Words are the most powerful weapon and have a long-lasting impact. May we live and leave behind a legacy of love and hope through the words we speak.
Have you ever been encouraged by someone else’s words? A friend? A family member? A teacher perhaps?
The word encourage is defined as “to speak courage into”. To speak courage into! How many times have we needed that in our own lives? And what a great comfort when we find it. Some of the best words stick with us for a lifetime. Their power seems only to increase when the one who spoke them is no longer around.
Legacy of Love
This year has been one of those years where I have visited the funeral home far too many times and the newborn nursery not nearly enough. The world has lost a lot of good men. But when I begin to think back on some of the truly great people I have known in my life, I realize they are never truly gone. Their words still linger long after their physical bodies have left this world behind. They have left a legacy of love and light that inspires the rest of us to be better.
Listening to all of these eulogies got me to thinking, what do I want to be remembered for when I am gone? What do I want to leave behind?
Words Matter
While words can be used to bring people together, they can also be used to rip them apart. Just one quick glance on social media tells you that words are oftentimes used more like a sword to cut people down than a hand to lift them up. If you want to see just how hateful and vile man can be, look no further than the comment section of any news post.
Words are the most powerful weapon any of us have. The words we speak to others, the words we speak to ourselves, have a long-lasting impact that will persist long after any physical injustices have healed.
The most useful piece of advice you learn in any writing class is the significance of the first and last sentence—this is the main impression you will leave your audience with. In the beginning of the Bible, the very first official act, God speaks light into existence. What greater example could He leave us with?
And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:3-4
Speak Light
Our words have the power to build people up or tear them down. They have the ability to encourage or inhibit. Our words can promote peace or harbor hate. Each moment, each breath, each word we speak. We only get one choice, so what will it be?
The tongue can bring death or life;
Proverbs 18:21a, NLT
Each day is a new chance to choose, choose wisely. While things are stronger where they were once broken, if not allowed to heal properly, they leave scar tissue that never fully heals. Be the balm that soothes the weary soul, the cast that helps strengthen someone’s broken areas.
Use your words to build people up, so they can rise up!
Speak Life
Not only did God speak light into existence, but He spoke life into existence.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.”
Genesis 1:26
But God did not just create life, He created us to live that life fully and with purpose.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10
And there is no greater way to live a life in abundance than by giving to others. There is no greater purpose than to love others and bring them to the One who is Love. Sometimes we may have nothing more to give than our kindness–our kind words, our kind deeds. Currency is not only made of green paper.
In my job, we are required to take a CPR class every two years to learn how to resuscitate someone if the need ever arises. Luckily, it hasn’t. But I wonder, how many times have I come across someone in need of emotional resuscitation? Someone who needs me to breathe life back into their situation? Or someone who needed me to circulate fresh air—a fresh way of seeing things—into their lives? How many times have you? And how many times have we been too busy to even recognize the warning signs?
Words Pierce the Darkness
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1,4-5
May our words be used to build others up, today and every day. Let our words be the balm that soothes the weary soul. Let our words be the light that leads people out of the darkness. Finally, let our words be the light that leads others to salvation through Christ.
Acting on our angry feelings is dangerous and invites a stronghold of sin to take root in our lives. But we can break through with God’s redemptive love.
Be angry and do not sin;
Ephesians 4:26, ESV
I’ve been desperately grasping for a reprieve from anger… grasping for peace amongst the storm of rage. Just when I think I’ve pulled it all together, something happens that creates a massive eruption of spew from my mouth.
Righteously Angry
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
Romans 12:19, NLT
I keep hearing about righteous anger, but I often wonder if I even have the ability to embody it. Is it possible for a human to have purely righteous anger? Are we able to knock over tables in righteousness…
Matthew 21:12-16, lays out the prime example used when we speak about Jesus’ anger. –I’ll have to be honest, there are times when I think it would be nice to tip some tables over in rage.– However, I would like to challenge our minds to think about the depth of His anger; think about how His anger differs from ours.
Jesus was perfect and blameless. Sinless. He had the ability to show care and bring restoration even in this heated moment. It grieved His heart to see the perversion that had become the Temple of the Lord, for the sake of His faithful.
But those who saw Jesus act and heard His words of conviction, praised Him. Children sang ‘Hosanna’! He overturned perversion and restored the innocent. This is not often the result of human anger.
Human Anger
I can’t account a time when acting on my anger brought about healing. In fact, I tend to lace my fury with the lie that it’s part of my healing process–Well, not if someone else has to heal because of it.
My heart aches. I can’t explain the pain and brokenness my false righteous indignation has caused. I can’t tell you how many messes I’ve had to clean up because I acted out my firey insides. Or how many times I’ve had to ask for forgiveness. Especially from my Savior.
We don’t get a pass on sinful anger just because we call it righteous. If you have to say it’s righteous, it probably isn’t. If you have to account for your actions during bouts of anger, you’ve probably been acting selfishly and, ultimately, sinfully.
Always the Ocean
A lot of life reminds me of the ocean. A lot of my relationship with God reminds me of the ocean. Always with the ocean. This time, thinking of anger… it’s captivating and extremely dangerous.
I know the curative therapy that is the sea; breathing in the salty air, diving into the warm water, letting the waves bring you back to shore. Its majesty lets you know you cannot tame it.
Oh, how small we are.
But that’s how enticing anger is. The eruptions like waves; believing in the false therapy following. Breathing in and out, in and out… Yeah, that’s not working. Diving into the heat of the moment. Its waves pulling you further from shore, with no hope of taming the rage.
Oh, how small I’ve become.
Take a Breath
Because I am still in this season, because I’m not on the other side of this lesson, I feel I should share what God is speaking. In trying to derive advice from The Ultimate Authority, a series of questions ran through my mind. I believe these will allow us to take a breath, evaluate our anger, and have to repent of sin less often.
Am I angry at what makes God angry… did this make filthy, what God made pure?
Am I being honest about my anger? Do I need to repent of these actions?
