The Christians Greatest Need

One of my first assignments in Hermeneutics class this past semester was to read a small booklet called, The Christians Greatest Need, by E.W. Bullinger. One might think a booklet with that type of title could be boring and most likely something a Christian would already know. Yet, the way the argument was laid out and the points so clearly stated, Bullinger’s writings challenged, and continue to challenge my own spiritual walk. I would like to pull together my thoughts from what I’ve read and present what I am learning.

He begins with the verse Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:” (Ephesians 1:17 KJV).

Our Greatest need is having “a true knowledge of God”.

One of the foundations of Christianity is faith, faith includes trust, and we don’t trust someone we don’t know, therefore, we need to get to know God. Bullinger brings out the point that we think we have faith when we say we are “willing” for God’s will, yet being “willing” is a clear sign that we do not know our great God and where we stand before Him. As we get to know Him that pitiful, selfish ‘willingness’ turns into a yearning desire for His will to be done in and through us no matter the cost. Instead of looking at ourselves and our great willingness to surrender we are turned to think of God’s perfect characteristics; His wisdom and love, these are what change our focus. This brings us into the action of desiring His Will.

Jesus himself said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3 KJV).

How does our knowledge of God affect our day to day lives? Bullinger stated that,“This knowledge [of God] is not only the basis of trust in God; not only the foundation of Christian faith; but of Christian life.” In Paul’s letter to the Colossian church he lays it out so clearly by saying,

“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.”(1:9-10 HCSB)

Therefore, if we want to please God in everything, the key is to know what pleases Him! And that is found IN HIS WORD. “This is the one great reason why the written Word is given to us. It is not given merely as a book of general information or of reference; but it is given to make known the invisible God.( Bullinger)”

Consider again our day to day lives. As we get to know God from His Word we better understand how important it is to worship Him in Spirit and truth. That is the only ‘way’ true worship goes upward to God who is Spirit. With an ignorance of who God is, public worship becomes a very dangerous thing. As we get to know God not only will our worship change but our prayers will too, “prayer is intended to humble us by putting us into the place of helplessness and dependence…with our faces in the dust before the Mighty God”. Our prayers are more and more about His will and His plan and not ours. “Oh to know the love, and power, and wisdom of our God. What a revolution it would make in our prayers, as well as our lives.” ( Bullinger)

Oh to know God our Father, yes, but also to know Jesus Christ. In Paul’s letter to the Philippi church he writes this very powerful statement, “More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”(Philippians 3:8-10 HCSB).

Do I, so highly value my knowledge of my Lord? Does my desire for the knowledge surpass suffering? “Oh, to be occupied with Christ; to have Him for our object; and His resurrection power for our lives. This we shall have; and have increasingly as we get to know Christ.” (Bullinger)

One main thought that has come to mind after this study is this, the devil is going to do anything he can to keep God’s children from getting to know Him. Without a desire to know my God and to glean from His Word I am useless for God’s kingdom and my personal faith will quickly die as I give up trusting in God, The God who longs for me to yearn after Him. As I learn to walk worthy of His calling and His Will for my life I pray the Lord plants the truths of who He is deep within me that the knowledge of Him might grow into a strong oak tree that is rooted with trust in my sovereign and sufficient God. From that place can Kingdom work be produced; a place of total dependence on knowing, but never fully knowing, who The unfathomable God is and where I stand before the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, THAT HE UNDERSTNADETH and KNOWETH ME” (9:23,24 KJV).

Painting by Trudianne Dalton
"Matthew 10:22a : And you will be hated by all men because of My name."

my prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,
As I reflect upon Your faithfulness... this is my prayer.
May all that I've studied this semester go from my head to be hidden deep with in my heart. May Your Word penetrate deep within my being. By the Spirits work in my life may the New Man that I am in Christ Jesus grow more and more into His likeness. Oh the Old Man that I was. My flesh. My sin nature. it doesn't change. but choosing to claim the truth that my old man died on the cross with Christ is the place where new life is found. My identity in Christ. Oh Father, what does that even look like? The WORD tells me I have every blessing in the heavenly places, I'm a saint, co-heirs with Christ, adopted, chosen, his disciple, a servant, a bride, ....the list goes on. WOW. yet the thing that blows me away is that its not of me..not because i deceiver these titles. no. God looks at me through the cross. seeing the New Man that i am in Christ Jesus. Oh Lord may these truths grow with in the depths of my soul. I'm thankful for where You, O Lord, have lead me and i ask that you would continually remind me to find my satisfaction and contentment in You. My prayer moving into the next semester is what Paul urged the Ephesians: "Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us." Ephesians 4:1-3 Oh that humility would come from my growing understanding of who i am before the cross of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. Lord may i see the great need for the unity of the Spirit, and what it looks like to walk worthy of Your calling upon my life. Minister to my heart, O Lord, and remind me daily of Your satisfying love that should motivate me to walk in a way that portrays the gospel. This is my prayer in faith clinging to the promise that You are holding every aspect of my life in the palm of Your hand and to claim Your peace that passes all understanding in every circumstance that is to come. In Jesus Christ's name, Amen

consider.

