Extending Grace & Mercy

Struggling periods in life are hard enough but they are even tougher when people don’t extend you grace and mercy during that trying and painful time.

… It’s always easier to judge then live in the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

It’s easy to be a fruit inspector and see just the bad fruit but is that what God sees in a person who we see as worthless, small, a failure, an outcast and so on?

No!

Jesus is the faithful shepherd. He goes and gets that lost sheep or the sheep that has fallen into the well even on the Sabbath. He isn’t religious but real. He is the one who ministers to the cast sheep that is drowning in the circumstances, perceptions and feelings about life. He is the one who relieves the heaviness of life and gets the sheep back on their feet. Unfortunately the enemy, who sees the compromising and recovering position of the sheep, urges other sheep to knock that sheep back down. These sheep, which feel justified speak and do so in a manner that doesn’t exalt Christ.

You know the reason they feel justified to speak from their flesh? They do this because they have forgotten the mercy and grace that God has given them.

But deeper…. you know why it hurts you? You have based your value on how others look and act towards you. Don’t worry I got that t-shirt as well. In fact it is autographed more then once.

It hurts us because we have forgotten that God didn’t just send anyone to die for us but He sent himself (Jesus Christ) who didn’t just know all your successes but also your failures and troubles as well. And in spite of all these things, he saw you as precious enough to die for. He valued you so much that he died for you.

No one can value you more then God - Jesus Christ.

I am still learning the value of Jesus going to the cross and taking the punishment for me. My value is not in those who value or not value me but what Jesus did for me. God would lay down his life for me! That is where our value should be in. That is where our faith should live and breath and start and finish. That is where our confidence needs to remain.

The Lord is our rock and our salvation. The Lord is our shepherd we shall not want. He leads us to peaceful streams and to rest in green pastures.

I see that extending grace and mercy can be a mighty tool to those who are struggling and not extending grace and mercy can cause more problems. Here God is addressing the issues in this person’s life and you not seeing this make negative comments and use God’s sharp word against them…

Do you want to open your mouth out of some fleshly justification and have to answer to God for causing more havoc in a person’s life. He is helping a cast sheep, which is drowning in the circumstances, perceptions, failures, situations in life and you come along and say whatever you “feel” like. You going to set fires to God’s work and leave only bitter tastes?

God says to love and do good to your brother and sister in Christ. He says to do good even if it means to suffer. (1 Peter 2:21) He says “And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!” (Luke 6:33) He says to love your enemies. (Matthew 5:43-48)

We are to live in the truth, which Jesus Christ, died for you.

If we are not living in this truth we cannot give grace and mercy to those struggling.

The same is true for the struggling. If they are not living in the truth, they cannot extend grace and mercy to those who judge and have prejudices against them but a win-win situation only comes and exalts Christ when grace and mercy are extended.

Extended grace and mercy builds instead of tears down which produces conduct that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ. It unites instead of separates.

Jesus says “Stop judging others and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” Matthew 7

To the struggling and emotional compromised…. Don’t give yourself, your value, your outlook on life, your faith, your prospective, your confidence, your trust – that are pearls which God has paid for to people who can easily attack you, turn on you, and make you feel like all the things you are not.

To the people who want to speak out of some fleshly justification, you treat someone as if they have no value, they will act as if they have no value.

God says, “I want you to be merciful. I don’t want your sacrifices. I want you to know God; that’s more important then burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

Jesus says “God blesses those who are merciful. For they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Accepting God’s value and meditating on this truth in your mind and heart will empower you and God will allow you to give mercy and grace when the human nature demands vengeance.

And though we understand a person reaps what he/she sows, it is not our duty to judge. No one really knows what a person is going through. Who can give an accurate conclusion by only our own human observation and calculation? For who knows the good work of Christ being completed in a person who is struggling? Certainty it is not us- for who carries out the good work in you?

“Each heart knows its own bitterness and no one can fully share its joy.” Proverbs 14:10

Success is done only in the Spirit not the flesh.

