What is the prove of your love to God?
June 27, 2009Critical junction
Text:
Matthew
26:39b.
G.H.B 299
"My father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will
but as you will." NIV
INTRODUCTION: Critical junction is a junction that is
extremely important because it can affect a future situation. It can also be
called a crucial junction. Critical junction is a junction at a particular
stage of one's life in which one would decide whether to follow the pattern of
God for one's life or one's personal will.
Consider a man at the peak of a mountain, such man has the opportunity to go
either side of the mountain. He cannot at the same time choose going to the two
sides. This is an example of Critical junction. This same junction determines
what your life will be; whether what you want for your self or what God want
for you. But note this; choosing your will rather than the will of God is
choosing to suit what is at present .i.e. what is happening to you at this very
moment. It has nothing to do with your future because you know nothing about
tomorrow. Nevertheless, choosing the will of God for your life is choosing all
you need to suit your life throughout your stay on earth. This is because the
lord knows everything concerning your life. In fact, He is the one who
programmed you i.e. what your life is, your beginning and future. This is the
reason why you don't have power over yourself; you can't make yourself become
great in life without the power of God backing you. Therefore, due to the fact
that many believe that they need supernatural power to make it on earth; they
cling to their creator to lead them to best levels in life. Few of those who
usually come for this purpose succeed simply because many failed at the
Critical junction of their lives.
It is at this very
junction that many children of God are derailed from the plan of God for their
lives. This is because they wanted to suit what is happening to the presently
thereby clinging to their will rather than the will of God.
To ascend to the summit of a mountain is not an easy task, but you don't need
much effort to descend from a mountain. In the process of ascending higher,
there is always a point at which you will be tired and therefore be tempted to
stop ascending that junction is critical. Remember! The aim of a man climbing a
mountain, most of the time, is to get to the peak. Therefore, if such man
refuses to get there, it means that he failed. Getting to the summit means
accomplishing the purpose to which God had created you. The purpose to which
God had created you is not limited to what your life will be on earth alone but
also to eternity. This is major reason you need ascending continually. Note
this, God is always at the peak that's why it is very difficult to ascend but
the devil is always at the bottom that's why it is easily to descend. At every
critical junction it is very easy to cling to doing one's will rather than the
will of God because the will of God is always contrary to flesh (i.e. the
sinful nature) and the devil is in charge of this nature. Therefore, clinging
to this nature is fight against the plan of God for you life- which can give
you peace, rest and satisfaction on this earth. You need clinging to the will
of God in any situation you find yourself so as to fulfills your destiny earth.
The critical junction of every individual varies. But one of it that is common
to every child of God is at the point of choosing a life partner. At this very
junction many children of God find it difficult to follow God's will because of
what they themselves desired. Some of the desires of youth of these days are:
he or she must;
II.
Have a lucrative job
III.
Be light or dark in completion
IV.
Be handsome or beautiful
V.
Be social and presentable
VI.
Be agile, active and lively
These are some of the qualities that many children of
God are expecting in the life of the person that will be their life partner.
Therefore, if some of those things are not found in the life of the person that
is the will of God for their lives, they cling to doing their own will. The
bible says "Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever
in their own sight" (Isaiah 5:21) NIV.
Another Critical Junction in life is at the point of getting employment. Some
children of God chose to be employed where they ought not to work because they
could no longer wait upon the lord for better one. Some compromise their faith
because of what the nature of the work they are doing demands.
The critical junction of some is at the point of graduating from higher
institution, when the lord will demand from them their certificate and call
them into full time ministry. At this junction many fails simply because they
don't want to live a miserable life as many usually think. To many, theirs' is
taking a step of faith to doing some things for the lord.
These are some of the variations of critical junction in the life of many
children of God. Let's go into the bible to study the life of some people at
the critical junction of their lives.
*JOSEPH
The lord had wonderful plan for him, which was revealed to him at his tender
age. Despite all these, the critical junction of his life came when he was in
"How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God"
(Gen.39:9b).
At this junction, he has the opportunity to choose to do what Portiphar's wife
requested, which would bring some physical benefit to Joseph. But Joseph
chooses to do God's will. Though he suffered, he was able to accomplish the
purpose to which he was created. If he had missed it at this junction, we would
have been saying another thing about him. It is not enough that God have
wonderful plans for you but what you have to know is that; God had programmed
your life in a particular way in which you must follow to make it in life. If
you miss it by clinging to your own evil desire, your life will become another
thing outside the will of God. Therefore if you will not shatter the plan of
God for your life, you must just choose to do the will of God at every junction
of your life. You just must continue to sing that:
"Whether it is
favourable or unfavourable we will obey the lord our God, to whom we are
sending you. So that it will go well with us, for we will obey the lord our God"
(Jeremiah 42:6) NIV.
*THE THREE HEBREW: [Shadrack,
Meshack and Abednego]
These three Hebrew
were appointed to high position in
This is a critical junction for them because; they knew that it is the will of
God not to worship an idol. Also whoever does not fall down to worship this
image will be immediately thrown into a blazing furnace (Dan 3:6) i.e. if they
refuse to obey;
I.
They will lose their high position.
II.
They will be put to death.
However, these men choose to obey the
lord. They said if we die we die,
We will not worship an idol. The told
the king that:
….we want you to know o king that
we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up"
(Dan 3:18) NIV
Despite the fact that they said, if we die we die, they never die. Instead,
they were promoted and the constitution of the kingdom changed because of their
choice to do God's will. If they were afraid to die or loose their high
position, they would have remained in the same position. Many children of God
today, compromise their faith simply because they don't want to lose their job
they've forgotten that the lord is having the best with him.
