Okay,
nothing as embarrassing (but, clearly needed) as a spiritual time out.
Not too long
ago, I woke up complaining. It’s a nasty habit I need to break, for sure. But,
I clearly heard God say to me, “If you’re complaining about someone, you’re not
praying for them. If you were sincerely praying for them, you wouldn’t want to
hinder those prayers with doubt, unbelief, grumblings and complaining.” Ouch!
Proverbs 3:12 tells us plainly, “For
whom the Lord loves, he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he
delights.” (KJV)
Of course,
He’s right. He’s always right. Those are the arguments we can’t win, there’s no
defense when God points out something like that. Conviction sets in, repentance
falls from your heart and you start over, yet again.
(photo from parents.com)
Makes me ponder
the point: how many of our prayers go unanswered because we ask amiss. (“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask
amiss….” – James 4:3 KJV) Surely, it would be considered asking amiss to
pray and complain about the same person/situation.
Do you have
that one person or situation you find yourself complaining about a lot? In the
Old Testament, God became so angry with the Israelites for grumbling and
complaining that the ground opened up and swallowed a bunch of them. (Numbers
16)
Thank God for the covenant of grace!
I just
wanted to share this “spanking” with all of you, so that God doesn’t have to
chastise you, too. Or, perhaps, so that He can use this blog post to do the
chastising for Him.
Heads up:
Complaining and praying do NOT go hand in hand.
Mark 11:24-26 “Therefore I say unto
you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them,
and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought
against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your
trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in
heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:24-26 (KJV)
Matthew
5:23-24 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go they way; first be reconciled to they brother, and then come and
offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 (KJV)
This is my Christmas story, I've share it before - but, here it is again. However you imagine the hammer used to nail Jesus to the cross, here's the story inspired in me many years ago. I hope you love it as much as I do....and the songs that follow the blog post.
(picture from ispygod.net)
The Hammer
by Helen Williams!
Since Mary and Joseph had been
turned away from all the inns and told they could stay in a barn and that their
child could sleep in the newly made manger when he was born, that’s where they
found themselves the next morning. Their child had been born late in the night,
a boy child. They named him Jesus. He lay quietly on a bed of hay in the
manger. As Mary sat there watching him sleep, she couldn’t help but notice what
a beautiful manger it was. Considering it was built to hold hay for the cows,
she wondered why its maker took such care and put so much delicate work into it.
Her husband, being a carpenter, might know. She called it to his attention and
asked him why he thought the carpenter that built it would have made it so ornate.
‘Well, either he just takes a lot
of pride in his work, no matter what he’s making, or he had nothing much else
to do and decided to put all that detail there to keep himself busy. Or perhaps
God told him that our child – His child, would lay there. Only the carpenter
himself knows. And yes, he did a wonderful job on it. But we’ll probably never
know who made it, dear.’
As he was answering Mary some
straw from the hayloft sifted through the boards and they heard a rustling
coming from above.
‘But then again,’ he whispered,
‘one never knows.’
He tiptoed around to the steps
that led to the hayloft and as quietly as he could, climbed them. When he got
to the top he boldly asked, ‘Who’s up here?’
He waited for an answer. At first
there was silence. But when he saw the straw moving, he asked, ‘Shall I come
see for myself?’
At that, the straw moved a lot
and from it emerged an old man. He tried to stand, but lost his footing and sat
down.
‘Hello, master. It is only I, the
keeper of the animals. I mean you no harm. I sleep here alone. I’ll be on my
way about with my chores now.’
He got up and hobbled to the top
of the steps as Joseph descended. He came down slowly. By the time he reached
the last step, Mary eagerly asked him if he knew who had made the beautiful
manger.
He nodded his head. ‘It was I,
ma’am.’
Mary noticed that even though he
was on the ground now, he didn’t stand up straight. She complimented the
craftsmanship he’d so skillfully used on the manger but had to ask, ‘Why did
you make it so special? A manger is for animals to eat from. You made it look
like a piece of furniture for a king’s house.’
