Think About It

"One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them."

Matthew 5:1-2

Have you ever thought about the method Jesus used to teach and preach?  I have.  Quite a bit of His teaching was done as He and the Disciples were walking from one place to another.  His sermons were spoken so everyone could understand them and learn.  You see, Jesus didn't use "Seminary Words" or cliches.  He spoke to those who needed to hear His message.

Several years ago I visited a church that I had heard a lot of good things about.  I was ready to learn...until the service began.  The music was so loud that I could, quite literally, feel it pounding inside me.  It was as if I had returned to my college years going to concerts.  This church had lots of "satellites" where one could watch the service on a theater screen.  When it was time for the sermon, I was rather taken aback that the pastor never used Scripture, instead it was a "feel good" talk.  By the time the service was over, the persistent ringing in my ears were driving me nuts, I felt as though I had just wasted my time.  

Think about this: 

When did Jesus ever have a rock concert when He preached?  

When did He "entertain" the people who came to listen and learn?

How did Jesus get His message across to people?  He talked to them! He didn't browbeat them. He didn't yell and holler and condemn them.  He talked to them and loved them. He was genuine. He was simply engaging.  Shouldn't we do the same? 

Each person has a testimony to share.  Let me share something I am still learning, when you talk with people...talk to them like a normal human being.  No need to be all Pius and 'Holy' because until you are actually in Heaven, we are just a beggar who needs to tell others where to find bread.  Be open and honest about your struggles and your failures and what you have learned from them.  He genuine!  

Live In Peace? Have You LOOKED At The World?

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

Romans 12:18 

 

I've been doing something that is probably not the best idea...I've been reading the news and seeing all the unrest.  To me, it's as if there are people who just want to be angry and destroy stuff.  Well...that's how the news portrays it.

 

Look at today's verse. We are instructed to do everything we can to live in peace with everyone.  How are we supposed to do that?  Let's look at what the Apostle Paul advises in Romans 12:

Verse 2: "Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, rather let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

 

Verse 3: "...Do not think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given you."

 

Verse 7: "If your gift is serving others, serve them well."

 

Verse 8: "If your gift is encouraging others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have the gift of showing kindness to others, do it gladly." 

 

I urge and challenge you to read Romans 12 and see ALL the ways we are to represent Abba by being different from what we see in the world.  Abba didn't urge His Apostle to write these things simply to fill up a letter.  These things were written for US just as much as the church in Rome.  

Remember Where You Came From!

While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.

Luke 2:6-7 

 

There's an old adage which goes something like this: "Every expert began as a novice."  We tend to forget that as we go through life.  We tend to forget that we, too, began life as a novice in diapers and everything we have learned too time and mistakes.  Many of us focus on the mistakes and failures in our lives, when the greatest encouragement of all is found in the humble beginnings of Christ.

 

Christ was not born with the ability to speak, walk, or even feed Himself.  He was not born in some magnificent palace the likes of which would boggle the mind.  Instead, He was born in a barn and His crib was a feeding trough.  That was His beginning, from there He had to learn just as we did (and still do).  And in God's perfect time, His ministry began.

Mentor

Learning your words gives wisdom
    and understanding for the foolish.

Psalm 119:130 

 

Remember the movie, The Karate Kid?  The original one?  The handyman, Mr. Miyagi, was a humble and quiet man who chose to mentor Daniel-san in the ways of Karate.  Daniel was ready to learn how to beat up his bully, but Miyagi wanted Daniel to learn the true was of karate so Daniel had to do seemingly pointless (and endless) chores.  Finally, Daniel was shown what he had unwittingly learned from Miyagi's methods and went on to become quite the student.

 

Mentors have a way of teaching without being obvious.  They teach by letting the student discover the truth with only a little prompting.  Mentors have a way that keeps learning interesting and instills a desire to learn more.  However, true mentors have become a rarity it seems.

