Great Expectations
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26
This was a trying time for Mary and Martha. Their brother Lazarus had been sick, and they had sent a message to Jesus to come quickly. Mary, Martha and Lazarus were good friends of Jesus, almost like family. Jesus often stayed in their home that was not far from Jerusalem. But for some reason beyond their comprehension, Jesus had delayed, and now Lazarus had been dead for four days. When Jesus finally arrives, Martha is the first one to meet him. Notice her comment in verse 21. "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” She is declaring her faith that Jesus could have healed her brother. But now that he is dead and buried, all hope is passed.
Sometimes we are like Mary and Martha. We have received promises from God, had visions or dreams that we have prayed and believed for, and they just haven’t come to pass. Maybe we have an unsaved loved one or a child who has strayed away from God for whom we have prayed for years, and there seems no more hope. Maybe we have launched out in ministry and expected great things for God, and it hasn’t happened. Maybe we have prayed for a job or some desperately needed financial provision, and nothing has come forth. We don’t understand why it hasn’t happened. We really believed God. Over time the call, the vision, the prayer and desire dies’ and we bury it and go on with life. Like Martha, we say, “God if you would have come through then it would have been awesome, but it is a little late now.”
Our challenge is that we live in time, bound by circumstances and situations that are beyond our control. But God is not bound by either time or circumstances. Revelations 13:8 says that Christ was crucified from the creation of the earth. In God’s mind, even before He created Adam and Eve, Christ had been crucified for man’s redemption. It was a done deal. Neither time nor circumstances could alter it. In Eph 1:18-20 Paul prays, “that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know ….what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.” That resurrection power is available to you to fulfill His promises to you.
The Bible says, “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age and Sarah herself was barren was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.” Hebrews 11:11 Notice the time factor, Abraham was past age, and circumstance, Sarah was barren. What we think is past may be the present to God. What we deem as dead is not dead to God.
2 Corinthians 1:20-22 says “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” The same one who established you, anointed you and sealed you by His Spirit will do it through you. “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” Hebrews 10-35-36
May God by His Spirit rekindle the great expectations that you once had.
Andy Clark
(To be continued next week. “Receiving the Promise”)
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Wholehearted Obedience
As I was reading my daily Bible reading from the New Living Translation, I came upon a portion of Scripture from Deuteronomy chapter 30 that the Spirit quickened to me. In the proceeding chapters God had laid out the blessings and curses that would come on Israel depending on their wholehearted obedience to His covenant with them.
In Deuteronomy 30 God promised them in verse four that if they wholeheartedly obeyed Him that HE WOULD FIND THEM no matter where they were. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Wholehearted obedience gets God’s attention! God is not looking for perfect people but people whose heart is wholly after Him and will respond to the prompting of His Holy Spirit. He is looking for people, who will lay everything down for Him, His will, and His kingdom. No matter where you are or what you are going through, when you put your full focus on Him and are willing to do anything He asks you, He will find you.
The second thing I saw in verse six that God will do for those who wholeheartedly obey Him is that “the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. In Ezekiel 11:19 God says that He will take away our stony heart and give us a heart of flesh. The circumcised heart enables you to love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. Life can make our heart stony. We are exposed to so much in the media and are often so hurt by people and circumstances that we lose our heart of compassion. Wholehearted obedience enables you to love.
The third result of wholehearted obedience is in verse nine. “The Lord your God will make you successful in everything you do.” James says, “he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 How does the law bring liberty? Wholehearted obedience to God’s word and the Spirit sets us free from having to figure things out and manipulate things to our advantage. When I lived in Haiti, we were surrounded by constant, desperate need. Whom do we help and how much? I knew missionaries who became hard hearted because of the constant need and others who left the field because of the overwhelming need. God told me not to try to figure out whom to help but to simply respond to the nudge of the Spirit. Wholehearted obedience will release you into Godly success.
The last thing I saw as a result of wholehearted obedience was in the last part of verse nine. “The Lord will delight in being good to you.” You don’t have to beg God for things. God loves to give His children good gifts. He wants to surprise you in creative, unexpected ways. God is madly in love with you. Quit trying to figure things out and manipulate things your way. Abandon yourself to serving God and others despite the circumstances and peoples’ response, and see what God will do for you. Wholehearted obedience will cause God to be D-E-L-I-G-H-T-E-D in you.
