To whom did God say, ‘You shall not enter into the rest, the Promised
Land, the abundance of milk and honey’? I would have thought it would
have been to those who worshipped idols, to those who didn’t have
morning devotions, to immoral men, or to those who didn’t offer
sacrifices. Yet, in reality, the only thing which kept the children of
Israel from the Promised Land was their lack of faith.
This is critically important theology, for the singular sin which kept them from blessing was simply thinking God’s promise was just too good to be true. Precious people, you can live the abundant, Spirit-filled, successful, exciting, thrilling Christian life if, instead of saying, ‘God can’t bless me because I haven’t been to Bible study,’ or, ‘I’ve been yelling at my husband,’ or, ‘I haven’t had morning devotions regularly,’ you say, ‘I’m a spiritual grasshopper, Lord. But if You want to bring me into this great land of blessing, I’ll gladly go in!’
The sin of Hebrews 3 is singular. It’s not fornication, as destructive as that sin may be. It’s not idolatry, as sad as that sin is. It’s just not believing how good God is.
Recently home from Bible School, Peter John shared with me how passionate he and his friends are about seeing their generation brought into the Kingdom. ‘So I get up early in the morning and pray and spend time in the Word. I do so good for about three or four days,’ he said. ‘But then I get tired. I sleep in. I miss my devotional time. And I don’t go to prayer meeting.’ With tears running down his cheeks, this football-playing son of mine said, ‘Dad, I want to do so well, and I’m not.’
‘Peter,’ I said, ‘when you learn the lesson which took me years and years to understand, you’ll be on your way. And that lesson is simply this: blessing, anointing, ministry, fruitfulness, and victory are not about you.
'It’s not about the work you do for the Lord; it’s about the work He did for you. It’s not about your prayer to the Lord; it’s about His intercession for you. It’s not about your faith in the Lord; it’s about His being faithful when you falter. It’s all about Him being the Hero, the Prayer Warrior, the Victor, the Friend, and the Faithful One.
This is critically important theology, for the singular sin which kept them from blessing was simply thinking God’s promise was just too good to be true. Precious people, you can live the abundant, Spirit-filled, successful, exciting, thrilling Christian life if, instead of saying, ‘God can’t bless me because I haven’t been to Bible study,’ or, ‘I’ve been yelling at my husband,’ or, ‘I haven’t had morning devotions regularly,’ you say, ‘I’m a spiritual grasshopper, Lord. But if You want to bring me into this great land of blessing, I’ll gladly go in!’
The sin of Hebrews 3 is singular. It’s not fornication, as destructive as that sin may be. It’s not idolatry, as sad as that sin is. It’s just not believing how good God is.
Recently home from Bible School, Peter John shared with me how passionate he and his friends are about seeing their generation brought into the Kingdom. ‘So I get up early in the morning and pray and spend time in the Word. I do so good for about three or four days,’ he said. ‘But then I get tired. I sleep in. I miss my devotional time. And I don’t go to prayer meeting.’ With tears running down his cheeks, this football-playing son of mine said, ‘Dad, I want to do so well, and I’m not.’
‘Peter,’ I said, ‘when you learn the lesson which took me years and years to understand, you’ll be on your way. And that lesson is simply this: blessing, anointing, ministry, fruitfulness, and victory are not about you.
'It’s not about the work you do for the Lord; it’s about the work He did for you. It’s not about your prayer to the Lord; it’s about His intercession for you. It’s not about your faith in the Lord; it’s about His being faithful when you falter. It’s all about Him being the Hero, the Prayer Warrior, the Victor, the Friend, and the Faithful One.
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