A Bout With The Doubts
John 20:20-28
Most of us have heard about Thomas. “Doubting Thomas;” poor ol’ doubting Thomas. The guy has caught grief for 2000 years and he will probably catch grief for the next 2000 years – or until the Lord returns. To be honest, don’t you feel for the guy. Our tradition has singled him out as having an inferior faith because he actually expressed his doubt in the resurrection. He made his reservations known out-loud. And because of that he has the dubious distinction of being the poster child for skepticism. But you know what is even worse for ol’ Thomas is that most people know what a “Doubting Thomas” is even if they have never heard this biblical story. His name is simply synonymous with doubt.
But in any case, we still are left with a man who appears to have a crack in his wall of faith through which a little doubt is oozing out. And can you really blame him? What he is asked to accept is fantastic. And keep in mind he is hearing about the resurrection second hand. The other disciples had the advantage of seeing Jesus in person a few days prior. So, for Thomas, not having had the encounter with the risen Lord, this tale being spun by the delirious disciples is a bit unbelievable. Even for us who have the benefit of knowing the end of the story, this seems unreal. Like, it is not every day that we hear about folks rising from the dead. In fact, we can go out on a limb and say that it is a fairly rare event.
So, Thomas, having heard the news that the disciples saw Jesus alive, was understandable skeptical. Put yourself in Thomas’ shoes for a minute. Just like Thomas, pretend that you have never heard the story of Jesus’ resurrection. And one day, after having attended a funeral for a friend, someone comes up to you and says excitedly, “You’ll never guess who I saw at Wal-Mart today. She looks great! Man, to look at her, you’d never guess that she died last week.”Think how you would react to that. The first concern would be, whoa, this person has “lost it”. The second thought would be that whoever the friend saw must obviously bear a striking resemblance to the deceased friend. Let’s be honest. The idea that someone would be walking around after having died the previous week is so far beyond the realm of possibility that we wouldn’t even entertain the thought of it. And yet, we somehow expect Thomas to accept this news in a matter-of-fact way; like this was no surprise at all.
Poor ol’ Thomas has the become the scapegoat for the church which sometimes says that doubt is wrong; or that it is somehow less than faithful to need a sign, or a touch, or a vision, or a personal encounter. We get the impression that we are not allowed to ask the hard questions without being labeled a cynic, or a skeptic, or a liberal, or even an unbeliever! Since when are questions bad? Since when is it wrong to admit that we don’t understand everything? Since when is it wrong to ask God to clarify something? Read the account of Job, or the Psalms. Both are filled with uncertainties, complaints, and questions of God. Even Jesus while hanging on the cross cried out to God, “…….My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Thomas is just one in a long line of faithful people who have raised their voices to ask the hard yet faithful questions.Folks, faith lies in conversation. What the point here is - that faith is really what prompts the conversation. Faith is when we are willing to embrace the doubts, ask the questions, and face the answers. Faith is believing in something that is beyond our ability to comprehend it, but we are not afraid to try.
This story is a testimony to the difficulty of faith – how hard it is to believe. Faith takes work, because it puts us in uncomfortable places and begs us to ask tough questions. This story validates our need for God’s touch. It says that it is okay for us to ask questions of God and… to wish for a personal encounter. There is nothing cut-and-dried about the Christian faith. It cannot be reduced to a set of rules, where everything fits, where everything makes sense, where all we have to do is to connect the dots. That is the kind of thing the Pharisees tried to do. They tried to explain everything in a formula; to make all of life so that it could be answered by a set of rules. And if it didn’t fit within that set of rules they rejected it as heresy or blasphemy. And consequently, their hearts were closed to the renewing of Christ simply because he didn’t meet the criteria. Their unwillingness to look "outside the box" blinded them to the miracle of Jesus Christ who stood in their presence.God comes in places where we sometimes least expect it, showing us that “possibility” has nothing to do with our being able to explain it. Sometimes our faith asks us to look outside the box; to color outside the lines and to believe some things that the rest of the world says are ridiculous. Or... our faith may ask us to do things that the rest of the world says are silly.
But, like Thomas, faith begins with an encounter with Jesus. It has to begin with an encounter, because without it we are unable to believe. Without an encounter with God, the resurrection seems as silly as seeing Elvis in the grocery store buying peanuts. It is ridiculous. But an encounter with the risen Christ changes all of that. Suddenly, the absurd becomes a new reality, and rules which once governed our believing - and our dis-believing - are blurred. And even the lines between life and death, which once seemed so absolute, are crossed.
Make no mistake about it this is a story of doubt, but it is also a story of God’s ability to change that doubt into faith – not erase the doubt, but overcome it with an irresistible encounter with the impossible. Faith is that crazy thing that allows us to believe when everything else says, “impossible.”
This story is important because when we can see the possible through our own cloudy, disbelieving eyes, we suddenly can see an entire world of possibility far beyond what skepticism would allow. God has overcome the grave, and now God even overcomes those things that lead to our death – things like disbelief, fear, hatred, and narrowness.And even though this is a story of doubt, it is the miracle of faith that we are ultimately left with. Minds are opened, hearts swell with the words, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) All because of a personal touch from our Lord. Without it, we just continue to wallow around in our own doubt, or remain a hostage by the world’s rules that cling to the impossibilities.
Thomas’s reputation needs a little polishing. He really wasn’t such a bad guy. In fact, he was no different from the other disciples; he was just a week late! The other disciples also needed a personal encounter with the risen Jesus JUST AS MUCH AS THOMAS DID. Read the story again and you will see that all of them reacted with fear and disbelief at first.
Faith and understanding began only after Jesus made himself known personally to each of them. And isn’t it exactly the same for us. We remain solidly in our own doubt until the Lord breaks through the locked doors of our hearts. The miraculous news in all of this is that God searches and finds us even when we don’t want to be found. Even when we lock ourselves away from the world; even when we try to keep out the good news, Jesus comes right through that “locked” door.
We all need a personal encounter with the Lord before we can declare, “my Lord and my God.” A second-hand Jesus just will never do. We need God to break into our locked hearts and to give us that encounter.
We have all been doubting Thomas’ at some point in our lives. But it is into our doubting and searching hearts where Jesus just comes in and reveals himself to us. God knows our need for a first-hand encounter. That is why God came to us in the person of Jesus -- took on flesh so that we could see him, touch him, hear him, and be touched by him. And he died for all of us -- died on a cross, raised up for all to see. We have been given a vision of God’s sacrificial love in the person of Jesus. And we are touched by God’s Holy Spirit, who breaks through and breathes life into our faithless and doubting hearts, causing us to cry like Thomas, “my Lord and my God.”
