Love Divine
(So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. John 1:14)
What does Christmas mean to a mother who has lost her husband, who must take care of 3 or 4 children, working every day, never quite getting everything done, never making ends meet? What does Christmas mean to her?
What does Christmas mean to the little man in Zimbabwe, 80 years old, living in a hut, who knows nothing of shopping malls or Christmas trees? What does Christmas mean to him?
What does it mean to little children with smudges on their cheeks, & sparkling eyes that look up as you walk past? What does Christmas mean to them?
What does it mean to missionaries who are half a world away from families & friends, who are sacrificing so much to take the precious gospel message to others who have never heard? What does it mean to them?
There is one thing we can be sure of: it means different things to different people.
To merchants it is the busiest time of the year. Stores stay open longer, & hire extra people to accommodate all the shoppers. It means more profit, hopefully enough profit to see them through lean times ahead.
For some employees it means a Christmas bonus, a little more money in their pockets to do things that they want to do.
For many teen-agers & adults it is a time of fun & parties. For children it is a time of impatience, with time seeming to pass so slowly, as they wait for Christmas morning.
But sometimes there is a feeling that we are like the folks who decided to throw a party to honor a very special friend. They sent out invitations, decorated the hall, & had the food catered. All the people came together at the designated time, but to their surprise, the guest of honor was not there.
Finally, they made the embarrassing discovery that no one had ever invited the guest of honor.
Do you suppose this may happens at Christmas time? Do we go through all the decorating, & buying presents, & preparing elaborate meals, but somehow forget whose birthday it really is?
One family tried to overcome that by putting an extra place at their Christmas table for Jesus, & calling Christmas, "His birthday party." When one of their daughters was asked if she got everything she wanted for Christmas, she answered by saying, "No, but then it’s not my birthday."
It isn’t our birthday, is it? It’s the Lord’s birthday & it’s a time to remember His birth & what it is supposed to mean to us.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:8-14)
The fact that God made the announcement to shepherds helps us to understand the real meaning of Christmas. "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," (John 3:16) & He chose to announce that to shepherds first of all.
Shepherds were at the opposite end of the social structure from King Herod & all the influential people of the day. They lived in the fields with their animals. They weren’t respected. They had no power or prestige. Yet, God’s angel came to them & said, " The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!" Unto shepherds a Savior was born.
In that one simple announcement God made known some very important truths.
First of all, it tells us, "No matter how insignificant we may think we are, God knows us, & we are important to Him."
All throughout scripture we see God honoring & using people & things that the world often overlooks or ignores.
The Apostle Paul writes, "26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the word things counted as nothing at all,..." (1 Cor. 1:26-28a).
A Jewish youth was sold into slavery by his brothers & carted off to Egypt. Yet, when God wanted to deliver a very special message to mighty Pharaoh, it was the slave, Joseph, who was brought out of the dungeon to interpret the message. God uses the lowly & despised to show His power.
Five thousand men, plus women & children, stayed late on a hillside one day, listening to Jesus. There was no food & the people were hungry. Well, that is not totally accurate. There was one little boy who had 2 fish & 5 little loaves. But it was enough, because God took that small amount & fed the many. He is always doing that, isn’t He?
So when God decided to select a mother for His Son, He went past the fashion salons & beauty parlors. He went past the furs & diamonds & gold, & went to an insignificant village called Nazareth. He found a peasant girl. She did not dress in designer clothes. She did not have a sophisticated education. But she was pure, & God selected her to be the mother of His only begotten Son.
So when the Christ comes, He is not born in Mt. Sinai Hospital in Jerusalem, surrounded by gynecologists, nurses & assistants. But rather, He is born in a stable. He is wrapped in swaddling clothes & laid in a manger.
The world looks down its nose & says, "That’s foolishness." But Paul says, "25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)
When God makes His announcement, it is delivered to shepherds. It is like Jesus saying in the Sermon on the mount, "If God cares about sparrows & lilies, then He cares about you." (Matthew 6:25-30) If God cares about shepherds, He cares about you!
We need to hear that, don’t we? Children 12 & 13 years old need to hear that in orphanages when they see younger children being adopted & realize that they probably never will be adopted. They need to hear that.
Mothers of children without a husband to help need to hear that. Lost souls on skid row who drink away their fears need to hear that. People who are lonely need to hear that. People who have lost their spouses in death need to hear that. Church people who feel useless & empty need to hear that.
We all need to hear that. All of us have known feelings of rejection. All of us have known feelings of being left out. Christmas comes. The light shines, & God says, "No! You’re wrong. I made the announcement to shepherds, & I make it to you. Unto you a Savior is born."
The second thing this passage teaches us is that life matters. Not only to us, but our life counts with God.
Can you imagine those shepherds sitting around their campfire on cold nights & wondering if life was really worthwhile or not. "What difference does it make if we watch the sheep or not?"
Maybe we wonder, too, "What difference does it make if I get up every morning or not? It seems as if my life is an endless cycle of things that really don’t mean anything. I just wonder if life is worth living at all?"
When God comes & makes His announcement to shepherds, He is also saying to us, "Your life is worthwhile. It is My gift to you. Therefore live every golden moment of it, because your life does matter to Me."
Every life matters. We should know that. It’s impossible to live, even for a few moments on this earth, & not influence somebody in one way or another. We are always influencing someone, either for good or for bad.
Life counts. Life matters. Your life & mine. Lives of shepherds & lives of kings, all are important to God.
Finally, this. our faith matters, too. Shepherds were men of faith. They probably had more faith than some of the scribes & Pharisees who went to the synagogue every day.
They believed in a Messiah. All of God’s chosen people believed in a Messiah. When things got especially hard, during times of poverty & enslavement & exile, they would think about the Messiah & God’s promise that one day the Messiah would come.
They prayed over & over again for hundreds of years that the promised Messiah would come.
There must have been many who quit praying, & quit having faith. But when the announcement came to shepherds, God was saying, "Your faith matters, & it is not in vain. I am a God who hears & who keeps His promises. Now the Messiah has come, & I have kept My promise."
How about us? Sometimes we become weary. There may be times when we wonder if it is worthwhile going to church. There are times when we wonder if it is worth sacrificing for God.
But one day He will come back. He will come for all of us, shepherds & kings, wise men & peasants. He will come for His people. He’ll dry our tears & take away our pain. There will be no more death, no more good-byes. Then we’ll say, "It was worth it. It was worth it all!"
Monday, December 10, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
The Decision to Return to God
The Decision to Return to God
Do you feel trapped by a bad habit or tormented by guilt? Repentance is the key to finding freedom and joy again. We all probably know the story of David and Bathsheba, which is found in 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25.
A. What attitudes masquerade as repentance?
Someone may pray, “Lord, I really regret getting caught. Now, everyone knows about my wrongdoing.” Or, “God, I’m really sorry I sinned. I certainly hope I can do better next time.” These types of responses are usually prompted by guilt or embarrassment rather than a heartfelt sense of remorse. They include no commitment to responding differently to the temptation in the future, and no admission that our choice to rebel against the Lord is harmful to us and others. Believers talk to God this way when we simply want to escape the conviction of the Holy Spirit or feel better about ourselves. That’s why a “confession” like the ones above is not genuine repentance.
God want s us to have real “sorrow” about our sinning. “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 cor. 7:10)
B. What does genuine repentance involve?
1. We must confess.
Christians shouldn’t just say, “Lord, I’m sorry for my mistake.” Rather, they should acknowledge, “Lord, I have sinned against You.”
Physical symptoms can accompany unconfessed sin. David writes”When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” (Ps. 32:3-4)
But look what the Bible says if we admit our transgressions and forsake them? “….. if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)
James says “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16. Note: Given its context, this verse most likely refers to spiritual healing in which a particular sin no longer holds us in its grip.
2. We must acknowledge that any transgression is primarily against God.
Although others may be hurt by our sin, believers should recognize that our greatest offense is against the Lord.
After David was confronted about his sin by the prophet Nathan, he composed Psalm 51. Look what he writes in Psalm 51:4: “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”
This doesn’t mean that David failed to recognize the wrong he had done against Uriah and Bathsheba. However, he realized that his sin was chiefly against the Lord.
3. We must take full responsibility for sin.
Anytime we try to blame someone else for our wrongdoing, repentance is incomplete. Ultimately, each individual involved in a sin has made a decision to rebel against God. David didn’t rationalize, “Lord, I wasn’t the only one involved. You know it takes two. She should have been more careful. I am only human.”
King David’s immediate response when confronted with the specifics of his sin and God’s judgment was not making excuse. He didn’t even mention Bathsheba. Instead he said to Nathan: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Sam. 12:13) David accepted full responsibility for his sins.
Do most people tend to pass the blame to others, or do they typically own up to their sin?
4. Repentance involves total honesty with God.
The Lord wants us to be honest about our sin, weaknesses, and frustrations. Truthfulness promotes fellowship. As long as we are open with Him, He can continue to work with us.
Trouble starts when believers make excuses: “Now, Lord, I just made a mistake. After all, everybody has faults. Nobody is perfect.” Responding like this avoids the real issue. It is therefore dishonest. Those who constantly deny their guilt will not mature spiritually or find freedom from sin.
The Lord appreciates “… a broken and repentant heart” (Ps. 51:17)
David wrote that God desires honesty even from the time we are in the womb. (Ps. 51:6). In other words, we need to be totally honest with ourselves and the Lord. Are we usually able to do this regarding our sin and weaknesses?