Do I have the ability to be angry and love at the same time? Is my anger meant to restore or tear apart?
Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to control my anger or am I harming those around me?
Freedom from Anger
Yes, these questions may help bring rational thought to a fueled moment, but how do we feel anger and not sin? How do we handle seasons of anger and break free from its bondage? As I said, I’m still in the thick of it, but these are my daily practices and convictions…
Self-control: Proverbs 16:32
Face to the floor prayer.
Take every thought captive: 2 Corinthians 10:5
Fasting.
Give NO opportunity to the devil: Ephesians 4:27
Biblical meditation.
Do good: Romans 12:19-21
Love God and keep His commands: John 14:15
God’s Peace
In these moments of helplessness, moments where rage takes over, I am reminded of how much I need the redemptive power of my Father. How much I need the freedom given through His blood.
Through His blood, we can repent of our unrighteous, sinful anger. We can be made whole, we can heal through His grace, not our rage.
His grace silences our haughty words. Silences our temper. It covers us and gives us the ability to approach His throne with the things that have broken our hearts. It allows God to speak:
That ocean you love so dearly, its majesty, its nature, its constant rhythm is my love for you. I am the ocean, unwavering, unstoppable, overwhelming, raging. The battle between the ocean and the shore, that’s my battle for you. For your freedom. That peace you feel, that’s my gift to you. No longer will you be a slave to this crashing bitterness. You are delivered. You are redeemed.
It’s easy to allow doubt to clog our minds. We must eliminate foolish, hopeless lies that distract us from living for Christ.
My dad manages an auto mechanic shop and he can tell you some crazy stories about clients and their cars. I heard this story about a car and a squirrel the other day on the radio. A lady took excellent care of her car and did all the proper maintenance, however, she noticed her car would not run over 40 miles an hour.
She took it into the shop to see if they could solve the problem. When the mechanic looked under the hood you will never believe what he found! A squirrel had packed her air filter full of nuts!!! The air filter was clogged and the car could not run properly. After the squirrel’s nuts were removed, the car ran like new!
What squirrels do we have in our spiritual lives that are keeping us from living for Christ? Squirrels–I am going to be honest–are one animal I really do not care for. There are so many of them and they are so annoying! Now, I know every animal serves a purpose according to God’s plan, but today we are going to talk about getting rid of the metaphorical squirrels in our lives.
The Foolish Squirrel
The definition of a fool is a person who acts unwisely or lacks judgment. Now I am sure all of us have fit into this category more than one time in our lives. But a fool is also someone who seeks to trick or deceive someone. The foolish squirrel is there to trick us into taking our eyes off of Christ.
A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.
Proverbs 18:2, NKJV
If we allow the foolish squirrel to trick us, then we become foolish as well. This keeps us from pursuing wisdom and happiness with the Lord.
The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:8, NIV
I do not want to become a fool and have my life in ruin as I am sure none of you do as well. Let us keep our focus on Christ and let His words bring wisdom and discernment into our hearts and lives.
Remember, when we fear the Lord (reverent obedience), then we begin to have knowledge. The foolish will always despise His wisdom and instruction. The book of Proverbs discusses the foolish and the wise. Get rid of the foolishness and seek wisdom instead.
The Hopeless Squirrel
There were days not too long ago when I felt hopeless. My heart and my life were broken and I felt no hope of ever being happy again. If any of you suffer from depression, then you understand this ache.
On those dark days, you think ‘why bother’ or ‘why should I try?’ This is when the hopeless squirrel comes to fill our mind with chatter. He feeds on our worries and doubts. This is when we know the devil is lurking and must not give in to his lies.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 10:10, NKJV
The Doubting Squirrel
When we give in to the hopeless squirrel, then we allow the devil to place seeds of doubt in our mind. If we are not careful, then we will start to doubt God. We will doubt His love, His will, and His plan for us.
Doubt is Satan’s sharpest arrow. Throughout the Bible, the devil has shot arrows of doubt in the human heart. I think back to the Garden of Eden where Eve doubted God’s warning. The children of Israel doubted God and ended up wandering 40 years in the desert. Sarah and Abraham both doubted God could provide a child in their old age, they even laughed at God.
I encourage you, not to give in to your doubts and fears. Is it easy? No! Is it worth it? Yes!
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is doubleminded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:5-8, NIV
Wow! Do we want to be double-minded and unstable, or do we want to seek wisdom from God?
Now that we know which squirrels are so destructive to our lives, how do we keep them at bay? Let your faith roar so loudly you cannot hear what doubt is saying!
Saturate your mind with God’s word and His promises. There are many wonderful promises in the Bible that are like gems waiting to be discovered. Hold His words in your heart and recite them when needed.
There are many days when I am driving down the road and the devil brings horrible thoughts to my mind or images that he knows will hurt me. During those times I recite the verses I have held in my heart over and over again. The doubt begins to lessen, the grip of hopelessness fades, and the foolishness goes away.
Stay faithful to the house of the Lord and the fellowship of believers. God reminds us of how important this is in Hebrews.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25, NKJV
We need the fellowship and camaraderie we find in our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need accountability, mutual friendship, understanding, support, and trust we find in God’s people. But, we also need the instruction and guidance we receive when we are faithful to the church. Do not let the foolish, the hopeless, or the doubting squirrels distract us from living our lives for Christ.
We can become comfortable on the plateau of faith, content in our relationship with Jesus. We must push through the up and down; run to Him everywhere, in everything, EVERY season!
Camp; A Wake-up Call
So, I just got back from a week at Young Life camp on Saranac Lake in New York. May I just say… Wow. Other than that, I have no idea where to begin unpacking the last 6 days. Every day consisted of crazy activities, great meals, laughs, singing until you lost your voice, and dancing until you couldn’t stand.
On the flyer, it says camp will be the best week of your life and that it’s worth every penny. But, there were definitely parts for me, as someone who is not a new believer, that just didn’t sit right or felt very elementary.
