The Nearness Of Our God
Francis Frangipane
In the 73rd Psalm, David expresses a struggle we all might feel at times: Why are the wicked receiving advancements and wealth while the righteous are being chastened? (vv. 2-14) The whole idea "was troublesome" in his sight until he entered "the sanctuary of God," where he perceived their end (vv. 16-20).
Finally, in verses 21-22 he realizes the error of his self-pitying thoughts and he sees that he, too, is nothing apart from God. He says, "When my heart was embittered, and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before Thee." His soul brightens, however, as he considers his relationship with God: "Nevertheless I am continually with Thee....Thou wilt guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth....God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (vv. 23-26).
There is a summary thought that I want us to focus upon. It's in verse 28. David says, "But as for me, the nearness of my God is my good."
Let's settle this revelation in our spirits: It is the nearness of God which produces our good. Christianity was never designed to be sustained by nice people trying to be good. We're not that good. We're not that clever. We're not that nice. The only thing that can sustain true Christianity is true, sustained union with Jesus Christ.
There's nothing different, significant or remarkable about our lives apart from the living expression of the presence of God in us. Thus, apart from the influence of Christ in us, there's no difference between Christians and non-Christians (except Christians, without God's presence, are more obnoxious). It's only our relationship with the Lord that keeps us from fulfilling the lusts and desires of the flesh.
So we must cultivate and prioritize our relationship with Christ. Jesus cannot just be first on our list of priorities; He must rule over all priorities on the list. He must be the inspiration in our love for family; He must become our integrity at our job and our voice in our communities. We must seek His presence in every dimension of our lives. Indeed, wherever we leave Him out, we let the devil in.
"As for me the nearness of my God is my good." Let us not look at God's nearness as a threat, but an empowerment to success and abundance of life. However, let us also beware: Our world has countless ways to distract us from genuine union with the Lord: temptations, fears, pressures. We must resolve to press through the distractions until we secure our hearts in the grip of God.
You see, what Jesus requires of us is what the Father required of Him. When I study the Master's life, I am impressed that Jesus Himself did nothing unless He saw the Father do it. Though He was God on earth, He would spend early mornings and nights alone with the Father. Jesus said that it was the Father working through Him that produced the displays of power and authority.
It staggers me that the Son of God said of Himself, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18). Of course Jesus was good. He was perfect, yet He attributed His righteousness as the overflow of the Father's presence. Some of us, on the other hand, can go days without taking time to be with the Lord. If Jesus could not sustain His heart apart from His relationship with the Father, why do we think we can? Indeed, how can we display the virtue of Christ without living in the life of Christ?
Branches On The Vine Of God
Jesus taught, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
Jesus can produce tremendous fruit in our lives but only if we abide in Him. We are branches on the vine of God. Yes, we are a new creation, but what makes our "newness" genuine is that our life now comes from Christ. He becomes the eternal spring which renews, redeems and regenerates every aspect of our existence.
Paul admonished, "If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is." He continued "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (Col. 3:1-2). Our minds are so easily distracted. People and issues, pleasures and pressures all fight for our time. But all of us need to spend time with God every day.
Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matt. 6:33 NKJV). Through Proverbs the Lord tells us, "those who seek me diligently ('early' KJV) will find me" (Prov. 8:17). Yes, we are to seek God first in the morning, but the Lord is saying we are to seek Him first in everything – in all our decisions, goals and desires, we are to ask, "Is this Your heart for me Lord? Am I revealing Your righteousness in this situation?"
You see, as we seek Him, as we draw near to Him, His power, love and wisdom draw near to us. Something wonderful occurs when the presence of the Lord rests upon us: answers come, breakthroughs arrive, strength manifests – things we couldn't do in our own striving or abilities. Indeed, all we hope to accomplish with our lives begins to manifest as we choose to live in union with Him.
Let our hearts cease looking for help elsewhere. For it is the nearness of our God which is our good.
