Earlier this morning I spent about 40 minutes working on a devotional about how good God is. As I was coming to an end, I hit a button and it took me to another screen, erasing all of the work I had done. I tried a couple of things to bring it back, but it was gone. Ever been there? I immediately asked God why that had happened. I heard a voice inside of me say, "It was because you hit the wrong button." I don't know if that voice was God or me. But instantly I began to think about another word from Scripture... "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh." Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything. (Job 1:21-22) Now, I am not comparing my little incident with Job's great loss. Let's face it... Job lost his children, his health, and his prosperity. I lost about 40 minutes of computer work that I can probably get back with a little bit of focus and inspiration. Not the same stories... I understand. But the principle of Job is true regardless of what you've lost. I've been at fault more than once in my life. I have given up great things because of stupidity. I have hurt myself and others by various decisions I've made. I am not perfect. I lose things I cannot replace, and I've given trouble I cannot get back. I cannot redeem situations I have created. God, on the other hand is always faithful. Even when He is stripping things from my life that I think I need. Whether God is taking things from me, or is allowing the enemy to ransack my life, He is always faithful, can always redeem and restore, and is never to blame... even if He did the taking. He is always worthy of praise because He does all things well, even when all things do not end well. If King David was right when he wrote, "The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord," (Psalm 24:1), then everything would include my devotional. God can do what He wants with everything I have... including my family and even my life. Whatever God gives me is His, and whatever He takes from me is His. I should bless His name when He gives me something. I should bless the Name of the Lord when He takes something... even if it is the same thing He just gave me. Notice that Job did not sin or blame God when the things he loved most were stripped away in God's sovereignty. Our finger was not made to shake in the face of God. Our lips were not created to accuse the Creator and Lover of our soul. We tend to question God's activity in our lives more freely than we praise God for His activity in our lives. This should not be. Neither should we bless God more honestly when He gives us a thing than when He takes that thing away. Right now I can say that I am happier with this devotional which took half the time of the one I lost earlier. Did God take it? Did the Devil steal it? Did I sabotage myself with user error? It doesn't matter. God was good when I sat down to the laptop. He was good in the process of my writing about how good He is. He was good when I hit the wrong button. He was good when I couldn't get it back. He is just good, and worthy to be blessed regardless of my situation. The same goes for you in your situation today. Today, you will likely gain something you want in your life. Be thankful. But in the same time period, you will likely lose something that you don't want to lose. I would never diminish that loss. I would simply say, "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Throughout your situation, do not sin, and do not blame God for anything." [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. We've all been there... That moment where someone says something to you and you have a split-second to respond. And in that brief pause, you know that the next words out of your mouth will determine the path of your life... or at least will determine your relationship with that person. Exchanges can get so heated so quickly that sometimes we don't even remember what was said, or how the conversation came off the rails. The enemy loves this because it makes it more difficult to remedy the situation. We typically like to blame the other person, regardless of where the blame actually lies. But we should always approach such situations with the understanding that we hold the key to peace and war. While you cannot make the other person live at peace with you, you always determine whether you draw a verbal sword or glass of water. What if, upon hearing a volatile question or statement, you were to take inventory of your next words? We have become masters at sarcasm, wit, and one-ups-manship. We have conquered the art of the cut-down. We've watched enough reality TV and stand-up comics to know how to deliver a zinger and leave the other person reeling. Unfortunately, the other party has also been trained in the art of verbal war. So as we turn to walk away from them writhing in our blast, they volley another round into our back. It is a sad and painful process when everyone comes to conversations expecting a fight to break out. But what if, instead of trying to hammer them with a hard word, we respond in a way that diffuses what could otherwise be a volatile situation? The writer of Proverbs in the Bible tells us... "A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath." (Proverbs 15:1) This is a universally experienced truth. I'm sure you have seen this in your own life. Whether you are the one asking the question that could lead to a difficult conversation, or you have been asked the question, we all know that a person's words, and how they deliver them are important. Sometimes a person asks a question or makes a statement in order to get an explosive response. They are looking for a fight. But other times, questions and statements are just that. Sometimes we over-analyze or assume ourselves into a fight. The question from a parent to a teenager, "Where have you been?" can be received as accusatory or inquisitive. The response of the teen will often determine the next season of the relationship. I believe the proverb refers to the second person in the conversation. But I also believe it can be referring to the original speaker. How we say things, and how we respond to things said is so important in the keeping of the peace. The proverb recognizes great power in our speech. Your words have directional power. Like a river flowing through a land, words carve out the ground, changing the direction of lives as well as conversations. Anger and peace are in the charged air. They are easily ignited by the wrong or proper response. A few choice words can take you to a place neither person wants to go, or they can take you to a wonderful place of peace no one expected. Your words often challenge the same response to flow from the other person. Words are the seed. Actions are the harvest. Gentle words produce a harvest of peace. Harsh words produce a harvest of wrath. This is often true even with those who actually intended to cause a problem by asking an inflammatory question. Regardless of the response of the other person, it is on you to respond with words that turn away wrath. You may think it makes you look weak, but in the end, 95% of people will think it makes you look brilliant. Today you get to choose your answers. You will come to that pause in the conversation. During that pause... think. If you are quick to the verbal holster, I would encourage you to take 10 seconds to think about your response in a charged conversation... 10 seconds. In those 10 seconds you can think about the future your words will deliver. It has been said, "If you have to think twice about what you are going to say, you probably shouldn't say it." That won't always hold true, but it is a pretty good guide. Whether you are the one initiating a difficult conversation, or the one responding to another, understand you hold the keys to peace and war. No pressure. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. It is another Sunday. Many are getting ready to attend a church worship service. They will enter the church building with smiles and anticipation that they will encounter God and offer Him the praise He is due. Sometimes praise comes so easy. There are things that happen in our lives that cause our hearts to pour forth in thanksgiving and wonder. Perhaps you learned that God healed a family member, or maybe a relationship that was on the rocks last Monday is now restored. It could be that you exchanged a vehicle that was hobbling along for a nice new ride... and then got to work to find that your boss gave you a raise that will help you pay for it. Who doesn't want to go to church and testify to His goodness? But there will be many who enter the worship gathering today with some fear and maybe even bitterness. Things didn't go so well. Perhaps that is you. I want to encourage you today. You can praise God and not fake it. It will require focus and humility. But read this Psalm, and you may find the path to the throne... Lord, I seek refuge in You; let me never be disgraced. In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; listen closely to me and save me. Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and fortress. Deliver me, my God, from the power of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and oppressive. For You are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth. I have leaned on You from birth; You took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always about You. I have become an ominous sign to many, but You are my strong refuge. My mouth is full of praise and honor to You all day long. Don’t discard me in my old age; as my strength fails, do not abandon me. For my enemies talk about me, and those who spy on me plot together, saying, “God has abandoned him; chase him and catch him, for there is no one to rescue him.” God, do not be far from me; my God, hurry to help me. May my adversaries be disgraced and destroyed; may those who seek my harm be covered with disgrace and humiliation. But I will hope continually and will praise You more and more. My mouth will tell about Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot sum them up. I come because of the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will proclaim Your righteousness, Yours alone. God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still proclaim Your wonderful works. Even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me. Then I will proclaim Your power to another generation, Your strength to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches heaven, God, You who have done great things; God, who is like You? You caused me to experience many troubles and misfortunes, but You will revive me again. You will bring me up again, even from the depths of the earth. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. Therefore, I will praise You with a harp for Your faithfulness, my God; I will sing to You with a lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You because You have redeemed me. Therefore, my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm will be disgraced and confounded. (Psalm 71) Notice the writer does not deny or diminish his trouble. While he recognizes his problems, it does not define him... even if others do define him by them. And throughout the statement, his praise for God comes through clear and strong. While his circumstances tell one story about him, he does not complain. Rather, his confidence in his Creator determines his course and communication. Like his life, his proclamation is a roller coaster. Just about the time you think he is done, he comes right back up into a level of worship that crushes the impact of the evil in his life. You and I can be the same way. It has become popular to be defined by our broken state. We tend to give more credit to the enemy and evil than they deserve in our lives. Today as you enter into worship, do not focus on the problems of this life, but on the promises of eternal life. Begin with the name of God... just as you see in this Psalm. Just say "Jesus" several times. Take a deep breath and say His name. Say the blessed name that unlocks the treasures of Heaven until you feel the tears welling up. Then the praise will flow freely... chasing the problems that are real, but are no match for the God who will see you through. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Most prayers are requests for rescue like, "God help me in this situation." But sometimes situations are so bad that prayers include difficult elements like, "God, please do whatever it takes to bring justice in this situation." We need to be careful to pray according to a merciful God's will, but we also need to be careful to not only pray for sweets from a holy God. God is a God of vengeance as well as a God of love. In a fallen world, tough decisions have to be made regarding evil people. Since God is redemptive, His first and constant choice is to save people. But there are those who will not be saved, and in the end must be destroyed before they can harm a great number of people. We don't need to be telling God who to deliver and who to kill, but we can find in Scripture quite a few prayers that incorporate this holistic view of praying for the hard things as well as the nice stuff. Here is one example. It is a prayer of King David... "God, listen to my prayer and do not ignore my plea for help. Pay attention to me and answer me. I am restless and in turmoil with my complaint, because of the enemy’s voice, because of the pressure of the wicked. For they bring down disaster on me and harass me in anger. My heart shudders within me; terrors of death sweep over me. Fear and trembling grip me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, “If only I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and find rest. How far away I would flee; I would stay in the wilderness.Selah I would hurry to my shelter from the raging wind and the storm.” Lord, confuse and confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city; day and night they make the rounds on its walls. Crime and trouble are within it; destruction is inside it; oppression and deceit never leave its marketplace. Now it is not an enemy who insults me— otherwise I could bear it; it is not a foe who rises up against me— otherwise I could hide from him. But it is you, a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend! We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God. Let death take them by surprise; let them go down to Sheol alive, because evil is in their homes and within them. But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. I complain and groan morning, noon, and night, and He hears my voice. Though many are against me, He will redeem me from my battle unharmed. God, the One enthroned from long ago, will hear and will humiliate them Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. My friend acts violently against those at peace with him; he violates his covenant. His buttery words are smooth, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords. Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. God, You will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You." (Psalm 55) There's a lot going on there. There is trust in God alongside fear. There is hope for restoration right next to a desire to see people removed from the picture. We see the value of holiness and the price of sin. This probably isn't a statement/prayer we should make every day for the people in our lives who give us trouble. But it is a perspective that we should appreciate and agree with. Today, think about the reality of this Psalm in your life. Let it cause you to draw closer to God and more compassionate toward the lost. Allow it to be a part of your thinking toward wickedness and those who are determined to do evil. [Bible quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, unless otherwise noted.] Find more of David’s work at Heart Of Ministry. Sometimes you will hear someone say, "That company really went the extra mile." The phrase is also used to refer to people. The idea is that someone did something they did not have to do in order to make things right, or better for someone else. But the concept did not originate in a customer service policy manual. The phrase actually comes from the teachings of Jesus. In fact, I think most of the time we misuse the phrase, "Go the extra mile." Certainly it can mean going above and beyond expectations in every area of life, but when Jesus taught the principle, it was to be applied to our interaction with our enemies. Here is an excerpt from a sermon Jesus preached... "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42) This is one of the hardest things Jesus ever taught. I'm sure He knew that. It would perhaps be easy to dismiss the directives if they came from me. After all, I haven't gone through the injustice you have. But no one experienced more injustice than the innocent and perfect Jesus Christ. He has never required anything of His followers that He Himself did not practice. Here is how I would have probably preached that, if it was my truth... "You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, don't let anyone get away with your eye or tooth. Rather, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, you need to be more aware and avoid or block the slap. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, pray that God will give you a better lawyer than the other guy. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, document it, and at the end of the mile, make him pay for your time. Give to the one who deserves it, and beware of the one who wants to borrow from you." (David 5:38-42) We are born with a sense of justice. That's why we don't like it when the other kid takes our toy. But we are also born with a sinful nature, which is why we try to figure out how to destroy one of his toys while getting ours back. But as Christians, we don't have the option of hurting other people. We are to bend over backwards... turn the other cheek... settle without our day in court... and go the extra mile... HERE'S THE KICKER... We aren't to do these things for our friends... which we would gladly do, right?!? We are to do these things for our enemies. YIKES! Really?!? Yes. Go the extra mile for someone who hates you and is trying to misuse you. What about justice? God will take care of that? Trust me... He is keeping score. He knows how many times your cheek was slapped. He knows how many times you caved into false lawsuits. He knows how many shirts and coats you gave away. He knows how many miles you walked. He knows how many times you lent money to people who would not repay. He knows. He is keeping a running tab. One day the other person will be truly sorry and pay for their unjust actions. But not today. Today, we treat our enemy as God has treated us. Jesus went on to say... “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48) In slapping you on the first cheek, taking you to court to steal your shirt, forcing you to walk a path that is not yours, the other person proves whose child they are... they are of their father the Devil. When you turn to offer the other cheek, give them your coat with the shirt, and go the extra mile, you prove whose child you are. You are a child of God, and God always takes care of His children. Today you will likely be forced to go a mile by someone you don't like. Go two miles with them. If you're like me... you need the exercise anyway. The second mile is always the hardest, until you realize that Jesus is walking it with because He already knows the way. In fact... He is the Way. |
AuthorMy name is David, and I want to know God more, and help other people find Him. Archives
March 2019
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