Yours in Christ,
Andy Clark
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
In Deuteronomy 30 God promised them in verse four that if they wholeheartedly obeyed Him that HE WOULD FIND THEM no matter where they were. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says: “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Wholehearted obedience gets God’s attention! God is not looking for perfect people but people whose heart is wholly after Him and will respond to the prompting of His Holy Spirit. He is looking for people, who will lay everything down for Him, His will, and His kingdom. No matter where you are or what you are going through, when you put your full focus on Him and are willing to do anything He asks you, He will find you.
The second thing I saw in verse six that God will do for those who wholeheartedly obey Him is that “the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. In Ezekiel 11:19 God says that He will take away our stony heart and give us a heart of flesh. The circumcised heart enables you to love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. Life can make our heart stony. We are exposed to so much in the media and are often so hurt by people and circumstances that we lose our heart of compassion. Wholehearted obedience enables you to love.
The third result of wholehearted obedience is in verse nine. “The Lord your God will make you successful in everything you do.” James says, “he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 How does the law bring liberty? Wholehearted obedience to God’s word and the Spirit sets us free from having to figure things out and manipulate things to our advantage. When I lived in Haiti, we were surrounded by constant, desperate need. Whom do we help and how much? I knew missionaries who became hard hearted because of the constant need and others who left the field because of the overwhelming need. God told me not to try to figure out whom to help but to simply respond to the nudge of the Spirit. Wholehearted obedience will release you into Godly success.
The last thing I saw as a result of wholehearted obedience was in the last part of verse nine. “The Lord will delight in being good to you.” You don’t have to beg God for things. God loves to give His children good gifts. He wants to surprise you in creative, unexpected ways. God is madly in love with you. Quit trying to figure things out and manipulate things your way. Abandon yourself to serving God and others despite the circumstances and peoples’ response, and see what God will do for you. Wholehearted obedience will cause God to be D-E-L-I-G-H-T-E-D in you.
Yours in Christ,
Andy Clark
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
Monday, April 12, 2010
Heirs of God
“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:1-7
Paul refers in this Scripture of our “adoption as sons.” We think of adoption as being born into one family and adopted into another. The problem with this concept of adoption is that even when we are adopted we still carry the character traits of our birth parents. But as Christians we are born again, our old nature has died, and we have taken on the nature of Christ. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
The concept of adoption Paul lays out in this Scripture is from Roman and Jewish culture of his time. It refers to when a child is young, he was no different than a slave in that he had no rights as a son but was under guardians and stewards. But at the time appointed by the father he would come into the full right as heir. Not that the father had died, but everything the father had also became his.
Paul in speaking to Jews who understood this was teaching that under Old Testament law, even though they were heirs of the promise they remained as slaves to the law. But at the time appointed by the father, God sent His Son to redeem us from the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. So now because of Christ we are heirs of God, so that everything that is His becomes ours also.
Paul goes on in Romans 8:14-17 to explain how that works out in our lives. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
If we are led by the Spirit of God, we do not have the spirit of bondage to fear as a child would, but we have received the Spirit of adoption. Through the guidance and power of the Spirit, we have full access to everything that Christ had and everything that is God’s. Children of this world have much to fear, but as children of God, we have nothing to fear. You belong to God and nothing can pluck you out of His hand. Everything that God has belongs to you. How much better can it get than that!
May you today by the Word and the Spirit come into a fuller revelation of how much the Father loves you that He would call you His child. “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Amen and amen.
Andy Clark
Associate Director
World Horizons US Office
www.worldhoirzonsusa.org
Paul refers in this Scripture of our “adoption as sons.” We think of adoption as being born into one family and adopted into another. The problem with this concept of adoption is that even when we are adopted we still carry the character traits of our birth parents. But as Christians we are born again, our old nature has died, and we have taken on the nature of Christ. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
The concept of adoption Paul lays out in this Scripture is from Roman and Jewish culture of his time. It refers to when a child is young, he was no different than a slave in that he had no rights as a son but was under guardians and stewards. But at the time appointed by the father he would come into the full right as heir. Not that the father had died, but everything the father had also became his.
Paul in speaking to Jews who understood this was teaching that under Old Testament law, even though they were heirs of the promise they remained as slaves to the law. But at the time appointed by the father, God sent His Son to redeem us from the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. So now because of Christ we are heirs of God, so that everything that is His becomes ours also.
Paul goes on in Romans 8:14-17 to explain how that works out in our lives. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
If we are led by the Spirit of God, we do not have the spirit of bondage to fear as a child would, but we have received the Spirit of adoption. Through the guidance and power of the Spirit, we have full access to everything that Christ had and everything that is God’s. Children of this world have much to fear, but as children of God, we have nothing to fear. You belong to God and nothing can pluck you out of His hand. Everything that God has belongs to you. How much better can it get than that!