After the Lord breaks into our hearts and we have declared “my Lord and my God,” there is a life that proceeds from that point. God calls us out of our locked rooms into the world. We are called to show our faith for the sake of others. So, when others hear our “story”, may they not simply hear words, but may they see Jesus Christ alive in our hearts and lives. The ways we love each other; the ways we respond to those in need; the ways we are responsible with all God has entrusted to us will be visible evidence of Jesus’ presence in our lives. Others will come to faith, not by what we say, but by the way we live God’s love. Be a vision of Christ for someone today. Let’s help someone have a first-hand encounter with the living Christ in the way we open our hearts to others.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org. Also, Check out our “blog” at: http://thewhosoevers.blogspot.com/
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
This Is How It Feels To Be Led
See video and hear song by FFH at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxMdFWK65gM
So this is what if feels like to walk the wilderness. This is what if feels like to come undone.
This is what if feels like to loose my confidence, unsure of anything or anyone.
So this is what if feels like to walk the desert sand. And this is what if feels like to hear my name.
To be scared to death ‘cause I'm all alone, but feel love and peace just the same.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it still feels right somehow.
’Cause I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this is what if feels like to be led.
So this is what if feels like to just fall apart. To be totally unglued, to find out if I accept my brokenness, I get more of me, I get all of you.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it feels just right somehow.
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this I what it feels like to be led!
So this is what if feels like to just walk away from everything I thought kept me safe,
to depend just on you for every meal and find it's better this way. Oh it's better this way
And this may not be the road I would choose for me. but it still feels right somehow.
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now like I do right now. Like I feel right now.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this is what if feels like to be led.
This is what if feels like to be led. So this is what if feels like.
How many of us really like to be “led”?
"It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD" (Zech. 4:6). It is His Spirit that accomplishes the work, not our strength. As we allow His Spirit to lead us, more is accomplished than we could ever do in our own strength.
For God to work through us to accomplish His will, we need to learn how to be led by the Spirit of God. And this don’t mean being led on the major issues only, but on each and every decision we make. Even as small as what clothes we wear, and what gas station we stop in. That's how involved God wants to become in our lives. And often, we really will feel that “this may not be the road I would choose for me”. And this makes us uncomfortable! Really now, depend on Him for every meal?
When the nation of Israel was led out of Egypt, "The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night" (Ex. 13:21 It is easier to follow when there is a visible leading like that. But, we have the Spirit of God living inside of us now and if we learn to let Him lead us this will be even a even better guide for us to follow.
Paul said in Romans 8:14 " For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." Therefore, being led by the Spirit is a quality of the children of God. Who are the children of God? We are of course. "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12).
Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit right from the start of His earthly ministry. "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. (Matt 4:1; Luke 4:1). Jesus is to be our example.
But wait, what if I don't want to be led by the Spirit? After all, if I let the Holy Spirit lead me around all the time, He might make me do things that I don't want to. I'd end up acting strange maybe even “peculiar” as the Bible says, and nobody would want to be around me. Not around peculiar folks!
In one sense, that's true. When we let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us, He will take us out of our comfort zone, and make us do some things that we don't really want to do. It's only through our obedience to the Spirit in allowing Him to take us out of our comfort zone that we will grow. We need to always be trying to become more like Jesus. So, we need to learn to do some things we've never done before. That requires taking some risks, not wild risks, but Spirit led risks.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are to make Him Lord over our lives. As Lord, He has a right to everything we are.
Unlike man, God will never abuse that right. Although the Spirit of God leads us so that His purposes may be accomplished, He doesn't use us. When someone uses another, they take something out of them. Whenever God works through us, he imparts something into us.
It is His purposes that are important:
• Some of His purposes are to our benefit.
• Some of His purposes are to help us grow in Him.
• Some of His purposes are for other's benefit.
• Some of His purposes we will never see the result of.
No matter what, by allowing Him to work His will through us, we are blessed.
So, how do we accomplish this? First, we need to understand what it means to be led by the Spirit. If you take a small child into a shopping mall, you hold their hand. They don’t always like this. But you have to, otherwise they might wander off, and get lost. That's what being led by the Spirit is. Allowing Him to lead us by the hand. That way, He can show us where to go, what's safe to do, and keep us away from what is dangerous. But we don’t always like this!
Just as that child is led by its father, our heavenly Father desires to lead us. Just like that small child is led by the parent all the time, so the Spirit wants to lead us all the time. It doesn't do any good to let the Spirit lead us sometimes, then go off on our own and get into trouble.
To be led by the Spirit, we need to hear what the Spirit says. A baby only a couple of weeks old will recognize the sound of its mother's and father's voices. Why? Because that child has heard those voices, and learned that they belong to people who love and care for it. Unfortunately for us, we have more distractions getting in the way of our learning the sound of God's voice. But, if we will take the time to be quiet and listen, we will find that He is talking to us.
It isn't necessary to "be spiritual" to talk to God, just talk to Him. Ask His opinion, He'll be glad to tell it to you, and you can be sure He has an opinion (the right opinion) on everything. Don't just wait for "spiritual" issues to talk to Him, our God is a practical God, concerned with our everyday lives.
God will also use circumstances to lead and guide us. Open and closed doors at the right time are a possible sign from Him. But be careful, Satan can open a door too. When a door opens, we need to ask God if it is the right one. Otherwise, we can walk into an ambush, instead of a blessing.
There are some requirements for being led by the Spirit.
Availability - This is the number one requirement to be led by the Spirit. If we are so busy with our own life, that we don't have time for Him, when will He be able to talk to us? It may take some rearranging of what we think are our priorities for us to become available.
Relationship - Have you ever tried to give advice to someone you don't know. You can be assured, they won't take it. We're no different. Without a true relationship, we're not going to listen to what the Spirit has to say to us. We won't even be able to recognize His voice.
When we are saved, we gain a relationship with the Lord. But He desires for that relationship to continue to grow, until we truly know Him.
We must endeavor to make the Holy Spirit comfortable in our presence. If you work with people who talk about things you aren't interested in, you probably don't spend much extra time with them. Why should we expect God to do otherwise? If all we speak is unbelief and fear, why should He hang around to hear it?
Obedience - If we make ourselves available and listen, God will speak to us. Then we have to do something with what He says. It doesn't matter if we like what He told us or not. In fact, we probably won't. What matters is that we obey.
Taking Chances - When a child learns to walk, they have to take chances. Then when they learn to talk, they have to take more chances. In fact, everything we learn requires us to take chances. And the process of learning includes making mistakes.