‘Ah yes, ma’am. I did make
furniture for the king’s palace, and he did like it to be perfect. I can still
work as well as I used to, even though I’m all bent over now. So my work
carries on. Though the only job I could get was here. You see ma’am, once
you’ve worked for the king and been let go, no one wants you. I’m a reproach
among men and they don’t even know why. The king didn’t like the way I look. When
I was young and strong looking they liked to have me as the king’s carpenter.
But as I’ve aged, time has not been so kind to me. The longer I live, the more
bent over I stay. When the king dismissed me no one would even look at me. I
felt as though he’d spit on me. All I managed to bring with me was that big ol’
hammer there.’
(picture from pinterest.com)
He pointed it out. ‘So now, you
must know that God’s hand is upon me for me to make such a craft using such a
big hammer. The other tools I use, I’ve made myself. They too are meager, but
that big hammer was once in the king’s carpenter shop. I guess it’s rather
special to me. I worked there a long time.’
As he rambled on, he came nearer
to the baby and was straining his neck to see him. Joseph sat down behind Mary,
putting his hand on her shoulder. They both smiled at the man. Mary asked,
‘Would you like to see our baby? Come closer. He seems to have awakened by your
voice, but he’ll not cry.’
‘Why, his eyes are opened and
he’s just a newborn. I’ve never seen the likes of him,’ he chuckled. ‘It looks
as though he’s looking right up at me, almost as if he knows me. Cute little
boy. What did you name him?’
Joseph spoke up, ‘His name is
Jesus. Come closer. Would you like to hold him?’
‘Oh, you can’t trust my back. I
don’t think I should.’ But there was a look of yearning in his eyes.
‘God’s hand is upon you,
remember? You said so yourself. Pick him up and hold him close,’ Mary said.
The old man came closer and bent
over to pick him up, praying he’d be able to hold the boy Jesus. As he stood
up, he kept straightening himself to a standing position. At first he didn’t
even realize he stood up straight, as he did in his youth. He smiled at the
child and talked to him ever so quietly. He looked at Mary and said, ‘If I
didn’t know better, I’d think he was trying to tell me that he knows me. Just
the wishing of an old man…’ His voice trailed off.
Suddenly realizing he was
standing tall, he exclaimed, ‘Why, little Jesus, if you could see me now! I’m
standing again! It’s a miracle!’
He held the baby close to himself
and began to dance around the room. Joseph smiled at Mary and she said, ‘It’s
not the first one to happen in this barn.’
After returning the baby to the
manger, the man said, ‘I’m blessed by the hand of God, indeed. I can’t repay God
for the miracle He’s done in my life, but I do want you to take my hammer with
you when you go. I want you to teach this young child to be a good carpenter.
As he grows, show him how to bring life to something as simple as a piece of
wood. And tell him about me when he’s older. And tell him about the manger.
And, I wish I could tell him myself. If you were going to be around for a
while, I’d make him something to take with him, from me. But I’m sure you’ll be
moving on shortly here. So take the hammer, please. The hammer reminded me of
when I worked for the king. But my walk will remind everyone that I walk for
the king, now.
His eyes gleamed with joy and
delight.
Joseph accepted the hammer from
the old man and promised that it would be Jesus’ to use as he grew, knowing
that he’d have to be quite a little man to swing that hammer. It was a big one,
indeed.
When Jesus was big enough to
swing the hammer, the first thing he made was a manger for his donkey to eat
from. He took time and care and lovingly made it after the pattern his mother had
described so many times. When he’d completed his work, he called his mother to
see it. He led her by the hand into the workshop where he and his father worked
so diligently. She was proud of his work and her eyes filled with tears.
Jesus said, ‘Mother, if my donkey
can come into the house, we can keep it there! It does look beautiful enough
for a king’s house, doesn’t it?’
‘It sure does, my son. But the
donkey stays outside. We’ll keep the manger forever. It will remind us how our
heavenly Father wants us humbled before Him, so He can lift us up with His
blessings. The manger you laid in was truly a blessing, to me, as well as to
the old man. I wanted you to have the best, but God wanted you to be born in a
barn. But in the midst of that barn, He let us know that He was there with us.