 

I had a professor in college who informed our class that he would be happy to mentor any of us throughout the term.  I was intrigued and met with him after class.  His idea of mentoring?  Reading five chapters each day from the King James Bible and write an essay explaining what it said.  Not only did I find that burdensome, but had no desire to learn anything from him.  Oh, I did try. I spent hours in the library trying my best to interpret the archaic dialect.  By chance, one of the theology teaching assistants happened to be at the next table and saw me struggling.  He came over and asked me, "Do you have any idea what this is saying?"  I closed the tome and told him, "Not a clue.  It just doesn't make sense to me."  To which this teaching assistant told me something I have never forgotten: "In Jesus' time, He talked to people in ways THEY could understand.  We have complicated that message over the centuries until it is almost indiscernible. So let's try something, try reading that passage from this version."  He handed me his copy of the New Living Translation, and suddenly things began to make sense.  He became my mentor!

 

One of the other things he taught me was history, because "The scripture doesn't REALLY make sense until you understand the context of what's going on in the area at the time, the customs of the time, and how it all fits together."  The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn!  THAT is the mark of a true mentor!

 

Do you have a mentor?  Doesn't have to be a Bible mentor, how about a mentor in your job?  A mentor who helps with the issues you run into in your daily life?  How about becoming a mentor to someone? 

History Isn't Always About The Past

Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. 

Romans 15:4

I am a history buff.  Aside from Literature, history was my favorite subject throughout my schooling.  It's fascinating to see how we have learned from the past to improve the present.  Then again, there are many instances where we didn't seem to learn and we ended up repeating the same things as before just in a more modern way.

Think about this: the Bible is FULL of stories about people who had their battered lives restored; of people who were given second chances; of people who made amazing comebacks.  Why would God make sure these events made it into Scripture?  Was it so we could see what Jesus did?  NO!  It's so we can see what Jesus DOES! 

Take a stroll down memory lane and look at your own past.  Everyone has things in their lives that we vainly wish had never happened, but look at all you have endured and you are still standing.  When you accepted Christ, how did your life change?  Did it become perfect? Nope.  Did you make mistakes? Yep.  Did all your pain cease? Nope.  But here's the thing I hope you will garner from your look back: Your past can be shared to give someone else encouragement and hope!

Don't miss this: Your past is a gift of hope and encouragement you can share with someone else.  

Challenging

Study to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 

 

I wish I could say that my desk was as neat as the picture, but I would be lying.  There IS an organization to my stack of papers, notes, books, articles, my coffee cup (which is now empty for the 5th time this morning), various bottles of water, pens, highlighters, and my glasses.  And why do I have such a sea of stuff on my desk?  Because of YOU!  That's right.  In order to write these devotionals, and in order to properly serve in the ministry of Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, I have to study. 

 

I admit that I didn't really like school that much.  I couldn't wait until I was out of school because I told myself, "I'll NEVER have to study again!" and I was wrong.  You see, in order to make sense of the Scriptures I read, I have to break them down and look at each word, then reassemble them in a way that is easier to understand.  

 

Studying such weird things as people is quite the challenge as well.  Yes, I am a people watcher and an observer of human behavior.  How can I tell if something is bothering you if I don't know how you normally act?  It takes studying a LOT to do this job and I love every single minute of it!  

 

Thank you for challenging me to learn more!

We Weren't The First!!

And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” It was so.

Genesis 1:30 

 

If you remember the creation story in Genesis, you will remember that People were NOT the first of God's creations.  You will also remember that before Eve, God brought all the animals to Adam so he could name them (looking for a suitable helper for Adam).

 

“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive.” - Comedienne Gilda Radner

 

I am convinced that God uses animals to teach us.  For example, think about the unconditional love our pets give us.  We can learn from them to GIVE unconditional love in return.  Think of the things our pets do that make us smile, laugh and say "awwww."  We can learn from them to cheer each other up.  Think of how our pets know when we are sad or upset and they try to remind us that they love us.  We can learn to do the same for others.

