Boldness requires confidence

(2 Corinthians 10:10 TNIV) For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing."

If your confidence is in yourself then your boldness does not fade but if your confidence is in the Lord then you must learn how to listen, I mean really listen and that is hard to do when your mouth is open. While I do believe it is possible to grow in the Lord to the point that He empowers you and gives you a holy boldness so often that it becomes descriptive of who you are but most boldness I see today is from people’s abilities and their dependence on those abilities to take them where they want to go. Unfortunately, that takes them away from the place where the Lord’s voice is most easily heard, not to it.

As I become more mature I find myself striving to remain, throughout the day, the person I am in the morning. For in the morning I hear the Lord’s voice and I feel His presence as I read and study His Word and I share with Him my concerns with Him but as the day goes on I begin picking up weights and putting them in my satchel as I throw it over my shoulder. These weights of responsibility and concerns come at such a pace I rarely have time to ask my Lord what He thinks or listen for His reply. Sometimes so much so that my ability to hear becomes muffled, I imagine much like the sight of the blind man whom Jesus was healing and he told Jesus that men appear as trees walking around (Mark 8:24). So that’s when I slow down to listen closer. From the outside looking in I appear quiet and at times it must come across as lacking confidence and partly I do lack confidence, in my own abilities. That’s when I stop to listen and realize I can no longer hear God speaking. Usually at noon I walk and pray so that I will once again be mindful of Him throughout the remainder of the day but like Paul I am driven by something deep inside that many do not understand and if the Lord provides the opportunity for me to speak then I also know that He will also give me the boldness to speak it. So the things Paul speaks about in chapter ten are somewhat familiar and it blesses me as it reminds me I am not alone.

(Psalms 16:1-2 MSG) A David song. Keep me safe, O God, I've run for dear life to you. I say to GOD, "Be my Lord!" Without you, nothing makes sense.

(Psalms 16:11 MSG) Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.

Bragging with caution

Have you ever bragged on someone before they did the act based on their desire to do what is right? How did it turn out? Did you talk to them ahead of time to let them know a test was coming and people were watching to see what they would do? Did they arise to the occasion or did they stumble? You might be surprised, it happens more often than you would think. This is what Paul has done here concerning the Corinthians.

(2 Corinthians 9:2 TNIV) For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

It would almost seem that faith in the other person is required to do such a thing or could it be Paul caught a glimpse of what God was doing and therefore saw this test for the Corinthians as a minor obstacle because God was behind it all. If that were the case then the test was not only for the Corinthians but for Paul as well. The problem is introduced when the bragging comes from human pride, this never turns out well. It may not show up as a problem at first but the trap has been set and the fall will come. This I know for one reason only, in this case your eyes have been taken off of what God is doing and your dependence is no longer on the heavenly but the earthly.

(Proverbs 16:18 TNIV) Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

In all of life’s issues and questions Jesus is consistently the way through. When facing a problem drawing closer to Jesus is the answer. What was the difference in Paul’s boasting and the boasting of an unbeliever? Motivation. Notice I didn’t say because Paul was a Christian or a follower of Christ because even a Christian who loves God the eyes of that person can all too easily be taken off of God and put back on the flesh. It requires daily training and practice crucifying the flesh and a solid prayer life to keep our motivation in check but the reward is freedom in the spirit. Things that before led to difficulties and hardship now open the door through faith in Jesus to new possibilities but it becomes ever more vital that you step where and when the Holy Spirit says to, for we still cannot know the things of the spirit unless we allow God to open our spiritual eyes and ears for the purpose of His glory (read what happened to Peter in Acts chapter 10).

(Psalms 15:1-5 TNIV) A psalm of David. LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy mountain? Those whose walk is blameless, who do what is righteous, who speak the truth from their hearts; who have no slander on their tongues, who do their neighbors no wrong, who cast no slur on others; who despise those whose ways are vile but honor whoever fears the LORD; who keep their oaths even when it hurts; who lend money to the poor without interest and do not accept bribes against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.

