Matthew 17:20 says, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed..." but what does that mean? Pastor Randy Bezet said, "Heaven is full of answers to prayers for people who gave up too soon." In his testimony about trying to find funding for our new church home so we could reach more people for Christ, Pastor Randy spoke about how every bank was turning us down for a loan. He felt frustrated and ready to give in. But then God spoke to him and said that if he was going to give up, that he didn't belong being our pastor. Pastor Randy said that he told God that he didn't have much faith left, but he had enough faith to try one more time. That one more time was all it took.
The Lord doesn't expect us to complete anything on our own. But if we will take one more step, pray one more prayer, dream one more dream, try one more time, if we will do it once more, then our time, our answer, our promise is right around the corner. 1 Peter 3:6 says, "Like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham...You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear." You may be on the edge and feel as though you can't go on, but do you have faith enough to try once more and leave the rest up to God? Give God your best and leave the results up to Him, that's all He's ever asked us to do anyway.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What's in a Name?
Shakespeare made famous the line, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," (Romeo & Juliet, II, ii, 1-2). However, the Bible says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches," (Proverbs 22:1). So, who is right? Is a chair still a chair, even if we call it a doorbell? Is a girl the same girl, even if we call her something else? The Lord said, "I have called you by name, you are mine," (Isaiah 43:1). The Lord is telling us three important things here: He called us, He called us specifically by name, we belong to Him.
The first thing we need to understand is that when the Lord said that we are His, it's both a term of endearment, as well as possession. If you are a parent, you will more readily understand the Lord's position: when your child does something good, you are proud; when your child does not do good, you feel pain and possibly anger, depending upon what it was. The Lord is the same with us. He is our heavenly Father, our eternal parent, and we are His kids. Our heavenly Father loves us with an everlasting love that we can neither earn, nor diminish, no matter how we act, (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 8:38). The Lord said, "you are Mine." That should give you a sense of peace. Your heavenly Father loves you, He wants what's best for you, and He's wanting to move you onto the path that He created for you, if you'll only let Him.
The second thing the Lord said when He called us, He used a specific name. The word name here is from the Hebrew word, "shem," which means, "reputation, fame, glory," (blueletterbible.org). In today's society, we understand all about reputation. If someone has a good reputation, you want to do business with them, associate with them, be near them, etc. If someone's reputation has been tarnished, whether by their own actions or anther's accusations, others withdraw from them and that person may never be able to rebuild his reputation. Your reputation, your "name," is very important, both to you and to the Lord. For this very reason, the Lord was known to change a person's name. He changed Jacob, the deceiver to Israel, which means God prevails or God's soldier, (see Genesis 32:28). He also changed Abram and Sari to Abraham and Sarah when God gave Abraham the promise that he would be the father of many nations, (see Genesis 17:5). Our names are important. They define us and tell others about us.
The third thing the Lord said is that He called us. This word called is from the Hebrew word, "qara," which means, "to summon, proclaim, be chosen," (blueletterbible.org). The Lord has called us by our name, our purpose, by the purpose for which He destined us. When the Lord speaks your name over you, you begin to transform into who He desires you to be. In some instances, the Lord changed a person's name. In others, He simply spoke out the name to bring life to His desires for that person. He did this with Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector, until Jesus spoke out his name, which means "pure," (see Luke 19:2). The Lord did the same with Paul (a.k.a. Saul), who was previously the greatest persecutor of the Lord's disciples, (see Acts 9). But when the Lord called out his name, Paul rose up and began to do the Lord's work, preaching the gospel throughout the world.
The Lord calls His beloved forward to do His will. He did this with many throughout the Bible. He did it then, He's done it today, and He'll do it tomorrow. The Lord is calling forth His kids; He's called me, and He's calling you. What has the Lord spoken over you? Perhaps it is your birth name; perhaps it is the name He has chosen for you, for His purposes. What has the Lord called you? Who is He calling you to be, and what will you answer in response?
