Standing TALL

By Rev. Dr. Trudy Veerman
Web Site: A Christian Counselor
Copyright (c) Dr.Trudy Veerman, 2005
All rights reserved



Posted: 13 Feb 2005

Used with permission


The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Psalm 92:12

Like a tree standing tall, clear from obstructions, so shall we be before the face of the Lord. Knowing that the source of life within the tree is not its own, but comes from God, the Creator. So it is with us, His children, we have no life, no strength nor power of our own. But, whatever we have and are comes through Christ Jesus, our Lord. To acknowledge this is glorifying God, Almighty. In return, He will give us all the strength we need, to do His work. To have this assurance thrills my soul. Thank You, Father!

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Psalm 127:1

If we desire to be the greatest in the Kingdom of God, we better be ready to take the lowest place and be servant of all. This is not so attractive to our ego, but it is the only way to be used of God, in the fullest sense of the word. This can be summed up in what John the Baptist proclaimed: "He must increase, but I must decrease." Reaching out to attain this target is a lifelong challenge.

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit...
Matthew 7:17

When God is using us mightily, while we labor in His service, it may happen that we'll become too familiar with His power and His Gifts. We should always remind ourselves that we have nothing of ourselves, since the day we were born. We need to stay humble and confess that we can only work through God's power and His Holy Spirit. Moses recognized his inability and told the Lord that he lacked communication skills to speak to Pharaoh. He asked the Lord to give him a helper, and God provided.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13

Recognizing our own limitations and inability to do what God requires from us puts us in the right position, in which He will give us advice and revelation. Our confession, that we cannot do God's work in our own strength, places us ultimately into His hands and His responsibility. We must confess that "He" is able to do the work through us.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Ephesians 3:20

Realizing that it costs much effort to do the task, one tends to depend more on the Lord, than relying on personal performance and strength. This is the perfect condition of the heart, through which God uses the believer for the furtherance of His Kingdom.

... Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

Over the years God may change the direction in which one serves Him. Since we have learned to be sensitive to His voice, we will experience this move of the Holy Spirit, while walking in His footsteps. The Lord may close one door and open another. This may mean giving up one's specific Ministry and moving into the next. In some cases, others may feel that God's servant should stick with what he was doing, because they didn't hear from God regarding His change in direction. That may well be, but the servant in God's vineyard has to obey His voice, whether others understand this or not. His calling is paramount over people's opinions.

...We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29

Does it make sense to open a door which God has closed? It will only become "human" effort, if we do so. Some have put their own name to their service for God, which makes it only harder to follow into God's given direction. Many are seeking after their own mind, missing God's leading. Their service will become carnal, because they are led by their own emotions and thoughts, more than by the Spirit of God. We must not allow ourselves to live under such pressure, by falling into this human error. The servant of the Lord is responsible, foremost, to God Himself. Therefore he must know His voice, just as sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd.

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
Psalm 128:1

Serving God and at the same time being too sure of oneself will cause great trouble. We should be careful and watchful that we'll never get accustomed to the power of God, thinking that we own it. Although His Gifts are irrevocable, one will put himself in danger and become useless for the Kingdom of God, if he believes that he can use God's power at his own will.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
2 Corinthians 3:5

I pray, that you, the reader, and I will keep focused on the finished work of Christ and allow Him to finish the work that He has started in us. May His precious name be glorified and lifted up through our testimony and our labor for Him. Let us be consumed with God's work and willing to sacrifice ourselves, so as to gain Him more. Let us devote our lives to God, the Father, and observe the needs of others as He sees them.

For you and I, to be willing to lay down our self-centeredness and become more "Christ like", I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. AMEN and AMEN!

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:14


Copyright (c) Dr.Trudy Veerman, 2005.
All rights reserved.