When we are learning how to be led by the Spirit, there's a good chance we'll think He said something that He didn't. That's okay, go with it anyway. Wouldn’t it be better to make a mistake in doing more than God said than in doing less than God said? But usually, when we go in the direction that is in God's favor, we've gone the right direction.
Swimming Upstream - For some reason, trying to do what God says may bring opposition. Some well meaning “saint”, who's never themselves taken a chance, will be glad to "straighten you out." It's amazing how Christians can be used by the enemy sometimes.
One of the biggest problems in the church today is complacency. We reach a "comfort zone" in our walk, and don't want to go any farther. Worse than that, we don't want anyone else to go farther, either.
If God's told you something, go with it. Don't listen to man's wisdom, even if it comes from another Christian. If you are earnestly seeking Him, and trying to do His will, He won't let you get off track. You might start to veer off a little from time to time, but He will get you right back on.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org. Also, Check out our “blog” at: http://thewhosoevers.blogspot.com/
So this is what if feels like to walk the wilderness. This is what if feels like to come undone.
This is what if feels like to loose my confidence, unsure of anything or anyone.
So this is what if feels like to walk the desert sand. And this is what if feels like to hear my name.
To be scared to death ‘cause I'm all alone, but feel love and peace just the same.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it still feels right somehow.
’Cause I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this is what if feels like to be led.
So this is what if feels like to just fall apart. To be totally unglued, to find out if I accept my brokenness, I get more of me, I get all of you.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it feels just right somehow.
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this I what it feels like to be led!
So this is what if feels like to just walk away from everything I thought kept me safe,
to depend just on you for every meal and find it's better this way. Oh it's better this way
And this may not be the road I would choose for me. but it still feels right somehow.
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now like I do right now. Like I feel right now.
And this may not be the road I would choose for me but it still feels right somehow
And I have never felt you as close to me as I do right now. So this is what if feels like to be led.
This is what if feels like to be led. So this is what if feels like.
How many of us really like to be “led”?
"It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD" (Zech. 4:6). It is His Spirit that accomplishes the work, not our strength. As we allow His Spirit to lead us, more is accomplished than we could ever do in our own strength.
For God to work through us to accomplish His will, we need to learn how to be led by the Spirit of God. And this don’t mean being led on the major issues only, but on each and every decision we make. Even as small as what clothes we wear, and what gas station we stop in. That's how involved God wants to become in our lives. And often, we really will feel that “this may not be the road I would choose for me”. And this makes us uncomfortable! Really now, depend on Him for every meal?
When the nation of Israel was led out of Egypt, "The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night" (Ex. 13:21 It is easier to follow when there is a visible leading like that. But, we have the Spirit of God living inside of us now and if we learn to let Him lead us this will be even a even better guide for us to follow.
Paul said in Romans 8:14 " For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." Therefore, being led by the Spirit is a quality of the children of God. Who are the children of God? We are of course. "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12).
Jesus Himself was led by the Spirit right from the start of His earthly ministry. "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. (Matt 4:1; Luke 4:1). Jesus is to be our example.
But wait, what if I don't want to be led by the Spirit? After all, if I let the Holy Spirit lead me around all the time, He might make me do things that I don't want to. I'd end up acting strange maybe even “peculiar” as the Bible says, and nobody would want to be around me. Not around peculiar folks!
In one sense, that's true. When we let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us, He will take us out of our comfort zone, and make us do some things that we don't really want to do. It's only through our obedience to the Spirit in allowing Him to take us out of our comfort zone that we will grow. We need to always be trying to become more like Jesus. So, we need to learn to do some things we've never done before. That requires taking some risks, not wild risks, but Spirit led risks.
When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are to make Him Lord over our lives. As Lord, He has a right to everything we are.
Unlike man, God will never abuse that right. Although the Spirit of God leads us so that His purposes may be accomplished, He doesn't use us. When someone uses another, they take something out of them. Whenever God works through us, he imparts something into us.
It is His purposes that are important:
• Some of His purposes are to our benefit.
• Some of His purposes are to help us grow in Him.
• Some of His purposes are for other's benefit.
• Some of His purposes we will never see the result of.
No matter what, by allowing Him to work His will through us, we are blessed.
So, how do we accomplish this? First, we need to understand what it means to be led by the Spirit. If you take a small child into a shopping mall, you hold their hand. They don’t always like this. But you have to, otherwise they might wander off, and get lost. That's what being led by the Spirit is. Allowing Him to lead us by the hand. That way, He can show us where to go, what's safe to do, and keep us away from what is dangerous. But we don’t always like this!
Just as that child is led by its father, our heavenly Father desires to lead us. Just like that small child is led by the parent all the time, so the Spirit wants to lead us all the time. It doesn't do any good to let the Spirit lead us sometimes, then go off on our own and get into trouble.
To be led by the Spirit, we need to hear what the Spirit says. A baby only a couple of weeks old will recognize the sound of its mother's and father's voices. Why? Because that child has heard those voices, and learned that they belong to people who love and care for it. Unfortunately for us, we have more distractions getting in the way of our learning the sound of God's voice. But, if we will take the time to be quiet and listen, we will find that He is talking to us.
It isn't necessary to "be spiritual" to talk to God, just talk to Him. Ask His opinion, He'll be glad to tell it to you, and you can be sure He has an opinion (the right opinion) on everything. Don't just wait for "spiritual" issues to talk to Him, our God is a practical God, concerned with our everyday lives.
God will also use circumstances to lead and guide us. Open and closed doors at the right time are a possible sign from Him. But be careful, Satan can open a door too. When a door opens, we need to ask God if it is the right one. Otherwise, we can walk into an ambush, instead of a blessing.
There are some requirements for being led by the Spirit.
Availability - This is the number one requirement to be led by the Spirit. If we are so busy with our own life, that we don't have time for Him, when will He be able to talk to us? It may take some rearranging of what we think are our priorities for us to become available.
Relationship - Have you ever tried to give advice to someone you don't know. You can be assured, they won't take it. We're no different. Without a true relationship, we're not going to listen to what the Spirit has to say to us. We won't even be able to recognize His voice.
When we are saved, we gain a relationship with the Lord. But He desires for that relationship to continue to grow, until we truly know Him.
We must endeavor to make the Holy Spirit comfortable in our presence. If you work with people who talk about things you aren't interested in, you probably don't spend much extra time with them. Why should we expect God to do otherwise? If all we speak is unbelief and fear, why should He hang around to hear it?
Obedience - If we make ourselves available and listen, God will speak to us. Then we have to do something with what He says. It doesn't matter if we like what He told us or not. In fact, we probably won't. What matters is that we obey.
Taking Chances - When a child learns to walk, they have to take chances. Then when they learn to talk, they have to take more chances. In fact, everything we learn requires us to take chances. And the process of learning includes making mistakes.