Oh my Jesus, I love you.’ She hugged him tight.
As Jesus grew older, he grew in
the wisdom of God and in love. He always showed his love, never esteeming
himself more highly than others. He knew that it was better to give than to
receive and he knew that he would give the ultimate display of love at the
appointed time. He knew that when you lend, expect not to receive back what
you’ve lent. And he always gave his best, which is why when a city boy came out
to where Jesus lived, looking for the biggest and heaviest hammer he could
find, Jesus gave him his.
The boy told him, ‘My father is
the biggest man in the city and he has a big job to do. I told him that I would
find just the right hammer for the job and I’ll keep looking until I do.’
Jesus stopped him and said, ‘Why
did you promise to find this special hammer for your father?’
‘Wouldn’t you?’ the boy replied.
‘Besides,’ he added with a whisper, ‘if I do bring home the perfect hammer, he
won’t send my mother and me away.’
(picture from icollector.com)
Jesus told him, ‘Well, you’ll
need a little help to carry my hammer. It’s very big; just right for that big
job. I’ll help you carry it.’
They walked together for almost a
mile. Pointing, the boy announced, ‘There’s my father. We live over there. He
will be please. Would you like to meet him? Come on.’
The boy ran ahead of Jesus,
calling to his father. Looking up, he saw them coming.
‘I’ve found the biggest and best
hammer for you, Father!’
His father looked at Jesus and
furrowed his brow. ‘Do I know you? You look so familiar. Your look says you
know me.’
‘No,’ Jesus replied, ‘you don’t
know me yet.’
He handed him the hammer and
shook his other hand. After Jesus turned to walk away, the man looked at his
hand, the one that held onto Jesus’, running his fingers over the palm as if he
were feeling for something.
‘He was a big man, wasn’t he,
Father? He sure had a big hammer, and he gave it to us, Father!’
Years later on a hill called
Golgotha, Jesus saw that hammer again, and it was being used for a big job
alright. After the soldier swung the last blow of the hammer, he looked at the
man he was nailing to the cross. His eyes filled with horror as he recognized
his face. He fell to his knees but quickly got back up before anyone would
realize that his heart was being pierced. It seemed like forever as he looked
into Jesus’ eyes, everything he’d ever done came up in his mind. He felt so
helpless and he somehow knew why.
(picture from pinterest.com)
Jesus said to him, so quietly
that no one else heard, ‘Now, you know me. And yes, I’ve always known you, and
I love you.’
It was no coincidence that his
marriage was mended from the day he received that.
It was no coincidence that his
son was standing there beside him, also in a Roman soldier’s uniform.
He dropped the hammer and walked
away from the cross, looking back only once. In his heart he grieved. But he
knew that God knew of his grief when Jesus cried aloud from the cross in the
air, ‘Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.’
He followed after the disciples –
forgiven and alive for the first time in his life.
Have you yet to hold that hammer
in your hand?
The house the King desires to
live in is your heart. What have you let Him build there – with His hammer?
When we’ve called ourselves Christians
for a long time, but no one around us has a clue that we profess Jesus Christ
is Lord, it can be an awkward step to speak out about our faith and to walk it
out in front of our friends.
What better time to take advantage of
the holiday season? Blame it on Christmas! Speak out a little bolder, give a
little more generously, love a little more freely – and blame it on Christmas. Jesus
IS the reason for the season, take advantage of that.
Speakers sometimes brings up the
challenge, “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough
evidence to convict you?” Does it make you feel a little uncomfortable, do you
squirm in your seat a little more than usual? Do you wonder? Where is your
evidence?
(picture from lpcso.org)
In James we read, “What
does it profit, my brethren, if
someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and
filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body,
what does it profit? Thus, also faith by itself, if
it does not have works, is dead.
But someone will say,
“You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without yourworks, and I will show you my faith by my
works. You believe that there is on God. You do well. Even the demons believe - and tremble! (James 2:14-10 NKJV)
Yes, our faith empowers our works.
