Why does God allow us to go through tough times?

Have you ever wondered why things seem to sometimes happen in your life the way they do – or why God will sometimes allow us to go through difficult times in our life?

While there would seem to be a number of reasons referenced in the Word of God, one of the more unpopular reasons can be seen illustrated throughout the Old testament.

Psalm 103:7 tells us that God made His ways known to Moses and his acts to the people of Israel. From a historical perspective, this verse is telling us that as Moses was leading those two to three million Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, each one of them saw for themselves the miraculous acts of God. They saw all of the plagues that God poured out upon Egypt in order to bring the Pharaoh to the place that he would finally let them leave. They saw God split the Red Sea open for them and then hold back the Egyptians all night long until every last one of them made it across. They then watched God drown the Egyptian soldiers in the waters of the sea when they tried to pursue them. They came to a place three days later called Marah, where the waters were bitter, and they then saw God turn the water sweet so they could drink it. They watched as God provided manna in the morning and meat for them in the evening and when He provided them with shoes that wouldn’t wear out as they traveled. He even provided an oasis for them in the desert, where there were 70 palm trees and 12 springs of cool clean water. They saw all the miracles, the extraordinary acts and wonders of God, just as many of us have witnessed the outpouring of God’s Spirit in and through our own lives, but only Moses understood why God was doing those things.

Consider this important question . . .

What made the difference between Moses and the rest of those two to three million people that followed him out into the desert? Was it because He loved Moses more than the rest of the people? No; the scriptures say quite plainly that God isn’t a respecter of persons. Simply put, God doesn’t play favorites. Moses had some important things going for him that the vast majority of the rest of the people didn’t have: He walked with God, he placed his total confidence in God, he had a hunger to know Him better and he committed himself to being obedient to God in everything he did – and as the result, Moses knew His ways. Moses understood that God had a purpose, a reason for leading them out into that barren wilderness and that if he would simply place his faith in God, God’s purpose would eventually be fulfilled; (Romans 8:28). (Also consider 1 Corinthians 10:6)

When it comes to you and I being able to understand why God will sometimes allow us to go through difficulty in our walk with Him, we can learn something very important about the ways of God and how He moves in the lives of His people by considering the pattern that we see illustrated in Psalm 107.

Psalm 107 (the complete Psalm) is a particularly interesting Psalm especially when you consider it in light of the history of God’s interaction with His people as it was described in all the historical books of the Old Testament (which we have been going through in our morning Bible Studies). Consider for example the last verse of Psalm 107, verse 43, which is the punch line or the moral to the story (if you will) of the entire Psalm. It really sums it up quite well:

Psalm 107:43 (English Standard Version)
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. (What things?)

Psalm 107:43 (Amplified Bible)
Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.

In one of our morning Bible Studies we discussed the fact that the wisdom spoken about in Psalm 107:43 has to do with one’s ability to recognize the ways of God; what His pattern is in dealing with His own special people. As you begin to understand His ways, a lot of things begin to fall into place for you in terms of your understanding of the relationship that exists between you and God. Many questions become answered and it becomes much easier then for you to get in step with what the Lord is wanting to accomplish both in and through your life. Consider Amos 3:3 for a moment which asks the question “How can two walk together unless they be agreed?” How can you and I get on the same page and expect to accomplish anything if I don’t really understand who you are and I don’t understand your ways and what we are supposed to be working together to accomplish? The same principle applies with regard to our relationship with the Lord.

It’s also interesting to consider Malachi 3:6, where God tells us that He is the Lord, and that He does not change; and Hebrews 13:8, where we are told that Jesus (God who became flesh) is the same yesterday, today and forever. What does that suggest in terms of our present relationship with the Lord? When it comes to His pattern or His ways, He still deals with us in much the same way he dealt with His people in Old Testament times. Even though we now have the advantages that New Testament grace affords us (John 14:16), we are still His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) and He is still committed to raising us up in the way we should go (conforming us to the image of Christ – Romans 8:29). He is preparing a people, a remnant that will not only be a pure and holy reflection of Him in the earth but a people that will ultimately live in intimate fellowship with Him throughout all eternity. He’s preparing for Himself a Bride that will ultimately be without spot or wrinkle. And whether we are willing to acknowledge it and get in step with it or not, He is raising us up as any good parent would want to raise up their children. Consider for example Romans 1:20; we can see God – and His ways – illustrated in the pattern set forth in the Word regarding the structure of the family and the admonition to raise healthy children that will be considered Godly in the eyes of the world. Why would He not be willing to do for His own children what He is expecting of us where the raising of our children is concerned?

In 1 Corinthians 10:6, the Apostle Paul validates the fact that God is still very much involved in shaping the lives and the character of His people. God’s pattern in the Old Testament was to reveal Himself to His people, remind them that they were His and that He loved them; He desired their love in return and simply required that they demonstrate their loyalty to Him by walking according to His ways, He would then delight in blessing them over and above anything they could ask or think. He wanted them to be His special people. He wanted them to reserve themselves for Him and for Him alone. But inevitably, what was their tendency (including the majority of their Kings)? You can see the answer to that question demonstrated throughout all the historical books of the Old Testament. For example, consider books like Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, etc. You saw the same pattern repeated on the part of God’s people over and over and over again. It was really summed up best in Judges 21:25.

Judges 21:25 (English Standard Version)
Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 21:25 (Amplified Bible)
Every man did what was right in his own eyes.

So, what would God do in response to their turning away from Him? What would He do when they chose to go their own way? After typically sending a prophet to warn and to encourage them to turn back to God, He would eventually allow them to go their own way and, in time, suffer the consequences of their own disobedience. In some cases He would even use their neighbors to discipline them in an attempt to bring them to the place that they were able to finally see for themselves that God’s way was ultimately the best – and the only way. When they finally had had enough and they cried out to Him in repentance, He would hear their cries and answer, and in many cases would raise up a deliverer to save them out of their troubles. For example, you saw that pattern demonstrated quite often throughout the book of Judges. (Those He raised up in the book of Judges were type and shadow of the Messiah who was yet to come.) Even in the midst of all their failures, one thing you could say about God was that He would always be there for them. 2 Chronicles 7:14 beautifully illustrates the heart that He had toward His people (and still has). Their pattern, as well as God’s pattern in dealing with them, was a constant throughout scripture. And you see that beautifully illustrated (musically) in Psalm 107.

