IF PERSECUTION COMES!

IF PERSECUTION COMES!

Ps 7:11-13

11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.

13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

          It is not a pleasant thought! Christians, while a formidable group, now find themselves in the minority of opinion. Emboldened by a wildly complicit tyrant, the wicked of our nation now enjoy power by intimidation. Not satisfied with one victory, they press their vile agenda in sweeping reforms.

          It has happened before! We are by no means the first or only generation to feel the sting of persecution, nor has it become as fierce as it might. In the Old Testament, Jezebel repressed the worship of Jehovah and sought to advance the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth. Her most satisfying end is an encouragement ( 2 Kings 9:33-35).

          The Romans lighted their avenues with the flaming bodies of the faithful and threw families and communities to the hungry beasts in the coliseum. “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Heb 11:37-38.

          I fear we are about to be “sifted as wheat” and those who are weak of character and commitment will, like Peter, deny their Lord. Before persecution comes certain firm decisions must be made, and these seem insignificant in the face of other forms of torment. Will we continue to tithe and give if our gifts are no longer tax deductible? Will our pastors be forced to perform homosexual unions because they sign as agents of the state? Will our houses of worship be confiscated and if so where will we gather for worship? Will we gather for worship? Will we worship?

Rom 8:35-37

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Dear God of Battles, gird thy loins to fight. Whet thy sword and gather thy arrows against those who would persecute thy people. Let them be as Jezebel in the streets. AMEN

WHERE IS GOD WHEN THERE IS TROUBLE?

WHERE IS GOD WHEN THERE IS TROUBLE?

Isa 6:1-8

6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord  of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord  of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

          Why did Isaiah mention the death of Uzziah? Well, why not? Uzziah had reigned in Judah for fifty-two years and it was a good and prosperous reign. The political fiber of the nation was strong and moral and upright. However, toward the end of his reign, he proudly decided to enter the temple and burn incense upon the golden altar (see 2 Chronicles 26:16). Government had overstepped the boundaries reserved by the church. Uzziah was resisted in his efforts by Azariah and 80 other priests. Uzziah was suddenly struck with leprosy and lived out the remainder of his days in a common house for lepers. He was buried in the field of the kings but in a grave that was off to itself; lonely and isolated.

          It was at this time that Isaiah was perhaps seeking God in a time of great trouble. There was much loss to mourn. Who would rise up to assume leadership after this good king? The tragedy of trespassing upon God’s business had, once again, reminded the nation that God was sovereign. All these thoughts and more were swirling around Isaiah’s head.

          It was in such a time that God revealed Himself. He was seen as He always was; high and lifted up, full of glory and worshipped by angels. This has been the scene since eternity past and will continue throughout eternity future. Isaiah did not see a new event but rather a snapshot of heaven. It was stunning.

          In the light of the glory of God, Isaiah now saw himself truly. The pretense of self-righteousness had been melted away in the glow of pure holiness. Later Isaiah would see all man’s goodness as “filthy rags” which is a reference to the rags of the lepers. Perhaps this is a glimpse of the end of the life of Uzziah who was once robed in royalty but died in leprous rags. Isaiah now saw himself as vile and feared to compare himself with the holiness of the God he now saw with fresh eyes.

          “What shall we do?” will be the cry as every knee bows before God. Those who bow early find cleansing for their sins and a new purpose for their lives. They are invited to hear the voice of God and share in His concerns. They are invited to volunteer to make a difference and to say: “Here am I, send me.”

          Political unrest and moral decay is not unique to our nation or our time. It is a symptom of sin and will not be cured till the King of Kings rests upon His throne. It is an opportune time to see God with fresh eyes, to find cleansing for our sin and new purpose for our lives.

Dear Lord, we live in fearful times. Reveal yourself in holiness so that we may be healed of our ills. Give clear direction so that we might find new purpose. AMEN

AS YET!

AS YET!

2 Kings 13:22-23

22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 And the Lord  was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

          My Momma had a unique way of warning me to stop my wrongful behavior. She would raise one eyebrow (a talent I inherited) and squint with the other eye while saying firmly: “Keep it up buddy.” This is, of course, not meant to be liberty to actually continue the behavior. It meant that if I didn’t stop quickly judgment would surely fall.

