Grace And Peace (Ephesians 1:3)

There I was, sitting in the emergency room gasping for breath as the venom from a bee sting was racing through my veins.  As nurses frantically raced back and forth administering one shot after another, I sat calmly with the New Testament on my lap as I read a passage from the Psalms.  How this occurred was only by God's grace and peace.

Grace is God working in the heart of man to produce an action beyond man's ability.  Peace occurs when God works to establish a state of being in man's heart.  On that day, the work that God's grace created was for me to abstain from any frantic effort to resolve my dilemma.  Had I tried, my efforts would only have made things worse.  His peace was manifested in my heart through my calm reaction to the life threatening situation.  Beyond my ability, God set my heart with the assurance that he was in control and that he would work things out according to his perfect will.

In the end, I lived to serve God another day and the medical personnel witnessed God's grace in action.  Regardless of what they believed, they could not explain away what they saw that day.

Today is another day.  We need God's grace and peace as much today as I did then.  As we walk with him and allow his work to occur in our hearts, the world around us will see our testimony of grace and peace.  It is that testimony that The Lord will use to draw them to himself.

Why Do We Struggle To Hearken (Psalm 81:11)

But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.  Psalm 81:11

After God delivered Israel from the task masters in Egypt and provided for them in the wilderness, Israel chose not to follow after The Lord.  Instead they ran after other gods.  Why did Israel refuse to hearken to the voice of God and no longer rest content in him?

Their reason is the same as to why we are prone to drift away from God.  Israel wanted God, but they wanted God to act and meet their needs as they expected.  They did not want to experience the difficult trials that were part of God's plan to deliver and reveal another aspect of his greatness.  They wanted a life of ease and in accordance to their will.  In reality, they wanted to be on the throne of their life with God being subservient.  Are we not the same?  Do not we struggle the most when times are the most difficult?  Do you not wrestle in your heart when God delays bringing deliverance?  Each time you state to either God or to yourself that you cannot go another step, you are at that converging point between following and refusing.

The remedy or way to hinder this from occurring is found in the opening portion of Psalm 81.  God admonishes us to sing to him about his wonderful strength.  God desires heart felt singing to him.  When it occurs, it will be for his glory and result in our strength.  Each day, sing and make melody in your heart to The Lord (Ephesians 5:19).  It is not how well or loudly that you sing which will bring helpful results, but a song that comes from the heart.  A heart of devotion pouring out praises to God is what he wants and what we need.  Place a songbook next to your bible or download an application of hymns for your electronic device and each day as you seek his face take time to sing praises to him.

A Ministry Of Restoration (Galatians 6:1)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  Galatians 6:1

Many believe that their duty as Christians is to straighten out people.  Those who believe that way are missing a major purpose for their lives.  God's purpose for you and me is to help people towards restoration.  The Lord recognizes that when a person has fallen, they are in a state of incompleteness or in need of repair in some aspect of their heart, soul or mind.  When a person is restored, a healing of emotions, change of perspective, or repentance in the heart will occur.  

How many people do you know who are away from God?  If you could look into their hearts, you would find that their turning away from God most likely occurred from hurt, disappointment, confusion or a longing that had been unfulfilled.  I have known many people who have given up because God did not solve a problem in their lives that had caused them great hurt.  Their walking away did not make their problem any better, but because their heart had turned against God, they decided not to give God what he wanted because he did not give them what they wanted.  The Deceiver led their heart against God causing even more hurt and pain.  What they need is restoration.

Some, because of a roller coaster of emotions due to problems in their lives, have made emotional decisions that led them out of God's will.  They did not just decide to fall headlong into sin, but made decisions that then would lead them to make sinful choices.  This is how so many people get hooked on prescription drugs.  Their lives are a tangled emotional mess and then an injury or surgery occurs which requires pain medication and the trap is set.  Once they find the temporary escape from their emotional pain, the bondage begins.  What these people need is a person to help them to restoration.