When we are learning how to be led by the Spirit, there's a good chance we'll think He said something that He didn't. That's okay, go with it anyway. Wouldn’t it be better to make a mistake in doing more than God said than in doing less than God said? But usually, when we go in the direction that is in God's favor, we've gone the right direction.
Swimming Upstream - For some reason, trying to do what God says may bring opposition. Some well meaning “saint”, who's never themselves taken a chance, will be glad to "straighten you out." It's amazing how Christians can be used by the enemy sometimes.
One of the biggest problems in the church today is complacency. We reach a "comfort zone" in our walk, and don't want to go any farther. Worse than that, we don't want anyone else to go farther, either.
If God's told you something, go with it. Don't listen to man's wisdom, even if it comes from another Christian. If you are earnestly seeking Him, and trying to do His will, He won't let you get off track. You might start to veer off a little from time to time, but He will get you right back on.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org. Also, Check out our “blog” at: http://thewhosoevers.blogspot.com/
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Growing Your Faith Through Pivotal Circumstances.
Growing Your Faith Through Pivotal Circumstances.
This week's lesson was DVD of an Andy Stanley Sermon from a series he did on Growing Your Faith. This is not a short lesson but please try to work it into your schedule, you will find it is worth the time. It can viewed at this link on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goIGZQslU4k
This week's lesson was DVD of an Andy Stanley Sermon from a series he did on Growing Your Faith. This is not a short lesson but please try to work it into your schedule, you will find it is worth the time. It can viewed at this link on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goIGZQslU4k
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
I’m Sinking Fast
(Based on a chapter from Max Lucado’s new book FEARLESS)
Immediately after this the (the miracle of the five loaves and two fish), Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. (Matt. 14:22-24 NLT).
As famous lakes go, Galilee-only thirteen miles at its longest, seven and a half at its widest-is a small, moody one. The small size makes it more vulnerable to the winds that howl out of the Golan Heights. They turn the lake into a blender, shifting suddenly, blowing first from one direction, then another. Winter months bring such storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two to three days at a time. Peter and his fellow storm riders knew they were in trouble. What should have been a sixty minute cruise became a nightlong battle. The boat lurched and lunged like a kite in a March wind. Sunlight was a distant memory. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. Lightning flashed across the sky. Winds whipped the sails, leaving the disciples "in trouble......fighting heavy waves....... Maybe this is the description of how we feel about our situation right now!
Perhaps all we need to do is substitute a few words...
In the middle of a divorce, fighting guilt.
In the middle of debt, in trouble with your creditors.
In the middle of a medical issue, fighting the fear and cost.
In the middle of a family crisis, fighting outside influences.
In the middle of a company “layoff”, in trouble, you may be losing your job of even worse, your home! In the middle of__________________, fighting ___________, in trouble__________!
The disciples fought the storm for nine cold, skin-drenching hours. And about 3:00 a.m. the unspeakable happened. They spotted someone coming on the water. “‘A ghost!' they said, crying out in terror" (Matt. 14:26 MSG).
They didn't expect Jesus to come to them this way.
Neither do we. We expect him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to find Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers, and prayer time. We never expect to see him in a what appears to be a financial meltdown, pink slip, lawsuit, foreclosure, or war. We never expect to see him in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he really gets our attention.
Jesus replied to the disciples' fear with an invitation worthy of inscription above every church entrance. "'Don't be afraid: he said. 'Take courage. I am here!''' (Matt. 14:27 NLT).
Power is found in those words. To awaken in an lCU and hear your husband say, "I am here:” To lose your retirement yet feel the support of your family in the words "We are here:” When a Little Leaguer spots Mom and Dad in the bleachers watching the game, "I am here" changes everything. Perhaps that's why God repeats the "I am here" pledge so often.
The Lord is near. (Phil. 4:5 NIV)
You are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20 NIV)
I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:20 NIV)
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28 NIV)
Nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. (Rom. 8:38 NLT)
We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you.
Much to Peter's credit, he took Jesus at his word. '''Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water: So He said, 'Come: And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus" (Matt. 14:28-29).
Peter never would have made this request on a calm sea. Had Christ strolled across a lake that was as smooth as a hardwood floor, Peter would have applauded, but it is doubtful that he would have stepped out of the boat. Storms prompt us to take unprecedented journeys. For a few historic steps and heart-stilling moments, Peter did the impossible. He defied every law of gravity and nature; "he walked on the water to go to Jesus:'”
Max Lucado stated in his book that his editors would have never allowed him to leave out as many details as Matthew did. They would have flooded the margin of his manuscript with red ink: "Elaborate! How quickly did Peter exit the boat? What were the other disciples doing? What was the expression on his face? Did he step on any fish? How far did he go?
Matthew had no time for such questions. He moves us quickly to the major message of the event: where to stare in a storm. But when he (Peter) saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. (Matt. 14:30).
Perhaps a wall of water blocked his view. Maybe a wind gust snapped the mast with a crack and a slap. Maybe a flash of lightning illuminated sky. But for whatever reason, Peter shifted his attention away from Jesus and toward the storm, and when he did, he sank like a brick in a pond. Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker, and get ready to do the same.
Whether or not storms come, we cannot choose. But we can choose where we look.
The storm was still going on but Peter was safe until he became afraid and took his eyes off Jesus. After a few moments of flailing in the water, he turned back to Christ and cried, "'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith; he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down" (Matt. 14:30-32 NIV). Jesus could have stilled this storm hours earlier. But he didn't. He wanted to teach the followers a lesson.
Jesus could have calmed our storm long ago. But He hasn’t. Does He want to teach us a lesson?
Could the lesson be something like this: “Storms are not an option, but fear is”? His lesson is clear. He’s the commander of every storm. Are you scared in yours? Then keep your eyes on HIM! He still says, “I am here”.
Immediately after this the (the miracle of the five loaves and two fish), Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. (Matt. 14:22-24 NLT).
As famous lakes go, Galilee-only thirteen miles at its longest, seven and a half at its widest-is a small, moody one. The small size makes it more vulnerable to the winds that howl out of the Golan Heights. They turn the lake into a blender, shifting suddenly, blowing first from one direction, then another. Winter months bring such storms every two weeks or so, churning the waters for two to three days at a time. Peter and his fellow storm riders knew they were in trouble. What should have been a sixty minute cruise became a nightlong battle. The boat lurched and lunged like a kite in a March wind. Sunlight was a distant memory. Rain fell from the night sky in buckets. Lightning flashed across the sky. Winds whipped the sails, leaving the disciples "in trouble......fighting heavy waves....... Maybe this is the description of how we feel about our situation right now!