The first thing we need to understand is that when the Lord said that we are His, it's both a term of endearment, as well as possession. If you are a parent, you will more readily understand the Lord's position: when your child does something good, you are proud; when your child does not do good, you feel pain and possibly anger, depending upon what it was. The Lord is the same with us. He is our heavenly Father, our eternal parent, and we are His kids. Our heavenly Father loves us with an everlasting love that we can neither earn, nor diminish, no matter how we act, (Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 8:38). The Lord said, "you are Mine." That should give you a sense of peace. Your heavenly Father loves you, He wants what's best for you, and He's wanting to move you onto the path that He created for you, if you'll only let Him.
The second thing the Lord said when He called us, He used a specific name. The word name here is from the Hebrew word, "shem," which means, "reputation, fame, glory," (blueletterbible.org). In today's society, we understand all about reputation. If someone has a good reputation, you want to do business with them, associate with them, be near them, etc. If someone's reputation has been tarnished, whether by their own actions or anther's accusations, others withdraw from them and that person may never be able to rebuild his reputation. Your reputation, your "name," is very important, both to you and to the Lord. For this very reason, the Lord was known to change a person's name. He changed Jacob, the deceiver to Israel, which means God prevails or God's soldier, (see Genesis 32:28). He also changed Abram and Sari to Abraham and Sarah when God gave Abraham the promise that he would be the father of many nations, (see Genesis 17:5). Our names are important. They define us and tell others about us.
The third thing the Lord said is that He called us. This word called is from the Hebrew word, "qara," which means, "to summon, proclaim, be chosen," (blueletterbible.org). The Lord has called us by our name, our purpose, by the purpose for which He destined us. When the Lord speaks your name over you, you begin to transform into who He desires you to be. In some instances, the Lord changed a person's name. In others, He simply spoke out the name to bring life to His desires for that person. He did this with Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector, until Jesus spoke out his name, which means "pure," (see Luke 19:2). The Lord did the same with Paul (a.k.a. Saul), who was previously the greatest persecutor of the Lord's disciples, (see Acts 9). But when the Lord called out his name, Paul rose up and began to do the Lord's work, preaching the gospel throughout the world.
The Lord calls His beloved forward to do His will. He did this with many throughout the Bible. He did it then, He's done it today, and He'll do it tomorrow. The Lord is calling forth His kids; He's called me, and He's calling you. What has the Lord spoken over you? Perhaps it is your birth name; perhaps it is the name He has chosen for you, for His purposes. What has the Lord called you? Who is He calling you to be, and what will you answer in response?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Always Keep On
Be alert and always keep on praying... ~ Ephesians 6:18
We don't always see or know the destiny or legacy for ourselves, or spouses, our children, our family. We need to pray protection around them, fight off and build up a defense against the enemy before he even has the chance to attack. Looking back on my life, how much did the enemy know, how much did he see the areas for which God had predestined me? The things, the areas for which God has been grooming me to serve, those are the areas that have been the hardest hit.
The love and approval of a father are so important, especially to little girls. The devil knows that, so he taints that relationship; it may start with fear and later become bitter rage. How can a woman, whose was a scared little girl, understand the love of a heavenly Father, when the relationship with her earthly father was so tainted? Think about little boys, training to become men. If their fathers are tainted by pornography or other addictions which lead to the disrespect and abuse of the boy's mother, what kind of man will he grow up to be? Will he run to a heavenly Father, or always run from?
If relationships are important to God, where do you think the enemy will attack? What do you think he works overtime to destroy? What if the kids you are supposed to parent are predestined to be great warriors and leaders for the Lord...where do you think the enemy will attack? Perhaps he'll attack your body, making it hard for you to conceive. Perhaps he'll attack the area of your intimacy, so that you and your spouse won't be drawn to each other. Perhaps he'll attack you as a child, so that when you are old enough to have children, the thought of it--what someone did to you, what you might to do someone else--makes you sick.