In our study of Psalms 107, we broke it down into six (6) separate sections, the first four of which illustrated the pattern of how He dealt with His people, the fifth which provided us with a great overview of God’s power, His Love and His blessings, and finally the sixth which included the very last verse of the Psalm, verse 43, which encouraged us to consider what was to be learned from the rest of the Psalm. We separated the six sections of the Psalm according to the following verses: Verses 1 – 7 Hunger and thirst; Verses 8 – 14 Slavery and bondage; Verses 15 – 20 Famine and illness; Verses 21 – 30 Stormy seas; Verses 31 – 42 An overview of the power and goodness of God that you would hope that His people would finally begin to recognize and appreciate, and come to truly value after having gone through so much and seeing God come to their rescue time after time after time; and finally the wisdom that was to be gained as the result was referred to in verse 43. The pattern that was consistently repeated in the first four sections was a) the encouragement to acknowledge and praise God for Who He was (and is) and for what He had obviously done in their lives; b) their drifting away or blatantly turning away from Him; c) God’s loving discipline, often times referred to as His judgment; d) their crying out to God in the midst of their trouble and pain; and finally e) God’s consistency in coming to their rescue and redeeming their lives, and again, showering them with blessings. You know, one would think that the obvious question would have to be: How many times are we going to have to go around this mountain until we finally get it? I know that I have had to come to that realization more than just a few times in my own life. Look, God loves us and what ever demands He may place on us will always be for our ultimate good and for His Glory. Just believe it and go with it! Why? Just consider Romans 8: 28-30. The world is watching and waiting! Romans 8:18-22.

The bottom line . . .

Well, Psalm 107 beautifully demonstrates the fact that we serve a Big God Who loves us and Who will typically demonstrate His love toward us in any number of unique ways – which includes tough love sometimes if that’s what’s called for in our life in order for Him to be able to accomplish something that will ultimately be for our good and for His glory – Philippians 1:6! Remember, we’re told in Hebrews 5:8 that even Jesus (our example) learned obedience through the things which He suffered; and if it was good enough for Jesus, it must be good enough for you and me. It’s just one of the ways of God.

Instead of allowing ourselves to become confused and frustrated when things don’t seem to be going our way, instead of whining and complaining about it like the Israelites did in the wilderness, let’s look at it from a Kingdom perspective and get excited about the work our heavenly Father is doing in our life and then seek to get in step with what He is wanting to accomplish both in and through us! (Philippians 4:6-7 combined with Romans 8:28-29 will produce true growth and character in the believer.)

One of the neatest things about Psalm 107 is that it reminds us that God is consistent even when we are not and that He can always be trusted to be true to Who He is as our Heavenly Father! See Psalm 100:5!

Until next time, go with God!

Jim

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

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What We Do

So how well do you follow instructions?

Jim Abbondante

Being a guy I understand the tendency to not always want to follow instructions, especially when I purchase something that needs to be assembled ‘before’ it can be used and enjoyed. After figuring out some of it on my own and then getting stumped, I will usually end up getting out the instructions, I’ll take the time to read through them and then I’ll follow the simple steps they provide and I’ll almost always succeed. How about you?

It’s not always fun having to follow instructions or directions but they are important because if you will simply read them, believe them and follow them, they will typically lead you through the process of producing some pretty outstanding results both in and through your life. Let’s take a few moments together to take a look at probably the most important instructions that our Lord gave all of us when He was here during His earthly ministry.

Let’s consider first Luke 4:18-19; Jesus had just completed His 40 days in the wilderness, He had overcome the attack of the enemy, He was baptized by John and He was confirmed by the Voice of God. Immediately following these extraordinary events in His life, one of the first things He did was to find His way to the synagogue where He stood up to read out of the Book of Isaiah, (specifically chapter 61, verses 1 and 2). You might say that He was formally introducing Himself to His own people as being their long awaited Messiah.

Luke 4:18-19 (King James Version)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Luke 4:18-19 (Amplified Bible)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound.]

Not only was Jesus formally identifying Himself as their Messiah (and ours), but He was also giving them (and us) insight into what His mission was and still is, and the specific instructions that the mission included. By the way, there was a reason why he stopped His reading in the middle of verse 2. Everything up to that point referenced His ‘first’ coming, and everything beyond that point referenced His ’second’ coming; but let’s get back to our main focus which was the mission assigned Him by the Father.

Now let’s ‘fast forward’ to the end of His earthly ministry. Jesus had invested three and one half years among His people focused on the accomplishment of His mission and following the instructions He was given by God. In simple terms, He loved His people, He set the example, He preached the Gospel, He taught His disciples and all those who were drawn to Him, He validated the fact that He was their Messiah through His teaching and by the miracles He performed (Mark 16:20), He then went to the cross, was crucified and was raised on the third day. The mission however, was still not completed.

It’s interesting to note that one of the very first things He did immediately following His resurrection was to go to where His disciples were. They were ‘laying low’ because it wasn’t particularly popular to be one of His disciples during that time. Anyway, Jesus was getting ready to return to the Father but He had some important instructions for His disciples before He left that He needed to deliver personally. Let’s take a look at what those instructions were in John 20:21.

John 20:21 (King James Version)

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

John 20:21 (Amplified Bible)

Then Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! [Just] as the Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you.

Now, let’s slow down for a minute and really think this through. What was Jesus actually saying to His chosen disciples? First of all, He was telling them not to worry or to be fearful, that it really was Him that they were seeing; and secondly, and more importantly, He was telling them that He was passing on to them the responsibility of completing the mission that He begun during His earthly ministry, the mission He was assigned by God our Father. He was telling them that it would now be up to them to follow through and complete the mission that He had begun and that He had actually been training them to complete during His time with them.