That there might be equility

(2 Corinthians 8:11-15 TNIV) Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."

Paul spoke to the Corinthians about giving of themselves, for they had an abundance but the Mecedonian churches gave beyond the giving of the Corinthians, even though they had very little. For their generosity tested the Corinthians and Paul's challenge called them to meet the test.

I don’t know about the Corinthians Paul spoke to but I do know there are areas where I have plenty and sometimes I feel almost like I’m being used because of this gift or ability. That’s right giving doesn’t always involve money, we all too often excuse ourselves from giving when finances are tight, affectively shutting our eyes to what the Lord has called us to do. It is then we must look at our situation objectively and be willing to give away what the Lord has provided. What about skills or talents at which you excel and others are in need of to complete the task the Lord has laid on their hearts? Do you think God gave them that desire so they could fulfill it on their own? Remember if God calls you to do something is it not beyond your own abilities, does it not required faith, action, and recruitment of others? Then why can’t you see God’s call on others? Are you good with computers? Do you know someone who needs your help? How willing are you to help without complaint? Do you make yourself available or do you hide when they come looking? What about spiritual matters, have you felt hard-pressed as of late? Have you not felt God walk with you through this trial, has He not revealed secrets to your spirit? Then use that to help the brother you see struggling or your sister that needs encouragement, be willing for God to use you to do something big in the life of another. “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.”

King David spoke of those who were selfish, those who did evil, those who did not give of themselves… and their responsibility to those with less and he reminds us of the Father’s love.

(Psalms 14:6 NIrV) You who do evil make it hard for poor people to do what they plan to do. But the LORD is their place of safety.

(Psalms 14:6 MSG) Do you think you can mess with the dreams of the poor? You can't, for God makes their dreams come true.

Is Hell real?

I recently heard a recording scientists in Siberia made at the bottom of a hole they drilled 14.4 kilometers into the earth, it happened in the late 1980’s and the sound was frightening even today. Years later, for the most part it has been played down as a hoax or explained away by scientific reasoning, whether it was a made up story or facts that led to someone’s wild imagination or a cover up by someone or some government or man’s exploration knocking on the door of eternity, I’m not sure. Even those who made an honest attempt to track the source down could not verify whether it was true or not because the people with whom it originated seems to be confused or unwilling to tell what really happened but strangely enough there are some facts that remain constant and even unrelated stories of other drillings into to the earth’s crust confirms certain facts, such as the intense heat at great depths.

What’s even stranger to me is that so many people have either argued that it is real or that it is not, while all along God’s Word says Hell is indeed a real place, as if to disregard what God has said on the subject. Do I believe scientist in Siberia drilled a nine mile hole into the earth; hit a cavity that released intense heat upwards of 2,000 degrees F. then lowered a special microphone developed to listen to the earth’s plates move but instead heard voices screaming in torment for nineteen seconds before it burned up? I’m not sure but I do believe God’s Word is trustworthy and I know that Jesus tells of a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Some say God cannot condemn someone to such a place or if He did it couldn’t be forever but what if we chose to go there? You say that is ridiculous but do you also believe Pharaoh made the choices that brought about plagues on his kingdom or do you believe God did it? How many chances did Pharaoh have to do what was right? In the end believing something isn’t true doesn’t make it go away, no shutting our eyes while walking only causes the fall. There are certain things God cannot do, such as take back the freewill He gave mankind, it was by this freewill that Adam and Eve were forced out of the garden, never to return, because of choices they made. In spite of all God has done to keep us if we willingly decide to live our lives apart from the laws He has set in motion then the consequences we face are because of our own choosing and believing with every fiber within us God would not send us there is a lie from an enemy already bound for this place. By mixing part truth he confuses and confounds people because of the hatred he has for God, knowing God loves people. God will have the final word, at the final judgment but it is the choices we make that determine our fate before we ever stand before Him and once this body dies our ability to choose will be no more. It is ours to own, whether we live according to the law He has given, that is what decides where we spend eternity.

