Bible Ballistics: BBs #742  Learning To Wait And Listen???

 

“My brethren,

count it all joy

when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this,

that the trying of your faith

worketh patience.

4 But let patience

have her perfect work,

that ye may be perfect

and entire,

wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom,

let him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally,

and upbraideth not;

and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith,

nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth

 is like a wave of the sea

driven with the wind

and tossed.

7 For let not that man think

that he shall receive any thing

of the Lord.

8 A double minded man

is unstable

in all his ways.”  James 1:2-8

James gives us some amazing advice, yet we so often find ourselves being “double minded”!  What does that mean?  Well, I’ll give you my grasp on that picture, and I think it’s simple; it’s when we try to serve “God and self”.  Jesus calls it trying to serve “God…and mammon”, if you would, the things of this world—money, luxury, ease, power, popularity, promotion, worldly success, and the list could go on to include any idol that we build or allow to consume our thoughts, our time, our energies, our money, and desires.  As I’ve often heard, and said myself, “Let me look at your checkbook and I’ll show you what you love.”  Try it yourself!  So, what is our desire to be set on?  We choose what we love and then that love will conform us to one thing or another, usually the divide between God and the world.

“No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one,

and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one,

and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  Matthew 6:24

Jesus goes on to call us to realize that when we know HIM and Father God, we can depend on HIM to supply our every need; even when we’re not sure what that looks like.  Just as James talks about, there are times when we just don’t know which choice to make, yet our GOD WILL grant us direction when we choose to seek HIS face and wait upon HIS answers.  Even when they seem difficult, we can trust our God completely for “HE careth for you”! (See 1 Peter 5:7)

“Therefore take no thought, saying,

What shall we eat?

or, What shall we drink?

or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things

do the Gentiles seek:)

for your heavenly Father knoweth

that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first

the kingdom of God,

and his righteousness;

and all these things

shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow:

for the morrow shall take thought

for the things of itself.

Sufficient unto the day

is the evil thereof.”  Matthew 6:31-34

What are you/I seeking?  Our actions will usually reveal the answer to that question.  And to keep this brief, I want to take us to a great passage in the Psalms that is one of my ‘go to’ favorites; reminding me ‘how to’ keep my “eyes on Jesus”!  I pray that it will help you and encourage you in whatever choices you may be facing.  And know that I totally understand as we are also facing some life-changing decisions at our house too.  But I know that our God is able, faithful, and true to HIS Word!  He has never failed me yet, though I have often failed HIM, and I know HE will continue to direct our steps as we seek HIS face.  And my great prayer is that I will be found faithful before HIM!  How about you?  And just a reminder, what you “delight” in will usually lead to the desires of your heart!

“Trust in the LORD,

and do good;

so shalt thou dwell in the land,

and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD;

and he shall give thee

the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD;

trust also in him;

and he shall bring it to pass.

6 And he shall bring forth

thy righteousness

as the light,

and thy judgment

as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD,

and wait patiently for him:

fret not thyself

because of him

who prospereth in his way,

because of the man

who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger,

and forsake wrath:

fret not thyself

in any wise to do evil.”   Psalm 37:3-8

And in closing a bit of advice from James again, to remind us that we must strive to walk in The Spirit not the flesh.

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren,

let every man be swift to hear,

slow to speak,

slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man

worketh not

the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20

And Paul gives a great closing challenge; may we take heed to our walk—are we in the flesh or The Spirit?  It’s your choice but choose wisely!  There is a test!

“This I say then,

Walk in the Spirit,

and ye shall not fulfil

the lust of the flesh…

… 25 If we live in the Spirit,

 let us also walk in the Spirit.”   Galatians 5:16 & 25

Amen and Amen!!!