The Happy Times

~Muhammad Ali - The independent self on display~

30“But God raised Him from the dead. 31“He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. 32“And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33“God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You."
Acts 13: 30 - 33 NKJV

It was Charles Stanley who once said that we learn more in our own valley experiences than we do on the mountain tops.  Indeed, it is when we feel that we are walking the valley of adversity that we may learn some of lifes most important lessons.  All too often, it is these tribulations, struggles and trials which our heavenly Father may use for our very benefit.  For it is in these times of trial that we may be the most teachable.  Does a child learn the dangers of life simply from being instructed by his parents?  I would say not, for a large part of lifes learnings come from some valuable lessons.  Not touching a hot stovetop, not jumping off of buildings and not playing in traffic.  As parents, we desire that these lessons that our children learn will stay with them for a lifetime.  Sometimes they do, while others seem to learn things the hard way.  So it is with God.  It is my belief that He will use our most dire circumstances...to teach us what He desires us to know.  It took losing all that he owned before Job came to the conclusion that it wasn't all about him.  As a loving Father, God will get His message across to His children.  Yet, what about those times when we face life from that mountain top?  Those times when things are going along just fine and we feel as if there is nothing wrong.  Do times such as these mean that our heavenly Father has nothing to show us?  Not at all.  It only means that He has yet to choose how to reveal to us what it is He wants us to know.

46Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47“For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”48Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.

These are our happy times, those times in our life when everything seems to be going good.  It's also no coincidence that it is during the happy times when many a christian is said to backslide into trusting in only themselves.  Hello Job?  See, Jobs mistake was thinking that his wealth were as a result of his own efforts.  It wasn't until God spoke to him from that whirlwind that Job then understood.  These were Jobs happy times, he had it all.  It is all to easy for us to fall into the belief that our own efforts, determination and toughness is the very reason for our own success.  This is the mistake of the independent self, which I've spoken to before as being in error.  This is the lie of satan which we see in Genesis 3.

4Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 3: 4 - 5 NKJV

Be like God?  Really?  See, this is the lie perpetrated by satan which led to the fall.  The lie that we could be independent of our creator.  The lie of the independent self.  There is but one independent Spirit, which is that of our heavenly Father.  All else aside from Him...was created by His spoken word.  Still think that you're independent?  Now, I'm not saying that we won't have those mountain top and valley experiences in our own lives, but we need to realize what might be happening behind the scenes.  When we encounter these times in our life, we should be wondering, no, we should be asking our heavenly Father what He is doing through us.  Our true happy times are those when we walk as one in Christ {Galations 2:20}.

3Now aprepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the bline upon it? 6To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38: 3 - 7 NKJV

~Scott~