Good
Thursday morning and welcome once again to that place where you can take a moment and visit, think about it, and then pick up where you left off in your pursuits on this
April 21, 2011. Have you ever really wanted something only to see someone else attain it, and then you were certainly glad you didn't? That's happened to me more than once and it tells me that at least in my case, it's pretty easy to get wants and needs all mixed up. I know some folks who promote that Bible verse that talks about God giving a person the desires of their heart. The actual verse reads like this: "
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4 New American Standard Bible) If you read that entire passage you will see how that the Psalmist David was dealing with the issues that come when evil doers appear to be prospering. Let's be frank here. Those who try to live in a way that is pleasing to God do not always have an easy time of it. David was addressing the inclination that often comes when believers begin to fret over and even become envious of those who appear to be prospering in their evil deeds. One of the ways to deal with this is to delight yourself in the LORD. When we do He will give us what we stand in need of, our desires. Not what the evil doer has but what is best for us in keeping with His will. In fact, David made it clear that those who have the appearance of prospering in their wrongful ways are headed for God's judgment. If we would spend our time delighting ourselves in the Lord, trusting in Him, then we would experience an overflowing sense of His provision and peace which far exceeds any and all things this world has to offer.
It's so easy for us to hang our hat on the getting of the desires of the heart and miss out on all that is involved in what it means to delight ourselves in the Lord. It's like another snippet we like to quote: "
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, New King James Version) We do want that direction, don't we? But for most of us and surely for me, we may not focus as much on what it means to trust in the Lord with all our heart, learning to not depend on our own understanding, and in all our ways, and that means all, we are to recognize Him, then we see that direction from Him will come. I heard a pastor say once that there really is a way for us to get every desire of our heart from God. He went on to say that this happens when our desires are conditioned by His presence and our walking with Him, and that makes what we desire to be what He would desire for us. I talk to people quite often. You would have never guessed that I do that? And, folks are troubled about how things are going in our land. Many express their concerns for the welfare of their families. Some talk about lost dreams and how they would like just to be happy. Ever been there? Most of us have. I am glad to be able to recommend God and His provision for us all during the good times and the bad. During times when evil seems to be winning and during times when we don't know if we can make it another day. Sure, I would like to be able to promise health, wealth, and prosperity for everyone I talk to and might even begin receiving offerings as a result. I can't do that because folks need the truth. It's our only hope. He will keep His promises and we need to be striving to work on the delighting part, the trusting part, the not leaning on our own understanding part, and in acknowledging Him in every minute detail of the whole ball of wax that makes up our life here on the planet. Tough? You betcha! But the good news is that He will help us even as we struggle in all these things. And I say
AMEN to that!
Struggle? You got it. We all have it. It comes with the birthright here in this fallen world. I am not preaching to anyone in particular because we all need what God can do for us. You could see it coming. I'm reminded of another song. I don't know how it would be not to be reminded of the message from a song. God has used music and lyrics over the years to minister to me in a big way. Here's that wonderful classic written by Stuart Hamblen from 1950: "1) The chimes of time ring out the news, Another day is through. Someone slipped and fell. Was that someone you? You may have longed for added strength, Your courage to renew. Do not be disheartened, For I have news for you. It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for others, He'll do for you. With arms wide open, He'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do. 2) There is no night for in His light You'll never walk alone. Always feel at home, Wherever you may go. There is no power can conquer you While God is on your side. Take Him at His promise, Don't run away and hide. It is no secret what God can do.What He's done for others, He'll do for you.With arms wide open, He'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do." The story of this song is too powerful to leave out. Stuart Hamblen was a successful singer, actor, and hard drinking man about town out in California when a young preacher stormed into town to hold a revival. That young preacher was Billy Graham and Stuart hosted him on his radio station and then that night he and his wife attended the crusade. They both left under heavy conviction and at 4 a.m. they visited Graham's hotel room where they gave their hearts to Jesus. Some time later, at a Hollywood party, John Wayne commented to Hamblen that he had heard that he got religion. Stuart's reply to the Duke went something like this: "It is no secret what God can do in a man's life." A song was born. That song was real to Stuart Hamblen. That song is real to me. We serve a Great God, don't we?
Amen. ......More later.
It's so easy for us to hang our hat on the getting of the desires of the heart and miss out on all that is involved in what it means to delight ourselves in the Lord. It's like another snippet we like to quote: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, New King James Version) We do want that direction, don't we? But for most of us and surely for me, we may not focus as much on what it means to trust in the Lord with all our heart, learning to not depend on our own understanding, and in all our ways, and that means all, we are to recognize Him, then we see that direction from Him will come. I heard a pastor say once that there really is a way for us to get every desire of our heart from God. He went on to say that this happens when our desires are conditioned by His presence and our walking with Him, and that makes what we desire to be what He would desire for us. I talk to people quite often. You would have never guessed that I do that? And, folks are troubled about how things are going in our land. Many express their concerns for the welfare of their families. Some talk about lost dreams and how they would like just to be happy. Ever been there? Most of us have. I am glad to be able to recommend God and His provision for us all during the good times and the bad. During times when evil seems to be winning and during times when we don't know if we can make it another day. Sure, I would like to be able to promise health, wealth, and prosperity for everyone I talk to and might even begin receiving offerings as a result. I can't do that because folks need the truth. It's our only hope. He will keep His promises and we need to be striving to work on the delighting part, the trusting part, the not leaning on our own understanding part, and in acknowledging Him in every minute detail of the whole ball of wax that makes up our life here on the planet. Tough? You betcha! But the good news is that He will help us even as we struggle in all these things. And I say AMEN to that!
Struggle? You got it. We all have it. It comes with the birthright here in this fallen world. I am not preaching to anyone in particular because we all need what God can do for us. You could see it coming. I'm reminded of another song. I don't know how it would be not to be reminded of the message from a song. God has used music and lyrics over the years to minister to me in a big way. Here's that wonderful classic written by Stuart Hamblen from 1950: "1) The chimes of time ring out the news, Another day is through. Someone slipped and fell. Was that someone you? You may have longed for added strength, Your courage to renew. Do not be disheartened, For I have news for you. It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for others, He'll do for you. With arms wide open, He'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do. 2) There is no night for in His light You'll never walk alone. Always feel at home, Wherever you may go. There is no power can conquer you While God is on your side. Take Him at His promise, Don't run away and hide. It is no secret what God can do.What He's done for others, He'll do for you.With arms wide open, He'll pardon you. It is no secret what God can do." The story of this song is too powerful to leave out. Stuart Hamblen was a successful singer, actor, and hard drinking man about town out in California when a young preacher stormed into town to hold a revival. That young preacher was Billy Graham and Stuart hosted him on his radio station and then that night he and his wife attended the crusade. They both left under heavy conviction and at 4 a.m. they visited Graham's hotel room where they gave their hearts to Jesus. Some time later, at a Hollywood party, John Wayne commented to Hamblen that he had heard that he got religion. Stuart's reply to the Duke went something like this: "It is no secret what God can do in a man's life." A song was born. That song was real to Stuart Hamblen. That song is real to me. We serve a Great God, don't we? Amen. ......More later.
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