Reflection
It’s Not about You
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” ~Deuteronomy 9:4-5
Reading these verses this morning stopped me short. How many times have I assumed that God was pleased with me because good things were happening when, in reality, that may have had nothing to do with it. I have judged others in the same way. If God is using them, they must be finding favor in His eyes. But it may just be that He is showing His mercy to those who are being helped by those people. When you think you are doing well is when you most likely have reason to be concerned.
I believe in honoring and obeying God in order that God can better use me, but instead of judging your spiritual status by whether or not you are being blessed, it’s important to evaluate where you’re at in the light of God’s Word. That is where conviction and assurance come from.
As you continue through your day today, remember that this life is not about you. It’s all about Him! Every time He uses you in some way, take a minute to thank Him and trust that He will continue that work He has begun in you as well as those around you.
Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay
Nothing New
Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that “there is nothing new under the sun.” I’m aware of the truth of this statement when I am writing. It seems like everything has already been said, some of which I have said myself. At times, I have to search to see if I have already written on a topic or if I’ve just thought of it for a while. Too much redundancy can make a blog boring, and I’m aware of that, but I also know we sometimes need reminders of basic truths as we become overwhelmed by whatever life throws at us. It’s easy to get our minds off of Christ and onto our problems, and however I can help you to focus on Him, I want to do so.
I started this blog over 13 years ago, and I still thank God for giving me this outlet. My mom was the one who suggested it, and now that she’s gone, I view it as a small way of continuing her legacy as well. Any talent I have for communicating in writing was passed down from her to an extent.
I started this hours ago but had some distractions, and now it is evening. I hope you have a great week. Don’t forget to spend time with the Lord each day. He is the only One who can give strength for whatever life may bring.
Are You “Occupying”?
As I write this, I am in Pennsylvania on our first speaking tour of the year. My brother speaks; I run the book tables. We’ve worked together for a long time, and I praise God that we are still able to do what we do.
I will be fifty this year which is causing a lot of reflection. From here on out, I view each decade as a milestone. Obviously, fifty is big because it’s half a century. As George Younce used to say, I most likely have more years behind me than I have ahead of me. So what will I do with the years that I have left?
I’m thankful that, for the most part, I don’t feel like I have wasted my life. I pray that I don’t start now. I know a lot of people retire to their recliners with remotes in hand, but the people who inspire me are those who are older than me and are continuing to faithfully serve the Lord. I’m not sure Christians ever really retire. It seems like there is always someone who needs encouragement or counsel. So it’s important that those of us who know God stay close to Him, both praying and reading our Bibles, so that we have something to pass on to others.
I may be older than you; I may be younger; but we are all aging. We all have a job to do, and that job is to “occupy” until He comes. So, what does that look like? It will look different for everyone.
How you “occupy” depends on what God has called you to do, and that calling will be different for everyone, but God has called every one of His children to do something for Him. If you are in a job that you hate, pray about that. Are you where God wants you, or are you merely doing something to make money? If you find yourself yelling at your kids, evaluate why. A mom recently told me that she had to stop taking naps because inevitably her children would wake her up, and she would get annoyed. Be in tune to figure out the root of your frustration so that you may stop and not sin.
The year is still young. Tomorrow is another day. If you’ve been living life for yourself, it’s not too late to regroup. That’s the wonderful thing about our Father. We can always stop, repent, and change what we’re doing. He is always there to help get us back on the right track. So, as we go through another year, let’s “occupy” together.
Have You Turned from Wickedness?
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? says the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? When the righteous turn away from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All his righteousness that he has done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die. ~Ezekiel 18:23-24
Wow. Do you ever feel bad for prophets? God gives them messages to deliver and, although the intent was to give people a chance to turn from their wickedness, more often than not in Scripture, they turned against the prophet–sometimes ignoring him, other times wanting him dead. I suppose things haven’t changed that much. People still do not want to be confronted with sin and yet, if they don’t repent, they too will die in their trespasses, cut off from the life that they could have had in Christ.
It’s easy to talk about “sinners,” but what about those in the Church who are not converted? First Peter 4:17 tells us, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
The beginning of the year is a good time to evaluate where you are in your walk with the Lord. I realize that you are most likely back with your nose to the grindstone, but a close relationship with the Lord is vital. It’s easy for the enemy to keep you too busy to have time for God. This can quickly breed indifference which can then lead to a life of sin before you realize how far away from Him you’ve gotten. Don’t let this happen to you.