C. What happens when we delay our repentance?
After David committed many sins in his relationship with Bathsheba including having her husband killed, he didn’t confess it immediately or even of his own accord. He didn’t confess until he was confronted by Nathan. (see 2 Sam 12:1-6)?
Whether we like it or not the Bible teaches that the Lord disciplines those who are disobedient. Even though David admitted his sin: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13), Nathan told him “….the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die.” (2 Samuel 12:14) This is really harsh but often sin has consequences. In fact, even though David was forgiven he had troubles throughout the rest of his reign as king of Israel!
David’s failure to repent sooner increased the severity of the penalty for his rebellion. But if we deal with our sin genuinely, openly, and immediately, God often lessens the harshness of His chastisement. Why is that? Because if He sees that we have plans to obey next time, stern correction is usually not needed.
The longer we put off repentance, the greater God’s discipline. Those who are wise will repent quickly.
We need to always examine our selves and see if the is Lord prompting us to repent of a particular sin? And DO IT!
Closing: False confession keeps us trapped in guilt and sin. Genuine repentance allows us to experience renewed fellowship with the Lord. When God convicts us of wrongdoing, we must honestly admit our sin and turn away from it. We won’t regret it.
FACE TO FACE
I had walked life’s way with an easy tread,
I had traveled where pleasures and comfort led,
Until one day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
With station and rank and wealth for my goal,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul,
I had entered to win this life’s mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I had built my castles and reared them high,
Till the towers had pierced the blue of the sky,
I had sworn to rule with an iron mace,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and I knew Him and I blushed to see,
That His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me.
I faulted and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away,
Melted and vanished and in their place
Nothing else could I see but my Master’s face.
My thoughts were not for the souls of men,
I have lost my life-to find it again,
Since that day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
Do you feel trapped by a bad habit or tormented by guilt? Repentance is the key to finding freedom and joy again. We all probably know the story of David and Bathsheba, which is found in 2 Samuel 11:1-12:25.
A. What attitudes masquerade as repentance?
Someone may pray, “Lord, I really regret getting caught. Now, everyone knows about my wrongdoing.” Or, “God, I’m really sorry I sinned. I certainly hope I can do better next time.” These types of responses are usually prompted by guilt or embarrassment rather than a heartfelt sense of remorse. They include no commitment to responding differently to the temptation in the future, and no admission that our choice to rebel against the Lord is harmful to us and others. Believers talk to God this way when we simply want to escape the conviction of the Holy Spirit or feel better about ourselves. That’s why a “confession” like the ones above is not genuine repentance.
God want s us to have real “sorrow” about our sinning. “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 cor. 7:10)
B. What does genuine repentance involve?
1. We must confess.
Christians shouldn’t just say, “Lord, I’m sorry for my mistake.” Rather, they should acknowledge, “Lord, I have sinned against You.”
Physical symptoms can accompany unconfessed sin. David writes”When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” (Ps. 32:3-4)
But look what the Bible says if we admit our transgressions and forsake them? “….. if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)
James says “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16. Note: Given its context, this verse most likely refers to spiritual healing in which a particular sin no longer holds us in its grip.
2. We must acknowledge that any transgression is primarily against God.
Although others may be hurt by our sin, believers should recognize that our greatest offense is against the Lord.
After David was confronted about his sin by the prophet Nathan, he composed Psalm 51. Look what he writes in Psalm 51:4: “Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.”
This doesn’t mean that David failed to recognize the wrong he had done against Uriah and Bathsheba. However, he realized that his sin was chiefly against the Lord.
3. We must take full responsibility for sin.
Anytime we try to blame someone else for our wrongdoing, repentance is incomplete. Ultimately, each individual involved in a sin has made a decision to rebel against God. David didn’t rationalize, “Lord, I wasn’t the only one involved. You know it takes two. She should have been more careful. I am only human.”
King David’s immediate response when confronted with the specifics of his sin and God’s judgment was not making excuse. He didn’t even mention Bathsheba. Instead he said to Nathan: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Sam. 12:13) David accepted full responsibility for his sins.
Do most people tend to pass the blame to others, or do they typically own up to their sin?
4. Repentance involves total honesty with God.
The Lord wants us to be honest about our sin, weaknesses, and frustrations. Truthfulness promotes fellowship. As long as we are open with Him, He can continue to work with us.
Trouble starts when believers make excuses: “Now, Lord, I just made a mistake. After all, everybody has faults. Nobody is perfect.” Responding like this avoids the real issue. It is therefore dishonest. Those who constantly deny their guilt will not mature spiritually or find freedom from sin.
The Lord appreciates “… a broken and repentant heart” (Ps. 51:17)
David wrote that God desires honesty even from the time we are in the womb. (Ps. 51:6). In other words, we need to be totally honest with ourselves and the Lord. Are we usually able to do this regarding our sin and weaknesses?
C. What happens when we delay our repentance?
After David committed many sins in his relationship with Bathsheba including having her husband killed, he didn’t confess it immediately or even of his own accord. He didn’t confess until he was confronted by Nathan. (see 2 Sam 12:1-6)?
Whether we like it or not the Bible teaches that the Lord disciplines those who are disobedient. Even though David admitted his sin: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13), Nathan told him “….the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the LORD by doing this, your child will die.” (2 Samuel 12:14) This is really harsh but often sin has consequences. In fact, even though David was forgiven he had troubles throughout the rest of his reign as king of Israel!
David’s failure to repent sooner increased the severity of the penalty for his rebellion. But if we deal with our sin genuinely, openly, and immediately, God often lessens the harshness of His chastisement. Why is that? Because if He sees that we have plans to obey next time, stern correction is usually not needed.
The longer we put off repentance, the greater God’s discipline. Those who are wise will repent quickly.
We need to always examine our selves and see if the is Lord prompting us to repent of a particular sin? And DO IT!
Closing: False confession keeps us trapped in guilt and sin. Genuine repentance allows us to experience renewed fellowship with the Lord. When God convicts us of wrongdoing, we must honestly admit our sin and turn away from it. We won’t regret it.
FACE TO FACE
I had walked life’s way with an easy tread,
I had traveled where pleasures and comfort led,
Until one day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
With station and rank and wealth for my goal,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul,
I had entered to win this life’s mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I had built my castles and reared them high,
Till the towers had pierced the blue of the sky,
I had sworn to rule with an iron mace,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and I knew Him and I blushed to see,
That His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me.
I faulted and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away,
Melted and vanished and in their place
Nothing else could I see but my Master’s face.
My thoughts were not for the souls of men,
I have lost my life-to find it again,
Since that day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
The Battle
The Battle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4QOuGI3irI
There's a battle between good and evil
And it's raging inside of me
There's a struggle, it's God and the devil
It's love against the enemy
Whoa, no
I'm not giving up now
Whoa
Life's a fight of wrong and right, that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won
There's a snake that's hiding in the garden
There's a beautiful apple tree
There is trouble on the horizon
But I'm claiming victory
Whoa
I'm not giving in now
Whoa
Life's a fight of wrong and right that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah, the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won
Whoa
I'm not giving up now
Whoa
I'm not giving in
Life's a fight of wrong and right that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah, the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won. Battle by Chris August
Today’s lesson is that all of us, are fighting even if we don’t realize it... and the only way that you can be victorious in this war is to be on the right side and that right side is Jesus Christ...
We are talking about a war between “Good” and “Evil”, a war between the “Powers of Darkness” and the powers of Heaven......a battle between “Light” and “Darkness”. This war is about the eternal destiny of every man, woman and child on the face of the earth, from Adam to the last child that will be born before time ceases to exist as we know it.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”.
Signs of this great battle for the souls of men are everywhere. All you have to do is look around and you can see many who have the scars of the battle. Many are wounded emotionally........... some are not able to cope with everyday life and its pressures. Some carry around scars of guilt and shame some carry a wounded spirit or a broken heart that sends them over the edge and makes them feel like life just ain’t worth living.
The weapons in this war ain’t bullets, knives, but words, prayer, sin and faith. Satan’s arsenal is filled with temptation, loaded fiery darts of passion and he lays traps, or minefields, where we walk every day. He’s an enemy that’s out to kill, steal and destroy everything that he can, including your very soul.
God’s weapons of this warfare are love, faith, Prayer, a sound mind and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Blood of the Lamb and the Cross of Christ. God’s weapons are more powerful than the devil’s, BUT none of them can be used without faith and trust in God to make them work.
The problem is that most people won’t use God’s weapons because they don’t want to surrender their will to God’s will.
When an addict is fighting for their life, doing everything in their power to overcome whatever has them “addicted”, it’s a fight with eternal consequences. Too many try to fight this battle alone, with “will power” and think it can be strong enough to break that bondage.
“Will power” just won’t work most of the time. If you don’t think that’s so, then how long an addict can go without a fix from the needle or the pill, just relying on will power? How long can the alcoholic stand the jitters of needing that next drink...there may be a few cases where people claim to overcome these addictions through will power, most fail, and then that adds to their hopelessness and frustration.
The reason that people can’t overcome these things on their own is that these are not just physical battles with a physical addition. They are spiritual battles that can only be fought, and won, in the realms of the supernatural.
Look at the Apostle Paul..... Paul was an addict before he was an apostle. He didn’t take drugs, he wasn’t hooked on tobacco and he wasn’t a man given to drink. Paul was a Pharisee, a man who dedicated his whole life to obeying the commandments of the Law. But he was an addict. He was addicted to ambition and to recognition.
