Spring 1988
Understanding the Circumstances of Life
Wade E Taylor

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, and the Father by Him" Col 3:17.

Each spiritual consecration or decision that we make has an eternal purpose behind it that transcends its present effect. It is very important for us to understand this so we will be able to rightly view the circumstances that provide us with the opportunity to make these decisions or consecrations. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED that we should walk in them" Eph 2:10.

We remember most of our important spiritual consecrations because they have a recognizable purpose and directly affect our spiritual life in some way. We value these and hold them as important spiritual experiences.

Then, there are the multitudes of seemingly unrelated choices that we are forced to make each day of our lives, but which do not appear to have any lasting purpose or value. We tolerate these, but think concerning them, "If I can just get past all of these mundane things, then I will be able to seek that which has spiritual value."

However, the Lord views these seeming mundane decisions quite differently than we do, as these are not merely arbitrary choices that must be made as we pass through life. From His eternal point of view, varied circumstances are purposely placed in our path so as to provoke us to make a decision concerning them. The result of these decisions will then become an "ingredient" in the composition of a "seed" that is being formed by the Lord. "Behold, a sower (the Lord) went forth to sow (seed)," Matt 13:3b.

The Scripture tells us that we are predestined "to be conformed to the image of His Son," Rom 8:29b. The present development of this "image" can be pictured as a "seed" that is being gradually formulated during our span of life, which contains all of the ingredients that are necessary to bring into manifestation the extent to which we have developed into this "image of His Son." All that is needed for it to be fully revealed is the "soil," or the atmosphere of eternity.

This can be compared to an apple seed. Every necessary ingredient is contained within this seed to produce a tree, fully grown and bearing apples. There is nothing that needs to be added to this seed. All that is required for it to develop into a fully mature tree is the right environment.

We often become confused when our spiritual consecrations or decisions, which seemed so outstanding at the time, fade away with no lasting consequence. This is because we only see the present effect that these produced. We do not realize that our consecration or decision became an "ingredient" in the preparation of the "seed" that we are becoming. Nor are we able to see the fully matured tree that will be released from this seed when it enters the environment of eternity.

When the new day dawns, the atmosphere will be present to release the pent- up life that is contained within this seed. Only then will it be able to spring forth into its full expression of life. The life that will be manifested from this seed will be the cumulative result of all the ingredients (decisions), both good and bad, that went into its make-up. Jesus said of this seed, that some "fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold" Matt 13:8. The quality of our consecrations and decisions throughout the span of our life determines which of these gradations will apply to our eternal estate.

The most important thing that I can do today is to live in such a way that only the very best ingredients go into the make-up of this seed that I am becoming. Most of the spiritual consecrations that I make will not be able to come to the full outworking of their intended purpose. There is not enough time within the span of our lifetime for this to happen. However, our present spiritual consecrations and decisions are very important, and have a vital part in the make-up of this seed that will manifest in eternity what we have become in relation to His image.

In eternity, the effect that these consecrations and decisions had upon us will develop into its full fruition. There will be ample time for the outworking of these experiences, that time was not able to accommodate. Much must be accomplished within each one of us in order to bring us to a compatibility with eternity. The vision that was given to John on the Isle of Patmos revealed a man with a four sided face. From one side he appeared to be as a lion; from the second, a man; from the third, a calf; and from the fourth, an eagle. Each of these views revealed the same man, yet each demonstrated a different quality within his makeup.

This four sided heavenly view was the result of the outgrowth of a fully matured seed. This understanding of the present purpose of the Lord in forming a "seed" from the cumulative decisions, choices, and experiences of our lives is very important. It will affect the quality of the decisions we make in our every day experiences, and helps us to rightly interpret life.

From the Lord's perspective, He will place within our pattern of life experience, all of the circumstances that are necessary so as to enable us to make the decisions that will produce this "seed" that He desires us to become.

Thus, our reaction to the many circumstances that we experience in life becomes a part of bringing forth the ultimate purpose of the Lord. It may seem that He moves in very unusual ways, but He has a higher purpose in view. I can better express this by sharing an experience from my life. In the immediate view, the things I went through made no sense at all, nor could they be interpreted at the time.

We were living in a very comfortable home. Then, we were told that we had to move. I began to look, and found a home that was both affordable and desirable. It seemed right for my family to move there. However, when I submitted it to the Lord, and He clearly said, "NO." Later, I looked at another home that was adjacent to a swamp. It was so enclosed in trees that it was dark within during the day-time. As a result of this, it was very damp and musty throughout the house. Also, it was too small for us to rightly fit within. Everything about it seemed wrong. Even the rent was higher than a more desirable home.

Nevertheless, the Lord told us that this was the place for us to be. We moved in, and all of our things began to get damp and musty. At the time, it did not seem to make any sense at all for us to be there, nor did it seem reasonable that the Lord would tell us to live in such a place. But, He did.

The guidance of the Lord almost always transcends our present understanding and requires "raw" faith on our part to be obedient. Our obedience is far more important than our present understanding of things, or even our own comfort. We may make a judgment and choose what we "feel" to be best, but in His Kingdom, all is quite different and relates to a far higher purpose. Had we used our own judgment the following could never have happened.

The principle of the Kingdom is "life out of death." The Lord moved us into this house completely against everything that was reasonable. No one in their right mind would have done this. However there was a purpose that was completely unknown to us at that time.

The second day that we were there, a lady came to the door. She explained to my wife that we were living just outside of the city limits, and that the children had to be registered for school that very day, or we would face a lot of problems.

There was no way for my wife to get to the school, as I had gone to work in our car. A family that we knew from church lived a short distance from us. She walked over to see if they would take her to the school.

Just then, Bob Mumford, who had been in my class in Bible school, along with the president of Elim Bible Institute were leaving this home. We were invited to visit Elim during a convention. My wife told me of this and I said that I would rather not go. Later, I remembered this and said, "If we were going, this would be the day, but we are not."

During the day, the Lord clearly told me to call my wife and tell her to be ready to go when I arrived home from work. We attended the convention at Elim, as the Lord had spoken. Through this, I became a teacher at Elim, which entirely changed our lives. When we moved to Elim from our undesirable "home," we were only charged one weeks rent, the rest was refunded. Had "I" chosen the more desirable house, a one-year lease was required and we would not have been able to enter this very important door of ministry.

This step of obedience, in falling into the ground to die, became a part of the "seed" that I am becoming, and also released us into a higher realm of life and ministry. This is an outworking of the Kingdom of God in practical reality, producing within a people the substance of the greater Kingdom that will be manifested in His time.

The Lord spoke, and out of this came a fully developed principle of life because the Lord was able to have His way. Had we taken the more desirable home, the ingredients (meeting the two men) that were necessary to bring this seed into its full development would not have been present.

A clearer understanding of these things will come in the age to come, when the "seed" that we have become will be fully manifested as a beautiful tree along the river of life bearing all manner of fruit for the healing of the nations.

Then, we will understand the "why" of these difficult experiences, and we will be fully satisfied.