The flesh only causes obstacles; envy, rivalry and trouble- the ways of the flesh don’t work for the living Gospel but working against it.

Don’t be biased but give the same consideration Christ has and is continuing to give to you.

You take things into your own hands instead of praying and allowing God to work- you are causing more trouble. You are not being an instrument of God. You are being a stumbling block.

God is removing the speck from your brother or sister’s eye and because you have decided what is going on and what is best – you have “not only” inserted a log in your own eye but hurt the relationship you could have built-up in Christ.

Extend grace and mercy and you will reap mercy and blessing.

To those struggling and hurting may God show you the reason for this pain that maybe purposeful to teach you something deeper to strength your faith or so you can exalt Christ. Remember Jesus loves you enough to die for you…. That is how much he values you.

Sin, Failure & Humble Hope 1

I started writing this morning about failure and the humble hope that arises from such occasions in our life when we come to God in our failure. It, being my day to carpool, I stopped writing, picked up and dropped the kids off at school, got some gas and on my return trip home flipped on the radio and there Dr. David Jeremiah was talking about failure.

It was a reassuring message in just the right season. God who knows everything about us, even when we will flip on radio, wants to reassure us of his love even in our failures.

I hope I have never made it sound like I never failed because I would be a liar. Failure has helped me succeed and regain focus in my life many times. I don’t pretend to understand all of God’s ways and workings and how failure works to our benefit in our lives but God knows just as certain successes encourage us he also knows what failures bring about Godly change and perspective in our life.

This last weekend was one such occasion of failure in my life. I let an unsettled topic and discussion divert my attention off of Christ. I felt like I was being forced into a decision I didn’t feel comfortable with. I felt pressured, challenged and maybe even manipulated to conform to the wants and needs of others. I felt as if my opinion and reasons were being questioned to the point I felt like my opinion really didn’t matter. I felt like I wasn’t getting any adequate support and had to defend myself. I felt like I was being labeled as biased unfair and unreasonable. All that seemed to matter was people getting what they wanted not considering all that would be involved.

And in feeling this slew of negativity I got really frustrated to the point I vocalized it in an angry manner. I didn't curse or swear or punch a hole in the wall or break anything but I was thoroughly upset. You know when you are so upset and you start to have those conversations in your head and you just blurt out whatever is on your mind. And everyone else is going "Where the heck did that come from?" That is what I was doing? You don't think straight when you are angry.

"Hostility, quarreling, outbursts of anger, division." had taken over.

Of course when conflicts arise "like these" they aren’t just behind closed doors. They happen at just the right moment like as you're heading to church to teach, bible study, Sunday school, do a sermon, go to a friend’s house or out to dinner.

Others, who shouldn’t be involved in the discussion, are hearing the conflict which brings more adversity, pressure, prejudices, and lines drawn in the sand. I say "sand" because typically when you get to this mental state a foundation of sand is all you have and quickly the storm washes the sandy foundation away making every thing crash to the ground. You step down off of the Christ foundation which is the rock onto your own understanding and it doesn't matter what you seem to say or do because you aren't centering your heart on Christ and when you don't do that.... your godly communication and ways of handling the situation take a long hike.

Was the devil involved? I am sure to some extent. He knows exactly what issue or sore subject to pursue and suggest- to strike at the most opportune time. He knows not just your book of likes and dislikes, he knows your schedule and what you are going to teach, he knows if your head isn’t completely in the game and when to throw and bring up that unsettled topic of discussion your way. He knows what will get your attention or divert your attention. And once he persuades you to hit that first domino, he watches the rest of the dominoes fall as he suggests everything from past failures, how others might see your value, how no one sees your efforts and sacrifices, and piles on misinterpretation, guilt, accusation, anger, imaginations, and self- pity to the point you start to question your value and ability in any role. You just want to throw your hands in the air and give up seeing all that has taken place.

That being said, I have found that after situations like this, where it seems Pandora’s box has been opened, we who have Christ- still have hope. Nothing is hopeless. Most people would give up but not us. Why?

