Kathy — Every time we decide not to see God’s purpose in trials and we just continue to resent them, we’re hardening our hearts. In addition, by refusing to learn God’s ways and do things His way, we are refusing to reflect His image in this earth. That is refusing to glorify Him. 1Chron.16:11, CEV — “Trust the Lord and his mighty power. Worship him always.“
We must see tomorrow. We must see it as God sees it. Don’t adopt this age’s sense of hopelessness. It does not take God’s love or miracles into account. Do not be held in the grip of present circumstances but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.(Rom12:2) Get into the Word of God and get a new picture. Get God’s picture of things. Prov.23:18, TPT — “Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away.”
Kathy — I think we sometimes mistake tenacity for faith. Tenacious means extreme persistence; relentless or enduring. Tenacity is awesome for getting and keeping the Word in our thinking so it can be an overriding priority in our lives, but tenacity is not faith. Tenacity is not our goal but it is a powerful element of getting to the goal. Our goal is faith, a confident, unshakeable knowing. If faith becomes a matter of tenacity and strain, we’ve simply stopped short of the goal. The mark of reaching and standing in faith is rest.
As the people of God assemble today may they see clearly and be equipped effectively for what is expected of them in this pivotal hour of our nation. Sons/daughters of the Kingdom become the answer to the groaning of creation which we read about in Rom.8:19,22. In the original language, groaning creation is pictured in such a way that it is expectantly stretching the neck to glimpse that which is beyond itself and beyond its present plight. That which creation is stretching its neck to see, or THOSE whom it is stretching its neck to see, are their hope of lifting them out of their hopeless plight.
If someone is a slave to something for a long time, it is difficult for them to see a picture in their mind of what being free is like. If we can’t see ourselves as anything but a slave to that thing that has mastery over us then we will maintain that slave mentality. “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are…” (Gen.13:14)
Kathy — In Heb.3:9-10, it goes on to tell us that when the Israelites were in the wilderness, they saw God do awesome works and miracles for them; yet they hardened their hearts and REFUSED to learn His ways. I’ve thought many times, ‘What was wrong with those people?’ But when I read it recently, I suddenly realized how simply we can harden our hearts. We just refuse to LISTEN to God during a trial! Ps.85:8, TPT — “Now I’ll listen carefully for your voice and wait to hear whatever you say. Let me hear your promise of peace—the message every one of your godly lovers longs to hear. Don’t let us in our ignorance turn back from following you.”
In October we are going up and out of dark places hand over hand on the three-cord rope of hope and promise and God’s faithfulness (Eccl.4:12—“a threefold cord is not quickly broken”). The joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh.8:10—“the joy of the Lord is your strength”) to reach and grasp and pull. His light and salvation (Ps.27:1—“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life”) are the bright glow of expectancy that we climb toward as we lift up our heads to where our help comes from (Ps.121:1).
Beside Still Waters With Marty Gabler
martygabler 