VERSES TO PONDER:
"When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies" (Psalm 119:59).
"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD' (Lam. 3:40).
"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12).
"... Consider your ways" (cf. Haggai 1:5,7).
This is just as much a confession as it is a doctrinal post. It seemed like Providence was smiling at me and I took my cue on schedule. God allowed me to make a fresh start or to have a clean slate once more. As you will see we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zone (in faith as Abraham did to be the father of the faithful). As a word to orient you: I had the biggest to-do list of my lifetime--trying to fit a week's job of organizing and moving into one day (it took over 12 hours!). But the reward was worth it in the end.
A radical change of lifestyle is a sign of a true conversion, for that is what conversion means (change). "Behold, all things are become new" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). When we heed God's call on our life in His timing it is aided by the grace of God, so it is not in the energy of the flesh. I'm not against reform or making new resolutions, but they are usually done in the energy of the flesh, and not of God. While we are in the mood, you could say, why don't we take the opportunity to change all our bad habits one by one! Like Amos talked about in Amos 6:13 saying: [paraphrased by me] "You boast about accomplishing 'nothing' by your own power!" Paul said he "ventured not to boast, but of what the Spirit did through [him]," (cf. Rom. 15:18).
It is clear in Hosea 14:8 that our "fruit" comes from Him. Our disposition, demeanor, temperament, and personality type are God's gift to us--not our gift to God (He is the Potter, we are the clay). He doesn't owe us anything and all is of grace! Isaiah says in chapter 26 verse 12 that all that we have accomplished He has done through us. God rewards us for working through us as His vessels of honor. "... [You] have done for us all our works" (Isaiah 26:12b). Jesus said that "apart from [Him] we can do nothing" (John 15:5).
There is a "window of opportunity" that we must recognize when God is blessing us to do His will and we are to "seize the day" (carpe diem), as it were. It gets harder and harder to stop a bad habit or vice the more we "try" to stop and it only gets more ingrained in us as if we were getting "programmed." I'm not claiming that it is smooth sailing, but Isaiah says, "When you pass through the waters I will be with you" (cf. Isaiah 43:2). Some people literally don't know when to quit or have gone too far.
My moving experience was sort of an Abrahamic "episode" you might say, because of the parallels. I was "called" to leave my room because I was on the list. I didn't want to go at first because I was content (or stuck in a rut) to be where I was (maybe complacency too) and had everything the way I wanted after ten-plus years of being there. I didn't even want to check out the new room but was talked into it. When I saw it that this was a "promotion" I jumped the chance to better my fortunes because they believed I had paid my dues, however, I wasn't worthy of myself (they say I deserve it because I've been here so long--but what did I ever do?). Now that I am all settled in, and it was the hardest work I have ever done to move all my stuff and prioritize my belongings, I realized what a blessing it was and was overcome with gratitude to God realizing that the goodness of God leads us to repentance (cf. Rom. 2:4).
Now, this new attitude of gratitude has spilled out into other domains of my life and it shows. Moving is usually the time people get rid of excess baggage and personal effects, and reevaluate their lives, putting them into perspective--their values, that it. We tend to "accumulate" in more than one dimension of being. Sometimes we don't realize how much we have till we move. Was I willing to part with some of these things or not? I was forced into an assessment or an inventory, as it were. Abraham had to shed all idols, and only take what was necessary and what was God's will--no idols--a tall order in those days of idolatry.
Now, why do you hear about so many people testifying that it was easy for them to "quit?" Because they did it when God convicted them and when He was giving them the grace to do it in His power of the Spirit. Repentance comes naturally when prompted by the Spirit and is not forced--we want to change and don't feel we are forced to. Once true repentance or genuine repentance--versus spurious repentance or regret--(always accompanying the flip side of saving faith) only then can conversion transpire, and as Jesus gets the "passkey" to our inner sanctum or sanctuary of our soul and we allow Him to clean house, as it were, the more He is allowed, the easier it gets to yield more to Him. If there is something that we are withholding and unwilling to surrender, that will paralyze our walk and God will have to deal with these "lordship issues."
When I got moved to a bigger and better room where I reside, I felt it was time to take inventory and take stock of what paraphernalia I actually needed. It was a shock at how much "stuff" I had been holding on to just because I didn't like to throw things out! It would have been postmortem embarrassment to realize someone actually going through my personal belongings and being able to judge what kind of person I was.
Now, why do you hear about so many people testifying that it was easy for them to "quit?" Because they did it when God convicted them and when He was giving them the grace to do it in His power of the Spirit. Repentance comes naturally when prompted by the Spirit and is not forced--we want to change and don't feel we are forced to. Once true repentance or genuine repentance--versus spurious repentance or regret--(always accompanying the flip side of saving faith) only then can conversion transpire, and as Jesus gets the "passkey" to our inner sanctum or sanctuary of our soul and we allow Him to clean house, as it were, the more He is allowed, the easier it gets to yield more to Him. If there is something that we are withholding and unwilling to surrender, that will paralyze our walk and God will have to deal with these "lordship issues."
When I got moved to a bigger and better room where I reside, I felt it was time to take inventory and take stock of what paraphernalia I actually needed. It was a shock at how much "stuff" I had been holding on to just because I didn't like to throw things out! It would have been postmortem embarrassment to realize someone actually going through my personal belongings and being able to judge what kind of person I was.