Paul writes: “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ the Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 7:15-8:2

So Paul excusing sin and saying we can go right ahead and sin whenever we feel like it, of course not.

He saying that when you do fall into sin- you have an advocate in Jesus Christ to free you from that sin, which gives us the hope of Jesus Christ to continue on in the faith. If we did not have this hope how in the world could we continue in our Christian faith? Our faith would be a sham and a counterfeit. There would be nothing to encourage us without Jesus Christ as our Savior. We could only looked forward to hell and death not eternal life in heaven.

And if there is one who looks upon others in judgment for their failure and lack of devotion to God, watch out.

“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.” 1 John 1:5-10

Just look at all the people great and small in the bible who have failed because of their sinful nature yet God chose to forgive them and relieve them of their burdens so they could continue on to preach on the Good News.

Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” Luke 18:9-14

Hope stirred up out of trouble and times of failure sometimes does a heart good. I found after my ungodly actions, I was more angry with myself then anything else or anyone else in the situation… even if the situation did or didn't get settled I was going to be angry with myself for acting the way I did.

As a biblical teacher and Christian I knew better but the only option I had to relief myself from my failure was to turn my failure over to God and asked for his forgiveness. This goes with saying, try to make it right with those you have wronged by your ungodly actions as well.

Admitting failure releases any commitment to carry on a front. It frees you from your sin. Failure can become as Dr. Jeremiah puts it a mean, vicious, unmerciful giant and a slave to fear of failure in your life. Being human we are going to fail but what counts the most is where we take that failure and what we do with that failure.

Let this be encouraging. There are people who act as if sin doesn't bother them but when they face God they will be very concerned about their unforgiven sin. There are people who don't want to come to God because of sin but they have it all wrong. You come to God to forgive you of your sin. A Christian doesn't just know it is wrong to sin but "hates it" when they do sin. Exposed or not exposed, sin should bother the Christian until they ask for God's forgiveness. God is also the place where we give our failures to him. Knowing you are imperfect in the flesh makes you fully aware of your need for Jesus Christ.

Had a friend tell me that when he was younger, he was "sleeping with" a woman. They weren't married and when he got saved it became apparent to him that it was sin to have "sexual relations" with a woman before marriage. Conviction came over him and they were married soon after.

Maybe we should look at ourselves as the criminal on the cross next to Jesus. He knew he was going to die. He knew he was going to have to face God for his sins. He could do nothing to make it right with God. He was nailed on a cross and he knew he was going to hell unless he had an advocate to plead for him in heaven. And in humble failure and in faith he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

We all know this but I will put here anyway because it brings comfort.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:16-21

Pick up your Mat and Walk

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Ever been oppressed? Oppressed to the point you feel disabled and handicapped spiritually? Ever feel this burdening presence that closes in on you? You sense its weight. You sense its tension on your body as if you are wrestling something invisible as you try to do what needs to be done throughout the day. It is a presence that just does not leave you alone.

Most often we wrestle this presence with our physical and mental strength and it doesn’t go so well because we are up against something spiritual. We need to use spiritual weapons when we are up against spiritual weaponry and foes.

You are saved by Jesus Christ and because you are saved by Jesus Christ you have the authority in Him. You have spiritual authority in Him. You have been set free from the law of sin, which so easily influences the physical and mental sides of us. The physical and mental sides are often manipulated causing us to lose peace and rest- we move into areas of unbelief (sometimes unknowingly) which is a sin.

This unbelief in sin causes us to become captives to our oppressors. We sit handicapped spiritually on our mat and feel sorry for ourselves because "everyone is able to get into the pool of Bethesda before we do when the waters are stirred up."

We grumble and complain serving the law of sin not realizing we are falling into the same trap as the Israelites who had left Egypt. Though they had been set free – their hearts sank back into their old ways and desires. And we know what happened to them….

However those with Joshua had a promise. Joshua had the promise from God and we also have the same promises through Jesus.

