2013: A Year of Change and Surprise!

Back in January, I was seeking the Lord about what words He would use to describe this coming year. I heard the word, "change". A couple days later, I asked Him the same question, and I heard the word, "surprise". Well, this year my husband and I are definitely looking at a major change coming up since we will be relocating to Azusa, California this summer! I am sure we cannot even anticipate the sorts of changes and surprises we will encounter along the way. But I discern one thing in particular about these coming changes and surprises: they are good! I believe we are entering into a season of blessings and favor from the Lord!

The Bronze Sea

As I was in my bed, halfway thinking of going to sleep, I decided to ask God how to grow in revelation. In that familiar small whisper that could almost be mistaken for a fleeting thought, I heard, "Read My Word." So I asked, "What should I read?" Before I formed the words in my mind, I heard the response, "Jeremiah." Jeremiah what? "27." So, I picked up a Bible and turned to Jeremiah 27.

Learning How to Speak in Tongues

Does it make sense to learn how to speak in tongues? How can we know for sure that tongues are really from the Spirit of God and not simply from random movements of our own mouths? Although I've been pondering and praying about this for several months now, my mind is not completely settled on what to think. But, I can tell you that at the present moment, I believe that speaking in tongues is something that Christians should pursue. It's such a foreign concept to so many Christians that perhaps it could be helpful if I share my experiences so far. Feel free to share your own experiences or to ask questions below by posting a comment!

How I "Learned" to Speak in Tongues

Love Conquers All

Our highest calling as people on this Earth is to love. To love means to treat others the way you want to be treated. To love means to give up what you want or need for someone else's benefit.

We are called to love each other the way that our Creator loves us, for we are created in His image. He loved us so much that He became a human--lived among us--and suffered injustly (unto death!) so that the chains of evil could be ultimately defeated and so that we could be reconciled to our perfect, holy God.

While Jesus lived on Earth, he set many people free from the chains of sin and physical suffering. And his mission never ended. Those who choose to follow Jesus's example are called to share God's love and POWER to the whole world so that we may ALL may live in the way that God originally intended--in pure love and blessing. This is something that we should all strive to make a REALITY: "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" -- Ephesians 2:10, NLT.

Inspiration for 2011

I came across a collection of prophetic words for 2011 that were both inspirational and motivational to me. I felt a connection to the words in my spirit. Many of the prophecies concerning God's preparation for His bride are becoming (and have been becoming) manifest in my life, and they depict the feelings I have been sensing from God's Spirit over the last several months. I am looking forward to how God can use me for the greatest move of His Kingdom on Earth, and I am so thankful that God has chosen to train me to be a better warrior for His heavenly army. I am motivated to draw near to God this year, and I anticipate that He will do marvelous works this year. I hope you will find these words equally encouraging and inspiring.

Depart From Me, I Never Knew You - Part 1

Consider the following words of Jesus:

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV)

When I was growing up, I read these verses under the impression that the people Jesus was talking about included "charismatics" and modern-day "faith healers." The Christian leadership I was under at that time painted a dim picture of the motives of modern-day miracle workers, pointing to this verse as just one evidence that "miracles" are usually associated with false teachers. But when I was reflecting on these verses yesterday, I had a much more chilling thought that hit a lot closer to home.

Mountains and Valleys

As I was reading through an article at LayHands.com, I came across an illustration that struck me as profound. The author compared stages of our growth and maturity in Christ to mountains and valleys. We reach certain heights in our relationship and knowledge of who God is, but we need to go through "valleys" in order to reach new heights with God. As I was digesting this thought, it seemed applicable to many situations in my own life and in the lives of many close to me. My thoughts came out in the form of a song, which I sang at church this morning. Here are the lyrics of the song I wrote. I hope you will find the song to be encouraging to persevere through the highs and lows of life and to always give God the glory and the thanks--because He is with us all along.

---------

Mountains and Valleys
Written by RACHEL M. RASMUSSEN

I stood up high upon a mountain
My gaze went out unto the sea
Before I started on this journey
I never felt so free

Then I heard the master’s voice beside me
“The view is beautiful from here
But if you wish to know these mountaintops as I do
You must follow me to higher mountains still”

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh [Follow me to higher mountains still]

And so we left the lofty mountain
The next peak clearly in our sights
And as we made our way down into the valley
The daylight slowly slipped away to night

Twisting shadows leading nowhere
Losing sight of where to go
Wolves and coyotes howling, stalking
Where’d the master go?