          In our Scripture, this morning, there seems to be a thinly veiled warning. Things were not good but, because God had made a covenant with the patriarchs, He would not destroy them – as yet! In other words God had raised one eyebrow, squinted with the other eye menacingly, and warned “keep it up buddy!”

          Warren Wiersbe explains that “when the people sinned so flagrantly that they blasphemed the name of the Lord and defiled His land that God permitted both Israel and Judah to be defeated and taken into bondage. In 722, Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, and in 586, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.” America has crossed a line! They have kept it up! Now we can expect judgment, perhaps even from Syria!

Isa 5:4-5

4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Dear Lord, in wrath remember mercy. Revive us again. AMEN

IT’S NOT OUR KINGDOM!

IT’S NOT OUR KINGDOM!

Col 1:10-14

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

          June 26, 2015 will be remembered as the day America lost its soul and earned whatever wrath and punishment God may apply! The Supreme court, in a split vote, declared same-sex marriage to be legal in all fifty of our states, placing itself and us directly opposed to God. Grief, fear, and anger are just some of the identifiable emotions produced in the hearts of God’s children but just what should our reactions be?

          Don’t change your walk! Paul urged the Colossians to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. In other words, whatever you do be sure that it pleases the Lord. Don’t change your mind! Don’t compromise your stance and don’t lose your testimony.

          Don’t lose patience! God will strengthen us in this battle if we are patient and allow Him to go to battle for us. He knows how to deliver the godly. The battle is not over but has just begun.

          Remember that it’s not our kingdom! We are not of this world and are spiritual ambassadors representing the kingdom of His dear Son. When our assignment is over we will be recalled to receive our inheritance with other saints.

2 Peter 2:9

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Dear Lord, please heal our land! AMEN

SALTY WORDS!

SALTY WORDS!

Col 4:5-6

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

          Believers are spiritual “insiders.” Both Jesus (Mark 4:11) and Paul (1 Cor. 15:12,13) referred to unbelievers as them that are without. Paul warns us to conduct our daily lives so as to not hinder our efforts to win the lost. Our lives must match our claim to Christianity because everyone is watching.

          Josh McDowell, well known for his apologetic book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict, declares that truth must be wrapped in relationship. Our speech must always be with grace. The Greek word for grace here is charis which means “graciousness; the divine influence upon the heart that is reflected in the life.” Many who are eager to give someone a piece of their mind are often ill equipped for the task.

          Salt, in this context, is prudence and becomes a restraint to rashness. We may wound a listener by sharing truth that is not also wrapped in love and understanding. A gracious spirit is rare but is always welcome.

Eph 4:29

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Dear Lord let my words be sweet for I may have to eat them. AMEN

MY STRONGHOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE!

MY STRONGHOLD IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE!

Nah 1:5-7

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

          Sometimes it seems as if Gospel ministry is weak and ineffective. Our efforts at stemming the tide of evil seem only to make the breach larger. It is as if we have disturbed a beehive while swatting a bee. The situation is worse than before. We preach righteousness but sin grows – and now sin is angry because of the preaching! We preach faithfulness but infidelity is the result and we are blamed for discovering it.

John 1:5

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

          In the above verse the word “comprehended” is the Greek word katalambano which literally means “to catch what has been thrown.” It means that the darkness dropped the ball and did not, either by failure or refusal, to lay hold on it. It would be easy for the light to blame itself for the failure but it is the darkness that is at fault.

Matt 6:23-24

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

          We are now beginning to see that the problem of our nation is a sin problem. The economy is broken by our greed! The home is in shambles due to our failure to love! Our government is oppressive due to a lust for power. It is easy for the churches and her pastors to feel responsible but the following verses seem clear enough.

Here is the problem: Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (Isa 1:2)

And here is the result: Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. (Isa 1:4-7)

Here is the solution: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isa 1:16-20)

What our nation needs is not another Tea Party but a communion service!

Dear Lord, make our message clear and plain. Open ears and hearts and minds to your truth. Heal our land. AMEN

IS MY COMPLAINT TO MAN?

