In the presence of the faultless

One important part of IGNITE intern training phase is learning the Inductive Bible Study method. One class that Matt and I oversee is one where the interns are able to put into practice and actually apply what they learned about how to study the Bible inductively. It is one of my favorite parts of their training because it where they share what the Lord is teaching them through His word. The purpose is to simply to learn something new and add wisdom to their belts. The point is more that they learn a way to study God's Holy Word in a way that allows them to utilize the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of them to discover the treasure that God's word is in their lives.

Learning to study the Bible in a way that allows me to observe, interpret and apply has completely change the effect God's Word has in my life. I now make it a part of my own personal devotions to study the Word this way and then use that study time find practical ways to apply it to my daily life. 

Some time ago, we committed to keeping this a part of the interns lives while they were on the field. We have continued this with the current interns serving here in Guatemala. We meet with the interns weekly to share what God is teaching them and we also meet as a team each day Monday through Friday and each of our team members takes a turn sharing in an inductive way.

This morning the Lord allowed for me to share and I've posted it below with the prayer that the Lord might speak to you from His word as He has done with me.

Jude 1:24-25 "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever more. Amen."

The more I walk with the Lord and the longer I am in ministry I see three things happening...

1. I am more aware than ever before of my complete inadequacy to do anything the Lord calls me to do...and more often than not, the very thing he lays out before me in the place he has called me to be is so much more beyond than what I am capable of that the only explanation for any success at all is because the Lord is in it

       2. I  recognize the intense spiritual battle that rages on around us and feel the darts the 
           enemy throws, the oppression, the attacks, the demonic powers fighting hard to 
           knock me out of the race...and I must choose daily to purpose in my heart to press 
           on through it all and to not be moved by anything...

      3. Above all God is in control! 

These verses in Jude teach me that even when I am totally inadequate for what the Lord calls me to do, it is He who will will equip me and ultimately present me faultless before himself with exceeding joy, the verse says. 

For most of my life I have lived in the dark shadows of condemnation. Most of my life was spent trying to please people in authority over me. There are specific times in my those in authority over me or those I trusted took advantage of my willingness to please them and exploited it. This in turn made me feel shameful, unworthy, and unloved. I coped by stuffing all the pain, hurt, and shame deep down in a dark corner of my heart. As I grew older, all of that shame, pain, hurt, and unexplained emotion turned to bitterness and anger. The coping mechanism I had adopted really had not helped me at all. It had only served to temporarily put off dealing with the root of the bitterness that had grown in my heart and had begun to defile it. 

"Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." Hebrews 12:15

It was only about a year and a half ago that I learned the truth of this verse and applied it to my life. The Lord used this verse to show me the sin that I had hidden deep in my heart for far too many years. He also showed me that my own sin had not only left its effect on my life but also on all those around me. And finally the Lord taught me that I must always be alert and ask him to give me eyes to see what truly exists in my heart that I might not fall back into sin.

So back to the verse in Jude: I know and believe that it is because of God's mercy and grace that I might be found faultless before him, but only by his grace. I am no longer under condemnation, but I live daily in His presence. 

Because I live in His presence, I know that even when I am inadequate and even when the battle rages all around me and I am tempted to walk in my flesh and not in His Spirit,  He is with me. The first part of Jude 24 says 'now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling...' 

The Lord in His grace has chosen to use me in His perfect plan in ways I could never have imagined. He continues to place me in places where the responsibility is great. I will never understand his choice, knowing me and my wicked heart. 

But I know that He is Sovereign. I also know that He will keep me standing firm in Him when I remain in Him, am filled with His Spirit, and when I choose to love. (Vs 20-21 Jude)
I also believe the promise The Lord gives us in 1 Corinthians 10:13: 

"no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

We always have a choice not to sin. The enemy will try everything he can to tempt us to sin. His purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. But we know that Jesus' purpose is to bring abundant life to those who love Him. We can only experience that abundant life when we live life abiding in Him. For every opportunity we encounter to sin, God gives us the opportunity to choose to abide in him and not sin. He keeps us from stumbling. He provides a way out. 

So when I feel weak, when I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, when I feel the sting of the flaming darts the enemy is throwing at me and at those around me;  in those moments I must choose God's way out. I must not choose not my flesh which leads to sin, but instead choose the way that leads to li...abundant life...and remember that in Him I stand firm and will not stumble.

These verses encouraged me this morning as I pondered the power of Christ in me...

Daniel 1:8 "but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself... " 

Psalm 121:3 "he will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber"

1 Samuel 2:9 "he will guard the feet of his saints"

And then finally in Jude 25 the Lord teaches me that in all of this, He is in control. He is our Savior. He alone is wise. Glory and majesty are Hs alone. He is in control - dominion and power are Hs alone, in this present age and forever. 

I do not need to worry...and over time, I am learning to trust the Lord with every bit of my life. I used to worry about and plan and prepare for the 'what if's' of life. I am letting go of that sin and trusting that God is God and I am not. Wisdom, power and glory are His alone. Everything I know I cannot do, He can and will accomplish. Everything I do not understand, He does. Even the little things...

Just the other day I felt overwhelmed and I specifically prayed that the Lord would hide me under His wings that day. In my daily reading I read the following. He cares for us. He chooses us knowing fully well that we are not capable. He knows the battle raging around us and even if we feel overwhelmed by it, he does not because all power and dominion are His. He has the victory...and so do we! He is in control!

Psalm 91:1-16

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Praise God today for His wisdom, power and dominion, glory, and majesty!