I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, his young protégé in 2 Timothy 4:7-8. On many occasions, when referring to the Christian life and our walk of faith in particular, Paul would use the example of an athlete ‘running a good race’. When you consider what Jesus was saying to His disciples in John 20:21, the picture I get is that of a ‘relay race’. Jesus was actually handing off the ‘baton’ if you will, to His disciples; not only to those who were there that day, but to us as well if you consider Jesus’ prayer in John 17: 20-21.

Well, we are told in Acts 1:3 that Jesus stayed with them for 40 days and continued to teach and speak of the Kingdom of God right up until the time He left to return to the Father. One of the very last instructions He gave His disciples before leaving can be seen in Mathew 28:18-20.

Matthew 28:18-20 (King James Version)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20 (Amplified Bible)

Jesus approached and breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

Jesus was not only passing on the ‘baton’ to them, but He was laying out the specific instructions they were to follow, in specific detail as God the Father had done for Him in Isaiah 61: 1-3. And, in addition, He reassured them by reminding them that it was going to be a ‘joint effort’ between He and them when He said that He would be ‘with them always’, even to the end of the age (or until the completion of the mission).

In essence, what He was saying was that while He expected them to continue on toward the completion of the mission after His departure, it was important that they understand that they would have to learn to rely on His presence within them in order to be able to follow and implement the instructions He had given them, which would then ultimately lead to the successful completion of the mission. You can see that illustrated in what He had said to them earlier in John 15:5.

John 15:5 (King James Version)

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:5 (Amplified Bible)

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

By the way, what ‘fruit’ was He speaking about? It was more than just the ‘Fruit of the Spirt’ referenced in Galatians 5: 22-23. James referenced the ‘fruit’ Jesus was speaking about in James 5:7. Jesus’ comment in John 15:5 explains why He told them in Acts 1:4-8 to go and wait for Him there in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit. He explained that upon receiving the Holy Spirit (His Spirit, His Presence, as promised in Matthew 28:20), they would then be empowered with the ability to execute the instructions He had given them, which would then lead to the successful completion of the important mission that God had assigned Him.  More specifically, He would then be able to complete His assigned mission ‘through’ them. Again, it was really intended to be a ‘joint effort’, as it still is today, in particular, given the fact the we are now His Body on the earth (Ephesians 1: 22-23). The mission was assigned not only to Jesus and the early disciples but also to those of us who today are His disciples, those of us who remain committed to being busy about our Father’s business  (the ministry of reconciliation II Corinthians 5: 18-21) and to hearing Him one day say, ‘Welcome home My good and faithful servant.’ So the question still remains – how well do you follow instructions?

Summary Questions

There is so much more that can be said about the mission and the instructions we have been given by the Father through His Word, but at this stage, I’d like to challenge you to consider each of the following questions in light of this brief study, and more importantly, in light of the call that’s on your life as a member of the Body of Christ. Ask the Lord to speak to you as you address each question individually. If you would like, you can feel free to share your answers and/or any observations you would like to make by clicking on ‘Leave a Comment’ located at the top of the article just below the main title – and just above the photo. I will then look forward to following up with a response.

What’s the mission?

What are the instructions?

What do these verses have in common?

Luke 4:18-19  What the Father sent Jesus the Messiah to accomplish;

John 20:21 What Jesus sent His disciples to accomplish;

Matthew 28:18-20  The specifics of what that involved;

John 15:5  The empowerment needed to get it done.

Who are they being directed to?

What’s the main message?

What should be our response?

How well are you following His instructions?

What was Jesus referring to in Revelation 3:16? (Ouch!)

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

Come see me on Facebook!

What We Do

Saved by Grace – Then What?

Jim Abbondante

There’s been a great deal of discussion as of late regarding the issue of grace; what it is, what it isn’t, etc; so I thought I would take a moment to maybe shed a little additional light on this extremely important subject. I say ‘extremely important’ because it’s at the very core of the Gospel message, and at the core of our entire salvation experience.

So, what is grace? We typically refer to it as God’s unmerited favor. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines grace as being God’s favor or His kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the individual who receives it, and in spite of what that same person deserves. Grace is one of the primary attributes of God. It’s a manifestation of ‘Who’ He is. Exodus 34:6 tells us that the Lord God is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and also as the source of anything and everything we may need in our life. God’s grace is the manifestation of His great love for us. And He manifests His grace, His great love for us, in a number of very significant and important ways throughout the course of our walk with Him, all of which are integral parts of our total salvation experience. His grace, which is His manifested love, which is His unmerited favor, takes on many different forms throughout the course of our Christian life.

For example, Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What this verse is saying to me is that as born again believers, God has (#1) forgiven us so as to be able to reunite us to Himself, and (#2) He has given us something very precious, a part of Who He is, a part of Himself, His very life, which is also referred to in scripture as His Presence, His Power, His Glory. He has given us His life to rely on for anything and everything we could possibly ever want or need in our new relationship with Him; Philippians 4:19.

Based on my own experience and also what I have seen in the lives of so many other professing Christians, I think the biggest challenge faced by so many of us has been the fact that we really don’t fully understand what that gift of God truly is, and everything that it includes. It’s so much more than just having been forgiven or saved and our being able to rest comfortably in the fact that we have escaped the torment of hell and eternal separation from God; Hebrews 6:1-3.

Let me ask you an important question; When you consider the free gift of God referred to in Romans 6:23, when does that eternal life actually begin? And when does it end? Is the eternal life referred to in Romans 6:23, the abundant life that Jesus was referring to in John 10:10? What kind of life is being referred to in both these verses, is it time or is it substance? (Actually, it’s both.) Strong’s concordance refers to it as “the state of one who is possessed of divine vitality or is divinely animated.” According to Romans 8:11, it’s the very power, the same Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead that you and I now have residing in us; What does it mean to be animated by this same Spirit? My question is this: Am I to understand that we are not supposed to begin enjoying the benefits of that free gift (forgiveness, acceptance and the very life of God that remains ours eternally) until after what occurs at the last trump, or can we begin enjoying it now?  Consider how Jesus responded to Peter in Luke 18:29-30, when He used the term “in this life and in the life to come.” Also consider John 5:19, and John 20:21.