IS MY COMPLAINT TO MAN?

Job 21:3-4

3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

          Job had three cruddy buddies whose names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. They had heard of his troubles and had come to stare at him. Eventually they found the courage to question his character because the prevailing thought of that day was that good was rewarded and that wickedness was punished. Considering the enormity of Job’s punishment, he must be wicked indeed.

          In the midst of Job’s reply to Zophar, he asks a question that should always be considered when our hearts are troubled. Is our complaint with man or God? Most people will vehemently deny being angry with God but their actions often contradict their claim. They will rebel against good parents, disrespect kindness shown to them, and generally make their own lives miserable. They feel betrayed by God for some pain that God has allowed them to suffer. Their complaint is to God.

          At least Job knew himself well enough to realize that he was angry with a God whose actions he did not understand. He went so far as to request a face-to-face with God so that they could “have it out.” That did not go well! It never does!

          When you find your spirit troubled, ask yourself with whom you are angry. If it is with a man or woman then efforts should be made to reconcile. If you finally admit that you are angry with God because you don’t understand His actions, then your only option is to surrender to a vastly superior force and intellect. When we can’t understand His ways we are obliged to trust His heart.

Dear Lord, too often I find that my heart is not right because I think I deserve better treatment from you. I can’t see what you see and so I misinterpret your purposes. I don’t even see how I am being changed by the forces placed upon me. I rebel and that rebellion is applied to innocent friends and partners. Help me to trust your heart today. AMEN

TO KNOW OR TO KNOW ABOUT?

TO KNOW OR TO KNOW ABOUT?

1 Cor 8:1

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

1 Cor 13:2

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

          Certainly ignorance is not a benefit in any situation but the Bible warns us that there is a great difference between knowing and knowing about God. We may be able to debate the most respected scholars but what benefit is that if we do not know the Lord?

          Thomas a Kempis said: “What good does it do to speak learnedly about the Trinity if, lacking humility, you displease the Trinity? Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it. For what would it profit us to know the whole Bible by heart and the principles of all the philosophers if we live without grace and the love of God?

(from Thomas a Kempis: The Imitation of Christ, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 1999, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

          Are you learned in the things of God? Wonderful! But do you truly know the God of those things? Is he a confidant? Do you talk often together? Like Adam, do you walk together in the cool of the evening? There is a great difference between knowing and knowing about.

2 Tim 2:15-16

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Dear Lord, let me choose to know you intimately rather than to know only about you. AMEN

FULL MATURITY!

FULL MATURITY!

Eph 4:11-15

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

          The word perfecting in verse 12 is the Greek katartismos which means “complete furnishing.” However the word perfect in verse 13 is teleios which indicates reaching an appointed goal, coming to complete physical, moral and mental completeness. The clue to our understanding is in verse 14 when the disciple is presented as no longer a child tossed between opinions and options. He has made his choices and stands firm in them.

          Merriam-Webster says that maturity is: [1] that which is based on slow careful consideration [2] having attained a final or desired state [3] of or relating to a condition of full development [4] due for payment, as in the maturing of a mortgage.

          The church is a classroom preparing the believer for heaven and not a side show to entertain him until the bus arrives to take him there! The maturing of the saints is the stated purpose of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. The word “until” indicates that it could be a long process.

          If a child is found sitting upon the carpet finger painting with mustard and catsup, the parent normally does not sit down to join in the fun. He must first stop the immature and damaging behavior, explain why it is wrong to do such a thing, and administer measured discipline. Finally he must clean up the mess. Restrictive boundaries must be reviewed with the hope that this same behavior is not repeated. This process is repeated until the child understands that the behavior is wrong and is able (mature enough) to restrain himself. The endeavor is not for the faint of heart!

Heb 13:17

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Dear Lord, give me patience as one who disciples souls and wisdom as one who is moving on toward maturity. AMEN

MEMORIES OF MY FATHER!

MEMORIES OF MY FATHER!

Eph 6:1-4

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

          June is not only the month in which we find Father’s Day, it is the month in which my own father was both born and died. Dad was born on June 26, 1917 and died on June 21, 2001, just five days short of his 84^th birthday. I miss him.