What can you do to help?  You and I are ministers of consolation.  We can through love bring encouragement to those who need restoration.  Letting them know that regardless of their life's decisions you still care and are there for them will go a long way.  Stop and think, if a Christian is not reaching into the life of a fallen person, who is?  Our quick step is to break fellowship because they are backslidden.  If that were true, Jesus should never have eaten with the publicans.  Look for the hurt and reach out in love to bring healing.  Find the emotional mess and bring stable input into their lives.  Seek out those who need repentance and with tears love them back to Jesus.  If you even try to do this, you are working a ministry of restoration. 

Look At Me (Galatians 6:3)

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. Galatians 6:3

Did you ever think to yourself that you had it together spiritually?  Spiritually speaking you have dotted every "i" and crossed every "t".  You see yourself as understanding the scriptures, applying them to your life and an example for others to recognize and follow.  Many people including myself have fallen into this deadly trap.  

Notice that in this passage, Paul declares that we are nothing.  He uses the words "if" and "when" when referring to man: if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing.  Notice it does not say, "If a man thinks himself to be something, if he is nothing."  Paul is admonishing us to remember that we in fact are nothing.  The legalists of previous chapters thought themselves to be something and were attempting to promote themselves through the conversion of others to their system of belief.  Spirituality never comes to those who think that they are standing at the entrance door to "right living" or "spiritual success".  Pride still comes before the fall and God still refuses to allow man to glory in his flesh (Proverbs 16:18; 1 Corinthians 1:29).  Pride and self reliance are just as great of sins as the despised vices of this world and the debauchery of those living in vile sin.  

We must take heed to Paul's warning. You and I can keep ourselves from being deceived by recognizing who and what we are.  The moment we begin to think that we are somebody or that we deserve something more than what we have, we have allowed our minds to become ensnared with deceit.  When thoughts such as these begin to arise, gird up the loins of your mind and fight them with this truth (1 Peter 1:13; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Focusing On The Outside Of The Cup (Galatians 6:15) #legalist

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.  Galatians 6:15

Before the Book of Galatians, there was never a mention concerning emphasizing the law as a continuation of becoming holy before God.  From Paul's writing, we have developed a term for those who stress the law.  We now refer to them as legalists.  Legalist existed before Paul identified them.  However just because Paul only addressed legalism in regards to keeping the law for salvation does not mean that it only refers to just salvation.  A legalist is any person who stresses the keeping of the law as a means of appearing righteous before God whether it is as an attempt to attain salvation or to be recognized as living holy.  In other words, they are considering themselves as holy because they keep to a certain standard of living based on a list of outward appearing rules of conduct, dress or appearance.

However God's measure is completely different.  He does not tells us to focus on the outside but instead to focus on the inside.  God tells us that it is not circumcision or uncircumcision that avails, but instead the new man.  In the previous chapter, Paul contrasts two aspects of man: the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.  He is contrasting the natural man to the new creature in Christ.  Both have characteristics which are evident, but before they can be seen on the outside, they were first present on the inside.  

People look sickly on the outside because they are first sick within.  Just because a person dresses up like a doctor does not make them a doctor.  For in order to be a doctor, he must first have the knowledge within.  I lost track of how many times people approached me in stores for assistance only because I was wearing a tie and looked like an employee.  Doctors should look like doctors and store clerks should look their role.  There is no difference with Christians.  They should look like Christians and the evidence or outward adorning is the new creature or the fruit of the Spirit.  

Should we then cast off righteous living in the name of liberty or being free?  God forbid.  There are still countless guidelines for us to follow and apply to our lives: forgiveness, enduring trials, exercising mercy and compassion and the refraining from the works of the flesh.  If we do, it will be true Christianity because we will be yielding ourselves as instruments of righteousness to God and not to sin (Romans 6:12-13).  Legalist in both its forms are still focusing on the inside of the cup instead of the outside (Matthew 23:25-26).

Waiting For The Hope Of Righteousness

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith (Galatians 5:5).