In how many different ways would God have us benefit from our acceptance of His free gift in this life?  It’s an interesting question to consider in light of John 15:5. The real question is . . how do we go about experiencing more of what God has already given us as born again members of His very own family now in this life? How do we take greater advantage of what we see in His written Word now in this life?

God provided for our forgiveness so He could give us His life. Now that we’ve accepted His forgiveness, we need to begin to learn more about His life within us, and how it’s made available to us to transform us and to empower us, and what it really means to begin living the exchanged life. In II Corinthians 8:9, Paul describes the exchanged life when he says “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be made rich.” Made rich with what? The very Sprit of God; The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. Paul speaks about how to enter into this exchanged life in Romans 12:1-2. In chapter 8 of Romans he called it “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

Let’s see if we can go to work on unwrapping the free gift talked about in Romans 6:23, together so we can not only discover what’s inside but also be able to begin entering into the fullness of what it’s meant to be and do in our lives. (Consider Romans 8:18-19 and I Corinthians 2:9!)

Let’s start by looking at a few obvious examples of the grace of God from two very important perspectives: (#1) what it does for us initially and (#2) what it’s intended to do in us, for us and through us, on an on-going basis after our initial salvation experience, or after that moment when we initially asked Him to forgive us and we invited Him into our heart.

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. We were separated from God by our sin, and in our separated state we were not able to take full advantage of all that His tangible life within us could do for us. We had to depend on our self, on our own wisdom, on our own strength, and on our own ability to protect and provide for our self, and also in our own ability to be good enough to be accepted by God; Genesis 3:24.

Matthew 4:17 then told us to repent, to change our mind for the better, to heartily amend our ways for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand; Jesus was encouraging us to take full advantage of what God was getting ready to provide through Him (Jesus) in terms of His impending sacrifice. He was to become the manifestation of the grace or love of God, the Lamb, the Messiah that had come to take away the sins of the world, (your sins and mine).

Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrated His great love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This was and still is the Grace of God in action!

Romans 10:9 then told us that if we would confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we would be saved. Through that act of obedience on our part, this is where the Grace of God began in our life in terms of our initial salvation experience. This also began the pattern of us hearing, believing and simply doing what God says to us, believing that He would then, and will still today do what He says He will do as the result of our simple childlike obedience. The pattern that began at the point of our being born again wasn’t meant to stop there. That same pattern, if you will, is to become our way of life. It’s the only way to continue to access the grace of God that continues to be available to us in our life today. Tell me, what was James, the brother of Jesus referring to in James 2:20?

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us now that “By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Again, this is God’s love, His grace in action, it’s the initial part of the free gift referred to in Romans 6:23, but it’s not the whole gift. What was required on our part to be able to experience the initial life changing benefit of God’s grace? Simply believing and doing what He said.

Now let’s look at an example of God’s free gift of grace or His empowerment at work in our life after our initial salvation experience. There are many examples in the Word to choose from but in II Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul, the Apostle said “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations I’ve received, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, ‘My ‘grace’ is sufficient for thee.” Paul goes on to say “for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” What did Paul have to do at that point to access the continued grace of God in his life and ministry? The answer can be found in John 11:40. In addition, he was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s instructions found in Philippians 4:6-7.

So here in this passage we’ve just looked at is another manifestation of the grace, or the continued unmerited favor of God being manifested in the life of a believer, this time after his initial salvation experience. This was His empowering grace at work in Paul’s life. In this case Paul needed both reassurance and God’s enabling power to overcome the difficulty that he was facing as he performed the ministry given him by God. This was an awesome example in Paul’s life of what Jesus referred to again in John 15:5, that apart from Him, (apart from His life and power at work within us), we could do nothing; and we have the very same need in our walk today. Paul went on to say “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Instead of Paul attempting to do it on his own, he acknowledged his weakness, his need for total dependence on God, he believed what God said and in obedience, he trusted God to do it for him. (You see the same pattern we referred to above when we applied Romans 10:9 in our life initially.)

Like Paul, you and I need God’s grace to be manifested in our life in any number of different ways from the moment we are initially born again to the moment we depart this life to go to be with the Lord, or when we go to meet Him in the air at the last trump. Ultimately, we’re totally dependent on the manifestation of the Love of God in our life, meaning His Grace – His Empowerment – from start to finish. The secret, if you will, to being able to take full advantage of the grace of God, His free gift in our life, is to humble our self and to become totally dependent in His leading and on the manifested power of God in every area of our life, both of which are manifestations of God’s grace in our life. It’s all about living life from a Kingdom perspective, walking daily with the Lord, listening to what He says and then simply doing it! Even when you think you can do it on your own – don’t! Choose to die to yourself; be obedient to simply do what He has said and then wait on Him to bring it to pass! See Luke 9:23 and Isaiah 40:31.

Let’s consider ‘grace’ and ‘works’.

Let’s consider Romans 6:23 again. Throughout most of my Christian life I was told that we are saved by grace and not by works; And also in James 2:20, that faith without works is dead faith. On the surface it would seem that there might be some contradiction where these two references are concerned. Well, what do you think? Is there?

In Romans we are being told that there is nothing we can do, we can’t be good enough to be deserving of God’s forgiveness. No one can meet all the demands of the law. I can’t work my way back into His presence. I can’t earn His forgiveness or His acceptance. In James we are being told that the only way that we can take advantage of the power of God that is residing within us is to simply follow His directions, or simply do what He says, knowing that it’s always going to be in our best interest because we belong to Him and He loves us. In other words, we are to simply believe whatever He tells us, whether it has to do with Him revealing Who He is, who we are in Him, or what He has given us through His written Word to live by, or when He gives us specific direction or instructions regarding any issue in our life. James is telling us that our role in the relationship is to simply do what we say we believe. We were saved initially by grace, meaning that we placed our faith, our confidence, in what He said to us and then we simply did what He told us to do. The pattern now remains the same throughout the balance of our Christian life. What we do now is not based on our desire for acceptance or based on our attempt to try and be good enough to get God to do something for us. We’re already good enough and He has already made provision for everything we could ever need. All we need to do now is simply place our faith in what He has said that He’s already done and simply be obedient to the truth that He has shown us in His Word, and what He will continue to reveal to us as we need it.