May you today by the Word and the Spirit come into a fuller revelation of how much the Father loves you that He would call you His child. “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Amen and amen.
Andy Clark
Associate Director
World Horizons US Office
www.worldhoirzonsusa.org
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Grace in Time of Need
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:1-6
I just returned last Tuesday from a tremendous trip to Haiti with a team from Virginia to help my brother Roger and his wife Margaret, who have been missionaries in Haiti for 25 years. While we were there, we helped put in the footings on a church that had collapsed, delivered food aid, ministered in four churches and in a tent camp. Over a million people are living in tents all over the city. Very little has been done in the way of cleaning up the debris from thousands of collapsed homes and businesses.
In the midst of this crisis of unimaginable magnitude, God by the power of His Spirit is breaking this stronghold of Satan, and thousands are coming to Christ. My brother Roger’s churches have more than doubled in size. An evangelist friend of mine named Joel, who has been in Haiti for 34 years, says he has never seen so many turn to Christ. This year the annual demonic Mardi Gras was canceled and replaced by three days of national prayer. You can see a clip of it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rWm84z-zg God spoke to me before going to Haiti that He wanted to bring glory to His name in the earth through His people in Haiti, just as He brought glory to His name in delivering His people out of Egypt. He also said that where there is great need, there is great grace. God wants to raise up a new church in Haiti out of the rubble. You can read more in my brother's blog www.newlifehaiti.blogspot.com
As I spoke with Haitians in these tent camps, I was amazed at God’s grace upon these people in time of need. Almost everyone I spoke with had lost their home, loved ones and friends. One lady was at church when the quake hit, and when she got home she found her house collapsed and her husband and two of her children dead. I spoke with a grandmother who lost her home, her daughter, and four grandchildren. As I spoke with them in front of a little make-shift tent, they smiled at me and expressed their faith in God. Despite all their problems, the Haitian people have an unshakable faith in God that exemplifies Romans 5:1-6.
Paul said, “we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” The Haitian people who have no resources have access to a wealth of God’s grace in time of need because of an unshakable faith in God. If we are not careful, we can put our faith is in our governments, economic system, health system, job, support base, etc. In these changing times, God is calling us to put our trust totally in him, so that in time of need we will have access to the abundance of His grace. This grace that He offers not only sustains us in time of need, but enables us to be triumphant.
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:3
Your servant in Christ,
Andy Clark
I just returned last Tuesday from a tremendous trip to Haiti with a team from Virginia to help my brother Roger and his wife Margaret, who have been missionaries in Haiti for 25 years. While we were there, we helped put in the footings on a church that had collapsed, delivered food aid, ministered in four churches and in a tent camp. Over a million people are living in tents all over the city. Very little has been done in the way of cleaning up the debris from thousands of collapsed homes and businesses.
In the midst of this crisis of unimaginable magnitude, God by the power of His Spirit is breaking this stronghold of Satan, and thousands are coming to Christ. My brother Roger’s churches have more than doubled in size. An evangelist friend of mine named Joel, who has been in Haiti for 34 years, says he has never seen so many turn to Christ. This year the annual demonic Mardi Gras was canceled and replaced by three days of national prayer. You can see a clip of it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rWm84z-zg God spoke to me before going to Haiti that He wanted to bring glory to His name in the earth through His people in Haiti, just as He brought glory to His name in delivering His people out of Egypt. He also said that where there is great need, there is great grace. God wants to raise up a new church in Haiti out of the rubble. You can read more in my brother's blog www.newlifehaiti.blogspot.com
As I spoke with Haitians in these tent camps, I was amazed at God’s grace upon these people in time of need. Almost everyone I spoke with had lost their home, loved ones and friends. One lady was at church when the quake hit, and when she got home she found her house collapsed and her husband and two of her children dead. I spoke with a grandmother who lost her home, her daughter, and four grandchildren. As I spoke with them in front of a little make-shift tent, they smiled at me and expressed their faith in God. Despite all their problems, the Haitian people have an unshakable faith in God that exemplifies Romans 5:1-6.
Paul said, “we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” The Haitian people who have no resources have access to a wealth of God’s grace in time of need because of an unshakable faith in God. If we are not careful, we can put our faith is in our governments, economic system, health system, job, support base, etc. In these changing times, God is calling us to put our trust totally in him, so that in time of need we will have access to the abundance of His grace. This grace that He offers not only sustains us in time of need, but enables us to be triumphant.
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 1:3
Your servant in Christ,
Andy Clark
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