We don't always know the full plan of what God as called us for; we don't get all the specifics. Often times, our last resort is prayer--a desperate plea to God. What if we followed what R.A. Torrey said and made it our first line of defense? "Anticipate the battles, fight them on your knees before they arise," (Word for You Today 25 Mar, 2010). We'll never know what we may be saving our loved ones from, but isn't it better to not know than to wish we had prayed from the other side?
Lord, I know that prayer is one of the areas that I struggle to remain faithful in. Father, help me to be ever on my knees before your throne, as your hand is what protects us and your spirit is what guides us. Lord, I pray that you would always bring to my mind the words to speak for protection over my family and friends. Lord, you have called us for a reason, and for that reason, the devil plots to destroy us. Father, I pray in Jesus' name that you would place bumpers of protection around us, that the attacks of the devil would be thwarted and that no weapon formed against us would prosper. Lord, I pray also that you would show us how to move forward for that which you have called us--that these attacks would not hold us back in fear. But rather, that we would be empowered and emboldened to move forward with greater ferocity. Thank you, Father, for your grace and wisdom. Thank you for your protection and love. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
We don't always see or know the destiny or legacy for ourselves, or spouses, our children, our family. We need to pray protection around them, fight off and build up a defense against the enemy before he even has the chance to attack. Looking back on my life, how much did the enemy know, how much did he see the areas for which God had predestined me? The things, the areas for which God has been grooming me to serve, those are the areas that have been the hardest hit.
The love and approval of a father are so important, especially to little girls. The devil knows that, so he taints that relationship; it may start with fear and later become bitter rage. How can a woman, whose was a scared little girl, understand the love of a heavenly Father, when the relationship with her earthly father was so tainted? Think about little boys, training to become men. If their fathers are tainted by pornography or other addictions which lead to the disrespect and abuse of the boy's mother, what kind of man will he grow up to be? Will he run to a heavenly Father, or always run from?
If relationships are important to God, where do you think the enemy will attack? What do you think he works overtime to destroy? What if the kids you are supposed to parent are predestined to be great warriors and leaders for the Lord...where do you think the enemy will attack? Perhaps he'll attack your body, making it hard for you to conceive. Perhaps he'll attack the area of your intimacy, so that you and your spouse won't be drawn to each other. Perhaps he'll attack you as a child, so that when you are old enough to have children, the thought of it--what someone did to you, what you might to do someone else--makes you sick.
We don't always know the full plan of what God as called us for; we don't get all the specifics. Often times, our last resort is prayer--a desperate plea to God. What if we followed what R.A. Torrey said and made it our first line of defense? "Anticipate the battles, fight them on your knees before they arise," (Word for You Today 25 Mar, 2010). We'll never know what we may be saving our loved ones from, but isn't it better to not know than to wish we had prayed from the other side?
Lord, I know that prayer is one of the areas that I struggle to remain faithful in. Father, help me to be ever on my knees before your throne, as your hand is what protects us and your spirit is what guides us. Lord, I pray that you would always bring to my mind the words to speak for protection over my family and friends. Lord, you have called us for a reason, and for that reason, the devil plots to destroy us. Father, I pray in Jesus' name that you would place bumpers of protection around us, that the attacks of the devil would be thwarted and that no weapon formed against us would prosper. Lord, I pray also that you would show us how to move forward for that which you have called us--that these attacks would not hold us back in fear. But rather, that we would be empowered and emboldened to move forward with greater ferocity. Thank you, Father, for your grace and wisdom. Thank you for your protection and love. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Through God's Eyes
This past weekend's service was "3:16 Forgiveness," and when I saw the title, I knew that God was going to deal with me. In fact, He'd been working on me all week. Last week, I joined a Bible study small group. The leader said they were going to be studying "grace" and to look up some scripture on it before group. The only scripture I knew off hand on grace was 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Now, I've never understood the scripture, but I knew what it said. That day, God started to show me the meaning of that scripture.
