HEAVENSREEF

Many of us at one time or another have been on a walking path and realized that there was no shortcut to where we thought we were going.  Only the long way around would take us there.  We tend to love shortcuts if they require less time and effort to accomplish a goal.  But there are no shortcuts when it comes to having a deeper, richer relationship with GOD.  Knowing GOD and understanding HIS heart and HIS ways takes a lifetime.  And even then we don’t know all that we could know about a GOD that is immeasurable!

KNOWING GOD TAKES TIME AND EFFORT ON OUR PART.

Oh how all of us in one way or another have wasted valuable time on meaningless things and efforts!  Anything that we have put above GOD becomes an idol in and of itself.  Sometimes an idol can be a thing, person, or activity.  Let’s become aware of what we hold dear and above the LORD!  Let’s ask HIM to reset our priorities daily.  In each of us, GOD has HIS way of showing us what is important to HIM and what is not.  Over time our desire should grow to know HIM more, not less.

PSALM 63: 1  “I THIRST FOR YOU; MY BODY FAINTS FOR YOU IN A LAND THAT IS DRY, DESOLATE AND WITHOUT WATER.”

Our thirst for the LORD is a lifelong pursuit and our maturity doesn’t happen overnight…….there are no shortcuts when learning about the LORD, HIS character and HIS heart for HIS children. 

 

1 CORINTHIANS 15: 58  “THEREFORE, MY BELOVED BROTHERS, BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, KNOWING THAT IN THE LORD YOUR LABOR IS NOT IN VAIN.”

Our wants and desires are often dictated by the rest of the world.  We try to keep up with others in all sorts of ways, rather than staying the course with our GOD who knows what HE is doing on our behalf when no one else really does.  HE knows our individual paths and HE knows fully what HE is doing within us and there are no shortcuts here.  Often HE will take us into a valley for a time.  The mountaintops are fleeting for sure.  And the deserts tend to be very dry, but we are headed in one direction, towards our home in heaven.  The hard lessons with HIM seem to last forever.  If we persevere through them with JESUS by our side, we come out of these lessons standing a little taller, more mature and confident in HIM, well aware of our sinfulness, but even more aware of the redemption that JESUS has given us through HIS death on the Cross. 

IN GOD’S LESSONS OF LIFE THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS……EVER.

WHY?  Because it takes time to develop trust in a GOD you cannot see or touch.  It takes time to come to know a GOD that is the Creator of the universe, an immeasurable GOD, an eternal GOD, a Holy GOD.  We are finite creatures for now, so GOD is patient with us in coming to know of HIM.  In time through prayer, study and worship we rejoice only in HIM and remain confident and hopeful in HIS word.  Our characters slowly become more Holy.  But there are no shortcuts in any of this……not one.  And if we try to take a shortcut, we miss what GOD had intended for us:  a deeper relationship with HIM that takes a lifetime and cannot happen overnight.

ROMANS 11: 13  “OH THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES BOTH OF THE WISDOM AND OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD!”

If our daily paths go the easy way……..how in the world will our faith ever grow? How will we ever mature unless we are tested through difficult circumstances?  And this is where we realize and rejoice in those hard things, because of the beautiful lessons learned about a GOD who loves us more than we will ever know or understand.   So remember this every day………THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS CHRISTIAN! 

JAMES 1: 2-4  “CONSIDER IT PURE JOY, MY BROTHERS, WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER TRIALS OF MANY KINDS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE.  ALLOW PERSEVERANCE TO FINISH IT’S WORK, SO THAT YOU MAY BE MATURE AND COMPLETE, NOT LACKING ANYTHING.”