1-14-15 S.P.A.
My soul, wait thou only upon God;
For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5
God has rescued me, by His grace,and saved me by the blood of His Son, creating me a new creature in Christ Jesus for the express purpose of good works, according to Ephesians 2:10.
Good works, in practical application can be identified by the biblical behavior of Christlikeness.
After all, that is the singular goal of all God is ordering / allowing in my life, according to Romans 8:28-29. In quiet confidence and assurance, it is only as I maintain all my expectations on Him alone, that my heart will rest and rejoice in His perfect ways.
Throughout the course of any single day, there are an incredible number of opportunities to "reset" my expectations from my human desires to His divine design? God has been gracious to give clear direction in doing so in the Scriptures.
Christ demonstrated this very thing in the wilderness when His response to the evil one, on 3
separate occasions was, "It is written". Again, in His times of suffering, He committed Himself
to the will of His Father. I have found it so helpful to follow that pattern given in 1 Peter 1:20-24 when those times come of needing a scriptural " reset" to my thinking.
It involves running to the SCRIPTURE, followed by a PRAYER of commitment to God, and then the ACTION that accomplishes God's plan and purpose for my life. I think of it SPA - a spiritual workout discipline.
The following passages,used in progressive consideration of my God, have been a great help in this "reset" process. My commitment to God is to use SPA at every single time time there is inner conflict & / or lack of perfect peace. Do I always? Sometimes not immediately, but it's only a short time until my heart longs for that quiet peace and contentment that comes when I "draw nigh to God", He draws nigh to me. (James 4:8)
2 Corinthians10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
Psalm 18:30a As for God, his way is perfect:
Colossians 2:10a And ye are complete in him...
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Romans 8:28-29a And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son....
Psalm 31:15a My times are in thy hand:.....
Luke 22:42 "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done".
(c) 1990, 2015 N. A. Collins
Limited copy permission for one personal file copy
For my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5
God has rescued me, by His grace,and saved me by the blood of His Son, creating me a new creature in Christ Jesus for the express purpose of good works, according to Ephesians 2:10.
Good works, in practical application can be identified by the biblical behavior of Christlikeness.
After all, that is the singular goal of all God is ordering / allowing in my life, according to Romans 8:28-29. In quiet confidence and assurance, it is only as I maintain all my expectations on Him alone, that my heart will rest and rejoice in His perfect ways.
Throughout the course of any single day, there are an incredible number of opportunities to "reset" my expectations from my human desires to His divine design? God has been gracious to give clear direction in doing so in the Scriptures.
Christ demonstrated this very thing in the wilderness when His response to the evil one, on 3
separate occasions was, "It is written". Again, in His times of suffering, He committed Himself
to the will of His Father. I have found it so helpful to follow that pattern given in 1 Peter 1:20-24 when those times come of needing a scriptural " reset" to my thinking.
It involves running to the SCRIPTURE, followed by a PRAYER of commitment to God, and then the ACTION that accomplishes God's plan and purpose for my life. I think of it SPA - a spiritual workout discipline.
The following passages,used in progressive consideration of my God, have been a great help in this "reset" process. My commitment to God is to use SPA at every single time time there is inner conflict & / or lack of perfect peace. Do I always? Sometimes not immediately, but it's only a short time until my heart longs for that quiet peace and contentment that comes when I "draw nigh to God", He draws nigh to me. (James 4:8)
2 Corinthians10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
Psalm 18:30a As for God, his way is perfect:
Colossians 2:10a And ye are complete in him...
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Romans 8:28-29a And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son....
Psalm 31:15a My times are in thy hand:.....
Luke 22:42 "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done".
(c) 1990, 2015 N. A. Collins
Limited copy permission for one personal file copy