After God’s Heart: Home

Tag: encouragement

  • Holiness

    Holiness

    *1ἅγιος (hagios). adj. holy, set apart, consecrated, dedicated, saints.

     

    Made Holy by Christ

    The Lord is Holy. He is otherly. He is set apart from His creation in His perfection, His glory, His splendor and majesty. When we are “born again” through faith in Jesus Christ we are given a new identity – we become children of God and a royal priesthood. Because He is holy, His children who follow Him are to be holy also. If we are walking in alignment with our new identity in Christ, we will increasingly become representatives of His ways and character and to some degree of the power of His Spirit. Even the physical things we use can become consecrated and holy unto Him when they are no longer used for common purposes, but solely for His glory.

    A Priestly Calling

    As followers of Christ, redeemed by Him, we are, as Isaiah says, a “kingdom of priests to our God.” And as Peter states in 1 Peter 2:9,

    *9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

     If we who belong to Jesus Christ are called priests, and holy, ought we not to behave in a manner befitting of who we are? Not from a desire to look perfect, but as the result of the inner transforming work of Christ in our heart as we obey the Spirit and are changed by His word.

    The Apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians 4:1 to

    * 1 walk in a manner worthy of your calling.

    A priest’s life is dedicated in service to His God and in representing His God to people and bringing them to Him. This is our calling as Christians. To be dedicated to our Lord and to represent Christ in all we do.

    Transforming Holiness

    But even though we have a new identity in Christ, walking in that identity requires transformation.

    Romans 12:1-2 says the following:

    *1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

    2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

    “The renewing of your mind” is a process that occurs chiefly through surrender to the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, frees us from wrong mindsets and bondages, and empowers us to live in the new way the Lord is calling us to.

    When we read the Word of God and simply humble ourselves by laying down our own will, submitting ourselves to the will of the Lord, He transforms us.

    When we become saved, our nature changes. When we grow in the Lord, our perspectives and character change.

    We were unclean in our sin, but having been washed clean and made new by Jesus Christ we are now being “transformed from glory to glory” and becoming holy to the Lord. This process is called sanctification; the process of being set apart.

    It’s the idea that, although we  haven’t “arrived”, there is evidence in our life and character of God’s shaping and changing us into the image of His Son. It’s a process that should never stop as long as we are alive in these physical bodies!

    Common Things Become Consecrated

    As God continues shaping me I’m learning that even physical things can hold spiritual significance. Meaning, if I submit all of the actions of my life to be glorifying to the Lord, I can increasingly set apart the physical activities and instruments of even my daily life as “Holy to the Lord.” They become no longer “common” to me, but are set apart for the Lord’s purposes as I present them to Him to use for His glory.

    I have a favorite verse in Zechariah 14  that says in part,

    Every cooking pot…will be holy to the LORD of hosts…

    The word of God gives us insight into the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ and His restoration of all things as His people and even the creation itself are brought out into freedom from the curse brought about by the first man’s sin in Genesis. What makes this verse so beautiful to me is the idea that even common things will become holy because they are purified by, and dedicated to,  the Lord.

    This blog is an example of this in the here and now. If I dedicate my writing to the Lord, it is set apart for the purpose of glorifying Him. Here are some other previously unspiritual, common things have become Holy to the Lord in my life – my plans, the direction of my life, my possessions, my abilities. All these I dedicate to the Lord for Him to make use of as He sees fit. 1 Corinthians 10:31 perfectly sums up how I approach life now:

    *31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

    Do ALL to the glory of God. Whoa! Does this sound like the actions and life befitting a priest? Absolutely! Will we fall short? Yes. But the idea in this life is one of progression. Take heart friend.

    Future Perfection

    It is God who is making us perfect as we look to Him. One day our heart and actions will be in perfect alignment with who we are (our identity) in Christ. Philippians 3:20-21 says,

    *20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

    21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

    Similarly, 1John 3 says,

    *2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

    3 And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

    How encouraging is that? Someday the race of faith will be finished. Someday our sanctification and transformation will be brought to completion by the Lord. We will be like Him in character and nature. We will be set free completely from any final chains of sin or struggle that occur in this life.