Paul was first called Saul. As Saul, he was a defender of the faith of the Jews and he loved the idea of persecuting Christians He was constantly going before the High Priest to obtain letters of authority to kill, maim and imprison every Christian he could find. Saul was fighting the battle against God. He was trying to win a battle that he couldn’t win. He could do nothing to overcome his desire for recognition and power. In fact, he saw nothing wrong with the way he was living and the things he was doing.
It’s a sad thing to see most of the world living for the devil, and fighting in his army, and not even realizing what they are doing.... No one would admit that they are fighting against God. Every man is right in his own eyes because he is blinded to the truth. The truth is that unless you are living for God and serving Him, and working for Him, then you are fighting for the devil.
Saul was soon gonna’ come face to face with the war that was raging around him. He was fighting on the side of Satan, thinking he was doing God a favor, but he was gonna’ meet the Lord on the Road to Damascus. (Acts 9) It was there, in the middle of the day, that he was knocked off of his horse into the dust by the True Light from Heaven. Jesus knew that Saul was a sincere man, sincerely wrong even though he thought he was right; and Jesus also knew that Saul’s sincerity needed some direction.
Saul didn’t know who he was fighting for. He thought that he was doing the right thing the whole time. But he soon found out that he had been in the devil’s army, fighting against the very God that he thought he was serving. It took the power of God to break through his blindness and to shatter Saul’s addiction, and it still takes the power of God to truly break any addiction today. You can’t do it on your own, but with God’s help, according to Jesus you can. In Mark 9:23, He said "…. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
When Saul gave his heart to Jesus on that road to Damascus, God changed him completely, making him a new creation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
Saul’s addiction to power and ambition to the chief among the Pharisees came to an end, broke down forever by the power of God. From that day on, God gave him a brand new name, Paul...... and a new purpose, to preach the gospel; and a new life. All that he had been in the past was forgotten by God and forgiven. The blood of Jesus had washed away every sin and Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost and power.
He kept fighting the same war between the worlds of good and evil, but now he was on the right side for a change.
In Acts 16:16-31, Paul and Silas are battling the forces of darkness as they walked the streets of the city of Philippi,. They were going about doing good, praying and ministering, but Satan never stops trying to win the war, so even in the simple things of living for the Lord, they are still in midst of the war.
Let that be a lesson to us all. Don’t ever think that the war isn’t raging just because life seems to be good right now.
Your next battle with the devil is just ahead so be ready for it.
Sometimes we can become involved with people, on a job, or in a relationship that seems so right in the beginning. We can’t see anything wrong. But before long, something just doesn’t feel right anymore. That’s called the power of discernment, where the Holy Spirit living in you, begins to warn you that everything is not like it looks....
Satan plays for keeps. His methods are subtle most of the time, but he can be as confrontational as he wants to be when the battle gets harder. He is perfectly happy to allow anybody to do his dirty work for him.
Sometimes living for the Lord ain’t fun. Sometimes God allows things to happen to us that we just don’t understand. It’s okay to ask questions, but then we need to accept the answer and leave it in God’s hands. Nothing can happen to you that God don’t know about.
God will make a way for you to escape the traps that the devil will lay for us. We may face some strong temptations to fall into our old life but we don’t quit, we keep fighting. All of us face temptation, but that don’t mean that we’ve to give in to it. Paul writes´” …God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure”. (1 Corinthians 10: 12-14.)
And even if we fail, and all of us fail from time to time, God don’t give up on us. He says in Hebrews 4:16, "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
1 John 2:1-2, "My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world."
We’re in a spiritual battle, A War of the Worlds of Good and Evil. Whose side are we on? If we aren’t on the Lord’s side, then there’s only one leader that we can be fighting for, the devil. There is no neutral ground. There is no fence. It’s either all for Jesus, or all for the devil.
The choice is ours. The victory has been won for us but we have to accept it. We can be part of the only army that is destined to win. But we need to surrender to Jesus everything.
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4QOuGI3irI
There's a battle between good and evil
And it's raging inside of me
There's a struggle, it's God and the devil
It's love against the enemy
Whoa, no
I'm not giving up now
Whoa
Life's a fight of wrong and right, that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won
There's a snake that's hiding in the garden
There's a beautiful apple tree
There is trouble on the horizon
But I'm claiming victory
Whoa
I'm not giving in now
Whoa
Life's a fight of wrong and right that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah, the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won
Whoa
I'm not giving up now
Whoa
I'm not giving in
Life's a fight of wrong and right that's tearing me apart
Oh, but what the cross has done
Yeah, the world will try to battle for my heart
But the war is already won. Battle by Chris August
Today’s lesson is that all of us, are fighting even if we don’t realize it... and the only way that you can be victorious in this war is to be on the right side and that right side is Jesus Christ...
We are talking about a war between “Good” and “Evil”, a war between the “Powers of Darkness” and the powers of Heaven......a battle between “Light” and “Darkness”. This war is about the eternal destiny of every man, woman and child on the face of the earth, from Adam to the last child that will be born before time ceases to exist as we know it.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”.
Signs of this great battle for the souls of men are everywhere. All you have to do is look around and you can see many who have the scars of the battle. Many are wounded emotionally........... some are not able to cope with everyday life and its pressures. Some carry around scars of guilt and shame some carry a wounded spirit or a broken heart that sends them over the edge and makes them feel like life just ain’t worth living.
The weapons in this war ain’t bullets, knives, but words, prayer, sin and faith. Satan’s arsenal is filled with temptation, loaded fiery darts of passion and he lays traps, or minefields, where we walk every day. He’s an enemy that’s out to kill, steal and destroy everything that he can, including your very soul.
God’s weapons of this warfare are love, faith, Prayer, a sound mind and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Blood of the Lamb and the Cross of Christ. God’s weapons are more powerful than the devil’s, BUT none of them can be used without faith and trust in God to make them work.
The problem is that most people won’t use God’s weapons because they don’t want to surrender their will to God’s will.
When an addict is fighting for their life, doing everything in their power to overcome whatever has them “addicted”, it’s a fight with eternal consequences. Too many try to fight this battle alone, with “will power” and think it can be strong enough to break that bondage.
“Will power” just won’t work most of the time. If you don’t think that’s so, then how long an addict can go without a fix from the needle or the pill, just relying on will power? How long can the alcoholic stand the jitters of needing that next drink...there may be a few cases where people claim to overcome these addictions through will power, most fail, and then that adds to their hopelessness and frustration.
The reason that people can’t overcome these things on their own is that these are not just physical battles with a physical addition. They are spiritual battles that can only be fought, and won, in the realms of the supernatural.
Look at the Apostle Paul..... Paul was an addict before he was an apostle. He didn’t take drugs, he wasn’t hooked on tobacco and he wasn’t a man given to drink. Paul was a Pharisee, a man who dedicated his whole life to obeying the commandments of the Law. But he was an addict. He was addicted to ambition and to recognition.
Paul was first called Saul. As Saul, he was a defender of the faith of the Jews and he loved the idea of persecuting Christians He was constantly going before the High Priest to obtain letters of authority to kill, maim and imprison every Christian he could find. Saul was fighting the battle against God. He was trying to win a battle that he couldn’t win. He could do nothing to overcome his desire for recognition and power. In fact, he saw nothing wrong with the way he was living and the things he was doing.
It’s a sad thing to see most of the world living for the devil, and fighting in his army, and not even realizing what they are doing.... No one would admit that they are fighting against God. Every man is right in his own eyes because he is blinded to the truth. The truth is that unless you are living for God and serving Him, and working for Him, then you are fighting for the devil.
Saul was soon gonna’ come face to face with the war that was raging around him. He was fighting on the side of Satan, thinking he was doing God a favor, but he was gonna’ meet the Lord on the Road to Damascus. (Acts 9) It was there, in the middle of the day, that he was knocked off of his horse into the dust by the True Light from Heaven. Jesus knew that Saul was a sincere man, sincerely wrong even though he thought he was right; and Jesus also knew that Saul’s sincerity needed some direction.
Saul didn’t know who he was fighting for. He thought that he was doing the right thing the whole time. But he soon found out that he had been in the devil’s army, fighting against the very God that he thought he was serving. It took the power of God to break through his blindness and to shatter Saul’s addiction, and it still takes the power of God to truly break any addiction today. You can’t do it on your own, but with God’s help, according to Jesus you can. In Mark 9:23, He said "…. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
When Saul gave his heart to Jesus on that road to Damascus, God changed him completely, making him a new creation in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
Saul’s addiction to power and ambition to the chief among the Pharisees came to an end, broke down forever by the power of God. From that day on, God gave him a brand new name, Paul...... and a new purpose, to preach the gospel; and a new life. All that he had been in the past was forgotten by God and forgiven. The blood of Jesus had washed away every sin and Paul was filled with the Holy Ghost and power.
He kept fighting the same war between the worlds of good and evil, but now he was on the right side for a change.
In Acts 16:16-31, Paul and Silas are battling the forces of darkness as they walked the streets of the city of Philippi,. They were going about doing good, praying and ministering, but Satan never stops trying to win the war, so even in the simple things of living for the Lord, they are still in midst of the war.
Let that be a lesson to us all. Don’t ever think that the war isn’t raging just because life seems to be good right now.
Your next battle with the devil is just ahead so be ready for it.
Sometimes we can become involved with people, on a job, or in a relationship that seems so right in the beginning. We can’t see anything wrong. But before long, something just doesn’t feel right anymore. That’s called the power of discernment, where the Holy Spirit living in you, begins to warn you that everything is not like it looks....
