May It Not Be Counted Against Them

I just happened upon a sermon on YouTube the other day that literally rocked my entire world.  For me, I think it was twofold.  For one, it confirmed a scripture passage I had already been wrestling with, and it also gave such clarity to personal experiences I have had as of late.

But God always invites me in deeper, and on this day it was an unsuspecting verse that caught my attention and pierced my very soul.

Second Timothy is filled with all kinds of encouragement.
Paul is giving instructions to his spiritual son, Timothy, and in chapter 4 is issuing some “final words” as he was preparing to die.

It’s sobering text and yet challenging at the same time.

Paul, who is still imprisoned at the time and being held in chains for a crime in which he holds no guilt, is appealing to Timothy to come.  You can read the entire story unfold between verses 9 and 22.

Paul says this, “Timothy, please come as soon as you can.”  (verse 9).  He goes on to explain the abandonment he has experienced from friends and once-comrades of the faith, and expresses his concern for one who fought against everything they had preached. (verse 14, 15)

He tells Timothy to bring Mark with him when he comes, because right up till the end, his main concern is helpfulness in this ministry of winning souls for Christ.  (verse 11).  And he makes a request for three practical things… his coat, his books, and his papers.  (verse 13)

After all of it, and nearing the end of his life, he says once more in verse 16, “The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me.  Everyone abandoned me.”
And I am brought to absolute tears.  Because in some small way I get it.
I, too, have lost one along life’s path.
And if you’re in full pursuit of Jesus, I imagine you have as well.

But it’s what he says next that brings me to my knees.
He says these words at the close of verse 16, “May it not be counted against them.”

Those 7 words bring a flood of emotion that I almost find hard to express in words.

And I wonder how much our world would change if we, like Paul, bravely learned the sincerity of these words.  I wonder how radically impactful the people of God would be on a hurting and hate-filled world, if we learned to remove the course of harsh judgement on those who’s guilt is not our job to track.

Abandonment, though painfully uncomfortable to experience, is not a sin.
Sometimes others simply cannot go where God is taking you.
Sometimes they are limited by their own personal pain.
Sometimes they simply don’t understand, and in their inability to live stretched, they become unwilling to move forward with the same level of faith you’ve attained.

And it’s okay.
Let’s stop holding them accountable for unnecessary expectations of perfection.

Let it go.
And sometimes it means letting them go.
Not because we don’t care… but in fact because we do.

And let us say it with confidence and love, “May it not be counted against them.”

Give them space to work out their own salvation in their own timing.
And in the middle of the mess, pray for them continuously.

But don’t hold their abandonment against them.
Count it all joy… that you were given the opportunity to love them well, serve them graciously… and now, to hand them over to the One who offers forgiveness that brings eternal life.

God Will Never Abandon

It was a Wednesday afternoon and I could feel the sadness begin to rise.
Out of nowhere, really, and deepening with every breath it seemed.

It had been a difficult season for relationships.
And I had been feeling overwhelmed by the sense of apparent abandonment.

Heading home from the grocery store I had a long talk with Jesus.
And in tears from a heart poured out with emotion, I asked Him the question that doesn’t always get answered this side of eternity:

Why?

Because I was so sure I had heard Him correctly.
I was so sure that reconciliation was just up ahead.
I was so sure that if I laid my heart open and admitted to even that which I felt certain I was no responsible, that things would be okay. 

But sometimes I get it wrong.
And He doesn’t call me to understand.
He calls me to obey.

I would even feel the ache in my heart for all that had been lost.
Because losing the ones we love by means of unchosen loss is hard enough.
But abandonment by choice is always more painful.

It was in that long ride home I listened intently to the lyrics of the song that would become my anthem in the hard days ahead:
“Holy Spirit, won't You come and cover me in light. Illuminate the, dark space with colour yellow bright. Like the stars, coming out and filling up my night. The glory of Your, promises, You make wrong things right… Oh You make wrong things right.  Beautiful Jesus, my glorious friend. The One who never grows weary, and stays till the end. Oh, how I love You… I cannot begin to say
all of the reasons that I love to sing Your Name.”

And I would go to the scriptures to find the salve that soothes.
And the words leapt from the page.
Genesis 40.
Joseph and The cup bearer in Pharaoh’s court.
Joseph had been faithful.  He’d done just what the cup bearer had asked.  To interpret his dream.  And there was only one request Joseph had of him.  “Please remember me… and when things go well for you, mention me to Pharaoh so he will release me.”  (verse 14).  He remained in prison and was serving a sentence for which he had no guilt.

But the solemn reality is found in verse 23.  When Pharaoh prepared a banquet for his officials and, indeed restored the cup bearer to his former position, as predicted by Joseph himself, scripture tells us, “Pharaoh’s chief cup bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.”
A sad reality.
And yet grievously relatable.

And I wonder, too, have you felt the same way?
Left out?
Forgotten?
Deserted?
Forsaken?

Have you been hurt and disappointed?
Rejected?
Neglected?

Maybe He’s whispering the same thing to your heart today.
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut 31:8)

Because the truth is we are to live, not for people, but for Jesus.
Ahh, yes, the “One who never grows weary and stays to the end.”

And so I will remember today His promise to stay.
His promise to never leave.
His promise to protect.
His promise of friendship for those who love Him.

Though some may leave… He will never abandon.
And He is all we ever need.

Sacrificial Suffering

I would tell it to my journaling class last Friday night.  The personal experience I had with terrible physical pain a couple years ago. 

Pain that almost took me out.

Because let’s face it, the enemy would like nothing more than to take me out of the game.  Make me unusable.  And cause me to forfeit all I’ve worked so hard to attain in my personal history with Jesus.

But in the pain I remembered.
Remembered His suffering.
And remembered how in it, Jesus maintained a spirit of honor and an attitude of privilege.  (Luke 22:42)
In His human form He was able to leave for us, a representation of holiness made possible by a determined will to only DO what He saw the Father do, and SAY what He heard the Father say.  A resolution to bring His Father glory in the midst of great agony and suffering.

And I would think of it when I laid there in the hospital room just following a surgical procedure that left me in enormous pain and with the realization that I had not only gotten behind in my pain medication unknowingly and even before I left the recovery room, but there was also a “hospital-wide shortage” on the very drug that would serve to alleviate my pain the fastest.

And in that moment I had a choice.

Because even in suffering we can glorify Him.

