The Battle For The Vision Of God
Essential to true faith is a true vision, or perception, of God which only comes by a knowledge of the Scriptures, and the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. The Spirit of God not only has "breathed" the words of God in their objective form in truth, so that men might know the truth of God, but He is that One who communicates the power of Christ's life by taking that eternal truth and make it living to the believer. Faith is then given by God to trust Christ, knowing the reality of His indwelling in the heart.
Christ Our Constant Keeper
It was the Apostle Paul who wrote: "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to KEEP that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Tim. 1:12) Paul's commitment to Christ of all that he was in Christ, for time and eternity, was based on Christ's power and authority to keep, guard, and preserve against all that would seek to dislodge him from Christ. His Keeper would be powerfully and perfectly faithful to honor his trust for eternity.
Christ In The Heart
What is the Christian life but Christ Himself dwelling in, and working through the life of the believer. The more one knows of God's ways, and abides by them in obedient faith, the more the believer is brought into conformity with Christ. Christ in the heart of the believer, and the God-given faith, and ability, to appropriate Him for every need, is God's way of answering the call of the heart, the prayer of the soul, for the Spirit of Christ to work in and through the life. Christ is Christianity.
Back To The Basics
There are times when sense and logic cannot understand circumstances beyond one's control. There are in those times so much that is going on that we do not see, and yet, the believer is called upon to go through those times with faith resolutely fixed in the God of all circumstances for whom nothing is hidden. How? God has given to us a way to live by faith, basic principles of faith, which have their effectiveness in the life because they are embedded, and based upon the great truths given to us in Scripture. The more we cling to the God of the truth, the Lord Jesus, the more we will find Him to be a very present help, strength, and path in which to walk in time of trouble.
Where Are We Looking
The is a very simple, powerful phrase in the Old Testament which is a key for passing from death to life. It is: "Look and live." Why is this statement so very important? It first directs our gaze away from the things of earth and of man, to the living God, to the exalted Christ, who is the sole Savior of men. In that gaze of the seeking heart, there is the sincere seeking of God, and the certainty of finding Him according to His word, "...and live." Jesus summarized this when He said, "Seek and ye shall find...Come unto Me."
Two Essential Prayers
Certain prayers are essential to the life and growth of the believer in Christ. Why? It is because of the specific needs of the believer's heart, and God's way of meeting those needs. A vision, or true perception of Christ is essential, and also, the power given by the Spirit to believe and lay hold upon Christ for all that is needful to honor and glorify Him.
The Quickening Word
When God speaks it is different from the speech of man. Perhaps the words are the same in some instances, but there is power and authority in the words of God, as opposed to those of man. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and His words are living, sharp, and powerful, able to speak life into the dead. The word of God gives life, eternal life, to the one who will receive it.
The Meeting In The Morning
Why is the morning hour so important in seeking God? It is generally that time when the soul is most quiet, and receptive to the impressions given by the Spirit of God to the heart. Those impressions become convictions as one pours over the Scriptures, the Spirit of God taking the blessed truths and making them come alive. It is then that one's attention is quietly fixed on the Lord Jesus, waiting upon Him to lead, guide, and reveal His blessed Person in communion with Him.
The Imperative Perpetual Vision
A vision of God is that perception of God in truth, according to the Scriptures. From a human standpoint, it is never complete, for man cannot see God and live, and yet, God gives a knowledge of Himself in the Scriptures by the Spirit. He opens up the truths of Himself as revealed in Christ, that true faith can be given and exercised upon a solid, eternal foundation. A true knowledge of who God is, is essential to true faith.
God's Now The Acceptable Time
What is the "acceptable time" in God's sight but that moment when He moves upon the heart, stirring up the heart to seek Him, or thirsting after Him. It is that moment when He speaks to the heart, seeking a favorable response of faith to His invitation, admonition, or calling. It is a moment, which may be repeated, when He comes alongside the sinner, and awakens him to the reality of eternity, and the only answer for his eternal need to be met, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.