The Christian life involves many aspects of time.  One aspect of faith directed towards Christ focuses on work completed by him in the very distant past.  What he accomplished by dying on the cross may have occurred many years ago, but it is crucial to the Christian life today.  It is the foundation upon which all other truth resides (Romans 15:20; 1Corinthians 3:11). Another aspect of faith focuses on the work of Christ in the present.  He is our guide, deliverer, strength and source of joy.  The future focus of faith is directed at our position in Christ.  Paul speaks of waiting for the hope of righteousness.  At this current time, we battle the guilt of our past, our present failures and the thought of future expectations.  There is nothing in the present that can strengthen our future hope and position in Christ.  It has already been established.  We must maintain this hope by faith because we are in Christ.

Legalism takes root in people who have difficulty waiting for the hope of righteousness by faith and want to experience the security or rather the false security of it now.  They look for the evidence of their position of righteousness.  However, they will never find it.  Paul states in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing."  They create long lists of "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots" in oder to determine weather they are a good Christian, but in the end they continue to fall short.  Their life becomes the antithesis of Romans 1:17 ever trying to justify themselves before men by their works.  In the area of measuring up spiritually, they are still walking by sight.

To break free from this bondage is a difficult matter, but it is possible.  In order for the victory of freedom to occur you must do the following: do not make spiritual decisions based on fear, because God is not the author of fear (2 Timothy 1:7); remove the influences from your life that are delivering you the wrong message which is legalism (Romans 16:17-18); and do not interpret what is believed to be what the Bible is saying: only accept what the Bible says (2 Peter 1:20).

These few steps are really gigantic leaps.  Few will recognize them.  Of those that do, many will repeated fall.  However because Christ wants you to be free, he will pick you up and lead you to try again and again until you experience the victory that is in him.

Be Free - Live Free (Galatians 4:9)

Not long ago when you were lost, you were bound in your sin.  Your sin nature controlled you just as a bound prisoner is controlled by his captors.  You did not decide to sin, sin decided for you and you did as it pleased.  As you continued in this state, your heart became heavy and burdensome.  You longed for relief from hurt and for something better.  You did not know what it was, but innately you longed for it anyway.  Then God began to bring truth to you.  For moments of time, your blinded eyes were open and you began to see a hope for your state of bondage.  Then on that most memorable day, the truth removed the callousness of your heart and the scales from your eyes to the blinding beautiful light of the gospel and you became free.  For the first time, you could live without succumbing to the dictates of your sin nature.  You began to enjoy life in a way previously unimaginable and it all came about with your liberty in Christ.

The Galatians experienced the same thing, but instead of continually enjoying the liberty that they had in Christ, they allowed themselves to be brought again into bondage.  They again embraced the law as a manner of completing them spiritually.  How did this happen and why were they able to be led away from truth?

One key from scripture that reveals why people allow themselves to be brought again into bondage is fear (Gal. 2:12).  Even Peter himself because of fear gave in and placed himself under the law.  Fear of rejection, fear of failure and fear of being in error can all be motivators.  People who before salvation lived under some of these types of the afore mentioned fears are likely candidates for submitting to bondage.  Another cause for bondage to occur is because a leader attempts to promote himself among those he seeks to lead into bondage or to promote himself among his own peers (Gal. 4:17).  

Have you placed yourself back into bondage?  Ask yourself, "What am I doing to make myself justified before God or man?  What rigid code am I following to make me appear just or justified before my peers?"  You may believe in eternal security and may resist law keeping in order to attain salvation, but by what standard do you measure your spirituality or by what standard do you allow others to measure you?  If it is by anything other than recognizing the fruit of the spirit in your life (Gal. 5:22-23) you are in bondage.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit will reveal God's holiness in your life.  Paul condemns using liberty as an occasion for the flesh, but does promote godly living. 

You can live free from the bondage of sin and God wants to assure that you never again come into bondage either to sin or any other entity.  Decide today to be free and live free.

