Waiting on the Lord (Psalm 40:1)

It is important to wait patiently before the Lord. When you do, you are performing three important acts.

When you wait on the Lord, you knowledge him as your sovereign Lord. By that, you recognize that he is in complete control of all events that take place and regardless of how they appear, you believe he will use them for good and his glory.

When you wait on the Lord, you are exercising your faith and when I say exercise, I mean exercise. Each time that you place your faith in the Lord, you are strengthening it and also developing the closeness of your relationship with him. Your relationship with God is what gives your faith strength. This comes from his word (Romans 10:17) and also his joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

When you wait on the Lord, you are relying on his love. God is love and everything that he does for you or allows to happen is motivated by that love. When we cannot understand or see the workings of his love in his actions, it is then that our faith must moves us to wait on the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord will always bring his results. When we fail to wait on him, we act on our own independently of God. These actions are works of the flesh motivated by the emotions that we experienced in the trial.

So instead of allowing your emotions to drive you to disobedience, instead allow God’s working through your faith to lead you to rely on him who on countless times has guided, comforted, carried and loved you. He did not fail you then and he will not fail you now.

Upholding Others (Psalm 54:4)

Have you ever been so tired that you just couldn’t stand? If there wasn’t a chair available, you did the next best thing: you leaned against something to give you the support you needed. If by some chance you saw somebody in this type of a condition, you probably would have helped them along by holding them up.

Did you ever think of all the people who struggle so much with life that they just can’t stand any longer? All of life‘s hurts, struggles, disappointments—and for some trauma—continue to bear down upon a person‘s heart. Some choose to end their lives as a way of escape. Others successfully find the help and support they need.

Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. (Psalm 54:4)

The support and help these people need are other people. They need the strength that others have to be shared with them and when this happens, their inner being or soul gains strength. Your actions of love—whether they are words spoken or written—bring strength to those who cannot stand alone. Any act of kindness can help those who are crumbling under their life‘s condition. You may not be able to do a thing about their circumstances, but you can be an encourager.

As you go to work, social events and church, look for the people that God brings to you for encouragement and share your strength with them.

Did God Forget Me? (Psalm 9:12)

When people forget about you and your needs, it is a hurtful experience. It conveys the absence of love and concern. There are times in our lives when we face trials and difficulties and it appears as if God has forgotten us. We pray and ask for deliverance, but nothing happens. Has God forgotten us?

...he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. (Psalm 9:12)

God has not forgotten you. His love and concern has not been set aside and your life and its concerns have not been mislaid or lost. God has heard your cry, he knows the problems that you face and the heaviness in your heart that you carry because of it.

So, why doesn’t he answer? Why doesn’t he deliver? But he has and he will. God has heard your prayers and is providing the grace that you need. Many of learn the grace and truth go hand-in-hand. It seems that you cannot have the one without the other. God I want you exposed to truth concerning him and buy the truth he will be able to exercise grace in your life. Paul experienced this and wrote about it. God’s grace was sufficient for him because of his reliance on the truth of the power of Christ.

Until your actual deliverance comes, expose yourself to the word of God: read it, listen to the testimony of others, attend church services and listen to the preaching of God‘s word and God will begin working his grace in your life.

How long must you rely on this grace until the deliverance comes cannot be known. Remember as God works in the details of your life, he is also working in the lives of others. He wants to use grace in your life to shine as a light to the lost. He also may be working in the lives of others to bring them to repentance before he moves his hand in judgment or chastening. Until then, you must wait on him. Thankfully because of his grace, you will be able to endure.

...he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

When You Just Can’t Go On

Sometime back when I worked in the steel mill, I was a part of a crew of men that worked on changing the motor of a large crane. The work took place over the 200 foot tempering furnace, which created an extremely hard-working environment. The crew worked in 15 minute intervals because of the fatigue caused by the heat and after short periods of rest, we were refreshed, renewed in strength and ready to go again.

Life can have a fatiguing effect on our hearts, just as the heat did on our bodies in the steel mill. The effect is not so much the heat of the day, but the wearing away upon the heart by life‘s struggles. Health, financial, domestic and work issues can bear upon the heart of man causing him to stoop and even fall. But God has promised to be with us, provide comfort to our hearts and the strength that we need.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength (Isaiah 40:29)

The power that we need is not in us nor does God couple his power with ours so that the total is enough for us to endure. We must remember that he is our strength. (Psalm 46:1; 81:1)

As long as we continue trying to rise above life and the burdens that it bears upon us, we will continually fall which leads to greater anguish in the soul. But when we rest in him, we gain his strength. Resting in him does not mean a time of leisurely repose for the recovering of strength, but more like how God rested from his work of creation on the seventh day. He was not tired from his labor: his resting was him ceasing from work.

When we rest in Jesus, we cease from our own work—whether physical or soulish— and allow him to do his work in and through us. We give up our strength so that we may gain his strength.

So instead of trying harder to overcome, give up and then look to God so that he may do in you what you are unable to do.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalms 46:1)

Sing aloud unto God our strength: (Psalm 81:1)

Being Hid (Psalm 27:5)

Many years ago, I went to visit an Aunt and Uncle in Tennessee.  During the daytime hours, my sister and I stayed at the grandparents' house and played with the neighborhood kids.  On one occasion, we were playing hide-and-go-seek and I frantically ran into the kitchen and asked grandmother to help me find a place to hid.  I remember she opened up the cabinets under the sink, took the contents out and told me to get in there.  Moments later the kitchen was filled with the voices of those seeking to find me.  They never did, because I was safely hid.