Satan plays for keeps. His methods are subtle most of the time, but he can be as confrontational as he wants to be when the battle gets harder. He is perfectly happy to allow anybody to do his dirty work for him.
Sometimes living for the Lord ain’t fun. Sometimes God allows things to happen to us that we just don’t understand. It’s okay to ask questions, but then we need to accept the answer and leave it in God’s hands. Nothing can happen to you that God don’t know about.
God will make a way for you to escape the traps that the devil will lay for us. We may face some strong temptations to fall into our old life but we don’t quit, we keep fighting. All of us face temptation, but that don’t mean that we’ve to give in to it. Paul writes´” …God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure”. (1 Corinthians 10: 12-14.)
And even if we fail, and all of us fail from time to time, God don’t give up on us. He says in Hebrews 4:16, "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
1 John 2:1-2, "My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world."
We’re in a spiritual battle, A War of the Worlds of Good and Evil. Whose side are we on? If we aren’t on the Lord’s side, then there’s only one leader that we can be fighting for, the devil. There is no neutral ground. There is no fence. It’s either all for Jesus, or all for the devil.
The choice is ours. The victory has been won for us but we have to accept it. We can be part of the only army that is destined to win. But we need to surrender to Jesus everything.
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Are We Truly Thankful?
Are We Truly Thankful?
Even though there are some people who truly are thankful in all things, most people are only thankful when they have to be. This goes for Christians as well. That is a terrible thing to have to say, but it is the truth. Why else would we have to have a special day to offer thanksgiving? If we gave thanks all the time like we should, there would be no need to have this holiday. The Bible say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34) We are probably not usually ungrateful and unthankful on purpose. It is probably because it is our nature as humans to take things for granted and it is nothing new. People were not thankful in Jesus’ day either. In Luke, chapter 17, we are told about an event that warranted thanks.
11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. (Hmmm, do we remember how Jews felt about Samaritans?)
17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” (Luke 17:11-19)
Let’s take a look at three aspects of thankfulness that we need to get from this Scripture.
There are no good excuses for un-thankfulness
We as Americans love to make excuses. After all, nothing is ever our fault. No one in jail has ever committed a crime. It was always someone else’s fault. When a little child gets in trouble, they will always blame it on another person. More often than not, adults do the same. When a politician gets in a bind, they will always find something else to pin the blame on. (Hmmm, again!)
Making excuses is nothing new. Think about the first humans on the planet. They are told not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree. Then, they both do and have to face God. God comes to them, and he asks what has happened. He first approaches Adam, and what does Adam do? He makes an excuse. Adam said, “it’s not my fault!. “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” (Genesis 3:12)
Then, when God gets to Eve, she makes an excuse. “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” (Genesis 3:13) These excuses seemed valid, but God does not buy excuses. God had told them not to eat, but they did anyhow. Even though they had excuses lined up, God punished Adam and Eve because excuses were not enough.
In this story of the ten lepers, the nine that were not thankful probably had excuses that they thought were good for not coming back to thank Jesus. Now, we have no way of knowing if this is what they thought for sure, but knowing how we are as humans, we can easily assume that they thought they were legitimate. We love making excuses for not doing the things we should, but those excuses do not fly with Jesus. When the one truly thankful leper came back to Jesus, Jesus honored him; however, Jesus did ask, “Where are the other nine?” Jesus expected every one of them to be thankful, and he expects that of Christians today.
Everyone has something to be thankful for
There was a newspaper article in the St. Petersburg Times. In this article, some of the local children made out lists of what they were thankful for. Here were some of the highlights.
• I am thankful for my family because they love me and give me food – Andrew, age 10
• I am thankful for flowers and trees, oh so tall, for our van to go places, especially the mall – Victoria, age 9
• I am thankful for our furry little squirrels that bring great happiness to our lives – Ryan, age 7
• I am thankful for thanksgiving because I like to eat ham – Maria, age 5
• I am thankful that my dad has a permanent job and my brother is in remission from Leukemia – Anastasia, age 10
• I am thankful for Thanksgiving because it is a happy holiday, and it’s when families get together and have a time of celebrating God’s goodness. The Pilgrims are a good example to me because no matter how hard things go, God is always with you and will provide for all your needs. When God provided for them, they did not forget him, but praised him with thanksgiving – Natalie, age 10
All these are nice but how impressive is the wisdom shown by 10 year old Natalie? She gets the picture of what God wants. God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances because we all have something to be thankful for. If we call ourselves Christians, we have even more yet to be thankful for. The Apostle Paul writes: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6-7) And we need to remember that Jesus Christ came to earth and took our place on the cross. We should have went there to pay the penalty for our sins, but he was blameless and took our place so that we might live. Now, all we have to do is believe and trust in Him as our Savior, and our slate will be wiped clean. We don’t have to pay the price of death. He already did that. That act alone should be enough to make us thankful for all the days of our lives. But, God does not stop there. He continues to bless us every day and we take it for granted.
Think about it this way. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend church meetings without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion in the world. And, if your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare. And we could go on and on. We are a blessed people with much to be thankful for. We must be a more thankful people. The Psalmist tells us “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High.” (Psalm 92:1)
We as Christians need to set the bar for thankfulness
The Gallop Poll reports that 84% of Americans claim to be Christians. Of those 84%, less than 10 % of Americans are deeply committed Christians. These committed Christians are far, far happier than the rest of the population. Committed Christians are more accepting of others than the average American, more involved in charitable activities, and are absolutely committed to prayer. While many more Americans than this 10 % profess to be Christians, most actually know little or nothing of Christian beliefs, and act no differently than non-Christians.
What is the problem with this picture? Christians are called to be set apart from the world, yet only 10% of the population are acting that way. This leaves an astounding 74% of Americans that claim to be Christians and yet act no differently than those not claiming to be Christians. Is it any wonder why the church is not growing?
As Jesus healed these ten lepers, most of them were Jews. They were God-fearing, church going people.
They belonged to the moral majority and were known as the people of God. However, when they were healed, only one leper returned to give thanks, and this leper was a Samaritan. Samaritans were not allowed to go to the synagogue/church in this day because they were looked upon as outcasts and lowlifes. The “church” people of the day wanted nothing to do with any of them because they were not worth the time of one of God’s chosen ones. Yet, he is the only one who showed thanks. When the church should have been setting the bar of thankfulness, the world was actually leading the way.
The same is true today. Think of some of the Christians you know. They are bitter and mean. They never think of anyone but themselves. They are proud, arrogant and rude. The problem is that people outside of the church are often more pleasant than those in it when it should be the other way around. Christians are meant to set the bar in things like love, kindness, gentleness, and thankfulness. We are meant to live in such a way that non-believers will want what we have. However, according to statistics, 74% of those who claim Christianity are living either no differently or worse that non-Christians. I know that this statistic does not apply to this class, but if it did, that would mean that 3 out of 4 of us are not any more thankful than those of the world.
We, as Believers, need to do better. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 God desires us to be thankful and not make excuses. He desires us to be thankful because everyone has something to be thankful for. He desires us to be thankful because we are to be the example to the rest of the world of what it truly means to be thankful. How do we do this? It is only through the strength of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With His power and His leading, we can be thankful in all circumstances. This week, let us make a list, even if only in our mind, of everything we can think of that we can thank God for – and then do it. Thank God for all He has done for us because a thankful spirit opens the door to a closer relationship with God. After all, to enter His gates, we must do it with thanksgiving. It’s time we start doing it more.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)
Note 1: Notice in scripture “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”, the word “in” is not the same as “for”. This means you do not have to be thankful for just be thankful “in” the circumstances. And “God’s will” means he wants you to be thankful in all not and that the bad circumstances is always His will.
Put this note as result of some questions in class discussion.
Even though there are some people who truly are thankful in all things, most people are only thankful when they have to be. This goes for Christians as well. That is a terrible thing to have to say, but it is the truth. Why else would we have to have a special day to offer thanksgiving? If we gave thanks all the time like we should, there would be no need to have this holiday. The Bible say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34) We are probably not usually ungrateful and unthankful on purpose. It is probably because it is our nature as humans to take things for granted and it is nothing new. People were not thankful in Jesus’ day either. In Luke, chapter 17, we are told about an event that warranted thanks.
11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. (Hmmm, do we remember how Jews felt about Samaritans?)
17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” (Luke 17:11-19)
Let’s take a look at three aspects of thankfulness that we need to get from this Scripture.
There are no good excuses for un-thankfulness
We as Americans love to make excuses. After all, nothing is ever our fault. No one in jail has ever committed a crime. It was always someone else’s fault. When a little child gets in trouble, they will always blame it on another person. More often than not, adults do the same. When a politician gets in a bind, they will always find something else to pin the blame on. (Hmmm, again!)
Making excuses is nothing new. Think about the first humans on the planet. They are told not to eat of the fruit of a certain tree. Then, they both do and have to face God. God comes to them, and he asks what has happened. He first approaches Adam, and what does Adam do? He makes an excuse. Adam said, “it’s not my fault!. “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” (Genesis 3:12)
Then, when God gets to Eve, she makes an excuse. “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” (Genesis 3:13) These excuses seemed valid, but God does not buy excuses. God had told them not to eat, but they did anyhow. Even though they had excuses lined up, God punished Adam and Eve because excuses were not enough.