Two weeks prior, my husband and I were at our marriage small group where we heard Jimmy Evans' definition of "mercy" vs. "grace." He said that mercy is "not getting what we deserve," and grace is "getting what we don't deserve." He used the example of someone in court pleading for their life. He said that was an example of mercy. He said that what Jesus did on the cross for us is an example of grace. I've often heard that we need to extend grace to others, because God first extended grace to us through His Son, Jesus, but never understood what that meant in a way that I could perform such an act, without being a doormat.
Last week at the small group when we going to talk about "grace," we spent the evening talking about "forgiveness," which was actually what I needed. Now I've always heard, and agree, that forgiveness is your responsibility and the relationship is the other person's (or both, together) responsibility. Our leader that night, said that if we have truly forgiven someone--unless they are a physical, emotional, or mental danger to us--we would want to be in relationship with them. I understood what she was getting at, even if I wasn't sure I agreed with it. As it turned out, I had a friend who said some things that really hurt my feelings. I knew that the Bible said that I needed to forgive her, but I was really struggling with the hurt feelings. I asked the Lord to forgive her; I asked the Lord to bless her; but even then, there was still much hurt inside. One of the ladies at the group that night said to forgive as Jesus forgave: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," (Luke 23:34). The woman said that my friend may not understand why it hurt me, or perhaps she hadn't learned the same lessons that I had learned. Either which way, I needed to forgive her so that I would be right in God's eyes and as I forgave her, I would be able to see her through God's eyes.
At service this past weekend, Pastor Randy said that the devil comes to accuse us. He said that one of the tricks of the devil is to use condemnation: "If you would have prayed more, believed more, had more faith, read the Bible more, etc., etc., then __________ would not have happened, or you'd be healed by now, or whatever." That was the exact lie I was dealing with, what had hurt my heart. Pastor Randy said that those things are condemnation. At the end of service, Pastor Randy asked (with every head bowed and every eye closed), if there was anyone who needed to be set free of something or needed to fully receive forgiveness of something. If so, raise your hand. I hesitated. I wanted to be free of holding onto this pain, but I was embarrassed. After a few seconds, I raised my hand and said, "Jesus, please forgive me for holding onto something that someone did to me. Please forgive them for hurting me and help me to let go of that hurt." During the commitment song, which was "Amazing Grace," the Holy Spirit whispered to me, "Out of the things that were said to you, much has been revealed. Look at all that you have learned, that I have shown you. Let it go." I tried to reason with God, saying that she needed to understand. He said to me, "I am the only one who can speak to her about it. I'm the only one she'll listen to. Let it go." And I did. As soon as I let it go, I felt a wave of peace wash over me. I felt a flood of love for her fill up my heart, and I saw her for the first time in a new light. I saw her through God's eyes and I felt peace.
The Bible says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them," (Romans 8:28). Things aren't always good. But God knows how to take even the worst things, the most hurtful things, and use them to open your eyes and heal your heart. That's what Jesus did for me. He opened my eyes and allowed me to see through His eyes.
Two weeks prior, my husband and I were at our marriage small group where we heard Jimmy Evans' definition of "mercy" vs. "grace." He said that mercy is "not getting what we deserve," and grace is "getting what we don't deserve." He used the example of someone in court pleading for their life. He said that was an example of mercy. He said that what Jesus did on the cross for us is an example of grace. I've often heard that we need to extend grace to others, because God first extended grace to us through His Son, Jesus, but never understood what that meant in a way that I could perform such an act, without being a doormat.
