What REALLY Matters?

We've seen the news everywhere of people lashing out at others, blaming others for everything, protesting, protesting the protestors, being offended by pretty much everything...and the list is endless.  We are quickly going away from being civilized, where we can agree to disagree and still be friends, and are headed toward a collapse where there is chaos.  Why?  

I openly declare that I am not, nor have I been, a fan or follower of politics.  The name-calling, intimidation tactics, the calls for this and calls for that.....CHILDISH!!!  How is this following the instructions of Jesus: "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind and strength.  AND LOVE OTHERS IN THE SAME WAY YOU LOVE YOURSELF."  Are we doing that?  Is that what we see happening?

Look at the picture.....when your name is put on one of these, what will it matter what color your skin happens to be?  What will it matter where you are from?  What will your politics matter?  You know what WILL matter?  Whose you are!  And that will be remembered by how you treated others before your name was carved on that stone.

The Apostle Paul gives us the best possible counsel in Romans 12:18, "Do your best to live in peace with everyone."  In short, LEARN TO GET ALONG!!! And guess what?  That begins with the face in the mirror!

 

Finding Quiet In A World Of Noise

You are my place of quiet retreat. I wait for Your Word to renew me.

Psalm 119:114

 

Let me give you a thought: "The key to a stronger, healthier imagination is a daily quiet time."

 

It's not easy to find quiet in this world of noise and activity.  There's always something going on demanding our attention, demanding our time, demanding our energy, demanding our focus, with no chance to step away and recharge.  It seems as if we are always in a hurry.  We are always filling our time with activities.  It's as if we are deliberately trying to avoid being still and quiet.  It's as if we are fearful of recharging, resting, and listening to God's still, quiet voice.

 

In Matthew 6:6, Jesus said, "When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you."  In fact, Jesus often spent time alone to rest, recharge, and pray.  Who are we to claim we have no time for that?

 

I am an Introvert and, as such, I NEED time to be quiet so I can recharge. But PTSI makes me fearful of trying to be quiet because I don't want to hear and see what my mind and heart won't let go of.  Yet I know I need to do it.  And I have learned, from people wiser than I, to let the images and voices come.  As they come, give each and every one to God.  This has been a tremendous help.  But I also want to hear from God, so I always take a notebook with me to my Quiet Place to write my prayers as well as anything God brings to mind.  And, to be completely honest, I have sensed a marked improvement in my life. 

 

I try to take time every single day.  I put it on my calendar and keep it as I would a counseling appointment with a Deputy.  In doing this, God is rewarding the time by energizing me and helping me cope.  I urge you to have a daily time of quiet reflection.  Take the time to recharge, relax and listen to God.  In finding quiet in a world of noise, our lives will be improved. 

How Big Are YOUR Dreams?

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Ephesians 3:20

 

As a kid, I had BIG dreams!  I wanted to be a teacher/baseball star/World Traveler/author.  In short, I had BIG dreams!  As I got older, my dreams got smaller and smaller.  I woke up this morning realizing I had accomplished my current dream of seeing one more day. Then in my morning devotion this morning, I was reminded that God's plans for my life are MUCH bigger than any dream I could ever dream.  So why do we try to limit God by having smaller and smaller dreams?

 

The author of the devotion I read said our dreams get smaller as we get older because we are afraid and seek security.  The more I thought about that, the more I understood the writer is absolutely correct!  God's plans for our lives will have an ETERNAL impact!  Even though we may not see it, the impact will resonate throughout eternity!  Our dreams, on the other hand, won't last more than a couple of generations as most.

Therefore, let the size of your God determine the size of your dreams.  Dream BIG!  Dream BOLD!  And let God fulfill HIS plan for your life and you'll see it is far better than our biggest, boldest dreams!

 

  

What Is Your Quest?

I cry out to God Most High, who will fulfill His purpose for me.

Psalm 57:2 

 

I admit that I'm a bit of a nerd with a dash of geek tossed in.  I thoroughly enjoy "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" even though the ending was rather a let down for me.  But one scene in particular has wedged itself into my memory and, believe it or not, God has used it to remind me that He has a purpose for me.  

 

The Knights of the Round Table arrive at a bridge which is guarded by a rather sinister yet amusing old man, who informs the knights that they must answer three questions before they are allowed to cross the bridge.  The first question is rather easy: "What is your name?"  The second question is the one that sticks out in my thoughts: "What is your quest?"  And this is the question I have asked myself and asked of God repeatedly over the course of my life.  Why am I here?  What is my purpose?