Do these sound familiar? “ I will be with you. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous. Do not turn away from God and you will be successful in everything you do. Meditate on the word day and night and obey it- only then will you succeed. I command you- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:5-9)

Jesus told the man at the pool of Bethesda after he asked him, “Would you like to get well.”

The man complained but Jesus ignored the complaint at first and simply ordered, “Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat and walk!”

Instantly the man was healed. He rolled the mat and began walking. When Jesus found the man in the temple again… Jesus then addressed the man’s complaint with this. “Now you are well, so stop sinning or something even worse may happen to you. (John 5)

We are to strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress- we do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. Hebrews 12. Hebrews 4:14-16

Through the things we suffer we learn to be more obedient and dependent upon God- seeing our need for Him everyday of our lives. 

Motivation in Reverence and Fear.

“This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance … Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and to our fellow men”

- FDR Inaugural Address March 1933

“ Recognition of the falsity of material wealth as the standard of success goes hand in hand with the abandonment of the false belief that public office and high political position are to be valued only by the standards of pride of place and personal profit; and there must be an end to a conduct in banking and in business which too often has given to a sacred trust the likeness of callous and selfish wrongdoing. Small wonder that confidence languishes, for it thrives only on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, on unselfish performance; without them it cannot live.8 Restoration calls, however, not for changes in ethics alone. This Nation asks for action, and action now.” - FDR’s Inaugural Address in March 1933

History tends to repeat itself when we don’t put fear where it belongs.

When it comes to fearing people, circumstances, and thoughts that have not come to fruition- they don’t do us much good but placing fear where it truly belongs brings fruitful results.

Proverbs 9:10 “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.”

Proverbs 1:7 “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Proverbs 14:27 “Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.”

Proverbs 15:33 “Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.”

Deuteronomy 13:4 “Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.”

“-you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:9-10

I don’t know why this is but for a majority fear and reverence for God does not come until they come under the enlightenment of Jesus Christ. For all of us, we come to God out for self-preservation reasoning. We come to God for eternal life in heaven not hell. We come to God for a better life. We come to God because the life we sought gave us no sustaining nourishment. We came to God because the life we had was miserable. We came to God because we worried and feared the things in this life. We came to God because we felt our life was worthless and pointless. We came to God because there was no other way out of the hole we found ourselves in. We came to God because he had showed us his faithfulness in our unfaithfulness. We came to God after we swam deep within ourselves and found this shiny seed that instinctively pointed us to God. I would even say those lucky enough to be “broken” by pride, folly, and false idols (such as money, religion, and possessions and popularity) do come to God after seeing how fragile life is. Of course you have those who put their soul hope in other human beings and in the material things of this world instead of God and end of up losing their soul one way or another instead of giving their life to the one who could save it.

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when he judges. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as foreigners hereon earth. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” 1 Peter 1:17-19

“Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God.” 1 Peter 1:21

Through Christ one comes to trust in God. Through Christ we see how holy and awesome God truly is. And who better to fear then the LORD who made your very soul? If you are in the LORD then there is nothing else to fear. There is freedom in the LORD.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

It is impossible to live in power, love and self-discipline when we are not living according to the spirit and not understanding who God truly is.

In the Enlightenment of Jesus Christ we start to understand the importance of having reverence and fear of God.

“As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature. So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to know God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. So dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away. And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11

Living in the faith of Jesus Christ = comes a life of moral excellence.

Moral excellence =knowing God better.

Knowing God better =Self Control. (Dependence on God through Holy Spirit)

Self-control =to patient endurance.

Patient endurance= godliness.

Godliness= love for other Christians.

Grow in this understanding=become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about this. You are in a stressful situation. You know how Jesus wants you to live. You have a choice to depend on your feelings, thoughts, understandings, circumstances, imaginations which lead you to unwarranted fear, anxiety, stress, and paralyzing reasoning OR trust in God who gives you the self-control. You trust God and you are able to patiently endure the stressful situation and act appropriately instead of taking out your stress on those around you. Hence the more you live in this mindset of Christ you are able to live in godliness regardless of the circumstances around you and are able to love and be productive vessels for God. You are sustained in the ways of the Lord not in the ways the flesh which often doesn’t put fear where it rightfully belongs.