Loving People Back (Galatians 4:16)

Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Gal. 4:16

As believers struggled through life battling the flesh, they sometimes fall privy to the attacks of the enemy.  They may become misled in doctrine by wrongful influences or are overcome by hurt, fear, anxiety or sorrow.  At these times, God will work to bring them back to himself.  If they are reading the scriptures, he will speak to them through his word.  However many times those who have fallen to the enemies' attacks fail to seek his face.  They continue to be overcome and misled by the influences upon their hearts.  It is then that The Lord begins to use people to bring them back to himself.  He does this because in the midst of all the voices of influence upon the heart, an audible voice sounds more clearly as a trumpet sounding in the midst of the confusion of battle.  The audible voice God uses may be a friend, spouse, pastor or parent.

In this same manner, Paul reaches out to the Galatians who are living in error.  You would think that his apostleship alone should be enough to lead them back, but it could not.  If a person is deceived to the point of resisting God, they can just as easily resist the earthly voice.  You also would think that Paul reminding them of doctrinal teachings should turn them from error, but again it alone is not enough.  The greatest influence Paul has to turn the Galatians back to God is the love relationship that they have between each other.  He reminds them of their love for him and presses upon them his love and concern for them.  He is not attacking them so as to overcome and bring them back: he is trying to love them back.

Are there people that you know who are away from God?  There are enough people in the world trying to push, shame, badger or punish them in order to get them to get right with God.  Why don't you decide to be one of the few who will try to love them back.  Your love will make the message of your voice be heard clearly and more apt to be received.

But speaking the truth in love... Ephesians 4:15

 

Hope For The Next Generation (Psalm 78:7)

Psalm 78:7  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 

God wants his people to walk in hope.  Living by hope is done when a person expects by faith that The Lord will perform a task, provide what is needed or manifest his presence in their life.  It is not the "holding on by faith" or "hoping" God will do something.  It is living in expectancy.  Just like when you deposit coins into a soda machine and expect to get something out or flip the switch for a lamp and expect the room to be filled with light.  So, when the believer expects God to do as he stated, he is living in hope.  Depressed people do not live in hope. Anxious people failed to live in hope as well as the fearful, envious and frustrated.  Living in hope is the spiritual condition that is the result of fellowshipping with the person who will be providing what is needed or desired.  For the most part, all who are reading this lived in hope for much of their childhood.  You lived expecting meals on the table, clothes that fit and for the electric always to be on.  You expected this without a thought.  You expected your father to provide all of this simply because that is what fathers do.  But had you known all of the financial trials that your parents endured, you would have lived in worry and fear, which are contrary to hope.  We fail to experience spiritual hope because we live in the light of our circumstances. God desires for us to live with him as our father in the same manner as we did with our earthly father. 

As parents, we have the responsibility to lead our children.  One of the ways this is accomplished is by sharing the hope experiences from your life with your children.  Many years ago, I worked for a ministry that experience financial peril.  Christmas time was approaching, and I wasn't getting enough money to make budget let alone the added expense for gift giving.  I prayed believing and shared it with my children.  As The Lord touched people's hearts, money began to flow to my family. With each envelope or card, I showed my children what God had done and was training them how to live in hope.  Another precursor to a life of hope is took keep out the destroyer of hope, which is sin.  The fathers were instructed to teach their children the law so they may teach their children and not forget their God.

In order for the next generation to live in hope, you first must experience it.

Wrath Of Man Shall Praise Thee (Psalm 76:10)

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.  Psalm 76:10

At first glance, this appears to be a puzzling portion of scripture.  How does man's wrath praise God?  Is not the wrath of man his sinful way of acting out his will upon others?  When reading this passage another portion of scripture comes to mind.  James 1:20 says, "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."  It appears that when man is in his wrathfully state, he is not working God's righteousness.  Again, so how does the wrath of man praise God?

There is a difference between working righteousness and bringing praise.  James instructed us that when we are in the flesh and responding to life's problems with wrath, we will never be acting as a part of God's righteous plan.  However on the day of judgment, every knee will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  The lips of the wicked being judged will bring praises to him even though there is no righteousness within them.  

Although there may be a prerequisite to work God's righteous, the wrath of man can still bring praises to God.  Throughout the ages, God has used both good and evil to bring glory to himself.  Probably the best sample of this would be the life of Joseph.  His brothers, who despised and attempted to kill him, found that although they meant it for evil, God meant it for good.  Joseph was also wronged by others, but God in his sovereignty worked his divine plan and through it gained much glory.