    O let us fix our hope on Christ, the only One who gives eternal life and a new identity in Him, the One who makes us a royal priesthood and who brings us along the journey of sanctification as He makes us holy and changes the common things in our lives into holy things. The One who will one day transform us into perfection that we may have perfect fellowship and communion with our God and dwell with Him and serve Him. Come near to Him and surrender the hidden places of your heart that you may walk in holiness, worthy of your calling now, while awaiting the perfection of the future. ❤️

    *1Kwok, Hon-Lee. 2014. “Holiness.” In Lexham Theological Wordbook, edited by Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, and Rebekah Hurst. Lexham Bible Reference Series. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

    *New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman F

  • Faith

    Faith

    What is Faith

    I’ve been reflecting on faith lately. What it is. What it leads to. I think one of the most used illustrations of faith from the Old Testament that is referenced in the New Testament is Abraham. God’s commands and promises to him and Abraham’s faith and obedience occurred over many years. His faith journey was layered throughout his lifetime. So is ours.

    The book of Hebrews says that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is a deep-set belief and assurance of something. The object of the Christian’s faith is always in God and His promises. As the Word says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

    One of my pastors once said it this way, “Faith is taking God at His word.”

    The Seeds of Faith – How The Placement of Your Faith Determines Your Destination

    Faith correctly applied is the very thing that unites us in relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the same from the Old Testament to the New. The Old Testament saints understood, however dimly, that there was a Savior coming, and they believed God for His promises. The scripture says, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

    The Savior did come in the person of Jesus Christ. He was God. He was man. He laid down His life to die the perfect sacrifice for our sins and rose again, proving His deity. He offered Himself as “the way, the truth, and the life” and said that “no one comes to the Father except through Me.”

    The way to salvation and right standing with God is plain. If we take God at His word, then we place our faith in Jesus  and in His promises. Who are you trusting? Are you trusting the Lord for your salvation, or are you trusting yourself? The scripture says “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When we try to do enough good to “make up” for the bad we’ve done, we’re placing our faith in ourselves for salvation. This path sadly, ends in destruction. It is only faith in the Lord that saves us from the wages of sin and grants us eternal life with Jesus Christ.

    The Yield of Faith – Inner Faith, Outer Results

    James said, “Faith without works is dead.” Why is that? Could it be because our beliefs about the world around us drive our actions? If this is the case, it follows that faith in God would result in a change of behavior that reflects our belief in Him and His promises and commands. (We must be careful here. It is faith that gives us right standing before God, not works, but in the field where faith grows, there is always a harvest of works.) In addition to this, when we place our faith in Jesus, He makes us new inside! He gives us an identity in Christ, the Holy Spirit to dwell in us to help us, and His word to guide us. Faith in Christ has its outworking in changes in our character, our interactions with others, our lifestyle and even sometimes, as in the case of Abraham, a change in our location.

    Here’s how the book of Hebrews puts it, “Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed, by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance.”) Abraham lived in Ur of the Chaldeas, a bustling city of idolatry. Yet when God called him he responded in faith which resulted in obedience. His faith compelled him to move in the direction that the Lord had told him to go. He left everything except what they took with them. The Bible says, “and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Whoa. Now that’s faith in action!

    Seasons of Faith- When Faith Requires Waiting

    Many of God’s promises require waiting. Abraham was promised a son through whom all the nations of the earth would be blessed. This promise was indicating that the Messiah, the Savior, would come from Abraham’s descendant through the son that God promised him. But the son didn’t come that year or the year after that. It was roughly a decade of waiting before the promised child was born. During that time Abraham’s faith was tested. Our faith will be tested also. In addition to the things we are waiting on God for the fulfillment of in this life, we are also waiting for the promised return of our Lord, for the fulfillment and full rights of our redemption in Heaven. Take heart friend. What God has promised He will fulfill.  For now, we keep our eyes on Jesus, and we wait.

     

  • The Sabbath Year

    The Sabbath Year

    The Levitical Law

    3 ‘Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, 4 but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.’

    -Leviticus 25:3-4

    The Sabbath year was to be a year of rest. A year of refreshing. Of seeking the Lord and rejoicing in Him. It was also the ultimate test of faith! There was no Costco, Sam’s Club or WalMart to go to if food ran out. If everyone obeyed and no one planted their field, if there was not enough food to last, the neighbor was likely to be in the same situation. If the Lord did not provide according to His word, it would mean death by starvation. So, naturally, what happened? God’s people did the logical thing, the same thing that we do when we reason out what we can see and don’t trust God with what He can supply. They did not trust or obey God. They worked the land and did not give the land, their servants, or their livestock the rest that God had so graciously provided for them in His law.

    The result?

    They did have hunger. They did have famine. They did have starvation at times. And eventually, God removed them from the land He had given them on account of all their many sins. Interestingly, He stated that the Israelites would go into exile for 70 years, so that the land may have its sabbath rest, all of the years they had not given it. And so it was.