Perhaps all we need to do is substitute a few words...
In the middle of a divorce, fighting guilt.
In the middle of debt, in trouble with your creditors.
In the middle of a medical issue, fighting the fear and cost.
In the middle of a family crisis, fighting outside influences.
In the middle of a company “layoff”, in trouble, you may be losing your job of even worse, your home! In the middle of__________________, fighting ___________, in trouble__________!
The disciples fought the storm for nine cold, skin-drenching hours. And about 3:00 a.m. the unspeakable happened. They spotted someone coming on the water. “‘A ghost!' they said, crying out in terror" (Matt. 14:26 MSG).
They didn't expect Jesus to come to them this way.
Neither do we. We expect him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to find Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers, and prayer time. We never expect to see him in a what appears to be a financial meltdown, pink slip, lawsuit, foreclosure, or war. We never expect to see him in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he really gets our attention.
Jesus replied to the disciples' fear with an invitation worthy of inscription above every church entrance. "'Don't be afraid: he said. 'Take courage. I am here!''' (Matt. 14:27 NLT).
Power is found in those words. To awaken in an lCU and hear your husband say, "I am here:” To lose your retirement yet feel the support of your family in the words "We are here:” When a Little Leaguer spots Mom and Dad in the bleachers watching the game, "I am here" changes everything. Perhaps that's why God repeats the "I am here" pledge so often.
The Lord is near. (Phil. 4:5 NIV)
You are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20 NIV)
I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt. 28:20 NIV)
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28 NIV)
Nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. (Rom. 8:38 NLT)
We cannot go where God is not. Look over your shoulder; that's God following you. Look into the storm; that's Christ coming toward you.
Much to Peter's credit, he took Jesus at his word. '''Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water: So He said, 'Come: And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus" (Matt. 14:28-29).
Peter never would have made this request on a calm sea. Had Christ strolled across a lake that was as smooth as a hardwood floor, Peter would have applauded, but it is doubtful that he would have stepped out of the boat. Storms prompt us to take unprecedented journeys. For a few historic steps and heart-stilling moments, Peter did the impossible. He defied every law of gravity and nature; "he walked on the water to go to Jesus:'”
Max Lucado stated in his book that his editors would have never allowed him to leave out as many details as Matthew did. They would have flooded the margin of his manuscript with red ink: "Elaborate! How quickly did Peter exit the boat? What were the other disciples doing? What was the expression on his face? Did he step on any fish? How far did he go?
Matthew had no time for such questions. He moves us quickly to the major message of the event: where to stare in a storm. But when he (Peter) saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. (Matt. 14:30).
Perhaps a wall of water blocked his view. Maybe a wind gust snapped the mast with a crack and a slap. Maybe a flash of lightning illuminated sky. But for whatever reason, Peter shifted his attention away from Jesus and toward the storm, and when he did, he sank like a brick in a pond. Give the storm waters more attention than the Storm Walker, and get ready to do the same.
Whether or not storms come, we cannot choose. But we can choose where we look.
The storm was still going on but Peter was safe until he became afraid and took his eyes off Jesus. After a few moments of flailing in the water, he turned back to Christ and cried, "'Lord, save me!' Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. 'You of little faith; he said, 'why did you doubt?' And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down" (Matt. 14:30-32 NIV). Jesus could have stilled this storm hours earlier. But he didn't. He wanted to teach the followers a lesson.
Jesus could have calmed our storm long ago. But He hasn’t. Does He want to teach us a lesson?
Could the lesson be something like this: “Storms are not an option, but fear is”? His lesson is clear. He’s the commander of every storm. Are you scared in yours? Then keep your eyes on HIM! He still says, “I am here”.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
The Voice of Truth
As I was driving down to my old home place Saturday, I was listening to a cd with this song, which I have heard many times. This time, however, I really “heard” the words and God just spoke to me through this song. I knew there had to be a lesson here. After listening the song in class, we discussed some of the key verses about how “other” voices will tell us that We Will Never Win! Listen to the song and follow along with the words below and see what a truth there is in this song.
There is then a brief lesson at the end.
In Christ,
Hayward
Hear song by Casting Crowns at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y
Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is, And he's holding out his hand.
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win, you'll never win."
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory
"Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
Oh, what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand.
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me time and time again
"Boy you'll never win, you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
But the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles when I stop
and listen to the sound of Jesus singing over me.
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
I will listen and believeI will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe 'Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are the Voice of truth
"The Voice Of Truth"
"My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
We're all creatures of habit and those who surround us come to know our schedules, our habits, our likes and dislikes, our walk, our voices, and our way of looking at things. Certainly, as believers, we should be familiar with our Master's voice as we devote ourselves to reading the Scriptures, particularly the gospels, which of course have the very words of Christ. The gospel writers recorded many instances where Jesus spoke to His followers regarding who He was and instructed them in the ways they were to follow Him.
We know the Master's voice; some of us have followed His instruction for many years. Yet there are a lot of voices still calling out to us; voices that cry out, "You must have this or do that to find fulfillment." Some of these voices may be neutral but other camouflaged voices have an attitude of greed, envy, lust and other such ungodly traits. There are voices that may tell us we are not really God's children or that we'll never amount to anything in life based on past failures. There are voices prompting fear and anxiety. And there are many more voices crying out to us.
But we must strive to keep our attention on the Voice of Truth; the voice of the Good Shepherd, who knows each of us. We must reaffirm our choice each day to follow Him. The text for this lesson are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
Today’s song states, "But the voice of truth tells me a different story." The challenge is to stay focused on the Voice of Truth! Those other voices can really be loud, persistent, alluring and even demanding, but they have no real interest in our eternal welfare.
God who often speaks in the "still, small voice" and at times in a whisper says, "My sheep listen to my voice. I know them…" How good and reassuring it is to not only hear the voice of our Shepherd, but to know that He is also very familiar with our voice and all our ways. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. (Psalm 139:3).
Isaiah 26:3 says, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! When our mind wanders off into fear territory where other voices beckon us, let this verse draw our spirit back into the sanctuary of perfect peace where Jesus resides and trust is gained.
Today may we all indeed "choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth."
Be encouraged today.
Prayer: Father, Your Word cautions us to test the spirits, to see if they are from You or from the master deceiver. The voices that we choose to hear should always guide our hearts to the Master Shepherd; not to other vices, negative attitudes, or to self-glorification. As we seek after Your heart, we will easily recognize the voice of Jesus our Shepherd and desire to follow Him in all our ways. Amen.
There is then a brief lesson at the end.
In Christ,
Hayward
Hear song by Casting Crowns at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwsvqVmFV6Y
Oh,what I would do to have
the kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is, And he's holding out his hand.
But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win, you'll never win."
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory
"Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
Oh, what I would do to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand.
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me time and time again
"Boy you'll never win, you'll never win."
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
But the stone was just the right size to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don't seem so high from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles when I stop
and listen to the sound of Jesus singing over me.
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth.
I will listen and believeI will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe 'Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are the Voice of truth
"The Voice Of Truth"
"My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).
We're all creatures of habit and those who surround us come to know our schedules, our habits, our likes and dislikes, our walk, our voices, and our way of looking at things. Certainly, as believers, we should be familiar with our Master's voice as we devote ourselves to reading the Scriptures, particularly the gospels, which of course have the very words of Christ. The gospel writers recorded many instances where Jesus spoke to His followers regarding who He was and instructed them in the ways they were to follow Him.
We know the Master's voice; some of us have followed His instruction for many years. Yet there are a lot of voices still calling out to us; voices that cry out, "You must have this or do that to find fulfillment." Some of these voices may be neutral but other camouflaged voices have an attitude of greed, envy, lust and other such ungodly traits. There are voices that may tell us we are not really God's children or that we'll never amount to anything in life based on past failures. There are voices prompting fear and anxiety. And there are many more voices crying out to us.
But we must strive to keep our attention on the Voice of Truth; the voice of the Good Shepherd, who knows each of us. We must reaffirm our choice each day to follow Him. The text for this lesson are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."
Today’s song states, "But the voice of truth tells me a different story." The challenge is to stay focused on the Voice of Truth! Those other voices can really be loud, persistent, alluring and even demanding, but they have no real interest in our eternal welfare.
God who often speaks in the "still, small voice" and at times in a whisper says, "My sheep listen to my voice. I know them…" How good and reassuring it is to not only hear the voice of our Shepherd, but to know that He is also very familiar with our voice and all our ways. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. (Psalm 139:3).
Isaiah 26:3 says, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! When our mind wanders off into fear territory where other voices beckon us, let this verse draw our spirit back into the sanctuary of perfect peace where Jesus resides and trust is gained.
Today may we all indeed "choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth."
Be encouraged today.
Prayer: Father, Your Word cautions us to test the spirits, to see if they are from You or from the master deceiver. The voices that we choose to hear should always guide our hearts to the Master Shepherd; not to other vices, negative attitudes, or to self-glorification. As we seek after Your heart, we will easily recognize the voice of Jesus our Shepherd and desire to follow Him in all our ways. Amen.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Victims of Assumicide: What to Do When You Are Misunderstood
Are you guilty of assumicide?
This is really a new word! It's what happens when you make false assumptions about others so that you can portray them in the worst possible light. We seem to do this all the time.
We are so prone to be suspicious. When we become offended or hurt, we immediately begin to look for evidence that someone did us wrong. We probably have a hard time remembering how many times we done this. But we can usually tell anyone how many times it's been done to us. We tend to track of those things. This is being a bit facetious, but not much. It's really amazing how often we are quick to assume that someone has it in for us.
Assumicide leads to the death of relationships because we end up believing the worst about others. We've all been guilty of drawing wrong conclusions on the basis of tiny scraps of evidence:
He didn't call back so he must not want to talk to me.
I think she's trying to ignore me.
They never hire people like me.
That church is so unfriendly.
How could he be a Christian and act like that?
I saw her in a bar. She must have a drinking problem.
I'll bet they are sleeping together.
He's probably a jerk at home too.
I don't like him. I don't know why. I just don't like him.
She's full of herself.
You can't trust someone who dresses like that.
He's a hypocrite.
And if you are the victim of assumicide, it's very hard to fight back against false assumptions. Few things hurt more than being misunderstood by our close friends. The closer they are to us, the greater the pain. When that happens we discover a lot about ourselves. How we respond when we've been misunderstood tells a great deal about the depth of our Christian faith.
We've all been guilty of drawing wrong conclusions on the basis of tiny scraps of evidence.
In 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4, Paul has a situation arise in the church he started at Corinth. . After he left a faction arose in the congregation that questioned his leadership. They challenged his authority, insinuated that he wasn't a "real" apostle, attacked his character, and accused him of using the Corinthian church for his own gain. The troublemakers succeeded in turning most of the church against him.
And their chief complaint was this. Paul couldn't be trusted because he had changed his travel plans - not once but twice. He hadn't come back to visit the Corinthians as he said he would. That proved he was a fickle man whose character and message could not be trusted.
Just remember this. Conflicts usually get started over something small. That's how it usually happens. Someone didn't greet us in the hallway, they didn't answer our email, they didn't invite us to their party, they didn't show up for an appointment. Or we heard they said something negative about us. Or they didn't laugh at our jokes. Or they suddenly seem cold when they used to be glad to see us.
Little things. Small stuff. Petty complaints.
From a tiny spark of discontent a mighty flame of unhappiness grows. That flame soon becomes a wildfire that threatens to destroy a relationship. Congregations have split and friendships have ended over things that started very small but grew all out of proportion.
Our Actions May Be Questioned
Keeping your word is hugely important for all us, but especially for spiritual leaders. It's all about integrity, consistency, proving yourself trustworthy, showing up on time, and doing what you said you would do. If people feel like they can't count on you, how will they ever listen to what you have to say?
Our Words May Be Twisted
When others twist your words, do not despair. Speak the truth, explain yourself clearly, and then entrust your future with the God who knows you through and through and in Christ who has anointed you, sealed you, given you the Holy Spirit, and promised to guide you.
If we trust in him, the time of chaos will pass, and we will be stronger for having gone through the struggle.
Our Motives May Be Challenged.
As hard as it may be for some of us to hear, we can't always solve every problem in the world.
Some people won't listen.
Some people love to argue.
Some people have already made up their minds.
Some people have an answer for everything.
How to Respond to Misunderstanding
1. Sometimes we will be misunderstood by our close friends. Quite often misunderstanding is between people who know each other very well. Paul knew the people in the church at Corinth. Yet a rift had grown between them. This happens in marriage, in families, among friends and co-workers, and it certainly happens in every church. If you haven't been misunderstood lately, don't worry. It's bound to happen before long. That's part of the price of living in a fallen world.
2. The best defense is an honest, clear, non-defensive explanation. Paul doesn't complain, doesn't blame, and doesn't point fingers. He isn't long-winded. He lays out his explanation so his readers can decide for themselves why he had not come back to Corinth. 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4
3. We can't control how people respond to us. Rarely will our explanations convince everyone. Sometimes even our close friends will choose not to believe us. At some point we must decide to leave our reputation in God's hands and walk away from the controversy. "If you live to please people, misunderstandings will depress you; but if you live to please God, you can face misunderstandings with faith and courage".