I’ve been reading Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth’s book on Holiness which has opened my eyes to the fact that holiness is not just doing good things. We need to be full of the Spirit so that His holiness flows through us at which point we can be a light to a dark world that desperately needs Jesus.
Happy New Year 2023!
Happy New Year! I hope you had a blessed month reflecting on our Lord’s birth and the reason that He came. My heart never ceases to well up with gratitude that He was willing to leave “the splendor of Heaven knowing His destiny.” As Dottie Rambo sang, “There’s no feeling like this if that isn’t love.”
As usual, I’m still processing a lot that I can’t put into words just now, but I expect my thoughts will be reflected in future posts. Meanwhile, my brother and I were talking today about extremes which seem to be based on a person’s background. For instance, if you grew up in a legalistic home, you may have decided that the Law doesn’t matter while those who grew up in churches where grace is emphasized to the point that sin is communicated as no big deal may become strict in trying to do everything right. And the pendulum continues to swing from generation to generation while never stopping in the middle. There are too many ditches within Christendom that I would like to encourage you to find the middle ground. Stand firm on your convictions but make sure that you can back them up with Scripture. With everything else, I expect that there’s a balance that can be found if you are willing to be open. And don’t stop being willing to learn. Know the Scriptures well so that you can spot error a mile away, but don’t assume everything is wrong just because you never read a Scripture a certain way. Often, Christians understand Scriptures differently. Both conclusions can’t be right. Don’t arrogantly assume that yours are always the ones that are.
That’s my thought for tonight. I hope to write again soon. God bless you!
Immanuel Has Come
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. ~Isaiah 7:14
Immanuel. God with us. Not just a nice thought but God’s promise to send a Savior that would rescue His people. Not from the cruelty of the Romans as many supposed but from an enemy just as deadly: ourselves (Matthew 1:21).
The Jewish people waited forever for the Messiah to arrive and, when He did come, only a handful recognized Him. They wondered if it was Him when He multiplied fish and bread to feed thousands of people. They hoped He was the one healing the sick and raising the dead. But when push came to shove, and He did not fit in the box they’d created for Him, they abandoned their anticipation and chose to have Him murdered. Little did they know, as they watched Him take His last breath, that Immanuel had indeed come, bringing the salvation that He had promised.
Thankfully, that is not the end of the story. Three days later, he rose from the dead and continues to live on in the lives of His children. For those who accept Him, He continues to give peace that passes understanding, love and forgiveness that would not be possible without His help, and a promise of eternal life to those who are faithful.
Immanuel has come and, even now, is here! If that’s not a reason to rejoice, I don’t know what is.
Does God Speak Today?
There’s an age-old discussion: Does God speak to individuals today, or is everything we need to know found in His Word? I would say the answer to that is both. It’s true that everything we need for life and godliness can be found in the Bible, but I have seen Him lead in personal ways as well.
The Bible has clear guidelines for how we are to live, the kind of people we should hang around, what God requires of His children, etc. If we are not doing the things He has already told us to do, then it is futile to ask for personal direction. However, for those who are full of His Spirit, He can give the wisdom needed for decisions you need to make.
For instance, if you are looking for a job, God can open and close the doors, but He can also warn you if you’re about to apply for a job that will not be good for you. He might know that the business will be closing down in six months or that the environment would not be good for your spiritual well being.
If you are looking to get married, He can make you aware that the person you are considering has a temper or won’t be faithful to the marriage covenant. These are things you may not see, but He does.
That said, He will never direct you to do anything that goes against His Word. I’ve heard cases where people insisted that God told them to divorce their spouse and marry someone else. God won’t tell you to do that because it goes against what Jesus taught about marriage. He won’t tell you to steal or to kill someone because He’s forbidden those things in the Ten Commandments.