Without faith in God, nothing we accomplish will mean a thing throughout
eternity.
(picture from pinterest.com)
It’s time for your big break, hide
behind the mantel of the season, if need be, but exercise your faith. Speak up
when conversations or situations make you uneasy; it’s the Spirit of God inside
of you moving you to speak, to take action.
When you feel that nudge from God –
blame it on Christmas!
What
an honor to be asked to share a guest blog for Positively Debbie! She never
ceases to amaze me with her courage, tenacity and determination. She continues
to inspire me and encourage me in my fitness journey as I watch her push
forward with hers.
It’s
not just about weight loss, but that seems to be where we measure it the most.
For me, it’s clearly about what I do and don’t put into my mouth; that’s where
my weakness seems to triumph over me, daily.
I
tend to look at things through the mirror of parallels – what’s going on around
me spiritually while I take part in what’s going on around me physically?
My
weight loss pendulum swings far to the heavy side, at the moment. As I age, it’s
quite tempting to blame the advancing years for the slowing down of my body. It’s
also easy to blame my emotions for the Doritos and pizza my mouth craves.
And,
I’ve met some fabulous encouragers, those who’ve gone before me in this fitness
journey, and met it with success. Debbie is one of those who’ve faced the
battles, though different in appearance from my own, the roots are the same.
Among
so many things, we face loneliness (empty nest syndrome), sadness (the absence
of loved ones), hormonal fluctuations, boredom, and an overall emptiness that
longs to be filled.
The
way I see it, the deciding factor for reaching our fitness goals is simply: with
what do I fill my gaping voids?
Sometimes,
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m a Christian, because too often, there’s a lack
of evidence with which I could be convicted as such. I feel like many could
judge me and say, “If this God of yours truly loves you, why doesn’t He help
you with these important areas of life struggles?”
And
that’s just the kind of thing the enemy tries to silence me with, not being a
good example before my fellow strugglers.
But,
the blame lies with me. Enough of this banter that says, “…it’s not your fault…”
Indeed, most of the time, it IS my fault. I get to choose whether
I listen to the voice of logic and reason that tells me the bag of Doritos I’ve
hidden for myself is the wrong place to go for validation and acceptance. I
know in my heart, that God has already validated my heart, and has
unconditionally accepted me, blemishes and all. He waits eagerly to meet my
every need. He longs to be my source, for everything. Better yet, He loves me –
always has, always will.
Yet…
I too often seek refuge in a salty snack. Why? I suppose if I had all the
answers, my book would be the next best seller and I wouldn’t have a weight
loss care in the world.
The
answers that I know will truly work, are those answers that have worked for me
in the past:
*Get
my eyes on Jesus, not on the weight scale. What we look at determines what
fills our minds. Is my mind on God? Or on that little digital number that can
ruin my day?
*Turn
to the Bible before I lunge for the snacks. Most often, the desire for the
snack disappears. My focus determines my actions.
*Get
my praise on! Don’t listen to sad, sappy love songs where the songwriter ended
up on the losing end of things!
*Listen
to what God says about me, not what the world tries to force down my throat. I AM
worthy of love, I AM accepted and justified, through Jesus Christ! Gone are the
days of shame, Jesus has washed me clean of all that. The enemy of my soul
loves to drag me down with his lies and a big bag of chips.
*Recognize:
I GET
TO CHOOSE. With every single choice presented to me throughout my day,
I get to choose my response.
*My
go-to passage in the Bible: Philippians 4:4-8 – Think on the good things!
Of
course, eating clean and moving more are pivotal, but, we have to get to a
place where we recognize that we deserve to eat clean and move our
bodies. The lie that it’s just not worth it, we’re just not worth it –
is the chain that binds us to unhealthy habits (whether it’s overeating, or
overconsumption of alcohol or any other addiction that tempts us).
(Picture from Pinterest.com)
Thank
you for hearing my “points to ponder”.
Here’s
a poem I wrote a few years back while seeing the weight scale greet me with
pleasantries each morning. But, it’s true, even when the scale is mean to me.