This is not saying you have to work to earn your salvation. Salvation is a gift from God made only possible through Jesus Christ. It saying it is impossible to live in enlightenment and in a life of moral excellence if you “don’t” keep your thoughts on how Jesus Christ wants you to live through the Holy Spirit. Without the guidance and acknowledgment of God we do foolish and shameful and even destructive things.

(Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you faith through my good deeds.” Do you think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?) James 2:18-20

James is saying your faith in Jesus Christ should result in godly actions.

“… be even more careful to put into action God’s saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.” Philippians 2:12-13

God’s “saving work” is the Holy Spirit who Jesus Christ sends to those who have faith in him. The Holy Spirit reminds and motivates us in how we should live as representatives of Jesus Christ. God ways sustains us as well as remind us to have a healthy amount of respect for God who we will have to answer for our actions.

Fear of God can advance us in living a successful productive godly lifestyle in Christ.

Hope these notes were helpful to you.

The War Ain’t Over Yet.

Like most Christians I sometimes I do and sometimes don't know why things "happen" like they do.

It is was pretty clear that these attacks which were constant and heavy were from the devil himself. And from speaking to just the circle of friends I am not the only one who has gotten a fair share of "beatings" in recent weeks.

They too have been tired, worn out and heavy laden lately by these bombardments of evil tactics. I seriously began to wonder if I needed to go away for a while.

Thanks God I am back on the saddle again after this very trying time. The whole meaning of "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" has been given a stronger and deeper meaning.

Here is a poem I wrote to reflect back on this time. I called, "The War Ain't Over Yet."

The War Ain’t Over Yet.

Battered and bruised and punched in the gut.

The war ain’t over yet.

At least he gave me a sense of humor to fill my cup.

I climbed back onto the saddle somehow.

A strong dose of humility fills my veins now.

Gave Christ the reins because they are certainly better then chains and one more ounce of disappointment.

Still finding the third time ain’t the charm - as things get done but under my expectation.

The angels seem to be winning now as I seem to be no longer feeling like a branded cow.

Is this the season or is there another reason?

A chuckle or two relieves the glue.

Thank God for friends like you.

Is it I or is life a mess?

I saw the strings in the tactics he flung and worn out- could do nothin.

Like a kicked dog , it more then stung.

I did more weeping and kneeling as I was in that pancake press.

I was reminded of all your beautiful things but all poured out - nothing more came from the personal spout.

I was told to not lose hope but honestly I was at the end of my rope.

Hanging on as I bled something snapped as I read, holding God accountable to what he said.

To the weary and the weak- will be given new strength.

I closed my eyes for the night and by morning had been given flight. Though the thorns and thistles were still visible I was not standing against a life so invincible.

Pardon me if I don’t seem to be myself yet - my heart seems more protected upon my creator’s shelf. Sometimes it best to have a healthy disconnect.

Battered and bruised and punched in the gut.

The war ain’t over yet.

For when Christ says the word, that worm will pay his debt.

Isaiah 40:29-31 "He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly on the wings of eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Overcoming Thorns

Yesterday my youngest child and I were putting up cedar branches on our porch with lights and there are some thorns on those branches. Ouch! We got bit by a few but thank God they weren't permanent painful reminders of the 60 minutes we dressed the porch up for Christmas.

In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 the Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinth Church near Athens about a thorn in his flesh that just will not go away.

“I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a throne in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting me proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NLV)

I have heard several scholars speak on this passage and some say this infirmity was Paul losing his eyesight but as I read it I find it has more to do with issue of pride not some physical infirmity.

Paul’s weakness was his temptation to become prideful or boastful which stems from pride. He speaks of being boastful several times before in the previous verses. (Look at 11:16, 11:21, & 12:1.)

He says in 11: 23 “They say they serve Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more!” He then goes on to list all the things that have happened to him and then stops as he realizes where his thoughts have taken him and says “I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it. I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message.”