 

“If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.” - Author Phil Pastoret  

 

And remember that God made the animals wise.  They don't waste a lot of time working themselves do death, we are the ones who do that.  They don't waste a lot of time hoarding, we do that.  We can learn from ALL of God's creations, isn't it about time to start? 

Despise?

When I was a child and I got disciplined, I thought my parents didn't like me one bit.  That was partly because I seemed to get disciplined a lot.  I would get so frustrated but dared not voice my frustration for fear of even more discipline.

When I got to the Army, the discipline was even harsher and much more frequent.  Again, I was frustrated because it didn't seem fair at the time.  It wasn't until after Basic Training that it all sank in.  I was sitting in a Chapel Service one Sunday, and the Chaplain was talking about discipline.  Just as I was about to stop listening, she said something interesting: "God disciplines us, as well.  Sometimes He allows us to follow our own way and when we end up face down in the mire, He'll reach down and lift us up again and ask us, 'Was this worth it?'."

I don't quote often, but I found a good one in the book I am reading by Chuck Swindoll called "Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives": "Sometimes the Lord will let us have our way, knowing we will be hurt. Because He's good, we know that if there were a better way to teach us, He'd use it. Unfortunately, painful experience is usually the only way we will learn. Painful consequences play a major role in maturing us."

My Dad has done this same thing to me before, letting me go right ahead and fail (and fall).  Did it hurt?  NO DOUBT!!  Did I learn? I believe so because I haven't duplicated any of those stunts since.  And God does the same with us.  My Grampa once told me, "The quicker you learn, the quicker you will not do this again."  And, as usual, Grampa was right.

Oh Thorny

So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 

Did you know that the word used as "thorn" actually means "stake"?  This was no ordinary poke that Paul could brush off and move on.  Rather this was excruciatingly painful.  It was a constant reminder that God had allowed this thing into his life in order to keep him humble.  Now, we're not sure whether this "messenger from Satan" was a literal thorn or some situation or ailment or person or trait.  What we do know is that Paul didn't like having it and begged God THREE TIMES to remove it.

Now, you're not going to like this next part, but truth is truth:  Our Happiness Is NOT God's Chief Aim.  Read that again!  Now think about it, if God's chief aim and purpose was for us to be carefree and happy, we would already be in Paradise.  But we're not there yet.  God wants us to learn and grow and sometimes that is a painful process, but we must learn and grow in order that God's long-term plan for us can be fulfilled.

Now, consider that if we could do all of this by ourselves, without God, then WE would have good reason to be proud and boastful.  So, to prevent that, God allows thorns in our lives.  But, you see, when we have reached the end of our tolerance, THAT is when God reveals His strength by pouring Strength into us.  

When facing "old thorny" perhaps we would be wise to ask God to show us what we need to learn rather than asking Him to take it away. 

Teach The Children Well

Teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. 

Deuteronomy 11:19 

Guess whose job it is to teach children?  Who gets to teach them respect for others?  Who is supposed to teach them about love for others?  Who is the teacher of conflict resolution to children?  Are you sitting down?  WE ARE!!!!  

I can hear it now: "I don't have kids!"  "My children are grown with children of their own." "Those aren't MY children."

I was in an electronics store recently to purchase a charger for my phone when I noticed a child about the age of 8 or 9 demanding that his father buy him a new iPad.  The father told his son that the iPad he already had was only 6 months old, to which the child screeched that this new iPad did more than his "old" one and Dad better buy it for him.  Sadly, I watched this defeated man use four credit cards to find enough credit to purchase this item his child had demanded. 

Guess what?  God didn't ask whose child they are because WE are ALL God's children!  Therefore, those who are older should teach those who are younger.  And guess what is the best teaching method for most children?  They follow the example of others!  Therefore, WE are ALL to teach children about respect for others; WE are ALL to teach children about love for others; WE are ALL to teach children about getting along with each other; WE are ALL to teach children about conflict resolution....WE are ALL to teach children!

