Saints,
Let me ask you a question if I can. I don’t know about you, but I get a chuckle out of my fellow Christians at times, as we’re sure they do with us!
When you first awoke from sleep this morning and hopefully greeted the Lord, did you wait to roll out of bed until you got a clear, distinct, word-in-your-heart Holy Spirit word? Did you hear clearly that indeed getting out of bed at all is what God wanted right at that time? Was it His perfect timing? Or that He even wanted you to get out of bed this very day?
Or again, after you went to the bathroom (or pee pot for some), did you diligently seek God in order to find His perfect will in brushing your teeth? Taking a shower? Even getting dressed?
Lately, we’ve seen a lot of believers stating something that goes like this: “We need to pray and wait for God’s answer and His perfect timing.” They sometimes get this far-away look or super-spiritual voice as this phrase leaves their mouths. They’re certainly well meaning. We love them all.
But, and a big but…does God require everything to be treated in this fashion, praying and waiting for perfect timing? Or is it the bigger ones that need this approach? And, if so, how do we know the biggies in the mind of the Lord?
You’ll see at the end of this what enormous stakes are in the balance.
Our brother the apostle Paul offers us many clues into his writings. Let’s glance at one right here, a famous Paul run-on sentence:
Colossians 1:9-12 (NASB)
For this reason also, since the day we heard of it (your fruitful Gospel work), we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
It appears in this context, Paul is exhorting them to use their prayerfully acquired knowledge of God’s will (wow!) and then use their God-given wisdom and understanding to continue to walk worthy. Much fruit in their good works will result.
We can say that it might work like this: basic information turns into knowledge, and when applied with wisdom, results in holy behavior bearing good fruit in every good work, increasing our growing knowledge of God! Amazing, and thanks be to our Lord!
All this is spiritually appraised through the workings of His Spirit, certainly.
Knowledge and wisdom get a bad rap these days in our super New Age mystical environment. The same thing was happening in Paul’s time as he wrote tirelessly against that and other heresy. There’s nothing new under the sun, truly.
Paul said to the puffed up Corinthians that knowledge puffs up. But in the context of all he taught us, he really meant knowledge alone does this. Or else you have to throw out much of the other things he wrote.
But that is exactly what I see many of the brethren doing, throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Super mystical activities flying in the face of His holy Word is rampant. Let it not capture us.
There’s a very, very low view of Scripture at this present time, both in and out of the church. And a biblical illiteracy that staggers the imagination of those deeply concerned with the character of God and the state of His body. The whole book of Hebrews deals with those brethren departing from the Holy Spirit and heading for the lake of fire.
Now, let’s be crystal clear. Please hear me on this, and not misunderstand.
We certainly agree with the fact that our Almighty God is bringing His will to pass no matter what we His children think or plan. His timing is perfect, as is His plan. It’s His grace only that includes us in any way at all in His eternal purpose, the populating, maturing, and completing of the kingdom of God!
Again, don’t get me wrong or misquote the point I’m trying to make. There are many areas in our lives and over time for great prayer, patience, counsel from the brethren, testing the spirits, etc. God is mysterious, and glorious, and again His timing is perfect.
But knowledge and wisdom applied maturely by our abiding Holy Spirit is at an all time low in our stage in human history. Personally, I see the demonic scheme of our arch enemy, the supernatural genius, gaining an ever increasing foothold in this area.
There’s hope, but let’s be nakedly realistic.
What did Paul say to his church plant in Corinth, to the sinful, arrogant, greedy, fiercely independent leaders who were listening to the false teachers, and rebelling against his God given apostleship?
Stop your sinning. Be more like the Thessalonians, and the Philippians. Go and be a doer of the Word.
That’s it, basically.
Why is all this important? Or is it?
Yes. Yes.
Often, in certain streams of Christian circles, they wait and wait and wait and wait. And wait and wait. For what you might ask?
For the ubiquitous “we need to pray and wait for God’s answer and His perfect timing.”
In the meantime, their lives, their own children, etc, are off the beam heading downstream for the danger of a Niagara Falls disaster. There’s often an extreme lack of discernment.
Almost a type of spiritual paralysis.
Remember the book of Hebrews? Or 5 out the 7 churches in the book of Revelation? Repent or else…..
So, can we agree perhaps on this one thing right now? Please? J
To stop all the super-duper overtly mystical talk about waiting for God to crack the sky to inform us of His perfect timing and will on absolutely everything in our lives?
And then to be praying about what to pray about?
We can be wise in all things to please Him in all things as He Word declares!
Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,
Marc
Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!
Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.
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MONDAY MANNA: A few minutes to help equip Jesus’ soldiers for another week in the SPIRITUAL WAR; By Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy, Central Florida, USA
“(God) rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven.” Psalm 78:24; Monday Manna, Copyright, a Walk Worthy ministry; permission granted to repost in full.
The Vision of Walk Worthy (Walk Worthy Vision: 6 minutes) is to be preaching and discipling the whole Gospel and purpose of God worldwide so that His body will walk in all purity and holiness with Jesus, and bringing the Father pleasure in all respects. www.walkworthy.org
“…walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” Eph. 4.1, Col. 1.10, 1 Thes. 2.12
May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.
Both our ministry, as well as Marc White, appreciate your continued support with bold prayer (first and foremost), exhortation and finances. Walk Worthy is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit ministry equipping the saints for the work of service (Eph. 4.12), so that they will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Eph. 4.1, Col. 1.10, 1 Thes. 2.12). If you’d like to be added to our prayer and praise update as God moves in His kingdom, please write us. Marc is available to minister to His body as you are led.
The writers and speakers we quote may preach certain doctrines in their ministries and/or live lifestyles that we disagree with mildly or wholeheartedly. However, something of eternal value from them has been delivered to us by the Holy Spirit. And in that leading, we pass it on to you for your edification!
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