In December of 1965 folk-rock group, “The Byrds” released their second album, “Turn, Turn, Turn”. Pete Seeger, Jim McGuinn and Judy Collins combined their talents to create the lead single and title track. Seeger’s adaptation of the third chapter of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes became a haunting reminder of the passing of - time.
To everything,
Turn, turn, turn;
There is a season,
Turn, turn turn
And a time for every purpose
Under heaven.
Timing is everything.
A photographer might wait years for the perfect shot, of the perfect scene, in the perfect season, on the perfect day, with the perfect lighting, at the perfect moment.
Timing is EVERYTHING!
The book of Isaiah brings to us a familiar verse about “waiting upon the Lord” but the verses preceeding give us insight to the conditions of His promise.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength - causing it to multiply and making it abound. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and the selected young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; BUT those who wait for the Lord - who expect, look for and hope in Him - shall CHANGE AND RENEW their strength and power. They shall lift up their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint or be tired.” - Isaiah 40: 28-31
And once again in the New Testament the writer of the book of Hebrews echos these truths as he completes his “Biblical Hall of Fame” of past faithful followers.
“THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony of the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance - unnecessariy weight - and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] TO JESUS, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher, [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:1-2
Where are you today, right this very “moment” in God’s timeline? TODAY, have you awakened with the hope of His guidance and the contentment of being in His care, or is there a haunting uncertainty about the purpose of yesterday, passion for today and promise of tomorrow? Are you weak and weary from the challenges of life?
I HAVE WONDERFUL NEWS! NOW IS YOUR MOMENT! He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him or she who has no might He increases strength - causing it to multiply and making it abound!
Have you just been “waiting” or have you been “waiting upon the Lord”? There is a difference. “Waiting” is a lotto ticket; nothing but uncertainty. The odds are against you and if you are dependant upon fulfillment in its winnings your life is destined for frustration and loss.
“Waiting upon the Lord” is the condition of having already won! It is allowing Him to show you where He would have you share His blessings - thus, fulfilling your every desire (as He places them within your heart) and touching the lives of others with all that He has given you. Waiting upon the Lord is not patiently passive. Waiting upon the Lord is PATIENT ENDURANCE AND STEADY (balanced) ACTIVE PERSISTENCE, RUNNING THE APPOINTED COURSE! To know the course we must know the Creator. To see it clearly, we must take our eyes off of “self” and look to Him who has set the course, JESUS.
And yet, we feebly cry, “I have waited so long. I am so weary. I do not know if I even have the strength to have hope.” And our loving Savior says:
“My grace - My favor and loving-kindness and mercy-are enough for you, [that is, sufficient against any danger and to enable you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect-fulfilled and completed and show themselves most effective-in [your] weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:8a
Paul then goes on to conclude the verse with his decision:
“...Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ, the Messiah, may rest - YES, MAY PITCH A TENT [over] and dwell upon me!” - 2 Corinthians 12:8b
GST? Oh, yes. I amost forgot. God’s Standard Time! His time and timeline for you.
To everything,
Turn, turn, turn;
There is a season,
Turn, turn turn
And a time for every purpose
Under heaven.
God bless!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Making IT Happen
God saved Noah ... but Noah built the ark;
God gave Samson strength but Samson brought down the pillars;
God saved Joshua but Joshua circled Jericho and the walls came tumbling down;
God Saved David but David used his sling against the mighty Goliath;
God saved Daniel but Daniel had to enter the lion’s den;
God saved an inadequate Moses but Moses had to become the leader of his people.
God’s plan - man’s action - God’s accomplishment through man’s faithfulness.
God’s vision - man’s action - God’s miraculous fulfilment of His vision.
Experiencing the awesome power of God comes through faithfuness.
Let’s look at Hebrews chapter eleven. This has often been called the “faith chapter” of the Bible.
“Now FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality - FAITH perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.” - Hebrews 11:1
As I read verse after verse the faithfulness of God’s servants, one verse becomes a focal point; verse 33:
“Who by [the help of] FAITH subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions (Dan.6). Extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, OUT OF THE FRAILTY AND WEAKNESS WON STRENGTH AND BECAME STALWART EVEN MIGHTHY and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts!” - Hebrews 11:33,34
“OUT OF FRAILTY AND WEAKNESS”... God does not call upon the mighty to accomplish His will. God calls upon His chosen people. We see example after example in the Bible not the least of which was a young girl and her fiance, Mary and Joseph. In each and every case, God used His chosen man’s or woman’s greatest weakness to fulfill His will. But it is import to recognize that God’s chosen man and women had to be faithful to God’s leading. Sometimes it meant stepping out of their comfort zone. Sometimes it was against all odds. Sometimes it took tremendous physical effort. Sometimes it took years but it always took FAITHFULNESS AND EFFORT!
How often do we pray that God will accomplish some task in our life and yet never consider the possibility that He wants us to be the vehicle He uses to accomplish it?
Are you willing to step out in FAITH, totally yielded to His will, totally dependent upon His strength, completely committed to His leading in humble awareness of your own weakness? Then allow me to congratulate you in advance; His mighty power is about to be seen in YOU!
God gave Samson strength but Samson brought down the pillars;
God saved Joshua but Joshua circled Jericho and the walls came tumbling down;
God Saved David but David used his sling against the mighty Goliath;
God saved Daniel but Daniel had to enter the lion’s den;
God saved an inadequate Moses but Moses had to become the leader of his people.
God’s plan - man’s action - God’s accomplishment through man’s faithfulness.
God’s vision - man’s action - God’s miraculous fulfilment of His vision.
Experiencing the awesome power of God comes through faithfuness.
Let’s look at Hebrews chapter eleven. This has often been called the “faith chapter” of the Bible.
“Now FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality - FAITH perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.” - Hebrews 11:1
As I read verse after verse the faithfulness of God’s servants, one verse becomes a focal point; verse 33:
“Who by [the help of] FAITH subdued kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promised blessings, closed the mouths of lions (Dan.6). Extinguished the power of raging fire, escaped the devourings of the sword, OUT OF THE FRAILTY AND WEAKNESS WON STRENGTH AND BECAME STALWART EVEN MIGHTHY and resistless in battle, routing alien hosts!” - Hebrews 11:33,34
“OUT OF FRAILTY AND WEAKNESS”... God does not call upon the mighty to accomplish His will. God calls upon His chosen people. We see example after example in the Bible not the least of which was a young girl and her fiance, Mary and Joseph. In each and every case, God used His chosen man’s or woman’s greatest weakness to fulfill His will. But it is import to recognize that God’s chosen man and women had to be faithful to God’s leading. Sometimes it meant stepping out of their comfort zone. Sometimes it was against all odds. Sometimes it took tremendous physical effort. Sometimes it took years but it always took FAITHFULNESS AND EFFORT!
How often do we pray that God will accomplish some task in our life and yet never consider the possibility that He wants us to be the vehicle He uses to accomplish it?
Are you willing to step out in FAITH, totally yielded to His will, totally dependent upon His strength, completely committed to His leading in humble awareness of your own weakness? Then allow me to congratulate you in advance; His mighty power is about to be seen in YOU!
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