Why?  Because if WE refuse to teach children, guess who will?  Want a hint? Turn on the television where children are in charge and parents are idiots with an open wallet. 

When Should We Give Thanks?

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

 Have you ever found yourself in a rather sticky situation that you REALLY wish you didn't have to endure?  I have found, from experience, that pretty much all such situations in which I find myself are the result of my own actions, inactions, decisions, and just my own lack of thinking.  And when I am in the midst of such a situation, my first thought is to find a way out FAST!

 

It's not easy when we realize that we are the ones who messed up.  Honestly, even thought I KNOW God is fully aware of my situation, I have this habit of not talking with Him about it.  Why?  Because I am too stubborn, too embarrassed, too angry, too something other than thankful.  Consider this: How do we learn? Usually from experience...and Experience is a cruel teacher.  

 

Think about it...how did you discover that cookies right out of the oven were hot?  By grabbing one and feeling the heat.  How did you figure out that there's a difference between suntan and sunburn? By getting sunburned.  We learn usually by doing it wrong, but that is one of the things we should thank God for, He didn't have to give us a mind that is capable of learning.

 

But think about this: When we are grateful and thankful to God in EVERY situation we remind ourselves that God is in control and will work everything to our good and His glory when we learn to turn loose of it. 

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

James 1:17 

 

I have always been cautious of the "Name-It-And-Claim-It" theology, because I know that I have the propensity to develop a greedy attitude if I am always given everything I ask for.  Think about it, what happens to a child if you give them everything they want?  

 

I have had to learn the hard way that God gives me exactly what I need, rather than whatever I wanted.  You see, I have prayed hard for the health of someone I dearly loved to be restored, and ended up attending their funeral.  I have prayed with deep groans and heart wrenching utterances for a relationship to be restored, and instead, the distance between us grew ever wider.  I have prayed with all that is within me for the salvation of a dear friend only to be informed by that friend that I need to save my breath because he is fully prepared to face "whatever lies beyond."

 

But God gives us gifts every single day that we probably don't consider:

     * Every breath you take.

     * Every moment of sleep.

     * Every moment we get to spend time with our loved ones.

     * Every opportunity we have to make new friends.

     * Every opportunity we have to tell others that we love them.

     * Every opportunity we have to laugh with others.

     * Every tear we shed with someone in pain.

 

God showers us with blessings every single moment of every single day.  Focus on what God has given.  Thank Him for all these blessings and for the learning moments.  Let's grow and learn together.

Topsy Turvy Message

Whoever makes himself great will be made humble. Whoever makes himself humble will be made great.

Matthew 23:12 

 

We are taught from an early age that we have to put ourselves first in all things or else we will get trampled.  I will admit that I fell for that "wisdom" for a time.  I had to be first!  I had to be top dog!  I had to be in charge!  I had to do more!  And all I got for my efforts?  Exhausted!

 

Finally I realized that Jesus' seemingly topsy turvy message actually made sense.  When I stopped pushing myself to be first, and focused on being humble and helpful the relief was ENORMOUS!  It is more rewarding to do for others than it is to push oneself forward by stepping on others.

 

God's messages to us sometimes get ignored because they go directly against our human nature and what we have been led to believe.  Stop striving and be humble.  You'll experience life in a whole new and wonderful way.

In The Know

The Lord directs our steps,
    so why try to understand everything along the way?

Proverbs 20:24 

 

If you have children, you probably know that one of their favorite questions to ask is "Why?".  And they will ask it over and over and over until you are ready to ship them off to Grandma's for a month.  I'm not saying that I was ever such a child, but I will admit to being very curious.  Even as an adult I am still very curious, trying to understand why something happened the way it did or why someone acted the way they did, and sometimes I wonder if God ever gets tired of me asking "Why?".  Then today's verse was laid before my eyes.