Relational Currency

Have you noticed how two different people can say the same thing to the same person and one is accepted and the other isn’t? When Paul wrote to the Corinthians concerning an error they were making he acknowledged that the things he said hurt them…

(2 Corinthians 7:8 TNIV) Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—

The difference is relationship, the Corinthians knew that Paul would give his very life if it were required to keep the Corinthians close to God. He instructed them as he watched them grow and he prayed for them as he received reports during his travels. Paul had developed relational currency with the Corinthians so that when tough things needed to be said he was able to say it without having them turn away. Too many times we come into situations where tough things need to be said and we blurt it out. We either think that simply because it is true that is all that is required and we simply lack the love and care as we announce our own righteousness or we never stop to think about whether our relationship with that person is strong enough to receive it. Either way the devil has his way when the one delivering the message does so without first getting into the trenches with the one they say they care for.

(Proverbs 27:6 TNIV) Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Love your neighbor, your co-worker, your family, your friends so that when tough times come and speaking the truth means it might cause pain you will have the currency to do so without jeopardizing your relationship with them and you will have an assurance your message will be received thereby cause that person to move towards God instead of impeding their progress.

(Psalms 13:5-6 TNIV) But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.

No good thing can be accomplished but through Christ

No matter the battles won or the foes defeated on my own I am nothing. Maturity in the Lord would tell me to be on guard against the belief I had anything to do with previous victories but the flesh is strong and continually offers reasons why I can wield weapons on my own. However, my spirit has learned the lesson of listening and my soul recognizes my Savior’s touch gently leading me where I am to go. Sometimes I can see what is on the horizon and I can feel my flesh cringe, knowing what is to come may cause pain or sorrow but my spirit knows God has promised purpose and ultimately I know He knows best.

(Jeremiah 17:9 MKJV) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Without Christ my heart is entirely selfish, my motives for the things I do benefit me alone. However with Christ my heart is renewed so that it resembles the heart of my Savior and King but to turn from Him is to return to that which was left behind. Again the mature follower of Christ recognizes even the smallest bits of selfishness and cast them aside therefore maintaining a continuity of Christ’s likeness in all that he or she says and does, not for their glory but the glory of the One that leads them and there my friend is the battle and unending struggle. For in this life I am required to face opposition, how many times have I cried out to Jesus to take away the things that so easily beset me but this is the one question that remains unanswered and persistently unresolved. It would seem there are victories ahead of me and it is through these victories my spirit is strengthened yet there remains battles that will not be won until Jesus returns or this life is over, which causes me to remain at the feet of Jesus, on my face, so that I will know just how desperate I am for His guidance. In the end the difference between the believer and the sinner is the understanding of condition of one’s own heart and your inability to change it without Christ.

Why so personal?

Most of us spend a good portion of our lives trying to keep things hidden, we hide things from our boss, we hide things from our pastor, we hide things from those that enforce the law, we hide things from our wives, we hide things from our husbands, we hide things from our children, we hide things from our parents, we hide things from friends and family but what if you were in a situation where those things were revealed, at least one side anyway? What if people began to form opinions about you based on what others said and did so without ever asking you if it was true or not? What if those opinions began to affect your life so much you began to feel boxed in or at least limited by what they believed to be true? Jesus said in Matthew 13:57 “Only in their own towns and in their own homes are prophets without honor.” This is not to imply that we are holy or righteous like Jesus but rather that people’s opinions are formed on what they believe to be true, whether it is true or not and being as such these opinions limit their own ability to see what is right in front of them. In affect they willingly place blinders on their own eyes and then go around telling everyone they know the way. Jesus asked the people, “why worry about the speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” Matthew 7:3

When your private matters have been exposed for all to see somewhere from deep down inside you begin to yearn for the truth to be known, not in part but the whole because a partial truth is still a lie and you know even those who so freely offer opinions about how to run your life have things of their own they are hiding. Job did not have good things to say about his “friends” who offered advise (Job 13:4). You don’t long for truth to be made known so those on the outside looking in can go through the same thing you did but rather you long for truth because that is what really matters, in all of our lives the façade we work so hard to hold up must come down if real growth is going to happen and it is understood that one day each of us will come face to face with the whole truth and each one will have to deal with what they have or have not done. You see on that day what your neighbor did will not be so important but that day is not here yet, still it calls out to my soul.

