Amazed Again!

Philippians 2:13 - for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

I will never cease to be amazed at God's perfect timing. I mean, I can understand in the big things, like receiving money just at the time you need it most, or getting a job just when it seemed all hope was lost. But in the little things, too? YES!

I have a blog ready for "someday." Maybe tomorrow, maybe later this week. I don't know. I was considering it for today, but I have to share this first...and the beauty of it is that this is a perfect lead in for the "someday" blog. (So I'll probably have to make it tomorrow...)

I pulled out an old cassette from April 18, 1999 to listen once again to the sermon Pastor Bob Ona, at the then Brookfield Assembly of God, preached that very first morning I started going back to church. I had been planning to listen to it for a couple of days, but yesterday was THE day! I needed to hear the sermon again to get just the right words he spoke. I listened on my way to church. The sermon was titled The Goodness of God. He basically was saying that a lot of times we try to do things in our own strength and don't understand why we fail. He was telling us that as believers we needed to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and when we do God's goodness will be evident. Of course, at the time he was preaching I was not a believer! But more about that later.....

What blew me away was the sermon at church yesterday morning was pretty much the same thing. We strive to do things in our own strength and we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit that's within all believers to be all that God wants us to be. A timeless and timely message for me.

As Pastor Bruce Headley told us yesterday morning, it's through letting the Holy Spirit lead that we become disciples. The first step is in letting go of who we think we are and just doing as the Lord did when He came to earth. Pastor talked about the submission Jesus showed to his disciples when He Himself washed their feet. For some reason none of the disciples took it upon themselves to do it! Jesus did this because He was secure in who He was. He didn't have to make Himself look like He was bigger or better. He humbled Himself. No task was too menial for Him and it shouldn't be for us either. How many times have we heard people say, "That's not my job..." That's the pride we carry as sinful man.

Anything we do should be out of a pure heart. Pastor Ona mentioned in his sermon ten years ago that there are people who do good things but not always with a pure heart and that he also knows people whose heart is so pure you'd think they never did anything wrong. I think of unbelievers who graciously give of their time and money for a worthy cause. Sometimes, but not all times, there are those who do it for the gratification and pat on the back or for the tax break they will receive. We are asked to do all things as unto the Lord. Our words, our actions, our deeds, should all be done as though we are doing them for God. How many of us really do this on a regular basis?

Any striving we do in life should be toward God. Fighting against God's plans and will in our lives leads to dissatisfaction and possible failure. This brings up another point, for a possible other blog...waiting on God. Sometimes we want to move something along because it's not happening soon enough. If we don't wait for His timing, even when it seems like "forever," we will frustrate our own plans. Like I said as I started this blog, it's all about God's timing. He has always known the beginning from the end.

I loved the symbolism Pastor mentioned yesterday about washing the disciples' feet. It was symbolic of the washing away of our sins when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus did it because He's the one who has removed our sins through His death. Jesus set an example and we are to take note of that. The first step we must take, however, is to humble ourselves, admit we are sinners and allow the cleansing power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit enter in when we receive Jesus as our Redeemer and Savior. Open your heart to receive Him. He will not turn down the invitation to become your Savior.

So to tie together these two days ten years apart: the lesson is the same today as it was April 18, 1999. When we finally come to the realization that we cannot do anything apart from the strength of God, we will be successful. Not only will we be successful (in life, in work, in marriage, in our walk with the Lord) but we will have that peace that passes all understanding because only God can provide to us what we truly need. We need His strength, His wisdom, His power to get us where we need to be. Becoming aware of the power of the Holy Spirit within us (as believers) is the key.

It is my prayer that I walk in humility and allow myself to be led by the Holy Spirit each day. Let the power of God manifest itself within me that I will have the right words at the right time for each circumstance I'm faced with. Let me fully understand just how much power I truly have within me. I keep hearing we just don't realize what power that is. Jesus told us when He left He would leave the Comforter. That Comforter is the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 46:10 - Be still [cease striving], and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!