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God is “Not Trying”

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This article was written by a friend.

This morning God revealed to me some perception issues we have about Him and how we see and hear or rather don’t see and hear. In my conversation with my wife this morning, she stated “I think God is trying to help you do….…..” I responded “what if He is Not trying?” She said what do you mean? Are you saying God is not trying to help you?” I responded “say the same statement leaving out the word trying.” She said “I think God IS helping you do……” I was not trying to pick apart the obvious intention of my wife’s statement, but I discerned how our words reveal our mindset, in this case the outcome. I realized the Lord was revealing how many times I incorrectly use the word trying when I describe what He is doing, revealing my own mindset. The Lord many times will cause me to experience what He experiences from me, so I know what it feels like. Our clear perception of His truth makes it operational in our lives.

God has already overcome the world, He already finished His work. He is not unable to deliver what He promised. He is renewing our mind and He is leading us to truth. Despite my inability to perceive or receive does not change that He will bring His promises to pass. I believe that when we are using the word “trying” in our description of what God is doing, we reveal uncertainty in our mind about the outcome or finished result. If we have uncertainty in our mind we entertain the possibility of a different outcome than God’s promise.

Matthew 4:19 (NKJV) Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

God is not trying to make you, He is making you! It seems a subtle difference of words, but reveals a huge difference in mindset. Can we believe He will rather than He is trying? Does that difference change our expectation and confidence in the midst of tribulation and trial? Does that change our perception of the steps He ordered for us and why we are standing where we are standing? I realized how subtle wrong perceptions can hinder the peace and confidence in the way we walk, whether knowing or hoping. The Lord spoke to me clearly on one occasion saying “your kingdom walk is in your “knows”, and what you speculate about I will bring to your knowing when you need to know it.” God knows we cannot be shaken from what we know. We walk confidently in what we know. However knowing His truth and love is paramount in walking in His truth in love.

Consider that God is not trying to make you like Him; He is making you like Him.

Knowing Him and Trusting in His Love and Goodness

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Yesterday my niece and her husband lost their 10 month old baby girl.  In our grieving the Lord impressed upon me the words He spoke to me several years ago; “Your kingdom walk is in your knows and what you speculate about I will bring to your knowing when you need to know it.”  We cannot understand why we suffer such tragic loss in our life, but we know our Lord and that He is with us and we must rest in what we know in Him.  My wife Sherry felt impressed to write the following concerning the loss of little sweet Cate. I am posting these words because I believe they may be a salve to open wounds and a heavenly perspective for those suffering their own loss. This is the Facebook post she made:

“I by no means have been appointed official spokesperson by my wonderful family.  No one even knew I would post, nor did I know I would be posting anything on Facebook today.  The Lord has been dealing with my heart as Scott and I have been praying for sweet Brittany, Lane, Olivia and Ava, Kenny, Rhonda, Hayley (the most amazing Aunt in the world) and the entire Thompson, Baker and Roberts families.  I would first like to say that we love and appreciate everyone so much for your prayers and words of encouragement.  Where would we be without the Lord, and where would we be without all of you rallying around us so lovingly and prayerfully at the sorrowful passing of our beloved Baby Cate.  Cate was truly a precious gift from the Lord, as are all of our children.  As James says in scripture, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  Baby Cate is a perfect gift that we have been so blessed to love and cherish and will continue to love and cherish as we remember her sweetness and beautiful face full of smiles.  Can anyone explain why things like this happen?  I sure cannot, and I will not try.  What the Lord has been dealing with me about is to trust who He is and know that there is no variation or shadow of turning with Him.  He is good all the time, His mercies are new every morning, His love and faithfulness is great and everlasting,  and there is nowhere we can go nor any pain we can go through that He does not cherish us and hold us in the palm of His hand.  We do mourn, as right now, Brittany and Lane would love nothing more than to have their little family together again, but we do not mourn as those who have no hope.  Our hope is in you Lord and the promise that we will see you, Cate and all of our loved ones in you again.  As you tell us in Isaiah, it is you, Lord, who gives us a crown of beauty instead of ashes and the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  We will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.  If you do not know this wonderful loving Jesus we serve, you can.  Please seek Him today with your whole heart, and He will meet you right where you are.  We love you all.”

God Bless you, and thank you Lord for allowing us to have each other and the precious gift of our time with baby Cate. We are grateful she is with you and we will be with her again because of you Lord.

 

Kingdom Blessings – Christ Exalted

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Kingdom Blessings – Christ Revealed and Exalted

 

The Cross of Christ was/is a blessing that is greatly misunderstood in my humble opinion. A true blessings such as the Cross of Christ is the giving of oneself regardless of monetary, commercialism, self seeking even unto one’s death. True blessings don’t seek reward, recognition, notoriety or advancement. Real blessings are given even when it concerns life and death such as Christ Jesus blessing us with eternal life through His death and resurrection. To receive the blessings of the Kingdom you must accept the sacrifice of the Cross of Christ don’t confuse earthly rewards, prestige or worldliness with Kingdom blessings. The Lord will have no part of it as you glorify the idols of your heart. It is Christ that must be glorified and exalted.

We are to reveal Christ Jesus just as Jesus revealed the Father and being a blessing to others is part of revealing Christ in us the hope of Glory! 

1 Kings 17:8–24 (AMP)
8 And the word of the Lord came to him: 
9 Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. 
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her, Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 
11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. 
12 And she said, As the Lord your God lives, I have not a loaf baked but only a handful of meal in the jar and a little oil in the bottle. See, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it—and die. 
13 Elijah said to her, Fear not; go and do as you have said. But make me a little cake of [it] first and bring it to me, and afterward prepare some for yourself and your son. 
14 For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: The jar of meal shall not waste away or the bottle of oil fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth. 
15 She did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. 
16 The jar of meal was not spent nor did the bottle of oil fail, according to the word which the Lord spoke through Elijah. 
17 After these things, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 
18 And she said to Elijah, What have you against me, O man of God? Have you come to me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son? 
19 He said to her, Give me your son. And he took him from her bosom and carried him up into the chamber where he stayed and laid him upon his own bed. 
20 And Elijah cried to the Lord and said, O Lord my God, have You brought further calamity upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 
21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord and said, O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child’s soul come back into him. 
22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 
23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the [lower part of the] house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, See, your son is alive! 
24 And the woman said to Elijah, By this I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.

Are you a blessing to the needy, the widows and the orphans? Do you bless people even when it costs you your very most. Did not Jesus multiply the loaves of bread and fish! 

 

Matthew 25:40–46 (AMP)

40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. [Prov. 19:17.]

41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 

42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 

43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care. 

44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? 

45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me. [Prov. 14:31; 17:5.]

 

46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life. [Dan. 12:2.]

 

Psalm 37:25 (AMP)
25 I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the [uncompromisingly] righteous forsaken or their seed begging bread.

James 1:27 (AMP)
27 External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.