What if once the pain and frustration of your private life being exposed has subsided you begin to see God’s footsteps for your life, knowing His opinion is the only one that matters and what once was slander now becomes freedom because other’s opinions simply doesn’t matter anymore. What if the very thing the enemy was using to cut you down God made a stepping stool so you could see clearly above the crowd? If all these things happened to you would you be more inclined to share what is in your heart? Knowing if people are that interested in your life, they should at least hear it from you.

I believe in telling the truth in love, for it will not be of gain if I cannot learn to do that. Once I hurt someone, their heart’s door will be closed to whatever I have to say. However, I also believe it is better for us to step into the light of our own free-will than to be exposed to the light while working in the darkness.

(Matthew 6:22-23 GNB) "The eyes are like a lamp for the body. If your eyes are sound, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eyes are no good, your body will be in darkness. So if the light in you is darkness, how terribly dark it will be!

That being said there are still thoughts, ideas, struggles, habits, temptations, and sin in my life that I do not share in whole because there is an enemy and he uses these things to build walls, to divide, and conquer. Therefore, I do not want to provide him the means to build a stronghold in my life but I can tell you each time I write in this journal I have either come through or battling or about to enter what I wrote about. Even Paul, though he spoke of sin and struggles in his own life did not offer details – read 1 Timothy 1:15, Romans 7:18, Hebrews 12:1. Sin is not always easily seen, some of the worse sin happens within and therefore cannot be judged by anyone but God. Still we are told to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another (James 5:16) and the person willing to open up to you and pray with you that person is trustworthy because he/she knows and is obedient to God’s Word. So I tell you I am open about my life with the reader and I can tell you there are certain things I know about the reader such as what country they are from, such as United States, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Poland, France, United Kingdom, and many others and I also know which post gets the most hits or how many hits my blog gets in a day, week, or month but more importantly I pray for you almost every morning and though I don’t know who you are God does. He knows what you are going through, He knows where you’ve been, and He knows what is to come and so I encourage you to open up to others about what God is doing in your life. Be willing to tell them how you struggle, make it real, and make God’s goodness known. In this way you will encourage others to open up as well. Many times I wonder if I have said too much and sometimes I have removed something I posted, if God leads me to do that but I am more concerned fear will keep me from posting something God says to share and He reminds me that He’ll take care of everything else.

Out of the mouth the wound speaks

Like a warning light the things you say indicate the condition of the heart and if the wound is not addressed and dealt with it will continue to speak for you. Things will come across your own lips that astound even you and you will wonder why you are so easily frustrated. It is so easy to down play things that hurt our hearts, “it’s no big deal” or “she has issues” or maybe “he’s being a jerk”. We know these things shouldn’t bother us so we act like it doesn’t and maybe it’s possible for some not to be bothered by them, though I suspect by means of self-preservation they disconnect from their feeling so that seemingly trivial things simply shed off “like water on a duck’s back” but for those who find it difficult to separate themselves from the barrage to the heart the longer these things are not addressed the more sensitive you become, until one day you look in the mirror and realize your life is defined by the frustration you have allowed to control your actions.

I love my wife dearly and would do anything for her but many times I have foresight (often through prayer) about a situation and I ask her to do something differently before it becomes an issue, she’ll appear to listen then go about doing whatever she was doing before as if I said nothing at all. Of course some ill comes of it that not only impacts other people but bad circumstances compound causing the hole to be deeper than before, confirming what I previously felt and the wound is set. If this happened once or twice no big deal, I would assume I didn’t make myself clear or she was distracted or maybe didn’t understand the weight of what I was saying but when it is a regular occurrence and I don’t address the issue of her not listening when I speak to her from my heart strange things start to come out of my mouth – that is the wound speaking!

I don’t want the wound to speak for me any longer I want to lead her as Christ leads me. This is but one example of how the heart is wounded. Wounds can come from work, friendships, church, basically anytime other people are involved the heart is vulnerable. Though it sounds like God may have made a mistake, what we fail to see is that this is by design. Through relationships with others we have the opportunity to mimic Christ’s example, in a small way we are able to give away freely what was given to us and it is by this means we are brought through the fire and refined. Will we trust God to protect our hearts while we go about doing the work He has given us to do or will we withdraw in a frail attempt to protect our own human hearts?

Most who know me know I love to ride my motorcycle, secretly sometimes I just need to get away from everything which explains the chopper style Victory Vegas, it was good for a passenger only if you were going a couple blocks but what if I allowed God to take the wound and cause strength to grow in its place? Recently God has placed a few people in my life that brought some of these things to light in my life and from unexpected places such as work and family who live in another state and some from a church that I don’t go to but many years ago worked for. As each person spoke to me it confirmed what God has been saying for a long time. Yes I have been brought to a place where change is staring me in the eye. Things have been unbelievably difficult and I’ve come close to losing a great many things God has provided but one thing has remained – His love for me and His strength to grow instead of wither and die! It’s amazing how well you can hear God’s small still voice when everything else is stripped away. There is a song that talks about choking on the gifts the world gives and I realize these “gifts” of the world is like being in a very large crowd, wanting to get to someone you can see on the other side but unable to get there because of all the people going the other direction. Likewise I’ve been able to see God and my spirit wants to get closer but stuff I’ve surrounded myself with has become a strong current that leads my flesh in the opposite direction and my spirit has been weak and unable to make progress.

As I wrote yesterday I now feel I am in a time of God’s favor, the decision has been made to let go of certain things and cling to others and I am at rest. No doubt God is preparing me for the work ahead but I have learned something of great value – the importance of listening and somehow I need to win the heart of my wife so we can continue to learning this lesson together. God’s blessings are great and what He has been doing inside of me is amazing! There are even outward tokens of the inward change – one being I have a good career that could have been jeopardized but God said, “No” and the enemy had to flee. I now pray that I will be a blessing to my employer and to those I work with, as to be an ambassador of God’s great love and so that I may continue to bless and lead my family. God is also healing old wounds as I recently addressed them with someone very special to me – my daughter and I see a green shoot sprouting up in our relationship, a place that was once barren and dry. There are many more wounds that need to be addressed and as God leads I pray that I am faithful to follow and reveal my still sensitive heart. Oh, one more thing the Vegas is gone and in its place is a bike that’s made for two and Gloria is excited about riding with me! God is good, may my heart and mind remember all that He has done and may my spirit continue to find His strength so that I may keep Him first in all things, effectively rowing up stream. The battle will not be won all at once and sometimes growth will be slow to come but the key is keeping my eyes on the One who makes all things possible.

(Galatians 6:9 TNIV) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

God's favor

(2 Corinthians 6:2 TNIV) For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

I believe regardless of what you are going through this very moment we (mankind) are in a time of God’s favor, for there is nothing that has been withheld from us, no not even salvation even though we could not afford it. God gave to Adam rule over all the earth and the creatures there in and today we exploit the earth and every living thing on it for our own benefit but we have forgotten the One who gave it to us and though He has shown us mercy and grace we do not follow His example. One day God will take back what we have mismanaged and sin and death will be no more, for it is not the fault of the good God that bad things happen but the sinful, selfish decisions of man. But those who chose to follow Him with their lives He will make new, to those who have been faithful, to those who have not forgot the Creator and the Giver of these things we call ours, to them will He give all that He has been preparing, for these will be the ones who He welcomes into that holy city and they will worship the Father in a new place never seen before by human eye and they will be called His beloved, yes then we will know the full extent of His favor, for the Father’s heart cries out for His children and his children will run to Him never to be separated again. So if you don’t know the Creator as Abba Father… now is the day of salvation.

