II Timothy 1:7; Zechariah 4:6; II Corinthians 3:6-8 - "Confidence"

This morning I woke up with the words to Confidence going through my mind. It reminded me of our Sunday School lesson this past week about the judges in the Bible. One of the attributes mentioned of a good leader was they have Confidence. A key attribute is they walk God. People in the Bible followed God as long as a judge was leading them. Once they quit allowing a judge to lead them their focus went off of God. Leaders need to live their lives in tune with God. As they do, they will know the desires of God's heart. When they walk in obedience to God, they will lead others to do the same. We must remember there is 'a time to pray...a time of waiting...and a time of action' as we live out God's will. It is easy for me to pray but it isn't always easy to wait. I've been waiting many years for some loved ones to come into relationship with Christ. I've planted seeds and I feel like those seeds have fallen on deaf ears. My heart breaks with the knowledge their final destiny will be hell unless they change before dying. It breaks to see them living lies and in sin when they could have freedom in Christ. Sometimes I fail like a failure when I think about how it appears like I am not making a difference in people's lives. I fail like I am not only failing them but especially failing God. Then He reminds me it is not up to me to save people. That is His job. It is up to me to take every opportunity He puts before me to love on people with His love. That is my purpose on this earth. I hope to be pleasantly surprised to see people in heaven that I influenced yet seemed to fail in seeing come into a relationship with Him. Woo hoo! But even with the knowledge that I am not responsible for people's salvation I must never stop sharing the Gospel. I know I must be a strong leader that people can trust. I also know I need to be humble and have Confidence. I am reminded this morning of what Doc preached about Sunday. I want to be a 'faith mover...love giver...hope dealer'! As I fulfill these roles God will direct me to love on those who need His love. There was a statement made in our Sunday School book that spoke volumes to me. "It is an awesome responsibility to speak for God." Yes it is! When He speaks to me, I know I need to walk in obedience to Him. I know the only way I will be who He has called me to be is to do what He desires. He did not call us to South Carolina just because I love the beach. (Although that is a nice perk to the call.) He called us to make a difference in people's lives. He called us to lead people into a deeper relationship with Him. As I look around my little world I'm not sure how many people are being influenced through us but I sure pray there are many. I pray He will use us to fulfill the desires of His heart here where He put us.

Give me faith like Daniel in the lion's den
Give me hope like Moses in the wilderness
Give me a heart like David, Lord be my defense
So I can face my giants with confidence, yeah!...

There are 'giants' before us every day that try to stop us from living out God's will. The way to stand up against those 'giants' is to live out what Doc preached Sunday. I need to be a 'faith mover...love giver...hope dealer' for them to be knocked down. Daniel had faith, David loved with God's love, and Moses had great hope. If I want to be like these great men, I need to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His empowerment so He can love through me in a mighty way. Zechariah 4:6 will give me the Confidence I need to do this. Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord Almighty (NIV). I love what Matthew Henry writes of the first six verses of Zechariah 4.

The prophet's spirit was willing to attend, but the flesh was weak. We should beg of God that, whenever he speaks to us, he would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves. The church is a golden candlestick, or lamp-bearer, set up for enlightening this dark world, and holding forth the light of Divine revelation. Two olive trees were seen, one on each side the candlestick, from which oil flowed into the bowl without ceasing. God brings to pass his gracious purposes concerning his church, without any art or labour of man; sometimes he makes use of his instruments, yet he needs them not. This represented the abundance of Divine grace, for the enlightening and making holy the ministers and members of the church, and which cannot be procured or prevented by any human power. 

We cannot do His will in our own strength. It can only be accomplished through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This is why we cannot 'save' someone. Only God can save them. It is why we cannot sanctify someone. Only God can sanctify. We must be ready to plant the seeds so He can harvest the crop. We may not understand His timing but it is not for us to understand. We just have to keep on trusting Him in all situations. I am reminded of Paul's words to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 3:6-8 (NIV) in regard to our purpose on this earth.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

Once again I think about how there is 'a time to pray...a time of waiting...and a time of action.' As I pray, God will speak. As He speaks, I will listen and wait for His time to act upon what He gives me. This is key in my walk of obedience to Him.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the beautiful weather You are giving us! Thank You for the accomplishment of getting the shrubs trimmed yesterday! Thank You for dinner that Darryll provided for us last night! Thank You for being with us throughout the night as Doc dealt with pain! Oh Father, how I pray for relief for him. I pray for Your healing to come down upon him. I pray for all who are dealing with physical ailments to feel Your touch. I pray for those who are mourning to feel Your presence in their life. I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be able to be with a loved one in their final minutes. I know there are always going to be situations with miles apart where that will happen but to be there in the same town and not be able to be with them would hurt so bad. When I was a Medical Chaplain, I saw people making decisions for You or making restoration in a relationship with a loved one in their final moments. Father, may people lean into You to get through these days with the COVID-19. Lord, I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with Yourself. I pray Your love will ooze out of me in a way that people will desire to have the relationship with You that I experience every day. May You shine brightly through me. Thank You Father for being My Confidence! Amen.