Therefore: "Do not be wise in your own eyes fear
the lord and shun evil" (Proverb 3:7) NIV.
* JESUS CHRIST
The critical junction of our lord Jesus Christ came at
"My father, if it is
possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you
will". (Mathew 26:39b)NIV
Our lord Jesus Christ accepted God's will at this junction and this make him
receive the overall authority over all powers in the world. If Jesus had
refused to pay the price of our salvation, what will the situation be now? But
don't forget, what helped him is this words 'not as I will but they will be
done'.
What are your will that are not the will of God? (Isaiah 55:8-9) is it that
sister or brother you want to marry at all cost or that job you just must get?
Remember the words of God say:
"There is a way that seem
right to a man but in the end it leads to death" (Proverb 16:25) NIV.
Will you cling to what seems right to you or the will of God for your life? Or
let me say; will you cling to what you want for yourself or what God want for
you? The Bible tells us:
"Woe to the obstinate
(stubborn) children declares the lord, to those who carry out plans that are
not mine, forming alliance, but not by my spirit heaping sin upon sin"
(Isaiah 30:1) NIV.
If the lord must lead you through the journey of this world, you must continue
to sing with the lord Jesus in any situation you find yourself that: "Not
as I will but thy will be done"
Therefore:
"Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path
straight" (Proverb 3:5-6) NIV.
* JOB
Job was very rich and righteous. As a result of this, the lord allows the devil
to test him. All he had was taking away from him by the devil including all his
children. Apart from this, God still permitted the devil to touch his body and
was afflicted with painful boils. It was a critical junction in the life of job
because he was tempted to show whether he will accept the tragedy as God's will
or curse God.
At this very junction, he did not sin against the lord. Many children of God
usually fail at this similar junction, when they are facing difficult times, by
finding an alternative means solve their problem. They refuse to understand
that every problem wanted to touch their salvation and turn them away from God
– who is in charge of everything on earth.
After sometime, the lord put an end to Job's suffering due to the fact that, he
accepted God's will for his life. As a result of this God multiply his wealth.
Therefore, when life seems not easy and almost everything turns against you.
One thing you need doing is to cling to doing God's will because this will pave
way to an outstanding break through. You may have lost many things in the
course of doing the will of God, move on don't be tired because something good
is coming your way very soon. The lord is only preparing you for the wonderful
things he has for you. Always have it at the back of your mind that you are
passing through these times because of the best that is coming your way. No
matter the position you are, I want to tell that, the best is yet to come.
Therefore, don't limit what God can do in your life because of what is
happening to you now.
Choosing to do God's will is not only limited to what your life will be on
earth alone but also to eternity. Now tell me! If your life is not in accordance to the
will or plan of God while on earth, what assurances do you have to make the
"We humans make plans, but
the lord has the final word. We may think we know what is right but the lord is
the Judge of our motives. Share your plans with the lord and you will
succeed" (Proverb 16:1-3) GN.
God is the owner and the master of your soul. Therefore, trust in him with all
your soul because you can't outrun him. He is the only one who can give you
satisfaction God had wonderful plans for you and his plans is not to harm you
but give you the expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).
Choose to do the will of God all the
days of your life. You cannot but avoid those who will be making jest of you in
the course of doing the will of God or some of your contemporary living a
better life more than you do as a canal man would say. Hear the words of God.
"Do not let your heart
envy sinner but always be zealous for the fear of the lord. There is surely a
future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off" (Proverb 23:17-18)
NIV.
Yes, there is surely a future hope for you which cannot cut off provided you
remain in the will of God. If you want to fulfil your destiny or make an impact
in this generation, surrender yourself to the divine ordering of God. Be
obedient to his word and always go where he wants you to go and be where he
wants you to be and do what he tells you because:
"A man's step are directed by the lord how then can anyone
understand his own way?" (Proverb 20:24) NIV
How then can we know that this is God's will? We will always know his will when
we are closer to him by having a strong personal relationship with him and
putting our total trust in him. Also, we should sincerely have in mind to do
God's will at all cost; by doing this we will know the will of God for our life
in any situation or at any stage of our life.
CONCLUTION
The clear picture of God's mind for our lives has been revealed to us, that we
should keep aside all our sinful desire and cling to doing what God wants us to
be doing. This is very important because the words of God tell us in 1Cor 2:9
that: "…what God has planned for people who love him is more than
eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never entered our mind".
It is very easy to preach or advise someone about this issue and to prove
that this is a pure truth. But note this: How cans a man says he doesn't steal,
when he is not having any opportunity or something to steal? When this critical
junction comes, what will you do? What will I do? If that is the case, Join me
to say: Lord sees me through the journey of my life and don't let me misbehave
at the critical junction of my life. Teach me to pattern my ways to the way of
success. Let me always acknowledge you in all my ways and never to cling to my
sinful desire so as to make straight my ways. Help me to make an impact in this
Generation according to your plan for my life.
Chorus (1) I just want to be, what you want me to be lord
/2× Make me what you want /2×
I just want to be, what you want me to be lord!
(2) Have thine own way lord
---
Blessed be the name of the Lord!!!
Shalom!!!
Written
by: Bro Jonathan Oguntoye,
Tel: 08035282237
E-mail:jonatoye@yahoo.com
For more information contact: Gospel Faith Mission Int'L,
Ogbomoso