I think my main focus for writing this devotional, is going to be exploring why this week was so difficult for me despite all the amazing things happening around me. Where was God this past week? How can I discipline myself to go to God instead of myself? God is everywhere. How do I open my eyes?
Out of the Depths
This morning was my first time at church in a while and we studied Psalm 130. Out of the depths, I cry to you, O Lord! Monday and Tuesday were the hardest days I think and I’m not really sure why. I had a mild panic attack on each of those days and overall I was quite frustrated with myself.
Why can’t I just enjoy myself?Why must my anxiety follow me everywhere? Something really cool happened in all those instances though. I was able to reach out to God within moments of feeling anxious or unsafe. As I spoke with my leader during our one on one, the only thing I really had to say was how grateful I am that God has opened my eyes to how much I’ve grown in Him; how far out of the depths I’ve come, but also how much farther I still have to go.
He is Everywhere
I believe that everyone grows in one way or another at a camp like Young Life. Relationships are built, beliefs are challenged, and our foundations are shaken by the hard truths of why we’re really there.
This past week I believe that my growth was in my friendship with Jesus. I’ve said yes to a life with Him and I’ve been saved in so many ways, but growth within that relationship has plateaued recently. I’ve come out of the valley, but I’ve been walking straight ever since. No ups, maybe some downs, but overall just a great sense of stagnation.
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him.
Psalm 34:8, MSG
It’s as if I’ve said that now that I’m getting better, now that I am no longer in the depths, I have no need for Christ. So I’ve tried to set Him on a shelf until I need Him again. Thank God for His constant reminders of how helpless we really are and desperate we really should be. We cannot contain Christ. He is everywhere.
Final Thoughts
I’ve been in a season lately where I just feel off. Now I feel that season is coming to an end and now I am in a time of transition and growth. There is a lot coming up in my life and I think instead of running to God with my fear of the changes, I’ve turned to any and everything else.
But this past week has opened my eyes to the fact that God will be with me through the change and it really is as simple as that. Christ is in everything. He is everywhere. We cannot outrun Him. My prayer for all of you is that you can find rest in whatever it is that challenges you because God is in your midst. There is nothing you’re going through that He isn’t a part of.
Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
As new creatures in Christ, we must turn over all areas of our life to the Lord. When we do this–in ways large and small–He becomes our All in All.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8, KJV
“In Jesus’ name. Amen.” We hear these words so often. Typically at the end of a spoken prayer in church, at a Bible study, or around the dinner table. But what about in the rest of our day to day life?
What if we, as believers, were to apply these words to our entire lives? After the thoughts we think about ourselves and others? After the words we speak? When choosing the music we’re going to listen to or the movie we want to watch? When we’re considering whether to marry someone or start a family? How might our lives change if we were to apply these three words: “in Jesus’ name” to all that we think, say, and do?
All Means All…
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6, KJV
I looked up the definition of the word “all,” and guess what it means? All! Everything. The totality of a person or thing. The whole shebang! So if we are to trust the Lord with all of our heart and acknowledge Him in all of our ways, then every single aspect of our lives should reflect who He is. If we were to truly give Him our all, wouldn’t the choices we make look like His best for us in every situation?
Sometimes our choices feel small and of very little consequence. Other times, we face big situations that require very difficult decisions. But, as we commit to inviting the Lord into every choice–small or large–we make, we begin to see how His good and perfect will applies to all that concerns us. And, we don’t have to fret about the choices before us or worry whether we’ll make the right decision. If we’ll ask Him, the Holy Spirit inside of us helps us know the right thing to do at all times.
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
John 16:13, ESV
Small…
Here’s a small example…
My husband and I have always loved watching movies together. Pre-kids, that meant late date nights at the movie theater in comfy reclining seats, replete with an entire barrel of popcorn doused with “movie butter.” Don’t ask me what was in that stuff, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t actually butter, and I’m also positive that it tasted delicious!
These days, movie nights look a lot different. Showtime is at 8:30 p.m., in our living room, in our pj’s, on our non-reclining couch. A movie requires a full, strong cup of coffee after dinner just to stay awake, and the popcorn is a slightly healthier version.
But the setting and the movie butter aren’t all that’s changed. The content we regard as entertainment has shifted dramatically. So much of what used to captivate and thrill us now disgusts and saddens us. If a film is full of foul language, gratuitous nudity, violence, and empty, nonredemptive plots, we just won’t watch it. In other words, if I can’t say “in Jesus’ name” to my choice, I can’t press play.
The check in my spirit simply won’t allow me to sit through two hours of anything that doesn’t somehow uplift, inspire, or motivate us to live a more full, joyful life. Friends, we have to be careful about the choices we make, even in things as seemingly small as entertainment choices. Because if we aren’t careful, we can allow in “little foxes” of sin and doubt that seek to spoil our faith.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
Solomon 2:15, KJV
Big…
Now, choosing our entertainment is a relatively easy area to distinguish between dark and downright unholy and offerings that are good and wholesome. But there are other, bigger areas of our lives that hold much greater significance–like whom to marry, which job to take, whether to have children, how to respond to a health crisis, how to overcome an addiction, and such. In these areas, the “in Jesus’ name” litmus test applies to an even greater extent.
A number of years ago, I was struggling with a problem that falls into the big category. A drug addiction. As a relatively new believer, I had become a new creature in Christ, yet I hadn’t fully allowed all of my old, sinful habits to die. In other words, I wasn’t all in for the Lord.
Throughout high school, college, and through my 20’s, I smoked marijuana. I had wrapped so much of my identity as an artist into my identity as a pot smoker that I feared I couldn’t create anything good unless I was high as a kite. I recall many a late-night spoken word poetry and songwriting session punctuated by bong hits and coughing fits.
For years, I used this drug recreationally and never suffered a guilty conscience from inhaling ungodly amounts of smoke. Much less from flouting the law of the land! But once I asked Christ to come into my heart, I began to understand that what I was doing was wrong.
