Limping & Living

Things Above Thoughts
TAT # 107 Limping & Living

In Genesis 2:16–17 the Lord tells Adam not to eat the fruit from a specific tree or he would die. In Chapter three Adam eats the fruit but does not drop dead (Genesis 3:6). When the Lord comes upon the scene, naturally Adam is afraid, of the only thing he has to fear – death, and tries to hid himself from the Lord (3:8–10). The Lord examines the events of the eating of the fruit and starts handing out punishment to the parties involved (3:11–14). The Lord then curses the serpent and makes it crawl on its belly but He does not kill Adam and the woman nor does He even bring up the subject of the death which He has promised (3:14). At the point where we would expect the death penalty to be applied the Lord reveals that the humans are going to stay alive for awhile longer and fight the one who empowered the serpent (3:15)!

“And I will put hostility between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring; her offspring will attack your head, (*rulership) and you will attack her offspring’s heel (*an element needed for walking).” (Genesis 3:15 with *clarification NET)

Rather than applying complete and total death God left humanity on this earth to destroy Satan’s rulership (Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20)!

Therefore with your injured heal, keep on limping through life, being obedient—not to Satan and his dying rulership but to God and His living, eternal rulership!
See also Philippians 3:8–16.

Suffering #4

Things Above Thought
TAT #60
Suffering #4

“Why do you write so much about suffering?”

When the Lord God came to Adam and Eve after they had sinned He did not say “there, there everything is going to be alright. From now on I’ll take care of everything and make you happy again.” Instead, He told them there was going to be hostility, struggle, trials, and pain throughout their lives (Genesis 3:8–24). He told them exactly how it was going to be, He didn’t “sugar coat” it. His main objective was not to make them happy! He prepared them for what was ahead.

We have placed ourselves, and our world, under Satan’s rule and there will always be suffering. As America slips into greater and greater darkness the suffering of the obedient will probably increase. Be prepared.

Eternal goals might not include our present happiness.

Fact #27 Even when I’m hurting, questioning why, and wanting to die, it is still possible to be in the center of God’s will (Job1:21–22; 3:1–26; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–7)).

Suffering #3

Things Above Thought
TAT #59
Suffering #3

Fact #30 Trials can come into my life that are for God’s purposes (Job 1:7).

What are the other times that God wants me to suffer?

God constructed the laws of cause & effect and actions & results. One such law is that disobedience to God (sin) can bring suffering. Therefore certain pain can be a result of sin. This pain can be used to recognize our sin and repent. It can also be considered to be from God and therefore good. It’s just like our visit to the ole Doc: “ Doc, when I do this it hurts! Well if it hurts when you do that then don’t do that.”

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. (1 Peter 3:17)

Suffering #2

Things Above Thought
TAT #58
Suffering #2

Fact #30 Trials can come into my life that are for God’s purposes (Job 1:7).

There are times that God wants us to suffer!?!
When does God want me to suffer?

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:6–7)

And if the above does not happen then:

If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:15 underline added)

God wants our faith to be perfect and complete thus producing eternal praise, glory, and honor. Godly suffering produces such results!

God’s Plan & my plans

Things Above Thought
TAT #56
God’s Plan and my plans

God wants me to be happy, prosperous, and satisfied so — is that how I should make my plans?
Well maybe, but first consider these:

“Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.” (Job 3:1)
“He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.” (Matthew 14:10)
“And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,” (Hebrews 11:39).
“But first He (Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17:25)
“Although He was a Son, (Christ) He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” (Hebrews. 5:8)

“for I will show him (Paul) how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:16)
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews12:2)
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (Philippians 3:8)

Just make sure that what you consider to be happy and prosperous, and also satisfies you, are the same “things” which Christ considers to be joyous and prosperous and satisfies Him.

Fact # 33: “I am here to serve God and carry out His plan, not to have God serve me and carry out my plans.” (Job 38; Isaiah 43:7).

My Plans

Things Above Thought
TAT #55
So what about my plans?

I understand that God has a universal plan for me but since He has not yet revealed a specific plan for me can I make my own plans for my life? Absolutely! But be careful not to be like the people in Numbers 14:40–45 who made their own plans and then called them the will of God. When they tried to carry them out they were struck down by the enemy. Be like David in 1 Chronicles 22:7–9 who made plans to build a house for the Lord and called them his plans. Even though the Lord did not allow David to build the temple, He honored David’s plan by letting him provide most of the building materials for the temple.

The Lord loves the truth and He loves it when you think like Him! Therefore, make your plans to glorify Him and speak truly about them. Glorify God with your godly motives and thinking and when you make your own plans –  call them yours. AND, never forget His primary plan for your life is to glorify Him by learning the Bible and living by its rules—God’s universal plan for us all.

Glorify God by imitating God and taking responsibility for your plans and actions –  just like David did (Ephesians 5:1; Job 2:3).

Fact # 33: “I am here to serve God and carry out His plan, not to have God serve me and carry out my plans.” (Job 38; Isaiah 43:7).

God’s Specific Plan For You

Things Above Thought
TAT #54
God’s Specific Plan For You

God has called you to be His and you feel very special—you should. Now you are wondering what is God’s will (plan) for your life? After reading the last TAT you feel very comfortable that you are trying to live God’s universal will for your life but you still wonder: “Does God have a specific will for me and how do I find it?

God had a specific will for Adam, Noah, Abram, Jonah, David, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Paul and many others. But, they did nothing special to find it! In fact Jonah, John the Baptist, and Paul were not even living according to God’s universal will when He revealed His specific will for their lives!

As one of God’s chosen all you have to do is to be concerned with living His universal will—learn the Bible and live by its rules. If God has a specific will for your life He will reveal it to you when He is ready. It is His will for your life, it is not your will for your life. Therefore it is His responsibility to reveal it to you when He is ready. All you have to do is to focus on living His universal will–learn the Bible and live by its rules.

And remember, God does not have a specific will for everyone! God’s universal will is more than enough for any of us and all of us. Don’t be so desirous for Him to reveal His specific will that you ignore His universal will—learn the Bible and live by its rules.

Fact # 33 I am here to serve God and carry out His plan, not to have God serve me and carry out my plans (Job 38; Isaiah 43:7).

God’s Plan

Things Above Thoughts
TAT #43
Understanding God’s Plan

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the  LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the  LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” (Job 1:6–8)

If you think you’ re only one, unimportant, person and that what you do makes little impact, then you have a problem. You have a problem of a lack of understanding. When you think you are small and unimportant you do not understand all the facts. When you understand God’s designed witness to the angels you realize you are important:

Through God’s spiritual family the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 3:10 NET, clarification added)

They are watching our daily lives to understand God’s wisdom and by this we glorify God!

Our Country

Things Above Thoughts (TAT)
Heavenly Citizen

I’m glad we have a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we might live free in this country.

We should be proud of our country and be good citizens and hopefully our parents are proud of us for this:

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:16)

Let us remember the – One – who gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we might be free from Satan’s rule. And may our desire for our – heavenly country – make the Father proud of us.