The wicked of this Earth may treat you with wrath.  Remember, God will use their wrath and the situations or opportunity that they create to fulfill his plan and bring him praise.  He is not allowing man to just randomly and free hurt you.  We know this because he promises to restrain all wrath that has no purpose in his plan for you or his kingdom.

Remember, God is in control.  Nothing can happen to you without him allowing it and you must recognize that for everything that he allows, it is designed as part of his plan for us and to bring him glory.

Peace (Psalm 76:2-3)

Psalm 76:2-3  In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.  There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah

Salem, a word that means peaceful is another name for Jerusalem.  As described, this place is a place of peace and where God dwells.  But how did it become a place of peace?  God, who is omnipresent, dwells in all the Earth, but not all the Earth has peace.

In other passages of scripture, peace has the meaning of setting at one again.  Much like when a person breaks their arm or leg and has the doctor reset it.  Only after the resetting of the bone came proper healing take place.  When trials come our way, our lives become in disarray or out of order.  It is at these times that The Lord moves and his actions set our hearts at one again.  Sometimes the resetting is done through promises from his word or his manifested presence as we seek him in prayer.  There are also times when he finally moves and brakes the armaments of the enemy.  Praise The Lord!

Salem was a place of peace because of what God did.  You also can dwell in peace and even before the actual deliverance comes.  Continue to seek his face and he will set your heart at one again.

When The Flesh And Heart Fail (Psalm 73:26)

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalm 73:26

Life is more than we can handle and the troubles greater than we can bear.  God promises to give strength for trials so that we may abound and triumph in victory.  However there seems to be extended periods of time in the trial that believers seem to struggle without power.  Why does this occur and how can power be obtained from God?  Is there a prerequisite to meet?

God's measure of providing power is never based on merit or by measuring up to a standard.  In fact, his method is the complete opposite.  As Paul stated in Romans 7, there is a battle that takes place inside of every believer.  The battle is to cease from naturally doing wrong and fight to do what is right.  During trials, we have that same battle.  However the wrong that we may do may not appear to be so evident.  We usually look for the blatant "thou shalt nots" that are evident, but sins such as pride or self reliance are just as wicked.

According to Psalm 73:26, the Psalmist recognizes God's strength when his flesh and heart or his physical strength and will fail him.  What God expects from us during trials is to cease from evil.  The evil that he wants us to cease committing is being wise in our own eyes and trying to figure out our own way of deliverance.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

When we cease trying to deliver ourselves, he gives us strength.  This does not mean that the trial will come to an end, but that the strength we need will be present.

Practical Righteousness (Genesis 15:16)

One of my favorite portions of scripture is the account of Abraham receiving a promise from God and believing it.  Many years ago when I struggled to settle the doctrinal issue of eternal security, this portion of scripture was key because when Abraham believed God, it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6).  What is important to see is that this took place hundreds of years before the law was given.  Abraham's righteousness was positional.  In other words, it represented how God saw him from the relationship perspective.  Because of his belief, he was acceptable.  As we know, there were future events that would take place when Abraham would not live according to God's will.  The actions of taking Hagar for child bearing purposes, going into Egypt for refuge and lying about Sarah as his wife for self preservation were all sinful acts.  These actions were unrighteous.  Positionally, Abraham was acceptable to God and righteous, but practically, his actions were unrighteous.

Today, believers in Christ are acceptable to God because they believe the work and promise of God's son.  Because of this, we are in Christ.  Daily we battle the world, the flesh and the devil and on more occasions than we desire or like to admit, fall to their temptations.  We commit sinful acts and we as Abraham become unrighteous at the practical level.  We are still acceptable to God because we are his children, but our lifestyle at times is not pleasing to him.

As we go through trials, we must remember that before us is a great opportunity to demonstrate practical righteous living before God.  It is quite simple and we fail to recognize it.  Because we focus so much on the do's and don'ts of the Christian life, we fail to focus on our hearts.

