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Hinds’ Feet on High Places Chapter 10 Ascent of the Precipice Injury As you continue your climb up the
precipice, a vital new stone will be added to the foundation of
Jesus’ character being constructed in your life. Any idea
what it is?
1. Once on the track...; 2. She did not
look down...; 3. Just then, she looked...; 4. She remembered
the Shepherd’s warning...
When you’re asked to undertake a new
experience, be it a new job, a relocation, even an encounter
with some new neighbors, does a certain reluctant fear sneak
up? Do you procrastinate about making that phone call or
following through in that opportunity?
“A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single footstep.” Perhaps like you,
Much-Afraid wasn’t an avid thrill-seeker when it comes to
trying new things. But the goal kept her going! Her trust in her Shepherd
and in His plan for her motivated her to keep putting one foot
in front of the other. And this is what your Father is asking
of you: to follow in the footsteps of Jesus (1 Peter 2:21).
If that’s your goal — your
heart’s desire — then you’ll still have to
clamber over the jagged rocks and slippery mud in your path.
But like Much-Afraid, as long as you hold onto your awareness
of His Spirit’s faithful presence to comfort you and
grace you with His strength, your goal will be in reach!
Sue: Sometimes you need to reflect about
our Lord’s faithfulness to have brought you thus far.
That which He has carried you through is living testimony of
His loving power and intervention — all of which is
powerful ammunition to shield you when your past spiritual
enemies try to fling rocks of shame and failure at you.
We meet far too many in the Nicolaitan
system who are well-intentioned in their desire to serve our Father. Sadly,
though, just as many fail to follow
through on their convictions,
particularly if it means forsaking their present lifestyle or
companions.
You’ve heard some of these
intentions: “I’m checking into short-term missions
for next summer.” “I plan to spend every Sunday
afternoon sharing Scripture and praying with the elderly at the
nursing home down the street.” “I’ve decided
to set my alarm an hour earlier each morning to sped time in
prayer and the Word.” Sound familiar? Too familiar?
An old saying illustrates pipe dreams of
dabbling inaction: “The man who is just putting on his armor
should not brag as one coming back from the battlefield.”
So many Christians share testimonies of intent as if their
plans were an already accomplished fact. They’re not
alone. Nicolaitanism allows teachers to present truths they haven’t
necessarily lived. This makes the whole idea of a life journey
very conceptual — words without action. James, however,
insists that action evidence the vitality of our faith: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. As the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without deeds is
dead” (James 2:16,26).
Once you’ve acted on that which the
Spirit has prompted you, you’re then qualified to speak.
Remember: the testimony from the top of each precipice you’ve climbed is far
different than that which you have from the bottom.
• How about your own testimonies? Do
they reveal actions based upon your trusting obedience?
• Are they testimonies of things
you’ve read (vicariously living through others’ responses),
or of your own follow through in the Spirit? Is God’s
presence and intervention clearly seen in your testimony?
5. So the three of them climbed higher...;
What a delight to live so close to the
soaring Front Range of the Rockies! Sue and I relish our hikes
through the high forests along the glorious ridge trails west
of Colorado Springs. One trail in particular opens up as you
climb to reveal aerial vistas of the Springs and the vast
prairies to the East. That trail is special, one on which we
like to bring our friends — those who can handle a hike
at 9,000 feet!
Just as heights give you a different
perspective of your surroundings, so do your times of surrender
at your altars along the way. It
isn’t so much what you give
up, but your growing confidence in
your Lord that makes the journey worth it all. You realize that knowing
about Jesus pales to really getting
to know Him.
As you grow in experience with our Lord
you can see events in your past from His perspective. You
realize that past hurts and let- downs were part of His
development process to increase Christ-like character in you.
Your particular history, scars and all,
played a large part in who you are today, even if those
experiences seem as far away to you as “the western sea,
along the shores of which they’d traveled for so
long.”
A dear friend spent a number of years in
prison a while back. His accounts of our Lord’s
faithfulness to get his attention, cleanse him, and transform
him into a “new vessel equipped for His work” have
stirred many people to change. Some have learned from his
testimony that they need to avoid or turn away from the path
that got him there in the first place. Others have experienced
the joy of beginning to serve Jesus in the fertile prison field
by sowing and harvesting seeds of life in His name.
Our Father doesn’t intend for you to
walk in shame because of your past. Jesus cleansed you from all
your wrongdoing when you humbly came to Him in repentance and
trusted in His bloody sacrifice on your behalf. BY receiving
His forgiveness for your wrong, you can be a lantern of hope to
someone who struggles with disbelief that he or she can find
forgiveness and reconciliation in Him too.
Any fear that those memories will hurt you
are as impotent as the rocked tossed by Much-Afraid’s
nemeses from her past. What you went through back then was a
reality. Now ask our Father for the wisdom to know how and when
to use that victorious testimony of His intervention to bring
help to others!
• Are there “hidden
treasures” from your past about which you’re too
ashamed to mention because you fear others’ response? Ask
our Father to remove that “sting” so that these can
be used appropriately to bring hope to fellow travelers!
7. On arriving there just as darkness
fell...;
In an earlier study we quoted the poem
“Step By Step”, one that has so impacted our lives
that we included it at the end of our book, Demolishing Strongholds.
One of the poem’s stanzas paints a vibrant word picture
of our journey up the precipice:
One step thou seest — then go
forward boldly,
One step is far enough for faith to see;
Take that, and thy next duty shall be told
thee,
For step by step thy Lord is leading thee.
Once you take that first step of
obedience, you’re able to perceive things around you in a
way that you couldn’t have before you started the climb.
As Much-Afraid continued to take one shaky step at a time, she
encountered unexpected relief that had gone unnoticed from her
earlier perspective at ground level. The rope and plank bridge
were a welcome delight that she never would have been able to
appreciate had she abandoned her quest and not taken that first
step upward.
One step of faith
that leads to action separates
the true followers of Jesus from those who are Christian in
name only. And each step of obedient trust takes you further
and further away from those who won’t even embark on the
first step.
Sue: I remember being surprised by joy
when I first began to teach kindergarten at a small Christian
school. My educational background included nothing about
introducing little ones to the wonder of reading and writing.
But our Father accepted my dependent, untrained willingness as
a start. He constructed a “resource plank” for me
and a strong rope of encouragement through my students’
parents and fellow teachers so that my chasm of self-doubt was
crossed with laughter and His sufficiency!
Much-Afraid also learned much along the
way about harnessing her thoughts: “From bitter
experience she knew that pictures thrown on the screen of her
imagination could seem much more unnerving and terrible than
the actual fears.” Each single step of faith is powerful
evidence that you are trusting the One Who has called you to
take it.
When you choose to depend on your Lord,
you’re proclaiming boldly and clearly that His power is
all you need, even when your circumstances don’t appear
to have changed. Continue to take your thoughts captive and
bring them into obedience to Jesus. As you do, you’ll
grow in relaxation and be prepared to appreciate a resting
place for yourself and your family when it comes your way!
• Recall an assignment of some sort
that you had to fulfill even though you felt totally inadequate
or unprepared. How were you able to follow through on it?
• How did you see your Lord intervene
on your behalf when you cried out to Him?
8. When the plank was crossed...; 9. With a
sense of great relief...; 10. Not far from the cave...
Sue: Some of our most refreshing resting
places from our Father’s hand have been marked by
wonderful simplicity. Yes, we’ve marveled with the
throngs at national parks and amusement areas, but do you know
what? The days spent in a friend’s rustic, rural cabin on
a dirt road, the nights wrapped in a sleeping bag in the back
of our camped van, the serene drives through the mountains just
for a few hours — these are the memories that have
reminded Mike and me of the importance of slowing down and
breathing in the quiet every so often.
Much-Afraid and her companions were filled
with “great relief and thankfulness” for their
modest cave setting. They didn’t need HBO or a heated
pool to satiate their needs! A simple meal, fresh water, and
comfy bed replenished them because they weren’t bedeviled
by a need to be entertained.
We know that getting away even for a few
hours of quiet can be a challenge if you have small children.
But ask our Father to open for you an avenue of simple renewal
to shut down for a brief rest.
When Mike and I were caring full-time for
Mike’s Mom after her strokes, that one hour a day when
the home health aide came allowed us a breather so that our
ears didn’t have to be attuned to meeting needs. And
sometimes that’s all you need!
•Describe a period of rest and
refreshment hallmarked by simplicity that has met your need.
What step would it take for you to enjoy even a brief time of
refreshment?
• Are you most replenished in body,
soul and spirit when you are totally alone? With a loved one?