Be. Satisfy me Lord as I wait Upon You.

“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalms 90:14

שׂבע שׂבע

sâba‛ śâbêa‛ [saw-bah', saw-bay'-ah] Hebrew - A primitive root, fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively): - have enough, fill (full, self, with), be (to the) full (of), have plenty of, be satiate, satisfy (with), suffice, be weary of.

The Lord has graciously, consistently, reminded me that the only way I will grow in Him, the only way I will enjoy where He takes me and the people He brings in to my life, the only way I will be able to truly minister to those around me, the only way I can shine the gospel, the only way I will have effective prayer, the only way I can be at a place of truly trusting Him…is when I open my hands to Him and let Him satisfy my heart. Over and over I thought of different chapters of life I have been through and will have ahead of me…the chapter I am now…was I and am I satisfied?...to find true contentment is to let the Lord work in me and experience His perfect satisfaction.

When my heart is Satisfied… life is still life. But at the root of every choice and reaction and attitude is a peace in the sovereignty of God. It is a place where I truly know that the promises of God will meet the deepest desires of my heart.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalms 63:1-8

A dear friend and I like to remind each other to just “Be.”. To not focus on “Do” but to find a place to just Be. Slow down. Though maybe I can’t always physically slow down, but mentally there is a choice whether to give into “do. do. do.” or to just “Be.” I think of to “Be.” as a place where I can sit in the presence of God; pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18-19) and claim all that I am in Christ Jesus (Ep. 1:3).

“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in it with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me [Paul] that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” Ephesians 6:18-19

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens” Ephesians 1:3

Be. a place of Satisfaction in waiting; to rest, walk, fellowship and pray in the Spirit; to Claim all that I am in Christ’s sufficient sacrifice on the cross... Oh, that the Gospel might be lived out in me.

“Our own unbelief is the only impediment which prevents God from satisfying us largely and bountifully with all good things.” –john calvin

Thoughts and Painting by Trudi D.

words

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Pslam 19:14

Do we talk just to talk?
To fill the empty noise?
Do we talk to talk over the Spirits inner voice?
So often we talk just to know more and share more.
As if when we talk it will help us find a place in this world.
Who deemed it okay to talk of our inner trials?
What human-being can really understand our life's long miles?
When we talk just to talk we miss something huge.
Who ever thought the spirit might want to talk to you?
So stop talking...No don't really stop talking.
But next time you want to talk...think.
Am I talking just to be talking?

-Trudianne Dalton

"Examine me, O Lord, and test me! Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives. For i am ever looking toward your faithfulness and your loyalty continually motivates me" Psalm 26:2-4

Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet...

"Why Bible School?" Though i've had clear guidance from the Lord about studying His Word for two years, and seen Him provide the money, in these days leading up to my departure i couldn't helped but face some doubts when people question the purpose in it all.
Some of my seeds of doubt were: Where will i be in my education after two years at a non credentialed school? Is the Bible really so crucially important in my life that I can dedicate two years to only studying it? I'll be missing out on learning more about math, or growing in my artistic skills.To squash these doubts I think it important to share, not just with you, but with myself the reasons God has given me to pursue Bible school. So that His peace can be mine to know as I embark upon a new journey.
The Commands and Promises:
Joshua 1:8 "This book of correction must not depart from your mouth. You are to recite it day and night. so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. Then you will prosper an succeed in everything you do."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "These Words i have given to you today must be in your hearts. Repeat them to your children Talk about them when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Hebrews 4:12 "The Word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide; soul, spirit, joint and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart."
Psalm 1:2-3 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 119: 9-11,105 "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart,That I might not sin against You.... Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path....I pray as you mediate on these scriptures you are reminded, as I am, of the crucial importance of holding the Word of God at an extremely high value. A value that makes ,studying only it for two years a joy. A value that may mean setting aside 'your plans' to learn of of the path He will light up for you. "The Bible was given to us not to increase our knowledge but to change our lives" (steve shadrach). As we set aside time to study the Word of God we give the Spirit inside us means to do a great work.
The enemy wants to see us loose our love for the Word of God...even he knows the power which is with in its pages when put into practice. Those devoted to Christ and His Word will face attacks...but remember, you are building a foundation on The Solid Rock.