Lord, I thank You for this message. I realize You love me and desire my love, that this message is an expression of Your love. Forgive me for living detached from You. I set my heart to live in Your presence. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Standing After The Storm
Francis Frangipane
"If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Ps. 11:3)
Just as there are foundations that are dug and laid for buildings, so there are spiritual foundations upon which we can build a stable spiritual life. If our foundations are destroyed, or if we try to build our lives upon an incomplete foundation, to that degree we compromise our ability to stand during life’s storms.
I’ve known many people who could prophesy or pray for the sick or sing beautifully in church, but inwardly their spiritual lives were unstable. As soon as difficulties arose, they fell apart. Why? As "together" as they seemed, they had something missing from their inner foundation. They crumbled during the storm.
Jesus put it this way:
"Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built" (Luke 6: 47-48).
The question isn’t "if" a storm is coming, but when. Storms are part of life. Everyone will experience them. Life has a way of going from calm and peaceful to suddenly turning turbulent or adversarial. The only way one’s house can stand during these times is if it is well built.
Jesus is saying that our "house" represents our spiritual life, and in building this life, the foundation is the most important part of the structure. Everything else we build, whether in ministry or gifting or calling, is built upon the inner, hidden foundation laid by Christ.
The problem is compounded because you can’t build your house in a storm. Your house must be built before the storm comes. Thus, Jesus concluded His warning,
"But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great" (Luke 6:49).
I shudder when I recall the many people --- good people, mind you --- whose house "collapsed" in the storm of temptation or adversity. How true the Savior’s words are: "and the ruin of [their] house was great."
Storms Are Coming
As a spiritual father, I am concerned about the church. In America today it has almost become a joke how dysfunctional we have become. People are proud that their lives are unstructured, as though "undisciplined" was synonymous with "humility." May I speak candidly? I think that God defines "undisciplined", not as a form of humility, but a form of disobedience.
I’m not becoming legalistic; I’m calling us to obedience. Jesus said in His Great Commission to the church we were to make disciples "who obey everything" Jesus "commanded" the first disciples (Matt. 28:20 NIV). Yes, there is a time when people need to be loved and healed. However, there is another time when we need to respond to God’s love. In fact, it is His love that wants to rebuild our lives on a foundation that can withstand the battles and be victorious!
What, specifically am I meaning when I speak of spiritual foundations? Old attitudes must be excavated from our souls and Christlike attitudes structured. Trusting in ourselves must go; trusting completely in Christ must be established. Pride must be uprooted; true humility established. Worry, fear and sin must go and prayer must be established. You see, God calls us to walk as redeemers, patterning our lives after the example of Christ. Upon these traits we can unite with other Christians in our cities until, functionally, we become "a dwelling of God in the Spirit" (Eph. 2:22).
I am talking about more than having right doctrines. I’m speaking of right attitudes, biblically correct vision and theologically accurate faith, so we actually reveal the life of Christ to the unsaved world around us.
The vision of Christlikeness should be the focus of both leadership and congregations. This has been the Father’s purpose from the beginning of time and it remains His unchanging goal at the end of the age (See Gen. 1:26-27 and Rom. 8:28-29). If we build upon the foundations of Christ, we will certainly be found standing after the storm.
Enter Their Gates With Thanksgiving
Francis Frangipane
For the last several messages, the Holy Spirit has been urging us to deal with issues of the heart. We've focused on issues like cold love, anger, grumbling and betrayal. Now, I'd like to share what I believe is a means to discovering the life of God. I am speaking of possessing a thankful heart. It is truly a place of immunity from the demonic and fleshly storms that come our way in life.
Of course, there are some people that test not only our character but also our sanity. I remember visiting a church and seeing a sign in the pastor's office over the door. It read, "Everyone who walks through this door makes me happy: some when they enter the room and others when they leave."
Well, that's one way to keep our spirits up, but it's not exactly what I mean. I'm saying we can be thankful that God is with us no matter who walks through the door. In fact, the Bible tells us to "rejoice always . . . [and] in everything give thanks." (1 Thess. 5:16, 18). The Word doesn't say thank God for everything, but thank Him in everything. In every battle there is a place where we can find God. In every conflict there exists a spiritual means to ascend into God's presence, where we can ride out the storm.
