians 1:13) and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Now that we are in the kingdom of Light why would we flirt with the dangerous control of darkness? (Dr, Tozer) “Unquestionably the highest privilege granted to men on earth is to be admitted into the circle of the friends of God”. The habit of expressing and taking time to express our thankfulness to God for everything is a great focus adjuster.
I could not have been CHOSEN (Ephesians 1:4) in Christ before the foundation of the world if Jesus had not been (Revelation 13:8) the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world because God knew all my wicked sins and evil motives long before I was born. The gracious Holy Spirit is taking me into deeper understanding of how truly amazing God’s GRACE really is, as I ponder (Ephesians 1:7-9) the mystery of God’s will and the miracle of His Grace. There is no possible way (Titus 3:4-5) we could be saved by works because we were chosen in Christ ages before we arrived on earth to do anything. If some were chosen and some were not chosen it would have to be on the loss of merit. BUT - - None, not even one person was excluded from the grace-filled possibility of being chosen. So how was the choice made? Chosen - - not according to earning, not according to deserving, not according to achieving but according to God’s Omniscient foreknowledge of each and every individual personally and of all who would believe and receive God’s mercy and grace and eternal salvation through faith in the shed Blood and atoning death of Jesus (John 3:36) the only Saviour. Because of my sin, Almighty God became a Baby. There would have been no resurrection victory of the risen Lord if Jesus had not been the Baby of Bethlehem. But if all we have is Christmas and Easter, we would still be where Adam had plunged us - - in the kingdom of darkness. There had to be something else, something to link these 2 miraculous events and give them meaning. Look! There is an altar in the shape of a Cross and it stands between these 2 supernatural realities. Before the Bethlehem Baby could become the risen Lord, the Lord of lords and King of kings, He had to be God’s Passover Lamb. These eternal Truths, beyond comprehension or describing, are the very fibre and fabric and foundation of our new Life in Christ. Have they become so familiar that we have lost our worshipful wonder? How much of our time do we steward to meditate on them and express heartfelt gratitude for them?
While I was getting washed this morning I was talking to the Lord about various odds and ends and He made this fact a jewel for me to wear on my heart. The many things God does for me in the small details, the daunting uncertainties and the major necessities, He would not do if He didn’t love me. Because (Jeremiah 31:3) He loves me with an everlasting love, nothing can ever change His love
for me and He will never stop loving me. This is WHO God is and WHAT He is but it is not ALL He is. His love can never contradict His character of holiness and justice. We have the grace-rich privilege of pursuing deeper knowledge of God and knowing Him in ever-increasing intimacy. Oh, the surpassing kindness and wisdom of God and the incredible preciousness of His companionship. In these tumultuous times we need to be steadfastly loyal to Jesus.
(Dr, J.Vernon McGee) said “The reason the lions didn’t eat Daniel was because Daniel was 3/4 backbone and 1/4 gristle.” Like Daniel there should be nothing in us for Satan to chew on, nothing in us that he finds inviting. The beauty of holiness will always repel and defeat the prince of darkness because he is terrified and helpless when confronted by the True Light. We who are Christians are the radiant dust which became dirt and lost its glory. Now, we are that redeemed dust which is in the process of regaining its glory by finally being totally conformed again to the Divine Image. If I am filled with Jesus I will be (2 Timothy 2:21) a vessel unto honour, pouring out God’s love and sweetness on others.
I am thrilled with the God-given privilege of dig – dig – digging into GOD’S WORD and the holy joy of discovering more and more priceless jewels and the purest of pure gold. Then in loving closeness with the Holy Spirit, I make them my very own. If the Lord Jesus Christ is living in us and we are living in Him, constantly abiding in Him, then --- we can’t lose for winning!!!