(Psalms 12:7-8 TNIV) You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about while depravity is honored by the human race.

To be reconciled

(2 Corinthians 5:18-21 TNIV) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We are all messengers of Christ Jesus, for there is nothing more important than the message of what Christ has done for us and in us. Through the sin of mankind we were separated from God, not just physically but spiritually. We simply did not have the currency to pay the debt that was owed but Christ Jesus reconciled us with the Father so that we once more could walk with Him as Adam and Eve did in the garden. Our highest calling is to be instruments the Master may use so others might know the work that was done because of the Father’s great love for all of us. To not answer the call as an ambassador of God is to disregard the work Christ did, in affect setting it aside for lesser things that would fill our lives. We cannot know what that does to God our Father and so we strive to live as His Word directs, to love Him with all of our heart, soul, and strength, and to love others as we love ourselves, even those who have seemingly set themselves against us. For we know it is not us that they come against but if we are living the life Christ has shown us then they are coming against Him who lives in us and when we are not living as we should those who come against us are not of God but are being used by the enemy; either way the enemy that we fight is not of flesh, bone, and blood but of the spirit. Even still we cannot lose sight of what we have been called to do – show the world the reconciliation power of our Lord Jesus Christ by loving God and His people.

(Psalms 11:7 TNIV) For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face.

Only the Overcomers

We want to be overcomers but if God gave us what we hoped for (the easy life) we would live out our days with nothing to overcome! Without adversity no one can say he or she is victorious, for victory comes by facing the enemy and we know that our God reigns and the enemy is already defeated because of the work Jesus has done. Yet you too shall be required to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, even though the work has already been completed. The victory is now but not yet, you are an overcomer but still you must pass the test. It’s all about faith; do you trust God to provide? Do you trust Him with your heart? Do not be easily satisfied with things of this world but choose to set be apart, separated for the Master’s purpose.

(Romans 8:37 TNIV) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

(Revelation 2:11 MKJV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.

(Revelation 3:5 NIrV) Those who overcome will also be dressed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life. I will speak of them by name to my Father and his angels.

(Revelation 3:21 MSG) Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That's my gift to the conquerors!

(Revelation 21:7 GNB) Those who win the victory will receive this from me: I will be their God, and they will be my children.

OVERCOME, (Webster)

1. To conquer; to vanquish; to subdue; as, to overcome enemies in battle.

2. To surmount; to get the better of; as, to overcome difficulties or obstacles.

OVERCOME, v.i. To gain the superiority; to be victorious.

To those who say being a Christian is for the weak and are for those in need of a crutch, I say what are you afraid of? Do you fear being led by the unseen or like the rich young ruler do you fear what will be asked of you? For he worked hard to obtain the position he enjoyed among men but in the kingdom of God he was poor and had not the currency to enter into true riches. To those who choose to bow before the Lord now, of their own free will, you not surpass hardships, no instead things will become more difficult in this life so that you may be called “overcomer”. If the Master faced these things why would not His disciples? I would not ask for difficulties, for they find me on their own but when difficulties come I know that I am being prepared for His purpose and one day this race will be ran. I want to finish strong, without stumbling or hesitation I will run into the loving arms of my Savior.

(Matthew 10:25 MKJV) It is enough for the disciple that he is like his master, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household?

