The Bereans were a unique group of people that Paul preached to. They gave his teaching an open hearing…honestly listening, eagerly willing to receive what he had to say. But then they conducted their own personal research of the Scriptures…comparing Paul’s words to God’s written Word…and it said that through this diligent investigation many of them came to faith in Jesus. We are all to be like the Bereans, discerning what we hear & comparing it to God’s Word. For no man is above putting his own personal spin on God’s Word to make it a little more modern, progressive, and inclusive.
Martin Luther once said, “You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.” This quote is especially important when it comes to idle conversations. You know the kind of informal drivel we engage in that can quickly get out of hand if we allow. It can go from a innocent gabfest to a all out “B” session rapidly. Idle speech can also digress to throwing someone else under the bus with unsubstantiated gossip. And too easily we can get caught up in one-up Manship… trying to outdo what others are saying to gain a feeling of superiority and prove we’re better than them. But the worst is betraying a trust and blurting out things that someone else has entrusted us with. Think before you speak, for keeping a confidence strengthens a relationship, but divulging those private details by gossiping destroys it.
I found this quote from Corrie Ten Boom so fitting for this Scripture, “To forgive is to set a prisoner free & to discover the prisoner was you.” We seem to view forgiveness as something the other person has to earn, and instead of forgiving quickly, we clutch the misdeed that has offended us and wear it like a badge of honor. But if we refuse to forgive, that anger develops into resentment, which when planted in our heart will grow into a root of bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 echoes the words from Deuteronomy 29:18, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” When we forgive, we are not only releasing the other person…but we are setting ourselves free from the situation.
Here Paul is emphasizing our responsibility to be patient with the weak around us. This not just a reminder but a command. We are to follow the example of Christ…indebted to Him for how mercifully patient He has been to us. In I Thessalonians 5:14-15, Paul goes on to exhort us to treat others justly and work for their genuine good…never seeking after personal retaliation when wronged. My absolute favorite quote from Mother Teresa sums all this up perfectly when she said, “People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies; succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you have anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it’s between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway.”
How certain were you that the sun would come up this morning? Hosea uses the dawning of the morning sun and the timely rains for farmers to compare to God’s reliability. These reoccurring events of nature that revive & renew the earth are dependable and trustworthy…we just expect them to happen. That’s how certain we should be about God’s promises to us. That’s because He is a Covenant-keeping God and He desires restoration over destruction of His people. So we should persevere not only to know Him, but to grow in our relationship with Him.
In these verses Jesus points out the birds of the air and their absolute trust in what the future holds for them…and that our worrying changes nothing. So why do we spend so much of our time worrying about things we don’t really have control over? The key word here is being in control. When we have no control over the situation, anxious thoughts crowd in. We fret and stew …agonizing over things beyond our control…thinking that somehow worrying about them will change things…but the only thing that changes is our worrying, which leads to uncertainty, which leads to a faltering of our faith and lack of trust in the only One Who can change things. Lord, I know my life is but fleeting and all my worrying will not change a single thing . Please lift this weight of worry from my heart and walk beside me continually reminding me that it’s You in control. Amen.
Have you ever considered this…God has specifically place you in your current job as His missionary? That’s right, your mission field is your workplace. But too often we become discouraged when we look at our very worldly place of employment and think anything we say or do will never make a difference. Paul voiced this same concern in Philippians 2:16…wondering if he had run or labored in vain. But Paul also modeled for us how to strive on with the work God had given him. His walk with the Lord was manifested in the work of his hands…always seeking for the ultimate purpose in his life… Paul’s success was found in his service to others. You go to work everyday regardless…why not labor for the Lord there, showing grace and mercy, kindness and excellence in His Name.
Fear goes around clothed in the “What ifs” of our daily life. Its grandest dress being the “What ifs” of the unknown. But we need only remember that there is no element of the unknown to God…for He knows all from beginning to end. So the “What ifs” of fear have no place in our true knowledge of Him…for within His deliverance is peace. And all we can then say is, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” (Hebrews 13:6)
The “Even if God does not” type of faith is forged in the valley of disappointment, pain, and grief. That’s because, we see God’s glory up on the mountaintop…but we must live it out in the valley…for that’s where true faithfulness is found. That’s where our faith is tested and tried…to a point where no longer is it a faith in faith, but a faith that transcends all imaginable limits…a faith, that no matter what God does, we will trust in Him. And probably the highest and greatest expression of this “Even if God does not” type faith comes from Job when he said, “Though He slay me, I will trust in Him.”
Troubling thoughts seem to grow and crowd our minds in the quiet of the night. Anxiety gives way to depression as our emotional strength waivers. David, Saul, Job, and Solomon were all God’s servants…all of them walking close to Him, yet all struggled with melancholy. Lord, in the darkness, be our light. Remind us that in our weakness You are our strength. We know that life carries great burdens…but neither are we meant to shoulder them alone. Let us look to You Lord, for we know You care for us & know all our needs…so we place our confidence in You.
God sees us. No, He really sees us. Psalm 56:8 goes so far as to say that God records and gathers our tears in a bottle. God sees us and He is our refuge and strength and an ever-present help in times of trouble.
God saves us. He saves us because we can’t save ourselves. ” Don’t put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.” (Psalm 146:3)
God sends us. Yes, that means you! “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” (II Corinthians 5:20) He sends you to do good works which God prepared in advance for you to do.
God supplies. If He calls, He will supply. And God is faithful…He will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
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