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God's Timing Is Impeccable!
Sunday’s Message (5/3):  “Thank God for Mercy” - March 4, 2018
Thursday’s Message (5/7):  “Why All the Complexity and Chaos?” - May 24, 2018
Blog (5/9):  “This, Too, Shall Pass” - Diary of a Journeyman - Volume 1

Deliverance is but a change of perspective away.

The Book of Ecclesiastes
Solomon’s wisdom is on full display for all to learn from. The key lesson is that a life apart from God is an exercise in futility. All the promises of the “good life” in this world are “vain” attempts at arrogance seeking self-righteousness/confidence/esteem.

“For everything there is a season”
The Bible teaches us to think about life from God’s perspective - that is, that He is in control, implying we are not. God already knows the end from the beginning. What will be, will be!

Transcendence
A transcendent viewpoint can still see all that is below it. With our minds fixed on the “things that are above”, we are not blind to “the things that are on earth” (Col 3:2) - we can/should still observe the things around us, on earth. Deliverance is a mindset, not blindness or willful ignorance.

The Truth About Yourself
Every believer (born-again into God’s royal family) has the God-given right to transcend their earthly circumstances. The only way they fail in this endeavor is to remain ignorant about it (by refusing to learn the Word, or being lied to; or both).

Ungodly Bondage
Satan’s plan is to keep us believers as “earthly-minded” as possible for as long as we live! Take a good, long look at your life and discover the variety of ways he accomplishes this (eg. Media, Internet, so-called “friends”, old habits, etc.).

“Seeing It All As Truth”
Behind every temptation is an invitation to merchandise in Satan’s economy. It’s a bad investment. Solomon wrote an entire book about this (Ecclesiastes) and concluded “All is vanity” (Ecc 1:2b). Accept his wisdom and save yourself a lot of trouble.

Ways Believers “Invest” In the World “Economy”
- Any activity where creature credit is the objective
- Any activity where God’s glory is diminished in favor of your own
- Going to church to “look good” or bragging about your knowledge of Holy Scripture
- Attributing your worldly successes to yourself instead of God’s grace

The Great Litmus Test
“Is what I’m thinking/doing/planning bringing glory to God?”

Lk 12:48b [Amplified]
…From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required [PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY]; and to whom they entrusted much, of him [PERSONALLY] they will ask all the more.

“Seeing It All As Truth”
Behind every temptation is an invitation to merchandise in Satan’s economy. It’s a bad investment. Solomon wrote an entire book about this (Ecclesiastes) and concluded “All is vanity” (Ecc 1:2b). Accept his wisdom and save yourself a lot of trouble.

God Owns Our Success
God never asks His children to do something without first equipping them for success, by grace. Our job is to humbly submit to Him (“submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” - Eph. 5:21).

Equipped For Success
With the Word of God, we are equipped for success, by grace through faith. Our confidence rests on the power of the Word and the Spirit in us, not in earthly things. This is what it means to abide in God’s economy of grace.

God Owns Our Success
God’s word never comes up shy of its purpose (Is 55:11). This means that when the Word is implanted into our soul, it is guaranteed to be effective. Because of this fact, we are held personally responsible to the Truth (Lk 12:48).

Sound Investment Strategy
If God owns our success, we ought to hand our ENTIRE lives over to Him!

“You Say” by Lauren Daigle
Taking all I have and now I'm layin' it at Your feet
You'll have every failure God, You'll have every victory, ooh oh

The Lord Is Our Confidence

Pr 14:26-27 [Amplified]
In the [reverent] fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will [always] have a place of refuge. The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that leads to obedience and worship] is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death.

Sanctification is a function of obedience.

An Obedient Mindset
Our minds must be fixed on obedience, as a way of life, not merely a laundry list of checkboxes (yes, there’s a difference). The prior is the sphere of sanctification, the latter religion.

“let us be sober”
In other words, let us NOT be intoxicated with the world and its trappings. Let us rid ourselves, voluntarily and proactively, of the ties that bind us to evil things (e.g., people, habits, stuff).

Sanctification is a function of obedience.

The Goal of Sanctification
The divine context for the life of a believer is love.