God is not a vending machine to cater you with ATM (any time
money) or provide you with whatever you want at your convenience. Most of the
time we take God for granted because we think God is gracious, compassionate,
ever loving and merciful, He is therefore obliged to come at your aid, even
when you are not at the right state of heart.
You cannot receive anything from a selfish stand point, where you willfully indulge in what is not right in the sight of God and yet expect Him to keep helping you. Unless and until you make a prayer like David determining in your heart to keep yourself away from willful sinning, you cannot expect His complete providence while you are in a mess or in a serious problem. Psalms 19:13 Don’t you think the prayer of David is so meaningful in this context? "Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed from blatant rebellion.".
You cannot receive anything from a selfish stand point, where you willfully indulge in what is not right in the sight of God and yet expect Him to keep helping you. Unless and until you make a prayer like David determining in your heart to keep yourself away from willful sinning, you cannot expect His complete providence while you are in a mess or in a serious problem. Psalms 19:13 Don’t you think the prayer of David is so meaningful in this context? "Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed from blatant rebellion.".
Temporary repentance will invite God to help you only
temporarily. Rehoboam son of Solomon who was spoiled by the influence of power sought
God's help only during desperate situation God did help but it was not a
complete help. The Bible says “When the Lord saw that they had humbled
themselves, the Lord’s message came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled
themselves; I will not destroy
them but will grant them a little deliverance. My wrath will not be
poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. 2 Chronicles 12:7 CSB Shishak
was the king of Egypt who came to invade Jerusalem. Just a few verse later it
talks about Rehoboam's rebellious state, "Rehoboam did what was evil,
because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord.". 2 Chronicles
12:14 CSB. Mark the phrase 'little deliverance' this is conditioned to the
state of heart.
John Ortberg in his book soul keeping quotes beautifully, "Sometimes we ask
for forgiveness, but we know full well we will go back to the same sin
tomorrow. We don’t really want forgiveness; we just want to get out of trouble.
He says it would be better to pray like this: “Dear God, I sinned yesterday, I
sinned again today, and I’m planning to go out and do the same sin tomorrow. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.” It may not quite reflect the maturity of “Thy will be done,”
but it is better to be an honest mess before God than a dishonest “saint.”.
How true of our miserable state? Could we make a serious decision to keep our internal state of matters at the best? Mind, you would have continuous challenges and trouble in this world because Jesus promised it that way (John 16:33) but at the same time we have hope because He claimed "I have conquered the world". In a way it is a refining process, that renews and transforms us to be like Him. But most importantly determine in your heart to set things right and the Lord will take care of all the other challenges that tries to immerse you. His intervention will bring the divine peace.
God is always prepared to help you in fact in Isaiah 30:18 NASB it says "Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him", provided your decision to live right and follow Him matters to you and to God.
How true of our miserable state? Could we make a serious decision to keep our internal state of matters at the best? Mind, you would have continuous challenges and trouble in this world because Jesus promised it that way (John 16:33) but at the same time we have hope because He claimed "I have conquered the world". In a way it is a refining process, that renews and transforms us to be like Him. But most importantly determine in your heart to set things right and the Lord will take care of all the other challenges that tries to immerse you. His intervention will bring the divine peace.
God is always prepared to help you in fact in Isaiah 30:18 NASB it says "Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him", provided your decision to live right and follow Him matters to you and to God.
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