I received a vision of a train–one bound for nowhere, the other for glory. From the station they appear to run along parallel tracks; one however, merely circles the city while the other moves swiftly and westerly out from all that looks like progress through a valley and then on to a mountain summit. It is really a picture of faith. Take for example the story of Abraham and Lot. One wanted the city, the other took the heights. Abraham, if you will, took the outbound train for glory by faith to believe God that glory was in moving out and taking possession rather that circling that which he could never fully possess. Scores of believers are literally being taken for a ride on the inside track. It is a ride of deceptive influence where the enemy is the “Thief Conductor”. He makes his passengers comfortable and happy and there are many stops along the way. All the lively excitement enriches the senses, but leads the spirit of man nowhere and for no cause greater than self. In Mark 8:17 Jesus asks His disciples, ‘do you have a dull and insensible heart?’ Repentance will be the mark of true believers in these last days–sin however, will keep you with an inflated view of the obvious missing the discerning influence of the Glory Train–its riders are under the influence of faith because they are hearing a word made more clear as they have a seat by the window with a view of the God inspired not the man-made. Riders of this outbound train have taken the seat of faith for a ride that would seem less certain in its destination, yet the word of the Conductor has a settling effect as they move away from the familiar to experience a revelation God himself could only reveal. David Wilkerson has said, many have knowledge, but no revelation of Jesus. One train deludes, the other reveals. Which train will you ride? One is content only with knowledge, but never finds repentance from circular things. The other is a train of trust where passengers ride because God says, ‘I have greater things for you, and your confession of My Lordship will be your release to board’. Do you find yourself on the inside tracks going round again? You know your are on the wrong train being taken for a ride when God shows you something, but it serves you little benefit. It means you have a thief for a conductor. Truth is, as believers we have all spent far too much time riding the inside rails and not the outbound train. God says don’t be foolish; get off at the next stop and make the connection for the Glory Train. There is one leaving from a stop very near where you live….
Tag: glory
The Wilderness of His Glory
Often we find ourselves in a fog, wondering where God is in our circumstances. We may feel as though we made a decision to follow the Lord way back when, but the enemy would have us convinced that all those decisions for what we believed was right and honorable have left us in the middle of the desert. You think, after all these years life should be more comfortable, but instead you feel like your life is in a wilderness and everything you believed is being tested. You are not alone though you may think you are. How you handle the wilderness will be the defining moment in your Christianity. You said you wanted to serve God and be his disciple, but what you may fail to realize is; there is no effective ministry without a wilderness. Matthew 4:1, Jesus is led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. This wilderness is for His glory. This wilderness is defining your call. Many a young person may think it well to serve God without fully removing the harmful effects of sin, pride, or rebellion, but without a wilderness you will serve God by what is born out of ‘pop culture’ pursuing what is popular and not what is holy. Remember Moses? It was the wilderness that led him to a place of holy ground. The wilderness defines my call by leading me to holy ground to meet a holy God not given to the popular, but to the pure. The wilderness defines my identity as being in Christ and in Him alone because there is nothing else to cling to. It is here the enemy comes to question your sonship saying, ‘If you’re a son, then do this or do that for instant comfort’ but in the wilderness you must discover it is Christ alone your hope of glory. It is a place of understanding my identity as the Apostle Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me….” You may feel you have spent your whole life serving people and even family, only to be kicked in the teeth. You may have worked so hard to accomplish some purpose only to be disappointed in some way, yet is it the wilderness that defines my God. He uses the wilderness to prove the true object of my affection. Was my service just my gratification or was it for His glory? You see, the wilderness makes the object of our affection very clear; will my god prove to be self as I bemoan the circumstance, or will I recognize the greatness of our God by completely trusting Him as I offer Him my praise. Often we have come to make worship about the “lights, camera and the action”. In the wilderness, He proves there is no power but His, and He wants to be the main attraction. While He makes us to sing, it’s not the music, it is the message. Jesus said in the wilderness, “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God”. The good news is, this wilderness will define your victory by advancing the kingdom for God’s glory. Just remember this fact from the life of Christ; wilderness advances the kingdom (Matt.4:17;19). As you are hidden in Christ and His life is yours, you will advance His cause bringing many sons to glory. The wilderness God is using produces glory every time. After the wilderness, Moses saw God liberate a nation in just a few days. After the wilderness, Jesus moved with might and power. And this wilderness you may find yourself in at this present hour is for His glory to give you a future and hope that through your tried and proven testimony He lives, He moves, He saves, He redeems, and He alone is able to rescue and recover when no one else can. God is using your wilderness to define your Christian faith so embrace it, embrace Him and glory will follow.
The Priority of His Presence
God desires that you overcome today. David gives us the proper focus in Psalm 27:4 when he says, ‘One thing I have asked of the Lord and that I will seek..’ He underscores the high priority of God’s presence staying focused on the place where His glory dwells with us. I believe today God is saying on the basis of His word, you and I need to arrive at that place of decision–a place where we take a stand with the Lord and seek His presence. He says, ‘follow these steps on your way to seeing greater confidence living an overcoming life’. He says, ‘Fear no man; make no room for evil; and ask what you would that I could do for you. I will do mighty things even greater that what you could ask me for.’ Stand today in the fearless abode of a loving Father who desires to publish abroad a miraculous testimony through your life that rescues, heals, and delivers.
GraceLife 