Pressed but not crushed

(2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NLT) We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

Our purpose in this life and the one to come is to bring glory to our Lord and Savior. We do that through the way we live and this life of Christ living in us will naturally bring other believers to Him and not us, pointing the way for more and more to see and know the Truth. For those who do not yet know Jesus the truth has been hidden by an enemy they are unaware of. In the end God will raise us, as Jesus was risen and a great multitude will praise Him for all that He has done and for who He is. So do not despair, do not fear, for God is with you, as you remain in Him. Press on towards the mark for that which awaits us far out shines the darkness we now face. The day will come when the One we believe in will wipe the tears from our faces and we will take His hand as we are led into our final destination, which is not the end but the beginning for we cannot even imagine what is in store for those who decided to follow the One who guides our spirits in this short time we like to call ours.

(2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

(Psalms 9:1-4 MSG) A David psalm. I'm thanking you, GOD, from a full heart, I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy; I'm singing your song, High God. The day my enemies turned tail and ran, they stumbled on you and fell on their faces. You took over and set everything right; when I needed you, you were there, taking charge.

Who I was made to be

(2 Corinthians 2:6-8 GNB) It is enough that this person has been punished in this way by most of you. Now, however, you should forgive him and encourage him, in order to keep him from becoming so sad as to give up completely. And so I beg you to let him know that you really do love him.

What’s our purpose when we punish those who have wronged us? Is it for revenge, is it because of unforgiveness? How often do we stop what we are doing and think what is God’s purpose in this situation? Throughout God’s Word He makes it very clear that the law was given so that people would know their own sin, their own short comings, and ultimately their need for a savior. God prepared man’s heart for a savior by giving them the law through Moses first, likewise we are to stand up for what is right and true and make God’s Word known, we are not to join the wicked or even a brother of sister who makes bad choices and sometimes that requires tough decisions from us, especially if they are someone who we hold close. The goal is to keep this person from falling any further than they already have, hold them by God’s love, and point them back to Jesus. However, to try and get even for the pain they have caused and to make sure they hurt as bad as we did that attitude is not of God and quite possibly even worse and the punishment from God even more severe, read Matthew chapter 18. You see being called Christ’s is not so easy after all. Belonging to Christ Jesus means taking up our cross, forsaking what comes natural to our flesh and following in His footsteps. This requires us keeping our eyes on Him and our ears open to the moving of His Holy Spirit by what other means do we expect to walk a path unseen, by what other means do we expect to do in the spirit what is impossible in the flesh?

(Psalms 8:3-6 NIV) When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

Lord, because you have placed us in a place of authority therefore, You also require of us great responsibility. Help us to not forget nor take for granted this place You have given unto us. We know that You are faithful to forgive, help us to do the same with reckless abandonment. In your Son’s name, I pray amen.

What will it take

Son: How many times must I forgive?
Father: Have you sweated unto blood? Have you carried a cross that was not yours up a hill to a place you did not belong? Why do you ask me such things, when you know what was required for your forgiveness?
Son: But Father my heart is heavy and filled with pain.
Father: I know son, won’t you give those things to me instead of carrying them yourself?
Son: But Father if I do who will make sure justice is served?
Father: Am I not just? Am I not holy? There is yet another reason you cling to unforgiveness.
Son: I am mad that this wrong was brought down upon me and I want the person who wronged me to know what it is like. Father how could you let this happen to me, I trusted you!
Father: So you willingly forsake my ways so that you may hold onto unforgiveness and anger? Is it not enough that I walk with you and before you guarding you from the enemy? Do you not believe I will keep you until the end of this journey? You know I cannot let you stay like this, yet disobedience remains. Have you not seen with your own eyes the slave set free, the broken made whole, and the weak made strong? Did they change on their own, through their own strength or was it because they realized their own hopelessness and believed in me? If change does not come then you will miss all that I have planned for you.
Son: Don’t I have a right to be mad? I know you love me but I am just not ready to forgive.
Father: Son there are things you must learn and you will start with the trying of your faith not for punishment sake but so you may grow, yet it is not I that brings you to this place but your own choices but even still I will remain with you and though you must go through this it will be I who delivers you.