Perhaps you didn’t hear me when I said I’d lose this
weight
I meant it when I said it and you cannot change my
fate
In Jesus’ Name I cast down any morbid enemy
that would try to take my freedom
and my grace away from me
I rebuke you, I resist you and you cannot steal my day
I choose this day Whom I shall serve,
and I shall serve His Way
I choose to live and not to die, I’ll walk a life of
faith
I choose to lose the extra weight I’ve carried and I
hate
In Jesus’ Name I’ll not give in to worldly ways and
whine
I’ll not go running back to food for comfort for my
mind
The God that made the universe and holds it in His
Hands
Can surely take me through this trial into the
promised lands
My mind’s made up, I’ve turned my face
away from earth’s rewards
I’ll draw upon my GOD as I take up His trusty Sword
I’ll fight the battle to be fought and know that I
will win
His Sword is filled with Living Words
that keep my soul from sin
His Word will build me up
and keep me from the snares of man
He’ll fill me up with all I need -as only Jesus can
He Himself said meat is just to do His Father’s Will
He is the Bread of Life and will sustain me ever still
I’m living proof that Jesus truly saves, forgives and
keeps
He’ll sanctify me daily as I yield my heart so deep
The wounds that I have carried for so many haunting
years
Are healed in Jesus’ Precious Name, erased with all my
fears.
“God has not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
I
personalize this by receiving the good news that, God has not given me
a spirit of fear (another scripture points out that perfect love casts out all
fear). But, God HAS given me His spirit of power, His spirit of Love and the
spirit of a sound mind.
Fear
has reigned in my heart for a good deal of my life, even when I thought I’d
tackled it. But, yesterday it jumped out at me, that the word for fear in this
verse is also translated timidity.
God
has not given us the spirit of timidity.
Timid
– lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous;
shy. Characterized by or indicating fear. (dictionary.com)
(photo from onepeterfive.com)
I
immediately recognized that I’ve allowed a spirit of timidity to overcome me
and my daily actions and conversations. It dawned on me that I’ve allowed the
opinions of others to cloud or overshadow my own thoughts and convictions. Not
so much to the changing of my thoughts and convictions, but, limiting and
inhibiting my expression of these beliefs. Since these are beliefs that I hold
dear, I now challenge myself; why? And how have I let this self-doubt or
apprehension creep into my thinking?
Are
my thoughts and beliefs any less valid than the thoughts and beliefs of those
around me? No.
Have
I fallen prey to the notions of political correctness that would intimidate me
into silence for fear that I’ll offend someone? Perhaps.
Am
I so concerned with what others might think of me, that I’m hiding the very
core of who I am? Is my ego that shallow? I think so. What a crushing blow!
I
choose to live my life as I believe God leads me.
I’ve
chosen to surrender my life to the God of the universe, the God that created us
all and everything we see, as well as plenty we don’t see.
I
believe that all life is sacred, that God loves us all, with His love that
knows no limits and cannot be removed from us. Whether we want His love, or
feel we deserve His love or not – He loves us, without end and without
conditions.
I
believe that to live in peace with God, we must go through Jesus Christ, His
Son, Whom He sent to redeem us from a fallen state.
I
believe what God says in His Word, I receive His promises to me, knowing that
most of them are conditional upon submission to Him. I choose that submission.
(picture from maulshri.com)
Today,
I choose to shake off that spirit of timidity; it’s not from God.
Today,
I choose to take up that spirit of power, God’s spirit of Love and the spirit
of a sound, confident mind and wear them boldly.
Might
I fumble? You bet.
Might
I fall flat on my face, and even get angry with myself for doubting my
relationship with God or for doubting the power of the spirit of Love that
wants only the best for me? Of course.
Continuously,
life is choice after choice. Most of the daily choices we make, we make
subconsciously, not even recognizing that a choice has been made. Whether we
give in to old patterns, or whether we step out into new boldness; whether we
see why we do the things we do or not, choices are being made.
(picture from pinterest.com)
Today,
I choose boldness.