I knew that I was, in fact, sinning. Both by breaking the law and also by altering the chemical state of my brain–which was supposed to be a holy temple for the Holy Spirit. But for years, the pull and the desire to smoke weed held a very strong grip on me.
A Realization…
One day I was driving down the highway on a long road trip by myself. As I was singing the words of a new song the Lord was giving me, for some reason, my thoughts turned to the drug paraphernalia in my glove compartment.
Part of me really wanted me to do what I’d always done on road trips–pull out my trusty pipe and take a toke. But an even bigger part of me felt repulsed by the very notion. The Spirit inside of me was warring against the sinful choice I was about to make.
And in that moment, I had a realization. I wasn’t high, yet I was coming up with a new song! And in fact, I had a bunch of new songs that hadn’t come to me while I was smoking. Like a lightning bolt, the epiphany struck me: the source of the creativity inside of me was not the pot I was smoking. My creative gifts came straight from the Creator Himself. Buzzing from the excitement of this new realization, the Holy Spirit inside of me rose up, and I began to praise God.
Eventually, I did reach into the glove compartment. But it wasn’t to smoke a bowl. Instead, I grabbed the little embroidered bag that held my pipe, lighter, and weed, and I chucked it out the window. And I have never looked back. In retrospect, I guess I committed another sin that day–breaking the littering law. But I hope the Lord won’t judge me for that….or for my marijuana addiction!
Become New…
Beloved, when we allow all of the old things–our old sins, old ways, and our old choices–to pass away, we can begin to truly live a life where “all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17, KJV). Earnestly trying to apply “in Jesus’ name” to all that we do, clears the smoke in our vision. It allows us to see that so many of the things that used to please us were really chains that bound us.
Before I quit smoking pot, I thought that life wouldn’t be any fun without it. Like the ashes from my bowl, I pictured my creativity just drying up and blowing away. But I can tell you today, I feel better than ever. I’m having much more fun and I feel more creative than I ever did during those years when my entire life was shrouded in a smoky haze!
All in All…
The enemy wants us to believe that the Lord is a divine killjoy who wants us to live boring, mundane holier-than-thou kinds of lives. But friends, nothing could be further from the truth! When we walk away from all the old, sinful counterfeits, we are able to see that we serve a good God who wants to give us all things for a full, joyful, abundant life in Him.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
2 Peter 1:3, KJV
Beloved, if we’ll let Him–just like the old hymn says–He truly will be our “All in All.” In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Is there a small choice–“a little fox”–in your life that won’t allow you to say “in Jesus’ name” afterward? Maybe a big area of your life where you need the Lord to make all things new for you? Is He your All in All?
Everyone faces struggles. Some things we can avoid, but others we must endure. This is how we are able to find hope from pain.
A few years ago there was a Target commercial that really ticked me off. It was this woman who got up, made her children this beautiful, healthy breakfast, got them dressed and off to school. Then she got herself ready for her professional job where I’m sure she was incredibly successful. And, of course, she then went to the gym and worked out while beautifully sweating, only to come home and spend the evening laughing and playing with her kids.
What a load of crap. It irritated me because this is the pressure put on women. It isn’t fair! I can’t compete with that, and trust me – I’ve tried.
Now, there is another commercial that is irritating me. It’s for migraine medicine. This woman (because she isn’t hindered by migraines while taking this medication apparently) is so happy to play dress-up with her daughter. But it isn’t just simple silly dress up. It’s pirates and princesses. And then this grown woman is dressed up as a robot chasing her daughter. Seriously, it is a box robot costume like I made for my son when he was three. But her’s says “mom bot” on it. It is so obnoxious.
I mainly hate this commercial because it makes me feel like I am missing something. Or I need to be a different mom. Or I’m ruining my children because I don’t want to play with them. I know lots of moms who do love playing with their children. At least I feel like there are lots. I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t. I feel like I’m wrong because there are many times I honestly hate being a mom.
An Honest Struggle
The real struggle is that I don’t feel like I can be honest about this. Especially in Christian circles, where the role of motherhood is so honored. The moms who stay home are applauded for sacrificing for the needs of their children, but this attitude implies that women who work are selfish.
Honestly, I want to be a working mom. For years I was. I had my work-thing, then I came home and did the mom-thing. It was a good balance. Now I don’t know where I fit in. I’m home and I work which leads to constant distraction and aggravation. I want to be there for my children when they need me. I want to work. Sigh. I feel like I’m failing at all of it.
So here is my honest… I do hate being a mom at times.
I hate the constant noise, the disciplining, the toys and messes. And then I hate myself. I feel like crap because I know there are so many women who desperately want to be a mom. There are women who would love to work from home. There are women who would love to have a migraine free day to play dress up.
And so the downward spiral begins.
What can I do?
I can literally beat myself up. Numerous times I have left my legs bruised from hitting myself hard and repeatedly. I have punched a solid wood door – only once. That left me hurting for more than a week. I have hurled insults at my reflection I would never dream of thinking of anyone else.
I can distract myself. Typically it is work, but it can also be exercise or alcohol.
Or I can go to the Lord. And I do. Over and over. I pray, I read, I listen to encouraging messages. And still, motherhood does not get easier. I get angry, I get desperate, and I spiral around again.
Honestly, I hate writing about this. I would much prefer to talk about something I have already walked through and share how the Lord came through. I love those messages! But that is not this message. Because, let’s be honest, some of life’s messes take a long time to walk through. Sometimes God’s redemption seems a long way off. Sometimes we are hanging on by a thread. But I can’t just say “life is crap, good luck!”
Endure
What we do when there seems to be no end is ENDURE.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:3-5, NLT
Trials
For me, right now, this is motherhood. I’m struggling in it right now. For you, it may be finances, or chronic pain, or in your marriage, or any other multitude of life situations that are difficult to navigate. But we are to rejoice? Y’all, I don’t know if I’m ready for rejoicing just yet.
“Develop endurance…”
I can totally relate to this; I know what it means to train. There are 19 marathons, 4 half marathons, and 3 triathlons on these legs. Believe me, I know how to endure so that I can become stronger and faster.