To be counted with practical righteous in the mist of a trial, you must be like Abraham and believe God's promise and it will be counted to you as righteous living.  You can do this.  There are no lessons to learn, courses to study or prerequisites to attain.  All you need to do today is live believing God will be God.  He will work his will and he is closely attentive to your needs.  His actions will be in love and will always be what is best for you.  When you do, you will at the practical level demonstrate righteousness before God.

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.   (Psalm 5:10-11)

A Purpose For Trials (Philippians 3:10) #trials

Trials, why do we have them?  Each of us has heard countless messages on this topic and we are always attentive to the help they bring because it seems that we almost continually live our lives in the midst of trials.  However, it seems that a common theme for all of the messages is that the trial is intended to develop or strengthen our faith.  This is true, but trials are not only intended to develop our faith.  Sometimes trials are intended to make our lives an example to the lost.  God may allow a trial so that the lost may see the grace of God evident in our lives.  Another purpose is so that we may be equipped to help others through their trials (2 Cor. 1).  However, a purpose that is most often overlooked is for knowing or understanding Jesus.

Have you ever been in a trial or are you currently in one now where you believe that you cannot take another step or you cannot go another day?  It is in this time that God wants you to learn of his dear son.  Jesus too was at a point in his life where he physically could not take another step, yet he continued to take unobtainable steps to the cross.  His trembling legs and body racked with pain screamed, "You cannot go any farther!"  Yet he did.  As you are weary, think of him and his love for us and the Father that strengthened his steps.  During this time, God wants you to learn about his son by experiencing what he experienced.  

Has your trial hurt you deeply?  Is your heart aching with no relief in sight?  Have you been to the point where your insides draw up into a knot, your bowels stab with pain or you become sick with sorrow?  Jesus has.  It began in the garden and was multiplied as he hung alone on the cross.  He could have stopped it all and been right for doing so.  As God, he could have done as he pleased, but what pleased him most was you, me and his father.  As you ache, begin to understand Jesus.  It is one of the purposes for the trial.  It seems that this is explained best in Philippians 3:10, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings...  

Many, at these points in their trials, have given up.  Because of their struggle to go further or their perceived inability to deal with the pain of the trial, they quit.  They quit on God and miss out on knowing him and understanding the true depth of his love. 

Tender Mercy (Psalm 69:16)

Some time ago while working at a mental health facility for intellectually challenged children, a young  boy posed a physical threat of harm to himself.  After various attempts to de- escalate him, I needed to engage in a physical restraint.  Between his youth and agility and my age and being slightly over weight, it was only a matter of minutes before I became exhausted from the confrontation.  This best describes what takes place when I engage in spiritual conflicts.

Spiritual conflicts are beyond my strength.  As stated by the psalmist, when conflicts come, my soul is overflowing and my feet are unable to stand (Psalm 69:1-3).  What I need the most at these times is God's deliverance.  Praise God that I can count on his help and aid to come.  I am assured of this  because it is based on his tender mercy.  The word used for tender mercy was in other places translated as the word "womb".  From this I can see that as a mother cares for the baby in her womb so in like manner God cares for me.  As a mother's heart pangs or her bowls are stirred for her baby, so God is stirred for me.  This emotional attachment is based on God and his attributes and not my performance.  Therefore, I can be assured that he hears me and will deliver in his due time.

When facing trials it is most important that you remember that the Christian life is not a matter of performance, but a relationship.  The relationship is one of fellowshipping with God and should not be mistaken as a role of service.  Serving God will be a quality of a Christian, but it is the result of the relationship and should never be the substitute of one.

Plucked Out (Galatians 1:4)

I love to garden.  Each year I grow more tomato plants than my family could possibly need.  In order to have the over flow of fruit, the garden needs to be weeded regularly.  The easiest way to accomplish this is to use a hoe and to dig the weeds up from the ground.  Instead of gathering them, they can be left on top of the dirt to be dried out by the sun.  However, there have been times that before they were dried up, the weeds took root again.  