Last week at the small group when we going to talk about "grace," we spent the evening talking about "forgiveness," which was actually what I needed. Now I've always heard, and agree, that forgiveness is your responsibility and the relationship is the other person's (or both, together) responsibility. Our leader that night, said that if we have truly forgiven someone--unless they are a physical, emotional, or mental danger to us--we would want to be in relationship with them. I understood what she was getting at, even if I wasn't sure I agreed with it. As it turned out, I had a friend who said some things that really hurt my feelings. I knew that the Bible said that I needed to forgive her, but I was really struggling with the hurt feelings. I asked the Lord to forgive her; I asked the Lord to bless her; but even then, there was still much hurt inside. One of the ladies at the group that night said to forgive as Jesus forgave: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," (Luke 23:34). The woman said that my friend may not understand why it hurt me, or perhaps she hadn't learned the same lessons that I had learned. Either which way, I needed to forgive her so that I would be right in God's eyes and as I forgave her, I would be able to see her through God's eyes.
At service this past weekend, Pastor Randy said that the devil comes to accuse us. He said that one of the tricks of the devil is to use condemnation: "If you would have prayed more, believed more, had more faith, read the Bible more, etc., etc., then __________ would not have happened, or you'd be healed by now, or whatever." That was the exact lie I was dealing with, what had hurt my heart. Pastor Randy said that those things are condemnation. At the end of service, Pastor Randy asked (with every head bowed and every eye closed), if there was anyone who needed to be set free of something or needed to fully receive forgiveness of something. If so, raise your hand. I hesitated. I wanted to be free of holding onto this pain, but I was embarrassed. After a few seconds, I raised my hand and said, "Jesus, please forgive me for holding onto something that someone did to me. Please forgive them for hurting me and help me to let go of that hurt." During the commitment song, which was "Amazing Grace," the Holy Spirit whispered to me, "Out of the things that were said to you, much has been revealed. Look at all that you have learned, that I have shown you. Let it go." I tried to reason with God, saying that she needed to understand. He said to me, "I am the only one who can speak to her about it. I'm the only one she'll listen to. Let it go." And I did. As soon as I let it go, I felt a wave of peace wash over me. I felt a flood of love for her fill up my heart, and I saw her for the first time in a new light. I saw her through God's eyes and I felt peace.
The Bible says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them," (Romans 8:28). Things aren't always good. But God knows how to take even the worst things, the most hurtful things, and use them to open your eyes and heal your heart. That's what Jesus did for me. He opened my eyes and allowed me to see through His eyes.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The But Factor
"So begin using your faith in small things," (Word for You Today, 16 Mar 2010). God rewards faith used in the small things. If we will get in the habit of going to God in the small things, then when the "big" things arise, we will turn to God much faster than if we are not in that habit. Most people, myself included, are not in the habit of going to God in the small stuff, so when the "big stuff" happens, we are totally lost.
My favorite verse is John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." This has been my favorite verse because it seemed as though I was constantly having trouble--if I wasn't sick, then my husband was sick; if we weren't sick, then one of us was out of work; if we weren't out of work, then we were sick or having some other problem. That cycle just went round and round and round...and round, for years. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble," and believe me, I felt the trouble! And then He said one of my favorite words: but. But is one of my favorite words, because it negates everything that comes before it. Jesus said some sweet words: "But take heart! I have overcome the world." They are sweet words because He said that trouble--all that junk we don't like--doesn't matter. That's not to say that it doesn't matter to us while we are going through it. It just means that in the grand scheme of things, from heaven's vantage point, our "trouble" is insignificant as compared to the power that is in Christ Jesus. When Jesus says to us, "Take heart," He's telling us: I've taken care of it; you can quit stressing over it, because I'm in control and I'm watching out for you.
But...
But we must have faith that He is able to take care of it--all of it--in our individual lives. Jesus didn't just come to the earth to save us from hell. He came that He may have a relationship with each unique individual. He came that He could meet us right where we were at--whatever level, whatever need, He came to meet us there. For our part, we need to make sure we don't just use the "but factor" in the big stuff. We need--I need--to remember how He helped in the big stuff and keep looking to Him in the small stuff. So often, when small issues arise, I will look to me and ask, how can I make this happen. It's in those times the Lord waits patiently to see if I will remember to turn to Him.