In this story of the ten lepers, the nine that were not thankful probably had excuses that they thought were good for not coming back to thank Jesus. Now, we have no way of knowing if this is what they thought for sure, but knowing how we are as humans, we can easily assume that they thought they were legitimate. We love making excuses for not doing the things we should, but those excuses do not fly with Jesus. When the one truly thankful leper came back to Jesus, Jesus honored him; however, Jesus did ask, “Where are the other nine?” Jesus expected every one of them to be thankful, and he expects that of Christians today.
Everyone has something to be thankful for
There was a newspaper article in the St. Petersburg Times. In this article, some of the local children made out lists of what they were thankful for. Here were some of the highlights.
• I am thankful for my family because they love me and give me food – Andrew, age 10
• I am thankful for flowers and trees, oh so tall, for our van to go places, especially the mall – Victoria, age 9
• I am thankful for our furry little squirrels that bring great happiness to our lives – Ryan, age 7
• I am thankful for thanksgiving because I like to eat ham – Maria, age 5
• I am thankful that my dad has a permanent job and my brother is in remission from Leukemia – Anastasia, age 10
• I am thankful for Thanksgiving because it is a happy holiday, and it’s when families get together and have a time of celebrating God’s goodness. The Pilgrims are a good example to me because no matter how hard things go, God is always with you and will provide for all your needs. When God provided for them, they did not forget him, but praised him with thanksgiving – Natalie, age 10
All these are nice but how impressive is the wisdom shown by 10 year old Natalie? She gets the picture of what God wants. God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances because we all have something to be thankful for. If we call ourselves Christians, we have even more yet to be thankful for. The Apostle Paul writes: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6-7) And we need to remember that Jesus Christ came to earth and took our place on the cross. We should have went there to pay the penalty for our sins, but he was blameless and took our place so that we might live. Now, all we have to do is believe and trust in Him as our Savior, and our slate will be wiped clean. We don’t have to pay the price of death. He already did that. That act alone should be enough to make us thankful for all the days of our lives. But, God does not stop there. He continues to bless us every day and we take it for granted.
Think about it this way. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend church meetings without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion in the world. And, if your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare. And we could go on and on. We are a blessed people with much to be thankful for. We must be a more thankful people. The Psalmist tells us “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to the Most High.” (Psalm 92:1)
We as Christians need to set the bar for thankfulness
The Gallop Poll reports that 84% of Americans claim to be Christians. Of those 84%, less than 10 % of Americans are deeply committed Christians. These committed Christians are far, far happier than the rest of the population. Committed Christians are more accepting of others than the average American, more involved in charitable activities, and are absolutely committed to prayer. While many more Americans than this 10 % profess to be Christians, most actually know little or nothing of Christian beliefs, and act no differently than non-Christians.
What is the problem with this picture? Christians are called to be set apart from the world, yet only 10% of the population are acting that way. This leaves an astounding 74% of Americans that claim to be Christians and yet act no differently than those not claiming to be Christians. Is it any wonder why the church is not growing?
As Jesus healed these ten lepers, most of them were Jews. They were God-fearing, church going people.
They belonged to the moral majority and were known as the people of God. However, when they were healed, only one leper returned to give thanks, and this leper was a Samaritan. Samaritans were not allowed to go to the synagogue/church in this day because they were looked upon as outcasts and lowlifes. The “church” people of the day wanted nothing to do with any of them because they were not worth the time of one of God’s chosen ones. Yet, he is the only one who showed thanks. When the church should have been setting the bar of thankfulness, the world was actually leading the way.
The same is true today. Think of some of the Christians you know. They are bitter and mean. They never think of anyone but themselves. They are proud, arrogant and rude. The problem is that people outside of the church are often more pleasant than those in it when it should be the other way around. Christians are meant to set the bar in things like love, kindness, gentleness, and thankfulness. We are meant to live in such a way that non-believers will want what we have. However, according to statistics, 74% of those who claim Christianity are living either no differently or worse that non-Christians. I know that this statistic does not apply to this class, but if it did, that would mean that 3 out of 4 of us are not any more thankful than those of the world.
We, as Believers, need to do better. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 God desires us to be thankful and not make excuses. He desires us to be thankful because everyone has something to be thankful for. He desires us to be thankful because we are to be the example to the rest of the world of what it truly means to be thankful. How do we do this? It is only through the strength of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With His power and His leading, we can be thankful in all circumstances. This week, let us make a list, even if only in our mind, of everything we can think of that we can thank God for – and then do it. Thank God for all He has done for us because a thankful spirit opens the door to a closer relationship with God. After all, to enter His gates, we must do it with thanksgiving. It’s time we start doing it more.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalm 100:4)
Note 1: Notice in scripture “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”, the word “in” is not the same as “for”. This means you do not have to be thankful for just be thankful “in” the circumstances. And “God’s will” means he wants you to be thankful in all not and that the bad circumstances is always His will.
Put this note as result of some questions in class discussion.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Be Angry and Do Not Sin
Be Angry and Do Not Sin
“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry," (Ephesians 4:26). The NKJV says “Be angry, and do not sin”.
Anger is one of those emotions that has a place, but is often out of control.
There was times Jesus was angry at the times. Once when the synagogue leaders were questioning Him about healing a man on Sabbath, Jesus “ looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.” (Mark 3:5) And twice Jesus drove money changers from the Temple. I think to do this He would have shown some anger. (Matthew 21:12 and John 2:15)
However, unchecked anger creates all sorts of problems: emotional, physical, social, and ... as this verse indicates ... spiritual problems as well “for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)
Anger can destroy a friendship or a marriage. It can lead to verbally abusive and bullying behavior (Can we say “Facebook”?). And, when unrestrained, anger can manifest itself in physical violence.
But the internal effects of uncontrolled anger are just as dangerous: muscle tension, breathing issues, migraine headaches, stomach problems, loss of sleep, and even heart attack and stroke.
Learning where anger comes from and how to handle it appropriately is critical to becoming a human being who lives by faith.
So ... what is anger?
Anger is an emotion that arises principally from a sense of injustice or unmet expectations.
In other words, we have certain expectations for the behavior of others. When those expectations aren't met, we become angry.
At its core, anger is part of our fight-or-flight response mechanism that helps us survive. But due to the habits of modern life, anger more often is a reaction to petty disagreements rather than survival needs.
The cashier at Wal-Mart has trouble ringing up your items ... "What's she trying to do ... sabotage my whole day!" No, she just made a mistake ... or is incompetent, or distracted. But we act like she just tried to make us mad.
Or that dumb-dumb at the office. Always thinks he's so funny. Made another joke about my beat up old car.
Yeah, okay. Maybe he's stupid. But the reality is he is probably suffering from a neglected childhood and is just trying to compensate. He needs a friend. That doesn't mean it has to be you, or that you will ever win him over to more civil, social behavior.
You can, however, be in control of your own reaction.
Here's the lesson ... you are in charge of your emotions. When you react with anger to the person behind you laying on their horn ... you choose to slam the brakes ... or you choose to pull over and let him by.
It's amazing how your outlook on life will change if you own up to your emotional responsibility.
One more thing. If you live in an environment that is constantly boiling with anger ... you are ripe pickin's for Satan's apple barrel. As Peter writes, we have to “Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
A pastor wrote: I get tons of e-mail. I cannot possibly answer it all. So I prioritize my mail.
But what almost always gets my attention is the many e-mails I get ... from Christians ... or folks who claim to be Christ-like ... but who ... by their words ... might as well be plunging a knife into my gut over and over.
I received an e-mail yesterday from a person who was upset with something I wrote. It was obvious he was irritated.
I didn't try to argue with him ... didn't try to return insults or barbs. My response ...
"Thank you for sharing your opinion."
The e-mail which followed was one of the worst e-mails I have ever received ... and that from a brother in Christ.
My thoughts ... this poor fellow lives 24/7 in ANGERVILLE .
What a fine example of a Christian. NOT!!!
Living with a constant, explosive habitual pattern of uncontrolled anger ... toward family, toward neighbors, toward the boss, toward social injustice, toward Democrats, toward Republicans, toward the dog, or toward God ...
... hey, it's okay to be upset, to express your opinion ... yes, and sometimes in a forceful or pointed way, argue a point.
But don't live there. It just isn't worth it. “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Genesis 4:7)
Three Tips To Deal With Anger
If you struggle with anger ... here are three quick tips to avoid the sin which so easily besets us.
1. Sit down! If you can. The brain actually interprets this as an indicator of safety. This can help you get control as the adrenaline, which fuels anger, is minimized. (Hint: don't sit down at the computer. Go to a location in which you will be disconnected from the source of anger. Outside in nature is good.)
2. Never go to sleep angry. That's God's plan, as recorded by Paul to the Ephesians. A recent study agrees with God (imagine that). The researchers found that sleep tends to reinforce the negative emotions entertained immediately prior to dozing off. Resolve the anger productively before going to bed.
3. Meditate. Not like a guru on a mountain top. Think deeply about why you are angry. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you will find anger can be eliminated almost immediately in one of two ways.
First ... realize that your anger may be the result of your own expectations of others not being met. What are the odds you can do anything at all about others? Slim to none. So rearrange your expectations and let it go. Focus on your attitude, not the behavior and attitude of others, whom you cannot control.
Second ... realize that even when there is a great injustice or threat to your existence ... odds are there is nothing you can do about it. In cases of immediate danger, of course, take reasonable actions to protect yourself. Otherwise ... let it go and move on. Trust in God ... that he ... as the great judge of the universe ... will set everything right in his own time. As Paul writes to the Romans: Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. (Romans 12:19)
If there is something that you can do to affect a change in circumstances, figure out productive ways to put your energy to work ... let anger fuel positive change, not conflict.
