Continuance

Continuance

There will be times we go through that we feel empty and without god. During these times prayer may seem like a chore or routine. We may even stop doing our Bible study (I’ve done this many times), but this is selfish. Should be only glorify God when things are going our way? No this shows our immaturity and that our old life still lives.

He knows the death march that lies ahead of us in order that there may be a resurrection life; He knows the barren, bleeding hearts beyond to whom He must minister through us—hence He is going to bring us to the place where we don’t care what happens; He is all that matters.

** I’m remembering when I got married and then I expected God to come into my life and make me spiritual and make my marriage work after I had ignored him for a year. I sought after him and my marriage began to crumble. In the end the only thing that kept me strong was my relationship with God and my parent’s relationship with God. I can see how God is going to use me to minister to young girls. I wish that I could have listened to the warnings I received from my parents and God, but even though I didn’t I can help others through what I went through.

In the beginning we are mainly taken up with the externals of our Christian life, and the lord allows this for a time. Then, to get us and our externals out of the way so that the Lord can be our All, our Father begins to take away much of what we thought we had. He begins the long cross centered transition from “do” to “be.”

** I believe that in order for us to listen to God, that he does have to take things away from us that we thought were ours that we had gained on our own. Until we realize we are nothing without God, we can’t be fully used by him and we become stagnate in our spiritual growth.

His relentless processing will discourage and baffle us if we simply want heaven when we die. But if we want what He wants, all that we are taken through, including the desert, will encourage us. Thus we will continue because we know that He ever continues to work in and through us that which He began and finished on our behalf in our Lord Jesus Christ.

**I think that I use to take Christianity as a free pass to Heaven. I did not concern myself with service or wanting to be more like Christ. The difference came from God’s relentless pursuit of me and letting me know that I can be so much more in Him. “He’s still working on me,” I’ve sung it since I was a child, but it has so much more meaning now.

If our hearts are really true to Him, we may be assured he will lead us on in the knowledge of Himself just as fast as we are able to advance. He knows how much we can take in, and He does not fail to minister to us the very food that is suitable to our present need. We may sometimes feel inclined to be impatient with ourselves because we do not make more rapid progress, but we have to learn to trust the Lord with out spiritual education. If our eyes are upon Him, and we follow with simple hearts as he leads us, by a right way and brings us through all the exercise we need to form our souls in the appreciation of Himself, and of all those blessed things which are brought to pass in Him. We have to trust His love all through, and learn increasingly to distrust ourselves.

2 Tim 2:5 Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Thes 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

2 Tim 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness.