It barely seems possible but another year has passed and we are at the threshold of a new year. I remember old people telling me when I was a kid that years go by faster when you start getting older. Though I'm far from being old, it seems to be true.
I didn’t set out to learn as much as I did this past year, but I was able to learn many things and hopefully will be able to apply that knowledge and make the upcoming year even better. There is an old saying that says you are never get too old to learn something new. I found out many things about me and several things about others this year. Some include;
* There are more people in the world that keep you as a “friend” that only want you around to use you if there is a need for you in their life. If everything is going smoothly in their lives, you won’t hear from them. When the going gets tough or something’s broke, they’ll buddy up to you again. Actually, I knew this before but it was even more present in this past year. Especially at work.
* No matter how much you pray, beg, plead, etc. The decisions of others are totally out of your control and you cannot force people to walk the “straight and narrow”. The world has lots of things to entice others and living for Christ has a small upside for people who love the things of the world and are enthralled by the things of the world.
* I am even more apathetic than I thought I was.
* I don’t get upset or downcast by the actions of others as much as I used to. If you have low expectations of others, it doesn’t upset you near as much when they fail to meet your expectations.
* Being loved is overrated.
* Being a “butthead” has limited positive benefits.
* Being alone is underrated.
OK, not everything I learned was a downer. There were several things I learned that are useful. Many of which were relationship oriented. If the Lord allows, I hopefully will have the opportunity to use them in the future.
If I look over the goals I had for the past year, I was able to make progress on some items also.
* I paid off my former spouse’s vehicle and freed up many dollars per month.
* I “pursued” getting to know a young lady even more this past year in an attempt to be more of a part of her life. During this time I found out that I was much more interested in her than she was interested in me. But at least I was able to hone my skills ;-)
* I made much progress in getting my finances in order.
When setting my goals for the upcoming year, I removed the items that are out of my control. For example, though I would love to have a relationship with my two Children, much of it is totally out of my control. No matter how much time and energy I devote to being part of their lives again, it’s pretty much up to them to make it happen. I can make myself available to them but that’s the extent of my control of the situation.
So far some of the goals I have are;
* Pay off my truck again this year
* Spend more time with in-depth Bible study. (less superficial study)
* Continue to overcome shortcomings/”addictions” of the past
* Increase charitable giving
* Work to build stronger relationships
* Learn to trust others more (not everyone is out to take from you, leave you, or stab you in the back)
Goals are important in your life. Each person needs a vision of what they want in the future. In Proverbs 29:18, God says that without a vision His people perish. I recommend that each person set aside time to map out your goals for the year. Not resolutions, they often disappear by the end of January and you’ve forgotten them in a very short time. But real, long term goals for your life. If you have a vision of where you want to be, you stand a better chance of getting there. Having them written down somewhere so you come across them on a regular basis improves the chances that you can accomplish the goals and improve your life.
Lastly, remember that some goals take longer to attain than others. Don't give up on any worthwhile goal that you set unless God tells you to move on.
__________________________________________________________
Proverbs 29:18 (The Message)
If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
Philippians 4:6 (English Standard Version)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Does God Care How I Live or Act?
I recently read a Facebook post where the user posted, “I don’t care what others do or say about me. I try to live for the Lord, but I’m not perfect. He understands and loves me just like I am, whether I’m good or not”. I also was told once by a local pastor that, “we cannot be perfect in our lives. Living like Jesus says is not attainable. He understands that and loves us anyway”. I thought on these statements for quite some time and came up with several questions:
• Can we turn our lives over to God and then continue to live how we want and treat Him and His word like dirt?
• Are we supposed to live like we want because His standards are too high?
• Does God expect us to live as a Christian all the time or only when we feel like it?
• Are we so shallow and self absorbed with our own wants and desires that we put God on the shelf until we need Him?
• Does God really love us if we continually sin against Him or ignore His rules/teachings?
• If we live life doing what we want, when we want, are we really Christians at all?
God loves everyone. He sent His Son, Jesus, to repair the gap created between God and Man when Adam sinned. Since there is no doubt that God loves us, I did some research on it and found the following:
What God wants is this: He wants you to be completely good, and separate from everything that is bad.
In I Thessalonians 4, Paul tells us that we should live a life that pleases God. We do this by separating ourselves from the things that draw us away from Him. Some of these are sexual immorality, lying, cheating, stealing, coveting others possessions, cursing, etc. Anything that God frowns upon, makes Him sad when we do them. How do you find out what God frowns upon? Read His word.
In I John 3, the writer tells us that we cannot act like the devil and still be a disciple of Christ. We cannot serve the one that Jesus came to destroy and Him also. If we still are trapped by and desire the things we profess to turn from, we may need to re-check our “decision” to follow Christ and make sure of its validity.
Matthew Henry said of this, “Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is that light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. There is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by their hating real Christians. He only is righteous before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay these truths to heart, and try themselves by them”.
In Romans 6, we see that we are not to sin more to make acquire more grace. The apostle is very full in pressing the necessity of holiness. He does not explain away the free grace of the gospel, but he shows that connection between justification and holiness are inseparable. True believers are dead to sin, therefore they ought not to follow it. No man can at the same time be both dead and alive. He is a fool who, desiring to be dead unto sin, thinks he may live in it.
Years ago, we were “sighting in” the scope on a rifle I was using. I went to a friends firing range to shoot and took aim at the target. While shooting, I discovered that the sight was set too low. I aimed using that sight, but I hit the bottom of the target. I had to aim high in order to hit anywhere near the bull’s-eye. I adjusted the scope several times and finally got it lined up to where I was aiming.
Aren’t our lives a lot like that? If we set our sights too low, we really don’t accomplish all that we can. Sometimes we have to aim high in order to reach a desired goal.
What should be our aim in life? How high should we point our ambitions? Well, since Scripture is our true guide, we will shoot for nothing but spiritual maturity. In fact, in Paul’s farewell to the people of Corinth, he said, “Aim for perfection” (2 Cor. 13:11 NIV). And we also have the high aim of these words from the lips of Jesus, “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).
Perfection is a lofty target, and we won’t attain it in this life. But if we want to honor God and get close to that high goal, we need to aim high. That means turning from our sinful and failed ways of the past and turning to the honorable things of God. It takes a change in heart and mind to follow God. If we are to follow Him, we have to get off of the paths we have walked all our lives and walk in a way that will bring honor to Him.
Yes, God will still love us if we are imperfect. However, if we call ourselves followers of Him we should do all within our power to follow His teachings and bring joy to Him in our lives.
________________________________________________________
1 Thessalonians 4 (English Standard Version)
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 John 3:9 (ESV)
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
Romans 6:1-2 (ESV)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Matthew 5:48 (ESV)
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
• Can we turn our lives over to God and then continue to live how we want and treat Him and His word like dirt?
• Are we supposed to live like we want because His standards are too high?
• Does God expect us to live as a Christian all the time or only when we feel like it?
• Are we so shallow and self absorbed with our own wants and desires that we put God on the shelf until we need Him?
• Does God really love us if we continually sin against Him or ignore His rules/teachings?
• If we live life doing what we want, when we want, are we really Christians at all?
God loves everyone. He sent His Son, Jesus, to repair the gap created between God and Man when Adam sinned. Since there is no doubt that God loves us, I did some research on it and found the following:
What God wants is this: He wants you to be completely good, and separate from everything that is bad.
In I Thessalonians 4, Paul tells us that we should live a life that pleases God. We do this by separating ourselves from the things that draw us away from Him. Some of these are sexual immorality, lying, cheating, stealing, coveting others possessions, cursing, etc. Anything that God frowns upon, makes Him sad when we do them. How do you find out what God frowns upon? Read His word.
In I John 3, the writer tells us that we cannot act like the devil and still be a disciple of Christ. We cannot serve the one that Jesus came to destroy and Him also. If we still are trapped by and desire the things we profess to turn from, we may need to re-check our “decision” to follow Christ and make sure of its validity.
Matthew Henry said of this, “Religion is not an art, a matter of dexterity and skill, but a new nature. And the regenerate person cannot sin as he did before he was born of God, and as others do who are not born again. There is that light in his mind, which shows him the evil and malignity of sin. There is that bias upon his heart, which disposes him to loathe and hate sin. There is the spiritual principle that opposes sinful acts. And there is repentance for sin, if committed. It goes against him to sin with forethought. The children of God and the children of the devil have their distinct characters. The seed of the serpent are known by neglect of religion, and by their hating real Christians. He only is righteous before God, as a justified believer, who is taught and disposed to righteousness by the Holy Spirit. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. May all professors of the gospel lay these truths to heart, and try themselves by them”.
In Romans 6, we see that we are not to sin more to make acquire more grace. The apostle is very full in pressing the necessity of holiness. He does not explain away the free grace of the gospel, but he shows that connection between justification and holiness are inseparable. True believers are dead to sin, therefore they ought not to follow it. No man can at the same time be both dead and alive. He is a fool who, desiring to be dead unto sin, thinks he may live in it.
Years ago, we were “sighting in” the scope on a rifle I was using. I went to a friends firing range to shoot and took aim at the target. While shooting, I discovered that the sight was set too low. I aimed using that sight, but I hit the bottom of the target. I had to aim high in order to hit anywhere near the bull’s-eye. I adjusted the scope several times and finally got it lined up to where I was aiming.
Aren’t our lives a lot like that? If we set our sights too low, we really don’t accomplish all that we can. Sometimes we have to aim high in order to reach a desired goal.
What should be our aim in life? How high should we point our ambitions? Well, since Scripture is our true guide, we will shoot for nothing but spiritual maturity. In fact, in Paul’s farewell to the people of Corinth, he said, “Aim for perfection” (2 Cor. 13:11 NIV). And we also have the high aim of these words from the lips of Jesus, “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).
Perfection is a lofty target, and we won’t attain it in this life. But if we want to honor God and get close to that high goal, we need to aim high. That means turning from our sinful and failed ways of the past and turning to the honorable things of God. It takes a change in heart and mind to follow God. If we are to follow Him, we have to get off of the paths we have walked all our lives and walk in a way that will bring honor to Him.
Yes, God will still love us if we are imperfect. However, if we call ourselves followers of Him we should do all within our power to follow His teachings and bring joy to Him in our lives.
________________________________________________________
1 Thessalonians 4 (English Standard Version)
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 John 3:9 (ESV)
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.
Romans 6:1-2 (ESV)
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Matthew 5:48 (ESV)
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
How I Ended Up This Way - Well, Maybe....... (re-hashed)
Some may consider this disturbing, but I promise you I’m fine and all is well, (as well as it has ever been) in Gary’s head. However, after one of my recent counseling sessions (thanks, ex), I was asked how I felt about life and what I thought others think of me. At my next session I was supposed to give a report about my thoughts. I figured I’d share it so here goes: A word of advice, you might want to click to another page now…………
For most of my life, I cared deeply about all that went on and everyone that was a part of my life. I enjoyed my life, my work, my family & my friends. I absolutely adored my Kids and my “wife”. Over these past few years, almost everything that I cared deeply about was removed, walked away or was taken away. I fought losing them, and did all I could to salvage what I could, but lost miserably. Since then I developed a strong apathy toward others and events that take place in my life. I tried to be a good Father to my two wonderful Children, but evidently didn’t do to well at it since neither of them has a desire to be any part of my life or to have me in theirs. I’ve been told I was horrible at being a husband, so I’ve decided I probably should avoid doing that again or in building relationships in general. Plus having someone you’ve devoted your life to turn their back on you has a tendency to severely damage your self-worth and tarnish your opinion of yourself and your abilities. Even more so when you have no real understanding as to why they did what they did to you.
I’ll live through whatever comes my way, do my best to not interfere with others lives, try to keep to myself to avoid burdening anyone and when my time is up here I’ll die and more than likely few will care. I haven’t and won’t make a major life altering impact on anyone; the world will not mourn my loss nor honor my time here on Earth. I’ve come to accept the fact that I am not the type person that people enjoy having around. I’m opinionated; I do not have a strong “mercy” side to me, don’t have a good bedside manner, cannot give good advice, and offer nothing but an excellent example of how not to do things or how not to live your life. I have an innate ability to rub people the wrong way, especially women. I can fix many broken items but really, is that something to base your whole reason for living on? So I guess technically, I’m not totally useless. :-)
However, as with most issues in my life, I don’t really care if I’m liked or wanted. I’ve learned that human love is not all it’s cut out to be, it’s feelings based, does not last forever, it’s self-serving & self-centered, disposable and that some people are destined to spend their lives alone in solitude/alone. It’s not necessarily what I had planned when I was growing up, as I had a yearning desire to love and to be loved, but sometimes life dumps things in your life and no matter how hard your struggle with it, there’s nothing you can do about it. So you must learn to accept it and move on.
I was chastised recently because of my apathy. Work wants me to be more passionate about my endeavors and goals for work/life as I have been in the past. I’ll try because they are the one who give me a paycheck for now, but from what I’ve discovered these past few years, it will be an almost impossible task to accomplish as apathy has taken a great hold in my life and in the end, will it really matter if I was a devoted employee or not? In life and ministry, I’ll tell you the truth and you can either accept it or reject it. Your beliefs have no lasting impression or bearing on my life on Earth or my eternity afterward. So I really don’t care if you believe me, call me a liar or think I’m crazy.
I saw a t-shirt years ago that said, “Life Sucks, and Then You Die!” I thought at the time the person who was wearing the shirt must have had a difficult time in their life or that they needed to change their outlook on life. I’ve come to realize in the last few years however that for some of us, sadly, it’s true.
I still have a desire to love and to be loved, but it’s getting to be a much diminished and almost non-existent part of my life. I’m here until God says I’m through and calls me on. My opinion is; the sooner the better. I won’t do anything to help shorten my time here, but don’t have any desire to lengthen it. To paraphrase Revelation 22:20, “Even so Lord, come quickly”
My best friend in life told me a few years back, “You’ve changed. You no longer have the passion for life, fun and adventure you once had”. I couldn’t help but agree. I’ve tried to get back to some semblance to where I once was, but somehow I keep getting beat back to where I am.
So there you have it. Yes, I’ve got issues but who doesn’t? Mine may be “extreme”, but it’s where I was dropped off and I’m unable to get out of it. No matter where I turn, who I turn to, or what I do; I’m here. I would love to someday get moved to a new point and once again have a passion for life and love, but I don’t see that happening. And no, it’s not other people’s fault I’m here. I got here through my own bad decisions and gullibility and can’t blame others for my bad choices and decisions. So I guess it’s going to be up to me to get out. But apathy is one strong sucker.
____________________________________
"Still Holding On"
Performed by: Oak Ridge Boys
When I was young, I was sure I never could grow old.
I was gonna climb mountains, and sail the seas, go searching for gold.
But those years come creeping in and my journey gets so long,
I don’t spring back like I used to, but I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in be it right or wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
I thought I’d found true love, I was sure it never could end.
I was blinded by the light in her eyes, couldn’t see around the bend.
Then one night she said goodbye, I turned around and she was gone.
Shook my head and shed my tears, but I’m still holding on.
Holding on to believing that love is a good thing even though she’s gone.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
O at night when the cold wind blows and my collar’s pulled up high.
I’m all alone in a God forsaken place, wondering why.
A man only does what he must do and the journey must go on.
Brush myself off, laugh at the wind ‘cause I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in even thou it’s wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in be it right or wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
For most of my life, I cared deeply about all that went on and everyone that was a part of my life. I enjoyed my life, my work, my family & my friends. I absolutely adored my Kids and my “wife”. Over these past few years, almost everything that I cared deeply about was removed, walked away or was taken away. I fought losing them, and did all I could to salvage what I could, but lost miserably. Since then I developed a strong apathy toward others and events that take place in my life. I tried to be a good Father to my two wonderful Children, but evidently didn’t do to well at it since neither of them has a desire to be any part of my life or to have me in theirs. I’ve been told I was horrible at being a husband, so I’ve decided I probably should avoid doing that again or in building relationships in general. Plus having someone you’ve devoted your life to turn their back on you has a tendency to severely damage your self-worth and tarnish your opinion of yourself and your abilities. Even more so when you have no real understanding as to why they did what they did to you.
I’ll live through whatever comes my way, do my best to not interfere with others lives, try to keep to myself to avoid burdening anyone and when my time is up here I’ll die and more than likely few will care. I haven’t and won’t make a major life altering impact on anyone; the world will not mourn my loss nor honor my time here on Earth. I’ve come to accept the fact that I am not the type person that people enjoy having around. I’m opinionated; I do not have a strong “mercy” side to me, don’t have a good bedside manner, cannot give good advice, and offer nothing but an excellent example of how not to do things or how not to live your life. I have an innate ability to rub people the wrong way, especially women. I can fix many broken items but really, is that something to base your whole reason for living on? So I guess technically, I’m not totally useless. :-)
However, as with most issues in my life, I don’t really care if I’m liked or wanted. I’ve learned that human love is not all it’s cut out to be, it’s feelings based, does not last forever, it’s self-serving & self-centered, disposable and that some people are destined to spend their lives alone in solitude/alone. It’s not necessarily what I had planned when I was growing up, as I had a yearning desire to love and to be loved, but sometimes life dumps things in your life and no matter how hard your struggle with it, there’s nothing you can do about it. So you must learn to accept it and move on.
I was chastised recently because of my apathy. Work wants me to be more passionate about my endeavors and goals for work/life as I have been in the past. I’ll try because they are the one who give me a paycheck for now, but from what I’ve discovered these past few years, it will be an almost impossible task to accomplish as apathy has taken a great hold in my life and in the end, will it really matter if I was a devoted employee or not? In life and ministry, I’ll tell you the truth and you can either accept it or reject it. Your beliefs have no lasting impression or bearing on my life on Earth or my eternity afterward. So I really don’t care if you believe me, call me a liar or think I’m crazy.
I saw a t-shirt years ago that said, “Life Sucks, and Then You Die!” I thought at the time the person who was wearing the shirt must have had a difficult time in their life or that they needed to change their outlook on life. I’ve come to realize in the last few years however that for some of us, sadly, it’s true.
I still have a desire to love and to be loved, but it’s getting to be a much diminished and almost non-existent part of my life. I’m here until God says I’m through and calls me on. My opinion is; the sooner the better. I won’t do anything to help shorten my time here, but don’t have any desire to lengthen it. To paraphrase Revelation 22:20, “Even so Lord, come quickly”
My best friend in life told me a few years back, “You’ve changed. You no longer have the passion for life, fun and adventure you once had”. I couldn’t help but agree. I’ve tried to get back to some semblance to where I once was, but somehow I keep getting beat back to where I am.
So there you have it. Yes, I’ve got issues but who doesn’t? Mine may be “extreme”, but it’s where I was dropped off and I’m unable to get out of it. No matter where I turn, who I turn to, or what I do; I’m here. I would love to someday get moved to a new point and once again have a passion for life and love, but I don’t see that happening. And no, it’s not other people’s fault I’m here. I got here through my own bad decisions and gullibility and can’t blame others for my bad choices and decisions. So I guess it’s going to be up to me to get out. But apathy is one strong sucker.
____________________________________
"Still Holding On"
Performed by: Oak Ridge Boys
When I was young, I was sure I never could grow old.
I was gonna climb mountains, and sail the seas, go searching for gold.
But those years come creeping in and my journey gets so long,
I don’t spring back like I used to, but I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in be it right or wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
I thought I’d found true love, I was sure it never could end.
I was blinded by the light in her eyes, couldn’t see around the bend.
Then one night she said goodbye, I turned around and she was gone.
Shook my head and shed my tears, but I’m still holding on.
Holding on to believing that love is a good thing even though she’s gone.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
O at night when the cold wind blows and my collar’s pulled up high.
I’m all alone in a God forsaken place, wondering why.
A man only does what he must do and the journey must go on.
Brush myself off, laugh at the wind ‘cause I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in even thou it’s wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
Holding on to what I believe in be it right or wrong.
Holding on to my dreams and my crazy schemes yes I’m still holding on.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Some of Our Decisions Have Lingering Damage
Though I’ve done my best, most of the time, to live life as a Christian and follow the teachings in the Bible. There have been times I’ve failed, quite a few sadly. I’ve been credited with many more failures than I can actually claim, but that’s a different story. I can attest that God will be faithful to His word and forgive us our shortcomings. However, there are still consequences for our willing desire to go against the rules and teachings set forth by God. You can get forgiveness for adultery, murder, lying, stealing, anger, etc. but sometimes we still have to pay for the sins. This reminded me of a story that better illustrates this;
A young teen that was constantly getting into trouble always apologized when his parents confronted him. No matter how much he hurt his parents with his previous wrong-doing, he would soon turn around and do something else wrong—knowing he would be forgiven.Finally, his dad took him out to the garage for a talk. Dad picked up a hammer and pounded a nail into the garage wall. Then he gave his son the hammer and told him to pull out the nail.The boy shrugged, grabbed the hammer, and yanked out the nail.
“That’s like forgiveness, Son. When you do something wrong, it’s like pounding in a nail.
Forgiveness is when you pull the nail out.”
Begrudgingly the son said, “Okay, I get it”.
Dad told him, “Now take the hammer and pull out the nail hole”.
“That’s impossible!” the boy said. “I can’t pull it out.”
King David was considered a man after God’s own heart. He lived a life that was an amazing story and you can see all through his life where He was led by God to accomplish many great things. But as this story in 2 Samuel 12 illustrates and King David’s life proves, he wasn’t perfect and his sin carried consequences. Even though David was forgiven, his adultery and murder left scars and led to family problems. This sobering truth can serve as a warning for our lives. The best way to avoid the lingering damage of sin is to live a life of obedience to God.I can personally vouch for the fact that our sins do have consequences. There is a price to be paid for going against the will of God. I’m still paying for some of the bad decisions I’ve made through the years.
Living a life for God can be a difficult task. At times, friends may desert us, we may be ridiculed, even family may turn their backs on us. But striving to live for Him brings blessings and joy that far outweigh the temporary struggles and trials that may come our way. Even though it may seem as if we’re striving to live for Him alone, He promised that He would never leave us or turn His back on us. No matter where you are in your walk with Him, it’s always a walk “with” Him. It’s never us against the world alone. If life’s a struggle now, hold on. Victory and joy may be just around the corner.
A Prayer:
Lord, thank You for being slow to anger and filled with compassion. May I not presume upon Your mercy by assuming there will be no consequences for my sin. Help me to confess and then to sin no more. Amen.
Our sins can be forgiven and washed away, but their consequences are ours to pay.
Adapted from an article by Dave Branon
_______________________________________
2 Samuel 12:1-14 (English Standard Version)
And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'" David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die."
A young teen that was constantly getting into trouble always apologized when his parents confronted him. No matter how much he hurt his parents with his previous wrong-doing, he would soon turn around and do something else wrong—knowing he would be forgiven.Finally, his dad took him out to the garage for a talk. Dad picked up a hammer and pounded a nail into the garage wall. Then he gave his son the hammer and told him to pull out the nail.The boy shrugged, grabbed the hammer, and yanked out the nail.
“That’s like forgiveness, Son. When you do something wrong, it’s like pounding in a nail.
Forgiveness is when you pull the nail out.”
Begrudgingly the son said, “Okay, I get it”.
Dad told him, “Now take the hammer and pull out the nail hole”.
“That’s impossible!” the boy said. “I can’t pull it out.”
King David was considered a man after God’s own heart. He lived a life that was an amazing story and you can see all through his life where He was led by God to accomplish many great things. But as this story in 2 Samuel 12 illustrates and King David’s life proves, he wasn’t perfect and his sin carried consequences. Even though David was forgiven, his adultery and murder left scars and led to family problems. This sobering truth can serve as a warning for our lives. The best way to avoid the lingering damage of sin is to live a life of obedience to God.I can personally vouch for the fact that our sins do have consequences. There is a price to be paid for going against the will of God. I’m still paying for some of the bad decisions I’ve made through the years.
Living a life for God can be a difficult task. At times, friends may desert us, we may be ridiculed, even family may turn their backs on us. But striving to live for Him brings blessings and joy that far outweigh the temporary struggles and trials that may come our way. Even though it may seem as if we’re striving to live for Him alone, He promised that He would never leave us or turn His back on us. No matter where you are in your walk with Him, it’s always a walk “with” Him. It’s never us against the world alone. If life’s a struggle now, hold on. Victory and joy may be just around the corner.
A Prayer:
Lord, thank You for being slow to anger and filled with compassion. May I not presume upon Your mercy by assuming there will be no consequences for my sin. Help me to confess and then to sin no more. Amen.
Our sins can be forgiven and washed away, but their consequences are ours to pay.
Adapted from an article by Dave Branon
_______________________________________
2 Samuel 12:1-14 (English Standard Version)
And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.'" David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child who is born to you shall die."
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Learning From Life’s Lessons
Some of the lessons we get in life are easy, but some can be painful. When my youngest Sister was a child, she put her hand on the stove burner because it was a pretty shade of red. That led to an instantaneous lesson for her. I’ve had similar lessons through the years that were also painful and somehow most always involved my best friend Jeff, but that’s for another day. It always seems that the more painful the lesson, the better we remember it.
When I was a young whipper snapper, one of our favorite television shows to watch was “Happy Days”. The show was good, the cast was good and usually the storyline was good. And who didn’t want to be as cool as Fonzie?
On one episode Richie Cunningham, (played by my long lost twin Ron Howard), was “grounded for life” by his Dad Howard for misbehavior. As they talked about it, Howard asked his son, “Did you know that there is a lesson in this for you?” Richie’s reply was “I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere.”
The book of James has been called the Proverbs of the New Testament. Although it’s not a big book (only 5 chapters and 108 verses), it’s filled with wonderful teachings and useful advise. James wrote: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (1:2-4).
James made a simple point in these verses – God doesn’t waste anything. Everything happens in our lives for a reason, and a great part of that reason is to help us grow in our faith. He uses our life’s events as a teaching tool for our lives.
It’s been said that life is to be lived by moving forward but only can be understood by looking back. This teaches us that we must trust in the loving purposes of a sovereign God. We trust that He is in control-especially when life seems to be out of control. If we’re in something we don’t understand, we have to trust God and recognize that he knows and is in control.
For several weeks, the kids at church and I studied the life of the Old Testament character Joseph. He had a life filled with dark, difficult experiences but his final outcome was amazing. He learned through the extremely difficult circumstances he encountered how to trust God and to overcome. His example can help us as we face the issues of our lives.
In Genesis 50:20, we read the story of how his brothers sold him into slavery: “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Joseph’s perspective reflected a life that had embraced the living God and trusted Him completely.
As you face the difficulties/heartaches of life, it is only by complete trust in the goodness and plan of God that you can overcome. The things that could destroy you can become building blocks on the journey of faith as you look for the hand of God in all circumstances. “This is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith”. (I John 5:4)
If you have never turned your life over to Jesus, confessed your sins and trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, life can be a jumble of confusion. But the One who gave Himself for your failures can bring rightness with God, forgiveness of sin, and a new sense of wholeness and purpose into your weary soul. Christ came into the world because of His love for you and that love can bring an end to the emptiness, bitterness, or sinfulness that wrecks your life.
He offers, by faith, a gift of eternal life and personal forgiveness and the only way to really overcome forever is to accept the victory of Calvary that He accomplished for you; “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). That is real victory-and real overcoming.
Though I’m in no way a brilliant person, I’ve learned many things through the years. Many the easy way, some the hard way, and sadly I’ve had remedial courses on some things because they just didn’t seem to stick with me or I didn’t learn them the first time. No matter how hard the instruction though, it’s always easier when you know the teacher is always looking out for your best interests and love you beyond compare.
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James 1:2-4 (English Standard Version)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
1 John 5:4 (ESV)
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Adapted from “Joseph: Overcoming Life's Challenges - Bill Crowder”)
When I was a young whipper snapper, one of our favorite television shows to watch was “Happy Days”. The show was good, the cast was good and usually the storyline was good. And who didn’t want to be as cool as Fonzie?
On one episode Richie Cunningham, (played by my long lost twin Ron Howard), was “grounded for life” by his Dad Howard for misbehavior. As they talked about it, Howard asked his son, “Did you know that there is a lesson in this for you?” Richie’s reply was “I figured anything with this much pain had to have a lesson in it somewhere.”
The book of James has been called the Proverbs of the New Testament. Although it’s not a big book (only 5 chapters and 108 verses), it’s filled with wonderful teachings and useful advise. James wrote: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (1:2-4).
James made a simple point in these verses – God doesn’t waste anything. Everything happens in our lives for a reason, and a great part of that reason is to help us grow in our faith. He uses our life’s events as a teaching tool for our lives.
It’s been said that life is to be lived by moving forward but only can be understood by looking back. This teaches us that we must trust in the loving purposes of a sovereign God. We trust that He is in control-especially when life seems to be out of control. If we’re in something we don’t understand, we have to trust God and recognize that he knows and is in control.
For several weeks, the kids at church and I studied the life of the Old Testament character Joseph. He had a life filled with dark, difficult experiences but his final outcome was amazing. He learned through the extremely difficult circumstances he encountered how to trust God and to overcome. His example can help us as we face the issues of our lives.
In Genesis 50:20, we read the story of how his brothers sold him into slavery: “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” Joseph’s perspective reflected a life that had embraced the living God and trusted Him completely.
As you face the difficulties/heartaches of life, it is only by complete trust in the goodness and plan of God that you can overcome. The things that could destroy you can become building blocks on the journey of faith as you look for the hand of God in all circumstances. “This is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith”. (I John 5:4)
If you have never turned your life over to Jesus, confessed your sins and trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, life can be a jumble of confusion. But the One who gave Himself for your failures can bring rightness with God, forgiveness of sin, and a new sense of wholeness and purpose into your weary soul. Christ came into the world because of His love for you and that love can bring an end to the emptiness, bitterness, or sinfulness that wrecks your life.
He offers, by faith, a gift of eternal life and personal forgiveness and the only way to really overcome forever is to accept the victory of Calvary that He accomplished for you; “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). That is real victory-and real overcoming.
Though I’m in no way a brilliant person, I’ve learned many things through the years. Many the easy way, some the hard way, and sadly I’ve had remedial courses on some things because they just didn’t seem to stick with me or I didn’t learn them the first time. No matter how hard the instruction though, it’s always easier when you know the teacher is always looking out for your best interests and love you beyond compare.
__________________________________________________
James 1:2-4 (English Standard Version)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Genesis 50:20 (ESV)
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
1 John 5:4 (ESV)
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Adapted from “Joseph: Overcoming Life's Challenges - Bill Crowder”)
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Frustrated With God
With the world we live in, sometimes it’s easy to get frustrated. Just today I was somewhat frustrated at treatment I received from people who decided a few years back that I was a terrible person and wanted to let me know how little they thought of me, and told me pretty much that if God would have removed me from the planet when I was diagnosed with my illnesses, the world would be a better place. There are times when I want to lash out and give an earful to those who believe the things and rumors that were (and still are) spread about me. I told my Daughter a couple of year’s back, “if I believed all the things said about me, I wouldn’t like me either”. But lashing out would only make them feel justified and make them believe the stories even more. So usually, I respond kindly and walk away. The human side of me can be difficult to control at times when faced with morons.
Life presents many opportunities for us to get frustrated. Controlling our emotions is not always an easy task. Sometimes we look at things and even can get frustrated with God because things don’t go the way we want them to.
Being frustrated or angry at God is something that many people have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it’s our natural response. What we are really asking Him, though, is not so much “Why, God?” as “Why me, God?” This response indicates two flaws in our thinking. First, as believers we operate under the impression that life should be easy, and that God should prevent tragedy from happening to us. When He does not, we get angry with Him. Second, when we do not understand the extent of God’s sovereignty, we lose confidence in His ability to control circumstances, other people, and the way they affect us. Then we get angry with God because He seems to have lost control of the universe and especially control of our lives. When we lose faith in God’s sovereignty, it is because our human bodies and minds are grappling with our own frustration with the lack of control we actually have over events. When good things happen, we all too often attribute it to our own achievements and success. When bad things happen, however, we are quick to blame God, and we get angry with Him for not preventing it, which indicates the first flaw in our thinking—that we, as Christians, deserve to be immune to unpleasant circumstances.
Frustration with God, His ways and His dealings with us is one of the major stumbling blocks for all Christians. It’s good to look at the Bible characters who suffered from this frustration and how they dealt with it. The first person who comes to mind is Abraham who, at seventy-five years old, in simple obedience to God, rose up with all his family, servants, flocks and herds, and left his home and his country to journey to an unknown location God would inform him of (Genesis 12). All he had was God’s promise of great blessing in return for his obedience and faith, and as a result he became the father of the Hebrew nation.
The most significant part of God’s blessing to Abraham was the promise of a son, as his wife Sarah had been barren (Genesis 15:4). To a man of his day this was a tremendous blight on his life and to his wife a disgrace, so that far beyond any promises of riches and victory over his enemies, this was the most momentous and welcome promise of all.
However, just like you and I, Abraham had human weaknesses, and the faith of even this great man of God faltered at times. The years went by and he had just celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday. Sarah herself was seventy-five and well beyond the age of child bearing, so it is hardly surprising that Abraham’s faith in the promise of a son began to waver. Finally God caused Sarah to become pregnant and Isaac, the true son of the promise, was born (Genesis 21:1-3).
Another whose story is well known is Jonah, a man who knew only too well what it was to be frustrated with the Lord. Jonah also heard from God, but didn’t like what he heard (Jonah 1:1-3a). God told him he was to go and warn the horrible people of the city of Nineveh that if they didn’t change their ways God would destroy them, but that His love and forgiveness awaited them if they repented. Jonah, didn’t like the idea that the God of the Hebrews could possibly care about this godless and violent people, and after doing all he could to get out of his appointed task, finally obeyed God. He proclaimed God’s message to the Ninevites, but was convinced that they would not listen and he would have the satisfaction of seeing them slaughtered by a vengeful God. Not only did they ruin his plans by responding with total repentance (Jonah 3:5-10), but Jonah wasn’t even allowed to keep the gourd plant that had grown up and sheltered him so comfortably from the blazing sun during the day (Jonah 4:7). Jonah’s seething fury of frustration with God now knew no bounds.
Is being mad or frustrated with God always a sign of disrespect? First, remember that God created you with emotions, and often those emotions are very hard to control. You're not a robot. You have needs and wants that you try to satisfy. When you can't get your needs met, you will feel angry and frustrated.
Is God offended at that? Does He want to send a lightning bolt down and blast you off the face of the earth? If that were true, there would be millions of scorch marks all over the planet, because that's how many people are angry at God.
Several years back, I was going through a painful and unwanted divorce, I became very angry at God. I had done my best to live a Christian life. I knew that I wasn't perfect, of course, but I had done my best to follow God's teachings and commandments. During that time, a wise pastor friend told me that it was all right to be mad at God.
"Tell Him. He's big. He can take it," he said.
He told me that God wants us to be honest with Him. He wants you to pour out your heart to Him. He wants you to bring all your hurt and disappointment to Him and lay it at His feet. When you're angry and frustrated, it's always right to express that to God and to tell Him why.
We forget that God knows and understands us better than we know ourselves. Also, even though we're in pain, God always has a tremendous love for us. We always underestimate God's love and compassion for us.
It's only when you're completely honest with God that your prayers take on real power. It's often been said that you can't solve a problem until you recognize that there is a problem.
When you pour out your heart to God, you experience a sense of relief. You take what had been your problem and put it in his hands. Now it's his problem, and you know what? A great song by VeggieTales is “God is Bigger Than the Boogeyman”, and God is always bigger than your problems.
When we give our worries over to God, you begin to take your eyes off your problem and put them on God. Your perspective changes and instead of struggling alone, you turn the matter over to the almighty God of the universe, who knows all and controls all.
God can take it! If God is who he claims to be, then he understands my anger, my frustration. If God is who he claims to be, he will not take my outrage personally. He is bigger than that! God can look into our hearts and see our pain. I think God can even feel our pain. He who knew the agony of the cross shares our suffering with us.
Through the years, since I have experience with it, God has given me the opportunity to speak with parents who had lost children to cancer, or car wrecks, or whatever - it didn't matter how the child died. I cannot think of any greater pain for someone than to lose a child. And so often we have only questions without answers. We have anger, we have pain. At those times, I tried to give parents permission to be mad at God. Question Him, ask for information from Him. You can even go out and shake your fist at heaven. Yell and scream. God can take it.
I found it interesting in dealing with grieving parents that those who had some sort of faith or belief system always fared better those whose who had no faith. I think people of faith fared better because they had someplace to direct their questions, someplace to direct their frustration. Plus, they had a hope that on a much larger divine scale life made sense.
Everything that happens is either caused by or allowed by God. As it says in Matthew, not a sparrow falls to the ground nor a hair from our head without God knowing about it (Matthew 10:29-31). We can flail about, get angry, and lash out and blame God for what is happening. Yet if we will trust Him and yield our bitterness and pain to Him, acknowledging the prideful sin of trying to force our own will over His, He can and will grant us His peace and strength to get us through any difficult situation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Many Christians can testify to that very fact. We can be angry with God for many reasons, so we all have to accept at some point that there are things we cannot control or even understand with our finite minds.
Our understanding of the sovereignty of God in all circumstances must be accompanied by our understanding of His other attributes: love, mercy, kindness, goodness, righteousness, justice, and holiness. When we see our difficulties through the prism of God’s Word—which tells us that our loving and holy God works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that He has a perfect plan and purpose for us which cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24, 46:9-10)—we begin to see our problems in a different light. We also know from Scripture that this life will never be one of continual joy and happiness. Rather, Job reminds us that “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7) and that life is short and “full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Just because we come to Christ for salvation from sin does not mean we are guaranteed a life free from problems. In fact, Jesus said, “in this world you will have trouble” but that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), enabling us to have peace within, in spite of the storms that rage around us (John 14:27).
One thing is certain: inappropriate anger is sin (Galatians 5:20; Ephesians 4:26-27, 31; Colossians 3:8). Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace if we hang on to it. Holding onto our anger will allow bitterness and resentment to spring up in our hearts. We must confess it to the Lord and then in His forgiveness we can release those feelings to Him. We must go before the Lord in prayer often in our grief, anger, and pain. The Bible tells us in 2 Samuel 12:15-23 that David went before the throne of grace on behalf of his sick baby, fasting, weeping, and praying for him to survive. When the baby passed away, David got up and worshipped the Lord, and then told his servants that he knew where his baby was and that he would someday be with him in God’s presence. David cried out to God during the baby’s illness, and afterward he kneeled before Him in worship. That is a wonderful testimony. God knows our hearts and it is pointless to try to hide how we really feel, so talking to Him about it is one of the best ways to handle our grief. If we do so humbly, pouring out our hearts to Him, He can work through us and in us while we are completely broken, and in the process will make us more like Him.
The bottom line is can we trust God with everything, our very lives and the lives of our loved ones? Of course we can! Our God is compassionate, full of grace and love, and as disciples of Christ we can trust Him with all things. When tragedies happen to us we know God can use them to bring us closer to Him and to perfect our faith, bringing us to maturity and completeness (Psalm 34:18; James 1:2-4), so we can be a comforting testimony to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). That is easier said than done, though. It requires a daily surrendering of our own will to His, a faithful study of His attributes as seen in God’s Word, much prayer, and then applying what we learn to our own situation. By doing so, our faith will eventually grow and mature enough to make it easier to trust Him to get us through the next tragedy that most certainly will take place.
A great book that is useful for dealing with our frustrations, anger, and questions for God is: “Disappointment with God” by Philip Yancey.
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Genesis 15:4 (New King James Version) – And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
Genesis 21:1-3(NKJV) – And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.
Jonah 1:1-3(NKJV) – Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah 3:5-10(NKJV) – So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah 4:7(NKJV) – But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.
Matthew 10:29-31(NKJV) – Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I Corinthians 10:13(NKJV) – No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Romans 8:28 (NKJV) – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Isaiah 14:24 (NKJV) - The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, “ Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand”:
Isaiah 46:9-10 (NKJV) - Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’
Job 5:7 (NKJV) - Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Job 14:1 (NKJV) - “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble”.
John 16:33 (NKJV) - These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 14:27 (NKJV) - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Galatians 5:20 (NKJV) - idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) - “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:31 (NKJV) - Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Colossians 3:8 (NKJV) - But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
2 Samuel 12:15-23 (NKJV) - Then Nathan departed to his house.
And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
Psalm 34:18 (NKJV) - The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV) - My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NKJV) - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
Life presents many opportunities for us to get frustrated. Controlling our emotions is not always an easy task. Sometimes we look at things and even can get frustrated with God because things don’t go the way we want them to.
Being frustrated or angry at God is something that many people have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it’s our natural response. What we are really asking Him, though, is not so much “Why, God?” as “Why me, God?” This response indicates two flaws in our thinking. First, as believers we operate under the impression that life should be easy, and that God should prevent tragedy from happening to us. When He does not, we get angry with Him. Second, when we do not understand the extent of God’s sovereignty, we lose confidence in His ability to control circumstances, other people, and the way they affect us. Then we get angry with God because He seems to have lost control of the universe and especially control of our lives. When we lose faith in God’s sovereignty, it is because our human bodies and minds are grappling with our own frustration with the lack of control we actually have over events. When good things happen, we all too often attribute it to our own achievements and success. When bad things happen, however, we are quick to blame God, and we get angry with Him for not preventing it, which indicates the first flaw in our thinking—that we, as Christians, deserve to be immune to unpleasant circumstances.
Frustration with God, His ways and His dealings with us is one of the major stumbling blocks for all Christians. It’s good to look at the Bible characters who suffered from this frustration and how they dealt with it. The first person who comes to mind is Abraham who, at seventy-five years old, in simple obedience to God, rose up with all his family, servants, flocks and herds, and left his home and his country to journey to an unknown location God would inform him of (Genesis 12). All he had was God’s promise of great blessing in return for his obedience and faith, and as a result he became the father of the Hebrew nation.
The most significant part of God’s blessing to Abraham was the promise of a son, as his wife Sarah had been barren (Genesis 15:4). To a man of his day this was a tremendous blight on his life and to his wife a disgrace, so that far beyond any promises of riches and victory over his enemies, this was the most momentous and welcome promise of all.
However, just like you and I, Abraham had human weaknesses, and the faith of even this great man of God faltered at times. The years went by and he had just celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday. Sarah herself was seventy-five and well beyond the age of child bearing, so it is hardly surprising that Abraham’s faith in the promise of a son began to waver. Finally God caused Sarah to become pregnant and Isaac, the true son of the promise, was born (Genesis 21:1-3).
Another whose story is well known is Jonah, a man who knew only too well what it was to be frustrated with the Lord. Jonah also heard from God, but didn’t like what he heard (Jonah 1:1-3a). God told him he was to go and warn the horrible people of the city of Nineveh that if they didn’t change their ways God would destroy them, but that His love and forgiveness awaited them if they repented. Jonah, didn’t like the idea that the God of the Hebrews could possibly care about this godless and violent people, and after doing all he could to get out of his appointed task, finally obeyed God. He proclaimed God’s message to the Ninevites, but was convinced that they would not listen and he would have the satisfaction of seeing them slaughtered by a vengeful God. Not only did they ruin his plans by responding with total repentance (Jonah 3:5-10), but Jonah wasn’t even allowed to keep the gourd plant that had grown up and sheltered him so comfortably from the blazing sun during the day (Jonah 4:7). Jonah’s seething fury of frustration with God now knew no bounds.
Is being mad or frustrated with God always a sign of disrespect? First, remember that God created you with emotions, and often those emotions are very hard to control. You're not a robot. You have needs and wants that you try to satisfy. When you can't get your needs met, you will feel angry and frustrated.
Is God offended at that? Does He want to send a lightning bolt down and blast you off the face of the earth? If that were true, there would be millions of scorch marks all over the planet, because that's how many people are angry at God.
Several years back, I was going through a painful and unwanted divorce, I became very angry at God. I had done my best to live a Christian life. I knew that I wasn't perfect, of course, but I had done my best to follow God's teachings and commandments. During that time, a wise pastor friend told me that it was all right to be mad at God.
"Tell Him. He's big. He can take it," he said.
He told me that God wants us to be honest with Him. He wants you to pour out your heart to Him. He wants you to bring all your hurt and disappointment to Him and lay it at His feet. When you're angry and frustrated, it's always right to express that to God and to tell Him why.
We forget that God knows and understands us better than we know ourselves. Also, even though we're in pain, God always has a tremendous love for us. We always underestimate God's love and compassion for us.
It's only when you're completely honest with God that your prayers take on real power. It's often been said that you can't solve a problem until you recognize that there is a problem.
When you pour out your heart to God, you experience a sense of relief. You take what had been your problem and put it in his hands. Now it's his problem, and you know what? A great song by VeggieTales is “God is Bigger Than the Boogeyman”, and God is always bigger than your problems.
When we give our worries over to God, you begin to take your eyes off your problem and put them on God. Your perspective changes and instead of struggling alone, you turn the matter over to the almighty God of the universe, who knows all and controls all.
God can take it! If God is who he claims to be, then he understands my anger, my frustration. If God is who he claims to be, he will not take my outrage personally. He is bigger than that! God can look into our hearts and see our pain. I think God can even feel our pain. He who knew the agony of the cross shares our suffering with us.
Through the years, since I have experience with it, God has given me the opportunity to speak with parents who had lost children to cancer, or car wrecks, or whatever - it didn't matter how the child died. I cannot think of any greater pain for someone than to lose a child. And so often we have only questions without answers. We have anger, we have pain. At those times, I tried to give parents permission to be mad at God. Question Him, ask for information from Him. You can even go out and shake your fist at heaven. Yell and scream. God can take it.
I found it interesting in dealing with grieving parents that those who had some sort of faith or belief system always fared better those whose who had no faith. I think people of faith fared better because they had someplace to direct their questions, someplace to direct their frustration. Plus, they had a hope that on a much larger divine scale life made sense.
Everything that happens is either caused by or allowed by God. As it says in Matthew, not a sparrow falls to the ground nor a hair from our head without God knowing about it (Matthew 10:29-31). We can flail about, get angry, and lash out and blame God for what is happening. Yet if we will trust Him and yield our bitterness and pain to Him, acknowledging the prideful sin of trying to force our own will over His, He can and will grant us His peace and strength to get us through any difficult situation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Many Christians can testify to that very fact. We can be angry with God for many reasons, so we all have to accept at some point that there are things we cannot control or even understand with our finite minds.
Our understanding of the sovereignty of God in all circumstances must be accompanied by our understanding of His other attributes: love, mercy, kindness, goodness, righteousness, justice, and holiness. When we see our difficulties through the prism of God’s Word—which tells us that our loving and holy God works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), and that He has a perfect plan and purpose for us which cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24, 46:9-10)—we begin to see our problems in a different light. We also know from Scripture that this life will never be one of continual joy and happiness. Rather, Job reminds us that “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7) and that life is short and “full of trouble” (Job 14:1). Just because we come to Christ for salvation from sin does not mean we are guaranteed a life free from problems. In fact, Jesus said, “in this world you will have trouble” but that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), enabling us to have peace within, in spite of the storms that rage around us (John 14:27).
One thing is certain: inappropriate anger is sin (Galatians 5:20; Ephesians 4:26-27, 31; Colossians 3:8). Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace if we hang on to it. Holding onto our anger will allow bitterness and resentment to spring up in our hearts. We must confess it to the Lord and then in His forgiveness we can release those feelings to Him. We must go before the Lord in prayer often in our grief, anger, and pain. The Bible tells us in 2 Samuel 12:15-23 that David went before the throne of grace on behalf of his sick baby, fasting, weeping, and praying for him to survive. When the baby passed away, David got up and worshipped the Lord, and then told his servants that he knew where his baby was and that he would someday be with him in God’s presence. David cried out to God during the baby’s illness, and afterward he kneeled before Him in worship. That is a wonderful testimony. God knows our hearts and it is pointless to try to hide how we really feel, so talking to Him about it is one of the best ways to handle our grief. If we do so humbly, pouring out our hearts to Him, He can work through us and in us while we are completely broken, and in the process will make us more like Him.
The bottom line is can we trust God with everything, our very lives and the lives of our loved ones? Of course we can! Our God is compassionate, full of grace and love, and as disciples of Christ we can trust Him with all things. When tragedies happen to us we know God can use them to bring us closer to Him and to perfect our faith, bringing us to maturity and completeness (Psalm 34:18; James 1:2-4), so we can be a comforting testimony to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). That is easier said than done, though. It requires a daily surrendering of our own will to His, a faithful study of His attributes as seen in God’s Word, much prayer, and then applying what we learn to our own situation. By doing so, our faith will eventually grow and mature enough to make it easier to trust Him to get us through the next tragedy that most certainly will take place.
A great book that is useful for dealing with our frustrations, anger, and questions for God is: “Disappointment with God” by Philip Yancey.
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Genesis 15:4 (New King James Version) – And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.”
Genesis 21:1-3(NKJV) – And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.
Jonah 1:1-3(NKJV) – Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
Jonah 3:5-10(NKJV) – So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
Jonah 4:7(NKJV) – But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.
Matthew 10:29-31(NKJV) – Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
I Corinthians 10:13(NKJV) – No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Romans 8:28 (NKJV) – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Isaiah 14:24 (NKJV) - The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, “ Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand”:
Isaiah 46:9-10 (NKJV) - Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’
Job 5:7 (NKJV) - Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Job 14:1 (NKJV) - “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble”.
John 16:33 (NKJV) - These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 14:27 (NKJV) - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Galatians 5:20 (NKJV) - idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) - “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:31 (NKJV) - Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
Colossians 3:8 (NKJV) - But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
2 Samuel 12:15-23 (NKJV) - Then Nathan departed to his house.
And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”
When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”
Psalm 34:18 (NKJV) - The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV) - My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NKJV) - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Physical and Spiritual Allergies
This past weekend while working on my Son’s Jeep, I upset some yellow jackets and they proceeded to sting me a couple of times before I could get out of their range and let them know how much I did not appreciate it. It hurt pretty bad, but I’ll survive.
One of my earliest recollections as a child was from when I was four years old. My Brother and our neighbor were throwing a Frisbee in the front yard and it went under a bush. Being much smaller than both of them, I decided to show them how much of a man I was and help them out. So I crawled under the bush to retrieve the Frisbee. It was at that moment I found out I was allergic to bees. A bumble bee was surveying the area and I interrupted his progress and evidently made him mad. He proceeded to sting me in the forehead and quickly let me know I was in an area he did not want me to be in. After the extreme pain I felt, I started breaking out in hives, my whole head, my arms, and my legs started swelling. Next I remember my Mom grabbing me and holding me in her lap in our 1966 Ford Fairlane station wagon, while my Dad sped 25 + miles to the hospital. I remember wanting to go to sleep but for some reason, my Mother kept slapping me in the face and keeping me awake. We arrived at the hospital and evidently I looked rough so they took me back immediately and placed me on a hospital gurney while several nurses and doctors poured over me and hooked all kinds of IV’s into my arms. I usually joke around this time and let everyone know that it was at this time I saw a bright light above me and felt like I was floating above the hospital gurney. Don’t go all crazy on me though, it was the gigantic light above the gurney (it was 1968 after all) and I had been given some pretty strong drugs in the IV and evidently it made me hallucinate. But I digress. After a few minutes the doctors had me under control and I was able to leave the hospital later. I did end up going to Charleston for some extended tests to find out I was allergic to many insects in addition to bees. I received weekly/monthly injections from age 4 to age 16 when the doctors decided I had had enough and was no longer deathly allergic to the list of insects. To this day, getting shots is still no big deal. The recent stings were a reminder that evidently the doctors knew what they were doing many years ago. Less than a week later from my most recent encounter and all I have is a mark or two on my arm as a reminder of my weekend conflict.
I was reading a devotional the other day and gleaned some information from it I though I’d add to and pass along.
Being allergic to things is not a rare issue. Many people are required to avoid certain things in life. While allergies are related to physical well-being, each of us as believers in Jesus have dangers we need to stay away from to maintain spiritual well-being. Scripture gives us a clear indication of what we are “allergic to” spiritually.
Every kind of evil
This should cause us to think about the choices we make, because taking part in what is clearly evil is not good for our spiritual vitality.
I used to have a man who was in a praise team with us at one of our churches who wanted to be able to play his instrument more than just at church and during our practice. He told me he was going to hang out a bar with some of his music buddies so that he could play more. I told him I thought it wasn’t a good idea because even though he may be going to the bar and hanging out with his buddies so he could “jam” with them. Being around the worldly influence of a bar could have a negative affect on him and cause him to wander from his beliefs and stray from his walk with God. He said he could handle it and after all it was only for a couple hours a week. Not long after that, he started missing practices and churches and within a couple of months never even came around anymore. Last I heard, he had divorced his wife and moved in with a girl he met at the bar. We can live in the world, but we have to learn to refrain from the negative and evil influences that are out in the world. Satan revels in every marriage and family that is destroyed. What seems like a minor issue can become major with just a little influence.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Foolish disputes and arguments
Like we discussed last month, this takes discernment, for some arguments have merit in defending the faith. But those for which there is no answer or which have no bearing on truth only cause dissension. If it’s not worth the hassle or if it’s a trivial matter, turn it over to God and let it go.
2 Timothy 2:23 - Titus 3:9
Sexual immorality
I know, I’m one to talk about this but, I do have some expertise in this area. The Bible says that any sexual activity outside the boundaries of a marriage between a man and a woman is immoral.
I was taken to task about this issue a couple of years back. Being in ministry for 18 years, I’ve had several opportunities through the years to discuss sexual purity and sex outside of marriage with youth, teens, young adults, and adults. It was never too difficult of a discussion as I was married and it’s easy to tell others to maintain their purity since I was married and it wasn’t an issue for me. A few years back, God gave me (though I never asked) the opportunity to be single again and low and behold, I was now faced with the issue personally. Would my stance on the issue change, or would I stand firm to the teachings that I had poured out for so many years. I was chastised about maintaining my stance and even had one say, “Don’t you test drive a car before you buy it?” My reply was, “Yes, but I don’t plan on making a life-long commitment to a car, nor do I pledge vows to my car and God that I’ll never drive another car but that one”. It’s not always an easy road to travel, but with God’s help and direction I’ll stay the course.
We may change, our lives may change, our situations may change, but God’s Word does not change. What was written 2000 years ago in his Word is still the direction He wants us to take. If we follow His teachings, we cannot help but be blessed and draw closer to Him. As I stated, it’s not always easy or popular, but it’s always right.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - Genesis 2:24 - Exodus 20:14 - 1 Corinthians 7:2 - Hebrews 13:4
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1 Thessalonians 5:22 (New King James Version)
Abstain from every form of evil.
Timothy 2:23 (NJV)
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
Titus 3:9 (NKJV)
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Exodus 20:14 (NKJV)
You shall not commit adultery.
1 Corinthians 7:2 (NKJV)
Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
One of my earliest recollections as a child was from when I was four years old. My Brother and our neighbor were throwing a Frisbee in the front yard and it went under a bush. Being much smaller than both of them, I decided to show them how much of a man I was and help them out. So I crawled under the bush to retrieve the Frisbee. It was at that moment I found out I was allergic to bees. A bumble bee was surveying the area and I interrupted his progress and evidently made him mad. He proceeded to sting me in the forehead and quickly let me know I was in an area he did not want me to be in. After the extreme pain I felt, I started breaking out in hives, my whole head, my arms, and my legs started swelling. Next I remember my Mom grabbing me and holding me in her lap in our 1966 Ford Fairlane station wagon, while my Dad sped 25 + miles to the hospital. I remember wanting to go to sleep but for some reason, my Mother kept slapping me in the face and keeping me awake. We arrived at the hospital and evidently I looked rough so they took me back immediately and placed me on a hospital gurney while several nurses and doctors poured over me and hooked all kinds of IV’s into my arms. I usually joke around this time and let everyone know that it was at this time I saw a bright light above me and felt like I was floating above the hospital gurney. Don’t go all crazy on me though, it was the gigantic light above the gurney (it was 1968 after all) and I had been given some pretty strong drugs in the IV and evidently it made me hallucinate. But I digress. After a few minutes the doctors had me under control and I was able to leave the hospital later. I did end up going to Charleston for some extended tests to find out I was allergic to many insects in addition to bees. I received weekly/monthly injections from age 4 to age 16 when the doctors decided I had had enough and was no longer deathly allergic to the list of insects. To this day, getting shots is still no big deal. The recent stings were a reminder that evidently the doctors knew what they were doing many years ago. Less than a week later from my most recent encounter and all I have is a mark or two on my arm as a reminder of my weekend conflict.
I was reading a devotional the other day and gleaned some information from it I though I’d add to and pass along.
Being allergic to things is not a rare issue. Many people are required to avoid certain things in life. While allergies are related to physical well-being, each of us as believers in Jesus have dangers we need to stay away from to maintain spiritual well-being. Scripture gives us a clear indication of what we are “allergic to” spiritually.
Every kind of evil
This should cause us to think about the choices we make, because taking part in what is clearly evil is not good for our spiritual vitality.
I used to have a man who was in a praise team with us at one of our churches who wanted to be able to play his instrument more than just at church and during our practice. He told me he was going to hang out a bar with some of his music buddies so that he could play more. I told him I thought it wasn’t a good idea because even though he may be going to the bar and hanging out with his buddies so he could “jam” with them. Being around the worldly influence of a bar could have a negative affect on him and cause him to wander from his beliefs and stray from his walk with God. He said he could handle it and after all it was only for a couple hours a week. Not long after that, he started missing practices and churches and within a couple of months never even came around anymore. Last I heard, he had divorced his wife and moved in with a girl he met at the bar. We can live in the world, but we have to learn to refrain from the negative and evil influences that are out in the world. Satan revels in every marriage and family that is destroyed. What seems like a minor issue can become major with just a little influence.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Foolish disputes and arguments
Like we discussed last month, this takes discernment, for some arguments have merit in defending the faith. But those for which there is no answer or which have no bearing on truth only cause dissension. If it’s not worth the hassle or if it’s a trivial matter, turn it over to God and let it go.
2 Timothy 2:23 - Titus 3:9
Sexual immorality
I know, I’m one to talk about this but, I do have some expertise in this area. The Bible says that any sexual activity outside the boundaries of a marriage between a man and a woman is immoral.
I was taken to task about this issue a couple of years back. Being in ministry for 18 years, I’ve had several opportunities through the years to discuss sexual purity and sex outside of marriage with youth, teens, young adults, and adults. It was never too difficult of a discussion as I was married and it’s easy to tell others to maintain their purity since I was married and it wasn’t an issue for me. A few years back, God gave me (though I never asked) the opportunity to be single again and low and behold, I was now faced with the issue personally. Would my stance on the issue change, or would I stand firm to the teachings that I had poured out for so many years. I was chastised about maintaining my stance and even had one say, “Don’t you test drive a car before you buy it?” My reply was, “Yes, but I don’t plan on making a life-long commitment to a car, nor do I pledge vows to my car and God that I’ll never drive another car but that one”. It’s not always an easy road to travel, but with God’s help and direction I’ll stay the course.
We may change, our lives may change, our situations may change, but God’s Word does not change. What was written 2000 years ago in his Word is still the direction He wants us to take. If we follow His teachings, we cannot help but be blessed and draw closer to Him. As I stated, it’s not always easy or popular, but it’s always right.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - Genesis 2:24 - Exodus 20:14 - 1 Corinthians 7:2 - Hebrews 13:4
Are we willing to make the effort to steer clear of things we are spiritually “allergic to”?
Today avoid sin’s tempting lures and evil thoughts subdue,
Or sinful things may take control and someday master you! —Bosch
To avoid sin, nip it in the bud of temptation. (thanks, Barney Fife!)
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1 Thessalonians 5:22 (New King James Version)
Abstain from every form of evil.
Timothy 2:23 (NJV)
But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
Titus 3:9 (NKJV)
But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
Genesis 2:24 (NKJV)
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Exodus 20:14 (NKJV)
You shall not commit adultery.
1 Corinthians 7:2 (NKJV)
Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
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