Cries for help come back unanswered
Have I lost the way?
Come despair, come quick; devour me
I’ve failed anyway

But then I heard the master’s voice
Whispering in the wind
“Don’t give in to the valley’s taunts
Or nighttime’s frightening grin
You need to persevere, my child
To reach my goals for you
Don’t fear, I’m near, I’m watching you
Your time is almost here

As morning broke on the horizon
I felt my mind and strength renewed
And as I turned to look behind me
The valley was far from view

With panting breaths, I climbed onto the mountain peak
The master swiftly grabbed my hand
“Now look, my child, at all the awe around you
Look beyond the sea; there’s yet another land”

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh [Beyond the sea, there’s yet another land]

Master, I have but one simple question
Right now I see you face to face
But all the time that I was in the valley
The wolves were near, but, Master, where were you?

“Come now, my child, and listen closely
I never parted from your side
I led you through the valley, child
So you’d grow strong inside”

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh [So you’d grow strong inside]

Between two mountaintops
There’s always a valley
Between two mountaintops
There’s always a valley
[Look, there’s a mountain up ahead]
[Come, meet me there…]

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh [Come and meet me there]
[Come and meet me there]

Letting Go - Part 1

In my efforts to remove obstacles in my heart blocking my closeness to God, I've decided to give away some of my material possessions this year. In my pursuit of this, though, I feel that God is calling me to go above and beyond the minimum. God wants me to let go of things in my heart that I could value above Him and His purposes. So, as my first action toward obedience, I've decided to donate my wedding dress to charity. This is tough, let me tell you. But I'm convinced it's crucial for reaching the next level in my spiritual journey. Let this be the beginning of a new trend in my life! "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:12, NIV).

A Call To Let Go

This has been a year for me to let go of my attachment to material possessions. For some reason, I have always had the tendency to become irrationally attached to things once they come into my possession (even to things that other people would consider junk!); thus, in light of this addiction to my stuff, I formed the intention to combat my clinginess by giving some of my stuff away. Earlier this year, I simply had the intention to donate some old clothes that I don't even wear anymore. Recently, though, I feel as though the Lord has been calling me to give up some other things as an act of faith and of surrender to His Lordship. Specifically, I feel the urge to give some video games to the boy down the street, and I am considering giving one of my guitars to another boy on our block.

You must understand, I am very possessive of my things--so much so that I have containers of toys, clothes, and other random items from childhood that I've never even considered getting rid of (until now, that is!). And I've never considered giving something away that I possibly could find a use for sometime in the near future. So, the idea of giving away one of my video games (that I like but hardly have the time to play) or one of my guitars (that was pulled out of a dumpster, no less) really goes against my grain. God knows how deep my attachment to my stuff goes, and I believe that He wants me to let go of some things that would reveal that my devotion to Him is more important to me than those things.

I've been pondering this for a week or two now. I feel pretty certain that God wants me to step out in faith by giving away some of my possessions--now it's just a matter of actually following through. I pray that God will strengthen me to overcome my addiction to stuff and empower me to joyfully give away some of my possessions. I desire to do this so that God will have more room in my heart to do His good work in me. I don't want to hold anything back from God's regenerative power!

May I be more like Him every day so that His glory will shine through my every word and action! Amen.

Trusting God

Read this, and ponder the extent of its application:

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

⁸ This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

--Proverbs 3:5-8 (NIV)

I had a moment of revelation the other day about what it means to trust God. I have usually thought of "trust" in "trusting God" as the same sort of "trust" that you have when you ask your friend to keep a secret, or when you expect your child not to lie. To "trust" means to have faith in someone's character. Since God is perfect, we should always "trust" Him, which I've always taken as a synonym for having faith in His character and in His promises.

However, I was reminded that my "trust" in someone is not solely measured by my faith in that person's character; it is also measured by the way I respond to that person.

Let me explain with a real life example. While I was a chemistry student at Notre Dame, I did experiments in the laboratory. There was a stage of time where all my experiments were going nowhere, and I was becoming disheartened. I talked with my advisor, and she gave me an outline of some precise things she wanted me to do. I didn't see the point of why she told me to do the things she did, so I responded by asking questions. My advisor interjected, "Just trust me."