I would lay in that bed and whisper the only words I knew how to say in the moment of agony, “I can do hard things.  I CAN do HARD things.”

The words weren’t easy - but they were possible.
Because Jesus.
He suffered well.
And in the face of evil, He left us with the greatest example of doing hard things well.  And in it all - glorifying His Father in heaven.

In that moment I had a choice to make.
And in every consequent suffering, we have a choice to make.

I can take this pain.. this discomfort… this suffering… and choose to position it at the altar of praise.  I can make it bow in the mighty name of Jesus and I can declare boldly with the lips, “I CAN DO HARD THINGS.”

Because here… now… it’s the only time I get to make pain a sacrifice that I relinquish over to Him to do something with.  Because suffering doesn’t exist there.  In heaven.

And so today.. with any amount of suffering I am experiencing… I can give it over to the One who is masterful at turning it into grace.  I can deliver my difficulty onto the feet of Jesus and glorify God in the middle of my sacrificial suffering.

He knows.
He sees.
He understands.
And He honors all that we entrust into His hands to hold.

He is a good, good, good Father!

Give it all to Him today.
Bring Him all of your brokenness so that He can use it for our good and His glory.

Speech Reveals Our Inner Life

James 3:4 says this, “And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even thought the winds are strong.”

James is speaking about the tongue.

Oh the power of the tongue!

And it has become the repeated message from my heart for some time now as I have investigated it within my own life and examined it closely for months now.
There is more power in the smallest muscle of our entire body than we realize.
Our choice of words matter more than we could ever know.

And I notice it in my daily habits.  The difficulty of keeping guard over my speech.

Because it’s rather easy to recognize the glaringly obvious use of ugly and bitter language, but its more difficult to realize the significant influence of even those things we consider “small and insignificant.”

Like, “This idiot is driving too slow.”  or, “Why is our waitress taking so long?”  or even little things tacked to the end of innocent-enough phrases, like, “This is ridiculous!”  or “I can’t believe this is happening!”

Because I really think James was trying to give us a waning here, that ALL words not used for the edification of a soul or to bring glory to Jesus, are, “set on fire by hell itself.”  (James 3:6)

I have seen ill-spoken words spewed from bitter spirits.  I have been the subject of those words… and I have, very unfortunately, been the executioner of such words.  And the damaging effect they have had has been monumental.

James uses, here, a unique example of a rudder, which by definition is this: “a vertical blade at the stern of a vessel that can be turned horizontally to change the vessel's direction when in motion.”  Though it is small in size, it is powerful in impact and influence.

We simply cannot say that we are devoted to Jesus, and committed to righteous living if we continue to engage in the practice of sick-speech.  My commentary says this, that the course of the godly life, “will not admit contradictions.”  In fact James says it too in verse 9 and 10, “We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sister, this should never be!”

I have seen it with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears, and likely spoken it from my own mouth… and the scariest thing I can image is the interior damage I am doing by improper use of words.  It is my strong conviction that they have held us in more places of complacency and affliction than anything else in our life!

One of the most frightening things I’ve seen… literally the thing that I have feared almost more than anything else… is witnessing someone engage in a prayer, and then walk away completely unmarked by that petition and fall prey, once again, to speech that, simply put, negates the entirety of that appeal.

When this happens, it’s time to check out heart.
What’s in there that need to be removed?
Because all speech is revealed by our inner life.
And the words we choose speak volumes about the One we say is our Redeemer, Miracle-Worker, Grace-Giver, Promise-Keeper.

We must learn, by way of mouth, how to stay alive in Christ, how to glorify the King, and how to effectively demonstrate the God of the universe to the world around us.  Trust me, we forfeit many a conversion by our conversation.

It matters!

Rejoicing In The Breaking And Crushing

Psalm 51 is an absolutely beautiful Psalm birthed out of a heart of repentance by a man who recognized his sin, realized his depravity, and rejoiced in a God he had come to know as his Redeemer.

And the fact truly is that God is so good at redeeming all things broken - sometimes we confuse Him as the “Author” of the destruction.  Sometimes we unknowingly charge Him with the misfortune because He’s masterful at redemption.

He takes all things… ALL things… and uses them for His glory.

Even our own ignorant mistakes.

He is the Great Redeemer of ALL things.

We are often so tempted to blame our mistakes in our spiritual walk on other things… like:
our temperament
circumstances
our inherited aptitudes
the stumbling blocks along our path
other people

But while these things are often true, and they require great strain and effort on our part for overcoming them… success of our good Father is always granted to the one who is sincere in heart and devoted to steadfastness.

He takes ALL things and redeems them.
Even those things done in blatant disobedience.

And so was the case in our beloved David.  Yeah.. the one… “the man after God’s own heart.”

This Psalm was written in response to his brokenness following his adulterous affair with Bathsheba.

And he says words that could bring us to tears in Psalm 51:8.  He says this, “Oh give me back my joy again; you have broken me - now let me rejoice.”

How many can say they have been able to relate well to this verse at one point or another in their life?

I know I can.

When all I desired was to have my joy restored and my willingness to praise, reestablished!

Look at The Passion Translation that says it this way, “The places within me You’ve crushed will rejoice in Your healing touch.”

Ahh yes.

Because He is the Redeemer of all things.

And I wonder if we can celebrate when Jesus does the crushing… the breaking… because what’s coming on the other side is simply an invitation to great joy!!

I know from personal experience that the greatest level of JOYFUL ENTHUSIASM has often been birthed out of the most unpleasant experiences. 
And when we say “yes” to whatever He gives - we can trust Him to always work out a way for exuberant peace and joy-filed praise.

He is the Redeemer of all things!

We can rejoice in the breaking and crushing because it serves as an offering for beautiful restoration!

Peculiarity In Being Battle Ready

I suppose I can make anything into a message.  And this past weekend was no exception.

Because God speaks in all things… and in His voice is always an invitation to learn.

And on this morning… it was the bacon.

It was almost finished frying in the pan when I heard the pop and expected the burn from the spark of the grease.  I would even feel myself flinch as I reached to reduce the heat.  But what was interesting is I didn’t experience the sting at all.  And saying the words, “ouch” while retracting my hand seemed funny to me.

Because the recollection of past pain had taught me to “be ready” for discomfort.  The habit of repeated injury had cautioned me to “be prepared” for unpleasantness.

And I wondered if there was a way I could be prepared for the same things in life.