 

These are questions we wonder about more than we care to admit.  Why did God, creator of all, create me?  Why am I here?  What is my quest?  These are not always easy or cut and dry.  Until, during my quiet time this morning, I got an answer.  I was, once again, talking with God about my purpose, my reason for being, my quest, and I was suddenly struck with "Why are you so concerned about that?"  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I have been wasting so much time and energy trying to figure it out when I should have been focused on God and let Him show me as He needs.

 

My conclusion? God has the plan for me (Jeremiah 29:11), my job is to focus on Him and be available and ready.  When God brings someone into my life that needs my help or whose help I need, His plan and quest for my life in that time is fulfilled.  I don't believe our lives have a single purpose or quest, I believe God has a series of quests and purposes for us and will do whatever He must to fulfill each one in our lives.

Obsessed With Success?

Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

Hebrews 13:5-6

I don't know about you, but I have begun to notice quite a number of people who have become obsessed with success!  Their entire existence is centered on getting that next promotion, that next contract, that next step in rank, another award, and they will do anything to achieve that goal....regardless the cost. I have seen relationships and marriages destroyed because of this obsession.  We, as a society, have become so "stuff" oriented that we have lost focus of one simple inescapable law: "we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it" - 1 Timothy 6:7.

All those awards will be left behind.  
All those contracts will be left behind.  
All those promotions will be left behind.
All those degrees will be left behind.
All those plaques and certificates will be left behind.
If you didn't bring it into this world, you won't be taking it with you when you leave.

And the biggest loss?  All those moments you should have shared with loved ones will be lost.

I found a definition of Success that I like: "Success: doing the most, what you do best."  Success is doing something so well that people will pay you for it.
Success is your loved ones HAPPILY supporting you and you supporting them.
Success is knowing that at the end of your life, your legacy will be as a caring person.

Who wants to be remembered as that workaholic who never had any friends or family who cared?

Let's learn to be content and let our work speak for itself rather than wasting so much time and energy trying to "get ahead." Let God move you ahead!  After all, that's His job.

We Need To Talk About This!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Psalm 34:18-19

 

There is something we NEED to talk about....it's a topic many are uncomfortable discussing for whatever reason...but we MUST address it.  We NEED to discuss Suicide!  

 

Suicide is an act of desperation; an answer to our dilemma when we have run out of answers; the "final escape" from the emotional, physical, spiritual agony.  Do I believe suicide is a sin? Yes I do, but I also understand why some choose that path.  Do I believe suicide is unforgivable and the one who commits suicide will be denied entry into Heaven? No.  There is only ONE unforgivable sin and suicide isn't it.  Besides nothing, absolutely NOTHING, can separate us from the love of God!

 

There is a common comment I have heard when someone has taken their own life: "They didn't give any indication they were even considering suicide."  We can't always know what is going on in someone else's mind.  We don't always know what someone is facing or struggles they face.  What we can do is remind them, every time we interact with them, that they are a valuable part of our lives and we care about them (Show them, don't just tell them).  Will that always change someone's mind? No.  Sadly, once a person has made the decision, they will usually follow through. Yet sometimes, the simple act of showing them how much they matter will give them that spark of hope they so desperately need.

 

Suicide is devastating for those left to cope with the sudden loss.  But I have a confession to make, having been in the darkness of despair on more than one occasion, and with pistol in hand, my own thoughts were not about abandoning my loved ones.  My thoughts were telling me that my loved ones would be better off without me.  There is a difference and it's called PERSPECTIVE!  If you have never been in the darkness of despair to the point you saw no way out, you cannot understand what it is like there.

 

But there is hope!  And THAT is what I want to get across!  How can we help someone who is considering suicide?  

 

Let's get practical:  

STAY WITH THEM! Don't leave them alone if at all possible!  

LISTEN TO THEM! Let them talk about everything that is going on in their hearts and minds, even if it sounds like gibberish to you, in their minds it makes sense so JUST LISTEN!  

DO NOT JUDGE!  Judgmentalism will not achieve a favorable response!

SPEAK IN SOFT TONES! Believe it or not, your tone of voice does have an effect.  Speak in comforting tones and a soft volume.

DO NOT TOUCH THEM WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION!  Sudden movements (even a hug or a hand on the shoulder) can trigger a disastrous nervous reaction.

