He Withholds No Good Thing From Us

“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Gal 1:10

     I received my end of semester reviews which were down some from the previous semester. In mulling over any changes I might have made, the only one that struck me was that I’d started sharing my faith along with Scripture at the beginning of class. Though I can’t be certain that this impacted anyone negatively, it struck fear in my heart – fear that somehow people wouldn’t like me because of the gospel. I sat in my office counting the cost and thinking over the alternatives. I could choose to leave God out of my teaching and no one would say a word. It would just be my little secret.
     Even though we’re a Christian university, we admit many non-Christian students. One of my increasing burdens this year has been the need to share Christ with them, not just in deed but in word. This was a huge step of faith as the Holy Spirit helped me to overcome fear of rejection, persecution and even worse – failure. But remaining silent, when God clearly showed me that I was here for reasons beyond teaching English, was no longer an option. With wobbly knees and a pounding heart, I made my journey out of the fear and into the freedom Christ had purchased for me – freedom and joy to proclaim the Good News without feeling ashamed of it in any way, freedom to speak the truth in love even if it means saying something others don’t want to hear.
     But like most people on this planet, I want people to like me. I really enjoy the warmth of knowing that others find me acceptable. As I sat alone in my office trying to justify my decision to leave God out of the classroom, Galatians 1:10 came to my mind, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 
     I knew immediately what I had to do. It was a moment of surrender – one of those I experience when faced with a myriad of choices that run contrary to God’s will. I reluctantly held out my hands and offered up to him my reputation, my right to be liked, my intense longing to be successful. Like the apple in the garden, these desires gave promises that they couldn't deliver – worse yet, promises that would leave me feeling empty and grieved. In their place, I took the promises of God that he’s for me, that he withholds no good thing from me, and that by seeking him first I’m guaranteed the kind of blessings that benefit my soul and others. By seeking first his kingdom and righteousness he says that all the other necessary things will be given to me as well. It appears on the surface like suicide -- to risk everything the world defines as success in order to follow God and submit to his truth. But underneath is the Spirit's testimony regarding God's word that it's true and reliable. Once again, by faith and by his grace, I'm stepping out on the water and believing God. 

Walking in the Spirit

     Change. It’s not easy to implement or endure, especially as we get older. But God calls us daily to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, which means not just learning new truths but applying them. This, of course, involves change. I’ve gone through long periods of stunted growth where it appears I’m stuck in certain sin patterns unable to break free. But the reality is that if I’m in Christ, the old is gone and I’ve been made new. I’m no longer a slave to the things of the past but free to live in the newness of life that Christ has bought for me.
     It’s sad when as Christians we look and act so much like the world that it’s hard to tell the difference. We often view our sanctification as something that simply happens without much effort-- kind of like a magic pill that transforms us.  But God doesn’t force spiritual growth on us, and it only comes through surrender and obedience. By faith, we daily choose to live and walk in the Spirit as we apply God’s word to our world and thinking
     Each day is a journey involving dozens of crossroads. As we reach each one, we’re faced with a decision about how to respond. Do we return good for evil or evil for evil?  Do we choose to be a servant or to be served, to be honest or to lie, to forgive or hold a grudge? The list is endless. Though we can’t obey without God’s help, we also can’t expect him to possess us and force us to make the right choices. He wants to direct our steps and give us wisdom in all we do, but we’ll only have it as we’re asking for it and submitting to his leading.
     Every day, every hour, every minute, in fact, we have choices. We can decide to surrender and follow God’s leading or to be in control and do what our flesh desires. It may seem like there aren’t severe consequences to many of our small choices, but together they form the framework of our lives. Weeks pass into months which, before we know it, become years. The life choices we make on a daily basis develop into the spiritual or fleshly patterns of our lives.
     These sin patterns don’t appear overnight, and they’re not usually broken overnight either. There are several areas in my life right now that I know need to be surrendered afresh to God. As I’ve been yielding my will to his and asking for wisdom to grow and change, I’m sometimes disappointed by my slow progress. At times it’s one step forward and three steps back. The temptation is to give up and go back to the old way of doing things, the old way of thinking, because it’s familiar and easy. But the Spirit continues to remind me that he’s come so that I can be truly free. Walking and living in that freedom involves struggle that eventually gives way to fruit. The more I walk in the Spirit and resist the pull of the flesh, the more fruit my life will bear and the more joy and peace I’ll experience.
     I’m praying again this morning that I’ll choose faith over fear today, kindness over anger, a genuine life over insincerity, that I’ll speak the truth in love. Because God is at work in me giving me these desires I can trust him for the power to resist temptation and to choose a life of love in Christ. You can too!
     “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Gal 5:16

Pray and Don't Give Up

    God says that we should keep praying and not give up. It’s all too easy to quit when the road is uphill and there’s no relief in sight. It’s often tempting to throw in the towel, to doubt God’s willingness or ability to intervene and go on with life as best we can. But God says, “No.” He wants us to persevere with absolute certainty in his goodness and power. Though we can’t always discern how he'll answer, we can relax in the guarantee that he will answer.
     I’ve started a new prayer journal that’s different from ones I’ve had in the past. In this one, I’m recording answered prayers on three different levels: those that have been answered in a day or week, those that have been answered after a year and those that have come to fruition after five or more years of prayer. I got this idea from one of the great missionaries who kept a journal of all his answered prayers.
     One of the first things that struck me when I started recording the answered prayers for the week was just how many things God had provided that I’d prayed about. Nothing is too small or big to take to him in prayer and nothing is a coincidence when it works out for our good and his glory. As I looked over the list I realized how much of my daily victories I take for granted -- like returning good for evil when someone attacks me with words or having the strength I need to accomplish a task way out of my comfort zone. On a larger scale, I saw so many answers to prayers that I prayed for many years like marriage, children, ministry opportunities, healing and financial provision.
     The parable of the unjust judge challenges me time and again to keep on praying even when I want to quit. If the judge, though only human and evil, responded to the pressing requests of the persistent widow,  how much more will our loving heavenly Father graciously answer us when we cry out to him. Unlike the judge, God doesn’t need to be persuaded to do us good, but rather he often tests us to see if we’re going to relentlessly cling to his promises, allowing them to dictate truth rather than our circumstances. He doesn’t delay in answering to tease or torture us but to grow and strengthen our faith so that we may be “mature and complete lacking in nothing.” Because he’s the God of all wisdom and power, he’s able to use our answered prayers for purposes beyond human understanding. Many times we think that our personal struggles are only about us when in fact they have a ripple effect that affects multitudes. Through his kindness and love in answering our prayers we’re brought to repentance for unbelief and our faith is strengthened, we grow in grace and knowledge of his love, others see his power and love and put their hope in him, advancing his kingdom and giving him the glory due his name.
     I don’t know what you’re praying about right now, but I have short and long term prayers that press on me daily. They include everything from practical needs to extremely complicated and urgent ones. There are days and weeks when I grow weary in standing upon the Word and asking God to answer. But God always eventually brings me back to this lesson of perseverance. I may go to my grave, like Abraham, never having realized certain prayers for loved ones or even for myself. But by his grace and the power of his Spirit I will persevere in asking, seeking and knocking.
            God is at work. He is faithful, powerful and loving. He knows the who, what, where, when and why of every one of my prayers and he’ll answer them at the right time – not a second too early or late. The question is not whether he’ll be faithful to do all that he’s promised, but if I’ll be faithful to persevere in faith and trust.

“I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Lk 18:8