It’s like Paul is realigning his thoughts here… when he says, “But I won’t do it.” He has however has "done it" in a matter of speaking because he wrote it down and sent it to the church of Corinth. Maybe he sent to show the church of Corinth his true colors and he was just as human as they are… I don’t know his reasoning.

Paul then speaks of this “thorn” in his flesh (Verse 12:7) and says it is a messenger from Satan to torment him and keep him from getting proud. (Often in scripture- "thorn" refers to "people" actually being a thorn in our side.

 

How many times has our own flesh and people's actions tempt us to sin?

A thorn in the Greek is translated as sharp stake. This “stake” isn’t going anywhere. It’s this presence that continually reminds Paul of his human weaknesses (Tendency of wanting to being prideful). So instead letting this dark presence overcome him, God has shown Paul a tool to overcome this "Thorn".

This tool is to bring light to his weaknesses,  to be submitted to God rather then his flesh in this thorny trying tempting situations.

Genesis 50:20 says, “As far as I am concerned, God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to the high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people.” (NLT)

God can turn what was for evil for good in our lives if we focus on him.  We can be that light for Christ regardless of whom or what we face.

Sometimes it is a challenge to align ourselves with God but as soon as we get on the track that God is on we can move through what we perceived as a challenge or losing battle.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians verse 12:8-9 “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” (NLT)

How often do we plead with God to take some of the thorns from our side away but in the end we see how that thorn has helped change us and become stronger as an individual in Christ? Ever notice how, a Christian, faced with a terminal condition becomes stronger spiritually? Their love becomes more refined. They no longer seem concerned for themselves but others. What changes in a person’s mindset with all the different kinds of thorns in our life?

I would have not become the person I am today and gained the knowledge I have today without some kind diversity, hardship, and challenge in my life.

Final verse: God says to Paul. (I like the New King James translation from the Greek to English better.) 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (NKJV)

Grace (Gods Riches At Christ’s Expense). When God's grace moves in us through a situation wonders happen in us and often in others as well. 

We submit ourselves to God -our worries, anxieties, troubles, circumstances and/ or oppressions and God’s quiet strength works through us. Paul adds “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

“Rest” in the Greek is to take possession of, to live in, descend upon, to work within and to give help to.  Similar the "rest" mentioned in Matthew 11:28 which is translated from the Hebrew word anapauō. Which means to keep quiet, be calm and have patient expectation. A “patient expectation” that God is watching over you and is working on your behalf. When you are patient you are often filled with the sense of peace. You are quiet inside. Your mind isn’t racing into dark corners and rabbit holes. It isn't depending on the justifying yourself an/or looking for a sift come back. You are calm.

When something rests upon you, it “overshadows” your life. You don’t "just" see God overseeing what is going on in your life but taking an active role in your life and that he is in charge. And as you let God’s Holy Spirit work within -you see and understand and are more appreciative for God working in your life as you enjoy his peace, comfort/hope, and joy.

Simple Yet Effective

Christians may have a great understanding of the bible and what it says. God may even be able to help us build on that understanding giving us greater understanding but sometimes greater understanding- however GREAT is not always effective in those quick, spare of the moment decisions.

We must live in the Spirit of God.

Where does the mind go in conflict, struggle, persecution, oppression, sadness, frustration, anxiety and so on....?

The mind seems to have no speed limit at times and if not watchful and alert will give us disastrous results.

We know what sin does to our lives. We know where our hope and confidence should be. We know how we should love and where our focus should be.

We know God is love and what can be built and not built from His love -which is foundational.

But sometimes all this understanding, however very helpful, needs to be simplified for that split second where the mind needs to go from human understanding to spiritual understanding.

When we are in a stressful or high tension moment- our mind sometimes moves way too fast and before we know we have either said or did the first something that came to mind or we feel like "we" have to gather all these pieces of Godly wisdom together before we speak or move and before we know it the moment is here and gone and we have not spoken anything of God's love or truth "into" the situation.