REMIND THEM OF THEIR VALUE!  People need to feel valued, they need to know that their lives matter, that THEY matter.  Remind them with specifics ("You matter to me because we are friends and I want us to become better friends."  "You are important to me because every time I see you, a smile is your gift to me.")

OFFER THEM HELP!  Offer to contact someone THEY trust to help them.  Offer to go with them to appointments.  If they are hospitalized make it a point to go see them OFTEN!

 

Suicide is not the escape we may think it is.  But when we look beyond ourselves and reach out to love others a Christ loves us, we CAN make a difference!   

 

"He will not crush the weakest reed
    or put out a flickering candle.
    Finally he will cause justice to be victorious."

-Matthew 12:20

  

God Will Make It Happen

The smallest family will become a thousand people,
    and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation.
    At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.

Isaiah 60:22 

 

Ever wish God would go ahead and fill you in on His plans for you?  There are times when I do, partly because I can be impatient and partly because I just want to know what to expect.  Then I was asked a question: "Would you want God to tell you not only WHEN you will die but HOW you will die and HOW LONG it will take?"Honestly, THAT is one surprise I would rather encounter when it arrives. 

 

We are bombarded with messages every day telling us to "Just Do It" and "Believe In Yourself" and "YOU Can Do It."  Yet when I think about it, any time I have tried to go my own way and do my own thing because I believed in my and my "skills" to make it happen, disappointment followed, then depression set in, and the dark times came.  But when I am patient (which is a struggle) and let God do HIS job (which can be a test of patience), God makes His plans happen just at the right time EVERY time!

Ambitions Vs. Capabilities

As your spiritual teacher I give this piece of advice to each one of you. Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all. For just as you have many members in one physical body and those members differ in their functions, so we, though many in number, compose one body in Christ and are all members of one another. Through the grace of God we have different gifts. If our gift is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision. If it is serving others let us concentrate on our service; if it is teaching let us give all we have to our teaching; and if our gift be the stimulating of the faith of others let us set ourselves to it. Let the man who is called to give, give freely; let the man who wields authority think of his responsibility; and let the man who feels sympathy for his fellows act cheerfully.

Romans 12:3-8 

 

What did you want to be when you grew up?  I'll bet you never dreamed of growing up and being miserable in your job.  I'm also willing to wager that what you do now was probably not what you initially dreamed of doing.  When I was a youngster, I wanted to be a garbage collector.  Why?  How cool was it, in my young mind, to ride on the back of a huge truck?  And then....I got a whiff of one of those trucks and my decision changed drastically.

 

At some point, I decided I wanted to become a pastor.  That is, until I became one and learned very quickly how "church folk" can ruin a dream.  But God still had a plan for me and brought me through His carefully laid out plan to get me where I need to be, a place where my capabilities and ambitions coincide with God's purposes.  

 

God has a plan for each of us, plans to prosper and encourage.  The Pit Dweller also has plans for us, plans for failure and discouragement. Whose plans would you choose to accept?  Probably, the plans that prosper and encourage.  Yet we see time after time that we chase the carrot dangled in front of us by the Pit Dweller whose empty promises of fame and fortune are forever tempting.

 

Think about this: Not everyone can be a police officer, because God hasn't given everyone the capability.  Not everyone can be a great chef, because God hasn't given everyone that capability.  Not everyone can be a great athlete, because God hasn't given everyone that capability.  When we look at our capabilities, and let God show us how to use them, we find that niche that God has prepared us to fill!

Be Yourself

Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Galatians 6:5

 

I like "Forrest Gump."  It's a story of a person, who is a little socially slow, struggling through life.  My favorite part of the movie was when Forrest joined the Army.  His Drill Sergeant would yell and holler and Forrest seemed to fit right in that environment.  He polished his boots faster than anyone, he disassembled and reassembled his weapon faster than anyone, and he even cleaned the floor with his toothbrush without so much as batting his eye.  Forrest found his niche.

Forrest had to learn how to be himself as he encountered situations which he found odd.  For example, when he drank all those Dr. Peppers at the Presidential Receptions he had to decide how to be himself.  And he learned that from his Momma telling him not to "put on airs."

 

God reminds us every single day that HE created us on purpose, for a purpose, and uniquely gifted for that purpose.  God reminds us that we are to be who HE made us.  Does that mean we'll get it right every time?  Nope!  From personal experience, I can tell you that I don't get it right more times than not, but I do try very hard!  This is why God has provided Grace, Mercy and Forgiveness.  The three "sisters" if you will.  