    Blessings After Obedience

    Blessings always follow obedience. God asked them for their obedience and faith in Him first, before giving the blessings of abundance He promised would come. His ways have not changed. Today those who trust in Him and follow through with the things He asks of them will receive of His goodness. Those who do not, will receive His discipline.

    My Sabbath Year – Obedience and Entering into Rest

    I do not believe we are under the commands of the law, because we are under the grace of the new covenant, however, God does still call us personally to obey Him in different ways in different seasons of life. For myself, I have felt called to take a sabbath year this year. A radical idea and not one well accepted in our American culture.

    My sabbath year began January 1st, having quit my job at the end of the 2024. Entering into 2025, I have entered into rest, into the light burden of the Lord rather than the heavy yoke of my own striving. I am seeing God’s provision, just as He has promised. I am experiencing His rest and refreshing in both a very real and physical way, but also spiritually. What a blessing to belong to the Lord. What a blessing to believe Him, to take Him at His Word when His Holy Spirit prompts us to obey Him in some specific way.

    New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. 

  • Same God, Same Faith, Different Outcome

    Same God, Same Faith, Different Outcome

    Recently I memorized Hebrews chapter 11, the famous Hall of Fame of Faith. During my time memorizing, God began to open my eyes to things I had never noticed before. One of my takeaways was that while we CAN map out the very well traveled road of where our faith in Christ will take us spiritually, we cannot begin to guess where it will take us in this earthly life. Look with me, for example, at the first two men mentioned in the Hall of Faith – Abel and Enoch.

    • Two men beloved and pleasing to God.
    •  Two men with the same spiritual destination in Heaven.
    •  Two men who could not have met more opposing outcomes on earth.

    Abel’s Walk of Faith

    Abel and his brother Cain are both sons of their physical father Adam. But spiritually one is the son of Satan and the other a son of God. Genesis chapter 4 lays out a sweeping account of Abel’s life, faith, and death. In the space of 8 verses we see the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, the righteousness of Abel, the jealousy of Cain and the spilling of the first righteous man’s blood after Cain is rejected for trying to come to God his own way. (There’s only one way to God, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ, not in ourselves and our works)

    Because of his faith, Abel was counted as righteous by God who testified to this when He spoke to Cain. What does Abel receive by faith? All of the promises of God including right standing with Him, eternal life and the heavenly city He has prepared for His children! (See Hebrews 11:13-16)

    However in the physical realm, Cain is overcome with the passionate sin of jealousy when he is not accepted by God. Cain destroys him that is accepted – that is, Abel.

    So, Abel received spiritual life because of his faith. But because his faith stirred the jealous hatred of his brother Cain, the outcome of his spiritual faith was his physical murder (death).

    Enoch’s Walk of Faith

    As shocking as Abel’s physical ending was, Enoch’s couldn’t be a more wild contrast. Abel and Enoch have both come to God by faith. Both are called righteous. Both have received spiritual life. But while Abel endured the brutal death of being being murdered by his very own brother because of his right standing with God, Enoch is whisked away to Heaven by the Lord, escaping physical death altogether! The Bible says he “walked with God and he was not, because God took him.” He escapes the coming judgement of the flood, he escapes physical death even though he was a prophet in his time and spoke the truth to a wicked generation (See Jude). Enoch’s life was preserved to the uttermost. Whoa. What a contrast!

    Take Heart

    When I ask the questions, “What does this say about God’s ways? What does this mean for my life?” Two things come to mind:

    Firstly, that our righteousness is not a predictor of how life (or death) will go for us. There is a common teaching that if you are pleasing to the Lord nothing bad will happen to you. Well, tell that to Abel! While the Lord does often give protection and great provision to His people, our physical safety is not guaranteed. In fact, in Matthew 10:28 Jesus says the following,

    *28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

    The encouragement for me here is this: we’re not living for the physical outcomes, which are temporary, but we are living for the King, Jesus Christ and for eternity, for the kingdom of God that we are a part of by faith.

    My second thought is this, that although there’s no security in knowing just how our physical life will play out as we walk by faith, there is great security in knowing our God and His plans for us. Romans 8:28-29 says the following:

    *28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

    29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

    If God is causing ALL things to work together for good, EVEN the bad things, then that is really comforting news. And not only this but the good that He is bringing about for those who have trusted in Him, is that He is making us more like Jesus, conforming us to the likeness of Christ.