It helps me to remember it this way:
God made all matter. I am made from matter. In God's eyes, I am what matters.
When I look at things that way, it gets easier to call on Him for big things and little things alike. The next time that trouble--of any size--arises, remember the but factor and take heart in Jesus.
My favorite verse is John 16:33, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." This has been my favorite verse because it seemed as though I was constantly having trouble--if I wasn't sick, then my husband was sick; if we weren't sick, then one of us was out of work; if we weren't out of work, then we were sick or having some other problem. That cycle just went round and round and round...and round, for years. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble," and believe me, I felt the trouble! And then He said one of my favorite words: but. But is one of my favorite words, because it negates everything that comes before it. Jesus said some sweet words: "But take heart! I have overcome the world." They are sweet words because He said that trouble--all that junk we don't like--doesn't matter. That's not to say that it doesn't matter to us while we are going through it. It just means that in the grand scheme of things, from heaven's vantage point, our "trouble" is insignificant as compared to the power that is in Christ Jesus. When Jesus says to us, "Take heart," He's telling us: I've taken care of it; you can quit stressing over it, because I'm in control and I'm watching out for you.
But...
But we must have faith that He is able to take care of it--all of it--in our individual lives. Jesus didn't just come to the earth to save us from hell. He came that He may have a relationship with each unique individual. He came that He could meet us right where we were at--whatever level, whatever need, He came to meet us there. For our part, we need to make sure we don't just use the "but factor" in the big stuff. We need--I need--to remember how He helped in the big stuff and keep looking to Him in the small stuff. So often, when small issues arise, I will look to me and ask, how can I make this happen. It's in those times the Lord waits patiently to see if I will remember to turn to Him.
It helps me to remember it this way:
God made all matter. I am made from matter. In God's eyes, I am what matters.
When I look at things that way, it gets easier to call on Him for big things and little things alike. The next time that trouble--of any size--arises, remember the but factor and take heart in Jesus.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
For it is written
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command the angels concerning you...'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" ~ Matthew 4:6-7
Have you ever been bombarded by too many thoughts? I've been trying to practice taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5), but I keep tripping over other scriptures. For example, I know that I have been healed and week to week, there is definite physical improvement, but sometimes day to day, I have more pain. So, am I "picking it back up," as some would say, or is this part of the healing process? Have I relinquished my healing because I'm still feeling physical symptoms, or is God growing my faith to see if I will be faithful to keep walking out what He promised me and declared over me, even though my body hasn't caught up to what's already happened in the spiritual realm? These are the thoughts that keep plaguing my mind, but I also keep tripping over scriptures. For example, Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you," (Matthew 17:20). However, the Bible also says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:9), and "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Romans 11:34).
Our enemy, the devil, is crafty. The Bible says that he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, (see 1 Peter 5:8). Lions are king of the wilderness, they are mighty hunters, and they are ferocious beasts. They lay quiet and wait, studying their prey before they make a move. That's what our enemy does. He studies us. He watches to see where we are weak, where we are vulnerable, and how he can trick us into thinking we are safe when we are really so ripe for the picking. The enemy tried that with Jesus. We read in Matthew 4 that the tempter did not approach Jesus until He had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and He was hungry, (vv 1-3). We, like Jesus, must be on our guard at all times. As soon as we think we are above temptation, that is when we so easily fall, and fall hard, (see 1 Corinthians 10:12).
So what do we do when the tempter, or anyone, says to us, "For it is written..."? We go back and study the Bible ourselves. It is our responsibility to take anything that is said to us and line it up against the Word of God. That's what "take every thought captive" means. It means we need to take the words that are being said to us and read the surrounding text to see if that's what God really meant by that. We're taught that concept in like third or fourth grade. We're taught to use the surrounding text to determine the definition of the word. The same is true here: What was God really saying to us? Anyone can use a line of scripture out of context. That's why it is so important for us to know and to study daily the Word of the Lord. If we don't, anyone can say anything to us and we will follow where they lead.
