In all your Ways Acknowledge Him

You never know where you will find a glory nugget when you are in the search. The following is simply a footnote in a commentary on Hebrews by William R. Newell (1868-1956)

Many years ago, in the Moody Institute, it fell to me to direct the afternoon and evening gathering of all the students. Together with my helpers, some eleven men, I made the celebration a missionary one. There was manifest blessing.

When all was over, at about ten at night, I said to the young men who had helped, “Let us go into my office and thank the Lord.” We went in and knelt to pray. It was in none of our minds to remain long, but just to thank the Lord ere we retired.

But it pleased God to take the meeting in charge. His Spirit filled us. In a few minutes we were on our faces praising God and weeping with joy. How His love melted and overwhelmed us! All sense of distance from God, yea, all sense of self, was gone. Only measureless joy in God, as we knew ourselves the objects of His intimate kindness and love, remained.

There we were until half past three in the morning! And when we dispersed, we were more refreshed, in body and spirit, than at the beginning. After the brethren left, I marked stain after stain of tears upon the floor, where men had wept with joy. Four men, if not five, became missionaries as a result of that night’s visitation.

God may not at all times overwhelm us, as on that occasion, with a sense of His blessedness and love. We walk by faith, not by sight (lit., appearance, vision, or experience). But at all times, under all circumstances, God is love, and believers are invited to come boldly to a throne, a throne of GRACE!

What we are to do Always

I have been looking for spiritual teachings in the Bible that ask us to follow always.

The 3 that come to mind easily are:
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks.
Meditate on the Word day and night.

I have found 4 more that are also given this priority.
Always be abounding in the work of the Lord.
Set the Lord continually before me.
Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Always have my light shinning.

People have taught in the past that it is impossible to do these things. Inferring therefore that we should not even try. They might have not been trying to say that but that was the result that I came away with.

Well, I don't think God put something in the Bible to be ignored. But what am I to do with them, because there is no way I can keep them? I think God put these instructions in the Bible to teach us to always strive to live by these teachings. We will never attain to perfection but we are commanded to be perfect as God is perfect.

Do I throw my hands up and quit trying? No. What I am to do is use these instructions to guide me back to the path of walking in the Spirit and away from living from a fleshly outlook.

Take for instance praying without ceasing. How could I do a math problem and pray for the problems on the Gaza strip at the same time? I can't.

What I am finding though is that I can come closer to fulfilling this teaching at work. I work outside in a downtown environment. I see all kinds of people. The very poor to the very rich. The very beautiful to the very ugly. My thinking will be caught up in what I see by sometimes judging, lusting or contempt. I was asking the Lord about this and the idea came to me to pray for the people I see. Pray that the person will have wisdom, receive Jesus as their savior and that they will be a strong influence for Christ with their family and friends.

For the mind set on the flesh is death but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6 I can't walk in the flesh and the Spirit at the same time. If I am praying for a very beautiful woman I am not lusting for her. I am not judging someone that seems rich but I pray they will bless others for the Kingdom of God.

Working for the City government also presents a problem to me. They do many things that I consider ridiculous. But the Bible says we are to let our speech be seasoned with salt to give grace to those who hear. If I am complaining about City policy I am not helping anyone. I need to be praying for the city and the workers I know. If I am praying for the government I am not criticizing.

We are to meditate on the word day and night. When I am guarding my thoughts to obey Christ and not my own desires I am using my knowledge of Scripture to counter worry. Strongholds are overthrown by the word of our testimony. God watches over those whose heart is completely His. What we think about is what is on our heart. What is on our heart is what we speak about.

When things happen that go against my desires, what will I do? Will I complain or will I guard my heart and speak the Scriptures according to the promise of the Bible? Will I pray with thanksgiving or will I or express despair? If I have set the Lord before me and live in Godly fear of Him I will respond according the Spirit.

What happens is I rely on God to live through me instead of trying to handle the situation myself.