 

My job is to be the best ME I can be.  God's job is to fulfill His purpose for me!  It's really just that simple!

 

Celebrate

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Philippians 4:4-7 

Did you know that one of the easiest things to become in this life is cynical?  It's true!  We begin by looking at the negatives in life, then we start talking about the negative things we see, finally we cannot see anything but the negative in everything and everyone.  When we become cynical we are not pleasant to be around.  When we become cynical, no one can ever do anything right.  When we become cynical, we are essentially telling God that we don't like the way He is doing things and that WE know a better way to do everything.

But...what happens when we celebrate everything God is doing for us and through us?  The cynicism melts away.  You cannot be a cynic and celebrate God at the same time!  We cannot worry and trust God at the same time.  Worry is our way of telling God we don't believe He can do all He promised  And yet, we know God has never let us down; He has NEVER wrung His hands wondering if we would be okay; NEVER fretted about what to do next.  Why?  Because He is God!  Nothing surprises Him!  

When we take our worry and our fear and our anxiety and turn it into a prayer of praise to God ("I don't know what You are up to, but I'm in because I know YOU have my best interest in Your heart and will NEVER let the Pit Dweller win") He will replace all that with His peace and assurance!

Thank You

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy

Philippians 1:3-4 

 

We all have those people in our lives who make us smile just by thinking of them.  They remind us of the caring we have for each other and the laughter we share and the weird things we say and do that make us smile.  God brought these people into our lives because He knew we needed them.  God brought these people into our lives be He knew they needed us.  God's good like that.

 

Did you know that God also brings people into our lives that inspire us to be better people?  One of the best compliments anyone can ever receive is to hear these words spoken of them: "Because God brought us together, I am a better person!"  Know anyone who could say that about you?  Know anyone you would say that about?

 

My prayer is that we become the people others will thank God for bringing into their lives.

It's ALL In Your Focus!

 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

Galatians 6:4 

 

I was driving home from a meeting last week and I noticed the driver next to me kept sending text messages on their phone. Yet I was so distracted by this other driver than I'm the one who ran over the "drum drum" grooves at the edge of the pavement.  It startled me, but also reminded me that MY job, as a driver, is to pay attention to what I am doing, where I am going, and to be safe.  I was distracted because I was more intent on the other person.

 

We do that a lot, don't we?  We focus on other people instead of our own lives.  We focus on what other people are doing, instead of focusing on doing what's right.  Some even focus on criticizing others instead of encouraging them.  I had a boss once who said, "If you have so much time to focus on what someone else is doing, then YOU don't have enough to do!" 

 

Look at what Paul is saying here.  Pay careful attention to YOU OWN WORK. Why? so you will get the satisfaction of a job well done!  And why should we even think of trying to compare ourselves to others?  We aren't them and they aren't us!

 

Let's be about the work God has given US! 

"What Have I Done NOW?"

 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!”

1 Samuel 17:29 

 

Let me set the scene: David has brought food to his brothers who are in the Israeli Army stuck in a stand-off with the Philistines.  Goliath, that HUGE behemoth of a man, has come out each morning and challenges the Army of Israel to send out someone to fight him and their fight will decide the war.  So far, Israel has had no takers and David asks what reward is there for the person who defeats this giant.  David's brothers berate him for pestering the soldiers and tell him he just wants to see the battle.  David's response is one that sticks out for me "What have I done now?".

 

David, it appears, was bullied by his brothers quite a bit to the point he had gotten frustrated with their constant correction, nit-picking, fussing at him.  So here he is again, getting the same treatment from his older brother, and David, in his frustration, asks "What have I done now?"  

 

At times, I can empathize with David in his frustration. When you do your best, and it's not good enough. When you cannot make every event, and it's not good enough.  When encouragement just isn't there, just criticism.  I get it.  I can empathize.

 

We all have detractors in our lives.  Those who want to see us fail, and want to help that failure along.  Those who just refuse to acknowledge anything good.  We all have them.  They are frustrating to us.  But here's the good news, while they may try to make us feel defeated, God is the one truly in control!  And when God's plan is in control, NOTHING and NO ONE can stop it!

 

David didn't let his brother's words rattle him...instead, David went out to face his Goliath and God defeated this monster!  Take heart!  Take EVERYTHING to God and let HIM do the fighting for you! 

Hide And Seek

I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
    but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.