Let’s look at a simple example.

If you were a successful business owner who knew that I was out of work, and you came to me and said “Jim, I’ve got a great job for you; come join our team, just watch me and do exactly what I tell you and you’ll become extremely successful;” I might say, “Well, I don’t have any experience in your industry, I’ve made mistakes in my past, I’m not really very good at anything.” You would say to me “Come on in anyway, you don’t have to be qualified; I just love you, think the world of you and want you as a part of my team.” It would be up to me then to accept that free offer. However, once I got started in my new position, I would have to (as I was told initially) watch you closely, get to know you, learn from you and be very careful to do everything you told me to do so I could expect to be successful in my new position in your company. I’ve already got the job. That’s no longer in question. Now it’s all about me needing to be careful to do everything you tell me to do so I can achieve the success you want to see me achieve because of your love for me. Because I believe in you, I’m going to place my confidence in what you tell me and I am going to do everything you tell me to do, knowing of course, that when I do, I’m going to be as successful as you said I would be if I would simply do what you asked me to do. And the great thing about it is the fact that you have committed to be right there with me – helping me every step of the way! All I need from you now is for you to tell me where to go, what to do and how to do it! WOW, I’m excited! This is going to be easy!!

Let’s simplify grace.

To simplify the concept of grace, it can be broken into two categories, ‘Redemptive Grace’ and also ‘Enabling Grace’. By God’s ‘Redemptive Grace’ the righteousness of God is imputed to us by faith as expressed in Romans 3:22-26, and Romans 4:22-24.

According to God’s system of jurisprudence, the issue of sin had to be legally addressed and atoned for before we could be allowed to enter into His presence and be reunited with Him, and then receive His divine life (or His Divine Empowerment). As the result of our decision to accept the reality of our sinful condition and our willingness to sincerely repent and accept the forgiveness provided us by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ on our behalf, we are now seen as being righteous in God’s sight and we are now reunited with Him in Christ.

Now that we are reunited with Him in Christ, He imparts to us as believers, as members of His very own family, the ability to become partakers of His Divine nature, His very life as described in II Peter 1:4, His ‘Enabling Grace’. And this life, His life within us, now makes it possible for us to understand what He desires of us and it gives us the will and ability (or the power) to do it successfully. We can also now enter boldly into His throne of Grace during our time of need as described in Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 10:19-22, and take full advantage of what He is able and willing to do on our behalf according to the life that is at work in each of us who now belong to Him; Ephesians 3:20.

Let’s break it down still further.

‘Redemptive Grace’

We are forgiven, acquitted, justified, made righteous, and fully accepted by God. As the result we are reconciled and adopted into His family and we have been given everything now that pertains to life and godliness; II Peter 1:3. And on top of all that, we’ve also inherited everything! See Romans 8:17 and Galatians 3:29!

We no longer have to work for anything. All we do now is simply believe God. We take Him at His word, (His Logos and His Rhema Word), and we simply believe what He says about Who He is, about who we are and about how much He loves us. We simply relax, accept and cooperate with everything He wants to do in us, do for us and do through us, recognizing that He always has and always will have our best interest at heart. This requires nothing more than a simple, childlike faith. This is what Jesus was referring to in Mark 10:14. Talk about working smart vs. working hard . . . this is the ultimate example!

And by the way, faith is simply believing to the degree that you are willing to place your confidence totally in what He says – period; See Proverbs 3:5-6. Placing your confidence in something means that it will influence your perspective, your thought process, your decisions, your words and your actions. And let me tell you strait up, if you haven’t discovered it already, it’s not always as easy as it sounds because, as creatures of habit, we are used to seeing things from a totally different perspective, our own instead of His. We are used to doing all the thinking and having to depend totally on ourselves. That’s why seeking regularly to enter into the presence of God and staying in His Word is so very important. As creatures of habit, how have we approached getting good at anything we now do well? It’s been suggested that repetition is the mother of learning. With time and consistency, He will, by His Spirit, move us through the paradigm shift we need to experience if we will only show up and cooperate with the work of His Spirit in our life. That in itself is another manifestation of His grace. He will bring us to the place that we finally begin to habitually see things from His perspective as opposed to only our own. Only then can you truly walk in the faith that is referred to in Hebrews 11:6. He will do the work for us if we will only show up and let Him. That’s what Paul was referring to in Romans 12:1-2. Until you can begin to really identify ‘with’ being a new creature in Christ, you’re going to have a tough time taking full advantage of God’s enabling grace as you progress through your Christian walk; Consider II Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4 and Philippians 3:13-14.

‘Enabling Grace’

His enabling grace is His empowering grace. Jesus said it Himself in John 5:30, and in John 8:28-29, that He didn’t do anything of Himself but only that which the Father told Him to do and what He obediently allowed the Father to do through Him, and He told us that we were to live our lives in the same manner in John 20:21, that we were to follow His example.

As I stated above, our Father forgave us so He could place His Spirit within us. And it’s by His Spirit that He wants to speak to us and lead us, and then empower us to do His will. That’s essentially what it means to live our lives ‘in Christ’. Living a life totally empowered by the eternal life of Christ is what Paul was referring to in Romans 8:2, and also in Galatians 2:20. Consider Philippians 2:13, which tells us that “it is God which works in us both to will and to do his good pleasure.” These and many other verses in the New Testament are referring to the enabling grace of God.

Keep in mind that Ephesians 2:8-9 essentially told us that we were saved by grace and not by our own works. ‘Grace’ is when God does it – and ‘works’ is when we try to do it all on our own apart from God. That applies not only to being born again initially but also to every aspect of living the Christian life. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “all our righteous acts are as filthy rags” before the Lord, and that applies both before and after we become born again. Neither you nor I can earn our salvation nor can we live a life of obedience to God apart from His empowering grace. This is what you hear referred to as law vs. grace and works vs. faith. By the way, we’re obedient to the word of God and to His leading in our life, not to be accepted by Him, we’re already accepted, but simply because we love Him and we want to please Him and to be a blessing in His life; I John 4:19.