With a group of friends?
11. Much-Afraid woke with the first
light...
Envision for a moment the prophet Elijah.
The beleaguered old man had done great things for God, walking
in the most powerful anointing of his day. Yet in order for him
to receive a clearer understanding of the Lord he served, God
brought him to Mount Horeb, the Mountain of Desolation.
Mike: I can identify with Elijah in some
ways. During the four years that led up to our time in Israel I
went through painful trials of betrayal and loneliness. When
Sue and I returned to the US our Lord gave me a reason for that
scathing period of wretchedness: He needed to desolate me of
motives that were not like His.
I recalled this season of refinement as
Much-Afraid looked out at the desolation around her.
Life’s precipices are a time in which you are desolated
of motivations that once had control of you. A nationally-
known teacher publicly shared this concept after his bout with
cancer: “Before I had cancer” he related, “I
thought Jesus was number one in my life. But when I became ill,
I realized that He wasn’t number one, but about fourth or fifth. Now
I can honestly say that my relationship with Jesus is my top
priority.” Isn’t it amazing what it takes to change
our motivations!
The Psalmist also understood the value of
suffering to alter life purposes: “Before
I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:67,72).
• Look around you right now. Can you
see something that God would like to remove from your life
because it is hindering your relationship with Him? What are
you willing to do about what He shows you?
• Can you think of a time when
affliction changed your character or motives?
• In your priorities, where would you place Jesus in
your life? Where would He put Himself in light of your current
lifestyle and choices?
12. Just then she looked up...; 13.
Much-Afraid stared...; 14. At that moment...
One of the marvels of our Father’s
hand in the arid outskirts of Colorado Springs has been the
variety of brilliant blossoms tucked into the dry grasses and
gray-green shrubs. When the Psalmist exulted that “the
trees clap their hands”, he must have meant the flowers
as well! Only our Lord Jesus, by Whom all things are made,
could cause a single seedling to take root in seemingly
inhospitable conditions, then blaze forth in brilliant color!
Sue: Have you ever been amazed at the
sight of a lush juniper or pine rising to the sky from the side
of a sheer cliff? How can it hold on? From where does it derive
its nutrients? Yet there it stands, a silent witness to the
Hand that nourishes and sustains it in its impossible perch!
Let’s put this in human terms now.
Our persecuted brothers and sisters in China and Indonesia, for
example, struggle to survive with the barest of food and
shelter. Yet like that little red flower, they find strength in
the presence of the Spirit of Jesus within, and their
life-sustaining hope of His promise of eternal life. They are
vibrant testimony of the Rock Who holds them in His unfailing
grip just as the crevice gripped the flower’s roots.
• When have you unexpectedly come
upon a tiny piece of His creation when you least thought
you’d find it? What was there about it that especially
caught your eye?
• Are you interceding for particular
persecuted family members in Jesus? If not, consider contacting
Voice of the Martyrs at their website: www.persecution.com for
the names and needs of specific brothers and sisters.
15. “My name is ‘Bearing the
Cost...; 16. Then Much-Afraid recalled...; 17. She gazed at the
little flower...; 18. Once more, a little whispering laugh...
Consequences result
from every action you take, every word spoken to another
person, every encounter you face. It’s a fact of life!
Even if you don’t intend it, someone else’s actions
or involvement in your life are going to impact your life for
good or for ill.
Much-Afraid is given the chance early on
to consider the truth of Bearing-the-Cost’s words. The
little flower had no choice about the place in which
she’d been left. Yet it was up to her to decide whether
to shrivel up and die or to turn with hope to the light. And as
we all know, from each blossom emerges many little seeds for
future gardens.
Sue and I have no doubt about Who told us
in Israel to share this message — our Father! We also
know that it may take three generations before the fruit of
what we are sharing comes forth. In other words, you may be
pressing onward for a gift that your grandchildren may be
blessed with.
Perhaps you’re thinking that we're
repeating certain biblical themes too often. But the apostle
Peter cherished reminders, so we’ll follow his example: “So I will always remind you of these
things, even though you know them and are firmly
established in the truth you now
have. I think it is right to refresh
your memory as long as I live in the
tent of this body” (2
Peter 1:12,13).
We’ve already stated that when God
brings you to an “impassible precipice” He wants
you to look back at what you went through to get there. Why?