Psalm 139:11-12 

 

I remember playing Hide-And-Seek as a youngster with my cousins and friends.  The best time to play was always at night because it was easier to hide and harder to seek. Then there was the time when one of my friends decided to level the playing field a bit...he brought his Dad's flashlight.  It wasn't just a flashlight, it was a Police Officer's flashlight which could light up the entire yard!  So much for being easier to hide because the night was a bright as day.

 

I used to believe that I could hide things from God.  I would play Hide-And-Seek with Him, or so I thought.  I figured if it's dark, then God can't see me.  And I was wrong!  God knows everything and sees everything or else He wouldn't be God.  We can't hide anything from Him, so why try.  We have been given access to go boldly to the throne of grace and seek His face...so why don't we?  Could it be we are too angry?  Could it be we are too embarrassed?  Could it be we are ashamed?  Could it be we just don't want to face it?  Truth be told, God already knows and, here's the kicker, LOVES US!!!!  Let's embrace His love for us and be bold!

Peace Takes Work

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Hebrews 12:14-15 

 

Peace takes work!  It really does!  We have to WORK at being accepting and understanding of each other, and in so doing, we will find peace.  Living the Holy Life takes work!  We have to WORK at focusing on God and let our own ambitions and desires fall away in the process.

 

We are supposed to look after each other.  How do we do that? Encouraging each other, building each other up, making sure we treat others just like we want to be treated by them, by doing life together side-by-side...Why do we need to do that? So that the poison of bitterness will have no place to take hold!  Nothing breaks a home and family apart faster than bitterness!

 

We claim to love God and we claim to love each other, let's not just claim it, let's prove it in our lives!

Living In Peace

When people’s lives please the Lord,
    even their enemies are at peace with them.

Proverbs 16:7

 

There's nothing I can say to make this any clearer, so I'll just leave this right here for you to ponder with me.

 

What Motivates You?

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

Hebrews 10:24 

 

Let me ask you a question, What motivates you? Perhaps it is doing a good job.  Perhaps it is that promotion.  Perhaps it is a bigger paycheck.  Perhaps it is to hear the praise of those over you.  What is it that motivates you?

 

Let's try a different question, How do you motivate others?  The best example I can think of from my own life was during Army Basic Training.  I don't like to run and have never been good at it.  But in order to graduation Basic Training we were required to run two miles in 16 minutes.  So I practiced and practiced and practiced but just couldn't seem to get it.  In frustration, I sat on the bench at the track and began to stress.  Our company Chaplain happened to come trotting by and stopped when he saw that I was distressed.  I explained my concern to him and he said the weirdest thing, he told me "You WILL pass the run, end of story!  I guarantee it."  I thought he was nuts, but God is in the miracle business and I really did need a miracle.  The day of the final PT test came, I passed the push-up and sit ups with little trouble, but I was sweating the run.  I got in formation, the gun sounded and off we went.  From behind me, I heard someone singing cadence and I began to keep the rhythm, when I looked back I saw the Chaplain.  He came up beside me and said, "You WILL pass this run!" and kept singing cadence. Before I knew it I crossed the finish line in 11minutes and 47 seconds.  I thanked the Chaplain profusely.  He shook my hand and said, "God put me here to motivate you. When I motivated you, I was motivated.  I was considering leaving the Army because I didn't think I was doing a good enough job. God had other plans."

 

When we motivate EACH OTHER we share the love of God!  So let me ask you again, How do YOU motivate others?  Through encouragement and coming alongside is the best way. 

If You Would Be Wise...

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

James 3:17 

I may have mentioned that one of my favorite books is "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkein.  And when I think of wisdom, Gandalf the Grey comes to mind.  Wisdom must be pure or else is isn't wisdom, it's just words.  Consider this: Wisdom says, "Watch where you step" which is pure, clear counsel.  It is not judgmental.  It is not a reprimand.  It is pure, clear counsel.

The Apostle Paul reminds us that true wisdom:

     * comes from God (the source of all love and wisdom)

     * is pure (as perfect love should be)

     * peace loving (not argumentative) 

     * gentle at ALL times (not stubbornly proud)

     * willing to yield to others (knows that getting one's own way all the time is pride, not wisdom)

     * full of mercy ("compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.")

     * fruit of good deeds (help others through encouragement and doing good)

     * shows no favoritism (this is one aspect where we get into trouble.  We all have our favorites.  But true wisdom, may have favorites, but does not show favoritism because wisdom is for everyone equally).

     * always sincere (true wisdom is authentic in love and caring and encouraging and helping).

We must strive to be wise.  James also reminds us that if any of us LACKS wisdom...ask God for it and He will give it freely and without hesitation!

My First Sergeant was wise when he said "My job is to make YOU look good. Because when YOU look good it makes ME look good. And I look GOOD!" 

God Uses Pets?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 

I had to take my dog, Woody Bear, to the vet the other day because I found a lump under his skin.  Did you know that God uses our pets to make His point sometimes?  How do I know this? Well, Woody Bear does not like going to the vet and he shakes so badly that the car vibrates.  I pet him and talk to him and try to explain that it's for his own good that we have to go to the vet.  He probably doesn't understand what I'm trying to explain to him, but he trusts me to get him there and be there when it's time for him to come home.

Now....I look at my own life.  I don't always have any idea what God has planned for me, and if God tried to explain it to me, I would still be nervous...just like Woody Bear!  However, I trust that God will never leave me or turn His back on me because He has never let me down before and is not about to start now.  So I trust Him even, and especially when, I don't understand what's going on or why it's going on.

God uses whatever He must to reach us and teach us...even pets!

Noisy?

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1 

 

Okay, I must confess...I watched "Dumb and Dumber" and the odd thing is, I got an idea for this devotional from it. 

 

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:1-4 that even if he had ALL the answers to ALL the questions, no one would listen if he didn't have love.  Think about it. Have you ever had someone just start preaching to you instead of listening?  Have you ever have someone try to TELL you how to deal with heartbreak instead of just sitting with you while you wept?  Have you ever had someone ignore you question so they could "witness" to you by condemning you with Scripture?

 

I took a college psychology class.  The professor wrote the book and his wife wrote the study guide...neither of which we used in class (but were required to purchase).  The professor obviously knew his subject, but he didn't seem to grasp the idea that in order to teach the subject, your information must be understandable by those you wish to teach.  This was a freshman class being taught on a doctoral level.  Needless to say, by the third class most of the students had dropped it, because the professor was just making noise to these students.

 

There's an old adage (older than me, if you can believe it) which says: "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."  And it's true! People are not idiots.  People know when you actually care about them and when you are just making noise.  Which is why I love the quote attributed to Francis of Assisi: "Preach the Gospel...and if you MUST, use words."  SHOW people that you care! Be the EXAMPLE of the Gospel instead of just telling people about it.  REFLECT the love of Christ!

 

You see, if we don't SHOW that we care, nothing we say will ever matter! 

The Darkside Requires A New Perspective

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 

 

I remember working on a paper in Seminary about the Apostle Paul.  I admit, up to that point, I had a very sanitized view of the Apostle based on the things I had been taught in church (and the stained glass windows where everyone had a halo).  So I thought, "This paper is going to be a breeze" and I was wrong!  SO VERY wrong!!

 

When I turned in my first draft, I got back a paper that had so many red marks that I believe the professor's pen had exploded.  The final page had a single sentence: "Stop thinking about what you were taught and LOOK AT HIS LIFE!"  And I did.  And it was quite troubling!

 

Did you know that the Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, actually helped kill Christians?  He held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen to death in the book of Acts.  Paul, by his own admission, threw his vote with those who wanted to kill Christians.  He would drag them out of their homes and throw them in prison for "rehabilitation" which meant torture or death.  He didn't even think twice about it because, in his mind, he was defending the faith.  And then...God got hold of him!  And he changed.  He became a new man with a new name...but his past was another story.  

 

Every try to overcome your past?  It's not easy at all.  Everyone has a past that is so dark that if anyone found out about it, they would be terrified of you.  But in studying for this paper, I found some interesting things about the past which might be helpful:

 

FIRST, regardless how you may appear today, everyone has a dark side.  It's true!  We all have the capability to do some pretty horrible things to each other.

 

SECOND, whatever your past, no one is beyond hope.  That's the GREAT message of the Gospel!  "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39.

 

THIRD, our past may be filthy, but we can still find a new beginning. When Saul knelt before God, he was made a new man. Christ transformed his life from one of destruction to one of restoration!  And we can experience that same new beginning too.

 

FINALLY, quit focusing on where you were. Don't waste your time focusing on where you used to be!  God gave us the gift of Christ to change our lives!  Don't waste His gift available for you!

 

We all have a past.  We ALL have failures.  We ALL need help.  And God, through Christ, provides all we need!