Today,
I choose to trust God with all my heart.
Today,
I choose God’s generous, rewarding will over my own selfish, limiting will.
Check
back with me tomorrow. The spirit of fear is sneaky, I’ll likely need your
prayers.
While walking and praying on one of my favorite trails, I saw
revelation in the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father. My intention was to pray over one specific friend
this morning, as I began my prayer, I joined myself to my sister and prayed, “Our Father….” We share this heavenly
Father; she is my sister, whom I love dearly.
Our Father in Heaven. Heaven has reached into our hearts.
The very kingdom of God is within us, growing and reaching into the lives of
those we love.As we allow God’s love to
grow in us, we expand the kingdom of Heaven here on Earth.
Our Father in Heaven,
holy is Your Name!
Time for the hosannas and the hallelujahs as rejoicing breaks through my prayer
time. How can one commune with our Father, even in times of despair or great
sorrow, without allowing His joy to permeate our prayers, without reverencing all
that is holy?
Thy kingdom come. By joining myself to God I allow His
kingdom to come and reign in my life. I exalt Him as King of kings and Lord of
lords; I submit to Him as God of my life, as God of all life. His kingdom is
the only kingdom I want to explore. There are principalities and dominions I
don’t understand that have hold in the lives of many around us, but, I choose
to live in Christ and allow Christ to reign in me. Every facet of my life
somehow revolves around expanding God’s kingdom reign in the world around me.
Is He God of all? Absolutely! Has He given dominion of the world to man? Yes.
Every unholy choice we make leads us further from the next line…
Thy will be done on
Earth as it is in Heaven. I won’t claim to know God’s will in everything. It’s His will that we
commune with Him, it’s His will that we know His Word, His Son, Jesus. It’s His
will that we love, always. But, whether or not He wants me to take a specific
job or to redecorate my kitchen, well…..sometimes He lets us in on which way to
go, other times, I think He’s willing to bless what we choose. He always guides
and directs us, but, He’s given us tremendous freedom as well.
Can you imagine His perfect will, as it is in Heaven,
surrounding us here on Earth? According to the Bible, I don’t think that will
happen until a new heaven and a new earth are ushered in….but, can you just
imagine it? Yes, we pray come quickly Lord Jesus, and we agree in prayer, Let
Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. I want God’s perfect will
accomplished in my life, and in the lives of those I love. And yes, in the
lives of everyone on the planet.
How pleasant it is for
brothers to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)
(Picture from seriouseats.com)
Give us this day our
daily bread. We
generally consider our daily bread to be our meal. Jesus Himself said that His
meat was to do the will of the Father. So, I’m going to go out on a limb here
and say that our daily bread isn’t just our physical meals, it includes all the
sustenance we need from day to day. It includes our food, but so much more!
What else do we need to thrive? Not just to exist from day to
day, but to really thrive! Our greatest need is something many of us push away,
as if we don’t deserve it, as if it’s a special treat reserved for the truly
worthy. Our greatest need is love; God’s love!
We all need to feel loved. It’s not just a want, it’s a God-given
need. We’re not asking for something God can’t provide. He created us with a built-in
need for His love, and for the love of our fellow man – and perhaps that of a
spouse.
(picture from thefreshloaf.com)
God freely gives us His love – and more; everything we need
is within our grasp.
And forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Many years ago, I read a column (as
they were called before the word blog became popular) which told the story of a
mother listening as her child prayed at bedtime. Reciting the Lord’s Prayer, he
said, in part, “forgive us our trash passing, as we forgive those who pass
trash against us…” That’s the way I hear it in my head now. Cute? Yes,
adorable. But, just as true.
I think perhaps, this might be the scariest prayer to pray.
Forgive us as we forgive others?
But – what if we’re not so forgiving of others?
Ouch!
Mark 11:25 says, “And
when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so
that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (NIV)
Matthew 6:14-15 says, “For
if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father
will not forgive your sins.” (NIV)
Yeah, to me, that’s some pretty heavy stuff. “But, God…..” we
whine.
