Not Slow

Time is a strange thing. On earth we are able to conceptualize the past, the present and the future. We’re born, we age, and we die. Time is linear for us, so if we miss a moment, we know that we’ll never get that moment back. We may experience occasions when we think we need something to happen right now, because time dictates that an answer or solution can’t wait a moment longer. But when we pray to God, I think we forget that he doesn’t operate in the same time confines as we do here on earth. I don’t believe that time is linear when considering God’s reality. That is why I believe that as far as he is concerned, everything happens exactly when it is supposed to happen. Second Peter chapter 3, verses 8 and 9 puts it this way:

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

I see two things here. First, we learn that time operates differently for God. So, if you’re praying for something and you think that God is taking his sweet time in answering your prayer, that is never the case. I don’t believe that God ever has to do anything “right now”. Whenever he chooses to answer your prayer, deliverance will occur at exactly the right time, even though we may not think it does sometimes. And secondly, God is patient. As far as our earthly timeline, he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to end all things as we know it. He is giving us plenty of time to come to him because he doesn’t want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Even still, we do know that life as we know it will end, and when it does, it will come without warning. There’ll be no second chances, and no re-dos. So, I encourage you, if you haven’t accepted what Jesus did on the cross for us, do it today and be saved from eternal hell. And if you think God is late in answering your prayer, think again. God is never late, because he doesn’t operate within our linear, earthly timeline. Just keep praying in faith, and wait with earnest expectation for his deliverance.

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Remember what Peter says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.” Whether you are waiting for the promise of an answered prayer, or the promise of Jesus’ return, everything will happen exactly when it is supposed to happen. God is never late, and he is not slow as some understand slowness. So, if you are still waiting on God, I hope that this portion of scripture bolsters your faith, and gives you hope.

Good Wisdom

James explains that there are two kinds of wisdom that we can pursue. One is of the devil and the other is from heaven. It says in James 3 verses 13 through 17:

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”

James explains that wisdom is good only if it is from heaven. The basic difference between good and evil wisdom is that one is selfish and the other is selfless. This pattern is strewn throughout the Bible, and it is re-enforced once again in this portion of scripture. Our sinful nature pursues selfish ambition and envies what we don’t have. But Godly wisdom focuses itself on the needs of others in a way that is humble and pure. You might have realized that these are fruits of the spirit, and you may be wondering what they have to do with wisdom. Well, Proverbs reminds us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we understand how to operate using the fruits of the spirit as God instructs, we are wise because we do so in obedience to the Lord.

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James tells us that there are two kinds of wisdom; selfish wisdom that comes from the devil and selfless wisdom that comes from heaven. I encourage you to pursue and seek the latter. It plays itself out by being pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. When we pursue these attributes, we are being wise because by aligning ourselves with the Holy Spirit, we will ultimately reap what is good.

Come Near

For me, James is one of the most challenging books in the Bible. He doesn’t mince words when calling us out about our walk with God and our struggle with our sin nature. He calls it like it is, which can be very hard to hear and very convicting. But often times, conviction is exactly what we need. In James chapter 4, verses 8 through 10 the Bible says:

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

This portion of scripture is clearly a message of repentance. James challenges us to make our lives right before God; to wash our hands and purify our hearts. He’s basically telling us to get serious about our walk, to repent of our sin and to turn back to Christ. He tells us to grieve, mourn and wail because of our disobedience, which indicates true repentance. Then he continues by telling us to humble ourselves before the Lord and he will lift us up. I believe the most difficult time to pray is right after we’ve sinned. At least that is true for me. I feel so ashamed and unworthy of God that I find it difficult to understand why he would hear and forgive me. But that is exactly the time we need to be on our knees before him, when we are broken and contrite. James tells us that we are to humble ourselves before the Lord and he will ultimately lift us back up.

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Repenting before the Lord can be difficult. No one wants to feel guilty and ashamed. No one likes to feel as if they’ve done something wrong that requires forgiveness. But we are sinners, and to walk with a Holy God means that we need to wash our hands and purify our hearts when we fall. There is no other way. Your sins won’t be forgiven without asking for it. And the act of asking doesn’t really matter if we’re not ready to truly repent. So, I encourage you, if you are far from God, or if you’re caught up in sin, to repent and do what James suggests. Wash your hands, purify your hearts, grieve, mourn and wail, humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up.

Do To Others

Matthew 7:12 is a simple verse that most of us have been taught as a child. It is so simple, in fact, that at times I fear we don’t pause to give in any more thought beyond what we did when we initially heard it. Today, I challenge you to really think on this verse and determine how it can be applied in your life. In Matthew chapter 7, verse 12 Jesus says:

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

I don’t know about you, but often times how I treat people isn’t necessarily how I’d like to be treated. It is often how I think they deserve to be treated, or I treat them based on how I’m feeling at the time. But most of the time, I don’t even give much thought to how I’d want to be treated if I were them. Jesus tells us to do to others what we would have them do to us. So, if someone has wronged you, take this scripture to heart. How would you like to be treated if you were them? If someone makes a mistake, or has no friends, or needs a hand, or needs some encouragement, or is struggling in anyway, how would you like to be treated if you were them? Often times our pride, selfishness, or apathy gets in the way of seeing how we’d want to be treated if we were in the place of someone. But Jesus tells us, in EVERYTHING, do to others what you would have them do to you. I encourage you to take these words to heart by looking for ways to treat others the way you’d want to be treated if you were them.

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Jesus says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” It is difficult to intuitively look beyond ourselves to see how we would want to be treated if we were in someone else’s place, so I encourage you to actively pursue this goal. That means that we will have to consciously make an effort to consider how we would want to be treated if we were someone else. Another place in the Bible Jesus says that all of the laws and commandments are summed up in just two: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength, and the other is to treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. So, what do you say we get to it? It may take an active effort on our part to even consider how we would like to be treated if we were in someone else’s place. But, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I believe that it will become second nature over time.

Highly Esteemed

I always perk up when I read something from scripture that gives me a glimpse into the spirit world. And if I happen to learn an important lesson along the way, well, that’s all the more intriguing. In Daniel 9:23 we find these words: 

“As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:”

This verse comes after Daniel was earnestly praying for the Israelites. It says that while he was still in prayer, the angel Gabriel came to him in swift flight. Then Gabriel tells him that as soon as he began to pray an answer was given. So, God knew what he needed before he even asked. Then Gabriel tells him that he is highly esteemed – referring to how he is viewed in the heavenly realm. Wouldn’t it be incredibly humbling and exhilarating to hear that you are highly esteemed by God? Then Gabriel goes on to share with him the meaning of a vision Daniel had. I’m convinced that God shares stories about men like Daniel so that we can see what pleases him, and so that we can aspire to be like these people. The Bible says that Daniel was highly esteemed. I’m sure that every believer would want that to be said of them by God. To have a vision, to be visited by an angel, and to be told that he is highly esteemed wasn’t necessarily the best part of Daniel’s day. In the end, he had his prayers answered as well, as Gabriel explained his vision. I encourage you to read the book of Daniel to see how he lived. And in the process, you’ll learn why he was considered “highly esteemed” in the eyes of God. Then ultimately, you and I can begin to pattern our life after his example.

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There are dozens of men and women of the Bible whom God esteemed. David was a man after God’s heart. Moses and Noah were the most humble men of their time. Elisha was taken up to heaven without even tasting death. As believers, we can look at the lives of people like these to learn the secret of how they gained such high esteem in God’s sight. And when we find that out, we can incorporate those virtues, practices and behaviors in our own life.