You see, by questioning my advisor's instructions, I was conveying a certain amount of distrust. I recalled this experience with my advisor when reflecting on what it means to trust God, and I felt like my eyes were opened to new understanding. When the Scriptures repeatedly instruct us to "trust in the LORD," the context of our trust is not limited to having faith in God's character or to having faith that God will do what He says He will do. To fully trust the LORD, we need to do what He says. And not only should we do what He says, we should do it with joy and without hesitation. Otherwise, we display some degree of distrust.

God is the creator of the universe, and He knows how our psychologies operate. He knows what's best for us. He's also not obligated to tell us all His reasons for giving us the commands He does. By obeying God's commands, we probably avoid lots of troubles that we could never foresee or imagine. Neuroscience has discovered lots of previously unknown physical effects that our brain can impart on our bodies. Why would we wait for science to tell us that we can live longer and healthier lives if we have joyful hearts when God has been calling us to have joy all along? God desires our benefit, and He wouldn't tell us to do something that wouldn't be good for us. I think it's about time that we all started trusting God more by submitting ourselves to His Word. Maybe we'd all be a lot healthier if we would!

Freely As You Have Received, Freely Give

When Jesus used this phrase with his disciples, he was specifically instructing them to freely dispense the benefits of the Holy Spirit to the world (see Matthew 10:8). However, I think that the principle can be more broadly applied to all categories of life. Whether it be money, possessions, forgiveness, time, or healing from the Holy Spirit, I think that we have a precedent for generosity. Jesus told the rich man to give all his possessions to the poor (Matthew 19:21), and Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother every time he asks for forgiveness (Matthew 18:22). God desires for us to share the blessings He gave us.

I was reminded of this principle yesterday when a friend of ours unexpectedly gifted us with some money. We did nothing to deserve the money. In other words, we freely received it. Now, I don't know about you, but my first instinct when I get a free gift is often something like, "Great! Now I can go buy/do _X_!" Unfortunately, the _X_ isn't usually very others-centered. However, yesterday my instinct was different. I immediately felt utter amazement at the generosity of God, and my whole being swelled with the desire to bless others. Perhaps now I can get those gifts for the neighbor kids I've been eyeing, for instance.

My hope is that if I mirror the heart of God by being generous with my material wealth, perhaps I will grow in my ability to be generous with the benefits of His Spirit as well. I also know that practicing generosity with what I know I have can give an opportunity for me to learn how to be even more generous. I hope that someday I will recognize the depth of generosity that the Father has bestowed on me so that I can fully display His goodness to others. God has given us so many blessings--let's freely share those blessings freely!

Is it Harder to Heal Believers or Non-Believers?

I have been struggling with this question for several months now, especially in light of the results of prayer I've seen. Healing seems to be a long process for believers for whom I've prayed. Is it even possible for a believer to receive an instant-healing miracle through a prayer of faith?

Perhaps God deals with His children differently than He does the world. Jesus said that [instant] healing would be a sign for the world so they would know that the LORD is God (see Mark 16). Since Christians no longer need to be convinced that the LORD is God, perhaps God's main goal isn't to instantly heal them as a sign, but instead to teach them how to be more reflective of His image by understanding His ways more deeply. Notice that James instructs sick believers (perhaps the immature in Christ who do not know the LORD's benefits) to call the elders (who are the mature in Christ) to pray in faith over them (see James 5). This would be a perfect opportunity for the elders to teach sick believers the promises of God and then to display the principles of spiritual warfare through their prayer of faith. Thus, it seems to me that God set it up so that His children would learn His ways through the process of healing.

So what could God want His children to learn through their pursuit of healing? Perhaps it is simply the fact that God is willing to heal us. Or perhaps God wants to teach us that we need to take the spiritual realm seriously, and that it can affect us physically (as well as emotionally and spiritually) for better or for worse. Perhaps God wants us to know that He has granted us access to physical healing--just as to forgiveness of sins--through the atonement, or that healing comes through proper celebration of communion. Perhaps God wants us to realize that we are supposed to be seeking Him above all else and that He will do great things for us if we love Him and obey His commands (see Psalm 91). God desires the best for His children. Certainly, knowledge of His benefits would be nothing but good for us.

My conclusion for the moment is that God may very well heal believers instantly, but if He doesn't, perhaps He is calling those particular people into a higher level of intimacy with Him that requires them to learn something new. Of course, if the person praying the prayer of faith is not acquainted with (or proficient at implementing) God's healing methods, the sick person may not recover simply because the sickness was not defeated. As for me, I am going to be particularly careful not to blame anyone's sickness on anyone but the devil and his minions, and I will continue to seek God so that I can accurately reflect Him to everyone I encounter.

Our Effectiveness in Spiritual Battle

I've been focusing so much lately on which techniques work the best for bringing about recovery from a sickness or injury that I forgot about something very fundamental. God watches out for those who pursue Him. Just read Psalm 91.

I think this can also apply to our effectiveness in battling against spiritual darkness. The more connected to God we are, the more God's power shines through us. I was reminded of this when watching an interview with Hank and Brenda Kunneman. It's easy to rely too much on our own strength (or willpower, dedication, skill, etc....), even when pursuing spiritual things! It's about time for me to press into God and seek Him first and foremost.

Spiritual Gifts

Today’s verse:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
I Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)

I was so intrigued by the topic of spiritual gifts that I couldn’t help but return to the subject for today’s study. As I read the above passage, I gleaned three points that were new to me:
(1) Paul says that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one,
(2) the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good, and
(3) the Spirit gives gifts to each one as he determines.
Now you must understand, I grew up under the teaching of cessationalism (that spiritual gifts such as prophesy, speaking in tongues, and miraculous healing ceased after the authenticity of the Gospel message was established across the Roman world during the time of first-century church, after the scripture had been written in its entirety). I always had the impression that the Spirit of God didn’t manifest himself in Christians in miraculous ways anymore, and that people claiming to have had such experiences either had been subject to a hyper-emotional psychological phenomenon, demonic influence, or a bad case of self-deception or straight-out lying. I never had any reason to think otherwise, given my background beliefs and the interpretation of scripture that I had been taught, and I never encountered anyone with a testimony that caused me to question my belief that supernatural spiritual gifts were ancient news. Maybe some of you can relate to my position! Anyway, I believe that God in his providence has started to open my eyes to his power and the reality of his presence in the lives of his dedicated, obedient followers. Let me explain: over the past month or so, God has been providing me examples of testimonies where God used his Spirit to accomplish miraculous wonders to draw people into his kingdom. My husband Josh recently told me of a time when he saw someone stand up and speak in tongues, and as skeptical thoughts began to enter his mind concerning the authenticity of the event, someone else across the sanctuary stood up and began interpreting the words of the one speaking in tongues. That sounds biblical to me! Out of curiosity, I started to question God, “Why hasn’t your Spirit manifested itself in me like that?” He started to reveal many things to me that are relevant not only to the topic of spiritual gifts, but also to what it means to be obedient to God in every aspect of life.

As I was praying with the question “What do I need to do to be used in a miraculous way by your Spirit,” God whispered to me something fairly obvious but that many of us overlook. He said, “You must read and meditate on My Word.” I was surprised and convicted at the same time. I go to church every Sunday, I discuss theological issues with my husband or other academic colleagues pretty much every day, and I’m even part of a prayer group… surely I’m a good Christian! So I thought. I realized, though, that although my mind was constantly entertaining issues presented in the scriptures, and even though I had been presenting requests before God, I was lacking in my relationship with God. It was all one-sided. I hadn’t taken enough time to listen to him. How can you have a relationship with someone if you are constantly talking and rarely allow the other person to interject thoughts of their own? I felt ashamed and foolish. Why would I expect God to grant me with spiritual gifts if I only let him talk to me for about an hour or two on Sunday morning, promptly drifting away into my own little world of thoughts and experiences for the rest of the week, leaving God behind as only a spectator? After God brought my erroneous ways to light, I felt convicted to seek after him. In fact, that is exactly what prompted this daily bible study blog. As I read and meditate upon the Words God has spoken to us, I gain new insight into God that I previously lacked.

Now, back to the topic of spiritual gifts. Paul says that the Spirit manifests himself in each one for the common good (or encouragement, perhaps) of believers. Perhaps he was referring only to the church of Corinth—or maybe to the church of that day—but it is not clear to me that his vision is so restrictive. My instinct is to assume that he is speaking to all believers, so unless I find another reason to doubt this assumption, that’s what I’ll go with. Anyway, he goes on to list several ways in which the Spirit chooses to manifest himself, even ordering them by their greatness. As I read the entire passage of I Corinthians 12, I notice that Paul makes an analogy between the community of believers and the parts of a human body. There are parts that are common, but their work is essential. There are parts that are considered less honorable, but they are treated with special honor. It seems that the point of this analogy is to convey that every part of the body of Christ has a purpose and is essential to the function of the body, so we should value every member regardless of their function. However, at the end of the section, it appears as though he encourages them to desire the greater gifts! Is this contradictory? I don’t think so. My impression is that God gives greater responsibility to those who are responsible with what he has already given; thus, it is an honor to have greater gifts, since it shows that we are very responsible people! I am convinced that responsibility is not the only factor, though, but obedience, depth of relationship with God, and God’s sovereign plan determine whether a believer receives supernatural gifts from the Spirit (and to what degree they receive them).

