Tim Hayes

Well Done

The secret of fulfillment lies in being loved, received and recognized. If no one will ever notice you, who you are and what you do, never acknowledge your service or work, what’s left? What does your life mean if it never impacts anyone?

What’s left is the animal life, nothing truly human: it’s a life devoid of worth, significance, meaning and purpose.

Yet what would it mean in the end to be appreciated, acknowledged and received by all but God? If God loves you, acknowledges you, accepts and receives you, is He enough? (Ps 16:5-6)

The secret to happiness lies not in what we do, but in why we’re doing it, who we’re looking to please. Purpose lies in relationship, in shadows and reflections of one paramount relationship: our walk with God. Whether we’re washing dishes or curing cancer, in the end only one thingmatters: hearing God say, “Well done!” (Mt 25:23)

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Your Lamb

In preparation for the Lord’s Passover (Ex 12:11), we’re to choose a spotless lamb to represent our house and keep it for four days, a lamb for each household. (Ex 12:3) At this stage it’s any blemish free lamb, a generic lamb.

Once a lamb is selected, a determination is made as to which household(s) it represents. Then a lamb becomes the lamb (Ex 12:4), the one lamb to represent the household(s) for which it is chosen.

Once the lamb-to-household relationship is established, the lamb becomes your lamb. The family spends time getting to know their lamb, verifying that it has no blemish. (Ex 12:5) They inspect it, and become deeply familiar with it. Then, in place of their own firstborn, they kill their lamb on the 14th day. (Ex 12:6)

As in all God’s feasts, He’s giving us a window, a picture, a hint of how to walk with Him.

Jesus Christ is not just a passover lamb; He is not just the passover lamb. It’s not enough to know that Jesus is a savior, one among many. Neither is it enough to know that Christ is the savior, the one and only. Yeshua, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Jewish Messiah, must become our passover (1Co 5:7); until He is our savior, whom we have chosen for ourselves, to represent our souls in the day of judgment, getting to know Him, and He us, we have nothing. (Mt 7:21-23)

Let’s choose Christ deliberately and deeply, giving diligence to make our calling and election sure (2Pe 1:10), getting to know everything about Him that we can (Php 3:10), personalizing His work and connecting with His nature and character. Let’s behold the beauty, feed in the majesty, and enjoy the unfathomable riches of Christ! (Eph 3:8)

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The Wicked Flee

How do we react when someone accuses us of wrongdoing? Do we welcome the opportunity to grow, or do we become defensive, retaliatory and evasive? Do we engage and listen patiently looking for righteous closure, or do we immediately flee, departing moral grounds without seeking proper resolution? (Pr 28:1)

When the wicked are blamed they don’t stop and prayerfully search their hearts. They justify themselves (Lk 16:15) without hearing their accuser out (Pr 18:13), they blame-shift and/or retaliate to turn the focus away from themselves, or they ignore accusation as unworthy of their time. (Ps 50:17) Not wanting to actually be upright, but only to appear so on the surface (Mt 23:28), they feel vulnerable and weak on moral grounds, so they turn tail and run when approached for inspection.

The righteous are in the habit of asking God to help them search their own hearts (Ps 139:23-24) and cleanse them of faults they don’t yet know about (Ps 19:12), so they approach accusation entirely differently: as a win-win. Confident God is seeking their good and that He loves them unconditionally, they hope to find some merit in their accuser’s claim, as if in a gold mine looking for gems. (Pr 8:10) If they can find any truth at all in it, they see a precious source of instruction to enable them in the way of life. (Pr 6:23) Otherwise, knowing God’s their defender, when they find accusation entirely groundless, the wise see an opportunity to help free another soul of confusion, misunderstanding, lies and deceit. (Ja 5:20) The righteous have nothing to lose and everything to gain; they remain in moral ground bold as a lion. (Pr 28:1)

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Of Man’s Judgement

Our ability to intimidate through accusation is stunning; it puts metaphysical reality on display real time. When accused of wrongdoing we’re troubled, so the enemy’s often falsely accusing us (Re 12:10), sometimes in our spirits and often through others. It makes most of us instinctively defensive, for living under unwarranted or excessive guilt or shame can damage us. (Ps 123:3-4) Why is it so powerful?

