A Heavenly Viewpoint

Posted on by stevenlucht1

Squished against a couple of strangers, as you share the immediate space around you for two hours, doesn’t really appeal to most people. In fact, I really don’t think it really appeals to anyone! Most of the time, I would rather drive than fly in those conditions. However, recently flying has put an amazing perspective on life.

Whenever you fly, you can oversee miles of landscape. Whether that be the majestic mountains, the open plains, the beautiful canyons you can see some amazing sights. You look down upon the twists and turns of the roads, the fields and towns. You are able to see a completely different viewpoint of the earths topography that you wouldn’t be able to see as well on the ground. This really put into perspective how God looks upon our lives for me. He oversees everything. Scripture teaches that God knows even when a sparrow falls to the earth. He knows the hairs upon your head, and ultimately, He knows what is best for you.

So, What do you we with that kind of viewpoint? Well, I’m glade you asked.

Trust. We get so uptight and concerned of what’s around the next corner that we soon forget that God has all things under His sovereign control.  I so often look upon my life and believe that right after the bend in the road is going to be a broken down bridge that will bring me to my falling and I have no way of slowing down or stopping. Failing/falling to whatever problem that came about. Ultimately, it goes straight to overthinking. Overthinking is completely taking your trust away from the Lord and trying to take control of whatever situation you are going through alone. Personally, I hate being alone and I know full well what happens when I try to take control by myself. We all know that doesn’t end well.  God knows what’s around the corner. He deeply desires that we trust in HIM!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
~Proverbs 3:5-6

God knows what we need and what is good for us. He knows you better than you know yourself! That broken bridge may not be there at all but a beautiful time that God has planned for us. Our minds get so wrapped up into what might happen and lose sight of what God truly has in plan for us.

When you devote your life to Christ you make a huge decision in God, you are not going to know what is around the next corner. Why should you?! If you knew absolutely everything that was going to happen to you in this life, would you really be trusting God? NO, of course not! You would be trusting in your own deity. .A deity that truly doesn’t know what you need. GOD DOES! He knows what is good for you and He desires to give you the things that are good in life. We need to learn to put our trust into our heavenly father.

Is this easy? No. If anyone tells you that trusting God is easy they’re lying. Trusting the Lord takes time and an enormous amount of prayer. You will know the direction that you are to go by the answer to prayers. If God is leading you are answering those deep prayers in a manner that you should keep following that path, you obviously should continue down this road. He has planned something great for you even though in the beginning of this road it may seem difficult. God is working this beautiful story for you!

I had someone not too long ago remind me that just because we want something in life and pray dearly about it doesn’t mean that’s what God desires to give you. How will we know the difference? Through those prayers. Like before, If  the prayers are leading you close down the road, keep going. However, if doors feel like they are continuously being closed, seek after the Lord and guidance in what you should do. Trust. Always know that God desires to give you what is good and maybe what is good is a different road than you are going.

In Romans 8 it explains that we don’t even know how to pray as we should so the Spirit is interceding for us. It goes on to say that Jesus is interceding for us. He want’s what is good for us. Anything that is good comes from above! (James 1:17) When you truly see God working to bring things together, be patient. It’s a hard lesson to learn, but the blessing that overwhelm when you are giving your trust to the Lord will overflow your heart. It’s something that I’m truly learning now and know will continue throughout my life. When you have something that you can’t help see God placing in your life that is good, make sure you give it right back to Him. He is the one that rains down the blessings and He is the one that deserves all the credit and glory.

When we practice this level of trust in God, true joy will come upon you. Divine happiness and contentment. Paul expressed in his letter to the Philippians that he has learned to be content in all circumstances. In the good and the bad we ought to always give everything to Him through prayer and supplication. You will find that to be closest to God comes when we are on our knees giving Him our requests and desires.

Philippians four teaches that we ought to let our request be known to God. An all knowing God wants you to tell Him what He already knows. Seems kind of pointless, doesn’t it? Of course not! He wants that communication. He wants that connection with us. How amazing! God wants you! Trust in Him that He will provide and guide you down this road in life. Cling to what is good! For it comes from above!

“Delight yourself in the Lord
And He will give you the desires of your heart.”
~Psalms 37:4

Keep remembering the viewpoint that God has on your life.

Right into the Heart

Posted on by stevenlucht1

Sunday mornings are by far one of my favorite mornings. Now don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy sleeping in, however this morning was a little different.

You see, I’ve been reading this book by Francis Chan: Crazy Love. This morning I really wanted to get through another chapter before going to church. There were some amazing quotes in there. As I was reading Francis Chan’s book, I couldn’t help but think about being called home. No, I’m not talking about my parents house or any other place that is close to my heart, but to my Heavenly Home.

