Where Is He?

Where Is HE That is born KING… (Matthew 2: 2)

Rabbi- Master, Where dwellest thou? (John 1:38)

Then the Jews sought Him at the feast and said, Where is he? (John 7: 11)

…tell me where thou has laid him… (John 20:15)

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: (Luke 24: 5, 6)

…he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek HIM. (Hebrews 11: 6)

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29: 13)

Children

If you have never taken the time to watch, observe, talk to, play with, and learn from little children, you are missing one of the greatest blessings God ever gave to this earth!

“Suffer the little to children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven.”

“of such is the kingdom of heaven”
If you ever want to feel close to heaven, spend some quality time with very young children. God says that there are so many lessons to be learned of them:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Is. 11: 6

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily (truly) I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18: 2-4

To have children is to have a great and precious gift from God.

“He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children…” Psalm 113: 9
“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward…Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them…” Psalm 127: 3, 5

If someone gave you a jewel worth millions of dollars, how would you treat that jewel? Would you just leave it laying around any old place? Would you just throw it in your drawer and forget about it? Would you just hand it over to any stranger not knowing anything about their personal character and ask them to take care of it for you?
I would guess not. Yet, that is exactly how many people in this world are treating one of the greatest blessing God ever committed into our hands. Little angelic souls, waiting, trusting, hoping, full of faith, looking to us adults to feed them not just food, but manna from heaven. Looking up to us to feed their little souls and teach them about Jesus.

Are you valuing the children God has placed in your life? I am not just talking about your own children, although they are definitely included too, but any children you have an influence upon. What value do you place on them. God places a tremendous value on them. He says they are close to the Kingdom of heaven. He says, “And whoso receiveth one such little child in my name receiveth me.” Matthew 18: 5  That is the same as God said about his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. God placed their value the same as Jesus Christ!

If you are despising any young child in your life, did you know that God has a warning to you?

“Take heed (watch yourself) that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18: 10

Little children have a direct and instant connection with almighty God. He knows and sees everything that is happening to them the moment it is happening. There is a great woe to anyone that is hurting a little child:

“But whoso shall offend (cause to sin) one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18: 6

You see, we have a grave and great responsibility to the children in our lives. Those little eyes are vulnerable and impressionable. We need to be an example before them at all times causing their faith in Christ to grow. They should never be led to sin by our example. That is offending them.

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.”

God will hold us accountable for what we provoked our children to. Did we provoke them, by the way we live our lives, by our harshness and by our words to sin? to a grow up into a life with the wrath of God on it? Or did we bring them up nurturing and teaching them the ways of God, with love and care, placing great value on their little souls.

Some of the things I have learned from little children:

• They have a pure and simple trust and faith in God- you tell them about God, they receive it whole heartedly.
• They do not hold a grudge- they get angry, but it soon is completely forgotten.
• They laugh easily, find life full of excitement.
• They are easily entertained.
• They are eager to please and to help.
• They love everyone, they don’t see colors of skin or nationality, nor IQ-
• They are not fake, nor “politically correct.” They say what they mean and mean what they say.
• They love to learn new things.
• They have lots of energy.
• They do not eat when they are not hungry.
• They are insatiably fascinated with all of God’s creation.
• They are copy-cats.
• They love to sing and dance.
• They are very sensitive to negative feelings of others. If a another child cries, they stop whatever they are doing. They desire to see the child happy again. If someone is in a bad mood, they pick up on it immediately.
• Their prayers are simple and full of thank yous!

“And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the Kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.” Mark 10: 13-16

Changed Into His Likeness

They were living unto themselves; self with it hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; But the Lord began to fullfill their prayers. They asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in a furnace, sitting by “as a refiner and purifier of silver,” until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.

They asked they knew not what, not how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe and a fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and it’s virtues have pierces to deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32)

But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.

Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze, they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might of had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.

Such are they in all ages, “who follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth.”

Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends had chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His kingdom. They would have had Lot’s portion, not Abraham’s. If they had halted anywhere- if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back- what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?

But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many times their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.

~Stream in the Desert

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross or our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Gal. 6:14)

The Beautiful Compassion of God

“A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed the swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15: 11-23

What a beautiful portrayal of the mercy and compassion of Almighty God! This young soul had taken everything good that God had given him and had wasted it in low-living.  So low, his brother said he spent it on harlots. He had shamed his father’s name and had nothing good to show for all his father had given to him.

But when he came to himself, when he got so low and could not be satisfied any longer in the hog pit of sin, he remembered his father’s house- a house of plenty; a house of love; a house of laughter. And he made a decision to leave the hog pit and go plead with his father to take him back, if only as a servant.

And how sweet- his father was watching and waiting for him,  for he saw him afar off coming home. His father didn’t say, “Oh no, here he comes back. I hope he learned his lesson. I hope he doesn’t expect me to take care of him now that he wasted everything I gave him.” No! His father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran to him- overjoyed that he was coming home!

And his son began to speak the words he had rehearsed, but he never finished. His father, overjoyed, called out, “Bring the BEST robe! Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet! And let us rejoice and celebrate! Prepare the fatted calf- make a feast! Hallelujah! My son that was dead is ALIVE!!!”

So it is with the sinner, when one has wasted his life in sinful living. If you will just come to yourself, and realize the goodness and mercy of God, and LEAVE the hog pit of sin, and go- find a place, and get alone with God and tell him you are sorry for your sinful life- even as you are rehearsing in your mind what you will say, even as you are seeking an altar for prayer- GOD WILL COME RUNNING! He will FLOOD your soul with LOVE and he will REJOICE over you. He will call out, “Bring forth the BEST robe- a robe of righteousness, white and clean and put it on him!” And as you acknowledge your sin and begin to believe in the blood of Jesus Christ to wash it all away, the angels and all of heaven will be REJOICING! The Father will shout, “Put a ring on his hand- a sign that he is my son or she is my daughter- and put shoes on his feet! And lets CELEBRATE!”

You will leave that altar of prayer with more joy than you ever thought possible. You will be FORGIVEN and CLEAN, and have a NEW START on life. And most important, you will be a CHILD OF GOD- the apple of His eye!

Shaken But Not Moved!

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as ye know that you labour is not in vain in the LORD.” 1Corinthians 15: 58

There are times in life when we will be shaken. But thank God, in Christ, we never have to be moved. We can hold steady, stand our ground, and march forward. We can continue “abounding in the work of the LORD” no matter how hard we are shaken.

Shake: 1. to move irregularly to and fro 2. to vibrate esp. as the result of a blow or shock 3. to tremble as a result of physical or emotional disturbance 4. to experience a state of instability 5. to cause to waver or weaken

No matter how moved you feel because of a shock or blow, no matter how hard you tremble in the face of emotional or physical distress, no matter how unstable you feel or how weak you are, God has a message for you: DON’T BE MOVED!

Job was shaken in every way. He was dealt a heavy blow that his children were all killed. He was made to tremble when thieves destroyed his property and robbed him. He was put under deep physical distress when his body broke out in boils and his emotional distress was deepened by his wife’s lack of support and faith. He experienced sever instability and his own faith wavered and he was so weakended that he cursed the day he was ever born. (Job 3) Yet though Job was terribly shaken, he was not moved:

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” Job 1:22

Job stood his ground and as soon as he was able, he moved forward in the fear of the Lord.

When something seriously shakes us, our first instinct is to run, to change our position, to take cover. But God says, DON”T BE MOVED!

The Apostles of Jesus were severely shaken after they had been beaten for preaching Jesus- but they were not moved:

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, the ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” Acts 5: 41-42

The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:5, “For when we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears…” Yet though he was shaken he pressed on “abounding in the work of the LORD.”