To endure is to continue even when we are uncomfortable. And half of the battle is in the mind. When running a marathon, you cannot think about the fact that you have 21 miles to go at mile 5. You will panic. Right now, I need to not think about the fact that my daughter is not yet 4. I have too many years to go for that to feel helpful! And when our mind begins to shut down, our body will follow.
Last weekend, my 11-year-old son was mowing. It was hot, he was tired, he wanted to quit. But he told himself that he would get the front yard done. And he did. Then he pretty much collapsed and had a complete meltdown which is rare for him. But he did it because his mind told him to endure. Even though he was miserably uncomfortable.
Endurance is when we don’t stop when it’s hard. It requires the mind deciding not to give up.
But how do we continue when our bodies and minds have nothing left to give. This is when we acknowledge our limitations, surrender, and believe God’s strength will get us through.
“Endurance develops strength of character…”
This is where we begin to put the fruits of the spirit into action. It is where we learn to love when we don’t feel it, to have joy in the middle of struggle, to have peace in the middle of chaos, to be patient when we are frustrated, to be kind when we are treated unfairly, to do good in a world full of evil, to be faithful when we don’t understand, to have gentleness when we are angry, and to have self-control when we are tempted. This is the Character of God, and we have the ability to live like Jesus when we have the Holy Spirit within us.
“Character strengthens our confident hope of salvation…”
When we live out this character, our confidence grows in who God says He is. We know we have received the ultimate miracle of salvation. To be rescued from an eternity separated from God. Everything else… is icing.
“For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Love. Over the past several years the Lord has taken me on a journey to believe His love for me. It is His love for me that has given me the confidence to take risks. To keep putting myself out there, exposing my vulnerabilities, pursuing the visions He has placed inside me. But it was not until earlier this year I began to believe that God actually likes me too.
Don’t Give Up
Therefore, because of these struggles, I have hope. Hope that one day, I can rejoice with my children and celebrate all of the traits God has given them, and enjoy them.
Endurance is deciding in the mind to remain faithful even when we don’t feel it. Christ endured in obedience, and ultimately gained victory in defeating death.
It is ok to struggle in your struggle. It is not ok to give up. So endure on, dear sister. There is hope for victory in perseverance.
The wisdom of our elders can help us shape our lives in positive ways. Can we resist the urge to pave our own paths and let others disciple us?
We are in a tough stage in our household. Our six-year-old is learning at lightning speed. We have so much to teach him, but at the same time, his spirit of independence and self-reliance is growing at an alarming rate.
Sometimes, in sharing the wisdom we have from experience, we are met with ultimate resistance. He wants to do it his way. We are most probably wrong because he trusts that what he wants to be true, is true. We, as his elders, want to teach, mold, disciple. He grasps at every feeble toehold of independence he can find. He wants to already know, be fully shaped, and need no discipling.
Sometimes, we allow him to fail. Other times, we beg him to trust our years of experience so that he doesn’t have to fail. It is always hard to discern which will be better for him, but we know that at the end of the day, there are some things he really needs to trust us about.
Seeking Elders
We can often be just as resistant in our lives. I cannot tell you how many times, and from how many people, I have heard basic principles about handling my money. Despite having the wisdom of people who have more life experience and more success managing their money pour over me, I resisted; doing what I wanted and crossing my fingers in the hopes that everything would turn out just peachy.
Yet, when the time came that both my husband and I lost our jobs, we were not prepared to be able to survive even a full month on our salary. We had frittered away money on wants we spoke about as needs.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
1 Peter 5:5, ESV
The faith that my indwelling wisdom was enough to guide me in this area was full of pride. There is no humility in straying from a tried and true path just because we don’t like the flora surrounding it. We must seek out those who can feed wisdom in our lives. Though we can and will learn from our own risk-taking and failures, there is value in seeking out people to disciple us spiritually and practically.
The Wisdom of Age
So, how do we decide whose wisdom we should follow? Who would be our elders? Obviously, people who are older than us can have wisdom to impart from going through similar stages of life before we did. Their ability to see things from the other side of the finish line should not be dismissed. Why learn from your own mistake when you can learn from someone else’s? Or from their successes?
My father was a smart man, but he struggled to get through college. He took more than the typical four years to graduate. In those years, and in the ones that followed as he pursued his Master’s degree, he learned how he should have studied. He imparted this wisdom to me and my sister many, many, many, many times through our school years.
My sister, much more academically motivated than I, utilized his wisdom far more often than I did. She now has a Ph.D. I did well in college, but did as little as I could to achieve, and achieved far less than I could have. My dad’s wisdom, borne of his own foibles, would have helped me a great deal if I had just applied it instead of taking my easy way out.
The Wisdom of Experience
Sometimes, we go through different experiences at different stages in our lives. Many people raise their own siblings. People marry, have kids, get promotions at different ages. As a couple who married at a later point in our lives than most of our friends, we learn from people who are younger than us in age, but still our elders when it comes to experience. It is important to not just use age as a measuring stick for wisdom. Respect the story as much as the longevity.
Maturity can also be a distinguishing factor in who we rely on for guidance. This can be difficult to assess because it requires self-evaluation that we might not like. It is important, though. We need to recognize if someone is mature enough to choose logic over emotion when we react purely based on our feelings on a regular basis. We need to see balance in others where there is imbalance in ourselves.
Elders in Spiritual Maturity
Additionally, we all come to Christ at different ages and stages. This is a critical area of our lives to be aware of our own maturity, especially in comparison to others. We need to be discipled and we need to disciple others. This cannot happen if the perception of our own spiritual path is skewed. We can’t let pride, or shame, distort the truth.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Romans 12:3, ESV
While I truly believe we must each learn who God is through our own careful study of His Word, it is important to have good judgment about our own weaknesses. We need to listen if someone warns us that our ideas or actions do not accurately reflect the intent of the Word. The only way we can do this is to trust the wisdom of our elders and go back to the Word to reassess our understanding and application.
Favor Listening
In the end, we all want to be heard. It is a common turn of phrase to say that one finally felt heard. We have this need to express our thoughts, opinions, beliefs. Sometimes it is rooted in a desire to be affirmed. Other times we need to feel righteous. But God tells us repeatedly that listening is of far more value than speaking in most cases.
A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Proverbs 18:2, ESV
So, let’s not be foolish. Let’s find wisdom in others. Let’s push aside pride and be willing to learn from our elders. If you do not have at least one person who can qualify as an elder in your life, go seek one today. If you do, really analyze if you are listening to them to learn from their experiences and their relationship with the Lord. Only when we see this discipleship relationship in full action, can we seek opportunities to disciple others, positioning ourselves as elders in their lives.
Today’s interpretation of ‘compassion’ doesn’t compare to God’s intended design. The true nature of ‘suffering with others’ was perfectly exemplified through the life and death of Jesus.
When I entered my initial internship for hospital chaplaincy, I believed I was equipped both theologically and emotionally to provide the care my patients would need. After all, I was an adult who had already raised a family, taught the Bible for twenty years, and had experienced, (and had therapy for), several painful life events.
Astonishing – how wrong we can be when
we believe we’re so right.
The World’s Compassion
Chaplaincy internship involved many spiritual
books assigned to us, weekly theological reflections, group meetings/assessments
with fellow interns, and a weekly one-on-one with our supervisor. It didn’t take
long for most of us to ascertain that, while our theological training was imperative
and our life experiences significant, how these aspects came together to
minister care to a hurting soul was vital.
The word compassion is thrown around frequently in our culture. It seems the word is used to pull at our heartstrings and guilt us into performing a service. Or, to give to a cause in which someone, or an entity, believes we should. You know what I mean. I imagine your mailbox is full of the same appeals as mine.
Don’t you have any compassion
for these-
starving children
wounded vets
people with cancer
lost people
dying people in (name the country)
And if you’re a television watcher…well, the visual is worse.
Inadequate Compassion
While I was in chaplaincy, I was seeing a wonderful Christian therapist. At times, I felt overwhelmed and deeply inadequate by the needs I faced each day. My heart, my own compassion, could not handle the onslaught of pain and suffering. I remember the day I expressed this to her, and she told me, “I believe we already have a Savior to handle the world’s pain. We don’t need another one.” Ouch.
But the truth is, like so many other words in our world, compassion has been co-opted to take on a new meaning. Rather than the way, God, our Father used it, or Jesus used it, today it is used more as ‘feeling sorry for.’ With this meaning, we can throw money at the above list, or even a little time, feel warm and fuzzy, then go on our merry way.
However, in the Old Testament, where the Hebrew word is Racham, it is translated to ‘love deeply;’ it is used most often in Isaiah.
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Isaiah 30:18, NIV
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
Isaiah 49:15, NIV
Can
we fathom this love?
Suffering With
The Greek word splanchnizomai, “to be moved as to one’s inwards”, is used most often when referencing Jesus’ compassion.
That
one is a bit more difficult to grasp. Imagine your child with a raging fever
and your willingness to take his/her place just to ease the pain and suffering.
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:35-36, NIV
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14, NIV
As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’
Luke 7:12-14, ESV
‘Pain-Avoiders’
Henri
Nouwen describes it well in a book he co-wrote with two others.
The word compassion is derived from the Latin words pati and cum, which together mean “to suffer with.” Compassion means to go where it hurts, to enter into places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion into the condition of being human.
It is not surprising that compassion, understood as suffering with, often evokes in us a deep resistance and even protest…It is important for us to acknowledge this resistance and to recognize that suffering is not something we desire or to which we are attracted. On the contrary, it is something we want to avoid at all cost. Therefore, compassion is not among our most natural responses. We are pain-avoiders…
Henri Nouwen, et al, Compassion, A Reflection on the Christian Life
Full Immersion
Dear friends, sisters, is it not much
easier to remain at a safe distance from sufferers than to be in “full immersion”
with them? Wouldn’t we rather tweet: “I’ll pray for you!” with an added heart emoji
than go sit in silence with a depressed friend?
Let’s be painfully honest – it takes
little effort to say, “Let me know if you need anything,” but to take the initiative
to keep her kids one day a week? Seriously?
I find it much more challenging to experience
the powerlessness of someone in grinding poverty than to go to my intellect and
tell her about job opportunities. I prefer to inform her of the stage of grief
she is in than to weep and mourn with a sister who is mourning.
Because truly? While the practical answers
are necessary, they are not what Jesus meant by compassion.
Jesus’ Example
There was a time when I was very good at doling out useless offers and banal, spiritual phrases. Then cancer hit my family, (my dad, Gary,) and chronic illness, (me, mom.) Gary and I began hearing those words and good intentions coming our way. It didn’t take too many instances for God to reveal to me how insincere I had been.
When I had cancer three years ago, the same thing occurred with people I believed were close to me. While the experience was hurtful and disappointing, it helped me realize anew how little we understand suffering with each other. Even in the Body of Christ.
God, in Christ, loved us to such a degree that He stepped down to earth to redeem us. He was tempted and suffered in every way as we do, (Hebrews 4:15; Isaiah 53:5-6). Jesus is our supreme example of compassion, suffering with. He will enable us to do the same with others if we will ask.
Books on controversial subjects are plentiful. Some may be legitimately helpful when it comes to being knowledgable, but how do we know what’s right? David said, “I will not let anything worthless guide me” (Ps. 101:3a, CSB). Who or what should be our teacher?
Interpretation
Last week a mom asked me for advice. Her teenager has been voicing opinions in favor of gender/sexual orientation. She asked how she could talk about it beyond just saying “Because it’s in the Bible.” I said, “When someone wants to use the Bible for personal approval, there are a bunch of Biblical passages that can be taken out of context.”
For instance, I was recently approached by a woman who asked me if I wanted to learn more about God, the mother… ??? There is an entire handbook of denominations that believe different things about the Bible.
