Waiting on God’s Promises

The church I pastor just sold our building and bought a new one after a three-year delay in the project. We had someone come to us wanting to buy our building, and another group comes to us wanting us to buy theirs. It made sense, and God seemed to be behind it until the buyer for our building dropped out. It was a blessing in disguise because COVID came up. Then another buyer popped up, and the process started all over again as we are coming out of quarantine. Waiting on God’s promises is a hard thing to do, but He is always faithful.

‭‭ROMANS‬ ‭4:20‬ ‭

“yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,”

Abraham was a man of faith. He believed in God’s promise to make his descendants as many as the stars in the sky or the sands on the sea. That’s saying something considering he didn’t have his son Isaac until he was 100 years old. Paul tells us in Romans that Abraham never wavered in unbelief but grew strong in faith. Do you have the perseverance to grow strong in faith? Are you willing to wait years for God’s promise to come true? Even more, are you willing to give God the glory while you wait? Abraham was fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised.

Be Like the Holy One

Who did you want to be like when you were growing up? Was it an athlete or musician? Maybe it was one of your parents? Whoever it was, you probably emulated their moves and figures of speech. As Christians, God wants you to be like the Holy One, His Son Jesus.

‭‭1 PETER‬ ‭1:14-16

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ” YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.””

Peter was concerned about how the Christians in the early church carried themselves in public. He wanted them to pray for their leaders and submit to their authority. He also wanted them to live as peace with their neighbors as much as possible. At the heart of all that is his desire to see them church strive for holiness. Jesus was holy while He walked the earth and as His disciples they were to do their best to be holy as well. God most predominate characteristic is holiness. Sin cannot exist in the same space because God is holy.

Prepare Your Mind

When I plan my days, I find that they tend to go better than those where I don’t. Most of the reason for that is that I get more done, which makes me feel better. However, there is one danger that can make my day go sideways when something interrupts my plans. These are some of the reasons Peter tells you to prepare your mind for action.

‭‭1 PETER‬ ‭1:13

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Most Christians are unaware and unprepared for what faces them when they walk out of their door each day. They are focused on getting to work or whatever needs to be done and are not ready for what Satan throws their way. Peter lets believers know that they need to prepare their minds for action and be aware of what’s going on. Unfortunately, what may seem like a minor distraction can be the enemy’s plan to sidetrack your day and get your mind off of what Jesus wants you to do. I am well aware of this ploy when I commute to work.

Stirring in Your Heart

Has God ever moved in your spirit to do something? Maybe there been a stirring in your heart for work He wants to do? Don’t be afraid to follow that leading. God is using you to do His work. He has done it through the generations and continues to do so through the church today.

‭‭EXODUS‬ ‭35:21

“Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD’S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.”

When Moses got ready to build the tabernacle, he took a freewill offering from amongst the people. He told them if God stirs their heart and their spirit was moved, they could contribute to the tent of meeting and all of the holy utensils. There was no pressure, and it wasn’t a requirement, but the people responded in an incredible way. It got to the point where Bezalel and Oholiab told Moses to ask the people to stop because they had brought more than enough. What a testament to the giving of God’s people. God spoke it, and the people responded.

What To Do When You Get Sick

Most people have multiple options when it comes to health care. They can go to a doctor or hospital when they get sick and be treated by trained professionals who can prescribe medicines for their ailment. They can also go the homeopathic route and use natural remedies. I want to offer a third solution. The…

Praise the Lord

I’ve been to some of the poorest parts of the world. Places where I make more in one day than they make in one year. I’ve been to churches that consist of four walls, a roof, and dusty floors with no electricity or water. It is in these places where I have found the richest and most powerful praise and worship. They praise the Lord with all of their heart.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭135:3‬

“Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.”

When you come into the House of the Lord you need to be ready to praise Him. Even before you leave your house you need to prepare your mind and heart to give Jesus all the glory. This is the model that David get forth in the Psalms and it should continue today. Worshipping the Lord is more than singing, but if you can’t sing praises to Him in a church surrounded by people doing the same thing, then you probably aren’t worshipping Him anywhere else.

Looking for a Humble Heart

I met a pastor once who was motivated and charismatic. He had grand plans for his life and how God was going to use him on an international stage. There was only one problem, while he looked the part and had a great personality, he wasn’t very humble. He also wasn’t willing to put the work in where God had him and eventually left the ministry frustrated that no one recognized his potential. Confidence is important, but God is looking for a humble heart.

‭‭JAMES‬ ‭4:10

“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

There is no more important character trait for Christians than being humble. In a world that screams “promote yourself!” the Bible counters with “humble yourselves and let God exalt you.” This is a struggle for many because they want to be noticed and appreciated, to feel like they matter. For a Christian, humility shows the world “He who is greater in me in greater than he who is in the world.”

Established and Encouraged Together

The Holy Spirit did some incredible things in the early church. From the day of Pentecost, the church was spread over the known world. They didn’t have seminary-trained pastors but men and women who loved Jesus. They grew numerically and spiritually because they were established and encouraged together. God wants to see the same thing happen in the church today.

‭‭ROMANS‬ ‭1:11-12‬

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

When Paul wrote the book of Romans, he hadn’t visited the city or church yet. Most scholars believe that he wrote it while he was in Corinth. While he had visited, he longed to so that they could be established and encouraged together. He knew the power in the church wasn’t the preacher alone; it was the combined effort of every person working in their gifts. When a church seeks to see its members established and encouraged together, God is pleased.

A Place to Get Alone with Jesus

There are a few places where I meet with God. The first is on my couch early in the morning before anyone wakes up. The second place is in my car driving to work. The third place is out on my bike in the hills near where I live. Each of these places allow me some alone time with the Lord. Here I can pray and most importantly listen. Do you have a place to get alone with Jesus?

‭‭EXODUS‬ ‭33:8-9

“And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the LORD would speak with Moses.”

Moses had some unique encounters with the Lord. He went up on Mount Sinai and conversed with Him and came down with his face glowing from the glory of the Lord. He saw the back side God as He passed by Moses. When Moses went into the tent of meeting God would descend and meet him there. Moses dwelled in the presence of God. The Israelites knew this so when he headed to the tent of meeting they would stand at the entrance of their and gaze at him until he entered. He was their representative before the Lord.

Dwell Together in Unity

I often laugh when someone says, “Can’t we all just get along?” They don’t mean it. They usually want the conflict to go away. We either want people to see things our way, or we don’t want to deal with them at all. God wants unity in His church, and that means taking people from all different backgrounds and molding them into one cohesive unit. For that to happen, you have to be willing to dwell together in unity.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭133:1

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!”

The Psalmist is imploring people to dwell together in unity. He’s talking to the nation of Israel, but he as well could be talking to the church (I do not believe the church has replaced Israel but instead has been grafted in like Romans 11 states). Unity is hard to find in the church today. So many people have taken sides with political issues that hate is starting to rise in the pews. Unity is brought on by the Spirit and spreads as people surrender to God’s will when they drop their agendas and make it about what God wants to do in the hearts and minds of the people.