How often do we witness miraculous events?

“¹⁶The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called Moses out of the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel” – Exodus 24:16-17 (ESV)

In God’s Word, miraculous events seemed to be common place for those that were followers of Him. Moses was a part of many miraculous events.

When we look at our lives, how often are we witness?

During our Bible study, we have taken time to discuss our recognition of God and how we must be listening and looking for Him consciously. He speaks and reveals in what seems like the most subtle of ways. It is not until later that we may realize that He was providing a miraculous event to impact us. Was it all that subtle, or were we just not paying attention.

The glory of the Lord, I believe was not subtle, at least to those clued in. Abraham, Moses, Paul, and those with Jesus all experienced the glory of the Lord, as they were clued in to His teachings and looking for Him at each turn.

I wonder if we were to be looking for the glory of the Lord, would He be revealed to us more often. What if we were clued in? What if we were devoted to the Lord 100%?

I have witnessed and been involved in situations where a promise is made one day and a few days later, the parameters changed, stipulations added, or the promise was outright revoked.

“¹⁶Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his off-spring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,” who is Christ. ¹⁷This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.” – Galatians 3:16-17 (ESV)

When God makes a promise, I can hang my hat on the binding of that promise. And God has made some really great promises.

The Old Covenant

The New Covenant

The Holy Spirit

To Come Again

Notice the promises above. The first three (3) have been fulfilled. God keeps his promises true.

When we are in Christ, we are provided the opportunity to be a part of the promises of God.

“²²But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” – Galatians 3:22 (ESV)

As believers, we have been made aware of the promises that God has made and kept. Shouldn’t we hold true to the fact that God keeps his promises and those promises remain unchanged, amended, stipulated, or revoked?

Are we able to hang our hat on the promises of God? Are we able to believe the promises will be kept? Are we proceeding as though the promises of God will be unchanged?

The Holy Spirit is the promise of God at the request of Jesus. Descended on earth to be our companion as we go.

“³⁹For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” – Acts 2:39 (ESV)

In the above verse, it is made clear that the promise of God descended to earth for all. Me, you, my family both now and future, and all who are in this world. The Holy Spirit, at the request of Jesus, came to be our guide.

Look carefully at the last part of the verse, “everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself”. The Holy Spirit is here for all, that are God’s children, regardless who, where, or when they are. This one may be a bit difficult to take in.

As children of God, we are seeking His Word and to do his commands. We are following Him, learning, growing, loving, and serving in His Name. We are working until we receive our rewards in heaven, not to get to there. As Christians and we walk this earth doing the will of God, we are protected and guided by the Holy Spirit. Christians are those called by God to be His children and that have accepted the gift of salvation from our Father. Once we have, we are now “everyone the Lord our God calls to himself”.

Are we “everyone”? Are we protected and guided by the Holy Spirit? Was the promise sent for us?

When I think of promise, I think in terms of a verb. Some sort of action.

“⁴⁹And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” – Luke 24:49 (ESV)

“²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” – John 14:26 (ESV)

“The promise” is the Holy Spirit who descended upon the earth to be our constant companion, guide, and Helper as we continue working for God and obeying his commandments.

God had made the promise to provide such a Helper at the request of Jesus.

“¹⁶And I will as the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever, ¹⁷even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” – John 14:16-17 (ESV)

We all need the promise provided by the Father. We have been provided the Holy Spirit to understand more fully our tasks that have been set before us as we continue on the path God has for each of us.

Where are you looking for guidance? Are you seeking God’s will for your life? Are you aware of “the promise” God provides for us at the request of Jesus?

I am always looking for answers. It is in my nature.

“⁶⁴The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!” – Psalm 119:64 (ESV)

Well there you go, maybe I should be looking in the right place for those answers. I struggle with relying on myself to get me through as I am impatient with the darker seasons I find myself in. With my nature of always looking for answers I need only to look to God for those answers and seek out His will, direction, and ways of going about things.

It sounds easy enough, right? For me it certainly is not easy. I have the struggle before me and I am drawn to only seeing the struggle. I have to do a better, more conscious job of seeking the Lord in all situations and dive into His Word to find the answers He wants me to find.

Once I find those answers I should be leaning on the following:

“⁵⁷The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.” – Psalm 119:57 (ESV)

The Lord is all I need. Once I have received His guidance, I should be promising to keep His Word in all situations. God is faithful to us with His love and therefore we owe it to Him to be faithful in return.

When faced with hardship, where are you turning for answers? Are you looking to get through it alone or looking to God for the answers? Once provided by God, are you promising to keep His Word?

How often are we working to force things to happen as opposed to doing God’s Work and allowing the promises of God to be fulfilled?

“²⁰Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.” – 1 Kings 8:20 (ESV)

Solomon is speaking here of his father David, who found favor with God. Due to this favor, David wanted to honor God by building a house for God to dwell. This was not in the plans for David and instead, building a house for God was the plan for David’s son.