The Issues Change
The weight of hot button issues fluctuates throughout each generation, varying in the attention they receive.
A little over one hundred years ago women weren’t allowed to wear pants or vote. Drinking alcoholic beverages was seriously frowned upon in Southern Baptist churches until the last few decades. However, now it has become somewhat of an acceptable trend…which isn’t necessarily a great victory.
Zeroing In
When it comes to any search for truth, the most important thing is to know the Lord. The Spirit of God disciples the hearts of those who seek Him.
I’m not saying we should never discuss specific topics or read books other than the Bible. But the highest counsel comes from God and His Word. The best way to trust the Lord is to understand His character and trust His teaching.
The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.
Psalm 33:11, CSB
Finding His Character
I understand how frustrating it can be when someone tells you to “get to know the Lord.” Like, wow. I’ve never heard that one before. Great idea! (Sarcasm? Is that you?) HOW? was the battle cry of my heart for so long. If I wasn’t reading it on my own, the Bible was read to me since I was in the womb. Yet for so long I felt I was missing something staring me in the face.
One of my favorite pictures of God’s character is His interaction with Simon Peter. Peter was a zealous, devoted, and fierce disciple—and he was fearfully disloyal when it mattered most. The third time Peter denied being associated with Jesus, Luke records, “Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter” (Luke 22:61a). I love how Brennan Manning wrote of this account.
In that look the reality of recognition was disclosed…The Man whom he had confessed as the Christ, the Son of the living God, looked into his eyes, saw the transparent terror there, watched him act out the dreadful drama of his security addiction, and loved him.
Brennan Manning, The Gentle Revolutionaries
Making a Teacher
Jesus saw and knew Peter was afraid. He understood the depths of Peter’s heart and though he had walked with the Christ for three years, he chose self-preservation over allegiance to his Teacher.
What’s more, soon after Jesus’s resurrection He had a conversation with Peter (see John 21:15-19). Jesus asked Peter repeatedly if he loved Him and instructed Peter to shepherd His sheep. Only God, who intimately knows the hearts of humankind, could offer such an assignment to someone who had recently denied knowing Him. Jesus looked at Peter and saw him. Then Jesus gave him another opportunity to be a bold teacher for the sake of the gospel of salvation.
Every time Jesus says, “Do you love Me,” and Peter says, “Yes I do,” Jesus doesn’t say, “Well gosh, if you did, what happened six weeks ago, Bub?” He’s not asking that question. What does He say? He gives him work to do. “Do you love Me? I have work for you to do. I need you to feed my sheep, I need you to tend my lambs. I have work for you to do. I have new, good, beautiful things for you to make, and I want you to start paying attention to Me more than you are paying attention to your shame.”
Author Curt Thompson, MD, shared in an interview with ACT29
A Good Teacher
I am currently taking some seminary classes, so I read a lot of books. Most of them are great teachers. But I cannot tell you how much richer the content is now that I have a better understanding of who God is! God’s character is faithfulness. It is love and justice. His very nature is righteousness, and He teaches those qualities to His children!
But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows Me—that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the Lord’s declaration.
Regardless of the issues you are facing or will face, there is help. There is counsel in the Word of God. So much advice is flung at us. From books to social media and more. How do we know what is right? By knowing the Teacher, the Creator of heaven and earth.
It’s not an overnight realization either. It will take our entire lifetime. But when you think about it, isn’t it wonderful? What an adventure—we can always learn more about our Maker and be taught by the One who knows all things.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
When we place money above everything else, sin takes root in our hearts. We must learn to replace our love of money for the love of God.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:10, CSB
I recently read an article stating that money is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible. Now, I have never sat down and counted the number of times it is mentioned, but I have definitely observed it many times.
It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to see that the Lord wants us to know a thing or two about money. This generation is undoubtedly the most prone to wander from faith, like 1 Timothy 6:10 states. Especially when it has to do with the almighty dollar.
Money Makes Us Squirm
Money is widely talked about and not usually referenced in a way God intended it to be. Why do you think the majority of people squirm in their seats when the pastor preaches on money? Do you think God addressed money so many times to make us uncomfortable? Or is He trying to get our attention and make a point?
Personally, I think it’s the second one. I think people are naturally uncomfortable talking about money because it happens to be the very thing that we depend on in order to live.
Think about it. We need money for pretty much anything! Food, water, clothes, shelter, medical care – you name it – it costs something. Freebies only go so far, for so long. Money happens to be the very thing that helps manage, operate, and change the world we live in for the better. Do you agree?
Plain and simple, we need money in order to live. Without it, we fall into a deep pit of despair and eventually die because we lack the necessary lifeline in order to survive. People say it all the time, “You can’t live with it, and you can’t live without it”.
Money is a powerful source of help. It’s required in order to appropriately exist in this world. I think it’s fair to say we should go to God, our Creator who created all things, to see what He has to say about money…
Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.
Revelation 4:11, ESV
For The LOVE
I want to dive into only one of those 800+ scriptures on money. I hope to provide some insight that the Holy Spirit gave me when I read this passage…
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil…
1 Timothy 6:10, CSB
Let’s break the verse up so we can better understand what it means.
For the LOVE of money…
When we love something, it holds a higher value and significance over other things. This can be best demonstrated in how we view relationships with others, like our spouse or our children. We give them value and significance in our lives because we love them so much.
Putting value on money can feel as though we need it in order to live. Or, in other words, it feels like we can’t live without it because it’s a necessity. When we view money this way, it reveals in our hearts that we actually love it and can’t live without it. Many people, myself included, have fallen in love with money without recognizing its trap!
Is The ROOT
Let’s continue dissecting this verse and see what comes next.
For the love of money is the ROOT…
Our understanding of the love of money will help us better understand this second part, the root. Whenever we want to see a tree grow, we have to plant the seed in the soil and water it. Roots only take place after the seed is planted in the ground.
In this case, the scripture is showing us that the love of money is the seed that we have willingly planted in our hearts which has started to take root. A root also indicates some kind of growth is happening below the surface.
Deep inside us, we have a “money root” and we better hope it produces good fruit or we will certainly reap the consequences otherwise. Jesus taught His disciples that if they did not develop good fruit, then they would be cut off from the root and thrown into hell.
The ax is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 3:10, CSB
Oh, how I wish good growth was rooting in our hearts. Sadly, that just isn’t the case as we’ll unfortunately see.
ALL Kinds of EVIL
Now the final part of the verse.
For the love of money is the root of ALL kinds of EVIL.
This part of the verse is very interesting to me. The fact that this particular sin, the love of money, has the ability to grow and produce ALL kinds of sin within us is quite alarming.
Honestly, the last part of this scripture really had me a bit shaken up. I mean, it does say ALL, so we must conclude that God intended it to mean what it says. He is not a God of deception, but of truth. ALL kinds of EVIL begin to grow from this ONE bad seed.
Beloved, that’s not to be taken lightly! You might be asking yourself the same questions I found myself asking…
How do we avoid the love of money and avert its ability to take root in our lives?
How do we keep it from potentially and inevitably causing more and more sin from within us?
Understanding Faith Like Abraham
F – A – I – T – H! That’s it, my friends. Faith.
Thousands of years ago before houses, televisions, computers, phones and more; men and women lived in this world just like we do today. Sure it looked different, but people adapted to their surroundings just like we do today. I personally think they did a better job with this than we do.
They used their hands to work in the fields and they used their gifts God gave them to help each other even more. In the Old Testament, we find that people like Abraham and Sarah lived according to what God wanted, not what they wanted. If they needed something for basic survival, then they would ask God for it and trust that He would provide it.
When they needed food, God sent them food. When they needed water, He would lead them to where water could be found. If they needed shelter, then God would provide the supplies needed to build a roof over their heads. God ALWAYS showed up when they came to Him for a need.
God knew they were seeking Him first and it gave Him great joy to bless their faith. Makes sense right?
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Matthew 6:33, CSB
Stubbornness
Just like today, there were people then that felt like they didn’t need God’s provision in their lives. They decided to go their own way and figure things out for themselves. Some might think people like this are brave, strong and courageous. Others may think of them as stubborn, prideful, and foolish.
Consider reading about Abraham’s nephew Lot and his wife to form your own opinion on the matter (Genesis 13-14). In a nutshell, though, it doesn’t go well for them. It turns out that going their own way only leads them into danger. This easily could have been avoided had they followed God instead of their own evil hearts.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
Psalms 81:12, ESV
How Far Would Your Faith Go?
Abraham, unlike his nephew, was a faithful follower of God. Those who trusted and followed Abraham had the privilege of seeing just how real God is. Abraham found favor in the Lord because of his unwavering faith.
He never questioned or doubted God when asked to go somewhere or do something. He just simply listened and obeyed his Father’s instructions. Abraham knew that God was the provider because, simply put, there was never a time He didn’t provide. Each time Abraham went to God, God provided. And each time God provided, Abraham’s faith grew stronger.
Abraham’s unwavering faith is tested to the max, though. In Genesis 22, God commands Abraham to offer his son, Issac, on the altar as a sacrifice to Him. Abraham is clearly unsure and saddened by this, but HE STILL FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH IT! He gathers his sticks and tells his son Issac to come with him to the altar without grabbing a lamb! They walk up the mountain to the altar and Issac asks his father Abraham where the sacrifice (the lamb) was and…
Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’ Then the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:8,CSB
Abraham blindfolds and ties up his son and lays him down on the altar to kill him. He is just about to take his son’s life…
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’
He replied, ‘Here I am.’
Then he said, ‘Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.’
Genesis 22:11-12, CSB
ALL IN Faith Has Its Benefits
God then provides a ram stuck in a nearby thicket by its horns for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son Issac.
Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Genesis 22:13, CSB
Abraham’s faith showed God that he was ALL IN no matter what! How do we establish that kind of faith today? No offense, but we have issues spanking our own children, let alone putting them on the altar to kill for God! Sounds crazy, but truth be told, our faith is weak because we have become weak as a human race.
We think we know best and don’t feel the need to go to God for help with EVERYthing in our lives. I think this is because we have believed the same lie that Lot and his wife believed: if we follow the larger crowd (a.k.a. the world), then we will be able to make money and lead a successful, happy life. There are people out there, right now, doing this very thing and making it look so appealing. ‘It’s working for them, so it should definitely work for me too!‘ This little lie comes straight from the devil, hoping we catch it and run.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8, ESV
But we believers are called to be set apart.
But know that the Lord has et apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Psalms 4:3, ESV
Replace Money With God and Receive Good
We are God’s children, created to follow Him not the rest of the world. So in order to live out this Abraham kind of faith today, we must first acknowledge our need for God in our lives. By doing this we can start to follow His lead instead of our own.
When we acknowledge God as our ultimate “lifeline” in order to survive and make Him more valuable and more significant than anything else in our lives, then we can rest assured He will root in us ALL kinds of good.
God showed me something pretty spectacular in His word. When you take a look back at the one verse we used today, and change only two words in it, it takes on a whole new meaning.
For the love of GOD is the root of all kinds of GOOD.
When we live our lives putting God first and relying on Him to provide for all our needs, then God will do just that. We must replace the love of money for the love of God and surely find a life of contentment, joy, peace, purpose, and prosperity!
With our world changing constantly and new distractions popping up everywhere, it is extremely crucial that we root ourselves in the Lord. God wants us to live our lives in abundance with peace, knowing He will take care of us always.
God knows we need money to live, just as much as He knows we need water to live. The same God that provided for all of Abraham’s needs, is the same God we serve today. He hasn’t changed. His ways and words stay as they are, no matter what we choose. Even though wechange daily, it is good to know that His Wordstays the same.
We all need to get on our knees and acknowledge one simple and unchanging truth…
God will give us what we need when we finally accept that all we really need – is Him.