In conclusion, I see no harm in seeking to deepen my relationship with God in order to prepare my heart for the possibility of receiving a supernatural gift from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps spiritual gifts of this sort are no longer given to believers in this day and age, but if there is even the slightest chance that they are (or can be), then I want to be in a position to receive such gifts for the common good. Thus, I will continue to seek the presence of the Lord and empty my heart of worldly or selfish desires so that the Spirit of God will have a pure and spacious temple to live in and minister from, if he so wishes.

Dear Lord, I invite your presence into my dwelling place and into my heart. I am waiting in silence. Speak, Lord, and I will hear your voice. Guide me in your truth, and draw me close to you. Amen.

Why not me?

Today’s verse:

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)

Josh and I have been watching a show called “It’s Supernatural,” hosted by Sid Roth (sidroth.org). The show consists of a weekly interview with someone through whom God has worked in miraculous ways (or who has witnessed the supernatural acts of God). A supernatural gift that comes up frequently is that of healing. For instance, someone with a failing kidney, after being surrounded by the prayer of righteous people and the presence of God, not only experiences a healed kidney, but also received an entirely new kidney where one was previously missing! There are many other documented miraculous examples. This got me thinking, “Why doesn’t God use me like all these people on Sid Roth’s show to heal someone miraculously?” Interestingly, the next day, I came across the above verses under “verse of the day” on the home page of biblegateway.com. Paul points out that God has given us different natural abilities, and we should use these abilities to edify one another. We shouldn’t become jealous of someone who has a different set of gifts than we do! He makes the analogy of a body. The eyes, hands, and feet all have different essential roles. I wouldn’t want my eyes to do the tasks set out for my feet! In the same way, we all work together in different ways for a single purpose—to spread the news of the kingdom of God to the world.

It seems to me that there are also supernatural gifts that God gives to people over and above their natural gifts. For example, it seems that things like miraculous healing, seeing the future, and having insight into people you’ve never met are not ordinary things that people are just born with. Also, it seems that gifts from the Spirit, like those talked about in I Corinthians 12, are imparted directly by the Spirit of God and are not related to our natural gifts in any way. However, Paul also says that there are many gifts of the Spirit and that not everyone will have the same gifts given to them. I will have to do a further study of this passage in I Corinthians in order to fully appreciate all that Paul was instructing regarding spiritual gifts, but for now, the message I am getting is that we should be content with what God has given us because he’s given it to us to benefit everyone around us.

My conclusion for today is perhaps more of a segue to future study: God has given us each different gifts so that we can function effectively together with unity of purpose. We fill specific, important roles within the group that others cannot fill, and we should not be jealous of others who operate under different roles. As far as what gifts he has given to us—whether they be solely our natural talents or also Spirit-imparted (even supernatural) talents—I have heard many dissenting opinions, so I must do further study of my own to come to a conclusion. Whatever the truth may be about spiritual gifts, I know this much: we are uniquely designed by God to carry out specific purposes in life, and he loves us all in a very special and personal way.

God of many wonders, thank you for interacting with your creation throughout the course of history. In ages past you displayed your glorious presence with supernatural signs and wonders through your prophets and through nature itself. Even with the visible evidence of your presence, though, your people were fickle of heart, betraying you for gods made by their own hands. How foolish we are, oh Lord! Please forgive us for lacking wisdom and understanding. In this age, you have chosen to make your presence hidden to the eye, and only those who seek you are given eyes to see! We are looking forward to the day when your presence will be visible to all people once again! A wave is coming: at first it appears small, but its tremendous power is revealed as it draws near to the shore. The abiding of your presence with us is near, and as it draws closer your miraculous works will be made known! I desire your presence, Lord. Too long have your people been separated from you. Use me as a tool for your coming glory, so that I may reveal the good news of your kingdom to all who will hear. We look forward to the revelation of your glory, and we worship you now as you reign over all the earth. Amen.