King David was shaken when he sinned against God with Bathsheba; yet, he still was not moved. He took his rebuke and his reaping and continued to serve God. After the death of his child, which God allowed because of his sin, we read:

“And David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped:..” 2 Samuel 12:20

The three Hebrew boys were shaken when they were threatened to be thrown into a very hot fire for not worshiping the Kings idol. They were shaken with doubts that maybe God would not deliver them. But they stood their ground. They were not moved:

“”If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King. But if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy God’s, not worship the golden image which thou has set up.” Daniel 3: 17-18

Even Jesus Christ our Lord, whom we follow by faith, even he was shaken. He was shaken by what he knew he must pass through. But he was not moved:

“And when he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22: 41-44

He was shaken to the core, yet he went on and suffered more than any other human being to pay the penalty of sin and to redeem us and reconcile us unto God! Shaken but not moved!

To be moved it to change your coarse or position. Our course in Christ is Heaven bound; it is the straight and narrow way. Our position is saved, a Christian, Christ-like.

If we are not on our way to Heaven, we are on our way to everlasting destruction; If we are not of Christ, we are of the Devil.

You may be being shaken at this very moment, but God has a message just for you: DON’T BE MOVED!

God in Us- Earthen Vessels

Longing for human compassion and understanding, to be valued in someones eyes, I have always seen as a great weakness in myself. Many times I have prayed about this with tears of shame and frustration.

But recently the Lord has given me a new revelation concerning this “neediness”.  He reminded me that I am human and that humans have need of other humans and that he created us to be so.

He showed me that is part of the reason that he came to earth as a human being, so that other human beings could “see” God and not just have to “imagine” Him. As human beings, we needed this visual of God in something that we could relate to- another human being.

And so Christ came and took on the form of an earthen vessel and was subject to the same human frailties as we are- yet without sin.

He experienced every human suffering and temptation that we experience to one degree or another. But most of all he showed us God;

“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” John 14: 9

Jesus came as a man and he showed us God; He showed us His love, compassion, humility, humbleness, gentleness, mercy, care, concern, sympathy, and yes, even too, His anger, hurt, and jealousy. Men were now able to have a visual image of who God is and gain a greater faith in Him and love for Him.

And so Jesus passed the torch to His disciples and His disciples passed it to us;

“As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world, And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou loved me.” John 17: 18-23

And hence, we have the body of Christ, compacted, working together, caring for one another; having compassion and concern. When one rejoices, we rejoice with them and when one is hurting, we hurt with them- the love of God shown through earthen vessels. (see Ephesians 4:16 and 1 Corninthian 12:26)

So today, once again, the truth has set me free- free from false condemnation for feeling needy for the love and compassion of other human beings.

Jesus made us earthen vessels for His glory to shine through; I look to see God in others and I pray and work that others may see God in me!

Watch and Pray

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1Peter 4:7

We need to be sober to be able to watch and see life as it truly is. So many people are living an illusion; so many are seeking after a fantasy world created in their imagination. Some are seeking a perfect family with a dog and and a yard. Some are seeking to be a millionaire and have prestige. Some are seeking adventure and travel to far away lands. But God has warned us in his word that we need to watch and pray, because the end of all things is at hand- the end of your life, the end of my life, is at hand.

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the LORD so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” 1 Thess 5: 1-6

When we are watching, we are going to see something; God will reveal some things to us, and then we must pray, because the enemy of souls is waiting to steal right away that which God has made known unto us.

Sometimes when watching we will see a warning;

“Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you unto God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” Act 20: 31-32

A warning to us needs to be followed by prayer. We need to pray that God will help us to heed the warning and to deliver us from the snare that Satan has laid. When we are watching and praying, we are alert and we need to pray that God would keep us from the hour of temptation;

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26: 41

It is easy to say, “oh sure, I will stand for Jesus, I want to please him and do all he asks of me.” But when it comes to performing, we need to be praying for the help and strength of God, because in ourselves… in our flesh dwelleth no good thing and without Christ we can do nothing. Peter was indeed willing to stand by Christ to the death, but because he had not watched AND prayed, he ended up denying him three times, even with cursing. This can happen to any of us. We must WATCH… and…PRAY!

