The "When" of God

2Samuel 5:24

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 

David listened, heard and acted. It was a day of victory that helped establish him as king.

“When you hear the sound…”

We must learn to hear the sound of God moving or we will miss the “When” of God.

How often have we missed the perfect moments to act when He said, “Now is the time,” and we failed to hear.

One of the reasons may be that most of the time we are telling God how and when to move.

We are so involved giving Him directions that we fail to learn and to nurture our spirit to hear his voice.

David heard God, because he was a man who desired to hear from God, rather than being heard by God.

When our prayer carries an agenda for God, we will always fail to hear the still small voice, the voice that requires our concentrated attention and vigilance.

That comes from those times of intimacy when we learn to listen without intrusion. 

Times of listening without having to hear our own ideas and opinions.

Times of restful contemplation on the very nature of the one who loves us.

Listening is a greatly neglected form of prayer; it means that we must silence the desire to hear our own voice and submit to the sound that speaks deeply to our spirit.

Without the ability to hear the heart of God we will miss the moment when He tells us, “Now!” simply because we have failed to recognize the moment of action.

Most of us fail to hear and therefore fail to act not because of disobedience, but because we did not hear.

We fail to move because we do not recognize the clear voice telling us that this is the moment when He proclaims that the time the time to act is now.

God’s “when” moment is always perfect, it is our responsibility to recognize  it.

Are we prepared to recognize the “When” of God?

Joy: The Heart of Heaven

       Hebrews 12:2

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Endurance has with it the promise of joy. However, it does not promise either happiness or joy in the process.

In the world joy is seen as an emotion of pleasure, delight. 

We seldom equate discomfort with joy, and even less so when we have to suffer through anything for even a moment.

So the Apostle James asks us to consider and even embrace all trials we face with joy, because it is in the endurance of the trials that our character is tested and prepared for growth in faith for the next season. This notion of having to endure to achieve the promised joy often challenges the prevailing attitude about how our life as Christians should unfold.

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance,

4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

We are as followers of Christ Jesus a future minded (prophetic) people, who must look upon the trials in this world, not as obstacles, but as stepping stones into a greater level of maturity.

This does not mean that we go looking for pain or even stay in it when it comes our way; however, when it comes, we must face it with an attitude of joy. Knowing that whatever we face, God will work it out for our good.

We are called to be at peace, in the knowledge that the enemy will never pull one over on God. 

He promises not to leave us or forsake us; however, in our trials, we can choose to believe that He has. 

Our sense of defeat is never God’s defeat; He is always victorious, therefore always joyous. However, we can lose our joy when we fail to appropriate His victory in any situation.

We must always focus on the promise of joy set before us in Him, knowing that any trials we experience are always temporary.

Psalm 30:5b

“...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning

Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Endurance

Colossians 1:10-11

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and you may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ...”

When we decided to live fully for Christ Jesus, whether we knew it or not, we also determined to endure all that comes against us—the world, the flesh and the devil—and to overcome all that is not of Him in us.

Endurance by its very nature requires an element of resistance; it needs some form of opposition to push through. Without it, we do not grow. Without resistance Godly character is not developed.

This endurance tests our willingness to persevere in the face of opposition, where we stand firm until the obstacles that are sent to resist us and keep us from our goal are overcome. 

Endurance is always meant to move us beyond our accepted or perceived limitations. It is only needed when we have come to the end of our abilities and resources, when we have “hit the wall.”  

At “the wall,” we come to our place of limitations. It is the place where we have to move beyond our limitations; this is where we draw on inner resources that we have not tested before. 

“The wall” is also the place of decision, where we either go on, or quit. Quitting means that we have settled for whatever is at hand.  However, when we decide to “go on,” we “willfully” determine to endure the resistance inherent in the process of overcoming.

This is the place where faith replaces knowledge, where we trust in God’s ability and abandon our own. Faith is always that area where we persevere, endure, push through. 

However, once we break through, we no longer need to endure; we have now moved into a “new knowing,” that now becomes part of who we are. Faith has moved us into new levels endurance and therefore into new levels of growth.

God has made us to endure, since that is the place of growth and character development. When we do, He moves us from “glory to glory,” perfecting us continually by divine molding into the image of Christ.

2Timothy 2:3, 12

“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

12 If we endure, we will also reign with him,...”

Come to Me, The Invitation

Mat 11:28

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

“Come to me.” It is His invitation.

With Jesus there is always an invitation.

No one is forced, no one is intimidated, manipulated or tricked; it is a simple invitation, an invitation that is easy to miss if we are not attentive.

Like all invitations, it requires a response, but it is not a going somewhere; it is a coming to Him.

The invitation is often overlooked by those who are comfortable, or those who are settled, or even the ones looking for something extra to spice up their lives. They cannot see the need to “Come to him.”

The invitation is for the weary, heavy-laden, those who recognize their neediness.

It is for the ones who are at the end of their strength.

It is for those living on the edge of hopelessness.

It is for those living under constant pressure.

It is for those living under incessant worry.

It is for those who held by their grief.

It is for the needy and the helpless.

It is for the oppressed.

To them He promises to give relief, rest and refreshing.

He promises to ease their burden, provide for the renewal of their strength, and to restore their hope.

He promises them something new that they are not acquainted with: rest.

Rest from the constant exhaustion of the daily toil, and burdensome obligations imposed by life and those around them. Rest from religious expectations and from the never ending sameness of life.

He promises them something that they only dreamt of, something that is only for the wealthy, the settled, whose who have no needs.

He promises rest from worry, fear of the future and the fear of man.

He promises a rest that takes our eyes off our limits and onto Him who is eternal.

He promises a rest that leads to peace, a peace that frees us from the burdens and stresses of an uncertain tomorrow.

The invitation stands; it is never revoked. “Come to me…”

Come and See

The two followed at a short distance… wondering about the prophet’s declaration; “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

What did that mean?

It compelled them to follow him at a short distance, expectant and hesitant.

Suddenly he turned and they were face to face. “What do you seek?” “What do you want?” he asked.

The only thing they could think of was, “Where are you staying?” “Where do you live?”

Their tension was tangible, unsure how Jesus would respond to them; after all, they were strangers and the disciples of another.

“Come and see.” And they followed.

The hours with him passed quickly; it was enough to convince them that he was the one the scriptures spoke about.

Andrew, one of the two, left to seek his brother.

All he could say was, “We have found the Messiah,” and brought him to Jesus. What else could he do, he loved his brother.

Simon came, brought by the testimony of one he trusted.

Jesus looked him in the eyes and said, “You are Simon, son of John; you shall be called Peter.”

When we come into his presence we will be changed.

He prophesied over Peter, declaring his strength of character; “You are a rock.”

Later, Jesus found Philip and said, “Follow me.”

Philip found Nathanael…

And so it began, men abandoning the familiar to willingly move into the new.

“I will make you fishers of men…” he said.

They trusted him who was a stranger to them, either through a personal encounter or the convicting testimony.

This is our journey as well, to come and follow the one whom we meet first as a stranger, who then becomes our teacher, our master, our friend, our savior, lord and king.

His presence changes everything; and we are never the same.

Like Andrew and Philip, we share the journey with others who are seeking and hungry, sharing the excitement and the life His presence and revelation brings to us.

Welcome to Rushing Streams Ministries

We are delighted to begin communicating on this new medium (for us). Over the next season we will be posting articles, videos and insights for your enjoyment or comments.

Blessings,

Martin Frankena