Let’s look at a simple example.

If you drew a vertical line down the center of your page and on the left side you placed a heading over that column which read ‘Old Testament’, and you put a heading over the column on the right side which read ‘New Testament’, it would look something like this: you would see law on the left and grace on the right; you would see works on the left and faith on the right; you would see judgment on the left and forgiveness on the right; you would see separation on the left and acceptance on the right; you would see condemnation on the left and adoption on the right; you would see us running for cover on the left and us enjoying His covering on the right. The lists could go on and on but I think you get the idea.

What we need to really understand and begin to identify with is the fact that according to Colossians 1:13, we’ve been translated out of the kingdom of darkness (the left side) into the kingdom of His Dear Son (the right side) and we need to quit ‘flip-flopping’ back and forth as we attempt to live the Christian life. Yes, we do that when we allow some sin to separate us from God or when we get caught up in trying to be good enough to please God, or we try to live the Christian life on our own without relying on the power of God that resides in our heart. Understand precious one that ‘sin’ exists on both sides of that vertical line. God just sees it and deals with it differently on each side of the line. On the left side of the line you come under condemnation, but on the right side of the line you come under the Holy Spirit’s loving conviction.

On the left side of the line, you do your best to refrain from sin because of your fear of being rejected by God and your fear of being punished for your sin. However, on the right side of the line, because you have already been accepted by God, and because of the love He has for you, and the love you have for God, you don’t really want to sin. You don’t want to disappoint or hurt the One who loves you, so according to I John 1:9, you go to God, you confess your sin and you ask for His help in overcoming that, and any other sin that might still exist in your life; See Hebrews 4:15-16. The way He helps you is by reminding you of who you are as His son or daughter and how much you are loved, and then He takes you to where that area in your life is addressed in His Word and He then begins to speak to you about that area in your life through the truth or truths found there in His Word, and He then causes you to begin to want to be obedient in that area, and when you make the decision to move forward in the right direction, He empowers you to be obedient and to overcome in that area of your life. Your obedience to His truth then sets you free in that area; See Philippians 2:13. As you can see, the approach is totally different depending on which side of the line you are living and operating. God started by forgiving you so He could draw you to Himself and then begin the process of changing you, transforming you into the image of Jesus which is what all His kids are to be like; John 1:12. I can’t begin to express to you how sincerely grateful I am for Philippians 1:6! Consider that in light of Ephesians 2:10!! WOW!!

Please understand that our Abba Father provided for our forgiveness so He could adopt us back into His family; Ephesians 1:4-6. Now that we as His prodigal children have come home, He now wants to wash us and cleans us from any residue of unrighteousness that may still exist in our natural (soul) life; Ephesians 5:26, and Romans 12:2. He wants to influence our perspective and cause us to begin seeing everything the way He sees them (including who we are in Him). He wants to give us His heart and His nature. He wants us to become like Him in every area of our life, as any loving parent would. He wants to give us Himself in every way He can. He wants to raise us up in the way we should go, ultimately to be just like Him; See Ephesians 3:14-21. He doesn’t expect perfection on our part as He is moving us through this ‘child rearing’ transformation process. He expects us to make mistakes and to fall and skin our knees from time to time. And when that happens, He’s not going to reject us and kick us out of the house. No, He’s going to be loving and forgiving and use those circumstances as opportunities to teach us and to continue to mature us until we finally come into the fullness of who He has called us to be – which is like His Son, Jesus, our example, Who was referred to in Romans 8:29, as “the first of many brethren.” Consider Romans 8:19!

How do we apply this understanding in a practical way in our everyday life?

1. Set aside some quality time every day to go (privately) before the Lord, to thank Him for His Love for you and for His goodness; And to thank Him for revealing Himself to you and for drawing you to Himself. Thank Him for having a plan for your life and for progressively revealing His plan for your life as you continue to grow in His grace; Ephesians 2:10.

2. After a time of praise and worship, (Psalm 100:4), then enter into a time of Bible study; Psalm 119. As you are there in His presence, ask Him to begin to reveal Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him to speak to you in ways that He may want to; and then listen carefully as you read the Word there in His presence; Romans 10:17. Make sure that you are prepared to follow through and be obedient to do anything and everything He may ask of you. It’s through our obedience to His leading that He begins to reveal even more truth to us through His Word; Matthew 25:29.

3. Ask God to help you begin to develop a better understanding of Who He is as your Abba Father, (Romans 8:14-17); and ask Him to help you come into a much better understanding of who you are in Him; Galatians 4:5-6, and Ephesians 3:14-21. Ask Him to increase His presence in your life and to increase your hunger for Him; Jeremiah 29:13 and Hebrews 11:6. Ask Him to help you further develop your ability to hear His voice clearly and to cause you to want to be instantly obedient to anything He may say to you; John 10:27. Ask Him to help you deepen the relationship that exists between you and Him. Ask Him to help you develop a better understanding of His grace and what it means to live the ‘exchanged life’ that Paul referred to in Galatians 2:20.

4. Allow your relationship with the Lord, and who you are in Him, to become your life’s paradigm. Live your life from a Kingdom perspective; Matthew 16:23. Allow these steps to become your lifestyle, (the single most important constant in your life), and begin to consistently grow in the ‘grace’ of God; II Peter 3:18.

5. Let Matthew 16:24, John 15:13-14, and Galatians 2:20 define your life!

The Important Things!

These need to exist as important parts of your relationship with the Father.

1. You must know who He is and what His motives are toward you, toward His church and the world, to the degree that you can confidently place your faith in Him. It’s been suggested that if I can believe in the teacher, I can then believe in what the teacher says. If I can place my confidence (or my faith) in what He says, then a confident obedience is my natural response; John 15:10 and Hebrews 5:14.

2. You must know who you are in Christ as one who has been forgiven, fully accepted and adopted into His family. You must recognize that you truly are a ‘son of the Most High God’. A person can not really succeed in life until he knows who he is, what he stands for and what’s truly most important to him in his life. We have to come to that same place in our relationship with the Father and then become motivated by a sense of purpose that goes far beyond anything this temporal world has to offer; Ephesians 2:10 and Matthew 25:21.