There’s the story of the man who was forgiven much then
turned around and demanded that another who owed him a pittance pay up
immediately or he’d have him thrown into debtor’s jail. In Matthew 18:21-35
Peter asks Jesus how many times we’re to forgive those who wrong us. Jesus
explains the parable of the unmerciful servant. Because forgiveness is so
important within the kingdom of God (which reigns in our hearts), I’ll include
the story here.
“Then Peter came to Him
and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do
not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the
kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his
servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master
commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and
that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master,
have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant
was moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
Personal note here, that was a forgiving king! He didn’t just
agree to be patient until the servant could pay him, he forgave the debt
altogether. I wonder how the servant came to owe the king so much, or how he
ever thought he could pay it. But, the king shows mercy, so it’s kind of irrelevant.
But, the parable goes on….
“But that servant went
out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he
laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So
his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience
with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into
prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had
been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had
been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked
servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also
have had compassion o your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his
master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all
that was due him.
“So My heavenly Father also
will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his
trespasses.” (NKJV)
(picture from ipost.christianpostcom)
Yowza! It doesn’t sound like Jesus is making light of the
powerful act of forgiveness, does it? I’ll just leave that there for us to chew
on.
And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. None of us wants to endure trials, as they tend to stretch
us. But evil? No, none of us ever want to experience evil, personally. Most of
us are grieved to hear of others enduring evil. Although, plenty of us seem to
enjoy watching it on television or at the movie theaters.
Deliver us from evil – when we ask God to lead us in His
ways, to turn us from the path of evil, we’re asking Him to direct our
footsteps. We’re giving up the right to choose to walk down a road that’s
filled with consequences, some we know of, some of which hide in the darkness
along the way. But, we’re directly asking God to spare of us all that.
(picture from thoughtco.com)
Then. Sometimes. In our own stubbornness, we continue down
that road, because the temptations seem so rewarding in the moment. Then, we
wonder why God allowed such evil to befall us. In a word; consequences.
God chastens those He loves. Yes. But, punishment is reserved
for the wicked. Consequences follow when we walk where God has clearly shown us
not to. We can’t feign ignorance, we have the Holy Spirit living on the inside
of us.
If I tell my granddaughter not to ride her bike in the middle
of the road, and she defiantly does so anyway. She may get hit by a car. Being
hurt by the car isn’t a punishment for riding where she was told not to, it’s a
consequence. My telling her to be careful not to pedal there was a warning out
of love, not me playing dictator and keeping her from “all the fun”.
For Thine is the
kingdom, the power and the glory – forever and ever. Amen.
(picture from delivertheword.com)
Here comes the rejoicing and the hallelujahs again. What a
thrill to share in God’s kingdom and in His power and in His glory! It’s all
His, but, He chooses to bless us in all of it, simply because we are in Him and
He is in us! Hallelujah! Ponder His kingdom, His power and His glory!
Along the trail, God brought my attention to a tiny ant
carrying a stick that was measurably, much bigger than he was. As he made his
way across the smooth sidewalk, I was impressed. He skittered down the edge of
the sidewalk and through the grains of sand, that looked like boulders around
him. He didn’t seem to let the harshness of his terrain deter him from his task
at all.
Sometimes, our hearts are heavy and we carry them around for
everyone to see, or we hide the struggle as if we’re punishing ourselves for
feeling the crushing weight of whatever it is we’re going through.
Though our terrain changes, God is still God and at the end
of the day, He’s still the One Who carries us. He’s still the One Who gets all
the glory. He’s always the One Who never gives us on us; Who will always answer
our call.He is still, our Father.
We’re
surrounded by so many blessings, we sometimes take them for granted. Generally,
around the winter holidays, we see an upsurge on social media, extolling the
virtues of thankfulness, and that’s great. Sometimes it even sticks and we find
ourselves being mindful to be grateful on an everyday basis.
But,
going a step beyond not recognizing the plethora of blessings God pours out on
us daily, I ponder whether we often times look to the gifts of God, rather than
to God Himself.
