“If thou wilt walk in my ways”...the Wayfarer 2/17/16

“If thou wilt walk in my ways”

2/17/16

“And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.”

(1 Kings 3:14)

Today, we return to the writings of the Old Testament, and particularly to writings covering what are acceptable requests to be made of the Father as we make our wishes known to Him through prayer.

Often, people think that prayers go unanswered, but this is never the case. Each prayer is in fact answered, every request considered by our God before giving that answer.

We are told many times that whatsoever we ask we will be given…with the condition that it is within the will of the Father, and in accordance to His plan for our life that what is asked be to our spiritual benefit.

James tells us:

 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

(James 4:1-3)

As we look at the condition of our nation, and in fact the whole of society that comprises human kind, we see the results of the greed, and envy that exists in each of us.

Yes I said US!

Every human being alive, in some way, large or small, will daily find themselves in violation of the commandment not to covet!

Far too often this covetousness even invades our very requests to the Father for things we think necessary, things we find alluring, things we think we want!

When this occurs the forthcoming answer from God will inevitably and invariably be a loud and resounding NO!

The reason is equally easily comprehensible once we realize that the answer must always be no when we ask amiss!

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

(James 4:4-6)

The state of humility, or being humble, is difficult for any man to accept.

Each of us takes pride in “our own” accomplishment, talent, skills, and education.

Most never give credit to the One who gave us the abilities to make that accomplishment possible, the Giver of that special talent that we take so much pride in, the Giver of those skills, and the mind to absorb that education.

Too often we seek the things of this world that we perceive as being a blessing to others, and therefore one to be sought by us, instead of recognizing our own blessings that have already been given, and the needs of those around us.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

(James 4:7 & 8)

In my home, hangs a hand stitched piece of embroidery, placed behind a glass frame, that makes the statement; “If you don’t feel close to God, Guess who moved?” That plaque has hung in my home, wherever I have been for about the last 35 years. I display it prominently at an entry point to constantly remind me that God is no farther than a prayer away at any time.

It also reminds me of the necessity for humility when I go to the Lord in prayer. He is unmovable, and unlike we imperfect humans, unchangeable. This makes Prayer acceptable only if it falls within the realm of His master plan for us!

James continues:

“Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren, He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Go to now, ye that say To day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain:

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

(James 4:9-17)

James reiterates writing given by the subject of the opening verse today, found in, and throughout, the book of Ecclesiastes.

When we are young, we feel invincible, and our mortality seldom, if ever, crosses our mind. The spirit dwelling within us directs our attention to things physical, carnal, and within the confines of our physical senses.

The things of the Spirit that exist on a separate plane receive little attention, and are given no place of honor.

Each succeeding generation appears to be more subject to that greed, and covetousness, for the physical things, as more of those things and pretty baubles come into existence.

As the concentration on those things intensifies, the attention to the eternal soul is subjugated, subdued, and more often than not, smothered in denial.

We forget that we are born with a purpose, given the breath of life as both a physical, and spiritual being, and that though that physical being is limited to a lifespan only known to God himself, that spiritual being must answer for the choices made by that physical being because there is no limit to its existence.

Now let’s go back to where we started and take a look at what was requested by Solomon, and the answer he was given to that request!

“In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what shall I give thee.

And Solomon said, thou hast shewed  unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

And  now, O lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people.”

(1Kings 3:5-9)

Take note that Solomon chose to acknowledge the fact of how small he was in the scheme of Gods plan, and his ineptitude to accomplish anything within that plan without the help of God himself, prior to making his request!

Now we see the answer to a prayer given in true humility, with the overview in mind of that master plan, instead of looking for immediate gain and pleasure on this earth!

“And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment:

Behold I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches , and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.”

(1 Kings 3:10-14)

God answered Solomon’s request with a resounding "YES", and added to the blessings on him, things not asked for as well!

What follows next in the scripture is the history of the two women who both claimed the baby as being their own and the case being brought before the king.

Solomon exercised that wisdom given him to determine the truth of the situation... before passing judgment.

To this day, Solomon is revered as the wisest man ever to have lived, and his accomplishments for his nation are innumerable.

The reason for this is that he chose wisely to begin with in his request, and chose not for himself, but for the needs of his people instead.

As I have stated before, many, many times one of my favorite verses in the New Testament, is Matthew 7:7.

 This is again something that has followed me from home to home, job to job, place to place throughout my life.

 It is a promise given by Jesus Himself that tells us that if we are in God’s will, our needs will be fulfilled if we only take the time to ASK!

The first thing that we should remember when asking for those needs, is the first need that must be fulfilled prior to all others.

That need is forgiveness for our very humanity, and all the flaws that exist within us because of that humanity!

Once that request has been fulfilled, then we find ourselves asking only for the things that fall within the confines of God’s plan for us, assuring that the answer will either be “YES",  or "Wait a while, I have something far better in mind!”

I close once more with the reminder of the words spoken by Jesus that tell us what we first need to seek, before continuing this journey that so easily distracts us along the way with all the glitter, glamour, and baubles that would keep us from reaching the destination of that journey:

“Repent  for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As James reminded us, there is no promise of tomorrow. The time to take the soul into account is sooner, rather than later. The time to seek the treasure Christ told us to seek is now, not tomorrow.

I remain always, the same simple sinner, saved by grace through faith, that I have been since first finding that salvation so many years ago, still your servant, and more importantly His, a lowly soldier in His service, a voice still crying in this wilderness that surrounds us, to awake before your time expires.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer