In the world we live in these qualities of character almost seem un-achievable. They are Godlike attributes that only God could have. In our humanity these lofty goals would be impossible to reach, but in the reality of our faith they are within “Reason”. What “Reason”? (For this very “Reason”).

These are not goals for us to achieve, but they are promises to receive. God has given us the opportunity to walk with Him immersed in His character. In ourselves we don’t have the capacity of goodness, or divine knowledge. To have such self control that we can persevere or to experience godliness,kindness, and love. All of these are promised in Him, by Him, through Him, and for Him. He is the “Reason” we are able to do everything He has ask. For as Job said “I know that You can do Everything and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” God is not teasing us with something un-obtainable. He is calling us into a divine relationship. One based not on abilities, but upon acceptability. Today we are accepted by Him, and now we have been given the opportunity to accept all He desires for us. Believe and Receive, for He waits for us.

“Hab 3:19 The LORD God [fn] is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s [feet], And He will make me walk on my high hills.”

In a world of uncertainties, how reassuring it is to know that God our Father will always make us to stand, by His ability and not our own. When we read that He will make us, it really means that He will cause us to remain. He does this by allowing situations that try our faith for the testing. It is through the testing that character is built and that causes us to stand strong in the Word of God itself. We can be surrounded by pressures, “Yet”, we can know peace that passes our understanding. When God is our strength, our dependency then is not resting on our abilities but His. These are the moments of opportunity. When the doctors report is not good, when the bills add up, when the voices around say defeat and destruction, the Word of the Lord is, be lifted up O ye gates. Open up to the King of Glory and let the praises of His people be heard. Shout to God with the voice of triumph. Let it be heard that our God causes us to walk on the high places, for He is our strength, our healing, our salvation and our deliverer. Salvation is not just and event but an on going daily redeeming  by God from the hand of the enemies of our spirit, soul, and body. His Word quickens our mortal bodies with the Word of Healing, Health, and Strength. Today we have a Savior who is Christ the Lord. A Messiah who sets us free. We rejoice in the reality of our faith. It is God who wills for His good pleasure the things of our lives. The roads of life can be dangerous but we should never be fearful. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Our walk is steady, with confidence in His ability to keep us strong. Of this we can be assured. We have been accepted by His Love, and given access for Him to come and dwell in us. In His presence is our place of joy, salvation, and strength.

The wait with expectation can at times seem like the longest and loneliest  place. Gods Word always promises that He knows all and will move according to His timetable. But for us who wait we must remain in faith. The Lord instructed the prophet Habakkuk to tarry, and wait for the vision for it would come at the appointed time. That time is not of our creating, manipulating, or even knowing. That remains in God. That’s why our hope remains in God and not in timetables. It’s not by actions on our part, but through our faithfulness to the vision, which releases it. We should walk in great expectation, and from that comes a faith filled confession. It not to mysterious, it’s not far from us, but it is in our heart and in our mouth. From the heart the mouth will speak. Hiding the Word of God in our heart will result in that Word coming forth in our lives. If you don’t believe it don’t try it, because you will only become hardened in your heart when God doesn’t move according to your timetable.

While speaking to someone the other day they said they seem to have a heart of stone. They would pray but felt no contact with God. Circumstances of their life had gotten worse since they trusted in God. No relief from the grief. Just dullness of spirit. I think we can all fellowship in that. All of us have had those seasons when praying is a task we don’t desire. When trusting in God seemed to be just wishful thinking and we felt as though we were in a desert place. In those dark days of our soul we can get distracted from the truth of our faith. It was in the desert that Jesus defeated His enemy. It was in the desert where Moses saw the burning bush and communed with God. In the desert Moses received the tablets of truth and in the desert is where John cried out to make preparation for the Lord in our lives. In the desert the children of Israel were covered by day with a cloud of Gods presence, and were surrounded with the Fire of His protection by night. It is in that place that seems so hard that hearts are softened, and a new spiritual sensitivity comes. We we become hungry and thirsty we get desperate, and that become the moment that our attention, our focus, is turned. For those that don’t know Jesus that focus will be turned away to thing of the normal carnal world. But to the one who knows Jesus, it becomes that opportunity to press in even deeper, and experience the streams of living water in the desert season. God is not distant from us, He is for us. Facts are in our yesterday, but Faith is right now. We walk in faith, believing in the unseen, and not losing our confident hope in Him Who is. The work of the Spirit may appear difficult at times, but it is the only way to our destiny of life. Sacrifice praise like David did, and defeat your enemy in the desert like Jesus did.

What wonders await those who’s salvation is the Lord God of all the universe. As vast as time itself, yet intimate enough to daily load us with Himself. The benefit’s we receive are from His presence. Us in Christ and Christ in us. With this daily recognition come’s all spiritual blessings. Everything that matters is minimized to a daily revelation of the maximized benefit of His grace, mercy, healing, deliverance, and restoration. To hear His voice, to see the unseen through faith, and be comforted by His love. Who can do these things but the God of our salvation. These are daily experiences. His benefits are exceedingly above all we could think or ask. They remain in Him, and so we daily must appropriate them. Daily acknowledging through praises and the blessing of His name, Who has so richly loaded with such favor. Rejoice, rejoice and again I say rejoice!!

There are those times when trusting in God we seem to be walking blind. After all, faith is “believing when we can’t see. Not being able to visiby see the hand of God working on our behalf should cause our other sences to become sharpened. Our hearing should become sensitive to that still small voice of His Spirit. We should become more drawn to the fragrance of His presence, the touch of His hand, and even the warmth of His Peace. The ways in God are not known to the natural man, nor shown the the carnal. They can only be revealed as one trusts in the Hand of the one leading them. The Light in the darkness is not a physical illumination but and inward revelation. The same Jesus that is the Word of God is also the Light of God unto man. Being led by His Spirit causes our steps to be so directed that, the crooks and turns of our daily lives become un-noticeable. Almost as though we are steeping over them unaware. Straight ahead by faith that passes even our own understanding. These are the things that God does because of Himself on our behalf, with only trust required. He could never forsake us because we are the center of His attention, and He is our desired direction. With each blind step we are transformed a little more into the Image of Him Who guides us.