The thought stayed with me as I went to church. Do I really desire to go home? I thought about it plenty of times before. The obvious answer that comes to my head is “DUH”! Then my mind starts thinking about all the things that I want to do in my life yet. The thought of eventually getting married, raising a family, being in the ministry… the list goes on.

…In other words, I wasn’t ready…

So, I went to church and sat down in the usual spot and looked up front to see that today was the day we were to take communion. I bowed my head and prayed that God would put my heart in the right spot and that I would be only focused on Him. It took a couple of songs but eventually my heart was falling in love with the songs that were being sung.

One of the points the pastor made was “Jesus is our bridegroom”. Now most of us have heard that so many times, but today it struck me in a different way. The verse he read with that was Ephesians 5:25-27. It’s a wonderful description of what Christ did for us!

I got up and took a piece of the bread and juice then took my seat. In my head the thought of us being God’s bridegroom overwhelmed me. That someday I will be with the one that died for me. The celebration that us, the Church, will be forever with our Savior.

All the thoughts of wanting to control my life and wanting all the things in life were gone… All I could think of was that I want to be with Him. It was amazing…

Have you ever had those times? Where nothing in the world matters but God! I couldn’t help but have my eyes water (obviously because the room was dry and I was deeeefinitely not tearing up…) and picture myself in the presence of God. GOOSEBUMPS!

I most definitely walked away that day more in love with God than I did walking in. I pray that more people feel the same way. To fall more in love with the one that loves us more than this temporary world could ever give us. Too many of us are falling into this world and not focusing on falling in love with God.

 

 

This past week we had a fairly good size snow storm. I decided that the day after the storm to go our cross country skiing by a lake. As I was driving down the hill going toward the lake the trees were just covered with snow. It was spectacular. Parking my car I got my skis on and headed off onto a trail into the woods.

…It took my breath away…

No joke. There were times where I couldn’t breath I was in so much awe of how beautiful it was. I’ve seen plenty of trees and woods that was just covered in snow, but it was as if it were the first time I ever saw this. I started giggling like a kid I was so in awe of God. Falling in love with what He has created for our enjoyment.

I need to have this same mentality toward Christ. When I come into worship and sing praises to Him or see the beauty around me to really start praising God as if it were the first time. To truly be in awe of God and to fall deeply in love with Him.

I can’t wait to be home with Him someday… to be His bridegroom…

It’s His Glory

Posted on by stevenlucht1

It’s one of my favorite times to be sitting outside. A small breeze rushing past you while the sun is slowly going over the horizon. Listening to the birds singing their songs that God designed them to do. The occasional rabbit skipping across the yard looking for shelter. This is my favorite time of the day.

This is the time of day that you can really look around at the amazing creations that God has made for our enjoyment. It’s the time of day that you can spend hours enjoying. You want to rest your eyes but there is so much going on around you that at times you keep them open to get the best of both worlds.

It’s this very time of day that I enjoy reflecting on all that God has created for me. Whether this creation is my family He has provided for me, or all that I am surrounded with in nature.

Isn’t it amazing that God created all this in just six days! Shoot, I have a hard time creating a hot pocket in the microwave without it exploding. Just to think that God created all this that we see around us.

From the bleeding hearts (a flower) to the magnificent oak tree. God created these for our enjoyment. The bleeding heart is one of my favorite flowers. It has a vivid pink color to them with a design that looks like a heart you would typically draw on a paper. I love the way God created this flower.

We look around in this world and see some incredible sights. From the Grand Canyon to the Mountains that stretch across the land out west. The most astounding creations is us!  Weird huh? I look around and see some jaw dropping sights yet we are considered the greatest creation.

God has made our bodies so intricate. We are apart of God’s divine purpose and we were created in the image of God Himself! I find that fact absolutely amazing.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

That being said, we should be constantly glorifying God through our bodies. Glorifying God through our bodies could mean how we act, what we say and how we hold ourselves up in difficult situations.

All around us we see God’s amazing creation glorifying Him. All the way down to the bleeding heart that sits so beautifully, and you know that there was a creator of that flower. Let us glorify God with our own bodies.

Since I am getting bit by mosquitoes, and am losing the battle, I will end with a quote that really enjoyed by Charles Spurgeon.

““To whom be glory for ever.” This should be the single desire of the Christian. I take
it that he should not have twenty wishes, but only one. He may desire to see his
family well brought up, but only that “To God may be glory for ever.” He may wish
for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this—“To
whom be glory for ever.” He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it
should only be that “To him may be glory for ever.” This one thing I know, Christian,
you are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than
the one motive of your Lord’s glory.”
~ Charles Spurgeon ~