This is what I have learned from reading God's Word and hearing His Word preached in a respectful, holy reverence.
Thank God for Pastor Joseph Prince, who received inspiration from the Holy Spirit to provide a fuller, richer, more welcome revelation on everything which God is doing in our lives.
Righteousness is what matters. His gifts of righteousness and the abundance of grace, both gifts which we receive because of Christ Jesus, make all the difference, and they make the difference every day in every way (Romans 5:17).
I have faced some interesting challenges this past week. Intriguing and interesting. Without going into great detail, I submit that the challenges I was facing, should be challenges that I would never have to face again. Then I felt bad, because I was thinking to myself "Here I am again. I thought I would never have to face these hardships again."
That line of thinking, that standard which I had drawn for myself, was a standard which God had not imposed on me. I brought myself under this strange condemnation once again.
I am not where I was three years ago, five years ago, ten years ago. What's different today is that I understand God's gift of righteousness in ways which I had not realized or received before. I "knew" that God was not condemning me for my sins or for anything else before.
Now it has come much more deeply into my heart. I was feeling bad about facing challenges which I had faced before. These issues come to everyone in many ways. The setbacks I have faced before, the situations where I have found myself today, cannot be resolved with a sense of shame.
Shame is dead. Jesus died on the Cross to take all of our sin, all of our shame, all of our failures. The answer is not to look backwards. There is no reason for us to wonder why we find ourselves where we are. The best thing for us to do is ... to keep looking at Jesus, the Author and Finisher of Faith (Hebrews 12: 1-2).
It's time to stop feeling bad about whatever situation you find yourself in. Ruth didn't look at her circumstances. She did not consider her heritage, her previous actions. She said to her mother-in-law: "Your God will be my God. Your people will be my people." It's as simple as that.
She then banked on God's favor: period.
Let me bring this to a brief discussion earlier today. I contacted a friend of mine for guidance on something. I explained the challenge I was facing at this time today. He explained to me what was going on with others, and he outlined the demands on his time, too. First, it woke me up. Whatever concerns I am dealing with, I am not the only one facing those concerns. Other people are in worse or more difficult situations than I may be facing.
Second, he said something very straightforward: "Don't feel bad. You are not alone."
These are circumstances which I find myself in, and they are not necessarily of my doing. Yes, I get to make wise, well-reasoned responses. There is a clear set of responsibilities that I must take into account. But unlike in years past, I do not feel guilty, I do not feel alone. I am not abandoned by God, for He has promised "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13: 5)
Since this time going forward, I have learned to do the following:
1. Keep asking for God's grace. Do not stop. I need God's grace, His unmerited favor every day! I didn't ask for His favor in my life every day. It's still so strange to me, sometimes.
2. Second, we need to go wherever we can, because our stepping out demonstrates trust in God's favor in our lives.
"2And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter." (Ruth 2:2)
I wasn't willing to go out looking for favor, looking for opportunity because I had felt like a failure. I felt that way, that's all. Feelings are not truth, and we need to learn to take God's Word as the full and final definition of who we are.
3. I didn't pray a lot from a position of need. I would simply say "God, show me something." I was asking for wisdom, but what does Hebrews 4:16 say?
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
I have greater need of His favor in my life every day. For the longest time, I have arrived at certain points in my career, my activism, my walk, whatever ... Since when do I stop asking Him for more favor? Never!
4. I started praying for other people's needs, too. I didn't do that in the past. I just wouldn't.
Yet in at least two instances (and I know that there are more), God shows how prayer for others helps to release God's favor in our lives. First, Abraham prayed for the household of Abimelech, and the ladies in his harem and house bore children. Job prayed for his friends, and then God turned his captivity (John 42:10).
I had written previously that God was shaping my mind and soul to believe more of the truth, to walk in the righteous gift of God's grace in a new, lighter, better way as I had not before.
That is starting to happen. This is really awesome!
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