    It’s not all about us either. We are to live our lives in a way that shows off the light within us. 1 Peter 2:12 says this:

    *Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

    So no matter what’s happening here on this earth or what we’re facing in this life, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Let’s walk in the Light. Lay up our treasures in heaven, and entrust our future(s) to the One who preserves our souls for life with Him on the other side. Never forget that He is working all things together for our good and for His glory. ❤️

     

     

    *New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

  • Waiting Right

    Waiting Right

    I don’t know a single soul that isn’t “waiting” for something in life. We yearn and long for the things not yet attained. As Christians, we’re collectively waiting on the return of Jesus Christ. We’re waiting for the fulfillment of future prophecy, for the Kingdom of God on earth and also for our heavenly home.

    We’re also waiting on dreams and goals that we hope to fulfill in this lifetime. Whether it’s a spouse, a family, a career, friends, the restoration of a relationship that’s been severed, Whether we speak of heavenly things or earthly, there’s an aching in our hearts for the things not yet fulfilled that we wish for. I’m not immune, my heart aches too.

    While I may hope for the fulfillment of some of my earthly desires, the only certain promises are those that the Lord has given. I’m holding fast the promises of God, and loosely all the other hopes of this life. And how shall we wait, you ask? Here’s what I’ve come to so far- with humility, with worship, and with faith.

    Waiting with Humility

    Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. (James 4:10)

    Waiting with humility is pleasing to God. It’s saying “You know the best timing for this Lord, and whether or not it would be good for me. I trust You.” I have a list of earthly things that fall in this category that I keep bringing before the Lord myself. Quite a long list actually. By placing everything in His hands, I’m enabled to be content and fully present where He has me, even while hoping for open doors to other things.

    Waiting with Worship

    Whether or not we ever receive the earthly things and opportunities we are hoping for, God is a great God. He has redeemed our souls, and He is worthy to be praised! Worshipping reminds us of who He is and all He has already done for us both spiritually and physically. We can praise Him and retell all His deeds and works and invite His presence into our lives. Being reminded that God is a great King over all the earth and that He loves us and is working, weaving our lives together as He sees fit when we are obedient to Him is very comforting. Ephesians 1 is a great chapter for me when I have forgotten all the spiritual riches I already have in Christ Jesus.

    Waiting with Faith

    What God has promised He will bring to pass. I’m learning not to disregard the seeds that God has planted within my heart for certain things, but to wait on Him in faith. How long did Moses wait to deliver the Israelites? How long did Joseph wait in prison before he became second to Pharaoh? How long did Abraham wait before He received the promised son, Isaac? And in addition to the promises that these did receive fulfillment to in this life, there were more that they died in faith still waiting for. But not in vain. God always fulfills His promises, although very rarely in the timing we have in mind, or in the way we expect! Abraham was waiting to be established as nation. And it happened but not in his day. Joseph was waiting in faith for the Israelites to go back to the land God had given them, but only his bones went with the children of Israel when they left Egypt some 400 years later. Moses was waiting to go into the promised land but because of a disobedient act, he did not get to go in this side of Heaven. (As an aside here, he did get to enter it before the rest of the Old Testament saints when he spoke with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration!!) None of these saints waited in vain. God fulfilled His promises to them, but they didn’t see the full fulfillment in their lifetime here, some promises they (and we!) will receive in full at the resurrection and Christ’s reign.

    Results of Waiting Right

    But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

    They shall mount up with wings as eagles

     They shall run, and not be weary;

    And they shall walk and not faint.

    -Isaiah 40:32, KJV

    God doesn’t promise to give us every earthly desire, but He does love us, and He does honor His promises. When we wait on Him, He promises to renew our strength. I’m so thankful for this promise. I don’t know about you, but I’m so often at the end of my own strength and in need of His, and He’s always faithful!!

    So while I’m waiting, I’ll let God be God, I’ll keep a posture of humility because He IS the LORD and I am His creation. I’ll keep worshipping because He is worthy. And I’ll keep faith, knowing that His promises are sure, AND if there’s anything I’m waiting on that He hasn’t promised me, I can still wait with a quiet heart and an open hand, knowing that every good thing is a gift from Him. I don’t have to run out and grab it. He’ll open the door. He’ll give the gift. If He chooses not to fulfill some longing that I have, I can trust Him that it’s not what’s best for me. And all the godly  hopes and desires of our heart’s that we are waiting for His fulfillment for now, will make that fulfillment all the sweeter when He brings them about in His will, His way, and His timing.

    So let’s sing praise. Stand on His promises, what He has promised He is faithful to fulfill. And remember that He is working all things “together for the good of those who know Him and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)