Instant Results I Don't Think So

Often in our Christian walk we want and do expect instant results, I think this is due in our part to a lack of patience and of course society says if you want it get it now. Why though when we don’t seem to get it instantly do we decide to give up, or find something else to go for, something which we can easily obtain? We often take this mentality into Christianity too, expecting once we get saved to begin perfect lives, and for it to be as comfortable as possible here on this earth. We often buy a book, or go to a seminar expecting to find the answer to all of lives problems. The only problem is, we overlook the one who says he gives us peace and not as we can find in this world.

Joh 14:27 (ESV) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Joh 16:33 (ESV) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

So why is it we have turned Christianity into something so commercialized? The problem I think has to do with a lack of bible knowledge. I know I think that bible study is a recurring theme in almost everything that I write, but I believe that it is one of the most important things in Christianity. Especially today when it seem like apostasy is running ramped, and false doctrine is common throughout the church. We must get back to the basics of the bible, and what the scriptures say, if we are going to grow as Christians and see results.

So how fast do we see results as Christians? Well you can’t put a time or a calendar day on how God works; he has his timing and his ways in which he works. I was reading in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy the other day, which the Old Testament is my favorite side of the bible. I do neglect it the most; because the New Testament is shorter and there is so much there that I don’t understand. My favorite books in the Old Testament are Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Don’t ask me why, but I just can’t read them enough, and I know that we are not suppose to get lost in genealogy, but I just love to read who begat who. I’m crazy I know, so sue me.

Well I was struggling with this whole mortification thing, and the feelings that I wrote about in the previous article. So I prayed to the Lord to help me understand why sometimes it seems I just don’t progress in holiness. I will admit that it is my fault due to neglect and weakness, never placing the blame on God. Yet it seems no matter how hard I strive I am just swimming against the current. Well I began reading Deuteronomy, and the Lord showed me a wonderful scripture that lifted my spirits.

I guess the reason that I like the Old Testament so much, is that I find it so relevant to my own Christian walk. I see God’s faithfulness in the Old T. and how it correlates to my own life, I see how God led the children of Israel and how it correlates to my own life. Well with no more adieu here is my verse.

Deu 7:22 (ESV) “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.”

This is the verse that really spoke to me about instant success in the Christian faith. Things are not instant, God promised the Israelites the promise land, but not all at once. It would be done little by little, and this is what I correlate with sanctification. The LORD your God will clear away these sins little by little, so that we may give him the glory and praise for what he has done. We might also become prideful and boast of our holiness if it occurred all at once, or become complacent and not fight the good fight, because what are we fighting for we have obtained perfect holiness.
Praise God for his patience with us that he does not consume us, and that he loves us and has a will for our lives, to bring us to perfect sanctification upon our arrival to heaven.