HOW TO HANDLE ANGER FROM OTHERS
Finally, be aware that anger from others is often a trigger point for our own anger. We get defensive and respond in kind almost instantly ... out of habit.
Develop a new habit of: (1) ignoring anger-laced behavior in others whenever possible, (2) respond with a cool, calm, and controlled demeanor whenever possible, and (3) focus on your highest and most productive activities and attitudes ... don't live in ANGERVILLE where time, health, and energy is wasted on unproductive anger.
Conflict and anger are not always unavoidable and not always our fault. But choosing the right response is possible and THAT is our responsibility. Reacting in an un-Christian manner is our fault!
Good final scripture to close with: People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. (Proverbs 14:29)
“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry," (Ephesians 4:26). The NKJV says “Be angry, and do not sin”.
Anger is one of those emotions that has a place, but is often out of control.
There was times Jesus was angry at the times. Once when the synagogue leaders were questioning Him about healing a man on Sabbath, Jesus “ looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.” (Mark 3:5) And twice Jesus drove money changers from the Temple. I think to do this He would have shown some anger. (Matthew 21:12 and John 2:15)
However, unchecked anger creates all sorts of problems: emotional, physical, social, and ... as this verse indicates ... spiritual problems as well “for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)
Anger can destroy a friendship or a marriage. It can lead to verbally abusive and bullying behavior (Can we say “Facebook”?). And, when unrestrained, anger can manifest itself in physical violence.
But the internal effects of uncontrolled anger are just as dangerous: muscle tension, breathing issues, migraine headaches, stomach problems, loss of sleep, and even heart attack and stroke.
Learning where anger comes from and how to handle it appropriately is critical to becoming a human being who lives by faith.
So ... what is anger?
Anger is an emotion that arises principally from a sense of injustice or unmet expectations.
In other words, we have certain expectations for the behavior of others. When those expectations aren't met, we become angry.
At its core, anger is part of our fight-or-flight response mechanism that helps us survive. But due to the habits of modern life, anger more often is a reaction to petty disagreements rather than survival needs.
The cashier at Wal-Mart has trouble ringing up your items ... "What's she trying to do ... sabotage my whole day!" No, she just made a mistake ... or is incompetent, or distracted. But we act like she just tried to make us mad.
Or that dumb-dumb at the office. Always thinks he's so funny. Made another joke about my beat up old car.
Yeah, okay. Maybe he's stupid. But the reality is he is probably suffering from a neglected childhood and is just trying to compensate. He needs a friend. That doesn't mean it has to be you, or that you will ever win him over to more civil, social behavior.
You can, however, be in control of your own reaction.
Here's the lesson ... you are in charge of your emotions. When you react with anger to the person behind you laying on their horn ... you choose to slam the brakes ... or you choose to pull over and let him by.
It's amazing how your outlook on life will change if you own up to your emotional responsibility.
One more thing. If you live in an environment that is constantly boiling with anger ... you are ripe pickin's for Satan's apple barrel. As Peter writes, we have to “Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
A pastor wrote: I get tons of e-mail. I cannot possibly answer it all. So I prioritize my mail.
But what almost always gets my attention is the many e-mails I get ... from Christians ... or folks who claim to be Christ-like ... but who ... by their words ... might as well be plunging a knife into my gut over and over.
I received an e-mail yesterday from a person who was upset with something I wrote. It was obvious he was irritated.
I didn't try to argue with him ... didn't try to return insults or barbs. My response ...
"Thank you for sharing your opinion."
The e-mail which followed was one of the worst e-mails I have ever received ... and that from a brother in Christ.
My thoughts ... this poor fellow lives 24/7 in ANGERVILLE .
What a fine example of a Christian. NOT!!!
Living with a constant, explosive habitual pattern of uncontrolled anger ... toward family, toward neighbors, toward the boss, toward social injustice, toward Democrats, toward Republicans, toward the dog, or toward God ...
... hey, it's okay to be upset, to express your opinion ... yes, and sometimes in a forceful or pointed way, argue a point.
But don't live there. It just isn't worth it. “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Genesis 4:7)
Three Tips To Deal With Anger
If you struggle with anger ... here are three quick tips to avoid the sin which so easily besets us.
1. Sit down! If you can. The brain actually interprets this as an indicator of safety. This can help you get control as the adrenaline, which fuels anger, is minimized. (Hint: don't sit down at the computer. Go to a location in which you will be disconnected from the source of anger. Outside in nature is good.)
2. Never go to sleep angry. That's God's plan, as recorded by Paul to the Ephesians. A recent study agrees with God (imagine that). The researchers found that sleep tends to reinforce the negative emotions entertained immediately prior to dozing off. Resolve the anger productively before going to bed.
3. Meditate. Not like a guru on a mountain top. Think deeply about why you are angry. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you will find anger can be eliminated almost immediately in one of two ways.
First ... realize that your anger may be the result of your own expectations of others not being met. What are the odds you can do anything at all about others? Slim to none. So rearrange your expectations and let it go. Focus on your attitude, not the behavior and attitude of others, whom you cannot control.
Second ... realize that even when there is a great injustice or threat to your existence ... odds are there is nothing you can do about it. In cases of immediate danger, of course, take reasonable actions to protect yourself. Otherwise ... let it go and move on. Trust in God ... that he ... as the great judge of the universe ... will set everything right in his own time. As Paul writes to the Romans: Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. (Romans 12:19)
If there is something that you can do to affect a change in circumstances, figure out productive ways to put your energy to work ... let anger fuel positive change, not conflict.
HOW TO HANDLE ANGER FROM OTHERS
Finally, be aware that anger from others is often a trigger point for our own anger. We get defensive and respond in kind almost instantly ... out of habit.
Develop a new habit of: (1) ignoring anger-laced behavior in others whenever possible, (2) respond with a cool, calm, and controlled demeanor whenever possible, and (3) focus on your highest and most productive activities and attitudes ... don't live in ANGERVILLE where time, health, and energy is wasted on unproductive anger.
Conflict and anger are not always unavoidable and not always our fault. But choosing the right response is possible and THAT is our responsibility. Reacting in an un-Christian manner is our fault!
Good final scripture to close with: People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. (Proverbs 14:29)
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?
Does Prayer Change God’s Mind?
This is a difficult question to answer. How do we reconcile the idea that our prayers influence God as James implies by writing, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results”, (James 5:16) yet God “knows everything” as 1 John 3:20 says?
How is it possible for us to influence God who has always known all things from eternity? Can it be done?
Back in the Old Testament book of Exodus, there is a moment when God is so angry with His people that He was ready to destroy them. He says to Moses about them, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:9-10)
Who could blame Him? The people deserved it. Justice demanded it. How could they mock God after all He had done for them? The Lord had etched the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, but before Moses could even deliver them, the first two had already been broken. At the people’s request, Aaron had taken their gold and fashioned an idol – a calf, like one of the statues they’d seen the Egyptians worship. Then they mocked the holy name of God by daring to worship the golden calf. They even had the gall to say that this statue was responsible for their newfound freedom!
How ungrateful they were! God’s anger boiled over.
Moses was taken aback. He didn’t want to see his family and all the people of Israel destroyed. But what could he do? The God of the universe had spoken. Still, Moses couldn’t help himself. He prayed a desperate prayer of intercession on behalf of the Israelite people, hoping against hope that he could change God’s mind. “But Moses tried to pacify the LORD his God. “O LORD!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’ (Exodus 32:11-13)
It was gutsy. Who was Moses to think he could alter the mind of God? But the Bible reports an amazing thing – Because of the prayer of Moses, God changed His mind. The next verse says it simply: “So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.” (Exodus 32:14)
God is sovereign and certainly doesn’t have to change his mind, but the Bible says he did, and the Scripture is full of other examples of God’s changing his mind – with Abraham, Elijah, and Hezekiah, just to name a few.
James tells us that “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16) So it’s not just a mirage – prayer has real power. This amazing story presents a challenge to those who believe that God predestines everything that happens. I don’t know exactly how to reconcile God’s foreknowledge with the free will of man, but the Bible says clearly that God changed his mind as a result of Moses’ prayer.
So although God knows all things – prayer can truly make a difference. God is so powerful that he can allow us to affect the future with our prayers, yet still work out his ultimate plan for this world because he not only knows the future, he knows all possible futures. But He does consider the prayers that we offer.
Some people who accept that God can answer our prayers get the mistaken idea that prayer is therefore some kind of dictation to God. When they pray, they act as if they’re telling God what to do, and he is supposed to do it. God is not a genie to whom we go for hocus-pocus solutions.
One author wrote: “Prayer would place an impossible strain on every sensitive Christian, if he knew he was certain to get everything he asked for.” Imagine the burden you would carry if every prayer we prayed was answered by God immediately! Imagine the ridiculous nature of our world if God granted every request. An example would be that we would never let a loved one go to Heaven. Our prayers would keep them with us forever. For our own good, we live in a world governed by certain basic scientific laws that are only interrupted on rare occasions, and then by a God who sees all, knows all, and cares about his children.
Yogi Berra, the great Yankee catcher, was once catching in an important game for the
Yankees. The score was tied in the bottom of the ninth inning. The pitcher crossed himself, then the batter stepped into the batter’s box and crossed himself. Both were obviously seeking divine intervention for the next pitch to go their way. Yogi quipped to the batter, “How about we just let God watch this one.”