Evidently, this is one of the primary ways we reflect God’s image; He’s the ultimate Lawgiver, Accuser and Judge (Ja 4:12), and He’s designed us with similar power to create shame in others, even through unjust criticism. (Ps 119:22) Perhaps it’s a hint at what’s to come.

God will ultimately invite saints to preside in judgement over the angels; He empowers believers in community to judge between each other even now. (1Co 6:3) It’s unfathomable authority. In the end, the elect will join with God in condemning all outside Himself. (Lk 11:31-32)

While we all have this power, our judgement is often clouded and biased, limited in wisdom, understanding and justice. (1Co 4:3) When others accuse us we should humbly search our hearts (Ps 119:51) while looking to God for help (Ps 119:39), and comfort ourselves if we can’t yet see how we’re missing God’s standard. (Ps 119:52) Knowing His righteous decree will ultimately prevail and that He faithfully afflicts us (Ps 119:75), we trust He will teach us how to align ourselves with Him. (Ps 119:66)

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Seducing Spirits

Our spiritual enemy loves to mix his people in with God’s, especially those in leadership. (2Co 11:13-15) This should come as no surprise, and it shouldn’t alarm or frustrate us; we should be aware of how darkness works, and be on our guard lest we also become his tools. (2Co 2:11)

One of the enemy’s tactics is to deploy evil spirits to seduce us, to make us feel good, holy, righteous, as though we’re living for God even while we’re trampling His ways and laws underfoot. (1Ti 4:1) We can appear to be blessed of God (Ps 119:70) while we live a lie, thinking nothing of destroying others, having our conscience seared, no longer able to distinguish between good and evil. (1Ti 4:2) This is how the most destructive, evil people in the world are deceived into thinking they’re serving God. (Jn 16:2)

It doesn’t matter how good we’re feeling about ourselves, or how often others commend us: all who turn aside from the Way (Ps 125:5) will in the end be cast away. (Mt 7:23)

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, in truth, taking heed to our ways, not comparing ourselves with others but aligning ourselves with God’s standard the best we know how, we can be sure we’re in fellowship with God and that He’s cleansing us from all our sin. (1Jn 1:7)

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As the Heaven Is High

We’re prone to comparing ourselves with others, wanting to make ourselves look good by looking down, one soul to another, evaluating, judging. Thinking we’re six foot tall we look for someone that’s five or four, unable to see the little stools we’re standing on. It’s pride, and it’s nonsense. (Ja 4:12)

We’ve no idea how bad we really are, or anyone else for that matter. (Job 15:16) Even if we could evaluate our relative goodness at ground level, it’s pretty much irrelevant looking down from heaven. God’s mercy for the very best of men is infinite. (Ps 103:11)

When God comes to judge, and He’s the only One that’s worthy, He’s not going to be comparing us with each other, but with Himself, with His perfect standard. (Mt 5:48) And He’s so far above us it isn’t funny. (Is 55:9)

As we esteem others better than ourselves we acknowledge that we don’t know enough to be comparing, and that even if we did it wouldn’t matter; we’re all hopeless when it comes to measuring up. On our very best day, we’re absolutely nothing. (Ps 39:5) Without Christ we’d be facing the indignation of the Lord alone. There’s no more dreadful place to be. We should be feeling compassion for God’s enemies (Php 3:18-19), not contempt.

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Arming Myself

In spiritual conflict I’ve been thinking the sword of the spirit is the only offensive weapon I have. It’s indeed an awesome piece, but is it my only option?

