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willing

He is There!

by TerryLema

Recently we looked at God’s power and His willingness on our behalf. I keep going back to those three doxologies found in Ephesians, Jude, and Romans, each starting with those six wonderful words … “Now to Him who is able ….”

Able, the Greek word is dunamai and is the word from which we get our English word dynamite!  It means power.

I also remember Jesus’ willingness to bring that power to bear in the healing of a leper with the words, “I am willing.” [Mark 1:40-42]

As I once again contemplate those two words, willing and able, another phrase popped into my mind. “Ready, Willing & Able!”

Then the words of Psalm 46:1 began to minister to my heart … “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.” [HCSB]

You probably learned the last part of that Scripture as “a very present help in times of trouble.”  [NKJV]

No matter which version you are most comfortable with, the truth contained in those words tells us that our God is ready.  If you read the next verses in that song, you will discover He is ready even though the earth trembles, mountains topple, seas roar.  The LORD is our refuge and strength, our help.

Our LORD is ready. Our LORD is willing. Our LORD is able. No matter what we are facing, He is there.

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Able and …

by TerryLema

There are three notable doxologies in the New Testament (Ephesians 3:20, Jude 24, Romans 16:25-27). Each begin with those six wonderful words, “Now to Him who is able ….”

The Greek word is the same in all three doxologies. It is dunamai and is the word from which we get our English word dynamite!  It means power.

Our God has the power for anything and everything we will ever need. That reassures my heart. And there is something that encourages my heart even more! Three little words found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

“Now a leper came to [Jesus], imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.” [Mark 1:40-42, also Matthew 8:3, Luke 5:13]

I think you know what three little words minister to my heart.  When the leper asked if Jesus was “willing” to heal Him, our LORD responded with “I am willing.” Then He conveyed healing’s power (dunamai) with a touch and the leper was cleansed.

It is one thing to have the power to do something; it is quite something else to have the willingness to do it.

Our LORD is both willing AND able to move in our behalf. Praise His Glorious Name! Amen.

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Willing to Forgive

by TerryLema

There are two things that we must do in order not to develop a root of bitterness that will strangle our spiritual life.  The first is to not fall into the trap of taking offense. The second comes into play when we do not do the first … we must grant forgiveness to the one that offended.

Forgiveness, like humility, does not come naturally. Forgiveness is not our first thought when we have been offended. But forgiveness is God’s first thought. It comes from the Spirit of Truth that takes up residence within us when we come to Christ Jesus as Savior and LORD. We receive God’s forgiveness (while we are still His enemies) and He now expects us to grant forgiveness to others in like manner.

We make two mistakes about forgiveness. The first is to think that forgiving someone is to benefit them. It may benefit them, but God requires us to forgive for our soul’s sake, not that of another. Forgiveness releases us from being chained to that person in anger forever.

The second mistake we make is to think that forgiveness is always a one-time event. We forgive, matter settled. All our feelings and thoughts about the offense will simply cease to exist once we forgive. That would be nice, and it may happen that way on occasion, but for most of us it is a far different experience. For most of us, the enemy of our soul continually tries to drag us back to and resurrect all the emotions of that offense. I think we must change our perspective of forgiveness and understand that forgiveness is not usually a once and done.

Perhaps most importantly, we need to be “willing” to forgive even if we do not think we are “able” to forgive. If we are willing, God will empower and enable us to forgive.

We must see God’s forgiveness of our offenses (through the eyes of the Spirit of Truth) and then we can become willing to forgive in like manner those who have offended us. I know deep in my heart, that I have offended God with my rebellion and arrogance far greater than anyone has ever offended me.

If Jesus can forgive me, I can be willing to forgive others.

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