Because God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and a God of love, He is not going to give us everything we ask for. He takes into account our immaturity and limitations. No matter how much we think we know what’s good for us, God sees the bigger picture and is interested in what is best for us. God’s Word says, “…we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)
Jesus Himself was not a dictator in His prayers. In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42)
Prayer is not dictation, but neither is it mere submission. Some folk go to the opposite extreme and contend that God already has everything mapped out in advance, so prayer is simply meant to be submission of your personal will to His predetermined plan.
We have all heard the stories of some Christians who will pray for healing and refuse to take their children to the doctor when they get injured or sick. Their reasoning goes something like this: “Who are we to dictate to God how His world is to be run? It’s already predetermined – prayer is just getting in tune with God’s will.”
God does see and control the future, but we are not puppets on strings. The Bible assures us that prayer changes things. God doesn’t have everything about this world preprogrammed. God is sovereign, but that doesn’t mean God rules over every detail to the extent that we are helpless.
Some things are predetermined.
The time and place where you would live. (Acts 17:26)
The plan for your redemption. (Galatians 4:2-5)
The time of Christ’s return. (II Thessalonians 2:6)
And many other significant events.
But prayer can dramatically change a multitude of daily events and circumstances.
Prayer is our teaming up with God, joining our strength with his power. One of His spiritual laws is that his power is released through prayer. When we pray, we make it possible for his power to be released for our benefit. When we fail to pray, we limit God’s blessing by our own weaknesses. James said, “…you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” (James 4:2b)
Prayer changes God’s mind because He loves us. God did not create us solely to be His servants. He created us to be His children. He wants a fatherly relationship with us, and he communicates as much when He allows us the power to change His mind.
There are a lot of names for God in the Old Testament, but Jesus introduced a revolutionary, more intimate concept of God. He said, “This is how you should pray: “Father,…..” (Luke 11:2)
We know God loves this name because it’s the one Jesus used the most. More than two hundred times the gospel writers recorded Jesus’ referring to God as “Father.” Jesus wants you to understand that when you come to God with a need, you are petitioning a loving father. He said, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:9-11)
This is a great verse. I was blessed to have a great father but even if you were not blessed with a great father you still instinctively know how a father should be. Listen again to what Jesus said: So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)
Prayer can change God’s mind, because God is a Father who loves His children.
This is a difficult question to answer. How do we reconcile the idea that our prayers influence God as James implies by writing, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results”, (James 5:16) yet God “knows everything” as 1 John 3:20 says?
How is it possible for us to influence God who has always known all things from eternity? Can it be done?
Back in the Old Testament book of Exodus, there is a moment when God is so angry with His people that He was ready to destroy them. He says to Moses about them, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:9-10)
Who could blame Him? The people deserved it. Justice demanded it. How could they mock God after all He had done for them? The Lord had etched the Ten Commandments on stone tablets, but before Moses could even deliver them, the first two had already been broken. At the people’s request, Aaron had taken their gold and fashioned an idol – a calf, like one of the statues they’d seen the Egyptians worship. Then they mocked the holy name of God by daring to worship the golden calf. They even had the gall to say that this statue was responsible for their newfound freedom!
How ungrateful they were! God’s anger boiled over.
Moses was taken aback. He didn’t want to see his family and all the people of Israel destroyed. But what could he do? The God of the universe had spoken. Still, Moses couldn’t help himself. He prayed a desperate prayer of intercession on behalf of the Israelite people, hoping against hope that he could change God’s mind. “But Moses tried to pacify the LORD his God. “O LORD!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’ (Exodus 32:11-13)
It was gutsy. Who was Moses to think he could alter the mind of God? But the Bible reports an amazing thing – Because of the prayer of Moses, God changed His mind. The next verse says it simply: “So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.” (Exodus 32:14)
God is sovereign and certainly doesn’t have to change his mind, but the Bible says he did, and the Scripture is full of other examples of God’s changing his mind – with Abraham, Elijah, and Hezekiah, just to name a few.
James tells us that “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16) So it’s not just a mirage – prayer has real power. This amazing story presents a challenge to those who believe that God predestines everything that happens. I don’t know exactly how to reconcile God’s foreknowledge with the free will of man, but the Bible says clearly that God changed his mind as a result of Moses’ prayer.
So although God knows all things – prayer can truly make a difference. God is so powerful that he can allow us to affect the future with our prayers, yet still work out his ultimate plan for this world because he not only knows the future, he knows all possible futures. But He does consider the prayers that we offer.
Some people who accept that God can answer our prayers get the mistaken idea that prayer is therefore some kind of dictation to God. When they pray, they act as if they’re telling God what to do, and he is supposed to do it. God is not a genie to whom we go for hocus-pocus solutions.
One author wrote: “Prayer would place an impossible strain on every sensitive Christian, if he knew he was certain to get everything he asked for.” Imagine the burden you would carry if every prayer we prayed was answered by God immediately! Imagine the ridiculous nature of our world if God granted every request. An example would be that we would never let a loved one go to Heaven. Our prayers would keep them with us forever. For our own good, we live in a world governed by certain basic scientific laws that are only interrupted on rare occasions, and then by a God who sees all, knows all, and cares about his children.
Yogi Berra, the great Yankee catcher, was once catching in an important game for the
Yankees. The score was tied in the bottom of the ninth inning. The pitcher crossed himself, then the batter stepped into the batter’s box and crossed himself. Both were obviously seeking divine intervention for the next pitch to go their way. Yogi quipped to the batter, “How about we just let God watch this one.”
Because God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and a God of love, He is not going to give us everything we ask for. He takes into account our immaturity and limitations. No matter how much we think we know what’s good for us, God sees the bigger picture and is interested in what is best for us. God’s Word says, “…we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)
Jesus Himself was not a dictator in His prayers. In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42)
Prayer is not dictation, but neither is it mere submission. Some folk go to the opposite extreme and contend that God already has everything mapped out in advance, so prayer is simply meant to be submission of your personal will to His predetermined plan.
We have all heard the stories of some Christians who will pray for healing and refuse to take their children to the doctor when they get injured or sick. Their reasoning goes something like this: “Who are we to dictate to God how His world is to be run? It’s already predetermined – prayer is just getting in tune with God’s will.”
God does see and control the future, but we are not puppets on strings. The Bible assures us that prayer changes things. God doesn’t have everything about this world preprogrammed. God is sovereign, but that doesn’t mean God rules over every detail to the extent that we are helpless.
Some things are predetermined.
The time and place where you would live. (Acts 17:26)
The plan for your redemption. (Galatians 4:2-5)
The time of Christ’s return. (II Thessalonians 2:6)
And many other significant events.
But prayer can dramatically change a multitude of daily events and circumstances.
Prayer is our teaming up with God, joining our strength with his power. One of His spiritual laws is that his power is released through prayer. When we pray, we make it possible for his power to be released for our benefit. When we fail to pray, we limit God’s blessing by our own weaknesses. James said, “…you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” (James 4:2b)
Prayer changes God’s mind because He loves us. God did not create us solely to be His servants. He created us to be His children. He wants a fatherly relationship with us, and he communicates as much when He allows us the power to change His mind.
There are a lot of names for God in the Old Testament, but Jesus introduced a revolutionary, more intimate concept of God. He said, “This is how you should pray: “Father,…..” (Luke 11:2)
We know God loves this name because it’s the one Jesus used the most. More than two hundred times the gospel writers recorded Jesus’ referring to God as “Father.” Jesus wants you to understand that when you come to God with a need, you are petitioning a loving father. He said, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:9-11)
This is a great verse. I was blessed to have a great father but even if you were not blessed with a great father you still instinctively know how a father should be. Listen again to what Jesus said: So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)
Prayer can change God’s mind, because God is a Father who loves His children.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
How to Find Strength in Tough Times
How to Find Strength in Tough Times
Hardships (from health crises and financial problems to grief and broken relationships) befall every person living in this fallen world – Christians and non-Christians alike. But as a Christian, we have access to the Holy Spirit, (“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” John 4:16) who will empower us to overcome each hardship we face when we ask God to help us.
The Psalmist wrote “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Psalm 36:1
Here’s how we can find strength in tough times by turning to God for help:
Instead of trying to avoid suffering, seek to learn and grow through it. Keep in mind that God is more interested in making our life holy than He is in making our life happy, because holiness has eternal value. God’s goal is to help us learn how to become more like Jesus Christ, and we often can do that best by going through suffering and developing a stronger character in the process. So don’t expect that we can avoid suffering; accept the fact that suffering will inevitably come into our life (as it does for everyone) whenever God allows it. Jesus Himself said “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” ( John 16:33)
So instead of trying to avoid suffering, we need to ask God to use it to accomplish good purposes in our life. Ask God to help us view our hardship from the perspective of how it advances God’s purposes for us. The Apostle Paul writes that Satan had given him “ a thorn in my flesh”. And each time he asked God to heal him, God’s answer was, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
Follow our faith, not our feelings. This is not always easy to do but we should choose to believe God’s promises that He is always in control of our life, He always loves us and cares about us, and He will never leave or forsake us – no matter how we may feel when going through hardships. Our feelings are completely unreliable factors on which to base our decisions, since they’re constantly changing and can be flawed and even irrational. When we’re going through tough times, we need to base our decisions on biblical truth – which is always reliable – rather than on our emotions. Trust that the Holy Spirit is with us as we deal with hardships, even when we don’t sense His presence or understand what we’re going through. Follow Jesus’ guidance to first exercise trust in God and then discover the truthfulness of God’s promises by our obedience. We should be on guard against evil spiritual forces who want to use our feelings to discredit God’s promises. Pray for the faith we need to stand strong on God’s promises to us.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul gives them a final word: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6: 10-13
Instead of asking “Why?” ask “How?” God may or may not choose to reveal on this side of heaven why He has allowed a particular hardship to enter our life, so asking Him “Why?” may not bring us an answer that we can understand right now. However, when we ask God how we can best respond to the hardship we’re facing, He will often reveal some of the good purposes that He wants us to fulfill as we go through the situation. Ask God how He wants to use our hardship to draw us closer to Him and accomplish more of the mission He has given us for our life on Earth.
Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.” (2 Corinthians 1:1-11)
Identify the possible sources of the hardship we’re currently experiencing. Hardships may come into our life because of: life’s troubles in this fallen world, God’s discipline, training in godliness, the cost of discipleship and following Jesus, the consequences of bad or foolish decisions and actions, or God’s judgment of a nation. Humble ourselves before God and ask Him to show us which of these sources is behind the hardship we’re going through right now. If we discern that we are suffering now because of sins or mistakes we’ve made in the past, keep in mind that God never allows hardships into our life simply to punish us, but only to correct and train us. Choose to repent of our sins and learn from our mistakes so we can enjoy a better life. If we discern that we are suffering for the sake of following where Jesus leads us, pray for the strength to continue to follow Him, and know that He will reward us in heaven our faithfulness. Repentance is very important. We see what Peter says in Acts: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God”. (Acts 2:38) A word about repentance - Many think the word repent means "to get your act together" or to "get religion" or "fly straight"; as if we could. Repentance requires taking in a whole new point of view; looking at it God's way. God simply asks us to turn. This is the way we accept His gift. When we do, certain outcomes are promised. If we don't, or we "turn back", alternate outcomes are promised.
Follow God’s will. Don’t waste our time and energy trying to search for God’s will for us in the midst of our tough time, as if it was a hidden mystery. We can already know God’s will for us in the midst of any type of hardship: God’s will is for us to grow into a closer relationship with Him that translates into displaying Christ-like behavior regardless of our circumstances. Recognize that the problem is not that people have difficulty figuring out God’s will and what pleases Him; it’s that they tend to ignore what God has already told them (in the Bible) during tough times. Decide to follow God’s will for us to develop more holiness in our life during tough times. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Ask the right questions so we can make the right choices. Whenever we’re facing decisions about what to do during a tough time, we need to ask ourselves: “Is the choice I’m considering contrary to what God says through the Bible?”, “What are my motives?”, “Are physical or emotional conditions (such as fatigue, hunger, or stress) inhibiting my ability to make the right choice?”, “Will this choice become a burden in my life?”, “Will this choice be a stumbling stone to others in their faith?”, “Will this choice honor God?”, “Will this choice impact your church and service within the body of Christ?”, “How will this choice impact my family?”, “What advice do godly people I know give me about this?”, “What does common sense tell me to do?”, “Do I have peace about doing this – and why or why not?”, “Am I getting ahead of God and not trusting Him?”, “What have I learned from past experiences that I should apply to this decision?” and “What do I believe God wants me to do?”
Spend time with God often through prayer and reading the Bible. During tough times, it’s especially important to stay connected to God through prayer and reading His Word, the Bible. Pour out our prayer requests to God with the confidence that He cares and is always listening, but make sure that we’re asking God to do what He knows is best for us rather than just trying to convince God to do only what we want. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us bring our prayers into alignment with God’s desires for us. Get Biblical truth into our soul regularly by hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Bible. The Bible says we should “pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6) and to “Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Joshua 1:8 says this about reading the scriptures: “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.”
Receive the peace that Jesus offers us each day. Make a daily habit of looking beyond what our tough circumstances to Jesus – and accepting His invitation to receive spiritual peace that transcends the hardships we’re currently encountering.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Hardships (from health crises and financial problems to grief and broken relationships) befall every person living in this fallen world – Christians and non-Christians alike. But as a Christian, we have access to the Holy Spirit, (“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.” John 4:16) who will empower us to overcome each hardship we face when we ask God to help us.
The Psalmist wrote “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Psalm 36:1
Here’s how we can find strength in tough times by turning to God for help:
Instead of trying to avoid suffering, seek to learn and grow through it. Keep in mind that God is more interested in making our life holy than He is in making our life happy, because holiness has eternal value. God’s goal is to help us learn how to become more like Jesus Christ, and we often can do that best by going through suffering and developing a stronger character in the process. So don’t expect that we can avoid suffering; accept the fact that suffering will inevitably come into our life (as it does for everyone) whenever God allows it. Jesus Himself said “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” ( John 16:33)
So instead of trying to avoid suffering, we need to ask God to use it to accomplish good purposes in our life. Ask God to help us view our hardship from the perspective of how it advances God’s purposes for us. The Apostle Paul writes that Satan had given him “ a thorn in my flesh”. And each time he asked God to heal him, God’s answer was, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
Follow our faith, not our feelings. This is not always easy to do but we should choose to believe God’s promises that He is always in control of our life, He always loves us and cares about us, and He will never leave or forsake us – no matter how we may feel when going through hardships. Our feelings are completely unreliable factors on which to base our decisions, since they’re constantly changing and can be flawed and even irrational. When we’re going through tough times, we need to base our decisions on biblical truth – which is always reliable – rather than on our emotions. Trust that the Holy Spirit is with us as we deal with hardships, even when we don’t sense His presence or understand what we’re going through. Follow Jesus’ guidance to first exercise trust in God and then discover the truthfulness of God’s promises by our obedience. We should be on guard against evil spiritual forces who want to use our feelings to discredit God’s promises. Pray for the faith we need to stand strong on God’s promises to us.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul gives them a final word: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6: 10-13
Instead of asking “Why?” ask “How?” God may or may not choose to reveal on this side of heaven why He has allowed a particular hardship to enter our life, so asking Him “Why?” may not bring us an answer that we can understand right now. However, when we ask God how we can best respond to the hardship we’re facing, He will often reveal some of the good purposes that He wants us to fulfill as we go through the situation. Ask God how He wants to use our hardship to draw us closer to Him and accomplish more of the mission He has given us for our life on Earth.
Paul writes to the church in Corinth, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.” (2 Corinthians 1:1-11)
Identify the possible sources of the hardship we’re currently experiencing. Hardships may come into our life because of: life’s troubles in this fallen world, God’s discipline, training in godliness, the cost of discipleship and following Jesus, the consequences of bad or foolish decisions and actions, or God’s judgment of a nation. Humble ourselves before God and ask Him to show us which of these sources is behind the hardship we’re going through right now. If we discern that we are suffering now because of sins or mistakes we’ve made in the past, keep in mind that God never allows hardships into our life simply to punish us, but only to correct and train us. Choose to repent of our sins and learn from our mistakes so we can enjoy a better life. If we discern that we are suffering for the sake of following where Jesus leads us, pray for the strength to continue to follow Him, and know that He will reward us in heaven our faithfulness. Repentance is very important. We see what Peter says in Acts: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God”. (Acts 2:38) A word about repentance - Many think the word repent means "to get your act together" or to "get religion" or "fly straight"; as if we could. Repentance requires taking in a whole new point of view; looking at it God's way. God simply asks us to turn. This is the way we accept His gift. When we do, certain outcomes are promised. If we don't, or we "turn back", alternate outcomes are promised.
Follow God’s will. Don’t waste our time and energy trying to search for God’s will for us in the midst of our tough time, as if it was a hidden mystery. We can already know God’s will for us in the midst of any type of hardship: God’s will is for us to grow into a closer relationship with Him that translates into displaying Christ-like behavior regardless of our circumstances. Recognize that the problem is not that people have difficulty figuring out God’s will and what pleases Him; it’s that they tend to ignore what God has already told them (in the Bible) during tough times. Decide to follow God’s will for us to develop more holiness in our life during tough times. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Ask the right questions so we can make the right choices. Whenever we’re facing decisions about what to do during a tough time, we need to ask ourselves: “Is the choice I’m considering contrary to what God says through the Bible?”, “What are my motives?”, “Are physical or emotional conditions (such as fatigue, hunger, or stress) inhibiting my ability to make the right choice?”, “Will this choice become a burden in my life?”, “Will this choice be a stumbling stone to others in their faith?”, “Will this choice honor God?”, “Will this choice impact your church and service within the body of Christ?”, “How will this choice impact my family?”, “What advice do godly people I know give me about this?”, “What does common sense tell me to do?”, “Do I have peace about doing this – and why or why not?”, “Am I getting ahead of God and not trusting Him?”, “What have I learned from past experiences that I should apply to this decision?” and “What do I believe God wants me to do?”
Spend time with God often through prayer and reading the Bible. During tough times, it’s especially important to stay connected to God through prayer and reading His Word, the Bible. Pour out our prayer requests to God with the confidence that He cares and is always listening, but make sure that we’re asking God to do what He knows is best for us rather than just trying to convince God to do only what we want. Ask the Holy Spirit to help us bring our prayers into alignment with God’s desires for us. Get Biblical truth into our soul regularly by hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the Bible. The Bible says we should “pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6) and to “Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Joshua 1:8 says this about reading the scriptures: “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.”
Receive the peace that Jesus offers us each day. Make a daily habit of looking beyond what our tough circumstances to Jesus – and accepting His invitation to receive spiritual peace that transcends the hardships we’re currently encountering.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
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