4. Pray for those who misunderstand you. In a past lesson we have talked about the Sandpaper People in our lives and how to deal with them. It's easy to say "Love the people who misunderstand you," it's hard to put it into practice. But we must do it anyway.
5. We must not return evil for evil. This is also hard, especially when your motives are repeatedly attacked. But look at how Jesus handled those who totally misunderstood Him and really mistreated Him.
He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. 1 Peter 2:23a.
This will happen to us too. We will be misunderstood, we will be mistreated! And that's the real test of our faith. You find out what you really believe when others mistreat you. Sometimes the real test of your faith is what you don't do. Sometimes you'll be a better Christian by not saying anything at all.
What was his secret? How did he do it? The answer lies in the final phrase of 1 Peter 2:23, "He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly." In our day we hear lots of talk about claiming our rights. That spirit comes into the church and we hear people getting angry and saying, "How dare you trample on my rights?" Most of our problems stem from claiming our rights. But the Bible turns that upside down. You aren't to think of your rights first. You are to think of others first.
When you are misunderstood, remember these words: It's not about me. It's not about now.It's all about God. It's all about eternity.
The followers of Jesus will sometimes be misunderstood not only by the world but by other Christians. May God give us the spirit of Jesus that we might handle this as He did.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org.
This is really a new word! It's what happens when you make false assumptions about others so that you can portray them in the worst possible light. We seem to do this all the time.
We are so prone to be suspicious. When we become offended or hurt, we immediately begin to look for evidence that someone did us wrong. We probably have a hard time remembering how many times we done this. But we can usually tell anyone how many times it's been done to us. We tend to track of those things. This is being a bit facetious, but not much. It's really amazing how often we are quick to assume that someone has it in for us.
Assumicide leads to the death of relationships because we end up believing the worst about others. We've all been guilty of drawing wrong conclusions on the basis of tiny scraps of evidence:
He didn't call back so he must not want to talk to me.
I think she's trying to ignore me.
They never hire people like me.
That church is so unfriendly.
How could he be a Christian and act like that?
I saw her in a bar. She must have a drinking problem.
I'll bet they are sleeping together.
He's probably a jerk at home too.
I don't like him. I don't know why. I just don't like him.
She's full of herself.
You can't trust someone who dresses like that.
He's a hypocrite.
And if you are the victim of assumicide, it's very hard to fight back against false assumptions. Few things hurt more than being misunderstood by our close friends. The closer they are to us, the greater the pain. When that happens we discover a lot about ourselves. How we respond when we've been misunderstood tells a great deal about the depth of our Christian faith.
We've all been guilty of drawing wrong conclusions on the basis of tiny scraps of evidence.
In 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4, Paul has a situation arise in the church he started at Corinth. . After he left a faction arose in the congregation that questioned his leadership. They challenged his authority, insinuated that he wasn't a "real" apostle, attacked his character, and accused him of using the Corinthian church for his own gain. The troublemakers succeeded in turning most of the church against him.
And their chief complaint was this. Paul couldn't be trusted because he had changed his travel plans - not once but twice. He hadn't come back to visit the Corinthians as he said he would. That proved he was a fickle man whose character and message could not be trusted.
Just remember this. Conflicts usually get started over something small. That's how it usually happens. Someone didn't greet us in the hallway, they didn't answer our email, they didn't invite us to their party, they didn't show up for an appointment. Or we heard they said something negative about us. Or they didn't laugh at our jokes. Or they suddenly seem cold when they used to be glad to see us.
Little things. Small stuff. Petty complaints.
From a tiny spark of discontent a mighty flame of unhappiness grows. That flame soon becomes a wildfire that threatens to destroy a relationship. Congregations have split and friendships have ended over things that started very small but grew all out of proportion.
Our Actions May Be Questioned
Keeping your word is hugely important for all us, but especially for spiritual leaders. It's all about integrity, consistency, proving yourself trustworthy, showing up on time, and doing what you said you would do. If people feel like they can't count on you, how will they ever listen to what you have to say?
Our Words May Be Twisted
When others twist your words, do not despair. Speak the truth, explain yourself clearly, and then entrust your future with the God who knows you through and through and in Christ who has anointed you, sealed you, given you the Holy Spirit, and promised to guide you.
If we trust in him, the time of chaos will pass, and we will be stronger for having gone through the struggle.
Our Motives May Be Challenged.
As hard as it may be for some of us to hear, we can't always solve every problem in the world.
Some people won't listen.
Some people love to argue.
Some people have already made up their minds.
Some people have an answer for everything.
How to Respond to Misunderstanding
1. Sometimes we will be misunderstood by our close friends. Quite often misunderstanding is between people who know each other very well. Paul knew the people in the church at Corinth. Yet a rift had grown between them. This happens in marriage, in families, among friends and co-workers, and it certainly happens in every church. If you haven't been misunderstood lately, don't worry. It's bound to happen before long. That's part of the price of living in a fallen world.
2. The best defense is an honest, clear, non-defensive explanation. Paul doesn't complain, doesn't blame, and doesn't point fingers. He isn't long-winded. He lays out his explanation so his readers can decide for themselves why he had not come back to Corinth. 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4
3. We can't control how people respond to us. Rarely will our explanations convince everyone. Sometimes even our close friends will choose not to believe us. At some point we must decide to leave our reputation in God's hands and walk away from the controversy. "If you live to please people, misunderstandings will depress you; but if you live to please God, you can face misunderstandings with faith and courage".
4. Pray for those who misunderstand you. In a past lesson we have talked about the Sandpaper People in our lives and how to deal with them. It's easy to say "Love the people who misunderstand you," it's hard to put it into practice. But we must do it anyway.
5. We must not return evil for evil. This is also hard, especially when your motives are repeatedly attacked. But look at how Jesus handled those who totally misunderstood Him and really mistreated Him.
He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. 1 Peter 2:23a.
This will happen to us too. We will be misunderstood, we will be mistreated! And that's the real test of our faith. You find out what you really believe when others mistreat you. Sometimes the real test of your faith is what you don't do. Sometimes you'll be a better Christian by not saying anything at all.
What was his secret? How did he do it? The answer lies in the final phrase of 1 Peter 2:23, "He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly." In our day we hear lots of talk about claiming our rights. That spirit comes into the church and we hear people getting angry and saying, "How dare you trample on my rights?" Most of our problems stem from claiming our rights. But the Bible turns that upside down. You aren't to think of your rights first. You are to think of others first.
When you are misunderstood, remember these words: It's not about me. It's not about now.It's all about God. It's all about eternity.