It is a terrible thing to be “fatherless” even when you are fully grown with children and grand-children of your own. There is a place deep inside where the memory of Dad still dwells. I can go there and review a photo album of memories. I can see how he dressed, how he walked and talked and even how he responded to troubling situations. I can see how he responded to the needs of those less fortunate while at the same time being disgusted at those who simply would not do for themselves. I can choose from the best of his character, sorting out the best of his nature and comparing it with my own. Every now and then I can see huge parts of him in the mirror. Sometimes I turn and stare half expecting him to speak to me. 

          Since the commandment is to honor my father, I wonder how I might best do that today. I can’t take him to dinner or go fishing with him. He never was one for receiving gifts. I think the best way to honor my father is to assemble a list of his best qualities and emulate them. Next, I think I should assemble a list of his worst qualities and forgive them and reject them.

Dear Lord, since my father is closer to you than me today, would you please give him a hug for me? Thanks!

MORE THAN FAMILY!

MORE THAN FAMILY!   

Matt 10:34-37

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

          Tomorrow is Father’s Day and I wonder how many homes can be described the way Jesus described the family in the above Scripture. Disagreement and variance, pride and rebellion, anger and violence describe all too many homes these days.

We live in a most uncomfortable time! We endure political paranoia, governmental overreach, religious confusion and personal danger. Every man has his agenda and is willing to destroy all who oppose it

          Sin is the root cause of domestic violence. The cause of much trouble is, strangely, the Prince of Peace. When opinions about Jesus and His righteous way are divided, the result is contention and strife. Jesus indicated that His followers may be called upon to choose between love of God or love of family.

Dear Father, bless our Christian families with peace and harmony. Minister to those individual believers who are locked in conflict with unbelieving family members. Grant them peace inside. AMEN

IS IT WORTH THE FUSS?

IS IT WORTH THE FUSS?

Acts 15:36-40

36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.

37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark.

38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus;

40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.

2 Tim 4:11

11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

          Driving along with a friend, I quipped that too many people seemed willing to trade a relationship for things. Then, when the “thing” breaks or wears out they wish they had their relationship back! I haven’t changed my mind about that.

          On their first missionary journey, Mark left the “team” and returned home to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). We do not know why John Mark left the team after its first term. We do know that his departure damaged his relationship with Paul and split the team.

          In over forty-four years of ministry, I have seen many such splits and departures and very few of them have been because of doctrinal error or essential policies. Most have been over personality issues and personal opinions as to just how things should be done. Some have been foolish but all have been painful.

          The good news is that God keeps working with both divided parties and sometimes reconciliation is possible after some passing of time. Paul’s opinion of Mark in Acts 15 was “not good” but his opinion in Second Timothy chapter four was that he was now “profitable.” Who changed, Paul or Mark? The answer is that probably both men had changed. That is the nature of man and relationships. They change.

          Is the reason for your abandonment of your relationship worth all the fuss? Is it worth abandoning your church for another one? Is it really worth it? Is your firm stance on some issue worth the loss of a relationship? Certainly we can’t compromise biblical teaching, but is your staunch stubbornness just stubbornness?

Dear Lord, heaven is near and our relationships are very valuable. Our Christian friends will spend eternity with us. Let me carefully guard my relationships from my own stubbornness. AMEN

DEPTH OF MERCY!

DEPTH OF MERCY!

Gen 50:15-17

15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.

16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

          Warren Wiersbe, in his Bible Exposition Commentary, has such a wonderful comment on this portion of Scripture that I would like to simply include it here without further comment.

Afraid to approach Joseph personally, they sent a message to him, hoping to convince him. Did Jacob actually speak the words they quoted? Probably not. If Jacob had wanted to intercede for the guilty sons, he could easily have done it when he was alone with Joseph. And he had seventeen years in which to do it! It's likely that the brothers concocted this story, hoping that Joseph's love for his father would give him a greater love for his brothers.

