Disappointment or Acceptance

Disappointment or Acceptance
When God Tells Us No.

There have been times in my life that I’ve wondered why God has allowed so much disappointment in my life. From the time I was a child it seems as if negative things have occurred more than positive things. However, I must say that the positive things are bigger than the negative things. I find myself looking back at my life and wondering what it stands for anymore. How did I get to where I am in such a short period of time? I remember a lot of first in my life. Some were great; some were not so great. I did things I am still ashamed of, even though I know God has forgiven me, but I have also accomplished things that make me feel good. Does this sound a lot like your life? It should.
Most of us have a lot of good and bad things in our lives; don’t we? I can remember being told that these are the things that build character in us. Some of us have a very good character and some of us have a not so good character. If you really look in at a person’s life, you may be able to find out why people do things.
In 1 Chronicles17, we find that Nathan tells David, “Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee,” after David told him of his plans of building a house for God. Nathan thought it was a grand idea and encouraged David to do it, because it would honor God. It is great to be encouraged. We live in a world of discouragement; one that tells us negative things at all times. Even things that seem positive, by world’s standards, usually turn out negative. This is simply because the world is deceptive. The earth is the stomping ground of Satan, and he is always negative. We need to be able to discern the spirits as a child of God. However, we aren’t always capable of doing that, because we are so focused upon situations more often than not.
David was celebrating and giving thanks unto the Lord in 1 Chronicles 16. Nathan had encouraged David, but the Lord had plans that must have really disappointed David at some point. The Lord told Nathan to tell David, “Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:” He could have taken this situation and really said, “I’m going to do it anyway,” or he could have asked why not. After all, it was a great idea; provided that it would honor God. There is no reason to believe that David’s idea was to honor God with the temple. However, God said no.
There have been times in my life that I have wanted to do things that I believed would honor and glorify God. However, God told me no. Was I disappointed? Sure, I was disappointed and just couldn’t understand why God would say no. After all, it was suppose to honor and glorify him anyway. When we get our hearts set on something, sometimes we want to say, “Lord, please allow me to do this,” and when he gives us a ‘no’ answer then we get very disappointed and even get to the point of feeling like God has turned HIS back on us. Case and point;

WHEN WE LOOSE FOCUS ON GOD’S WILL WE OPEN THE DOOR TO SATAN

We need to realize that God is always in total control of everything. I have had problems with this, just like many who may read this. The first thing that happens is that Satan reminds us, ‘you gave your life to a God who doesn’t really care.’ This of course is an outrageous lie. He does care, but it’s just not HIS will, at this point. Solomon reminds us of that. In Ecclesiates 3:1, Solomon wrote, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven;” It’s hard to imagine this at times, but there is a reason for every thing and to every purpose. We can’t possibly understand it all, but God knows what needs to be done. So keep the focus on things of God. I have to remind myself of this daily, and God uses people in my life to help me keep focused of HIS will. David could have taken what the Lord had told him negatively, but we see that he didn’t. He praised God anyway. Case and pint;

GIVE GOD ALL THE PRAISE AND HONOR FOR EVERYTHING

Reactions to what God’s tells us are often mixed reviews. When he tells us no we will often times be very disappointed, but we should praise him anyway. David did just that. The Lord told David, “You not going to build my house, but your son will.” He also told him, “I will establish his kingdom forever.” HE was telling David, ‘the kingdom will be in your bloodline forever.’ David began to pray and honor and glorify the Lord for this decision. David asked the Lord, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? We need to realize that we are nothing without HIM. HE is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. HE is the First and the Last. Without HIM, man is nothing. David saw what the Lord wanted and he thanked the Lord for it. David saw that the Lord had a greater purpose for this decision. Case and point;

NEGATIVE THINGS IS OUR EYES ARE ONLY NEGATIVE TO US

David did not take it negatively. God promised him that his throne would be established forever (vs. 12). If you look in the blood line of David, it ends with Christ. That’s right; HIS throne was and is established forever. HE was the total focus of this decision. David saw the positive side of this and thanked God for it. He allowed what could have been negative to be positive.
I have to constantly remind myself that things, which seem negative at the time, may have a positive ending. Grant it; it almost always does. However, Satan is an adversary that will not allow things to settle down. It is, therefore, a total conclusion to do what Paul has instructed Christians to do. He said, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you”. So, the next time God says no to you, don’t let Satan beat you up, just thank God for it. There is a better end in sight.
Lord, thank you for loving us and for being the ideal leader of our lives. Thank you for loving us and giving us directions. Help us, Lord, to understand the full meaning of everything you may say no too. Help us to see your purpose in our lives and the purpose you may have for each one of us. Thank you Lord for answering this prayer. Amen.