The followers of Jesus will sometimes be misunderstood not only by the world but by other Christians. May God give us the spirit of Jesus that we might handle this as He did.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Write It Down
How many of you remember the movie “Bull Durham”?
My family was once HUGE Braves fans. We went to spring training. Went to games in Atlanta. Went to minor league games all over the southeast. When the Braves minor league team came to Birmingham, we invited some of them to the house for cookouts! I guess you could say that we became “experts’ on baseball. (If y’all remember back in some earlier lessons I have said that everyone has a god and I guess ours was, at the time, baseball! Not proud of this, just stating facts.)
Anyway, Bull Durham probably came closer to capturing what baseball, primarily minor league baseball, is like.
The main characters are a young pitching phenom (Nuke LaLoosh – Tim Robbins) and a nearly washed up but knowledgeable catcher (Crash Davis – Kevin Costner) that is brought in to mentor the prize prospect. A favorite scene is when Crash teaches the young pitcher how to handle interviews with the press.
Crash Davis: "It's time to work on your interviews."
Nuke LaLoosh: "My interviews? What do I gotta do?"
Crash Davis: "You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."
Nuke LaLoosh: "Got to play… it's pretty boring."
Crash Davis: "Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down."
Do you realize that the journey with Jesus is simply living it one day at a time. Write it down. You can't live in regret of the past. It is forgiven. You can't live in fear of the future. It is in God's Hands. You live in the moment, one day at a time, trusting Him for that day. That's the point. Play it one day at a time.
Someone once said:
"God didn't call me to be spectacular. He called me to be faithful."
Write it down.
Another quote from the movie Bull Durham is very meaningful.
"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."
In many ways Christianity is a very simple faith that we have made incredibly legalistic and difficult. To paraphrase the line above. "You love the Lord your God. You love your neighbor. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes life rains on you."
Why do we want to make it so maddeningly complex? Jesus said that two things are the most important.
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-3)
How simple to understand is this? I didn’t ask how simple to do, just how simple to understand. We can not do this without Jesus’s help!
Why have we ever tried to make it anything else? The scholar who heard the words of Jesus "got it".
“The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” (Mark 12:32-32)
How do you suppose “the body of Christ” (Which is His church according to the Bible. Not the building, but the people.) would look if we concentrated on those two simple commands? Would we worry so much about the worship music style, what people wear, what translation of the Bible is used, or the carpet color? Why do we get so fired up about what other Christians are doing and other people are saying? Why do we care so much about being treated fairly and getting what we deserve? If we concentrated on those two commands we would be so much happier and effective for Christ. We would experience and give grace.
But do we get it? Do I get it? Or do we still get sidetracked by life and pride and worries? It is really very simple. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart. Read the Word daily. Love others as you love yourself. That is what Jesus told me to do. Nothing about programs or positions or curriculum or strategies.
Love God. Love others.
Write it down.
Listen to this song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsisruycV8
Loving God, loving each other
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
They pushed back from the table
To listen to His words,
His secret plan before He had to go.
It's not complicated;
Don't need a lot of rules,
This is all you'll need to know.
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
We tend to make it harder,
Build steeples out of stone,
Fill with explanations of The Way,
But if we'd stop and listen
And break a little bread,
We would hear the Master say
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
My family was once HUGE Braves fans. We went to spring training. Went to games in Atlanta. Went to minor league games all over the southeast. When the Braves minor league team came to Birmingham, we invited some of them to the house for cookouts! I guess you could say that we became “experts’ on baseball. (If y’all remember back in some earlier lessons I have said that everyone has a god and I guess ours was, at the time, baseball! Not proud of this, just stating facts.)
Anyway, Bull Durham probably came closer to capturing what baseball, primarily minor league baseball, is like.
The main characters are a young pitching phenom (Nuke LaLoosh – Tim Robbins) and a nearly washed up but knowledgeable catcher (Crash Davis – Kevin Costner) that is brought in to mentor the prize prospect. A favorite scene is when Crash teaches the young pitcher how to handle interviews with the press.
Crash Davis: "It's time to work on your interviews."
Nuke LaLoosh: "My interviews? What do I gotta do?"
Crash Davis: "You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time."
Nuke LaLoosh: "Got to play… it's pretty boring."
Crash Davis: "Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down."
Do you realize that the journey with Jesus is simply living it one day at a time. Write it down. You can't live in regret of the past. It is forgiven. You can't live in fear of the future. It is in God's Hands. You live in the moment, one day at a time, trusting Him for that day. That's the point. Play it one day at a time.
Someone once said:
"God didn't call me to be spectacular. He called me to be faithful."
Write it down.
Another quote from the movie Bull Durham is very meaningful.
"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."
In many ways Christianity is a very simple faith that we have made incredibly legalistic and difficult. To paraphrase the line above. "You love the Lord your God. You love your neighbor. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is hard. Sometimes life rains on you."
Why do we want to make it so maddeningly complex? Jesus said that two things are the most important.
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-3)
How simple to understand is this? I didn’t ask how simple to do, just how simple to understand. We can not do this without Jesus’s help!
Why have we ever tried to make it anything else? The scholar who heard the words of Jesus "got it".
“The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.” (Mark 12:32-32)
How do you suppose “the body of Christ” (Which is His church according to the Bible. Not the building, but the people.) would look if we concentrated on those two simple commands? Would we worry so much about the worship music style, what people wear, what translation of the Bible is used, or the carpet color? Why do we get so fired up about what other Christians are doing and other people are saying? Why do we care so much about being treated fairly and getting what we deserve? If we concentrated on those two commands we would be so much happier and effective for Christ. We would experience and give grace.
But do we get it? Do I get it? Or do we still get sidetracked by life and pride and worries? It is really very simple. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart. Read the Word daily. Love others as you love yourself. That is what Jesus told me to do. Nothing about programs or positions or curriculum or strategies.
Love God. Love others.
Write it down.
Listen to this song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsisruycV8
Loving God, loving each other
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
They pushed back from the table
To listen to His words,
His secret plan before He had to go.
It's not complicated;
Don't need a lot of rules,
This is all you'll need to know.
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
We tend to make it harder,
Build steeples out of stone,
Fill with explanations of The Way,
But if we'd stop and listen
And break a little bread,
We would hear the Master say
Loving God, loving each other,
Making music with my friends;
Loving God, loving each other,
And the story never ends.
For prayer requests, comments or to be included in our email ministry, email us at: whosoever@cottagehillbaptist.org
Check out our “blog” at: http://thewhosoevers.blogspot.com/
Check out our “blog” at: http://thewhosoevers.blogspot.com/
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