This is much the same with the Christian life.  When Jesus gave himself for us, he did so that he may deliver us from this present evil world.  The word used for deliver can also be translated "to tear out" or "to pluck".  Before trusting Christ, we were in the world and the world was in us.  The world or better yet, the world system was rooted in us and we were rooted in the system.  But thanks be to God, Jesus came so that he may deliver us from the power of sin and the hurt associated with it.  To accomplish this, he plucked us out by the roots.  However, he left us here as a testimony for him and to know him better.  

While here, we must remain close to him by abiding in him and his word.  This is much more than going through the act of reading and praying, but instead to be involved in worship and fellowship with God.  If we fail, our hearts, as the weeds in my garden, will again begin to take root in the world.  Without the sweetness of fellowshipping with him, our hearts will long for the former things.  We will be tempted to look back and as many have in the past, go back.

Stay close to the Savior.  Don't allow your walk with him to become routine.  Share with a friend what you gain in devotions and allow them to do the same.  As iron sharpens iron, your fellowship can sharpen each other for Christ (Prov. 27:17).  Jesus is the best thing in your life, don't mss out on what he has to offer you.

I Abhor Myself (Job 42:6). #trial #submission

Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  Job 42:6

One day you will abhor or hate yourself.  I am not saying that you will hate your life or the conditions of it, but that you will actually hate yourself.  One day, when you stand in the presence of your great Creator, King, Lord and Savior, you, like Job, will see him with your eyes.  It is then that you will completely understand all the workings of God and what he was trying to accomplish in and through you.  You will see with great clarity the error of your thoughts, how your frustration and worry were unnecessary and how each time you either balked against God or tried to solve your own problems in life had thwarted his plan and set back what he was trying to gain with you.  You will hate you.  It all will happen when you see him.

Isaiah saw him high and lifted up and because of it, he was speechless and recognized how unclean he really was (Isaiah 6:1-5).  In God's presence is glory and all that he is and is doing will be revealed.  And you shall stand in awe and utterly hate the sinfulness of yourself.

However, we don't need to wait until death to gain this perspective of ourselves and God.  If we fall down before him in submission and wholly seek his face, he will be found.  We will not see him as we will in heaven, but he will manifest himself to us in a super natural way.  When he does, you, like Job, will hate yourself or at least your wickedness.  This was the turning point for Job.  It was then that God brought the end to his trial, exalted him before his accusers, used him in intercessory work for others and then eventually blessed his life.

As much as we may think and greatly desire for our trial to come to an end, we more so need to have our spiritual eyes opened and see God.  It is then that we will gain that for which we have been hungering and longing.

Hope For The Oppressed (Job 36:15)

There are different types of oppression: physical and mental.  Physical oppression is when a person uses physical force to manipulate individuals to do what they want or to cause physical duress so as to suppress people's actions.  Mental oppression is when thoughts are communicated causing fear, anxiety, worry, depression or hopelessness.  To some degree, each of us have experienced these types of oppression.  An older sibling or playground bully could have physically oppressed or manipulated you when you were young or an angry parent could have done the same throughout your life.  Sometime in your life you, as a prisoner, may have lived under the fear tactics of another: fear of failure because it was conveyed that you are stupid, fear of acceptance because you were told that you didn't measure up in looks or abilities, or fear of deserving love because you were treated as a useless sex object.  Even today, you may still find yourself living within the confines of the oppressive messages that were conveyed to you over the years.  There are many who continue to experience this in their day to day lives and are longing to be free.  The question is, how?

Elihu's discourse reveals part of the answer.  In Job 36:15 he says, "He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression."  Mentally oppressed people have received negative damaging messages from their oppressors.  More than likely, these messages have been delivered over a long course of time.  So long that now even without the oppressor present, their damaging message in prisons the heart and mind of the oppressed.  