No I am not saying we do not need to be prepared by reading the bible and going to church and spending time with the Lord. Rather I am saying be prepared by also putting your mind on the starting line where you can receive what God wants you to say and/or do in that split moment.

John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to give you are spirit and life."

Romans: 12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of the this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."

Exercise your mind for a moment. Think of a situation that is a challenge to you. Now without saying it as something hokey but in truth- say to yourself: "God is love and God loves me."

What just happened to your mind when you did this? If you believed that God is love and he loves you then your mind restructured its thinking to Holy Spirit thinking.

From this point peace "can" rule and this peace helps align your thoughts to where it should be and how it should act.

Jeremiah 17:7 "But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence."

Psalm 147:11 "Rather, the LORD's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love."

Simple yet effective... God is love and God loves me.

OUT OF THE HOLE

I have been speaking to others who have found themselves in a hole in which they have dug themselves. They have tried to claw their way out of this hole and no one has been able or willing to help them out of this hole they have found themselves in.

Their calls for help have been ignored.

They have been enabled by others and professionals such a doctors who write up subscriptions to mask the effects of the root of the problem.

They have been encouraged to stay in their hole in hopes it will all pass in time.

They have been spoon fed this idea that it is everyone elses fault that they are in this hole.

They have been beat back into the hole with remarks that they will never change and/or deserve to be stuck in that hole.

They have been threatened and lied to and fear a life outside the hole.

They have gotten so used to “misery” and “burden” that they have decided to make them their constant living companions.

I can’t get them out of this hole. You can't get them out of this hole. I could throw them a rope and if I some how convinced them to climb the rope, they would probably end up coming to the top of the hole- taking a quick look around and jump back into that hole again.

I have seen one of those holes first hand and you would be surprised what a person can get used to after a while.

Nope… the only way a person will want to come out of that hole is when the hole starts to collapse and it’s life or death threatening and they still won’t be able to get out of that hole themselves.

God’s is the only one who can retrieve a person from a hole they have dug themselves

No way out and no one to turn to… I gave my life to God and he seeing something of value in me, that I could not, pulled me out of that hole and gave me a new life, a new perspective which is maturing and growing everyday under his watchful and loving eye.

If you are in that hole….

Do yourself a favor and give your life to God. He created you. He knows what you need and he will give you a life that you did not even know was possible as long as you trust Him.

From there he will give you to Jesus who will give you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will give you greater insight of why Jesus is so important in your life and through this growing understanding you will gain greater maturing insight about life, hope, love, joy, and peace.

You will overcome many of the things in your old life and have a "continual" testimony to share with others for many years to come.

You will still have trials and struggles but through the new insight that God gives you, you will overcome all of them with "his" help.

If you aren't in a hole but know some who is, don't give up on them but continue to pray for them and ask God to give you the words and actions for when you do speak to them.

"Those" Times

There will be times you'll stop running and it will just be a struggle to just put one step in front of the other.

There will be times where you'll wonder why all the strange "happenings" come all at once.

There will be times that everything will fail like a sand castle in a rising tide. No matter how hard you work it all falls apart.

You trust God and asked God to prepare the way, things just don't happen.

And like always, people won't understand where you are coming from even though they might have a lot of observational wisdom. And oh how their words seem like a knife even though they mean well.

People will tell you to pray over your house and family and I will say "strive" to pray for your family and your home but if can't know God knows your "temporary" weakness.

There will be times where you want to know where God is and if he is so powerful why did he let these things happen.

There will be times where you will want to blame God and be angry with God.

I will say this, no matter how hard it gets always turn to God even if your words are bitter.

I will say lament to God and lay it all out.

It's easy to keep the anger and let all the hurts burden us BUT something happens when we lay our deeply troubling matters out before God even with tears in your eyes and an ache in your stomach and anger in our cries.

I don't understand why we go through hard times and I won't pretend there are any easy answers.

I won't tell you why the reasons we go through these hard times because there is sometimes no really good answer I can really give.

I will say even if it seems God is against you and you feel you are all by yourself, know he's listening.