When we are watching we are girded- we have prayed, and sought God’s will and read from his word, and we are ready for his call, to do his bidding. When you begin a new employment and you are eager to build a good repoir with your boss you are watching and looking for ways to work, and when that boss needs something done, you hop to it. It is the same in serving Christ. His true servants are girded and waiting to hear his voice and bidding;

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” Luke 12: 35-38

Here he tells us “blessed are those servants” twice. I don’t know about you, but whenever I see those words “blessed” that tells me that this is an area for receiving great blessings from God.

We need to watch and pray for our fellow soldiers;

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all preserverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, (Paul) that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6: 18-19

We need to watch and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Some are going through hard battles, some are weak, some are sick, some are on the front lines of the battle field like the apostle Paul and need courage and strength. We need to pray always for them and watch for them too!

When we are watching we will be stedfast in the faith and work of the Lord;

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” 1 Cor 16: 13

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor 15: 58

All of life outside of Christ is vain. Our hopes and dreams perish when we die. The only true life is life that is hid in Christ Jesus- lived for his cause, which is the salvation of souls.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 2: 2-4

The Bible tells us that those things that are of high esteem in the eyes of men, are an abomination with God. A life in Christ will not be applauded here by the general population of men. In fact, we will often be looked upon as fools for the hidden things of God are foolishness to those who are spiritually blind.  (1 Cor. 2:14)

We need to keep our hope in the life beyond this world; in the life that is hid in Jesus Christ;

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess 4: 16-18

Christ is our life, our hope, our labor. He is our everything. Have you ever been to a most beautiful spot in God’s great creation and just been enraptured by the beauty and magnificence of it all? If God made this world, so beautiful, this world that is so engulfed by the sins of men, we can be assured heaven will be that much more glorious. We will not be disappointed. We will not arrive in heaven missing earth- EVER!

We must watch unto prayer. We must not miss the goal!

Now if you have not been watchful and the enemy has gained advantage in your life, there is still hope this side of eternity;

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee… He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot our his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Rev 3: 2-3, 5

REMEMBER: Watching and Praying go hand in hand. We must do both. We must watch to see and thenpray to fulfill what God shows us.

The Peace That Passeth Understanding

“Be anxious about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keeps you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6

There is no peace like the peace that passes understanding!

When you don’t  understand why?  God’s peace promises a good reason-

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of  evil, to give you an expected end.” (a future and a hope) Jeremiah 29:11

“He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him” Psalm 145:19

When you don’t understand when? God’s peace promises a perfect time-

“For yet a little while and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”  Hebrews 10:37

When you don’t understand where? God’s peace promises He will be with us-

“I will go before thee and make the crooked places straight;”  Isaiah 45:2

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”Ps. 23:4

“Fear not for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness..”  Isaiah 41:10

When you don’t understand how? The peace of God promises a way-

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?”  Jeremiah 32:27

And finally, will God forget to keep His promises to you? The peace of God says NO!-

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee on the palms of my hands.”  Isaiah 49: 15-16

“Trust in the LORD with ALL thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.“  Proverbs 3:5

Wisdom is Justified of all Her Children

When we seek God for direction and help in our lives, it is so very important that we listen to Him and follow what He shows us no matter what anyone else may think or say about it.

The Lord tells us in Mark 1:19 and Luke 7:35 that the people accused John the Baptist of having a devil and they called the very sinless, beautiful Lord Jesus Christ a glutton and wine bibber. No matter what you do in life, there will always be ones to find fault.

But, “wisdom is justified of all her children”

Proverbs 31:30 says, “favour is deceitful and beauty is vain” Favour or men’s approval- when that is where are heart is, we will be deceived.