Countless thousands of Christians are hindered from proceeding
further because they hold begrudging
attitudes toward God and
others who have hurt them or let them down in their lives.
“Begrudging” isn’t the
angry type of bitterness, but a seething inner resentment
— the worst kind that impairs your health and
contaminates all your relationships. Unless you reverently fear
God and are fully confident that He means what He says in His
Word, it’s impossible for you to free yourself from
begrudging bitterness. This is why it’s vital that you
pay attention to the lesson that Bearing-the-Cost offers.
The most important character quality you
can teach your children is to have a forgiving heart. Remember
the Lord’s Prayer? “Forgive
us our debts, as we also have already forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). To be a follower of Jesus means
that you have already forgiven those who hurt you, even at the
moment they cause you pain. Isn’t that the testimony of
both Jesus and the first martyr, Stephen, “Father, forgive them...”?
There is no middle ground in this. If you
and your children don’t forgive, then our Lord Jesus
warns, “For if you forgive men when
they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men
their sins, your Father will not
forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14,15).
If you yearn to follow Jesus, then love
and forgiveness must go hand-in-hand in your walk. As Paul
declares in 1 Corinthians 13, if you do not love, then all your
activity, your gifting, and your service to God are
meaningless. And consider this: If you don’t forgive, you
do not have eternal life. “We
know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.
Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates
his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him” (1
John 3:14,15).
We live in a fallen world, and people get
hurt. The ultimate cost you bear for being hurt in the world is
to forgive. Please don’t treat this matter lightly. Your
eternal state is at stake!
• The diagram at the bottom of the
next page appeared in our August 2003 newsletter. How far to
the right of the diagram are you concerning those who once hurt you?
• When you think of a particular
person, does resentment come to mind? Forgive this individual
from your heart, and consider asking him or her for forgiveness for your begrudging
attitude against them.
19. “I have borne and have not
fainted...; 20. Much-Afraid looked...; 21. At that moment a
fragment...
It’s all too easy to get distracted
by responsibilities and even pleasures so that Jesus fades as
your foremost priority. He’s not looking for your respect
that He’s a great teacher, your sense of duty as you come
before Him, or your vast knowledge of His Word. Jesus lives to
intercede for those He loves, and for those who love Him!
What your devotion to Jesus has cost you
in terms of material gain or worldly companions is dross
compared to walking in confident relationship with Him. Others
have their own relationship with Jesus to contend with. The
question for you is: Do you have absolute assurance of His
faithfulness to lead you Home?
Your answer calls for an eternal perspective
about your life here on earth. This is often hard to maintain
since we do live in this world. Yet we are warned often in the
Word to not let our motivations align themselves with those of
the world (e.g., John 15:19, 2 Corinthians 10:3, James 4:4).
We are just sojourners passing through
this world toward an eternal destination. If we’re still
on earth when Jesus returns, we “will be caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other
with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:17,18).
The words we speak really do help steer
other people’s hearts toward the loving faithfulness of
Jesus. Think of that the next time you’re eating dinner
with others, on the phone, online, or even at the checkout
counter!
Our Father esteems the ones whose trust
and hope prevail. He affirms those whose view extends beyond
this world: “[Abra-ham] was
looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect
and builder is God... They were longing for a better country
— a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:10;16).
Much-Afraid’s words resounded with an eternal resonance, “Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire but thee.” Let’s make this a true song in our own hearts as well!
• Do you initiate conversations with
others in the faith about eternity? If you don’t, what
keeps you from doing so? Really, think about it. Is eternity real for you, or just
a vague hope for some future day?
• Ask your journey partner or your
family what topics are foremost in your conversations. Jesus
tells us, “Out of the heart
the mouth speaks.” What
do your words reveal?
22. After a little they came to a place...;
23. Immediately Sorrow...; 24. Much-Afraid was so faint...; 25.
Then Suffering herself...
You don’t know how deep your
convictions are or what your character is made of until they
are tested. Eager plans and good intentions are meaningless
until they are tested in adversity. That’s when the cost
is really borne! You really can’t consider yourself to be
“forgiving” until you have someone you need to
forgive.
Forgiveness becomes a way of life.
It’s not just your relational “biggies” that
need attention. Even the careless motorist who cuts you off is
an opportunity to exercise your willingness to forgive! The
Book of Proverbs abounds with the theme of choosing to forgive,
but two serve as examples of practical application: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a
prudent man overlooks an insult” (Proverbs 12:16). “A
man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook
an offense” (Proverbs 19:11).