I’ve had complaints from women who wondered why God allowed them to marry porn addicts or abusers instead of stopping them. In at least one of those cases, I talked with the lady before she married, and she had concerns; she just chose to overlook them. God will not usually physically stop you from making a decision; you will need to be listening for His still, small voice. And, when you hear it, you should take the way of escape. If you don’t, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Since we are human and often distracted with other things, it is possible to not hear God’s voice clearly. I believe this is one reason that people assume God doesn’t speak today. But I will also mention that if you make a decision that ends up being difficult, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you did not hear God’s voice. That would be a good time to do some soul-searching just in case, but it’s possible that God still wants you where you are for a reason. If you felt God’s leading, you will need to cling to that when everything in you wants to quit. Remember, though, that to everything there is a season, so be in prayer to know when that season is over.
The bottom line is this: If it doesn’t go against scripture and you haven’t heard a definite No from the Lord, you are not sinning by choosing what looks to be the best course of action. But if you are in tune with the Spirit, you will be right where God wants you which is the best place you can be.
Overcoming Pride with Thanksgiving
Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. ~Ezekiel 16:48
A few days ago I texted a friend to see how she was doing. She replied that God was showing her the pride that was in her heart but that He was weeding it out, for which she was thankful. We in America have so much, yet I believe it is that abundance that has made us proud. We complain about what we don’t have while the reality is that we lack for nothing.
Another friend posted on Facebook today about his work among homeless people. When he returned home, he noticed some of his blessings that many take for granted. He said he didn’t feel guilty, but he was thankful. I think gratitude is a big key.
James 1:17 tells us:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
We don’t have anything that our Father hasn’t provided for us. Sure, we may have bought it with our hard-earned money, but without God’s mercy, we could lose our jobs. Everything we have could be destroyed in a moment. Our blessings truly do come down from the Father of lights, and we need to not take them for granted
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to listen to the words that come out of your mouth. When you find yourself tempted to complain, switch gears and ask God to show you something for which you can be thankful. Let’s not be grumblers and complainers like the Israelites. Instead, let’s be a people of praise and thanksgiving, encouraging others and looking for ways to serve those who are poor and needy.
YOU Be Faithful
Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” ~John 21:22
For quite a while now, I have been burdened by the state of the Church as well as those I know who are not walking with the Lord. As I intercede for others, the Holy Spirit reminds me that my job is to be faithful. It is good, and even imperative, that we have a burden for the lost and look for opportunities to share our faith, but our words will fall on deaf ears if we are not living victorious Christian lives ourselves.
Throughout my life, I have been aware that others may be watching me. Whether in public or at home with my five younger siblings, I never wanted to do anything that might cause someone to head down the wrong path. My siblings are grown now, but I still feel that responsibility. And now I have nieces and nephews to make that feeling even stronger.
Although we are responsible for sharing the truths of God’s Word, we are not responsible for others’ actions. When you arrive in God’s presence on the day of judgment, He will evaluate YOUR faithfulness. He will want to know if YOU have been righteous, if YOU obeyed His commands. So don’t stop preaching and sharing with others what God has done for you, but as you do so, make sure that you are living the life that you are telling others to live.
Push Back the Pendulum
It’s sad to me that there is more emphasis today on God’s forgiveness than there is on the need for holiness. I understand the desire to reach out to sinners and assure them that God can forgive them no matter what they’ve done. There is a need for that. I also know that it’s important to extend hope to the Believer who lost his way for a time and now worries that God will have nothing to do with him. We are doing a disservice when we preach forgiveness without repentance, however.
Stories are told about preachers of old who would speak of hell fire and brimstone. No doubt some decided that there needed to be a balance, and so began the lighter preaching that we have today. Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far the other way. We should be preaching love and judgment, forgiveness and righteousness. The aim should not be to scare people into the Kingdom, but neither should we coddle those whose hearts are not where they need to be with the Lord.
I have come to appreciate churches who preach through the Bible since it makes it harder to gloss over the portions of Scripture that we would rather not talk about. I miss songwriters like Keith Green who challenged people not to be Asleep in the Light. We are living in an age of overall apathy and contentedness. I would like to challenge us all to dig into the Word, go back to the absolutes as the Freemans sang, learn what is right and what is wrong. God does forgive, and I am so thankful for that, but He first calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. If you are a pastor, worship leader, evangelist, or a layperson who has opportunities to share your faith, be sure that you are presenting a balanced message so that your listeners understand what it really means to be a Christian.