Because wasn’t it Jesus who told His disciples to, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”  After all, He said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  (Matt 26:41)

Ahh yes.

That.

And just maybe it’s in the “watching and praying” that I can be prepared, in advance, for the things aimed straight at my heart.  The things that seek only to “steal, kill, and destroy.”

I was prepared for the attack of the hot oil that morning, because I had experienced it before.  I was familiar with it’s destruction.  I was wise to it’s ability to cause unnecessary harm.  And even my physical body was predisposed to safeguarding and ultimate rejection.

Oh that we would be that skillful when the enemy rears it’s ugly head!

That we would live as ones not constantly “on the lookout” for evil, but that we would realize our bent, know our tendencies, and be “battle ready”.

And “battle ready” could mean forgiveness extended when it’s least deserving.
Because after all - the enemy would like us to forever wrestle in the discontentment of unforgiveness.
“Battle ready” could mean speaking good words and “life” over situations that seem bad.
Because at the end of the day it will be our words that convict us and make us guilty. (Matt 12:37)
“Battle ready” could mean refusing to engage in gossip that ultimately brings destruction on an unsuspecting person.
Because the destroyer would like us to believe that we are being helpful when it fact, we are being as harmful as we could to our spiritual souls and compromising His great reputation.

And so it is my prayer that when the enemy comes to take all that I’ve worked so hard to attain, that I wouldn’t “experience the sting at all.”  That I would, like Jesus, be well prepared.  (Matt 4:1-11) That in my refusal to give rise to the acknowledgment of the darts he’s hurling straight at my heart, I would successfully reject the effect of it’s aim and claim.

It has been my prayer and will continue to be, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  (Luke 22:31-32)

Will They See You In Me?

Matthew 11:20-23 is a sobering section of text.  It says this, “Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. ‘What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.  ‘And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today.’”

Capernaum had been the place where Jesus had done most of His miracles.
While He was born in Bethlehem, and raised up in Nazareth, He was rejected as the Son of God, and so did a bulk of His ministry work in the city just north of the Sea of Galilee.

And the witness of the miracles should have brought about heart change in the people… but it hadn’t done so.  And while they weren’t more “sinful” than others, they just didn't steward their gift of Jesus and the work of His mercy by miracles well.

Scripture tells us that the ones who had enjoyed exceptional opportunities through realms of supernatural experiences, had failed to repent.  My commentary suggests that when Jesus announced the pure spirituality of His mission, “resentment took the place of admiration.. and they fell to a hell of disappointment, bitterness, and godless despair.”

“… a hell of disappointment, bitterness, and despair.” 
I absolutely cannot consider anything worse!

And so this intimates to us how seriously the Lord takes pure worship and sincere admiration for Him.

The sin He indicted the people here of was the the sin of irreverence.
And I wonder if I, too, have been guilty.
Because familiarly often breeds contempt.
When miracles become “the norm”, we have a distinct risk of taking advantage of the mighty power of the living God.

I have heard myself say it before, on many occasions.  I have been a Christian since I was 11.  And while I am eternally grateful for my upbringing and my journey with Jesus through the years, sometimes I am strangely jealous of those who came to know Him later in life.  Because they aren't too far removed from the miracle-working power that rescued and saved them from utter destruction!  They remember what it was like to be in darkness, and now in light, while I have joyfully lived in this brightness almost my entire life.

And having been a witness to years of miracles likely insulated these people found in Capernaum, from the righteousness needed to save them.

It’s a grievous revelation.

And I think it was in this text… a matter of Divine Revelation through the performance of powerful miracles that gave these people unusual invitations to deeper waters with Him… and in their irreverence and complacency… they forfeited everything.

In fact Jesus says, “if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago… Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.”

In other words, I understand this to be, “I gave you every chance by observation of my nature through my working of miracle after miracle, to revere Me, esteem Me, and make much of Me, and you refused.  If they would have had the advantages you did, they would have repented long ago.”

In even other words… instead of beating down, belittling, and casting judgement on the sin-filled nations, places, and people.. maybe you should take a look at how you’re living.  And maybe being people who actually LIVE WITH what other’s so desperately need (hope, love, forgiveness etc..), they would come to repentance on their own.  It’s like God saying, “If they SAW THIS… if they witnessed the goodness IN YOU, they would actually turn from their wicked ways and to Me!”

And so I would write it down as not to forget the most powerful lesson I could wrestle with, “If they see the goodness I claim about my God from the way I live my life, will they be drawn into a relationship with the Father?”

“When they see me, will they see Him?”
And will what they see cause not only a burning for more of Him, but a revelatory reaction of repentance that brings them into salvation that altars their permanent address in eternity?

It matters.

Bring Heaven

 

The prayer taught to His disciples was this, “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.  May Your Kingdom come soon.  May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.  And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”  (Matt 6:9-13)

“May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

His Will.  Done Here.  Now.  On Earth.  Not waiting for heaven… but where we are at this very moment.

And I would hear it in a sermon and resonate with it long and hard during one of the most difficult seasons of my life.

And I would pray it as one who longs to, like David, to, “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”  (Psalm 27:13).

Because it’s one thing to KNOW the reality of goodness there… the other side of this ugly and dark place… but it’s an entirely different thing to know that the goodness of the Lord CAN and WILL be seen this side of forever.

It’s in His WILL… Here as it is there.

My job might not, after all, be “getting to heaven when I die.” 
Because that’s not my job… it’s His job. And only He can get me there.

Maybe my job if it’s not to go to heaven when I die, is to BRING heaven as I live.

To “bring” by definition is this = “to carry, convey, conduct, or cause; to attract; to convince of a belief, persuade; to restore to consciousness; to give birth to; to deliver; to give rise to; to introduce, lead, transfer, import, begin, move, produce, create, or serve.”

Ahh yes… all of it, God. 
I want to BRING the reality of YOUR world to THIS world until MY world looks like YOUR world.

And it is possible.
To CARRY His love to those who feel unloved.
To CONVEY His goodness to a world living with corruption.
To CONVINCE people of His faithfulness by demonstration of His nature and character.
To PERSUADE others of His power by offering radical forgiveness when it doesn't make sense.
To RESTORE to consciousness what has been lost within people by forgetfulness and disregard.
To GIVE BIRTH to new levels of trust.
To GIVE RISE to His holy name.
To LEAD people to the feet of Jesus - the only One who can rescue and deliver.

His Will, I am convinced, is to use His redeemed people to broker into our environment the reality of heaven.  To offer the broken a taste of what’s to come by experiencing an encounter with Him this side of eternity that changes absolutely everything!

It’s become the cry of my heart every day… “May Your will be done on earth as it is heaven.” And that You, God, would trust me to partner with you to ensure this is done!

Stay Conscious of What You Carry

I love being a host.
I love entertaining.
I love having people over to my home, holding long conversations with those in whom I love, feeding them, offering gifts, and making them feel comfortable.

I suppose it’s a gift I’ve been given to host.. and I am learning the art of doing it well since our recent out-of-state move from my native homeland.

The word host means, by definition, this = “a person who receives or entertains guests at home or elsewhere; a master of ceremonies, a moderator, a person that provides services or resources.”

And more than being a good “host” for guests in my home, I want to be a good host of the Presence of Jesus.
One of the greatest desires of my heart is that when people enter my home, they sense the overwhelming presence of the One who has chosen to take up residence here.
I want the atmosphere permeated with grace, love, peace, and the joy of the Lord.

And the truth really is that when we, as believers, learn to “host” the Presence of the Lord in our own lives, this Jesus-filled atmospheric reality can be carried into any environment we encounter.

I heard it in a sermon once and I’ve never forgotten the words, “When the Spirit of the Lord rests IN a person it’s for them… but when the Spirt of the Lord rests UPON a person it’s for other people.”

And so you and I, as Christ-centered believers, have the opportunity to bring Jesus into the world around us.  Everywhere we go.

I get to carry Jesus with me into my job.
I get to carry Jesus with me into the grocery store.
I get to carry Jesus with me into my marital relationship.
I get to carry Jesus with me into the conversations I have with friends.
I get to carry Jesus with me into the schools I enter with my kids.

I am a steward of a person. 

I love reading about the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament.
It gives us great insight into how we, too, are carriers of the Ark - known now as His Presence.

Those who carried Him were summoned to, “…purify yourselves…so you can bring the Ark of the Lord… to the place I have prepared for it.”  (1 Chron 15:12).  “So the priests purified themselves in order to bring the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem.”  (1 Chron 15:14).  “Then the leaders carried the Ark of God on their shoulders with it’s carrying poles…” (1 Chron 15:15).

We learn here that they purified themselves and carried it high above for all to see.  There’s even an observation given of God’s great aid to them AS they carried the Ark, “And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark….” (1 Chron 15:26).

As they carried Him… they were helped by Him.

And so it is with us.

We are to purify ourselves in order to be honorable carriers of His Presence.
(to purify means to make pure, free from anything that pollutes, or contaminates, to free from extraneous elements, to free from guilt or evil, to make clean.)
And then we are to carry Him on our shoulders.
Oh and we might remember something about “resting upon” with Jesus in the New Testament!
“As Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove.”  (Mark 1:10)
The Spirit came upon Jesus and in one version it says, “…He remained.”  (DRB)

We have the Spirit in us and upon us.  For those who purify themselves, we have a great manner of influence in the world.  We get to be carriers of His presence.  We get to carry Him into every broken environment bringing redemption to every hurting soul.

We don’t manipulate Jesus.  We don’t control Him.  We don’t direct Him or order Him to do anything.  But we do host Him.

And I must learn to live conscious of what I carry.

We must carry Him well, friends.  The world is watching.  Do they see Him in AND ON you today?

All Is An Invitation To Pursue

I would find myself repeating it to friends as of late.  The thing I’ve been whispering to my heart for a couple weeks now.

All is an invitation to pursue.

I would hear it in my words softly spoken to a friend going through a challenging season of defeat and disappointment.
I would see it there in the printed text to another friend who’s wrestling with self-doubt and discouragement.

And I would remind myself in this season of weariness…

All is an invitation.

It’s an invitation to pursue Him.

Because all is a mystery.

In fact I would write it on a sticky note and adhere it to the wall in front of my computer so I can see it daily: Embrace the mystery.

I cannot know what He is doing - but I can trust Him in the process.
I cannot know why I’m asked to endure some painful battles - but I can rest in His provision.

I can… embrace the mystery.

And consider that all is an invitation.
An invitation to encounter Him deeper.
An invitation to know Him better.
An invitation to experience a face-to-face relationship with Him.

All is an invitation.
To do better.
To behave better.
To represent Him better.

1 Corinthians 12 talks about spiritual gifts. 
The entire chapter is dedicated to addressing the different kinds of spiritual gifts.  Paul teaches on the gifts as they refer to the church and the unity of all believers, and concludes the chapter speaking more specifically on those gifts and encourages his hearers with the order to, “earnestly desire the most helpful” of gifts.  (12:31)

Chapter 13, best known as the “love” chapter, then, wraps it up with a charge to let love guide all actions and to let love attend upon every gift you possess.

And then in chapter 14, verse 1, he says this, “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts…”

Pursue.
Earnestly desire.

And I wonder.

Because we can read about obtaining the gifts by grace… and then read the command to be driven by love… but what follows is the call to earnestly pursue.

And so it is that we are changed, not by the revelation knowledge alone… but by the gracious acceptance of the invitation to pursue.

I must pursue earnestly.
Because ALL is an invitation.

Revelation knowledge is good… education of the house of God is necessary… but it must lead me to pursue the person of Jesus.  It must lead me to an encounter with the Divine.

I must accept His invitation to pursue.

“…pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”  2 Tim 2:22 (ESV)

“…He loves those who pursue godliness.”  Pros 15:9 (NLT)

“…Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”  1 Tim 6:11 (ESV)

“…they must seek peace and pursue it.”  1 Peter 3:11 (NIV)

All is an invitation to pursue Him, know Him, be in relationship with Him, be guided by Him.

I am not changed by revelation knowledge alone… I am radically changed by my acceptance to the invitation He gives… to “come to Me…”  Matthew 11:28

I Say Yes

In Matthew 25 we read about the 3 individuals who were given different amounts of “talents”… or “abilities.” A basic translation of the word “talent” can mean gifts and capacities, although in the parable it is referred to as “money.”

The parable goes like this:
In preparation for a long trip, a master entrusts his money to three servants in his absence.
To one he gives 5 bags of silver
To one he gives 2 bags of silver.
To one he gives 1 bag of silver.
The “talents” were given in proportion to their abilities.
When the master returns, he finds the following:
The one who had 5, invested and earned 5 more.
The one who had 2, went to work and earned 2 more.
The one who had 1, dug a hole and buried the money in the ground.
In reward for the ones who had a 100% return on their investment, he gave them not only a celebration feast, but greater responsibility.
In punishment for the one who had zero return on their gift, he was ordered to give his single bag to the one who now had 10, and then arranged for his judgement into darkness.

It’s a sobering story, really. Especially when we recognize a bit of ourselves in the unfaithful, slothful servant who’s suspicion led to eternal suffering.

And I get it… to some degree I have been the one with one talent. The one who has often thought, “What I do have is nothing anyway.” I have allowed ignorant thoughts to plague my mind. Thoughts like, “What I have been given isn’t as good as what she has been given!” And, “Their work is so much more significant than mine!”

But the truth really is that these are lies right from the enemy himself. They are NOT Christ-centered thoughts.

God gives us… each one of us… specific gifts and talents for the purpose of serving Him in the highest level. He gives us graces in an effort that we may show grace. He gives us skills and abilities that we may use every bit of them to serve others, while representing Him to a world gone mad without Him.

And we can properly respond and react to these “responsibilities” because they are given only up to the measure of our ability. We respond by saying yes and opening our whole heart to whatever He has.

In this case, the master, no doubt, wanted his property… his possessions… to be properly tended to in his absence. And yet let’s look at it through the lens of Jesus and what He gives to us.

He gives to His children talents to use this side of heaven. And He asks that we use them wisely… steward them properly… tend to His fields well… while He is physically absent from us. BUT MORE THAN THAT even, He wants His servants… His children… to be rightly cultivated, by meeting the required responsibilities, transforming into deep and reverent faithfulness which will be evident upon His return.

After all… it’s what He’s looking for when He comes back, “… when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

So, friends, let’s place ourselves today in a position of readiness to do His will. To take the talent He has given.. the duty that lies before us… and live a life well-spent for the Gospel. That He might give us the most glorious rewards of all - more trust now for higher levels of faithfulness, and a verbal recognition then for a “job well done.” (Mt 25:23) Remember affirmation of our obedience isn’t based on results only, but on the quality of work we perform. The questions we must ask ourselves are, “Did we give it our all, and did we work hard with what He gave regardless of their response to it?” And if the answer is yes - than that’s all that really matters.

Many Will Not Look At Him... But They Will Look At You

I love 2 Corinthians 3:18, that says this, “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.”

My commentary suggests that Christians are represented not as persons looking INTO a mirror, but as themselves the mirror. That those who surrender their souls to the influence of Jesus… those who seek authentic imitation of Christ… are the ones who reflect His glory in the earth. It is as though the image of a person who gazes into a mirror isn't simply reflecting for the moment that which it sees, but that the image, itself, is permanently stamped upon it.

This can be understood more of as beholding. By definition the word means this = “to observe; to look at; see.” Other meanings are “to regard, to view”, and this… to “gaze upon.”

We saw it in the life of Moses. One who earnestly spent time “beholding” his Lord. The one who did more than look in His direction… the one who took time “gazing upon” His form. One who was familiar with His works and His ways. One who’s very countenance was changed as He descended from His secret mountain moments with the God of the universe.

And I wonder if I can be a mirror to God… reflecting more and more permanently His image until I, too, look as Moses did… radiating with His beauty? (Ex 34:29)

When I spend time with Him… speaking to Him… crying out to Him… communing with Him… engaging with Him… I naturally reflect His person in my own.

My commentary says this, “It is by a series of impressions that His image becomes fixed in us.”

And so it is the returning to Him. Over and over again.
And it is these series of impressions I desire to have fixed in me:
time spent on my knees in prayer.
deep-seated devotion.
a relentless pursuit of King Jesus.

And the more I behold Him… the more His image gets fixed in me… and the more Jesus gets accurately represented in the earth.

Many will not look at Him… but they will look at you.
By their notice of your face will the real Jesus get revealed… the One who died for their rescue and redemption?

Oh that we would be aware of how ridiculously important it is that we continue to behold His face, so that we can embody and exemplify His nature to all we encounter.

Old Weapons In New Territory

God is taking you into a new season. New territory. He has so much planned for you.
Good things. Big things.

Trust and believe that what He has planned for you is bigger than you could ever dream or imagine for yourself.

But can I tell you something else?

While you are appropriately savoring all He has done for you up to this point.. and while you are wisely using the testimony of His goodness as an anchor for your soul… carrying you into this new season… you must, also, learn to let go.

Sometimes God calls us to fight.
Sometimes God calls us to stand still.
And yet other times, altogether, He says, "Come… and after you have said yes, THEN I will show you what’s needed. But you must be willing to lay aside what worked in one season to enter into this new season I’m bringing you into.”

What worked for us in one season, won’t work for us now. Oh, friend, God doesn’t work in regimented patterns and doesn’t always duplicate mercy by carbon copy.

His ways are mysterious. And it’s our job to embrace the mystery while surrendering our yes to Him.
I heard Him whisper it in my very soul the moments just following my prayer time on a Wednesday morning… “You cannot carry old weapons into this new territory. They are not what’s needed now.”

And I would share it with a friend who, too, is entering into unknown turf.
He just wants our yes.

And so I thank Him advance for the breakthrough that’s coming. And I renew my focus with greater intensity, purpose, and determination.


And I’m saying it again today… “Yes, God. Whatever You give. I trust You. I will lay down my weapons as I cross into this unknown soil.”

And because He are already there… I can trust that heading in defenseless is only proof that my trust in in the Perfect One who is all the strength I will ever need.

Refuse To Highlight The Enemy's Work

It’s been close to five months now. It really is unbelievable the way time moves at warp speed, isn’t it?

And have you ever had someone speak something to you, and in the moment it was leaving the lips, even, you knew it was something marking you beyond that single moment in time?

It was a simple middle-of-the-week conversation in early October. And although it’s likely not the reason for the telephone call, it would be the most memorable part of our conversation.

It started innocently enough. Truth being told, it WAS innocent enough. And I suppose that the fiery dart that was the targeted by the enemy straight at my heart might have lodged itself good if I hadn’t seen it coming.

Because wasn’t it Jesus who said to His students three times (and quite possibly more), that the way of successfully navigating temptation of any kind is to… “Watch and Pray”? (Mt 26)

And wasn’t it Jesus in that cold and desolate garden who would be the one to find them fast asleep… immobilized, disarmed, and apparently depleted of all sustaining power to keep awake?

Because the enemy is crafty and will use all sorts of things to bring us to our breaking point. And on this day, he was almost triumphant at accomplishing his aim at destruction.

And to react defensively was my immediate temptation. Because when lies or insults are hurled at you from 3 layers of gossipers, it’s often the most logical reply - as though our mouths are “naturally” set to autopilot.

Defensiveness is usually most acceptable… because it is most reasonable.
But it never makes for a contented heart.

And so, as God would often teach me, this, too, was an invitation.
An invitation to pray, radically, for the heart that’s hurting and the mouth used by evil to retell untrue stories.

All is an invitation to the one who is desperate to look more like Jesus.

And because He didn’t behave irrationally, I must not behave irrationally.
Because He didn’t retaliate, I must not retaliate.
Because He didn’t use defensive behavior and embittered language, I must not live defensive or embittered.

And I would write it in my prayer journal after the name of the one who needs to know, and might only come to know because of the prayers whispered for them by the very one she spoke ill of.

Because living a reactionary lifestyle is dangerous… hazardous to my spiritual health even… and I cannot afford the tactic of distraction shot directly from the gates of hell.

I’ve gotta refuse to highlight the enemy’s work even in another person. I shall choose to see only that which God has bestowed even if it’s the smallest amount of goodness.

I will write all the qualifications I can right next to that name every day until the Lord does the work inside my heart only He can do. And I will seek to intentionally see good, speak good, and live according to the redemptive work of the cross.

He said it is finished… and often we live contrary to that declaration.

It IS finished.
As long as it depends on me… it is finished.

The danger isn't in what the enemy is accomplishing, but in my constant recognition of how he’s advancing! And that alone should frighten me enough to steer clear of anything that doesn’t draw me directly to the feet of Jesus.

Knowing God's Character & Pleading His Nature

 

I love observing the life of David for many reasons, but above all, I love the life He well-spent for His God.

And I think we have LOTS to learn by careful observation of how He engaged with the Lord.

Psalm 10 is beautiful, yet honest and desperate prayer. It's a raw and honest look into the life of a man who lived with a devoted, yet sometimes conflicted heart.

We see so many things worth pointing out in these passages... David's sincere cry, his observance of the world that was so troubling around him, his direct requests to God... but it’s what happens at the very end of the text that means the most to me.

Verses 16-18 say this, "The Lord is King forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. Lord, You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them." (NLT)

Regardless of the distress he was feeling, David returns to WHAT HE KNOWS TO BE TRUE OF HIS GOD.

And how is it that David was able to do this?
He KNEW God.
He was intimately acquainted with His works and His ways.
And He insisted to see the good in every ounce of pain he was experiencing.

So it is true with us... we can only plead what we KNOW of God. But we've got to know Him.

This is about knowing God's character and then pleading His nature into and over situations that are anything but painless.

And so it begins a series of the most important questions we may every answer.
Who is God... to me?
What do I know about God and His character that I can begin claiming over my person today?

Because for all of my deprivation, He has a divine nature to claim:
When I am sick God, You are The Healer.
When I am weary God, You are The Comforter.
When I am afraid God, You are The Protector.

Who is He to you today?
Who do you need Him to be?
Marry the two!
He is all You ever need Him to be and more!

While We Wait, May We Also Seek

I know about the waiting. 
And trust me when I tell you that it’s not always easy.
Whether you’re waiting for a job, for a baby, for a proposal, for the sickness to leave, for the pain to pass… it’s not always a smooth and uncomplicated process.

Waiting is oftentimes very difficult.  Waiting challenges our patience and undermines our endurance.  Our good sense of judgement is often impaired during the waiting process, and in our impatience for long-delayed answers to prayer, we sometimes become bitter, cynical, and mentally troubled.

But if there is one thing I have learned in my seasons of waiting is that they can, indeed, become invitations of intimacy.

I’ve often wondered why setbacks seems to come at the most inopportune time.
Like the time I sprained my ankle not even 2 months into a new job, causing me to be laid up and off work for almost 2 weeks.
Like the time my sweet husband experienced a major health crisis while on a business trip just days before Christmas, causing life-threatening complications that nearly devastated our family.
Like the job loss that came in the middle of an already bank-draining season.

And God and I would have long and serious talks about these events, and like David, I found myself pouring my heart wide open to Him in my discomfort.

“My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be.”  Psalm 42:4
“I am exhausted and completely crushed.  My groans come from an anguished heart.”  Psalm 38:8
“Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has He slammed the door on His compassion?”  Psalm 77:9

And yet in my weariness I felt the Lord lovingly respond, “My child, this isn’t a lack of compassion on My part.  This is simply an invitation to deeper waters with Me.”

I would sense it in my spirit in the fall of 2018.  Following a severely long and drawn-out health dilemma, and a considerably large surgery for which I wasn’t recovering as quickly as I would've hoped, the Lord in His kindness spoke.  It came when I least expected it, but at just the right time, as I could feel the pressure mounting and the spiritual fatigue find it’s way to the surface.

It was a Saturday evening and my heart felt as though it could take no more.
I was tired.
I was in pain.
And I was mentally, physically, and emotionally crippled by the afflictions I was facing.
And the wait.
The waiting was always the worst.

But God.

And there in my chair I heard His gentle whisper in my spirit.
It felt like an invitation.
An invitation into intimacy.
An invitation into relationship.
An invitation onto the waters, regardless of how hazardous they felt.

Because isn’t He always calling… the Pursuer of my heart?
“Come follow Me…”  Matthew 4:19
“‘Yes, come.’ Jesus said.”  Matthew 14:29
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden”  Matthew 11:29
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…”  Isaiah 55:1
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”  Rev 22:17

It’s all an invitation.
And in the waiting seasons especially.

And so I ask you, too, the question I have asked myself for months now: What are you waiting for?  Could this be an invitation for you to enter into a season of deeper waters with Him?

Oh that we would make good use of the waiting seasons in our lives.  That we would consider the One who beckons us to, “come”.  It’s our heart He’s after.  It’s our time.  The two most precious commodities we posses.

And so take this time.  This waiting room you’re sitting in now, and while you wait, seek to know Him better.

The time has never been more perfect!
“Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation.”  2 Cor 6:2

I spent some time this morning reflecting on Exodus 33. 

It would become one of my favorite chapters in the entire bible several years ago, when a friend of mine said something to me that has remained with me since the day she spoke it.  She said this, “You are Moses.”

And I still remember looking oddly at her and then immediately writing it in my journal when I arrived home from our breakfast date.

“You are Moses.”

She would go on to explain it by saying, “You spend time with Jesus.  It’s evident that you do.  And when you come down from the mountain you are glowing.”  She continued, “Others have that same opportunity, but often behave as the Israelites did then, and live off of the glory that you bring from your personal experience with Him.”

It was way more profound to me than I think she realized in the moment, and more even now than she realizes.  And it’s something I haven’t stopped thinking about to this very day.

We have a great deal to learn from the life of Moses.
A leader to the Israelite people, he was unqualified, but called for Divine service regardless.
A man who knew intimacy with God.
A man favored by the Lord.
A man equipped by Jehovah.

And in chapter 33 of Exodus we see something tremendous about his character.

Moses knew he couldn’t go forward in his assignment without the Divine company of God.  And yet in the beginning of this chapter, this is exactly what is communicated to him.  Verse 3 contains sobering words from the Father, “Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey.  But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people…”

My commentary says, “He would not go - the real truth was that He could not go.  The sin of the people, their reckless, thoughtless trifling with holy things made His presence among them a peril.”

And yet we see Moses do the extraordinary for his people.
He pleads on their behalf.

Moses had holy boldness.  He entered into relationship with the Divine with great confidence for heavenly graces.  He understood that the only way out of the difficulty was God’s favor and His guidance.  In fact, he says in verse 12 and 13, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised land’, but you haven’t told me who will go with me.  You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true… let me know Your ways so I may understand You more fully and continue to enjoy Your favor…”

Moses knew He was favored by God and is now pleading that this approval wouldn’t just be in words only, but in action.  Not just a promise for future recompense, but in deliverance from an immediate need.  He reminds God who He’s been, who He is, and who Moses was in His eyes.  His greatest desire in this moment was God’s presence.  I’ve often heard myself repeat his words spoken in verse 15, “If You don’t personally go with us, don't make us leave this place.”

Moses’ request was for there to be such intimacy between himself and God that the power behind the voice He’d heard in the wilderness for so long, would be made manifest.  His request demonstrates that it is worthy, pleasing to God, and of highest profit for the servant of the Lord.

Moses’ sincere ambition was friendship with God.  Intimacy with the Father.  To know His ways and to apprehend His presence.

To be a friend of the Lord.
To be known by name by Jehovah Jireh, “The Lord will provide.”

Oh friend… He longs to hear your bold prayers initiated by intimacy with Him.
We could never know the altering power they posses within them to move the heart of God on a matter.

Won’t you spend time in His presence today?
Remind Him of His Divine favor.
Return all glory and praise to Him.
Sit and rest.
Come as a friend and then feel Him come to you with a promise to always be with you.

He’s such a good, good Father!

Disappointment Is Dangerous

I get it.
More than you know.

Life gets hard.
Setbacks happen.
Heartache comes.
People disappoint.

But I’ve caught myself saying it time and time and time again over the last several months: “two of the greatest obstacles to our spiritual growth are disappointments and distractions.”

And yet disappointments are.. in fact.. distractions in and of themselves.

And I see it all the time.
We’re advancing in our spiritual lives… working hard to make better choices, progressing in our efforts to serve better, love better, and chasing hard after Jesus… and then something happens that throws us off course.

And it doesn’t have to be a big thing, really. It can be the little things, or the mound of minuscule misfortunes that serve to cripple our pursuit.

I hear it all the time.
And I, too, have experienced them.
sleeping way past your alarm, causing a late start to your day
a malfunctioning appliance
harsh words from a co-worker
car trouble

And I’m often found whispering to myself, “When did THIS kind of thing begin dictating MY life? I have the power to THINK differently! And I must!” I say it to my family all the time, “We’ve GOT to do better!”

Didn’t Jesus say it, “…you shall be holy, for I am holy.” (Lev 11:45)

Holiness is really just this… separation. It means to be separated from and elevated above the world around us. It’s being separated from the world and dedicated to God.

It’s thinking better.
It’s behaving better.
It’s living with a renewed perspective.

It’s,”Instead, let{ting} the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” Eph 4:23

While I’ve certainly not perfected it, I’m learning how to navigate disappointment, and how to recognize the presence of the evil one. And in it, I’ve developed methods of combat that protect me from the stumbling block that has had it’s aim on me for decades.

We have got to learn how to safeguard against disappointment.

It’s the one area I have been persistent on in praying for my daughter. Nearing closely upon her twenties, living on her own, attending full-time ministry school, and “adulting” in a world that has an ability to show little mercy, can contribute to feelings of frustration. I’ve seen the missiles that have been targeted to demolish her… arrows aimed at distracting her… because the enemy knows just where to direct the blows that are certain to destroy us if we’re not vigilant in our defense against his schemes. So I am constantly praying for God to protect her heart against frustration. Because frustration will eventually lead to fatality. Fatality of dreams, desires, and devotedness.

Don’t let disappointment derail you. You’ve worked TOO hard to allow this to grossly affect your walk with Jesus. I heard it recently and I simply cannot get it out of my mind. “We are in a shift of seasons. The rewards are greater, but the cost of ignoring is even greater.”

Serving Jesus with intensity has never been more important than it is right now, friends.

And you and I cannot afford the distraction that disappointment brings.

Uncompromisingly

In Psalm 52 we read about David wrestling with thoughts about an evil man. A liar, one who boasts about his crimes, plots destruction, and cuts with his razor-sharp tongue.

And then, as in true King David fashion, we see him turn to refocus his attention on something greater, and repurpose his affection toward God.

In verse 8 it says this, “But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise You forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in Your good name in the presence of Your faithful people.”

The Olive Tree is a wonderful representation of remarkable beauty and usefulness. It was certainly a fitting symbol of God’s people. It is said that the Olive Tree loves fat soil and it yields the most plentiful of fruit when its bed is rich in nutriment. The Olive Tree is an evergreen, and therefore has a long life expectancy. It also “propagates itself by fresh shoots.” To propagate means = “to cause to multiply, reproduce, transmit, spread, and increase.”

David compares himself to an Olive Tree, planted in the richest of soil - His Father God.

I read this in my commentary, that an Olive Tree would not be cultivated in the tabernacle… but that it might in the courts or the “area” which surrounded it. To be cultivated means this = “prepared and used, produced or improved, educated, and refined.” A tree thus planted in the very courts of the sanctuary would be regarded, and would be safe as long as the tabernacle was safe under Divine protection.

Ahh.. David was an Olive Tree that would be prepared, used, produced, improved upon, educated, and refined, as long as he stayed close to where God was.

One of strongest principles of David’s life was to maintain a constant admission to the house of God. Many times throughout the Psalms we see attempts, just like this one, of enemies trying to drive him away and destroy not only his kingship, but his life.

David fought hard to maintain integrity in the eyes of God, despite his circumstances, and despite enemy invasions.

The sum total of David’s desires is spelled out in Psalm 27:4, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”

We can see a pattern that we, too, should take careful note of and seek for our own lives. David speaks to himself often… about himself. He makes declarations and I just imagine Him speaking these over his life. I write them down so I can remember them too:
I, who have made God my refuge, will flourish.
I do not doubt.
I will be restored.
I will be sustained.
I will propagate myself.
I trust you.

And I would write my word of the year beside it in my bible to help me remember.
Uncompromising.

And I, like David, will declare myself to be an Olive Tree too.
Full of life.
Full of fruit.
Flourishing wherever I go.
Increasing God’s family and multiplying His favor to all.

May it be said of me, as it was with David… all for Him… uncompromisingly!

May Our Pathway Be Praise

One of my favorite stories in scripture is found in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20. The story of Jehosophat.

Terrified with the news of the invasion of war announced by the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites, Jehosophat went right into warfare.

We see it in his pattern of praise and prayer that begins in verse 3. He and his men begin to fast, and then he petitions for His help.

And we see a pattern of praise throughout these verses.

He praises God for who He is even when he is frightened.
He praises God for who He is even when he doesn’t understand.
He praises God for who He is even when the promise has seemed to go unfulfilled.
He praises God when he gets word through the Levite of the still confusing way God will provide in their time of need.
He praises in ADVANCE of the battle - sending praisers out before the fight.

Oh and it was their PRAISE that made victory possible! (Verse 22)

And it tells us so much about gratitude in praise and worship. It is to ALWAYS be the pattern of God’s people - in advance:
before the multitudes around us are singing.
while we are moving forward in our duty - even if that duty is straight into battle.
while we are serving our Savior.
while we are anticipating an answer (rescue)
remaining truthful
remaining free of self-confidence (instead being God-confident)

It’s about letting our hearts be filled and our songs be heard with reverent joy!!!

And so we learn from the life of a man mentioned very little in scripture… that our pathway into battle can be praise. And it can change everything. It can secure our salvation, it can encourage us in our distress, and it can propel us onto victory!

I pray to have a surrendered heart like Jehosophat.
May our pathway into battle be praise!

Our Words Have The Power To Discredit

I have heard it time and again.
And they’re excuses, really.
I’ve heard it… AND I’ve said it.
And I would write it in my journal to remind me to tread carefully.

Because words spoken are more powerful than we think.

I heard it in a conversation I was having as recent as a couple months ago. Words that appear innocent enough, yet have a harsher impact than we realize.

The person I was speaking to said it repeatedly in our conversation, “I hate to say it, but…” and then it would always be followed up with something that should’ve been left unsaid altogether.

And maybe we’ve all found ourselves the assassin:
“I hate to say it, but I just don’t like her.”
“I hate to say it, but it’s just not fair.”
“I hate to say it, but he’s just not a good person.”

And perhaps if we understood the implication of vocabulary, we would be less likely to expel what only serves to extinguish our spiritual improvement.

Scripture teaches so much about the power of our words.
Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” It’s hard to let it slip by unnoticed that the word “death” comes first in the lineup of results. It’s a warning.
Proverbs 11:9, “Evil words destroy one’s friends; wise discernment rescues the godly.”
And what about this one, Proverbs 11:12, “It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.”

And maybe that’s just it.
It’s better to remain silent than to bring about destruction with our words.

Jesus remained silent during a time that could've benefited Him the most… and yet would've cost us the most.

In knowing the reason He had come. “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to Your name.” (John 12:27)

He knew the reason He had come was to glorify the Father.
And my whole reason here is glorify Jesus!

Like His remaining silent when words might have seemed the better solution, He refrained. “But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.” (Matt 27:14)

And I, too, must learn how to refrain.

Because, “Too much talk leads to sin”, and I must, “Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” (Proverbs 10:19)

If we have to use the phrase, “I hate to say it, but…” before we speak, it may best befit us to refrain. Lest we allow ourselves to discredit His name that He might, “… bring on you everlasting disgrace--everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.” (Jer 23:40)

Our words have the power to discredit.

Finding Peace

I’ve never been much of a traveler.

I prefer to have my feet securely planted on the ground.
I prefer being home to touring about the countryside.
And I am not a fan of flying.

Very few things make me more anxious than boarding a plane, and even fewer things fill me with greater discontent than unexpected mid-flight turbulence.

But there is one thing I can count on… always… that returns me back to assurance, and restores my peace.  One thing I can depend upon in my greatest time of tension.  And it’s all found in his eyes.

The eyes of my sweet husband.

Because he's a seasoned traveler, and he has far greater confidence in aerial transportation than I do.
Because he’s calm and unsuspicious.
Because he’s brave and undaunted by any hint of disturbance.

And one look at his tranquil disposition eases this weary and sometimes apprehensive heart.

I look to him for comfort, and in his eyes I find the qualifier for my contentment.
When he is undeterred… I can be unafraid.

It’s in his strength and fearlessness that I can endure even the roughest of unexpected disturbances, because when I am with him… I am safe and secure, and because in his harmony I have hope.

Oh and it’s just like the Father… with us… His beloved.
He’s sees us stirring.  He knows we’re anxious.
And He’s asking us to take His lead.
To gaze into His eyes.
To behold His face.

To be reassured that because He… is the Father of Peace… we, too, have peace accessible to us at all times.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

Because when we look into His eyes… when we search His calm disposition and His loving peacefulness… our burdens are suddenly lighter.  In beholding His beauty we have no reason to fear. 

He is with us.
And He is making our paths safe.

Keep looking to Him.  Don't grow weary in your gaze.

He is all the peace we ever need!