 

Finally, I had one of the many answers I have been asking God for since I was a child.  I don't need to understand EVERYTHING along life's journey.  I just need to follow the path God sets before me.  I may not like some of the places He has for me to travel, but I trust Him.  I may not like some of the people He has for me to meet, but I trust Him.

 

Believe it or not, God really does make our life so much easier when we let Him be in control!

Let's Be Honest

May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my sheltering rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 

 

I've been honest and have mentioned that I'm not exactly a chipper morning person (before coffee).  But l want to take this a bit further....there are times when I feel the stress and frustrations and anxieties of life that I can get more than a bit cranky.  And during those times, my words and my thoughts are usually not expressing "God's Blessings Upon Thee."  Having confessed that, I must also add, most days are not like this. 

 

Let me put it another way, when you wander into the kitchen in the dark for water and you stub your toe or hit your shin, do your thoughts and words reflect "May God Rain Down His Love Upon Me"?  Probably not.  However, once that incident has subsided, we return to our normal caring selves.

 

I've had to learn something (again) over the last several weeks, God allows us to be put in situations where we get stretched so we can grow.  And He will continue to allow it until we learn what He wants us to learn.  I openly admit that I am stubborn and learn slowly at times.  But I also admit that I am thankful for the opportunity to learn.

 

How about you?

Rules to Live By.....Rule #3

Rule # 3 - Letting Go Is Your Decision!

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

~Ephesians 4:31-32

If we are to truly let go of what weighs us down:

· “Get rid of all…” - Decide whether clinging to the burden is worth it. If not, dump it.

· “Be Kind” - Being angry and hurt is easy. Change that by deciding to be kind.

· “Forgiving” - Ask yourself, ‘what all has God through Christ forgiven in me?’ Forgiveness IS possible. It isn’t easy. But having that weight lifted will greatly help the healing process. 

If a truck parks on your foot, can your foot heal with the truck still on your foot? Yet we want to keep the very thing(s) that are hurting us keep right on hurting us.  Let them go and begin to heal!

Rules for Living....Rule #1

Over the next few days we'll be looking at 4 rules to live by.

Rule #1 - You Can’t Run A Race Looking Backward

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.  ~ Philippians 3:13-14

Three things stick out in this verse:

· “Forgetting the past” - learn from it and let it stay in the past!

· “Looking forward to what lies ahead” - Hope lies forward!

· “Press On” - Keep going! Don’t Give Up!

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
    and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.

~ Proverbs 4:25-27

 

Anger.....Not Always A Good Thing!

Commit everything you do to the Lord.
    Trust him, and he will help you.
⁶ He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
    and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes.

⁸ Stop being angry!
    Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
    it only leads to harm.

Psalm 37:5-8

I have a confession to make...I have anger issues.  No, not the kind where I will end up in a slasher movie.  But I tend to let things get under my skin and eventually they reach the point where I can't take anymore and the explosion is resounding......and my anger explosion gets me in more trouble than if I had just kept my mouth shut.  

There have been many times when I wondered what could God possibly be thinking!  I tried to follow the rules, color between the lines, keep to the Standard Operating Procedure, yet someone else always managed to step in and get recognized or given the credit or didn't get punished or even flourished.  And I got angry!  Guess what my anger got me?  

It's amazing how many times Scripture reminds us to "Be Still" and "Don't Worry" yet we can't seem to follow those simple instructions.  When I am thinking about something and concentrating, I am either walking or pacing (depending on how much room I have).  If I find something disconcerting, I have the tendency to worry.  And guess what all my worrying helps?  

God is the one in control!  All our worrying; all of our anger; all of our discontent; all of our rage; all of our impatience does not negate the truth that God is in control!  We have to learn (yes I am talking to myself) to go through our lives remembering that God loves us; is in control of all things; and everything He does has a purpose that we may never see.  

I pray, even now, that God would teach us to be still and know Him!