A thankful spirit sustains us when we otherwise would faint. It makes us alive to the awareness of God's nearness. The truth is, that no matter what trial we are in, God is there with us. A thankful spirit acknowledges Him, identifying His blessings and appropriating His gifts; gratitude escorts us into the presence of God.
Even Trouble-Makers
The value of gratitude goes beyond transforming our hearts, it can also transform the people who are near us. Certainly, we can see what's wrong with people, but have we ever actually thanked God for them, even the trouble-makers? You see, without them, we would never mature spiritually! They thrust us out of ourselves, causing us to rely more completely upon the help of God.
Yet, gratitude is actually a form of spiritual warfare, especially when it comes to healing human relationships. True, there are times when, for a variety of reasons, people are not open to us and they shun our initiatives for peace or reconciliation. However, I believe if we were more genuinely appreciative of them, in time they might relax their guard and open up.
You see, not only is Jerusalem surrounded by walls and gates, our souls also are protected by barriers; we too have walls and gates surrounding our lives. We have "eye gates" and "ear gates" that allow influences into our soul. But we are not open to everyone. We've learned to protect ourselves instinctively from emotionally damaging people. On the other hand, the words of loving, appreciative people inspire us to drop our guard and let them in. Just as God requires we enter His gates with thanksgiving, so it is with human nature, for we are made in God's image. If we expect others to open up to us, it is important we express our gratitude for the good we see in them.
Of course, people do not have to be perfect for us to appreciate godly elements in their character or personality. When I voice my gratitude for a specific quality or virtue that I see in another, I affirm and strengthen that virtue. By so doing, I also gain their trust.
For example, if you're not thankful for your teenagers, your disappointment with them will push them away from you. The Bible says that a "false balance is an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 11:1). Sometimes we can be so focused on the negatives in our kids that we drive them away. We communicate with anger and disgust, weary of the battle we've been having with them. Yet, if we take time and sincerely communicate the things we appreciate about them (and those things are there. You must just find them), your teens will relax their guard.
Parents, as an experiment, dismiss for several weeks the obligatory criticisms you usually express when you and your kids are together. Instead, tell them the things you appreciate about them. You see, each of us needs to know we are appreciated at least for something. Even God responds positively to praise! Such reinforcement empowers our desires to do well and increases our sense of self-worth and value.
Acceptance: Oxygen For The Soul
Because God has designed us to be social creatures, we each enter the world with an innate desire for acceptance. By appreciating our loved ones, we affirm and help settle their quest for acceptance, without which they might otherwise be compelled toward ungodly associations. Just as when property appreciates it increases in value, so when we appreciate our loved ones, destructive tendencies created by self-hatred and fear of rejection diminish proportionally. By appreciating what we see as right in people, their soul nurses on the life of love and acceptance.
You see, there's something like radar inside the human heart that senses the displeasure of others. Displeasure and ingratitude are like a repellant to human relationships. People think, if I can't measure up --- if you can't see anything good in me --- I'll go where people will accept me as I am. Thanksgiving brings our loved ones closer to us rather than driving them away.
At the same time, I know people in marriages that, every time they get together, they wind up discussing what's wrong with their relationship. Why not take a few weeks and shift the focus to appreciating what's right in each other?
Some of us have been ungrateful, gossiping and grumbling. So, for those in particular, I'm calling for a thirty-day fast. From what? Let's fast from ingratitude. For the next thirty days, each time you would have complained, grumbled or been ungrateful about something or someone, focus instead on things for which you are thankful. Make a list of at least seven people in your world that you know fairly well and write down seven things in each of their lives for which you are appreciative. Over the next two or three weeks, tell them how much you appreciate this or that quality you've observed in them. Finally, let's see if most of these very people do not begin to automatically open up when you draw near; let's see if you can't enter their gates with thanksgiving.