3.  You must internalize the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” Not only will your relationship with the Lord deepen and your identity in Christ become even more clear to you as you are ‘hiding the Word of God in your heart’, but God will very often lead you directly through His Word. He will often speak to you through scriptures you have read and internalized as you move through each of your days. I am also reminded of the fact that people who are in the business of handling large amounts of money are trained to spot counterfeit currency by learning what the ‘real thing’ looks like and feels like. And we certainly know what the enemy’s strategy is, don’t we; Matthew 4:4-10 and John 10:10.

4. As the Lord develops His nature in you and you begin to experience even more and more of His tangible presence in your daily life, you’ll want to learn to let love be your greatest aim while you’re allowing His peace be your guide; I Corinthians 14:1, and Colossians 3:15. Always remember that your greatest soul winning tool will be your love; John 13: 34-35.

5. Become one who consistently walks by faith and not by sight, leaning not to your own understanding but acknowledging the leading of the Lord in all your ways as you allow Him to direct your path; Proverbs 3:5-6 and Romans 1:17.

6. Be quick to simply believe and obey. Develop a lifestyle of obedience; a life that is centered on hearing and obeying. That is the secret to remaining continually in the presence of the Lord and flowing in His love and grace. It’s also the secret to bearing much fruit on behalf of the Kingdom of God; Hebrews 11:6, John 15:15-17, John 14:23.

7. And remember to be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer, supplication, and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and then allow the peace of God to keep your heart and mind by Christ Jesus; Philippians 4:6-7.

Finally, new testament grace is all about relationship; loving Him and simply hearing Him and doing what He asks; John 15:14-15.

Enjoy the Lord and let the joy of the Lord be your strength; Nehemiah 8:10.

Be an encouragement to those around you; 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Let your light shine brightly; Matthew 5:14, Isaiah 60:1.

And always Praise Him!  Psalm 31:1.

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

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Are you called to run the family business?

Jim Abbondante

When’s the last time someone asked you what your favorite verse or verses in the bible might be? It seems to happen to me quite often. I actually like it when it does happen because it provides me with the opportunity to reflect on just how incredibly wonderful it is to have the Lord as that very personal and intimate friend that sticks ‘closer’ than any brother ever could; John 15:15; Proverbs 18:24;

He’s not only our friend, John 15:15, but He’s also the author and the finisher of our faith; He’s conforming us to His image, and I’m more than confident that He’s going to finish the job He’s started so He will be able to complete the important work through us He has called us to. Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:29; As a matter of fact, Hebrews 2:10 tells us that He is doing an important work in all of us who will willingly participate.

By the way, who better to have as your best friend than your ‘Dad’; or in this case, your ‘Abba Father’, the one who is ‘raising you up’ in the way you should go so you will bear much fruit in your season and thereby prove profitable to the Kingdom of God. Romans 8:15; Ephesians 2:10; Consider also Matthew 25: 14-30.

Two of my favorite verses have always been John 1:12 and also Romans 8:14, both of which are just jam packed full of wisdom and truth with respect to who we are in Christ and how we are to ’fellowship’ (communicate) with him on a daily basis in the context of our ‘on-going’, ‘growth-oriented’ relationship with him.

For example, in John 1:12 it says: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; and in Romans 8:14 it says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. With regard to the use of the term ’sons’, consider here the difference between children who feed on the ‘milk’ of the word vs. those sons who feed on the ‘meat’ of God’s word. I Peter 2:2 references the ‘milk’ of God’s word vs. the ‘meat’ that the writer refers to in Hebrews 5:12-14. Take a moment to evaluate the obvious differences when it comes to the level of maturity of the believers in both cases.

Note the references to the words become in John 1:12, and led in Romans 8:14. In reality, you have to be led in order to become, (or to be matured in the things of God), and you have to become in order to be really led in the way you will need to be as you begin to be moved on out into the high calling that God has ordained that you walk in; Philippians 3:14.

We all have very important roles to play with regard to winning the lost, influencing the growth of the body of Christ and ushering in the Kingdom of God on this earth. Consider Ephesians 2:10 which tells us that we are his ‘workmanship’, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them; and I Corinthians 2: 9 which says: But as it’s written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

It’s all about you and I being ‘conformed’ to the image of Christ and then being equipped for service. We’ll look at what the Word of God has to say about that ‘complete process’ in a later study. But for now it’s important that we recognize that we are being saved or redeemed from something in order to be made ready for something much more glorious.

Consider for a moment that, in the natural, you are a successful leader in your local business community; you have over time built an extremely successful business. You now employ several thousand people, and by very nature of the fact that you now have that many people as a part of your organization, your example, your decisions and your overall influence as a leader now impacts that many families. In addition, the decisions you make and the quality of the leadership you provide also directly impacts your clients, influences your market share and the overall viability of your company. That represents a great deal of responsibility.

To continue the metaphor, let’s assume for a moment that the family tradition is to one day pass the family business down to one of your sons, and in your case, you just happen to have four sons to choose from; (four chips off the old block as it were). The question that you will eventually need to address will be which ‘one’ of your four sons will you begin grooming to join you in the family business and eventually take over the leadership of the company when you are ready to step down. Upon what factors will you base your decision and in what ways will you want to begin influencing the development of that particular son for the assignment that he will eventually receive from his father. These are certainly important questions.

Who are you going to want at the helm of your business, a ‘babe’ in Christ – or a fully matured ’son’ - who has been feeding on the ‘meat’ of the word who through experience has been proven ready according to Hebrews 6:1-3: Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (meaning maturity in the things of God); not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permits. What are we saying here?

You’re going to want to choose the son who has developed a loving attitude toward you and a reverent respect for you; the son who has delighted to be in your presence, and who has invested time with you asking questions, listening to you and learning from you and learning your ‘ways’; the son who best ‘reflects’ your nature and character and also your commitment to what will always be in the best interest of the ‘family business’ and of those it serves; the son who will ultimately make you the most proud and bring you the greatest joy and glory.

