He is my God

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand."

Psalm 95:6-7a

Through faith in Jesus, I belong to God; I am His and He is mine (John 1:12-13).  How can I worship Him in the way I live my life (Romans 12:1)?

Listen.  Sheep know their shepherd's voice.  There could be many people giving them commands, telling them what to do,  calling their names, but only the voice of their master can make them come running (see video demonstration).

Likewise, Jesus is my Good Shepherd and as such, He is my Master (John 10:14-16).  When I designate Him as my King, my Leader, my Lord, I will be able to pick His voice out from all the other commands I hear in life. "Run after this, go there to find meaning, do this and you will succeed."

Even if my enemy mimics the voice of my Shepherd, I will be able to distinguish the phony, counterfeit voice from the real thing.  The more I choose to follow my Jesus, the better I'll get at hearing His precious truths whispered to my heart.  Then I'll be able to tune out the static of this modern life that distracts, enticing me away from the life-giving voice of my Savior and Lord.

In order to worship God in the way I live my life I must pay attention to the voice of my Shepherd.

Open.  I tried to pour the fuel into the tank of the lawn mower, but nothing happened when I tipped the gas can over.  The newfangled spout on the fuel container required that I hold the valve open as I poured, otherwise the grass-cutting machine would not be able to receive the energy needed to do it's job.

In similar way, I must be open in order to receive the life-giving power from Jesus.  He is ready to teach me, transform me and bless me, but I must be willing to take what He has to give.  If He is the Potter and I am the clay, I must be pliable and soft.  Instead of resisting His attempts at molding me into the Son-resembling shape He meant for me to take, I will be mold-able in His hands.

In order to worship God in the way I live my life I must be open to receive His teachings, like putty in His hands.

Trust.  I know what God is capable of doing.  I read about examples of His might throughout Scripture and I've seen Him work wonders before my own eyes.  He's softened the hardest heart, provided needs when it seemed there was no hope, opened doorways that had seemed to be sealed shut;  yes, I've witnessed amazing feats of His power.

Why, then, do I panic when all seems to be falling apart?  Or why does my stomach twist into a knot when He leads me to a mountain as I travel on the path He has marked out for me? Or why do I freak out when I face what looks to be impossible?

Because I'm so much like the Israelites who only saw the problem and forgot the might of the God who led them (Exodus 17:1-7)!  They doubted His ability to save them, provide for me, and lead them.  And I often make the same mistake.  When instead I trust Him, I find a supernatural power to propel me forward until I realize He made the impossible possible.  I got through the difficulty, I crossed the mountain, I conquered the hopeless through faith in the God of the impossible!

In order to worship God in the way I live my life I must trust Him to do whatever is necessary to take care of me as I encounter potholes and obstacles during my journey.

I belong to God through faith in Jesus.  As His child, I have a Father who loves me and cares for me perfectly.  Yet I often live my life as if He doesn't exist let alone care for me so attentively.  How can I change the way I live so that my very day-to-day existence brings glory to Him?  I can listen to His voice, be open to receiving what He has to give and how He wants to change me, and to trust Him implicitly with all the details of my life.  In these ways, my life will send the message that "He is my God."

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God with every detail.

How do I ignore the voice of Jesus as He attempts to lead me?

When do I panic in the face of danger, turning away from the all-powerful God who is ready to help me?

Before You Speak

"Should I continue to wait, now that you are silent?

Must I also remain silent?

No, I will say my piece.

I will speak my mind.

For I am full of pent-up words,

and the spirit within me urges me on.l

I am like a cask of wine without a vent,

like a new wineskin ready to burst!

I must speak to find relief,

so let me give my answers."

Job 32:16-20 NLT

I often feel like young Elihu; that I have to get things off my chest.  But is it always wise to speak, or is there something I should keep in mind before spouting off at the mouth (Proverbs 17:28)?

Sensitive.  His voice is so quiet, His Spirit speaking gently to mine.  He's easy to ignore and I often pretend I don't hear the soft promptings.  Don't say anything.  Or sometimes, Not now.  But the words I long to speak seem so wise and helpful; just what my friend needs to hear.  Only God, however, knows the heart and perceives her readiness to accept such a message.  Therefore, listening to His voice is vital.

What would have happened if Philip, one of the believers who were scattered after the killing of Stephen, disregarded the direction of the Lord?  He was told by an angel to travel down the desert road that goes from Jersualem to Gaza.  He obeyed and soon met an Ethiopian eunuch traveling there.  The Holy Spirit prompted him to go to the man and soon he was sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:26-38).  If Philip had ignored God's promptings to approach the foreign man, he would have missed out on being part of such a sweet and joyous conversion.

God knows what is best for every situation.  He understands what each heart needs to hear.  Only He perceives whether there is willingness to listen or not.  Consequently, I'd be wise to let Him direct my paths, seeking His will in each and every situation instead of merely doing what seems right to me.

Instead of just saying what I feel needs to be said, I would be wise to be sensitive to His leading.

Who Gets the Glory?  Often, I want to say something because I desire the positive affirmation that comes from giving good advice.  If I'm honest with myself, even though I often deny it, I'm all about getting at least a little credit for spouting words of wisdom.  Therefore, with such a self-seeking sin nature, I must be careful, asking myself "Who will get the glory if I speak?"

If my heart is humble, it won't matter if no one knows from where the advice, counsel or support came, as long as God gets the glory.  Whether or not anyone acknowledges me will not make a difference, as long as His name is lifted high.  Even if no one ever realizes it was I who spoke the necessary message, it will be fine with me providing that much is made of God.

If my heart is feeling insecure, hungry for some positive affirmation, however, I may have an ulterior motive for speaking up.  It could be that I want a bit of the attention that comes from offering a good suggestion.  Or I could want at least a few accolades or a pat on the back for being clever enough to give such wise counsel.  Or it may be that I simply feel hungry for the spotlight, soaking in the encouragement that comes from such positive attentions.

Instead of just saying what I feel needs to be said, I must ask myself who will get the glory from the words I speak.

Build Up.  If the words I intend to speak come out of obedience to God's promptings, they will work to build up the faith of others, edifying the Body of Christ.  If, on the other hand, I speak on my own behalf, I'll probably find that I'm tearing others down or not making a difference to their faith walk at all, even if that is not my intention.

I had the bittersweet opportunity a few years back to encourage a woman that was weathering a horrific ordeal.  Her teenage daughter had been abducted from their home.  As she desperately searched for her only child, this single mom sought out encouragement from the Lord.  In response, I began sharing scripture and positive messages via text as God led me.  

One day, I felt like these messages were no longer being received as they once were.  Instead of heeding God's gentle warning, I plunged ahead, continuing the mission that was no longer from God.  Soon, the poor woman asked me to stop, telling me it was all getting to be too much.  Her message cut me to the core as I realized I had gone too far, entering into the territory of hurting rather than helping, all because I ignored the Lord's guidance.

Instead of just saying what I feel needs to be said, I must heed God's guidance so that I will build up those that will hear.

I can think of countless things to say, especially if someone asks for advice.  Before I speak, however, I would be wise to listen to what God is telling me, being sensitive to His leading, to make sure God is the one getting the credit, and that my words will build others up.  Just because I have something to say, doesn't mean it needs to be said.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can be sensitive to God's leading, especially in my speech.

When do I let my zeal drive me to say too much?

How am I guilty of seeking my own glory, even if only a little bit?