Have you ever been bombarded by too many thoughts? I've been trying to practice taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5), but I keep tripping over other scriptures. For example, I know that I have been healed and week to week, there is definite physical improvement, but sometimes day to day, I have more pain. So, am I "picking it back up," as some would say, or is this part of the healing process? Have I relinquished my healing because I'm still feeling physical symptoms, or is God growing my faith to see if I will be faithful to keep walking out what He promised me and declared over me, even though my body hasn't caught up to what's already happened in the spiritual realm? These are the thoughts that keep plaguing my mind, but I also keep tripping over scriptures. For example, Jesus said, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you," (Matthew 17:20). However, the Bible also says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:9), and "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" (Romans 11:34).
Our enemy, the devil, is crafty. The Bible says that he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, (see 1 Peter 5:8). Lions are king of the wilderness, they are mighty hunters, and they are ferocious beasts. They lay quiet and wait, studying their prey before they make a move. That's what our enemy does. He studies us. He watches to see where we are weak, where we are vulnerable, and how he can trick us into thinking we are safe when we are really so ripe for the picking. The enemy tried that with Jesus. We read in Matthew 4 that the tempter did not approach Jesus until He had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and He was hungry, (vv 1-3). We, like Jesus, must be on our guard at all times. As soon as we think we are above temptation, that is when we so easily fall, and fall hard, (see 1 Corinthians 10:12).
So what do we do when the tempter, or anyone, says to us, "For it is written..."? We go back and study the Bible ourselves. It is our responsibility to take anything that is said to us and line it up against the Word of God. That's what "take every thought captive" means. It means we need to take the words that are being said to us and read the surrounding text to see if that's what God really meant by that. We're taught that concept in like third or fourth grade. We're taught to use the surrounding text to determine the definition of the word. The same is true here: What was God really saying to us? Anyone can use a line of scripture out of context. That's why it is so important for us to know and to study daily the Word of the Lord. If we don't, anyone can say anything to us and we will follow where they lead.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Fight Fire with Water
What is your reaction when someone says something rude or hurtful to you? The world will tell us, "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer," (Sun-tzu, Chinese general and strategist, 400 BC). The Bible tells us that we are not fighting against flesh and blood and we must bless those who hurt or "do evil," to us, (Ephesians 6:12; Romans 12:19-21). How can this be? I see the person standing in front of me--or on the phone or where ever--saying hurtful things to me. How can you say they are not flesh and blood? Moreover, how can you ask me to bless them?
A preacher once said that when we are hungry, angry, stressed, or tired, we are more prone to putting our foot in our mouth than to hearing the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Regrettably, words, once said, can't be taken back; they can only be forgiven. The next time someone comes at you in a rude or hurtful manner, ask yourself, do I really think they mean to do me personal harm? Probably not. And even if so, what good will it do you to try to fight them? Don't fight fire with fire; fight fire with water. Begin to pray blessings over them and see how the Holy Spirit will change their heart and their tongue. A word of caution: change doesn't typically happen overnight, so keep praying blessings over them and feel the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, growing inside of you.
A preacher once said that when we are hungry, angry, stressed, or tired, we are more prone to putting our foot in our mouth than to hearing the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Regrettably, words, once said, can't be taken back; they can only be forgiven. The next time someone comes at you in a rude or hurtful manner, ask yourself, do I really think they mean to do me personal harm? Probably not. And even if so, what good will it do you to try to fight them? Don't fight fire with fire; fight fire with water. Begin to pray blessings over them and see how the Holy Spirit will change their heart and their tongue. A word of caution: change doesn't typically happen overnight, so keep praying blessings over them and feel the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, growing inside of you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)