When it comes to our being fully prepared to finally step into the management of our Father’s business, consider the promise in Matthew 24:47: Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

And how about the promise stated in Revelation 3:21: To him that ‘overcomes’ will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also ‘overcame’, and am now set down with my Father in his throne. There’s a reason, by the way, why the wording of the scripture reads ‘in’ his throne instead of ‘on’ his throne. We’ll take a closer look at what it means to be ‘in’ Christ and ‘in’ the Father in a future study.

There are also additional references in the Book of Revelation that refer to the family business; Revelation 5:10 says: And He has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 20:6 says: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the ‘first’ resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 22:5: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Note that 20:6 is before and during the 1000 year reign, and 22:5 is after, as we move on into the new heavens and the new earth. But we will cover that in greater detail in a future lesson.)

Again, in Ephesians 2:10 the Holy Spirit says: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them, (ruling and reigning with Christ in His kingdom – not only then but now as well). It’s going to be quite an assignment for the sons of God; don’t you think! Are you up for it? You can be if you will simply choose to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in your life as He works to conform you to the image of Christ and to equip you for service.

The scriptural examples are endless but I do think you get the point. Those of us who will heed the call are destined to rule and reign with Christ! Now is the time to begin to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s important work in our life as He moves us through the process of preparation by conforming us to the image of Christ – and by Him teaching us how to really hear His voice – and how to then be led and empowered to be totally obedient in every situation.

Preparation is the urgent call of the hour; it’s to get ready!

It’s time that we begin placing a much greater emphasis on cooperating with the work the Holy Spirit is seeking to accomplish both in and through us – in that order!

When considering the ‘great commission’ and also the call to participate in the ushering in of the Kingdom of God on this earth, there’s much work still to be done. Jesus said in John 20:21, that he was sending us as He had been sent by the Father; He also said in Luke 12:43, that blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing. He also told us in Matthew 6:10, that we were to pray Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. We’ve all been given an assignment - and it’s to participate in the completion of what Jesus started when he was here on this earth as the Son of Man; which is the complete reconciliation of all of creation back to God.

Jesus, who was referred to as the first of many brethren, and who also serves as our ‘example’, had to learn obedience through the things He suffered; Hebrews 5:8 says, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; In Romans 8:29 it says, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among ‘many brethren’. (Consider also Hebrews 12: 5-15 and ask yourself – are you one of His sons?)

Many Brethren – That’s you and me! If He had to be made ready for His ministry, how much more will we need to be made ready for our ministry and the call that is on our life? Do go ahead and check out Philippians 1:6 and Romans 8:28, both of which speak of the transformation process we are being moved through as the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in our life.

It would seem that most of the Laodicean Christians we have here in America are not of this mindset and are not really open at all to the concept of self-denial and being conformed to the image of Christ, or to following in his footsteps when it comes to having to ‘learn obedience’ like He had to during his earthly ministry. It’s time that we allow the old man to be crucified so the new man really can be raised to walk in the newness of life. Colossians 3:9-10; Luke 9:23.

We are to step in and take over the responsibility of the management of the family business under the leadership and headship of the Lord himself. In John 20:21, Jesus says to us “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” And in John 5:19, He gives us some valuable insight into the nature of the relationship we are to experience with Him: “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

Jesus didn’t rely on His own understanding, but in all His ways He acknowledged His Father and He allowed His Father to direct His path. He was our example, our ‘template’. He demonstrated Proverbs 3:5-6, for us which says: Trust in the LORD with ‘all’ thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. We need to get good at relying on His ‘Head’ and not our own. We’re the body, He is the head! That’s the secret!

The smartest thing we can do in preparation for the call that’s on our life is to study the life and ministry of Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit’s help, endeavor to be just like Him, conformed totally to His image and then be equipped to finish the job He started. I Peter 2:21, it says: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. (See Matthew 16:24 and Galatians 2:20, which is ultimately the ‘only’ way into the Kingdom!)

Both references in the book of John (above) would suggest that our success, when it comes to the management of the family business, will be based solely on our ability to really hear His voice and to be consistently led by Him, and also to us being totally obedient to His leading in every way and in every situation.

Philippians 2:13 says: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The words worketh in you has everything to do with the word become in John 1:12, referred to in the second paragraph of our study.

Ultimately, we are to be totally given over to functioning as His body on the earth, under His leadership and under His power, which will require that we be able to ‘clearly’ hear His voice. Consider the following scriptual examples: Revelation 2:7, Matthew 10:19-20, Romans 8:16, John 15:26, Acts 13:2, Romans 8:14, Revelation 1:10.

These are but a few of the many many examples that would suggest that we are to be led by the Holy Spirit. How many more references can you think of that emphasize the fact that His sheep will hear and know His voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow?

John 10:5: And the voice of a stranger will they not follow, but they will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. That’s particularly important when you consider what we are told about our enemy’s agenda in John 10:10, that being to kill, steal and to destroy. The only way to escape his deceptive strategies will be by being able to hear the Lord’s voice and by being led by the Lord himself; John 8:32 says: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Isaiah 30:21 is the mark of a truly matured believer.

Paul described his experience in Galatians 2:20 when He said: I’m crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Paul encouraged his ’spiritual son’ Timothy to follow his own good example as he (Paul) followed Christ’s; which is what our goal really should be if we’re committed to being chosen as that ’son’ who when prepared, is to inherit all things. We are told in Psalm 24:1 that: The earth is the LORD’S, and all the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. And in Psalm 2:8, the Father says: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Consider the promises made to the ‘overcomers’ at the end of each of the seven letters to the churches found in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. These ‘promises’ are what Paul referred to as the ‘prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’ in Philippians 3:14.

So, what’s really your focus? Is it on the temporal things of this world or is your focus on learning to listen, learning to hear His voice, learning how to genuinely follow His lead and allowing Him to prepare you to one day step on into the inheritance into which you have been called, to run the ‘family business’.

Again, many are called but few are chosen; (Matthew 22:14)

Seek Him; (Jeremiah 29:13)

It’s the only way to go! (John 14:6)

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. We’re happy to make ourselves available as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim