April 2
““Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1–2, ESV)
“We condemn a man for stumbling this morning, but we didn’t see the blows he took yesterday. We judge a woman for the limp in her walk but cannot see the tack in her shoe. We mock the fear in their eyes but have no idea how many stones they have ducked or darts they have dodged.
Are they too loud? Perhaps they fear being neglected again. Are they too timid? Perhaps they fear failing again. Too slow? Perhaps they fell the last time they hurried. You don’t know. Only one who has followed yesterday’s steps can be their judge.
Not only are we ignorant about yesterday, we are ignorant about tomorrow. Dare we judge a book while chapters are yet unwritten? Should we pass a verdict on a painting while the artist still holds the brush? How can you dismiss a soul until God’s work is complete?” (p.149 Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado)
It is surprising how often we judge a situation or a person each day. Some of those judgments help you to determine whether to trust a friend or travel to a bad area of town at night. Judgments can save your life. Judgments can also wreck your relationship with others and with God. As stated in the quote by Max Lucado above, you may make rash or wrong judgments about others. You may judge someone as harsh or unapproachable when they are really frightened or insecure. You might judge a person as sinful based on their choices while ignoring the sin you hide every day.
Some read the scripture for today and think, “Jesus doesn’t want me to ever judge anybody or anything.” This is not what the scripture says. It, more accurately, means that you should not judge another person using criteria that you wouldn’t want yourself judged with publicly. For example, should a man look down on another for her bad behavior, while he is treating someone poorly? Is it wise to judge the worth of a person by her clothes, only to feel that others shouldn’t or won’t judge you for the same? Judging people and situations is normal. However, how you judge people and situations determines the methods God will use to judge you. In the scripture for today, Jesus made this absolutely crystal clear when he said rather poetically, “with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:2). Your critical eye will be used by God to examine your own life even now as well as on Judgment Day.
Darcy met Grayson over lunch on a blind date set up by a family friend. Both were in their twenties. Both had never really been happy with any previous relationships. Darcy was about ready to swear off any hope of a future family. Then, she met Grayson. Their blind date went amazingly well. Their conversation flowed as if they knew each other for years. They spent a wonderful second and third and fourth date eating lunch, going to a movie, and among friends. Then, Darcy found out something that Grayson had neglected to mention. Grayson had spent two years in jail for fraud. She broke off their relationship, feeling that Grayson wouldn't be a good father figure after what he'd done.
What Darcy did not know is that Grayson didn’t commit fraud. In fact, he was framed by a family member to take the fall. Not having any good alibi or money for a good lawyer, Grayson couldn’t put up a fair fight to prove his innocence. It was only about two years later that Darcy found out that Grayson was not guilty of his crime. When his innocence was confirmed, she berated herself for ending the relationship with Grayson. How could she have judged him so wrongly? How many others in his life had done the same?
I have seen people judged very poorly depending on where they grew up or their last name. I have witnessed first hand the consequences of people making rash and overly judgmental responses. You have the chance today to change that. By following Jesus’ words, you can choose to judge others and situations with grace and spiritual maturity, or you can choose to be among those in this world who are overly harsh and hypocritical. In the end, these choices will define your relationships, your inner-thoughts, and ultimately your place in Heaven. By the judgments you give, you will be judged… in this life and the next.
Are they too loud? Perhaps they fear being neglected again. Are they too timid? Perhaps they fear failing again. Too slow? Perhaps they fell the last time they hurried. You don’t know. Only one who has followed yesterday’s steps can be their judge.
Not only are we ignorant about yesterday, we are ignorant about tomorrow. Dare we judge a book while chapters are yet unwritten? Should we pass a verdict on a painting while the artist still holds the brush? How can you dismiss a soul until God’s work is complete?” (p.149 Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado)
It is surprising how often we judge a situation or a person each day. Some of those judgments help you to determine whether to trust a friend or travel to a bad area of town at night. Judgments can save your life. Judgments can also wreck your relationship with others and with God. As stated in the quote by Max Lucado above, you may make rash or wrong judgments about others. You may judge someone as harsh or unapproachable when they are really frightened or insecure. You might judge a person as sinful based on their choices while ignoring the sin you hide every day.
Some read the scripture for today and think, “Jesus doesn’t want me to ever judge anybody or anything.” This is not what the scripture says. It, more accurately, means that you should not judge another person using criteria that you wouldn’t want yourself judged with publicly. For example, should a man look down on another for her bad behavior, while he is treating someone poorly? Is it wise to judge the worth of a person by her clothes, only to feel that others shouldn’t or won’t judge you for the same? Judging people and situations is normal. However, how you judge people and situations determines the methods God will use to judge you. In the scripture for today, Jesus made this absolutely crystal clear when he said rather poetically, “with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:2). Your critical eye will be used by God to examine your own life even now as well as on Judgment Day.
Darcy met Grayson over lunch on a blind date set up by a family friend. Both were in their twenties. Both had never really been happy with any previous relationships. Darcy was about ready to swear off any hope of a future family. Then, she met Grayson. Their blind date went amazingly well. Their conversation flowed as if they knew each other for years. They spent a wonderful second and third and fourth date eating lunch, going to a movie, and among friends. Then, Darcy found out something that Grayson had neglected to mention. Grayson had spent two years in jail for fraud. She broke off their relationship, feeling that Grayson wouldn't be a good father figure after what he'd done.
What Darcy did not know is that Grayson didn’t commit fraud. In fact, he was framed by a family member to take the fall. Not having any good alibi or money for a good lawyer, Grayson couldn’t put up a fair fight to prove his innocence. It was only about two years later that Darcy found out that Grayson was not guilty of his crime. When his innocence was confirmed, she berated herself for ending the relationship with Grayson. How could she have judged him so wrongly? How many others in his life had done the same?
I have seen people judged very poorly depending on where they grew up or their last name. I have witnessed first hand the consequences of people making rash and overly judgmental responses. You have the chance today to change that. By following Jesus’ words, you can choose to judge others and situations with grace and spiritual maturity, or you can choose to be among those in this world who are overly harsh and hypocritical. In the end, these choices will define your relationships, your inner-thoughts, and ultimately your place in Heaven. By the judgments you give, you will be judged… in this life and the next.
April 3
“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22, NIV)
When I met Harry, he was a warm and welcoming kind of guy. The surprising thing was, he never smiled very much. In fact, he didn’t seem genuinely happy. I thought this was rather unusual for a strong Christian man. His spiritual joy seemed to be missing. Several years after first meeting him, I was speaking with Harry’s wife when she said something that explained his demeanor. She mentioned that when Harry was young, he lived in a highly dysfunctional household. His parents were particularly overbearing. One brother was arrested before he was fifteen. His sister was pregnant by the time she was seventeen. Harry began a serious relationship with God after he met his wife. But by then, his psychological issues were deeply entrenched. As I looked at Harry, I realized that he lived with strong feelings of past guilt, a guilt that he was taught by his parents to be a normal feeling. Even when he became a Christian, Harry had an ever-present problem with guilt. He had regrets that were deeply ingrained in his psyche. This caused grace and forgiveness to be almost foreign concepts to his normal way of thinking. He could forgive others. He was very gracious. However, guilt prevented him from accepting the same forgiveness and grace from others when he was wrong or failed or faltered. He couldn’t accept compliments with appreciation. He would deride himself. Only after several years of counseling did Harry finally begin to give up his misappropriated guilty conscience and replace it with a newly-acquired spiritual peace.
There are many Christians walking around with a wrongful guilty conscience. Let me explain. When you do something wrong, a guilty conscience can be used by the Holy Spirit to bring you to desire repentance and forgiveness. It can motivate you to appreciate grace and the work of atonement. That can be a very healthy form of a guilty conscience. However, some people have a spiritually unhealthy form of a guilty conscience. They are great at feeling guilty, but they never get rid of the guilt through asking for repentance and accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. They also might not accept the grace or forgiveness of others. They do not let go of past wrongs and failures and mistakes, even when God or another has already forgiven the error. The guilty conscience keeps them from feeling true heavenly joy and peace and spiritual serenity. They often end up like Harry, mentioned above, who could not feel joy and was filled with regret. Are you like Harry?
In the scripture for today, the author of Hebrews is speaking to his fellow brothers in the faith, to believers, to those who should know God well (see Hebrews 10:21). After telling these faithful ones that they have received the blood of Christ, he mentioned that true faith in Jesus meant a faithful person could “draw near to God with a sincere heart” (Hebrews 10:22). Faith in Jesus should bring you “full assurance”. You can draw close to God, and not fear the wrath of God, because your faith has “cleansed you from a guilty conscience”. True faith enables a person to acquire forgiveness for sin through a belief in God. As you draw closer to God, you should be able to shed your guilty conscience as your sins are washed away by the sacrifice of Jesus. Drawing closer to God depletes you of your guilty conscience. The closer to God you become, the more that guilt for past sin has no more hold on your life.
Sadly, there are too many faithful people who have a mistaken guilty conscience. They berate themselves for past mistakes when God would tell them to get over it. Once you are forgiven for your sins, those sins are moved away from you by God “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Forgiven sins should not haunt you, control you, keep you from spiritual joy. A guilty conscience was not meant to last a lifetime. God invented faith and grace and forgiveness to rid you of that burden.
I believe that those who live with a guilty conscience never can truly draw near to God. The guilt keeps you from God’s presence. Whether you’ve been forgiven or not, that guilt preys upon you when you do not let it go to God. Holding on to that guilt long past forgiveness will inevitably damage not only your soul but your joy and peace in Christ. Why would you ever want to do that?
There are many Christians walking around with a wrongful guilty conscience. Let me explain. When you do something wrong, a guilty conscience can be used by the Holy Spirit to bring you to desire repentance and forgiveness. It can motivate you to appreciate grace and the work of atonement. That can be a very healthy form of a guilty conscience. However, some people have a spiritually unhealthy form of a guilty conscience. They are great at feeling guilty, but they never get rid of the guilt through asking for repentance and accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. They also might not accept the grace or forgiveness of others. They do not let go of past wrongs and failures and mistakes, even when God or another has already forgiven the error. The guilty conscience keeps them from feeling true heavenly joy and peace and spiritual serenity. They often end up like Harry, mentioned above, who could not feel joy and was filled with regret. Are you like Harry?
In the scripture for today, the author of Hebrews is speaking to his fellow brothers in the faith, to believers, to those who should know God well (see Hebrews 10:21). After telling these faithful ones that they have received the blood of Christ, he mentioned that true faith in Jesus meant a faithful person could “draw near to God with a sincere heart” (Hebrews 10:22). Faith in Jesus should bring you “full assurance”. You can draw close to God, and not fear the wrath of God, because your faith has “cleansed you from a guilty conscience”. True faith enables a person to acquire forgiveness for sin through a belief in God. As you draw closer to God, you should be able to shed your guilty conscience as your sins are washed away by the sacrifice of Jesus. Drawing closer to God depletes you of your guilty conscience. The closer to God you become, the more that guilt for past sin has no more hold on your life.
Sadly, there are too many faithful people who have a mistaken guilty conscience. They berate themselves for past mistakes when God would tell them to get over it. Once you are forgiven for your sins, those sins are moved away from you by God “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Forgiven sins should not haunt you, control you, keep you from spiritual joy. A guilty conscience was not meant to last a lifetime. God invented faith and grace and forgiveness to rid you of that burden.
I believe that those who live with a guilty conscience never can truly draw near to God. The guilt keeps you from God’s presence. Whether you’ve been forgiven or not, that guilt preys upon you when you do not let it go to God. Holding on to that guilt long past forgiveness will inevitably damage not only your soul but your joy and peace in Christ. Why would you ever want to do that?
April 8
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2, ESV)
“Does hell serve a purpose? … Remove it from the Bible and, at the same time, remove any notion of a just God and a trustworthy Scripture.…
If there is no hell, God is not just. If there is no punishment of sin, heaven is apathetic toward the rapists and pillagers and mass murderers of society. If there is no hell, God is blind toward the victims and has turned his back on those who pray for relief. If there is no wrath toward evil, then God is not love, for love hates that which is evil.
To say there is no hell is also to say God is a liar and His Scripture untrue. The Bible repeatedly and stoutly affirms the dualistic outcome of history. Some will be saved. Some will be lost.” (P. 170 Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado)
There are many people in this world who do not like being judged. They do not like the fact that their good works and evil deeds all have consequences. I recently watched an employee who made a big mistake at work get upset at her employer. The young woman failed to follow office procedures that were required for a certain task, and it caused a terrible mess in the records. When she was called on the carpet by her boss, the employee was visibly upset at the boss. So, let me get this right… the employee who made a mistake she knew better than to do was upset at her boss for calling her out on the mistake? The employee acted like she was wronged, as if the boss was doing something shameful. The only person in this situation who was making mistakes was the employee. She not only messed up the office procedure, but she reacted poorly to criticism. She failed her task and reacted with vehemence to her boss. I’m betting that in the end, the employee thought her boss was a jerk when her boss was acting with good judgment. It was the employee who was totally in the wrong.
Many people do not like knowing they are in the wrong, finding out they made a mistake, or realizing that they need to change their ways. They like to shift the blame to others or allow others to pay for their mistakes. God doesn’t allow such nonsense. God will judge you based on your own choices and decisions. God will judge you based on the good and evil you performed. In this life and the next, God’s judgment upon your life will be based on your own thoughts, words, and deeds. God is not fooled by any attempts at subterfuge, lies, shifting of blame, or hidden actions. God will bless every good deed and punish every evil deed. There is NO getting around this fact.
The scripture for today is from the Old Testament book of Daniel. The words were written more than five hundred years before Jesus was born. Daniel was a prophet who was very close to God. He defended God against the sinfulness of Nebuchadnezzar. He kept the faith despite being thrown to lions! Daniel was also given a glimpse of the future by God and God’s angels. In Daniel 12, Daniel was given a vision of Judgment Day. In the scripture above, Daniel wrote that in this vision, “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). This judgment will occur when God separates those who deserve everlasting life from those who, through sin and evil, deserve everlasting contempt and shame. There will be no middle ground. There will be no nefarious methods to squirm out from that judgment. You are blessed, or you are condemned.
Scripture declares that God is love (1 John 4:8). God is merciful (Psalm 145:8). God does what is right (Daniel 9:14). Human beings may show hate instead of love, hard-heartedness instead of mercy, and do what is wrong instead of what is right. Those who are borne of God, who live in relationship with God, will need to deal with their sin and ask for God’s grace. You will need to make things right in your life before Judgment Day. You need to separate yourself from the sinfulness of this world. Throw yourself into the arms of God. Follow His teachings. Trust the Lord Jesus. Listen to God’s Spirit. Daniel saw Judgment Day coming. Will you follow God’s ways to eternal life or find only everlasting contempt? Will Judgment Day bring your celebration or your everlasting shame?
If you think that today’s subject and scripture are too negative or gloomy, realize that they are not meant to be. Judgment Day is meant to be a day to receive your eternal reward. Sadly, there are too many who have set themselves up to never receive that reward. What do you think you will receive on that day? How would you judge your own life?
In the movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, a soldier for whom others died, says to his wife, “Tell me I’ve led a good life. Tell me I’m a good man….” He was looking at the graves of his fellow soldiers who died so young. He knew they died for him. He wanted to show his life reflected well their sacrifice. How well does your life reflect the love of God? Jesus died on a cross for you. Have you lived a righteous life for Him? On Judgment Day, we find out.
If there is no hell, God is not just. If there is no punishment of sin, heaven is apathetic toward the rapists and pillagers and mass murderers of society. If there is no hell, God is blind toward the victims and has turned his back on those who pray for relief. If there is no wrath toward evil, then God is not love, for love hates that which is evil.
To say there is no hell is also to say God is a liar and His Scripture untrue. The Bible repeatedly and stoutly affirms the dualistic outcome of history. Some will be saved. Some will be lost.” (P. 170 Grace for the Moment, Max Lucado)
There are many people in this world who do not like being judged. They do not like the fact that their good works and evil deeds all have consequences. I recently watched an employee who made a big mistake at work get upset at her employer. The young woman failed to follow office procedures that were required for a certain task, and it caused a terrible mess in the records. When she was called on the carpet by her boss, the employee was visibly upset at the boss. So, let me get this right… the employee who made a mistake she knew better than to do was upset at her boss for calling her out on the mistake? The employee acted like she was wronged, as if the boss was doing something shameful. The only person in this situation who was making mistakes was the employee. She not only messed up the office procedure, but she reacted poorly to criticism. She failed her task and reacted with vehemence to her boss. I’m betting that in the end, the employee thought her boss was a jerk when her boss was acting with good judgment. It was the employee who was totally in the wrong.
Many people do not like knowing they are in the wrong, finding out they made a mistake, or realizing that they need to change their ways. They like to shift the blame to others or allow others to pay for their mistakes. God doesn’t allow such nonsense. God will judge you based on your own choices and decisions. God will judge you based on the good and evil you performed. In this life and the next, God’s judgment upon your life will be based on your own thoughts, words, and deeds. God is not fooled by any attempts at subterfuge, lies, shifting of blame, or hidden actions. God will bless every good deed and punish every evil deed. There is NO getting around this fact.
The scripture for today is from the Old Testament book of Daniel. The words were written more than five hundred years before Jesus was born. Daniel was a prophet who was very close to God. He defended God against the sinfulness of Nebuchadnezzar. He kept the faith despite being thrown to lions! Daniel was also given a glimpse of the future by God and God’s angels. In Daniel 12, Daniel was given a vision of Judgment Day. In the scripture above, Daniel wrote that in this vision, “those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). This judgment will occur when God separates those who deserve everlasting life from those who, through sin and evil, deserve everlasting contempt and shame. There will be no middle ground. There will be no nefarious methods to squirm out from that judgment. You are blessed, or you are condemned.
Scripture declares that God is love (1 John 4:8). God is merciful (Psalm 145:8). God does what is right (Daniel 9:14). Human beings may show hate instead of love, hard-heartedness instead of mercy, and do what is wrong instead of what is right. Those who are borne of God, who live in relationship with God, will need to deal with their sin and ask for God’s grace. You will need to make things right in your life before Judgment Day. You need to separate yourself from the sinfulness of this world. Throw yourself into the arms of God. Follow His teachings. Trust the Lord Jesus. Listen to God’s Spirit. Daniel saw Judgment Day coming. Will you follow God’s ways to eternal life or find only everlasting contempt? Will Judgment Day bring your celebration or your everlasting shame?
If you think that today’s subject and scripture are too negative or gloomy, realize that they are not meant to be. Judgment Day is meant to be a day to receive your eternal reward. Sadly, there are too many who have set themselves up to never receive that reward. What do you think you will receive on that day? How would you judge your own life?
In the movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, a soldier for whom others died, says to his wife, “Tell me I’ve led a good life. Tell me I’m a good man….” He was looking at the graves of his fellow soldiers who died so young. He knew they died for him. He wanted to show his life reflected well their sacrifice. How well does your life reflect the love of God? Jesus died on a cross for you. Have you lived a righteous life for Him? On Judgment Day, we find out.
April 12
“And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.” (Acts 13:49–50, ESV)
Whether or not you are aware of it, what happened to Paul and Barnabas in the scripture above still happens today. It happens more often than you think. It happens in places you don’t know about. Why don’t you know about it? It is kept under the radar. The persecution is kept hidden in the media and in social media. If it doesn’t happen to someone you know, you won’t know about it. Let me explain.
Did you know that discussion about the movie “Unplanned”, a movie about the evils of abortion, was “accidentally” banned by Twitter? Examples of people being unable to get information about it are found online. Did you know that information about Christian persecution by Muslims in Africa and leaders in China have been systematically “blocked” by the mainstream media? Groups like Voice of the Martyrs, websites like Christianity.org and persecution.com, and various other entities regularly report it. However, its not just in far-away places or online where persecution of Christians occurs. It often occurs much closer to home.
This past week, a Roman Catholic columnist from England named Caroline Farrow was attacked by activists for her biblical faith. She believes in marriage and family, and regularly supports people of faith. She believes in a biblical understanding of sexuality and does not support notions of gender fluidity. On April 6th, she reported on Twitter that activists had urged followers to rape her due to her conservative Christian beliefs. Then, the police showed up at her door to do a “welfare check”, because an “anonymous source” had complained that her daughter may be the victim of sexual abuse. No doubt Caroline was reported by activists who wished to silence her Christian faith. Activists then put a photo and telephone number of her husband on a dating site. He had to replace his phone due to solicitations and obscene calls. When she complained to Twitter about threats she was receiving, they suggested she leave Twitter. They didn’t even try to stop those who had made the threats. Activists threatened her job, found other ways to damage her reputation, and made threats against her and her family. What did she do to deserve this? She believes in God and in a biblical notion of right and wrong. She doesn’t “conform” to politically correct idealism. She’s a danger to some people because of her faith.
When Paul and Barnabas traveled in the area between Antioch and Iconium, they spread the good news of the gospel. This incurred the wrath of people who did not like the news about Jesus and His resurrection. Not only did those who didn’t like it get upset, but they “incited” powerful people and leaders in the area to “stir up persecution” against Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:50). The more that “the word of the Lord was spreading”, the fiercer became the persecution (Acts 13:49).
Throughout history, faithful and biblical beliefs have incurred the wrath of non-believers. However, these people didn’t just get upset. They “incited” others to hurt people of faith. Activists today often “incite” people against Christians for their beliefs. Some are from other religions. Some are atheists. Some adhere to liberal moral codes. Some see Christians as judgmental or backward. There have always been hotbeds of persecution against Christians. Today is no different. There are spiritual, political, and social forces allied against you. Satan wants to destroy your faith. Those who are threatened by your truth will desire to “silence” you. Big media groups want to keep you offline. Political groups will try to get laws passed to end your religious freedoms. Don’t for a second think that you are not liable to the threats of activists who will gladly “incite” the powers against you. If you have a true faith, you are in their cross-hairs. They will come for you one day.
Persecution tends to show who has a true faith. When Paul and Barnabas were threatened and persecuted in the scripture for today, they moved on to another area and just kept preaching. Their faith didn’t suffer one bit. In fact, it was deepened. If you have a shallow faith, you will hide your faith during times of persecution. If your faith is weak, you will keep it to yourself or never speak about it. True faith must always be willing to stay strong in the face of persecution.
By the way, Caroline Farrow added in a note to her Twitter friends that she will not let her faith be silenced by activists. Would you be willing to remain faithful if you were put in her situation? I’m hoping you would. I too have been harassed and persecuted for my faith. I’ve lost jobs and faced social ridicule for a biblical faith. I am online to share the wonderful news of Jesus Christ and God’s saving grace even though I place myself in danger for my beliefs. I do this for you and for my Lord Jesus. You are worth it. Can you stand with me in faith, even through difficult times?
Did you know that discussion about the movie “Unplanned”, a movie about the evils of abortion, was “accidentally” banned by Twitter? Examples of people being unable to get information about it are found online. Did you know that information about Christian persecution by Muslims in Africa and leaders in China have been systematically “blocked” by the mainstream media? Groups like Voice of the Martyrs, websites like Christianity.org and persecution.com, and various other entities regularly report it. However, its not just in far-away places or online where persecution of Christians occurs. It often occurs much closer to home.
This past week, a Roman Catholic columnist from England named Caroline Farrow was attacked by activists for her biblical faith. She believes in marriage and family, and regularly supports people of faith. She believes in a biblical understanding of sexuality and does not support notions of gender fluidity. On April 6th, she reported on Twitter that activists had urged followers to rape her due to her conservative Christian beliefs. Then, the police showed up at her door to do a “welfare check”, because an “anonymous source” had complained that her daughter may be the victim of sexual abuse. No doubt Caroline was reported by activists who wished to silence her Christian faith. Activists then put a photo and telephone number of her husband on a dating site. He had to replace his phone due to solicitations and obscene calls. When she complained to Twitter about threats she was receiving, they suggested she leave Twitter. They didn’t even try to stop those who had made the threats. Activists threatened her job, found other ways to damage her reputation, and made threats against her and her family. What did she do to deserve this? She believes in God and in a biblical notion of right and wrong. She doesn’t “conform” to politically correct idealism. She’s a danger to some people because of her faith.
When Paul and Barnabas traveled in the area between Antioch and Iconium, they spread the good news of the gospel. This incurred the wrath of people who did not like the news about Jesus and His resurrection. Not only did those who didn’t like it get upset, but they “incited” powerful people and leaders in the area to “stir up persecution” against Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:50). The more that “the word of the Lord was spreading”, the fiercer became the persecution (Acts 13:49).
Throughout history, faithful and biblical beliefs have incurred the wrath of non-believers. However, these people didn’t just get upset. They “incited” others to hurt people of faith. Activists today often “incite” people against Christians for their beliefs. Some are from other religions. Some are atheists. Some adhere to liberal moral codes. Some see Christians as judgmental or backward. There have always been hotbeds of persecution against Christians. Today is no different. There are spiritual, political, and social forces allied against you. Satan wants to destroy your faith. Those who are threatened by your truth will desire to “silence” you. Big media groups want to keep you offline. Political groups will try to get laws passed to end your religious freedoms. Don’t for a second think that you are not liable to the threats of activists who will gladly “incite” the powers against you. If you have a true faith, you are in their cross-hairs. They will come for you one day.
Persecution tends to show who has a true faith. When Paul and Barnabas were threatened and persecuted in the scripture for today, they moved on to another area and just kept preaching. Their faith didn’t suffer one bit. In fact, it was deepened. If you have a shallow faith, you will hide your faith during times of persecution. If your faith is weak, you will keep it to yourself or never speak about it. True faith must always be willing to stay strong in the face of persecution.
By the way, Caroline Farrow added in a note to her Twitter friends that she will not let her faith be silenced by activists. Would you be willing to remain faithful if you were put in her situation? I’m hoping you would. I too have been harassed and persecuted for my faith. I’ve lost jobs and faced social ridicule for a biblical faith. I am online to share the wonderful news of Jesus Christ and God’s saving grace even though I place myself in danger for my beliefs. I do this for you and for my Lord Jesus. You are worth it. Can you stand with me in faith, even through difficult times?
April 14
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”” (1 Corinthians 3:19, NLT)
Many people today consider those from centuries ago as “uncultured”, “uncivilized”, or "backward". They look back at history as if they are more wise than people of the past. How often have humans not learned from the past? How often have they repeated the same mistakes as those before them? Sadly, human beings have often thought of themselves as superior. Sometimes, humans even think they are more intelligent than God. It’s a pride thing. It’s a stupid thing.
On a Saturday morning, Ted decided he would tackle a problem that had long bothered him. His car had a slow leak in the gas tank. He figured it was due to the age of his car, which was an antique over twenty-five years old. He loved that car. It was his pride and joy. One day he would rebuild that car, a 1969 GTO. Today, however, was not that day. He had other things to do. The rebuild would come when he had saved enough money.
Ted put the car up on ramps in his driveway, backing onto the ramps. That way the rear end was far enough off the ground that he could see where the leak was coming from. Once he had chocked the front tires so the car wouldn’t roll, he climbed under the car to find the leak. It was a slow leak, so he had a hard time finding the hole. He saw an area of the tank that had darkened rust, so he figured it was near there. He searched in vain. He couldn’t find the leak. It was frustrating him. After searching for fifteen minutes, he felt a small dimple on the side of the tank near the rear tire. It looked like a small stone had been thrown up by the rear right tire and had punctured the tank. Not wanting to get up and grab his shop light to see better, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his butane lighter. He flicked it to flame, without thinking, and put it up near the side of the tank so he could see better. That’s when the gas fumes exploded.
You don’t use a flame of any sort to check for gas leaks, even in an emergency! It’s a stupid idea. Ted knew better but didn’t think in that moment. He paid a price for his thoughtless action.
A wise person can make a stupid mistake. The smartest person in a room can fail to see something obvious. If a mother has a blind spot in her heart for a son, it can make her prone to overlooking what is self-evident to another. A teacher who is highly educated can make a financial blunder. I’ve met people who thought their alcoholism would not hurt them. A friend whose father died of lung cancer smokes two packs of cigarettes a week. Some people don’t learn lessons from the past. Some people think that human reason is the pinnacle of wisdom. There are many people who think they know what is best for them, when they do not. Worldly wisdom can fail you. God’s wisdom will not. As the scripture from up above states: “the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God” (1 Corinthians 3:19).
The scripture for today does not insinuate that worldly wisdom is always wrong or prone to failure. However, when it goes against God’s wisdom, it may be foolish. Twenty years ago, I met a man who thought that it was not wrong to have an affair if he and his wife were above board about it. He said he loved his wife, but that he had urges that needed to be quenched. He talked his wife into letting him fool around, as long as it was done discreetly. He had it all reasoned out. What could go wrong? After his third affair, he got a venereal disease. To keep his wife from getting the disease, he stopped having sex with her. She no longer felt loved. Two years later, they divorced.
There may come a time in your life when your reason will come up against God’s wisdom. You might try to justify a sin or rationalize away something that is wrong. You might convince yourself that some small sin isn’t such a bad thing. You might reason that if nobody knows about a sin, it won’t hurt to do it. Your own “cleverness” might ensnare you in a sin that could overtake you (1 Corinthians 3:19).
Worldly wisdom in modern times often projects itself as superior to godly wisdom. Don’t fall into that trap. Since the beginning of time, people have thought their sins wouldn’t amount to anything. Eve thought that eating only one small fruit from a tree in the Garden of Eden couldn’t hurt anything. She was so very wrong. King David thought that staring at the naked wife of Uriah wouldn’t amount to a real sin. It amounted to murder! Pontius Pilate thought that washing his hands of the whole “Jesus trial” would make him innocent to future generations. In doing so, he conspired to the murder of an innocent man. Worldly wisdom can so easily get you in hot water when it goes against God’s wisdom.
Are there foolish thoughts that are eating away at your peace? Is there a part of your life where worldliness is creeping in? Don’t let flawed human reasoning cloud your judgment. It can snare even the wisest of us all.
On a Saturday morning, Ted decided he would tackle a problem that had long bothered him. His car had a slow leak in the gas tank. He figured it was due to the age of his car, which was an antique over twenty-five years old. He loved that car. It was his pride and joy. One day he would rebuild that car, a 1969 GTO. Today, however, was not that day. He had other things to do. The rebuild would come when he had saved enough money.
Ted put the car up on ramps in his driveway, backing onto the ramps. That way the rear end was far enough off the ground that he could see where the leak was coming from. Once he had chocked the front tires so the car wouldn’t roll, he climbed under the car to find the leak. It was a slow leak, so he had a hard time finding the hole. He saw an area of the tank that had darkened rust, so he figured it was near there. He searched in vain. He couldn’t find the leak. It was frustrating him. After searching for fifteen minutes, he felt a small dimple on the side of the tank near the rear tire. It looked like a small stone had been thrown up by the rear right tire and had punctured the tank. Not wanting to get up and grab his shop light to see better, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his butane lighter. He flicked it to flame, without thinking, and put it up near the side of the tank so he could see better. That’s when the gas fumes exploded.
You don’t use a flame of any sort to check for gas leaks, even in an emergency! It’s a stupid idea. Ted knew better but didn’t think in that moment. He paid a price for his thoughtless action.
A wise person can make a stupid mistake. The smartest person in a room can fail to see something obvious. If a mother has a blind spot in her heart for a son, it can make her prone to overlooking what is self-evident to another. A teacher who is highly educated can make a financial blunder. I’ve met people who thought their alcoholism would not hurt them. A friend whose father died of lung cancer smokes two packs of cigarettes a week. Some people don’t learn lessons from the past. Some people think that human reason is the pinnacle of wisdom. There are many people who think they know what is best for them, when they do not. Worldly wisdom can fail you. God’s wisdom will not. As the scripture from up above states: “the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God” (1 Corinthians 3:19).
The scripture for today does not insinuate that worldly wisdom is always wrong or prone to failure. However, when it goes against God’s wisdom, it may be foolish. Twenty years ago, I met a man who thought that it was not wrong to have an affair if he and his wife were above board about it. He said he loved his wife, but that he had urges that needed to be quenched. He talked his wife into letting him fool around, as long as it was done discreetly. He had it all reasoned out. What could go wrong? After his third affair, he got a venereal disease. To keep his wife from getting the disease, he stopped having sex with her. She no longer felt loved. Two years later, they divorced.
There may come a time in your life when your reason will come up against God’s wisdom. You might try to justify a sin or rationalize away something that is wrong. You might convince yourself that some small sin isn’t such a bad thing. You might reason that if nobody knows about a sin, it won’t hurt to do it. Your own “cleverness” might ensnare you in a sin that could overtake you (1 Corinthians 3:19).
Worldly wisdom in modern times often projects itself as superior to godly wisdom. Don’t fall into that trap. Since the beginning of time, people have thought their sins wouldn’t amount to anything. Eve thought that eating only one small fruit from a tree in the Garden of Eden couldn’t hurt anything. She was so very wrong. King David thought that staring at the naked wife of Uriah wouldn’t amount to a real sin. It amounted to murder! Pontius Pilate thought that washing his hands of the whole “Jesus trial” would make him innocent to future generations. In doing so, he conspired to the murder of an innocent man. Worldly wisdom can so easily get you in hot water when it goes against God’s wisdom.
Are there foolish thoughts that are eating away at your peace? Is there a part of your life where worldliness is creeping in? Don’t let flawed human reasoning cloud your judgment. It can snare even the wisest of us all.
April 16
““And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
(Matthew 6:7, ESV)
(Matthew 6:7, ESV)
At an event for church leaders I attended, a well-known author was called upon to give the prayer for the day. She got up and asked us to pray and then delivered the prayer. Her words flowed like honey. They were highly eloquent and lofty. I didn’t even know the meaning of some of the words. I struggled to follow along. At the next break, another pastor and I spoke. During the conversation, he said to me, “Did you like the prayer for the day?”
I answered: “Honestly, I couldn’t follow along. I didn’t even understand some of it. Maybe it was me.”
He replied, “I’ve never heard a prayer with so many words of which none of them seemed to touch my heart. I guess you had to be loftier than I to connect to God through it.”
Prayer is meant to be a time to connect with God. Unfortunately, sometimes people throw a bunch of words at God as if they mean something. Some people recite prayer words from a bulletin, but don’t even take time to understand what is written and being said. There are many people who recite memorized prayers without taking the time to appreciate the words or meaning or emotion of the prayer. It may be on some Sunday morning when a prayer doesn’t touch you that you just aren’t in a prayerful frame of mind. At any rate, prayer time can become worthless when these types of things happen. When you can’t connect with God in prayer, something is wrong. Something needs to change. It is not good to waste that time of conversation with God!
A congregation was worshiping one Sunday. They moved through the Opening words. They heard the sermon. They had a collection. At the time of the Pastoral Prayer, the Pastor realized that he was missing his written prayer from his lectern. As he searched for it, he began to read the bulletin response…. “It is time for prayer”. The congregation responded, “We have come to speak with God Almighty”. The pastor, rifling through his papers on the lectern continued, “Let us bring to God our thoughts and pains, our devotion and concern”. The congregation obligingly read their written response. Following that, the pastor was supposed to say, “peace be with you!”, to which the congregation would respond, “And also with you.” But, with a loss for words because of missing Pastoral Prayer, the pastor said, “We seem to have a problem!” The congregation didn’t even stop. They continued saying their part of the service… “And also with you.” A few whispered laughs were heard. Few even understood what had happened.
When you rush through prayer time, recite a bunch of words in prayer without thinking, or throw a bunch of words together to sound holy in prayer, you miss the whole interaction with God! You begin talking AT God instead of talking WITH God. Have you ever met a person who hogged all the conversation by saying a bunch of words real fast and nobody could get a word in? That’s what happens when you throw up a bunch of words at God without a thought for the holy moment or God’s holy presence. Time in prayer is precious. Your words are important. Attention on God is paramount. Sometimes, silence in a prayer can make a huge difference as you listen for God’s “still small voice” or give yourself time to appreciate the dialogue. You don’t need to say a bunch of lofty words or do all the talking in prayer. Listening is often one of the best advantages in a prayer life.
In the scripture for today, Jesus is critical of those who waste their prayer time. He mentioned that Gentiles of the day often “heaped up empty phrases” to God, words that meant nothing to those gathered. Those words may have sounded eloquent or lofty, but they didn’t carry any meaning. There may have been a lot of words spoken, but dialogue with God wasn’t happening. The Gentiles were not the only ones to make this mistake in prayer, Jewish people did the same. Jesus warns His disciples not to fail in the same way in the scripture today with the words... “they think that they will be heard (by God) for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7). God doesn’t count the words to determine the worth of a prayer. God looks for meaning and connection, for honesty and integrity. Jesus expected more from His disciples.
How honest are you with God when you pray? Do you tend to hurry through your prayer time? Do you take time to listen for God’s voice? I think its high time you examine how and why you pray. Jesus wanted His disciples to have a meaningful prayer life WITH God, not an empty time filled with words and no depth. Jesus wants that kind of prayer life for you today. Will you allow it?
I answered: “Honestly, I couldn’t follow along. I didn’t even understand some of it. Maybe it was me.”
He replied, “I’ve never heard a prayer with so many words of which none of them seemed to touch my heart. I guess you had to be loftier than I to connect to God through it.”
Prayer is meant to be a time to connect with God. Unfortunately, sometimes people throw a bunch of words at God as if they mean something. Some people recite prayer words from a bulletin, but don’t even take time to understand what is written and being said. There are many people who recite memorized prayers without taking the time to appreciate the words or meaning or emotion of the prayer. It may be on some Sunday morning when a prayer doesn’t touch you that you just aren’t in a prayerful frame of mind. At any rate, prayer time can become worthless when these types of things happen. When you can’t connect with God in prayer, something is wrong. Something needs to change. It is not good to waste that time of conversation with God!
A congregation was worshiping one Sunday. They moved through the Opening words. They heard the sermon. They had a collection. At the time of the Pastoral Prayer, the Pastor realized that he was missing his written prayer from his lectern. As he searched for it, he began to read the bulletin response…. “It is time for prayer”. The congregation responded, “We have come to speak with God Almighty”. The pastor, rifling through his papers on the lectern continued, “Let us bring to God our thoughts and pains, our devotion and concern”. The congregation obligingly read their written response. Following that, the pastor was supposed to say, “peace be with you!”, to which the congregation would respond, “And also with you.” But, with a loss for words because of missing Pastoral Prayer, the pastor said, “We seem to have a problem!” The congregation didn’t even stop. They continued saying their part of the service… “And also with you.” A few whispered laughs were heard. Few even understood what had happened.
When you rush through prayer time, recite a bunch of words in prayer without thinking, or throw a bunch of words together to sound holy in prayer, you miss the whole interaction with God! You begin talking AT God instead of talking WITH God. Have you ever met a person who hogged all the conversation by saying a bunch of words real fast and nobody could get a word in? That’s what happens when you throw up a bunch of words at God without a thought for the holy moment or God’s holy presence. Time in prayer is precious. Your words are important. Attention on God is paramount. Sometimes, silence in a prayer can make a huge difference as you listen for God’s “still small voice” or give yourself time to appreciate the dialogue. You don’t need to say a bunch of lofty words or do all the talking in prayer. Listening is often one of the best advantages in a prayer life.
In the scripture for today, Jesus is critical of those who waste their prayer time. He mentioned that Gentiles of the day often “heaped up empty phrases” to God, words that meant nothing to those gathered. Those words may have sounded eloquent or lofty, but they didn’t carry any meaning. There may have been a lot of words spoken, but dialogue with God wasn’t happening. The Gentiles were not the only ones to make this mistake in prayer, Jewish people did the same. Jesus warns His disciples not to fail in the same way in the scripture today with the words... “they think that they will be heard (by God) for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7). God doesn’t count the words to determine the worth of a prayer. God looks for meaning and connection, for honesty and integrity. Jesus expected more from His disciples.
How honest are you with God when you pray? Do you tend to hurry through your prayer time? Do you take time to listen for God’s voice? I think its high time you examine how and why you pray. Jesus wanted His disciples to have a meaningful prayer life WITH God, not an empty time filled with words and no depth. Jesus wants that kind of prayer life for you today. Will you allow it?
April 20
“You also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour.”” (Luke 12:40, RSV)
When some people are dying, they hide the symptoms or diagnosis from the family. I’ve known people who had life-threatening diseases and injuries but didn’t let anyone close know the truth. Then, when dying, the family was shocked to find out the truth. They had no idea the relative was so sick. Friends and family were unprepared when death loomed into view.
I’ve also met people who hid the truth about something serious from a spouse. One man hid an affair with a prostitute from his wife. When he was diagnosed with a venereal disease, he also hid that. When his wife became pregnant, she was shocked during blood tests to find out she had a venereal disease. I’ve counseled husbands and wives who had a gambling addition, spending problem, or other spiritual or physical illness. Many hid it from family and friends. When the family found it, they suffered from not knowing. Friends were hurt. In some of those cases, the families went through long-term grief counseling, bankruptcy, or worse. In many of these cases, it was too late to stop serious damage to lives, children, finances, or relationships.
Some people go through life without a plan B. They don’t make plans in case something fails or make arrangements if something should go wrong. Some don’t look ahead. Some are afraid to make decisions about the future. Some live in the past. Some live only in the moment. Spiritually, many scriptures urge the faithful to look ahead, make preparations for the Day of Judgment, keep one’s heart right with God, and more. The scripture for today is one such place in the Bible. It challenges you to “make ready” for Christ’s coming.
Whether or not the end of the world comes in your lifetime, you will someday have to face God for your life’s decisions. You will be responsible for your choices. As Jesus was speaking to His disciples one day, He used the words captured in the scripture above. Jesus challenged his disciples to “be ready” spiritually. Someday, maybe even soon, “the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour” (Luke 12:40). Jesus was speaking about Judgment Day. He was also speaking about times when God comes into your life to interact with you. At these moments, God will be present with you. You need to be ready for these moments. You must prepare for meetings with God, whether in this life or the next.
God can come into your life in a moment’s notice or without warning. God can come to take you home to Heaven or send you to Hell at any time. You may or may not have warning when you are going to die. However, you are required to be ready for that moment.
As an old farmer lay dying at his home in Scotland, the pastor was summoned. As the two spoke, the farmer said, “With my sheep, I constantly made sure the gates were closed to protect them. I want you to know, Pastor, that in my life, I’ve always watched the gates of my soul closely as well. Whenever I felt God calling me to open or close a time in my life, I did it. Now, I feel very hopeful because of that.” This sheep farmer was able to rest easy while dying, because he had long prepared for the end of his life. He made sure spiritually to open or close all the spiritual doors as God required.
How about you? How well have you prepared yourself and others for Jesus’ return or God’s visit to your life?
I have been at the bedside of many people who were dying. I have witnessed the death rattle of many a person. I’ve known those who were ready to face God, even looking forward to that day! I’ve also met many who were terrified or regretful about meeting God face to face or on Judgment Day. Should Jesus come to take you home today, how would you feel? Would you be ready? Would you have regrets? Would you be excited or ashamed?
In Jesus’ name, I ask you to make ready for when God comes into your life. Start making preparations today. There may come a time when its too late to fix something that is broken, or correct something that is wrong.
I’ve also met people who hid the truth about something serious from a spouse. One man hid an affair with a prostitute from his wife. When he was diagnosed with a venereal disease, he also hid that. When his wife became pregnant, she was shocked during blood tests to find out she had a venereal disease. I’ve counseled husbands and wives who had a gambling addition, spending problem, or other spiritual or physical illness. Many hid it from family and friends. When the family found it, they suffered from not knowing. Friends were hurt. In some of those cases, the families went through long-term grief counseling, bankruptcy, or worse. In many of these cases, it was too late to stop serious damage to lives, children, finances, or relationships.
Some people go through life without a plan B. They don’t make plans in case something fails or make arrangements if something should go wrong. Some don’t look ahead. Some are afraid to make decisions about the future. Some live in the past. Some live only in the moment. Spiritually, many scriptures urge the faithful to look ahead, make preparations for the Day of Judgment, keep one’s heart right with God, and more. The scripture for today is one such place in the Bible. It challenges you to “make ready” for Christ’s coming.
Whether or not the end of the world comes in your lifetime, you will someday have to face God for your life’s decisions. You will be responsible for your choices. As Jesus was speaking to His disciples one day, He used the words captured in the scripture above. Jesus challenged his disciples to “be ready” spiritually. Someday, maybe even soon, “the Son of man is coming at an unexpected hour” (Luke 12:40). Jesus was speaking about Judgment Day. He was also speaking about times when God comes into your life to interact with you. At these moments, God will be present with you. You need to be ready for these moments. You must prepare for meetings with God, whether in this life or the next.
God can come into your life in a moment’s notice or without warning. God can come to take you home to Heaven or send you to Hell at any time. You may or may not have warning when you are going to die. However, you are required to be ready for that moment.
As an old farmer lay dying at his home in Scotland, the pastor was summoned. As the two spoke, the farmer said, “With my sheep, I constantly made sure the gates were closed to protect them. I want you to know, Pastor, that in my life, I’ve always watched the gates of my soul closely as well. Whenever I felt God calling me to open or close a time in my life, I did it. Now, I feel very hopeful because of that.” This sheep farmer was able to rest easy while dying, because he had long prepared for the end of his life. He made sure spiritually to open or close all the spiritual doors as God required.
How about you? How well have you prepared yourself and others for Jesus’ return or God’s visit to your life?
I have been at the bedside of many people who were dying. I have witnessed the death rattle of many a person. I’ve known those who were ready to face God, even looking forward to that day! I’ve also met many who were terrified or regretful about meeting God face to face or on Judgment Day. Should Jesus come to take you home today, how would you feel? Would you be ready? Would you have regrets? Would you be excited or ashamed?
In Jesus’ name, I ask you to make ready for when God comes into your life. Start making preparations today. There may come a time when its too late to fix something that is broken, or correct something that is wrong.
April 24
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10, RSV)
When I was a child, I had frequent ear infections. The canals in my ears were so formed that if I got a cold or the flu and the Eustachian tube became blocked, my ears would fill with water. If the water stayed long enough, I’d end up with an ear infection. I grew used to having ears clogged with fluid or infection. I remember many days where my hearing was lessened by those plugged ear canals. I was deeply saddened because of all those infections and my degraded hearing. I remember being moved toward the front of the class in school so that I could better hear the teacher. I considered myself a failure, because I couldn’t hear well.
However, that very weakness due to deformed ear canals has since become one of my greatest gifts. For years, that water that degraded my hearing prevented my eardrums from any damage due to loud noises. Also, my hearing grew highly attuned, because of hearing loss. As a bonus, I learned how to read lips! When the water in my ears dried up as I grew into an adult, I noticed that I could hear things other people could not. I could hear babies crying at night. I could hear a misfire in my engine. I can hear things my sons cannot hear. I can distinguish sounds very well. Last month, I told my wife that a sound on the east side of the house had changed and something was wrong. We looked until we found the problem. Come to find out, a radon evacuation fan on the outside of the house had become clogged with ice! I could hear the change in pitch from inside the house and knew something wasn’t right! My hearing weakness as a child has become one of my greatest strengths!
Sometimes, a weakness can become a strength even though you can’t overcome it. I have met young men and women with Down’s Syndrome who are some of the most loving people I have ever met. Their illness gave them a superpower way of loving! There are people who have dealt with depression who became excellent counselors because of it. There are soldiers with lost limbs who have shined in competitions with their great ability to harness the adaptability of their prostheses. They can run very quickly! Some in wheelchairs have become great weightlifters using only their upper body strength! I’ve met women who were raped, who became awesome crisis counselors. In many, many situations, people have used their weaknesses to great effect!
Faithful people who have glaring weaknesses can sometimes become spiritually stronger as well. While overcoming a bad childhood, some people gain an extra amount of compassion. During a period of intense suffering, spiritual people often gain a heightened sense of the need for grace or forgiveness. I’ve met persecuted Christians who had a very strong and deep faith. A friend of mine who has lost two spouses to cancer has a great gift for helping others to overcome the loss of a loved one. Working through a weakness in your life can infuse you with extraordinary spiritual power as well as strengthen your relationship with God.
When the apostle Paul traveled as a missionary, he often encountered intense persecution. Scriptures tell how he was stoned, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, whipped, and more (See 2 Corinthians 11). Through it all, Paul’s faith did not weaken. It grew stronger. While overcoming all these adversities, Paul grew closer to God and his preaching grew more powerful. His writings reflected an increased depth of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. In the scripture for today, Paul wrote that he grew “content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Why? Because these weaknesses made him spiritually “strong”. These difficult times in his life made Paul deeply faithful and powerfully effective for God.
Don’t overlook the weaknesses in your life. They may help you become more powerful spiritually. They also may reinforce your faith or bring you closer to God. You may not like to suffer or fail or endure insults, but these trials in your life may well be defining moments where you discover a powerful strength in God Almighty. These moments may give you a spiritual strength that is missing in those who have it good. These difficulties may make you more well-rounded, more compassionate, and more adaptable than those who have never struggled. That’s why Paul said that when he is weak, he is strong. A weakness in one are of your life may greatly empower another area of your life. That weakness may actually propel you to great spiritual strength.
Don't wallow in self-pity when weaknesses get you down. Look for God to use those weaknesses to give you a boost of spiritual strength.
However, that very weakness due to deformed ear canals has since become one of my greatest gifts. For years, that water that degraded my hearing prevented my eardrums from any damage due to loud noises. Also, my hearing grew highly attuned, because of hearing loss. As a bonus, I learned how to read lips! When the water in my ears dried up as I grew into an adult, I noticed that I could hear things other people could not. I could hear babies crying at night. I could hear a misfire in my engine. I can hear things my sons cannot hear. I can distinguish sounds very well. Last month, I told my wife that a sound on the east side of the house had changed and something was wrong. We looked until we found the problem. Come to find out, a radon evacuation fan on the outside of the house had become clogged with ice! I could hear the change in pitch from inside the house and knew something wasn’t right! My hearing weakness as a child has become one of my greatest strengths!
Sometimes, a weakness can become a strength even though you can’t overcome it. I have met young men and women with Down’s Syndrome who are some of the most loving people I have ever met. Their illness gave them a superpower way of loving! There are people who have dealt with depression who became excellent counselors because of it. There are soldiers with lost limbs who have shined in competitions with their great ability to harness the adaptability of their prostheses. They can run very quickly! Some in wheelchairs have become great weightlifters using only their upper body strength! I’ve met women who were raped, who became awesome crisis counselors. In many, many situations, people have used their weaknesses to great effect!
Faithful people who have glaring weaknesses can sometimes become spiritually stronger as well. While overcoming a bad childhood, some people gain an extra amount of compassion. During a period of intense suffering, spiritual people often gain a heightened sense of the need for grace or forgiveness. I’ve met persecuted Christians who had a very strong and deep faith. A friend of mine who has lost two spouses to cancer has a great gift for helping others to overcome the loss of a loved one. Working through a weakness in your life can infuse you with extraordinary spiritual power as well as strengthen your relationship with God.
When the apostle Paul traveled as a missionary, he often encountered intense persecution. Scriptures tell how he was stoned, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, whipped, and more (See 2 Corinthians 11). Through it all, Paul’s faith did not weaken. It grew stronger. While overcoming all these adversities, Paul grew closer to God and his preaching grew more powerful. His writings reflected an increased depth of spiritual knowledge and wisdom. In the scripture for today, Paul wrote that he grew “content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Why? Because these weaknesses made him spiritually “strong”. These difficult times in his life made Paul deeply faithful and powerfully effective for God.
Don’t overlook the weaknesses in your life. They may help you become more powerful spiritually. They also may reinforce your faith or bring you closer to God. You may not like to suffer or fail or endure insults, but these trials in your life may well be defining moments where you discover a powerful strength in God Almighty. These moments may give you a spiritual strength that is missing in those who have it good. These difficulties may make you more well-rounded, more compassionate, and more adaptable than those who have never struggled. That’s why Paul said that when he is weak, he is strong. A weakness in one are of your life may greatly empower another area of your life. That weakness may actually propel you to great spiritual strength.
Don't wallow in self-pity when weaknesses get you down. Look for God to use those weaknesses to give you a boost of spiritual strength.
April 28
“The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves.” (Proverbs 14:8, NLT)
In scripture, Satan is given many titles or names; one of them is “the deceiver” (Rev. 12:9). Satan uses many methods of deception. Lying is one. According to John 8:44, Satan is known by Jesus as the “father of lies”. Lies, manipulation, twisting of facts, and more are examples of deception common to our world. It never feels good to be deceived or lied to, manipulated or to have your words twisted and then used against you. Sadly, Satan and his followers are not the only ones who are good at deception. According to the scripture for today, foolish people are good at deception. However, as this verse makes clear, fools delude themselves. They lie to themselves. They deceive themselves.
Have you ever lied to yourself?
When I met Sharon, she was young and vibrant. I loved her attitude. She wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. In a short amount of time, she and I became closer. As her pastor, she felt comfortable talking with me. Two years after I first met her, she had surgery at the hospital. I went to pray with her. When they opened her up, the surgeon found cancer. A lot of it. The doctor closed her right back up, refusing to perform surgery until the cancer was remediated.
When Sharon woke from surgery and found out she had cancer, it was like a switch was thrown. Because she was in her 30’s, she didn’t believe what the doctors had found. She was active, ate very well, always took good care of her health. She had done all the right things to live a long time.. how could she have cancer? For weeks and months after the surgery, Sharon refused to accept the diagnosis. She forbade her family from saying the word, “cancer”. She refused to talk to me. She did nothing to battle the disease. In her mind, she didn’t have cancer. Three months later she died. Her family was torn apart following her death. Because she wouldn’t let her husband and girls speak about her illness, her family was completely unprepared for her death. It took them years to deal with it. One daughter still is fighting demons from the memories.
When you lie to yourself about something, that blindness can come back to cause terrible suffering or loss. According to the scripture today, it is foolish to deceive yourself, lie to yourself, or ignore the truth. However, there are many who live this way today. The headlines even capture their self-deception....
In 2016, the NY Times wrote an article about how Iran had become a “hot tourist destination.” Some went there to “rediscover” Iran only to be threatened and harassed. Several high profile cases have been in the news of tourists who were detained there for political or ideological reasons, some kidnapped or extorted. One woman who was killed there said that she wanted to go to Iran to show that the Middle East was safe, unlike the message in the media. She found out differently when she was murdered. This self-deception cost her life.
A woman who smoked for years thought she’d never get cancer. Her family had no history of it. However, after years of smoking, it was found that she had throat cancer. After surgery, she could no longer speak normally as her larynx had to be removed. Her self-deception later cost her life.
Steve was a church-going man who hid a portion of his life from everybody close to him. Though seeming to live a normal life, he visited prostitutes in Europe or Thailand twice a year. He thought hiding his sin would never cause harm. He was careful. He was safe. He now has AIDS. His self-deception will kill him. It has already cost him his job.
There are so many ways you can lie to yourself. A person who is bipolar thinks he can get off his meds and live a normal life. A compulsive spender believes that his two bankruptcies were flukes. A life-long drug addict tells his family that he can quit cold-turkey at any time without any help. A young woman is convinced that a feminist professor from college is correct, and that she doesn’t need any man in her life to ever find happiness. A teenager tells her parents that she can date whomever she wishes at the age of thirteen. She tries to convince them that nothing bad will happen, because she is very careful. All these people have convinced themselves that their views or reality cannot be wrong. How many are living with self-deception?
The scripture for today asserts that only the “prudent” or wise person is able to “know where they are going” (Proverbs 14:8). One very important aspect of a prudent life, according to this verse, is the absence of self-deception. Wise ones make sure to separate the truth from lies. Fools will always get sucked in by the lies. They can be manipulated. The prudent person is harder to fool, but not immune to trickery, especially by Satan. It is very important you look out for lies you tell yourself, told by the world, whispered by Satan.
Have you ever lied to yourself?
When I met Sharon, she was young and vibrant. I loved her attitude. She wanted to enjoy life to the fullest. In a short amount of time, she and I became closer. As her pastor, she felt comfortable talking with me. Two years after I first met her, she had surgery at the hospital. I went to pray with her. When they opened her up, the surgeon found cancer. A lot of it. The doctor closed her right back up, refusing to perform surgery until the cancer was remediated.
When Sharon woke from surgery and found out she had cancer, it was like a switch was thrown. Because she was in her 30’s, she didn’t believe what the doctors had found. She was active, ate very well, always took good care of her health. She had done all the right things to live a long time.. how could she have cancer? For weeks and months after the surgery, Sharon refused to accept the diagnosis. She forbade her family from saying the word, “cancer”. She refused to talk to me. She did nothing to battle the disease. In her mind, she didn’t have cancer. Three months later she died. Her family was torn apart following her death. Because she wouldn’t let her husband and girls speak about her illness, her family was completely unprepared for her death. It took them years to deal with it. One daughter still is fighting demons from the memories.
When you lie to yourself about something, that blindness can come back to cause terrible suffering or loss. According to the scripture today, it is foolish to deceive yourself, lie to yourself, or ignore the truth. However, there are many who live this way today. The headlines even capture their self-deception....
In 2016, the NY Times wrote an article about how Iran had become a “hot tourist destination.” Some went there to “rediscover” Iran only to be threatened and harassed. Several high profile cases have been in the news of tourists who were detained there for political or ideological reasons, some kidnapped or extorted. One woman who was killed there said that she wanted to go to Iran to show that the Middle East was safe, unlike the message in the media. She found out differently when she was murdered. This self-deception cost her life.
A woman who smoked for years thought she’d never get cancer. Her family had no history of it. However, after years of smoking, it was found that she had throat cancer. After surgery, she could no longer speak normally as her larynx had to be removed. Her self-deception later cost her life.
Steve was a church-going man who hid a portion of his life from everybody close to him. Though seeming to live a normal life, he visited prostitutes in Europe or Thailand twice a year. He thought hiding his sin would never cause harm. He was careful. He was safe. He now has AIDS. His self-deception will kill him. It has already cost him his job.
There are so many ways you can lie to yourself. A person who is bipolar thinks he can get off his meds and live a normal life. A compulsive spender believes that his two bankruptcies were flukes. A life-long drug addict tells his family that he can quit cold-turkey at any time without any help. A young woman is convinced that a feminist professor from college is correct, and that she doesn’t need any man in her life to ever find happiness. A teenager tells her parents that she can date whomever she wishes at the age of thirteen. She tries to convince them that nothing bad will happen, because she is very careful. All these people have convinced themselves that their views or reality cannot be wrong. How many are living with self-deception?
The scripture for today asserts that only the “prudent” or wise person is able to “know where they are going” (Proverbs 14:8). One very important aspect of a prudent life, according to this verse, is the absence of self-deception. Wise ones make sure to separate the truth from lies. Fools will always get sucked in by the lies. They can be manipulated. The prudent person is harder to fool, but not immune to trickery, especially by Satan. It is very important you look out for lies you tell yourself, told by the world, whispered by Satan.
April 30
“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:23, NLT)
The scripture above exhorts the faithful person to let the Spirit “renew” his or her mind. It urges you to let God’s Spirit adjust, reformat, reorder, rewrite, renew “your thoughts and attitudes”. Every now and then you may find that your attitude or thoughts are in a rut. You might play in your mind a past sin over and over. You may be tempted to replay a discussion ad nauseum. You might find yourself picturing a horrible conversation or reliving a terrible mistake. Soldiers in the grip of PTSD often replay a situation repeatedly until their very brain chemicals are damaged. When you find thoughts and attitudes in a bad continuous loop, it’s time to turn over your thinking to God’s Spirit. Ask God to “renew your thoughts and attitudes” (Ephesians 4:23). If you do not, you might find yourself stuck in cycles of despair, depression, anxiety, jealousy, or regret.
During a counseling session some years ago, a woman sat across from me, her mind elsewhere. We had been talking back and forth for a few minutes when I asked Darla if she ever “got stuck” on a thought, reviewing it in her mind over and over. She had been depressed for a long while, and her doctor thought it might help to talk with me. After a few sessions, I noticed that her depression was strengthened by some past events. When we would talk, Darla sometimes would look off into the distance, thinking something. On this day, I caught her in one of those stares. I knew she was thinking something harmful, whether she was conscious of it or not.
After a few moments with Darla staring off, I asked again if she ever had a past situation play over and over in her head. She looked at me blankly. Then, she started to cry. In the next ten minutes or so, I urged her to let me in on whatever memory haunted her. She fought it, then opened up. Darla often replayed a conversation in her mind in which her mother said she wished Darla had never been born. Her mother got married when she got pregnant with Darla. The marriage was a bad one. Darla’s mother blamed the pregnancy for messing up her life. In consequence, Darla often wondered if the world would be better off without her. Darla’s mother seemed much more depressed and angry because of the bad marriage and subsequent divorce. Sadly, Darla took that terrible memory of her mother’s painful outburst and played it over and over in her mind. It was causing Darla years of regret and heartache, depression and loneliness. Whenever a bad thing occurred to Darla, she would remember what her mother said and ponder if she ever should have been born.
Darla was in great spiritual need to renew her thoughts and attitudes. She needed God’s help to renew and reorder her mind. She needed to exorcise that awful memory. She needed to choose God as more important than that bad memory.
Through many years of counseling, I have found that many people suffer the same type of “bad memory recall” as Darla. When something goes wrong in your life, do you replay bad memories of the past in your mind? Do you tell yourself often that you are a failure, don’t deserve love, are less important than others, or don’t deserve forgiveness? How about letting the Holy Spirit renew those bad thoughts and attitudes? How about letting go of that past hurtful memory that only makes you depressed? Would God want you to suffer all of your life and never feel true joy or peace again? Is God not big enough to forgive you for something? Can you forgive yourself? Let God heal you. Don’t let a bad memory be more important in your life than holy love!
At a Billy Graham Evangelism Institute I attended almost three decades ago, one of the speakers mentioned that people need to “Fess up, and move on!”. He was convinced that many people in the world found it difficult to “fess up” or confess their sins to God. An equal number of people failed to “move on” from past mistakes and sins. They never let forgiveness take hold or grace and mercy take root. This always causes regret and pain. It can also limit your joy and peace in life. Ultimately, It can easily damage your relationships with others and with God. Is there something you need to “fess up” to God? Do it today. Is there some area in your life where you are not allowing yourself to “move on”? Let God’s Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes, or you might never get past it.
Are you stuck on a bad memory from the past? Isn’t it time to work it through with God? You won’t find better healing anywhere else.
During a counseling session some years ago, a woman sat across from me, her mind elsewhere. We had been talking back and forth for a few minutes when I asked Darla if she ever “got stuck” on a thought, reviewing it in her mind over and over. She had been depressed for a long while, and her doctor thought it might help to talk with me. After a few sessions, I noticed that her depression was strengthened by some past events. When we would talk, Darla sometimes would look off into the distance, thinking something. On this day, I caught her in one of those stares. I knew she was thinking something harmful, whether she was conscious of it or not.
After a few moments with Darla staring off, I asked again if she ever had a past situation play over and over in her head. She looked at me blankly. Then, she started to cry. In the next ten minutes or so, I urged her to let me in on whatever memory haunted her. She fought it, then opened up. Darla often replayed a conversation in her mind in which her mother said she wished Darla had never been born. Her mother got married when she got pregnant with Darla. The marriage was a bad one. Darla’s mother blamed the pregnancy for messing up her life. In consequence, Darla often wondered if the world would be better off without her. Darla’s mother seemed much more depressed and angry because of the bad marriage and subsequent divorce. Sadly, Darla took that terrible memory of her mother’s painful outburst and played it over and over in her mind. It was causing Darla years of regret and heartache, depression and loneliness. Whenever a bad thing occurred to Darla, she would remember what her mother said and ponder if she ever should have been born.
Darla was in great spiritual need to renew her thoughts and attitudes. She needed God’s help to renew and reorder her mind. She needed to exorcise that awful memory. She needed to choose God as more important than that bad memory.
Through many years of counseling, I have found that many people suffer the same type of “bad memory recall” as Darla. When something goes wrong in your life, do you replay bad memories of the past in your mind? Do you tell yourself often that you are a failure, don’t deserve love, are less important than others, or don’t deserve forgiveness? How about letting the Holy Spirit renew those bad thoughts and attitudes? How about letting go of that past hurtful memory that only makes you depressed? Would God want you to suffer all of your life and never feel true joy or peace again? Is God not big enough to forgive you for something? Can you forgive yourself? Let God heal you. Don’t let a bad memory be more important in your life than holy love!
At a Billy Graham Evangelism Institute I attended almost three decades ago, one of the speakers mentioned that people need to “Fess up, and move on!”. He was convinced that many people in the world found it difficult to “fess up” or confess their sins to God. An equal number of people failed to “move on” from past mistakes and sins. They never let forgiveness take hold or grace and mercy take root. This always causes regret and pain. It can also limit your joy and peace in life. Ultimately, It can easily damage your relationships with others and with God. Is there something you need to “fess up” to God? Do it today. Is there some area in your life where you are not allowing yourself to “move on”? Let God’s Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes, or you might never get past it.
Are you stuck on a bad memory from the past? Isn’t it time to work it through with God? You won’t find better healing anywhere else.