God never fails His promise. So why does it seem like we never get the breakthrough we’re waiting for? We wait and wait and trust and believe,  but the breakthrough seems to be so elusive. I think there are two reasons. One is that we are matured through patience. I wrote more about that here.

The other reason is that we forget that we’re commanded to love God first above all things. If you ask a Christian if they love God more than anything else, they’ll say, of course they do! And I think they  believe that. But when the wait gets long, or life gets in the way, or other plans are being made, is that still true?

If we’re honest with ourselves, our love for God slips down the list all the time. When we turn our hearts to Him, then He goes back to the top. His position in our focus and attention shifts back and forth. Flip-flip, flip-flip.

Part of our training as believers is to learn to keep Him first. How do we do that? By making a determined effort to spend time with Him. And why wouldn’t we? He’s the answer to everything. He’s the source of peace and joy.  And He has our best interest at heart.

But what about your husband or wife or children? Your love for them is great. Do you feel badly about loving them second to God? It’s ok. When you love God first, everything else is included. God has His finger in your whole life. It includes your love for the special ones that you love.

When you learn to set everyone and everything else aside and turn your love to God, He will open up heaven for you. You can actually love others better because your priorities are in order. And that opens the door for breakthrough.

Our life in the kingdom is not meant to be static. When we are born again, we become babies. There’s something supremely unnatural for babies not to grow and mature. The writer of Hebrews was frustrated with the church for being content to stay babies.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Heb 5:12-14)

I believe that a lot of the negative circumstances we find ourselves in is a direct result of our immaturity in the Spirit. When we are young, God has us covered. We can get away with making mistakes because we’re trying to find our feet as believers.

But growth requires that we develop an intimate relationship with God. Jesus demonstrated the time He spent in prayer with the Father. It’s in that relationship that we learn to hear His voice and allow Him to direct us. If we don’t do that, He will allow us fail, not to punish us, but to show us the consequences of not listening to Him.

It get serious the longer we live in the kingdom. A full-grown man who continues to make childish decisions can’t be trusted with anything. The consequences of our lack of faith not only affect ourselves, but the people we should be blessing.

Maturity starts now. It starts by repenting for not being obedient to His word. It starts by wanting to know God in a greater way. Consider a baby’s relationship with its parents verses an adult relationship. There is so much more that we’re called to.

Maturity will keep us safe. When we’ve made a terrible mistake, I guarantee that God tried to warn us, but we either failed to listen, or failed to obey. We have to start walking humbly and obediently in the kingdom, not just for our own sakes, but also for those whose lives we affect.

**************************************************************************The Key of David, by Diana Symons                                                                                             A story that’s been told for thousands of years…  The Bible’s Book 1 Samuel tells the story of David’s life – from an obscure family to an unlikely king, from shepherd to warrior, from champion to king-maker. What does it mean for a man to love God and be loved by Him? This book explores what it means to be human in the light of the Kingdom.

Have a good attitude no matter where you are.

Do you feel like you are stuck in life? As if your job, or your circumstances, have you stuck in prison? We all go through those periods where we seem to be in limbo with no way out. The good news is that God does know the way out. The trick is to keep a right attitude until new doors open for you.

Joseph understood. He served as a servant, and then as a prisoner, with such a good attitude that he was promoted. Daniel served multiple kings as a foreigner in a foreign court with kindness. He respected and honored kings who worshiped idols.

You may be in a job with terrible conditions, but that should not affect your attitude. You should carry the kingdom of God in with you to affect the atmosphere where you are. Serve with a kind heart. Be Christ to others with honor and respect, even when your real desire is to be somewhere else.

Our job is to be content and serve God by honoring those we work with and live with. Let the Holy Spirit give you what you need to be kind, patient, and wise. That’s why you have Him. The doors will open. Be happy until then.

Our transformation is a journey

Your transformation as a believer is not sudden or over night. It’s a journey and a progression of change.

First you have to be willing to change. If you made the decision to accept Jesus as Lord, but don’t feel the need to change your life, then you won’t. Everything that the Holy Spirit has to offer will be wasted.

Change begins when you move from willingness to desire. When you really want the things that God has for you, you put yourself in God’s hands. You get hungry for more of His presence and the blessing that He brings.

Once you begin to walk with new understanding of your place in the kingdom, you begin to commit yourself to God’s ways. We’re not perfect so when the slips happen, it takes commitment to stay the course and be who you are called to be.

Over time, that commitment becomes a lifestyle. You don’t have to remind yourself to live righteously, because God is in you. Your relationship with Him becomes second nature. You talk to Him and hear His voice on a daily basis.

As long as we live and breathe, the journey of transformation will continue. No matter how old you become, you’ll still be tweaked and changed by Him. The closer we get to Him, the more we’ll look like Him.

Gideon didn’t have dreams of being a great leader, but God needed him to be. God needed someone who would step up and obey what the Lord told him to do. I think Gideon was successful because he was humble. He didn’t feel qualified. He questioned God because he felt so unqualified. And that’s the heart that God can trust with authority.

The ones who feel qualified are usually too full of themselves. They may need to let go of arrogance or pride. They need to let go of how they think they should lead and let God be the one with vision.

Jesus said, When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 14:8-11)

Jesus modeled a life of service. He showed us that He expects humility from us. When we can live in humility, He can promote us to where He needs us to be. You ability to live greater in the kingdom corresponds directly to your ability to live humbly. It’s a mindset you have to be willing to take on. It’s a lifestyle that will change everything.

I love how God used Mary, an unwed teenager; Gideon, a timid man from an insignificant family; David, the least in his father’s house, possibly illegitimate. God spoke to kings, but most of the time He used the ones who didn’t feel qualified. So why do we think that we aren’t important enough, or smart enough, or valued enough for God to use us?

One person can change history. All it takes is a willingness to obey, especially the commandment to love God and people. Once we get that down, He can use us. It doesn’t always have to be dramatic fire from heaven. He can be very subtle, but effective to establish His kingdom.

Let it be you. You be the one He uses to touch your family, your workplace, your city, your nation. Be like Samuel and say, Here am I. The humble will inherit the earth, so let humility direct your heart.

We don’t know why God chose to use us, but He does. The mess we see in society is largely due to the church not stepping up to love people the way we’re told to. Don’t wait for your friends to agree with you. Don’t wait for leaders to lead the way. God is calling you. The fields are white for harvest and there are very few laborers. Make a difference. Be the one.