 |
|
|
|
Devotionals
Preserved by Integrity
Taking a Towel
Raised Up by the Lord
Going Hard After Christ
The Power of the Church
Rekindling a Romance for Jesus Christ
The Wonderful Cross
When is it too late?
Sowing the Gospel
Abiding in Christ
Raised Up by the Lord
"But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always."
1 Samuel 2:23
The heart of our Savior is to raise up faithful servants, who by His grace will serve Him. Notice the work that God is doing: "I will raise up" "I will build". It is critical to realize God's work and not for us to confuse it with ours. God is the One who will raise you up, who will build you up, who will equip you, and who will work through you. God is the primary laborer, which means that we are called to trust, expect, and wait for Him to work as we rest in Jesus Christ. "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:12) God is seeking to pour out His Spirit upon those who desire to see Jesus Christ glorified. Yet our God who jealously seeks to be glorified will not tolerate the sin of self-glorification or other self-centered and carnal ambitions. Our Lord is passionate about using the Christian who is seeking the heart and soul of God, who is consumed by the love of Christ, and who is driven for all to experience the glory of God. He is the one whom God will anoint. Do you have this heart? Is it your passion to know the glory of God, to enter into the near presence of God and to live each day with the substantial reality of Him in your life? If God has tapped your heart with this passion, cease from striving in the flesh and wait with confidence knowing that He will pour out His anointing upon your life and that He will raise you up for a great work. As you are reading this you may realize that the glory of God has left your life. You are going through the motions: you own a Bible; you attend service; and because of your faith you are going to Heaven. But the reality and realization of the near presence of God in your life is gone: there is no joy; there is no passion; there are no indications of His life within you. You must right now get on your knees and ask God to give you His heart to release a revival within your soul. Your confidence must not be in your ability nor of the flesh but rather in the Holy Spirit to breathe spiritual life into your existence. How wonderful it is to live a life surrendered to Jesus, being emptied that He may consume you. I have come to find satisfaction in dying to myself so that He may then raise me up and be glorified through my life. I pray that you will find the same satisfaction in Him as well.
Grow in the grace of God,
Kyle Shimazaki |
|
|