This passage tells us that The Lord opens the ears of the oppressed.  It appears that in order for deliverance to come, the oppressed will need to hear and listen to another message other than that of the oppressor.  The Lord will perform a work of grace and open the ears of the oppressed or enable them to hear another message. This message will be truth which will destroy the lies of the oppressor.  What is equally important as the message is the messenger.  This truth message must come from God's word and be conveyed by God's people.  Satan has been drowning out God's word to the oppressed for many years: even when they read the truth that they need, the oppressor couples it with lies and negates the truth's effects.  However when the truth comes audibly by believers in Christ, it resounds like church bells announcing victory.  The affect of truth will only last for a short time before the oppressive lies from their memory drown out the jubilant sounds.  This process will need to continue and repeat many times before victory is won.  It is called, discipleship.  Sadly to say, this is where the church is failing terribly.  Today, the church wants to quick fix everything.  The method is give them a verse, get them active and clean up the outside of the cup.  No wonder there are so many tragedies.

If you know somebody who lives under the dominance of oppression, be patient with them, go the extra miles with them, wait for them...love them.

#oppression

#ministry

Self Righteous Sin (Job 34:9)

In the midst of discourse with his three friends, Job declares that a man profits nothing by delighting himself with God.  This statement is so far from truth.  His heart and ours also can be turned to believe it by looking at the lives of the wicked.  Job stated how well off they were.  Asaph, the Psalmist, also struggled with the same perspective until he went into the sanctuary and saw their end (Psalm 73:3-17).  Circumstances may appear to show that there is no benefit, but there is.

For all ages, the Scriptures still declare that there is none righteous, no not one.  Job may have viewed himself as being right in all that he mentioned concerning matters of business, caring for the poor, widow and fatherless and judgment, but he was a sinner and battled sin in his life.  His position and testimony before God may have been that he eschewed evil, but he was still a sinner.  For this reason, Elihu was angry.  There is a benefit in living for God.  However, the benefit may not be wealth, position or ease of living.  The benefits in living for God are mercy, grace and peace.  Our position as sinners warrants that we deserve the most miserable of lives upon the Earth and then to face death and the impending judgement of eternal punishment.  Anything in life other than that should be considered a blessing.

As you face the trials that come in your life and begin to focus on what you do not have or fail to experience, make sure that you recognize all that you miss.  You will never face death as the wicked, because the sting of death has been removed.  You will not stand at the White Throne judgement nor will you vehemently beg for mercy only to be denied and then cast into the Lake of Fire.  

However, you have experienced his mercy in salvation.  God's grace has worked in your life and you have grown and become strong because of it.  How many times in the past as a God spoken to you through his word and encouraged your heart?  Each time that he did, you experienced his peace.  Your trial may be tough and because it is a trial, it is not the result of your sin.  However, your life is not righteous enough for you to say, "I don't deserve this."  Praise The Lord! We don't get what we deserve.

#self righteous

#trials

Desiring Vengeance (Job 31:29-30)

If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.  Job 31:29-30

Some of the greatest trials that we experience are the results of other people's actions or sins.  One of David's trials was the result of Saul's jealousy and pride.  As the scriptures record, David continued to flee for his life from Saul and his armies.  Another example was Elijah and King Ahab who was motivated by Jezebel.  He also had to seek refuge as the king sought the whole land to find him and then after a great victory at Mount Carmel, had his life threatened by the queen. Both of these men endured the great trial of walking in fear and darkness caused by the sin of another.  

Possibly your life may be the same.  You may be sought after by those who want to destroy you because of the hate that is in their heart.  Others may have taken from you people that you hold dearly to heart.  Others may be seeking revenge for righteous actions that you did which revealed their lack of performance in the work place and the list can go on.

What Job declared while in the midst of his struggle was that in all situations such as mentioned, he did not rejoice in the destruction of his enemies nor did he wish a curse to come upon them.  If our hearts were to make such requests or to rejoice in such a manner, we would be just as guilty before God as them.  God instructs us that in love we are to heap coals upon their heads and to allow God to be the avenger (Romans 12:19-20).  That does not mean that he is our avenger or to avenge for us in our manner, but the one who avenges in his time and because of his righteousness.  If we hold bitterness in our hearts towards those without, we will become consumed by sin.  Allow God to perform his righteous acts.  Until then guard your heart from evil.

#revenge

#trial