Author: kezha1

The well-known Puritan Clergy, Charles Spurgeon, once warned fellow preachers with this: “There are many sleepy pastors who will not tell the truth for fear of hurting your feelings.” That’s why the Apostle Paul strongly exhorted the young Timothy here to “Preach the Word.” In other words, we can’t allow the possibility of making someone “uncomfortable” with the divinely revealed Truth of God so as to not cause their displeasure or disapproval. Paul warned of these men who desired fables & myths to God’s Word so that their conscious wouldn’t be “assaulted” by the Truth. Sound doctrine goes out the door when pastors are fearful to offend, and crowds demands deception, or to paraphrase Isaiah 30:10… Don’t give us anymore visions of what is right, rather tell us only pleasant things so we can be deceived.

We need to not only be mindful of the words we speak in the Presence of God, but to others…and that especially goes for making promises we know will never be fulfilled. Ecclesiastes 5:2 warns us, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” So, our posture before God should be that of listener…desiring to be instructed and guided. Our passion focused on understanding, insight, and discernment…not aimless ramblings of our own. For the thoughts of the heart are expressed in the words of the mouth…and ignorant words just show how spiritually weak we are and end up harming rather than healing others.

Whether we declare this regarding our eating habits, our addictions, or our negative attitudes, we need to first look at what is called Original Sin & realize that the world is pervaded by the purposes of the devil who has captured the human race through temptation. We are born with a sinful & corrupt nature going back to Adam & Eve. The bare fact is the universality of sin…and that we come into existence in a state of sinfulness. And sadly, in & of ourselves, we can’t change the vicious cycle the devil has us trapped in. But the answer to our guilt & shame of being unable to change is the word “overcome”. The Scripture that first comes to mind is I John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One Who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” How can this be so? John 16:33 tells us that through His crucifixion and resurrection Jesus has overcome the world and that everyone who has been born of God can overcome the world victoriously. (I John 5;4) So just like the man in Mark 9:24 who asked Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief, we can take our fragile bit of faith… and allow God’s compassion & grace to change what we can’t.

This is probably one of the saddest statements we can profess to ourselves. It may involve something deeply personal, out of desperation from a loved one dying, or from staring at the impossible situation in front of us. This hopelessness causes us to have tunnel vision…where we can only see despair & defeat…surrendering it all in despondency. But if we shift our eyes from hopeless to hopeful, we’ll see that our hope ultimately is in the Lord. For not only in Jeremiah 14:22 but elsewhere in II Corinthians 1:10, we read that we are to set our hope in God, for only He can deliver us. It’s then that we can lift our eyes above the anguish to Him. (Psalm 123:1)

Jesus had taught His disciples numerous times to pray, but at this crucial moment in the Garden of Gethsemane they failed miserably (Matthew 26:41) for not seeking God for strength to stand against their flesh and Satan’s power. We see this again in II Timothy3:6, when Paul warns against those who are weak-willed. So many times, when we lack resolution, we’re trying to do it under our own power. The spirit may be willing, but our body and mind are weak. We’re then powerless against addictions, incapacitated by unwarranted fears & anxieties, and open to our frail human vulnerabilities. Psalms 9:9 says, “The Lord is a stronghold in times of trouble.” In other words, by seeking God in our time of weakness, whatever it is, we can find a fortified place of refuge & safety in Him.

Lack of faith is commonplace in even the most ardent of Christians, often with the acknowledgement that we lack faith in certain situations. Well first off, you’re in really good company! If we just look at passages in Matthew where Jesus uttered the words, “Oh you of little faith,” we’ll see that He was addressing His disciples and followers of His, not the random crowd. While Jesus sat with them teaching on giving, praying, anxiety, etc. He’d start off with this admonishment, maybe out of a little frustration…or like, “Guys, haven’t you been listening and watching Me?” But we also see that in every circumstance Jesus patiently reiterated the foundational truth to counter their lack of faith…all without prejudice.

One of the best Scriptures to combat this statement is found in II Timothy 1:7 where the Apostle Paul exhorts the naturally timid & young Timothy to boldness and faithfulness. “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Sprinkled throughout the Bible God tells us to not be afraid, but we are still often seized with the paralyzing anticipation of harm or danger. That’s when it’s the time to pray, for it tells us in Isaiah 40:29, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.”…and if we add on Colossians 1:11, “Being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might…” We can realize that we may be fearful… but we are also undergirded by the Holy Spirit’s power & strength to move forward boldly.

The first thing we need to determine is the thing we lack a need or a want. When Paul addressed the Church in Phillipi, (Philippians 4:19) he wasn’t focusing on his needs being met by God through the Church’s resources, but rather that their giving of gifts was an act of worship & pleasing to God. Bottom line is, God gives that we may give to others, not the other way around. In II Corinthians 9:8 it tells us, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” So again, our focus should not be on our “wants” like the latest phone, designer clothes, or a new car, but on God suppling our needs in order that we would have the freedom from fixating on material possessions, thus setting our hearts free to share with others.

As we look forward to the coming new year, many will make resolutions…so for the next week we’ll look at negative statements we make all the time and God’s Word that counters them.

First off, no, you probably can’t do it…but God can. Philippians 4:13 is explicit, “I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.” And Paul continued to declare this in II Corinthians 12:9 and I Timothy 1:12, reminding the Church that God’s power was made perfect in his weakness and thanking God for giving him the strength. When we rely on Christ’s power and follow His example, we’re able to face all circumstances with peace in our hearts. For despite our human weaknesses, God’s Gospel of grace & mercy will accomplish His plan & purpose in our life. I can’t under my own strength…but with God’s help, I can do anything.

The simple truth is, we become like those whose company we keep. Or as I Corinthians 15:33 reminds us, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Sure, we smugly think the antics of those questionable friends of ours won’t rub off on us…but they do, and it’s our integrity that will suffer for it. That’s why Proverbs 12:26 wisely tells us that a righteous man is cautious in friendship…because honestly, we’re known by the friends we keep.