Matthew Henry said to live each day as if it were your last. I want to be ready and have a "clean house" when my time comes. Corrie ten Boom always said to "hold things loosely." A. W. Tozer writes of the "Blessedness of Possessing Nothing," meaning that nothing possesses you--and you realize that you are only the steward of God (do you control and manipulate it or does it control you?), and you are not a materialist guilty of idolatry.
Obadiah says that Israel shall "possess their possessions [we don't possess people!]." We manipulate things and love people, we don't manipulate people and love things! There is a point of fanaticism (being a "fan" to the max) or when we idolize someone, putting them on a pedestal, and we are too devoted to people too--our sole celebrity or object of worship should be Jesus! There is a certain freedom and inner catharsis or release when we give back to God of what He has given out of His bounty as our provision. "It is more blessed to give than to receive," as Jesus said (cf. Acts 20:35).
Another godly trait I determined to undertake as I moved was to get organized: "For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33). It made me even feel more godly: My friend and fellow veteran and resident says he worked in a warehouse twenty years and learned that for everything there is a place and a place! I took his advice seriously as I moved and found out as I did it as a man "on a mission" it was actually a joy to work so hard and work up a sweat like I never had before--labor can be rewarding if we know the why and have a purpose. I wanted to make my room presentable as if Jesus Himself were to be my visitor! I changed the decor and took this into consideration. Case in point: I even got rid of some possibly offensive CDs!
Doing things God's way and not your way is the only way: Jesus said, "I am the way...." It is not one of several ways, nor the best way, but the only way! The key to staying in fellowship with our Heavenly Father throughout the day, as Brother Lawrence wrote about in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, is to keep short accounts of when we get convicted and to do things God's way and according to the light we have, of which we are responsible for. We are not people-pleasers" in the least, but when we are approved of God, there is inevitable approval by God's people and the world will not understand our motives, which are not as selfish as theirs are.
Another thing that contributed to my attitude was gratitude to God for this new room and that I was finally getting some respect it felt like a whole new "born-again" (it is like a new beginning and new world to get to know) experience with my move because I used it as an opportunity to rededicate myself to being a better man and develop healthier coping skills and mechanisms and to have good habits, not bad--would you believe that the power is there to do this because the timing is right. I try to write when I feel the juices flowing (when the Spirit moves), as it were, and when in the mood and the Spirit are calling me--and not to be disobedient to the heavenly "vision" of exercising my spiritual gift.
In summation: If you don't change when God is convicting you---then you may be like a drinker or smoker who claims he can't lick his vicious habit, in actuality, vice. You cannot do it in your power, so you might as well do it with God! Clean up your act and make your lifestyle presentable to God for ready inspection. It is like God told Hezekiah to "get his house in order." In other words "Be ready!" Death is a promotion and a door to a superior way of living! We never know when our master will come or our time is finally up and we shall meet our Maker. "...[Prepare] to meet your God, O Israel" (Amos 4:12c ). Soli Deo Gloria!
Another godly trait I determined to undertake as I moved was to get organized: "For God is not a God of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33). It made me even feel more godly: My friend and fellow veteran and resident says he worked in a warehouse twenty years and learned that for everything there is a place and a place! I took his advice seriously as I moved and found out as I did it as a man "on a mission" it was actually a joy to work so hard and work up a sweat like I never had before--labor can be rewarding if we know the why and have a purpose. I wanted to make my room presentable as if Jesus Himself were to be my visitor! I changed the decor and took this into consideration. Case in point: I even got rid of some possibly offensive CDs!
Doing things God's way and not your way is the only way: Jesus said, "I am the way...." It is not one of several ways, nor the best way, but the only way! The key to staying in fellowship with our Heavenly Father throughout the day, as Brother Lawrence wrote about in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, is to keep short accounts of when we get convicted and to do things God's way and according to the light we have, of which we are responsible for. We are not people-pleasers" in the least, but when we are approved of God, there is inevitable approval by God's people and the world will not understand our motives, which are not as selfish as theirs are.
Another thing that contributed to my attitude was gratitude to God for this new room and that I was finally getting some respect it felt like a whole new "born-again" (it is like a new beginning and new world to get to know) experience with my move because I used it as an opportunity to rededicate myself to being a better man and develop healthier coping skills and mechanisms and to have good habits, not bad--would you believe that the power is there to do this because the timing is right. I try to write when I feel the juices flowing (when the Spirit moves), as it were, and when in the mood and the Spirit are calling me--and not to be disobedient to the heavenly "vision" of exercising my spiritual gift.
In summation: If you don't change when God is convicting you---then you may be like a drinker or smoker who claims he can't lick his vicious habit, in actuality, vice. You cannot do it in your power, so you might as well do it with God! Clean up your act and make your lifestyle presentable to God for ready inspection. It is like God told Hezekiah to "get his house in order." In other words "Be ready!" Death is a promotion and a door to a superior way of living! We never know when our master will come or our time is finally up and we shall meet our Maker. "...[Prepare] to meet your God, O Israel" (Amos 4:12c ). Soli Deo Gloria!