“The fear of man bringeth a snare” Proverbs 29:25

“And He (Jesus) said unto them, ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”

When we are careful to listen to God, He will give us the wisdom that we ask for:

“If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  James 1: 5

Whenever God instructs us personally, we must be very careful to follow what he tells us. The enemy of our souls is always there to oppose the way God shows us. Sometimes this opposition may even come from one who is a brother or sister in the Lord. This can truly be a sore trial but we must be fully convicted of what God has shown us and follow it no matter what anyone else thinks or believes. Of course God will never show us a way that is contrary to his written word.

In 1 Kings 13 we read about a prophet of God that was sent to King Jeroboam to give him a message from God. The King invited him to his house and the man of God responded, “If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so it was charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, eat no bread, nor drink water, not turn again by the same way that thou camest. “  1 Kings 13: 8-9

But a little further down the road, this same prophet met another prophet of God who brings him a different message than the one God had specifically given him:

“I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.” verse 15

So this man of God, who had refused the King, yielded to a prophet. Because of this he lost his life hours later. The wrath of God came down harder on the disobedient than on the one who lied to him.

Galatians 1: 8, 10-12 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached, let him be accursed… For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man- (he didn’t preach a mans message) For I received it neither of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

When God reveals something to us, its time to take heed.

Wisdom is justified of her children- wisdom comes from God. When we have a situation in life and we seek God for direction, He will be faithful to show us the way and it is critical to follow His leading even if it goes against our own understanding.

“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. Be not wise in thine own eyes:”  Proverbs 3: 5-6

When we follow His leading and we are faithful to what he shows us, we will reap good benefits. The wisdom that we follow will shut the mouths of the nay-sayers. When the fruit of our way becomes obvious- that wisdom will be justified of her children, or, in other words, the fruit of our lives will stop the mouths of the scornful:

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”  Isaiah 54: 17

Fruit takes time to mature. It takes time to see the results of obedience to the wisdom of God. But when we are faithful, our works will one day come to fruition, and like the old saying goes, “The proof is in the pudding” our fruit will speak for itself.

“Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”  Proverbs 31:31

My husband and I recently took a trip down to the coast. It was about a four hour drive. I sat in wonder as the closer we got to the ocean the more beautiful the countryside became. As we drove through the coastal mountain ranges I was struck by the perfectly manicured green hills with perfect little trees decorating them. You could tell that life had been good there. Plenty of sunshine, rain in it’s season. Not too harsh weather conditions.
But when we got to the ocean, a whole other picture was set before my eyes of magnificent beauty. The world opened up into eternity over the vast ocean and here the winds beat mercilessly year round. The trees here possessed a strength and beauty like none I have ever seen. You could see how the years of harsh winds had molded each into a character of their own. Each tree possessed such personality you could not help but stare in the wonder of it all. Some of them you would even think to be quite deformed, yet still so mysteriously beautiful.
God used these trees to speak to my heart. Such a profound lesson was impressed upon me that words seem inadequate to express.
There are many lives just like those little manicured trees. They have what everyone wishes for. The sun shines on them, love surrounds them. Everything seems to be in their favor. They grow into beautiful people of good morals and productive lives.
But then there are lives that are born in a place where the winds of adversity are ever present. Hardship and adverse conditions meet them everyday. Some cannot stand the hardships and never get established and die. But the ones that take a deep root and hang on, grow up strong, and yes, sometimes appear to have certain deformities because of the constant whippings and lashings of life. Yet they possess a beauty of their own that, unlike the perfectly manicured trees that all seem to look the same, these have formed a unique character and a strength that is deep and secure. Just look at these pictures of some of the coastal trees and let them teach you a lesson about life.

Oh God you are my God, and I will ever praise you!
I will seek you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in your ways,
And step by step you’ll lead me, and I will follow you all of my days.
Oh God you are my God, and I will ever praise you!

To see more pictures of our trip come visit my blog

Looking Unto Jesus