One of the things that I have a super-hard time with is realizing that this life that my purpose here on earth has nothing to do with me –it’s about God – it’s not about what I think I can do for Him – what I think I can offer Him. Friend, sometimes I tend to get a little mixed up in my relationship with the LORD – I sometimes think it’s a 50% / 50% partnership that I contribute to, but I don’t really think that’s a very Biblical theology.

Let’s hear what the Word of the LORD would say to us today.

7     “Hear, O My people, and I will speak,

O Israel, and I will testify against you;

I am God, your God!

8     I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices

Or your burnt offerings,

Which are continually before Me.

9     I will not take a bull from your house,

Nor goats out of your folds.

10    For every beast of the forest is Mine,

And the cattle on a thousand hills.

11    I know all the birds of the mountains,

And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

12    “If I were hungry, I would not tell you;

For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

13    Will I eat the flesh of bulls,

Or drink the blood of goats?

14    Offer to God thanksgiving,

And pay your vows to the Most High.

15    Call upon Me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” [1] – Psalm 50:7-15

When I read Scripture like this, it helps me realize a few things:

·         God is Holy and Sovereign – I am not.

·         When I am willing to submit to God, He is willing to show me the error of my ways – not the other way around. How often do we try to Monday morning quarterback God’s Plan & Execution? This is just flat-out wrong. He’s God – I am not.

·         God created everything; therefore, He owns everything – including the stuff that I may prize more than my relationship with Him.

·         There is no material gift that I can give Him that He doesn’t already have – He doesn’t need my gift, it’s me that needs to give it to Him as sign of my own submission to Him.

·         Not that He does have need, but even if He did – He wouldn’t tell me. He’s the strong vessel – I am the weak vessel. Him asking me for something would be like me asking Grace (my 2 year old) to take me to dinner – it’s just not going to happen.

·         God wants His children to be thankful for all we have and to call on Him when this Fallen World bears down on us – not seek some sort of psychological babbler who is willing to take our money (His resources) while we talk in circles about our problems and pop little magical pills that help us “cope.” God doesn’t want us to just “cope” with life – He wants us to be more than conquerors through faith in Christ (Romans 8:37).

So when I read Scripture, especially Scripture that illustrates the heart of God, and I ponder its application in my life, I am fully convinced that my relationship with God isn’t a 50% / 50% deal – it more like 99.9% (Him) / .1% (me), and even that may be overstating my role. What’s my .1%? That’s simple –  it’s demonstrating my faith in His Son – demonstrating love for Jesus the Christ – trusting in His Finished Work on the Cross – not my pitiful gifts and offerings.

My friends, we are completely unworthy to be called Children of God, but that’s the great part of Grace – He loves us in spite of ourselves.

What’s the application here? Man, once we understand these concepts, then we will move from ritualistic religion to  a developing a relationship with the LORD, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Spiritual Life won’t be about sitting in a pew or doing this… or that… – it will be about Loving Christ – using His Spirit to become more like Him – Blessing Him by truly worshiping Him through obedience to His Word. Yeah, that’s what it’s all about – that’s what our purpose here on earth is (regardless of how many days we were allotted or how many we have left).

Love and serve the LORD – not because He needs you, but because you need Him.

Father, You are our Awesome God. Thank You for loving us – help us to continually remember our purpose here on earth. It’s in Jesus’ Holy Name we pray – Amen.

Semper Fidelis,

Jesse

The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ps 50:7–15.

Biblical theology · Holy Spirit · Loving Christ · Psalm 50 · Psalm 50:7–15

The idea that God predestines certain people to do certain things in this world is sort of a touchy subject among Christians, but our text today indicates that this may in fact be the case – that God ordains some from the womb to accomplish great things.

Let’s hear what the Word of the LORD would say to us today.

The Prophet is Called

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

Before you were born I sanctified you;

I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

⁶ Then said I:

“Ah, Lord God!

Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

⁷ But the Lord said to me:

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

For you shall go to all to whom I send you,

And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

⁸ Do not be afraid of their faces,

For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

⁹ Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. ^[1] – Jeremiah 1:4-9

I don’t think there is much wiggle room to argue whether or not Jeremiah was “Pre-Destined” to be a prophet of God, but what about us? Was it just a few people here and there that are called to be used mightily by the LORD back then? What about now?

Well, back then – Old Testament Days – Yes, the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of God – only came upon only a select few, and when that happened, stand back because mighty things and words of wisdom were about to be spoken – there might be some fire coming down to consume a wet alter or a prophecy for the destruction of a nation.

Now these men and women of the Old Testament were powerfully used by God, but we should take care that we don’t put them up on a pedestal – letting their star-like stature blind us to the fact that they faced the same sinful/Fallen World problems as we do today… “What? These guys? No Way Man! They had the Spirit of God coursing through their veins – they were God’s honchos!” Yeah, I can agree that they were important in history, but James tells us that, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours…” (James 5:17). My friend, Elijah was one of the most powerful profits on record, but even he had a nature like ours, so don’t put some barrier up with yourself that makes you think that you can’t be used by God in powerful ways just because you think that “they” were different than you are – they weren’t.

But what about today? Well, if you are a Believer – if you have accepted Jesus as you Savior, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. So can you go out and do powerful things? Maybe – I don’t know. A lot of that has less to do with Salvation (if you’re Saved, you’re Saved) than it does with how close you’re walking with The Source of the Power – how much you love Him – how obedient you are to His calling – the closer your walk with Him, the more power you’re likely to demonstrate.

One thing to note though, something that a lot of Christians struggle with is the desire for Power – pulpit pounding –miracle healing – sulfur raining Power, but I don’t think these desires are very Biblical. When Jesus had to counsel the 12 because they were arguing about who would be the greatest in Heaven, He said that he who is the greatest servant would be the greatest in Heaven (Mark 9:35) – and that you should desire to be humble like children (Matthew 18:1-5). So if that is so, then maybe we should try to show our power by the humility of our fruit – Let’s hear from the Word of the LORD again.

…the fruit of the Spirit is:

love,

joy,

peace,

longsuffering,

kindness,

goodness,

faithfulness,

²³ gentleness,

self-control.

Against such there is no law.

²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ^[2] – Galatians 5:22-26

Now God may have something big in store for your life, if you’re willing to have a close walk with Him, but that walk is first going to demonstrate itself in the Fruit of the Spirit, and you have been empowered to accomplish that – from the womb we were “Pre-Destined” and “Ordained” to accomplish everything in that list. Let’s determine for ourselves today to start there.

Father, we thank You for Your Word and we pray that You would help us to apply it to our walk with You – help us to live and exhibit the Fruit of Your Spirit. It’s in Jesus’ Name we pray – Amen.

Semper Fidelis,

Jesse

---

The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Je 1:4–9.

The New King James Version. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Ga 5:22–26.

Called by God · Holy Spirit · Jeremiah 1 · the fruit of the Spirit · The Prophet is Called