God is much the same.  The Psalmist learned that when he faced trouble, the Lord would hide him in his secret place. The trouble may be present, but he was hid safely from the harm that the problem could cause.  God wants to do the same for you and me.  He wants us to run to him and seek refuge from the harm that we face.  He will protect us, but at the same time reveal himself to us as we hide in the tabernacle of his care.

Psalms 27:5
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion:
in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me;
he shall set me up upon a rock.

Trials and troubles are inevitable, but what we have is a God who will care for us as we seek refuge in him.

You Are Where You Are

You may not be where you want to be.  You may be looking for conditions or circumstance in your life to change.  Before you react or respond, you may need to ask yourself a few questions. What if the circumstances in my life are ordained by God?  What if he has a plan to use me and my circumstances as a way of demonstrating his grace so that others may come to Christ or some saved may be challenged to trust him? 

Instead of praying or looking for your circumstances to change, you may need to accept where you are and ask The Lord to help you to be content with it.  God has never promised you a great or easy life, but he has declared that he will provide the grace that you need to live his plan and that you can find contentment in it.

Consider the following passages.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: 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.  (II Corinthians 12:9)

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:6)

Deliverance (Psalm 91:15)

It seems that everybody I know is going through some type of difficult time in their lives.  If they are not currently in such a situation, they will soon be entering another.  Some think that as children of God, we should be exempt from such problems.  Unfortunately they are wrong.  Some may wonder where God is while we are alone toiling in the mire of life.  Others seek him for deliverance from their trials.  Sadly to say, many become angry with God when their deliverance does not come.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. (Psalms 91:15)

From this famous passage, God states that when we call upon him, he will be with us in the trouble.  It is his presence that delivers us.  When God delivers us from the trial, he strips the trial from us.  Other forms of the word for deliver also mean to equip or present strength.  God may not deliver you from the trial, but his presence will definitely deliver you through it.

As you face trials, you would be best to call out to God for his presence and strength in the trial.  In the end, some form of deliverance will come.

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I'll Choose This Throne (Hebrews 4:16)

Many who struggle in trials feel that they cannot go to God because they feel unworthy.  They feel unworthy because of their struggle with sin and the difficulty they experience with exercising faith in the midst of trouble.  

However, God views us differently.  He knows that we cannot perform as expected unless we have his strength.  That is why he gave us the following verse.

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)

There are several thrones mentioned in the scriptures upon which The Lord will sit.  He will sit on the Bema Seat or the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Upon this, he will disperse judgment on the faithfulness of believers.  Another seat is the White Throne, which also is for judgment.  This seat is a throne and upon it God will sit and disperse judgment upon all lost souls for the sins that they committed against him.  But then there is the Throne of Grace.  God sits upon this throne and disperses something as well.  However what he disperses is not judgment.  What he disperses upon this throne is grace.  All who stand before the aforementioned thrones will receive some type of judgment, but those who stand before the Throne of a Grace will receive just that: grace.

God instructs us to come boldly to this Throne of Grace.  He wants us to come to him as he sits upon this throne and to speak frankly before.  He wants us to be outspoken about our need for his strength and to ask for it without reservation.  Why does God want us to speak so frankly with him?  Does he not want us to cloak our short comings?  

There is no need to attempt to hide our condition as we stand before him.  He understands exactly what we are experiencing.  The previous verse states that he was touched with our infirmities and tempted as we are.  He wants us to come boldly to his Throne of Grace because he wants us to be victorious.  He understands our plight and wants us to come to him with all of our struggles.  Because he knows that by that act and his strength by grace, we will be victorious.

So, as you struggle.  Go to the Throne of Grace.  Cry out to God speak freely about what you need.  What he promises to give to those who approach this throne is mercy and grace to help in your time of need.

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Lying Vanities (Psalm 31:6)

Life seems to be going along fine and them circumstances quickly change.  What once seemed to be an easy life is suddenly changed into stormy circumstances of trials. When this occurs, we have one of two options: either to attempt at working out our own deliverance or by faith rely on The Lord to deliver us from or through our circumstances.

The Psalmist contrasts himself with those who rely on resources other than The Lord.  I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the Lord. (Psalms 31:6). The lying vanities are those things which others trusts to deliver themselves in times of trouble.  The Psalmist, David, was not saying that he never struggled with trying to deliver himself.  The scriptures give examples of how David attempted to bring about his own deliverance (2 Samuel 12 & 2 Samuel 24:1-3, 10).  But what he was saying was that his heart at that time was fully relying on The Lord and not vain opportunities.

Each day we face the same decisions concerning our trials: shall we trust The Lord or strive to work out our deliverance and pray for The Lord to bless our efforts?  Many are confused about this matter and think that they are trusting God, but in reality are only looking for his help at self deliverance.  When we are trusting God and not lying vanities, we will be resting in him.  When we rest in him, we are not working to deliver nor are we experiencing worry, fear or anxiety.  If we find ourselves striving, worrying, fearful or anxious, we are not resting.  Instead of resting in God, we carry the problems in our hearts as if we were responsible for solving them.  Rest is just that: to rest.  When we rest, someone else does the needed work.  For our trials, that somebody is The Lord.  The abundant life is the life of resting in Jesus.  As we rested in him for salvation and deliverance from sin, we too should rest in him for deliverance from trials.  If not, all other work is trusting in lying vanities.

If you would like to read more of these thoughts in a hard copy format, my new book is now available at the link below.

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