Throughout Psalms we see the sentiment of this verse repeated. “Why have You forsaken me Lord?” “You seem so far away Lord.” “How long will You forget me Lord?” But the truth is…God has never moved away or turned His back. It’s just that when we’re going through difficult circumstances and distressing events our world becomes very small. Our focus goes inward in order to survive, and our emotions become raw. And if we can’t “feel” the Lord near we conclude He’s abandoned us. But “feelings” have nothing to do with it. For in just as many places in the Psalms there is lamenting of “Where are You God?” there are passages of hope and confirmation that the Lord will never leave or forsake us. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Or Psalm 27:10 tells us, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” Regardless of what you may be going through today…God is there right beside you…and He will never leave.
Month: March 2021
II John 7 ” Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
Maybe you’ve been attending Church for a long time… maybe not…but regardless, do you know what your Church believes? Have you taken the time to read the Vision and Mission Statement, and what their core values are? Do they have a Constitution or other documents that clearly lay out their Statement of Beliefs? You may be surprised to find, just like John warned Believers here, of deceptive teaching. Usually it’s not blatant out and out lies, but rather a subtle twisting of the truth. But the bottom line is any teaching that denies Jesus as the Messiah and that He was God incarnate, and that He came in flesh and blood and will come again is false.
II Corinthians 12:9-10 ” But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
We really aren’t sure what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was…it may have been very obvious, or not. But either way, God did not remove it, but rather used it for Paul’s good. This affliction of Paul’s may have never left but that didn’t mean the gracious divine power of Jesus to heal him from within was absent. Case in point, over the weekend I attended a Training Conference on Oppression, Abuse, and Trauma…for you see, I was in an abusive relationship for years, but I’ve always kept my thorn in the flesh hidden from others. For like Paul, my thorn remains… but this Conference showed me not only how miraculous God’s grace is…but the epiphany of what didn’t happen. I didn’t have a panic attack and have to leave. Neither did triggers bombard me with irrational thinking and flashbacks. Rather, I was able to sit there calmly and listen with reasoning and logic. This is truly the healing power of Jesus at work in my life! For the Lord has taken me from a life filled with powerlessness, hopelessness, and distress, to that of strength through Him, for which I am eternally grateful.
Hebrews 12:1 ” Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
I Corinthians 9:24 tells us to, “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” And to do so we are told to fix our eyes on Jesus who is our model or pattern to follow. For Jesus has already won the race of faith and obtained its prize when He died on the Cross for our sins and was raised to life on the third day. But this verse tells us to run with endurance, “the race marked out for us.” That’s because each one of us has a unique race to run that is specially marked out for us. My race may look very different from yours…but we all have the same Coach cheering us on and the same finish line to cross.
Hebrews 6:12 ” We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”
We all learn by imitation. Look at a baby learning to feed himself or walk…he’s watching his parents and siblings and mimicking what they do. As Children of God we are to be imitators of Him (Ephesians 5:1) and examples for the world to follow. But how well are we doing? We are told to be children of Light (I Thessalonians 5:5) spreading spiritual illumination into the darkness. We are told we are dearly loved children of God (Ephesians 5:1) that we may lavish that same kind love on others. We are called God’s Peacemakers, (Matthew 5:9) that we may demonstrate a truly selfless life of seeking out the wellbeing of others. Finally, we are called to be merciful just as our Father is merciful… that we may show mercy. (Luke 6:36) By imitating Christ to the world, we can emulate all the things that drew us to Him in the first place…and when we do, we give others the chance to be brought into the glorious freedom of also being called Children of God.
Matthew 18:15-16 ” If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
When we have a problem against another Believer Jesus is very clear in these verses how it should be handled. Initially, it should be taken up “just between the two of you”. This does not mean blowing up Social Media with slanderous posts, or calling all your friends first to complain. It means going to that person in love and truth… exposing the wrong. It also means taking responsibly for your part and being accountable for any of your own sins. It’s when they refuse to listen or receive your concerns that you ask one or two other Believers to accompany you to speak with them again. Accepting the testimony only from two or three witnesses was first established way back in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:6 & Deuteronomy 19:15)…for one witness isn’t enough to convict a man accused of any crime. (Sounds like the old he said, she said problem) The reason for bringing other people into the mix is not to gang up on the person but to confirm information and shed light on all areas…hopefully moving towards resolution and reconciliation.
I Chronicles 29:14 ” But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.”
In this prayer of dedication for the Temple, King David readily acknowledges that without God giving first, they wouldn’t have been able to contribute anything on their own towards the building of the Temple. When we’re able to grasp this concept…that everything belongs to God and that He gives us everything we need…it will change our mindset about giving. That’s because it will change our attitude from selfishness to that of joyful, spontaneous willingness to give. And the wonderful thing to remember is that you will never be able to out-give God…or as Jesus reminds us in Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over…”
I Thessalonians 2:11-12 ” For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His Kingdom and glory.”
Wherever Paul traveled and planted new Churches the people became like his spiritual children. He called the Churches in Galatia and Corinth, “my dear children.” (I Corinthians 4:14 & Galatians 4:19) Likewise, to the young pastor, Timothy, he called him, “my son in the faith.” (I Timothy 1:2) And like a good father, Paul took seriously his responsibilities to his “children.” He didn’t shun his duties nor allow shame or guilt of his unsavory past to deter him from affirming what the Lord had done in his life. He used his past to point his “children” to Christ…exhorting them to, “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1) Never allow the shame and guilt of your past to hinder you from sharing your story with others…for that is your calling.
Proverbs 13:24 ” He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”
There is nothing that equals the close emotional attachment parents have for their children. We want only the very best for them…not wanting them to experience all the pitfalls we had growing up. But when many look at disciplining their children, they see only the negative authoritarian aspect, with parents lording over and aggressively alienating their children by intimidation. But that’s not the true meaning nor application of Godly discipline, for just as our Heavenly Father disciplines His children in order to change behaviors, (Proverbs 3:12) we are to correct and instruct our children… “For in that there is hope.” (Proverbs 19:18)
II Samuel 6: 21-22 ” David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, Who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when He appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel – I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.’ “
King David had gone out to welcome the Ark of the Covenant as it was being carried into Jerusalem. He headed up the procession, leaping and dancing with all his might before the Lord with unbridled joy. His wife, Michal, watched him from a window with scorn and contempt…telling him later that he acted like nothing more than worthless riff-raff. But David knew where he had come from…from his humble beginnings as a shepherd…to now as king of Israel…David hadn’t lost sight of just how far God had brought him. And he didn’t care what others thought, for he would worship his God with thankfulness. gratitude, and joy.
Safetypinlove 