How did Joseph respond to their message? "When their message came to him, Joseph wept" (v. 17). He was deeply hurt that his own brothers didn't believe his words or accept his kind deeds at face value as true expressions of his love and forgiveness. What more could he have done to convince them? Charles Wesley may have had Joseph and his brothers in mind when he wrote his hymn "Depth of Mercy" :

Depth of mercy! Can there be

Mercy still reserved for me?

Can my God His wrath forbear —

Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

Now incline me to repent;

Let me now my sins lament;

Now my foul revolt deplore,

Weep, believe and sin no more.

There for me the Saviour stands,

Holding forth His wounded hands;

God is love! I know, I feel,

Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Dear Lord, your mercy is, in our thinking, so unbelievable that we need constant reassuring. Help us to rest in the depth of your mercy today. AMEN

GUILTY OF POOR SELF-MANAGEMENT?

GUILTY OF POOR SELF-MANAGEMENT?

          I see it all the time and I am often guilty of it myself. It is poor self-management. It is the harsh and critical management of “self” that robs us of God’s blessings. You may recognize these four mistakes in managing yourself.

1. Self criticism!

          This is the familiar “I should have” or “why didn’t I” comments that rattle around in our mind. We set high standards for our self and then criticize our self for our perceived failure.

1 Cor 4:3-5

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

2. Self condemnation!

Having criticized our self we go on to pass harsh sentences. Our heart condemns us.

1 John 3:20-22

20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Rom 8:1

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

3. Failure to accept God’s love unconditionally!

          So many of us do not feel worthy of His love and the result is a timid faith and a questioning security. We just can’t believe He loves us like He says.

Jer 31:3

3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Rom 5:8

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

4. Pushing away His Graciousness!

Isa 30:18-19

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

Dear Lord, help us to stop struggling against your attempts to love us. AMEN

GOD IS – NEAR!

GOD IS – NEAR!

Deut 4:7

7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh [near] unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?

1 Kings 18:27-28

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them [the prophets of Baal], and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

          The great contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal proved God to be a God who hears us whisper. There was no need for herculean efforts to attract His attention. There was no need to damage the body to prove earnestness. Neither cutting of the flesh nor ceremonial dancing was required to wake Him. Jehovah was, and still is, a God who is nigh to all that call upon him. In the raising of Lazarus there was no grand demonstration from Jesus. Jesus only spoke a few soft words of prayer.

John 11:41-43

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

          The more urgent our need the more intense becomes our praying. That is not due to the need to awaken a sleeping God. God is near. God is awake and vigilant. God cares and has an answer. I was reminded of this just last night when our men were discussing a particularly frustrating problem. One suggestion after another was earnestly offered when I was reminded that we are not petitioning a small god but a mighty God. He already has the answer and it will probably surprise us when the answer comes.

Ps 145:18-19

18 The LORD is nigh [near] unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Dear Father, bend low and listen as your children murmur your name in whispered prayer. Answer like the mighty God you are. AMEN

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE CONFUSED!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE CONFUSED!

1 Cor 14:33

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Acts 9:22

22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Two words beg for deeper exploration this morning. The first is the word confusion which we find in our first verse. It is the Greek word akatastasia and is pronounced (ak-at-as-tah-see'-ah). When pronounced it sounds like the noise of a machine gun and it means instability or disorder. The verse goes on to say that God does not “author” instability and disorder.

The other word is confounded in the book of Acts which means “to throw into disorder or to perplex the mind.” Paul, in preaching that Jesus was indeed the Christ, threw the Jewish system into disorder. He challenged long held prejudices and perplexed their mind. They sought to kill him.

What do we, as believers, when we are thrown into disorder and perplexed? If confusion is a state of disorder and if we want “peace” instead, what should we do?

STOP! Back away for a moment. If what you are doing is confusing and confounding you perhaps it shouldn’t be done. Maybe there is a better way.

ASSESS! Evaluate and analyze the situation. Is there something you are overlooking? Have you tried everything?

REST! I know this can be a frustrating suggestion when there is so much confusion and so much to do but it was the suggestion of Jesus to His disciples when things became chaotic.

Mark 6:31

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

PRAY! Hey now, there is an idea! Why not ask God what to do?

Ps 120:1

In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

Dear Lord, in the confusion of this day help me to trust in Thee. AMEN