Psalm 51 – Restoring Joy

Allowing God to have the wheel in our lives

I’m not a huge fan of country music anymore, but I heard a song that has been out for some time now that made me think. The title of the song is “Jesus Take the Wheel.” Of course I have heard it on Christian music radio too. The title of that song is appropriate for each and every child of God. I have listened to it thoroughly and the story is of a woman who was given a wake up call. She almost had a wreck and let go of the wheel and asked Jesus to take control. She makes it safely to the side of the road and promptly starts admitting to God that she hasn’t been living right and ask HIM to take the wheel in her life and help her in that area.
Amazingly enough, this song should call out to all of us. Just as many of you may have to do at times, I find myself searching, at times, to find Christ in my life; where HE is suppose to be. Oh, there are some out in this world that would probably claim that they have Jesus right where HE is supposed to be at all times. However, I’m reminded of a man named David. In 2 Samuel chapter 11, David commits two sins. He commits adultery with Bathsheba and then commits murder by putting her husband, Uriah, on the front lines of battle where he is killed. He proceeds to go on with his life as if nothing has happened, but God knew what happened and wasn’t about to allow David to forget. Case and point;

WE MAY DO THINGS IN SECRET BUT GOD KNOWS OUR SECRETS

Nathan was sent to David by the Lord in 2 Samuel 12:1 – 12, and he told David a story, which angered David greatly. David had declared that this man would repay the debt he now owed. Nathan used four words that struck David like a knife. He said, “THOU ART THE MAN.” The Lord told David that HE knew what was going on. He told David of the things he would have to endure at a later date. However in verse 13, we see the David confesses. “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” Case and point;

IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS HE WILL FORGIVE US.

Confession is the key to the whole thing. Admitting you are wrong is one of the hardest things that a person can do. The Lord had showed David that HE knew what had happened and he used Nathan to convey the message. Because of David’s confession, he was told that he would not die. However, there was still a penalty to pay. He lost his first child by Bathsheba. God took him, and this was just a beginning of David’s woes. You may be asking where my point is on my statement about the song, “Jesus Take the Wheel.” In Psalms 51, there is a prayer that David could have been praying while he was on the ground just before his son’s life was lost. In this prayer you see that the focus is totally upon him and his relationship with the LORD. Case and point;

WHEN WE PRAY WE NEED TO FOCUS UPON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

David’s prayer is one of total repentance. Total repentance is admitting you are wrong and asking the LORD to help you turn from your wicked ways. If you know what you are doing is wrong and you confess it, then you must ask the LORD to take the wheel in you life, and be willing to do what HE leads you to do. In Psalm 51:6, David said, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” God desires for us to be honest, not only with HIM, but with ourselves. We can convince ourselves we are right in whatever we may do, but if we are wrong, we must accept responsibility. In verse 7 – 12 we find that David is asking the LORD to forgive him. “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which THOU hast broken may rejoice. Hide THY face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from THY presence; and take not THY Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of THY salvation; and uphold me with THY free spirit.” What a tremendous prayer! Notice that David is totally dependant upon God. Case and point;

WE NEED TO DEPEND UPON GOD TO STEER OUR LIVES

We must focus upon our relationship with HIM. HE is supposed to be our guide. However, until we see exactly where we stand with HIM, we can’t serve HIM the way we should. The hyssop that David talked about was a plant that had a strong pleasant smell to it. Webster said it smelled like mint. However, it was used to cover the stench of the bad scent of the sin that David had committed to the Lord. David was totally dependant on God. He asked the LORD to create in him a clean heart. We should pray this prayer daily. To honor the request of David’s final request, the Lord had to create a clean heart in HIM. David wanted the LORD to restore the joy of HIS salvation unto to him. David knew that the salvation he had was of the LORD and not of himself. However, David wanted his joy back. He had lost focus upon the things that were important. Case and point;

WE NEED OUR JOY RESTORED

I can only speak for myself, but many Christians have so much junk in their lives that they have lost focus of Christ. His salvation should be of the most important thing in our lives. However, many saved people have lost the joy of HIS salvation. We get so focused upon self, that we allow the things of this world to blind us and we leave our first love. There is a point in each child of God’s life that we need to regain control of our lives, both morally and spiritually. This starts with confession, then asking the Lord to forgive us, and the requesting that HE take the wheel in our lives and take us in the direction HE desires for us to go. If we are able to do that, HE will not steer us wrong.
Lord, please take the wheel in my life and help me to go in YOUR desired direction. Restore unto each child of God the joy of YOUR salvation and show us YOUR purpose for our lives. Amen