Developing good character

Today’s verse:

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11 (NIV)

I remembered from past Bible study that patience is a fruit of the Spirit, so it is something that believers should demonstrate. Just as with everything else, though, patience needs practice… or so I thought. Then I started pondering how it could be that a believer could constantly struggle with patience over years, and I realized that perhaps something more is needed than practice. I came across this verse, and I came to a new understanding of how it is that believers can develop certain character traits that God desires of them. It is through wisdom that we become more like God, and as we become more like God, we start to display godly attributes.

My impression had always been that if we are lacking in a certain spiritual fruit (or godly characteristic), that we simply need to pray for it, and God will graciously bestow it to us… just like that. However, upon reflection, it appears that perhaps we need to go through a process of trusting in God—having a relationship with him and understanding his will—before we can truly develop godly character. I did a word search to see if I could find if there was something preceding wisdom, just like wisdom precedes patience. I found that Job and David both tell us where wisdom comes from:

And [God] said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'
Job 28:28 (NIV)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
Psalm 111:10 (NIV)

So it all comes down to fearing God. What does that mean? I’m pretty sure it means that we need to treat God with proper reverence and respect, not taking him for granted. I think that Christians (or anyone who believes in God) too often forget that God is a powerful, awesome Creator of the Universe who knows everything there is to know and sees everything that goes on under the sun. That’s pretty amazing. Yet, we often forget that he even exists, let alone is watching everything we do and aware of every thought that crosses our mind. The leaders and prophets mentioned in the Bible fell flat on their faces when in the presence of God. What does that mean for us? Are we experiencing the presence of God, or has his presence been shielded by other things in our lives that take priority? I am somewhat disturbed at what the true answer could be for this question.

Anyway, getting back to the topic, I think that there is a relationship here that I didn’t quite see before:The cycle is self-fueling: the deeper our relationship with God, the more we understand his character and realize the amount of reverence and respect that is due him, which causes us to fear him more, which brings about wisdom in us. Godly character is a natural product of this cycle. Can we ask for God’s help anywhere in this process? Yes, we can, but I think we need to know what to ask for in order to see substantial change in our lives. James gives us a clue as to what to ask for in the cycle:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 (NIV)

Notice that James assures us that God will give us wisdom if we ask for it. He assures us! That means, if we ask God for wisdom—believing that he will do as he promised—then we will get wisdom! Wisdom then fuels the cycle, drawing us into a deeper relationship with God, resulting in us developing a more godly character. There is a process involved in developing character! God will help us, yes, but we have to persevere through the cycle to see the results.
God has given us the ability to choose for ourselves what to pursue—how wonderful if we were to choose to pursue a relationship with him! God is listening and waiting for us to acknowledge him. If he is so powerful, then why does he have to wait? Couldn’t he just force everyone to bow before him and worship him? Yes, he could… but he won’t force us to worship him because he wants us to seek a relationship with him. Building a meaningful relationship is not a one-sided endeavor! However, if we do choose to seek after him, he will grant us wisdom to find him! He yearns for our companionship, yet he patiently waits. How amazing is the compassion of our God.

In conclusion, I will note that we can make one final adjustment to the cycle leading to godly character:

God is the source of our wisdom. If we ask it of him, he will graciously give it to us. Once we attain wisdom, we will have a desire to deepen our relationship with God, which will in turn cause us to recognize his vast majesty. Our reverent fear of the Creator of All in turn seeds wisdom. Our character will develop in the process. Thus, if we want to develop a godly character (for example, if we want to become more patient), then we must do three things:
(1) we must ask God to grant us wisdom,
(2) we must seek to develop our relationship with God, and
(3) we must give God the respect he deserves.
I believe that this is the way in which God intended for us to develop character. The closer we are to God, the more we will reflect his nature. This is the lesson I have learned through this study.

Oh Lord, please grant me your wisdom so that I may seek you in the midst of worldly distractions. You have blessed us with so many things, Lord—please grant me the wisdom to seek you first, not to make idols out of money, possessions, my spouse, or my self-image. Thank you for your patience with me. Please give me wisdom so that my heart may desire an intimate relationship with you. Your wisdom is what I need to develop my character so that I may accurately reflect the radiance of your holiness and love to those who don’t know you. You are greater than all of creation, you are beyond our comprehension, and you alone deserve worship and praise. Thank you for loving us so much that you sent your son Jesus to live among us—then be betrayed by us to death—so that he could conquer death and sin once and for all! I love you, Lord. Amen.