Know that tomorrow is a new day.

Know this is all temporary even though it may all seem stuck and even going backward.

Life is hard at times.

Hugs to you who are going through rough times.

God Bless

Defragmenting Life (Thought life)

If you have children you know what it is like to go into their room and everything that was neatly on their shelves, in their toy boxes, hanging and stacked in their closet, and folded in their dresser has somehow become floor camouflage. Even their beds aren’t untouched by the carried away, spontaneous moments of imagination and play.

I guess there is a time for everything - a time to play and a time to clean up. (Clean up. Clean up. Everyone do you part. Clean up. Clean up. Everyone do your share.)

Even us adults have to un-clutter our lives once in a while.

It may not be the usage, consumption, or lack of effort in sorting material possessions but the way we think over, absorb, and hold on to information.

Our minds get so camouflaged with the matters and details of life we can no longer see the foundation of our lives and what truly matters in life. That goes for activities too!

Ever get over loaded with information and activity?

Has someone ever dumped or unloaded a lot of hefty information in your lap and then walked away? Has someone ever done something to yank your shirt collar?

How about when the aspects and events and tasks at hand get to be SO much to handle that you just end up becoming SO task oriented that you fail to see those around you being turned off by your super taskmaster mode. You’re giving orders here and there and forgetting you are being somewhat insensitive to other people’s feelings around you. (Then you realize… did I just grow horns, become red, and become a great pitchfork poker?)

Then there are some us who get so bombarded with so much information, jobs and tasks that we begin to get bogged down and then literally shut down. Sleep is good for the mind but when your mind is tired because it has a three-ring circus running around inside of it and you happen to be the strong man trying to hold up the elephant there is a problem.

I personally tend to think WAY too much on certain aspects of life which bogs me down emotional and physically. I start to put things on my shoulders to the point I am emotionally and physically drained and worn out.

So what do we do when we cannot discern the matters of the world verses the matters that truly matter in life that us give peace of mind and joy?

There is a wonderful illustration in Luke that might help us understand what truly matters in life.

Luke 10:38- 42 says “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it- and I won’t take it away from her.”

Martha had her eyes on the details of life. She had made a problem for herself. Ever get so blinded by all the things in life that you get carried away by them and make yourself upset and frustrated? Do you sometimes get even more upset because others aren’t helping you out to solve the problem or they don’t even perceive the tasks, that need to be done, as a problem?

Martha made herself a bomb.

I can see Martha thinking this: “Dinner must be served by this time. This many places must be set. This many dishes must be clean. These food items must be prepared in this way and this manner or else it will not be perfect. It will soon be getting dark and I wonder if I have enough oil to keep the lanterns lit. The main course isn’t being cooked as well as I would like. Why is my sister who knows how do these things as well as I not helping me?”

Mary, on the other hand, is in a different state of mind. Her mind and eyes are on Jesus.

Ever have dinner with a large group of friends? There is a lot of talk and activity. Mary, in the middle of all this activity, has quieted herself down in front of the Lord and simply listened. She made herself available to listen to what the Lord had to say to her and everyone else who had inquiring ears. Her eyes are on Jesus not on the activity and matters going on around her. Notice she didn’t try to argue with Martha, she just stayed focused on Jesus.

Yes there are a lot of things to be done in life. There are a lot of things that are said. There are a lot of things happening in the world around us but where is our focus?

I will admit first hand that it is difficult to see past those missiles of tasks, ideas, and opinions coming towards us everyday. During times of struggle, it is sometimes difficult to pray. It is sometimes difficult to open our bible and read. It is difficult to just sit and be still and be quiet both inside and out. It is hard to find clarity.

Yes it takes a MAJOR effort and step on our part BUT if we just take that step… those few minutes of quiet and few words/ thoughts to ask God to help clear our minds, we’ll find that
Jesus is the greatest interceptor of clattered thinking.

Philippians 4:6 “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

The cluttered pieces of life will be placed in their rightful place and you will see what truly matters in this life.