The Decision, the Answer and the Outcome...

I could really feel the changing of the seasons in the air as I sat on the balcony early this morning while I sipped some hot coffee and began to read from my Bible.  There was a breeze blowing, the tops of the trees below me were swaying and I had to make sure that everything on the little table next to me… mainly the tasty donut hole sitting on napkin… wasn’t going to end up down on the walkway in front of our building!  Except for the bee that kept buzzing near me, it was the perfect beginning to what’s looking to be a great day!

I may have mentioned before that I have recently gotten into the habit of beginning my daily Bible study by reading and making a personal confession of the Ephesian prayers that Paul prayed in Ephesian 1:17-23 and Ephesians 3:16-21.  I usually wet my appetite though, by first reading Ephesians 1:3-14.  There is so much meat in those eleven verses, that it sometimes takes me up to an hour before I get to the prayers that follow!

Many times I find myself literally stuck on verse twelve where Paul, in discussing the plans that God the Father has for each of us, declares: “He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope (or more accurately translated: ‘expectations’) on Christ would praise him and give him glory.” (God’s Word ©)

As I have begun to delve into this book project telling the story of Piper’s and my journey, I have noticed a reoccurring pattern that we followed throughout our life together... and in many ways it seems to line up with Ephesians 1:12!  One of my directives for the book is to mark the experiences and decisions that we made throughout our time that formed many of the vital pieces of the puzzle of our life together.  In other words, the cornerstones that set the foundation of who Piper and I became and caused us to make the decisions that we did.

I am beginning to see that we followed the hunger that was in us from practically day one, to follow and increase in the things and ways of God.  If I am to be truthful, I am not seeing times where we ever retreated from that course of action.  I am also beginning to realize that some of our greatest times of creativity and growth came in the midst of the toughest times in our lives.  That even though we were being pushed to the very limits of our faith, our continual steps in the right direction kept the door open to His anointing in our lives.

And again, I have to be honest with you today, this revelation brought tears and then rounds of praise from me as I attempted to fry an egg for breakfast!  I have mentioned in previous posts that I have tended to fight a lack of self-confidence throughout most of my life and that I have hung on to… for dear life at times… verses like Joshua 1:9, 2 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:13 to give me the strength to stand up and do some the things that the Lord had called us to do for Him.  Having to make many of the difficult decisions for Piper’s care in the midst of some very hurtful words and accusations didn’t help the cause… but it did have the opposite effect of strengthening my resolve to follow what we continued to believe was God’s best plan for us.

But I still had to deal with some of those awful feelings of self-doubt and condemnation that would attempt to rise up within me.  Today though, I felt a freedom from those all-too-familiar deceptions from the enemy of our souls!  In some respects, I can look back today and sense that if anything, those less than encouraging words were actually proof that we WERE following the right directives!

So, what is the point of all this today?  Simply that God always rewards those of us who are faithful to Him and His Word.  I see many of the same tactics of deceit being employed in our current political theater here in the US.  But after what Piper and I went through… I firmly believe that the truth will always prevail… just like it always did for us!

Perhaps you are going through a trial or tribulation today.  Maybe there are words and or actions that are being taken against you and what you believe to be the truth.  My recommendation is to NOT give up, but instead to dig deeper into your Bible… into God’s Word and stand firm on what HE says in difference to the opposite of what other voices around you may be shouting to you.  Let that Bible of yours become your best friend… and never leave home without it!  You would never find Piper without a little green Gideons New Testament in her purse.  And today with the many Bible apps for your phone available, it’s even easier!

The decision, the answer and the outcome of your battle is in your hands!  What are you gonna do about it?

Have a great weekend and as you do say with me… “I am expecting to stand… and then stand some more on the truth of God’s Word for whatever I need today!”