The
church isn’t a building, it’s the people of God that gather together, the body
of Christ. That’s blessing enough, in many circumstances, especially when it’s
a congregation of hungry souls seeking after God’s best for everyone, led by a
godly man or woman who won’t compromise with the world or ignore, or even hide sinfulness
that threatens his or her congregation.
(photo from keywordsuggests.com)
But,
as I look around, it sometimes appears that people look to, follow or even
worship individuals within the body of Christ. Yikes!
We
see how whole congregations fall apart when their leader falls from grace. We
read how pastors of mega-churches are being investigated for financial fraud
and mishandling of the funds their congregations have entrusted to them. When
pastors are making millions of dollars a year from the giving of those who
trust them, sometimes the very poorest among us, I have a problem with that.
Not to say that pastors can’t prosper financially, but, I’ve often heard it
said that God sends you more when you don’t let it stick to your fingers. There
are too many needy people in the world that the church isn’t reaching, though
giving may be at an all time high.
Looking
at what some consider a polar opposite to the church, we have science, another
incredible gift of God. How exciting to have the need, the drive, the ambition
and intelligence to seek out the mysteries of God and His universe, the world
around us, and our own bodies! It must thrill God to see us exploring all He’s
given us. Observing the world around us can create peace and excitement. Discovery
can be phenomenally fulfilling. Wonder is a beautiful gift in itself.
Yet,
there are those who put science above the God Who gave it all to us in the
first place, even denying that Someone greater than they can conceive, has orchestrated
everything around us and within us.
I’ll
never understand how the minds that can fathom what most of us find
unfathomable and seek out great mysteries, can be locked into their own little
paradigm so snuggly, that they can’t see beyond it.
Life
doesn’t just happen. It’s created. To be created, there must first be a
creator. That sounds like Logic 101 to me.
“If you then, who are evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” – Luke 11:13 (ESV)
We
all have so much in common, but our thinking can be so diverse. It’d be silly
to assume that everyone thinks like we do, yet many of us carry that myth well
into adulthood.
(picture from theodysseyonline.com)
Art
and music are often such an integral part of our lives that we don’t notice it
surrounding us. Yet, there are many of us who feel that these beautiful things
are the substance of Life itself; enthralled with the places it takes us or the
serenity or excitement it brings us; putting pleasure before anything else.
Money
is certainly something people put first in their lives, giving their lives away
in pursuit of it, giving it the authority of a god over their every day comings
and goings. Some people put so much effort into acquiring money; they leave no
time to enjoy what it can afford them.
(photo from irs.com)
Working!
We have workaholics who set no time aside for anything else, not family, not
vacations, not even the God Who gave them the strong hands and the brilliant
mind with which they themselves into an early grave, because they’re driven to
work, work, work. I’m not pondering the reasons behind it, just that it
happens.
Our
children! Don’t get me started. How easy is it to put them first, before the
God Who gave them to us?
(picture from catholiclane.com)
When
we look to the gifts God gives us instead of looking to God Himself, we make
those gifts into gods. One of the most important commands God ever gave us
tells us: I am the Lord your God, you shall not have any other gods before me.
He doesn’t instruct us this way because He’s arrogant and selfish, thinking
more highly of Himself than He ought, though there is no one higher. He knows
that we’ll miss out on so much that He has for us, if we serve His gifts
instead of enjoying them. We can’t really enjoy them if we don’t honor the God
Who gives them to us.
When
our focus is so single-minded and focused on one gift, the others fade from
sight, though they’re still there to enjoy if we can allow ourselves the
freedom to look up and see them. When we focus on one gift – we become slaves
to the gift and to how we think the gifts benefits us.
“Behold, we are slaves this day; in the
land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts,
behold, we are slaves.” – Nehemiah 7:66 (ESV)
Are
you seeking God for what He can give you? Are you seeking a relationship with
the God Who gives? Or, are you denying yourself the opportunities to really
enjoy everything life offers, by denying He’s the God of every good gift?
“Every good gift and every perfect gift
is from above, coming down from the Father of Light…” – James 1:17 (ESV)