Are you walking
in wisdom or foolishness?
Activity-based relationships are seldom
tested. They aren’t based on growing devotion to each
other. Much-Afraid’s companions didn’t just offer
platitudes or verses. They came to her aid as relational load-bearers. Coming alongside, they put their arms around her,
secured her safety tether, and reminded her of the
Shepherd’s cordial of grace and comfort. When she was
unable to even appropriate that, they poured it into her
themselves!
Sue: I’m reminded of the
stretcher-bound paralytic and his four faithful friends. They
trusted Jesus enough, and loved their friend so dearly, that
they went to extreme lengths to bring him to the One Who could
heal!
In order for personal relationships to
grow in intimacy as the extended spiritual family our Lord
intends, they need to pass through relational hurdles in which
they are tested. Negative situations in a relationship
aren’t always a sign of failure, but of areas that need
development through further exploration. That’s why we
wrote Growing Relationships Through
Confrontation — to help
people work through their difficulties and come through with a
stronger relationship.
• What special friendships have
endured the test of misunderstanding, letdown or painful
argument? What steps restored your relationship?
• Who in your life has the freedom to
confront you to help you to press on in your walk in Jesus?
When was the last time he or she did so?
26. Then Sorrow, who had come...; 27. At
last Suffering stooped...; 28. Much-Afraid gave her...; 29.
“What flower was that?”...; 30. “It was the
flower of Bearing-the-Cost”...
None of us likes to be known as a
“moaner”. Even Scripture warns against grumbling
and complaining! As painful as your present situation may be,
no friend can solve your problem for you — it’s
really a heart issue you’re facing. Even the most patient
of comforting friends needs to know when to back off and direct
you to Jesus, the Key to your restored peace.
That’s exactly what Suffering does.
She confronts Much-Afraid with the lesson that had been placed
before her just that morning by Bearing-the-Cost. True friends
don’t let another friend wallow in a pity-party. They
redirect their buddy back to firm footing, in this case,
applying what has already been revealed by our Lord.
Without lecturing her on the benefits of
forgiveness, Suffering stirs Much-Afraid to discover within her
own previous experience a solution to the problem at hand. If
you’re a parent then you understand this concept. Lessons
that emerge from your child’s own wellspring of figuring
it out are likelier to be retained than those you just tell
them. Sorrow and Suffering knew that the Shepherd’s
cordial would help their limping friend, but how much more
valuable for Much-Afraid’s growth in wisdom for her to come up
with the same conclusion!
Don’t feel that you have to come up
with all the answers for a suffering friend. Instead, respond
in such a way that your hurting friend can discover how
faithful Jesus is in his or her own circumstances. Even praying
together allows an opening for the Holy Spirit to breathe the
answer into your midst.
• What evidence can you give to
indicate that you are growing in “Bearing-the-Cost”
in even minor irritations and frustrations?
• What particular incident in your
life stands out in which someone came to your aid out of love
when you were suffering? When was the last time you made
contact with that person to thank them again for encouraging
you when you so desperately needed it?
31. “Let us try”...; 32. As
they dropped a little...; 33. There, coming toward them...
In a few chapters we’ll encounter
another hurdle in which only your complete forgiveness will
permit you to go on further. Now is a good time to give
yourself a “forgiveness check” and make sure there
is no one against whom you hold any resentment, grudges, or
irritation — even from your past! Have you let go of everyone in the
freedom of forgiveness?
When was the last time you went to a
funeral or visited a graveside? These are times to poignantly
realize that your own earthly life is going to come to an end
like all the others who preceded you. The generation who walked
in front of us among our family members is all but gone for Sue
and me. Now it’s our turn to be prepared to leave this earth.
Each one of us will stand at the Judgment
Throne by ourselves, bowing before the pierced Lord Who died to
atone for our sins. I believe He’ll be asking if we have loved as He has loved. And
that means, as well, that we have forgiven as He forgives.
Take some time to free your mind from this
world’s endeavors for awhile. Get away briefly from the
distractions of your family, your job, and whatever clamors for
your attention. Stop to ponder the issues of eternity and the
path in life you are on. Remember, you’re heading toward
your salvation. Your pilgrimage is not yet complete!
“Continue to work out your salvation
with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will
and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12b,13).
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