What is it about us that causes this self-reliance? There certainly have been enough times that things haven’t worked out as evidence that we don’t know the way but unfortunately there have been just enough times when things did work out that keeps us looking for something in ourselves that does not exist. For those who are determined to find the answer within themselves beware for your very lives hang in the balance. God is all about growing us through Christ Jesus and if we chose not to acknowledge Him in times of blessing then by our own choices we will face hardship but not all who go through hardship do so because of their own bad choices but all will change. Those who trust God grow and those who don’t will fall away, saying God is unfair, opening the possibility to do what they always wanted and follow their own blind eyes.

(2 Corinthians 1:9-10 NLT) In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.

Be courageous

(1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT) Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

This life is difficult, it is rewarding, it is vast in experiences of many kinds but we are to remain true to the call upon our lives. There will be instruction, there will be things that have to be done that we will not feel like doing but that does not change our responsibility. For this life is a race and each one must run with all that is within and run with hope and peace and endurance. Each one must be courageous putting aside the things that would weigh them down. Know this, sacrifices made now will be counted as nothing when we see the Lord’s promise with our own eyes. O, weary traveler remember those who have gone before you now watch with anticipation every step you make; they are cheering you on whether you knew them or not because they now know God’s promise is true and though you cannot always see it every step brings you close to home.

(Hebrews 12:1 NLT) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

(Luke 13:29 NLT) And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God.

King David was not concerned what other thought about his relationship with God, it simply did not matter to him. What did matter is that God’s help was always near and that the Lord heard him and because God was faithful to His servant David’s heart grew close and his mouth filled with praises continually.

(Psalms 7:17 NLT) I will thank the LORD because He is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Patience is a virtue

(James 1:2-4 MKJV) My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

Why does the trying of my faith work patience – because I am human and being as such I will fall many times in this life but one thing remains, one thing is true, for I have been bought with a price and I am no longer my own but God’s. For He is with me and He goes before me, therefore I trust Him to lead me where I need to go even though I know not where that is still I will hold tightly to His hand. Though things do not go the way I plan I patiently wait for Him, knowing His timing is perfect and His direction is keen, beyond that of any human understanding. He is my source of hope and I have committed to walk in His footsteps throughout this life; I will not turn to the left or the right though my own eyes would deceive me. I am but a child, my mind is weak and my eyes are dim but He who leads me knows and sees all things from the beginning of time until this life is over and beyond that He will not cease to be who He is for He is the one who has defeated death and the grave and victory is mine if I remain in Him.

(Psalms 139:8-10 NIV) If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

So I should count all trials and test in this life as joy, not because I enjoy stumbling or being knocked to the floor but because I know there is purpose in enduring, for when the honing is complete the result will be a fine edge that the Master will faithfully use as He sees fit. Those times when the Master allows me to see clearly I am made aware that this abrasive whetstone is removing the hard crusty scales that cover my heart. You see God wants to use me and you but we have allowed pain and circumstances of life to harden us. While in process it feels like the hardened outer shell is right and natural, after all it covers our vulnerability as did the fig leaf cover Adam and Eve’s nakedness but it is that hardened outer layer that prevents us from being who God meant for us to be and therefore it must be removed before we can be used by Him who created us. It is like taking pain medication to reduce the pain we feel, not knowing the pain is pointing to something of utter most importance we then walk around in a fog not able to feel or think clearly and miss the deeper meaning. Not all of life equals pain for there are many things to be happy about but this one thing I know what little insight I have comes from being able to sense God’s still small voice and being sensitive to the moving of His Holy Spirit; for the things of the spirit are a mystery, who can know them but God and when we are so concerned about protecting ourselves from feeling any pain we miss the purpose of life, stumbling around in a spiritual fog therefore we miss the opportunity to be used for His higher purpose.

(James 1:12 MSG) Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.