David was king and therefore had the means and the right to do what was in his interest. This is where we should take note. David had the means and the right, here on earth although the right to build a house for God was not of this earth and therefor was not for him to undertake. Sure, he could have just done it and marveled at his work, but that would have been to go against God and His promise.

God’s promises for us are difficult to understand as we are not able to see the whole picture. There may be things that we would like to undertake for and in honor of God, however it may not be in our plan to do so. God has a specific plan for each of us and we should be carefully looking to know and understand that plan.

We are not to force things to happen by taking them into our own hands. We are to only be doing the work assigned to us by God. When we are focused on those things, then we are fulfilling our part of God’s plan and He will fulfill his promises in due time.

How often are we forcing things for God? When we are out working for God, are focused on the work, or the result? Are we letting God fulfill His promises, or are we taking them into our own hands?

As Christians we must remain firm in the gospel of Christ and not allow ourselves to give in to others.

“⁴Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—⁵to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.” – Galatians 2:4-5 (ESV)

Paul, writing to the Galatians, was providing direction and encouragement to stay in the faith regardless of those that were trying to undermine or discredit them. He was in constant battle of the same and when pressed, he did not submit, even for a moment, to them or their ways, sticking to the gospel.

What did this get him, he was accepted by the apostles and employed to continue spreading the gospel to the Gentiles as they continued to spread to the Jews.

We are challenged in our faith every day and it is up to us to stand firm and not give in. It is hard and when you look at the life of Paul, he was punished here on the earth for standing. But, ultimately, as children of God, we will win in the end and inherit the Kingdom of God.

Are we strong enough to stick to the gospel? Are we standing for God? Are we willing to stand firm and not give in, even for a moment?

Being a dad of athletes and playing sports myself, I have witnessed many mysteries and victories. Some are certainly expected and with others, everyone is in shock at how it happened.

“⁵¹Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” – 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (ESV)

When Christ comes again, we will all be changed in a moment. There will be mystery and victory. The mystery is for those that have not accepted salvation through Christ. The victory for us as Christians.

The mystery is found in the sudden change that was realized in those around them. Those that are not followers of Christ will be left to their own, standing by themselves and wondering what happened and how they were not a part of it. What did they not do to not be included? They will remain the same, in large degree, oblivious and dumbfounded as to how, with all they did/have here on earth, could they not be included.

For the victory, we as Christians will realize the work and struggle we experienced living for Christ. We will be given the win that eluded us on earth. Christians will swept up in glorious victory over death. All of our obedience to God will result in our “championship” realization.

In college basketball, there is an end of season grand tournament. In this tournament, all invited have a chance to demonstrate their hard work. Every team, the haves and the have nots, play to determine the victor. On occasion, the underdog, takes the win as they continue working as hard as they have all season, while the favorite relaxes and takes the game for granted. In what seems to be a moment, the underdog rallies for the win realizing the work they put in day in and day out was for that victory.

Where are we in our daily walk, the favorite relaxing and taking it for granted or the underdog working for our ultimate prize? What struggle are you working through that are preparing you for that moment of victory? Are we preparing for the mystery that will be realized with our victory in that moment?

“⁷Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. ⁸Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought for her children.” – Isaiah 66:7-8 (ESV)

What if everything we ever wanted happened in just a moment? What if we were to solve everything without any time to learn? What if we were able to finally move on, because there was nothing else to be concerned with, at an instant?

These are all questions that really get me thinking and help me to understand a bit more verses 7 & 8 above. Those verses are referring to the creation of the new Israel. I also look at them in that the moment of our salvation everything changes.

When we accept Christ, we are born into our Heavenly Father’s family. Without delay, without having to wait, without having anything else to be concerned, in an instant. We are able to celebrate our new life and not have to look at what is to come.

It is hard to conceive that this moment is so great. I have learned that growth takes time, be a lifelong learner, and not to expect change to happen immediately. Our salvation goes against all of that and the only explanation for any of it is that God is greater than this world.

Are you able to look at your salvation as a change in an instant? Do you believe that your change is in a moment, really?

“⁵For his anger is but for a moment and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” – Psalms 30:5 (ESV)

There are better things to do than wallow in our self-pity. The verse above tells us that those low points are just that points. They only last for a moment and then are gone. It is us that keep them going and brood on them. I tend to do that myself and it is not healthy. Those are just short pieces of time and as you can see in the 2^nd half of verse 5, when the morning comes it should be over and overtaken with joy.

But how?

It is up to us to lean on our Lord and Savior. Those low points, those filled with sorrow and anger are just for a moment. The love and care provided by God last for a lifetime. We are to lean on that love and care. God only wants what is best for us. He allows the low points to refine us into something greater.

I have to learn to allow for the sorrow and anger, and then embrace the joy provided by God. Work through the valleys of low points and hold fast to the lifetime of favor from God.

What about you, are you living the low points? Have you looked to realize that those low points are just moments in time and pass quickly? What are you doing to work through those moments of sorrow and anger and hold fast to the lifetime of favor from God?