Evidently, I’ve another awesome weapon in the armory that’s intrinsic to me, one that makes me fierce in combat. “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.” (1Pe 4:1) Willingness to suffer for Christ makes me truly formidable in the spirit; it positions me to take out the enemy … it’s a whole new level of holiness.

Fearof suffering, that I won’t be faithful, that I will dishonor God, may keep me from trusting that God is good, that He’s faithful, and rob me of faith and joy. In this state I’m easily intimidated in battle, not much threat to the evil one, even with sword in hand.

The reality is that it’s an honor and a privilege to suffer for God. (Php 1:29) “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2Co 4:17) If He allows it, He will have a glorious purpose in it. Getting hold of this equips us to fearlessness.

God arm me with a willingness to suffer for You; help me trust that You will work in me to glorify Your name through any suffering You allow. (1Pe 1:7) Teach me how to take up this weapon in the right way, and to wield it skilfully for Your name’s sake.

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Increase Our Faith

When we can’t see clearly and feel bewildered and uncertain, we can pray like the Twelve: “The apostles said unto the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.'” (Lk 17:5) What a great first step in growing our faith: ask God for more! But how will we know He’s answering? What are we asking for?

Faith is knowing what God will do, based on His nature and promises. (He 11:6)

So after asking for faith, seek to know God better. (Mt 7:7) Watch Him, study Him like the apostles did. (1Jn 1:1-2) Every day they followed Him, thought about what He was doing, trying to understand, and they invite us to do the same. (1Jn 1:3)

Study God until we’re seeing His mercy everywhere (Ps 119:64) and it’s filling us with hope (Ps 147:11), until His judgments comfort us. (Ps 119:52) Ask Him to make us understand the way of His precepts so we can talk of His wondrous works (Ps 119:27) and delight ourselves in His commands. (Ps 119:47)

As we walk in the light we have fellowship with God (1Jn 1:6-7); as we behold His beauty (Ps 27:4) He transforms into His likeness (2Co 3:18), revealing Himself from faith to faith. (Ro 1:17) At first, we look through a glass darkly, but in time it will be face to face (1Co 13:12); the more we behold Him, the clearer He becomes, until we’re like Him, seeing Him as He is. (1Jn 3:2)

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Take Heed

How do we build up ourselves in our faith (Jud 1:20), cleansing our lives of sin and increasing in holiness? By taking heed to our ways according to God’s Word. (Ps 119:9)

This means being present in our own lives, aware of what we’re thinking and feeling, paying attention to what we’re doing and why we’re dong it, and then comparing this with God’s Law and continually adjusting our behavior to align more and more with God’s standard. (Ps 119:59)

In order to do this effectively we need to be intimately familiar with God’s ways: we should be hiding God’s Word in our heart (Ps 119:11) and meditating on His laws all the time. (Ps 119:97)

But Christians are commonly taught that we grow by praying, studying the Bible and getting involved in church. While these things are necessary for spiritual growth, they aren’t sufficient: it’s possible to do them without moving closer to God and coming to the knowledge of the truth. (2Ti 3:7) Maybe it’s time we tried God’s way!

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My Portion

If all I ever find in life is God, is He enough? Have I chosen Him as my portion? (Ps 119:57) Is He my lot in life? And am I content with Him? (Heb 13:5)

Do I need anything more than to behold the beauty of the living God? To know Him (Php 3:10), walking in light, in fellowship with Him? (1Jn 1:7) Do I need more approval than His? (Mt 25:21) Do I need more significance than having a name which only God and I will ever know? (Re 2:17) Do I need to be loved any more, by anyone else, when He loves me so? (1Jn 3:1)

To have everything else and not God, what of it? (Mt 16:26) To know all else but Him, who cares? (Je 9:24) To be accepted by all but God, so what? (Jn 5:44)

To have the infinite, timeless, omnipotent God is to have all that’s worth having. (Mt 13:45-46) To love this world is to miss Him (1Jn 2:15-17) … to miss everything. (Ps 73:25)

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