My Freedom (Rights) In Christ

Today is July 4th. Here in the United States of America we are celebrating 239 years as an independent nation and the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. Freedom is something that all Americans believe in, but few understand.

I believe in the freedoms that we enjoy in this country but, as a Christian, how do I balance the practice of these freedoms with the teachings of the Bible. First and foremost, I must recognize that when I became a Christian and surrendered my life to Christ. I became a citizen of heaven, an ambassador for Christ to this country. While I may be serving God in this country, my first and utmost allegiance must be to God's laws. God's laws say that my allegiance will be to Him and Him alone. They say I will honor my parents and that I will not steal anything from anyone, including their life.

Webster's dictionary defines freedom as "the absence of necessity, coercion or constraint in choice or action". Basically, this means that I can choose to do or say anything, whether or not it is necessary and without being forced or feeling that I do not have the right to act or speak.

Many Americans have the idea that  their freedoms supersede the rights and freedoms of others. I hear, on almost a daily basis, someone say, "I have the right" or "It is my right". And by definition, they are correct. However, if the person speaking these words is a brother or sister in Christ, then I have to remind them what the Bible says about freedom.

The Bible describes freedom by saying, "All things are lawful (permissible), but not all things are profitable (beneficial). All things are lawful (permissible), but not all things edify (are constructive).(1 Corinthians 10:23)

There may not be a law, whether made be God or man, against something that I desire to do; however. if it does not benefit God's kingdom and his cause or if it leads someone away from God or hinders them in their walk, then I no longer have the right to do it. I Corinthians 8:9 tells me that even though I have the freedom, or right, this freedom should not be allowed to become a stumbling block to others. If, in exercising my freedom, I hurt, offend or damage another's faith or cause them to turn from God then I have become a stumbling block.

Father, help me, today and every day, to remember that this place is not my home. I am only passing through. On my journey through this land, help me to represent you in a way that draws others to you without compromising the standards and values upon which your kingdom is based.
Remind me daily. It's not about me. It's all about You. Thank you, Father, for the privilege of representing you.

Remember How He Led You

You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 
-Deuteronomy 8:2

Surely I'm not the only one who has studied the journey of the Israelites from Eygpt to the promised land and questioned how they could forget so quickly everything that God had done for them. He provided water out of a rock, bread and meat from heaven. For forty years, their clothes never wore out. Forty years of walking and their feet never hurt. Yet every time an obstacle arose in their path they murmured. They cried. They complained. They chose to focus on present problems instead of past victories.

At the same time that I question "how could they", I have to stop and ask "how could I". I am just as guilty as the Israelites. The first sign of hardship, the first sign of opposition, the first time things don't go the way I think they should and I start questioning, "Where is God?" I focus on the problem in front of me instead of the way He has brought me through so many times before.

Just as Moses told the Israelites to remember how God had led them the past forty years, I need to remember and focus on how God has led me in the past. I need to remember how he called me to himself, how he has led me through past temptations, struggles and disappointments. 

I need to remember because, just like the Israelites, I am journeying through a land that is not my home to a land that God has provided. It is a good land, a land full of every good thing. I land where I will lack nothing. (Deuteronomy 8:7,9)

When Your Backs Against The Wall - Be Still

"Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." - Exodus 14:13,14

The Israelites backs were up against a wall. With the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians behind them, quickly closing in, they took their eyes off what God had promised. They began panicking and accusing the one God had chosen to lead them out of the bondage they were in.

How many times do I do the same thing? God will open my eyes to a new direction he wants to take me or he reveals to me a new level of trust or commitment. All I have to do is believe his truth and follow his leading. Instead, I take my eyes off what God has shown me, doubt his voice and question his leading.

While I look at all the obstacles that lay between what God has promised and where I am, God is saying, "Trust me." While I am looking back at all the past failures and lost battles, God is saying, "I will fight for you." And there are those words again, "Be Still".

If I will let God provide a way through the obstacles and let him fight the oppositions that arise, I can conquer this enemy and receive all that he has promised.

Father, as you open my eyes to deeper levels of service and commitment, help me not to look at the obstacles, the sacrifices or the opinions of others. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on your promises. You will not ask anything of me that you will not equip me to handle. When the battle is at it's strongest help me to be still and allow you to fight for me.

Psalm 46:10 - Be Still And Know That I Am God

Be....

Exist. Live. Don't quit. Don't give up on life. Continue to be. When it hurts. When you don't         understand where we are going and why, just be.... When nothing makes sense, just be....

Be still....

Don't think. Don't worry. Don't plan. Don't scheme. Don't speak. Don't move. Just be still.

Be still and know....

Understand. Recognize. Be aware. Be convinced. Bring to mind. Remember.

Be still and know I am....

I exist. I am real. I am living. I am here, right now, right here where you are.

Be still and know that I am God.

All powerful. The same yesterday, today and forever. Your comforter. Your peace. Your healer. Your friend. Your refuge.

Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.
     -Psalm 46:10

   

Sometimes things can just seem overwhelming. I have been dealing with a lot of physical pain associated with my arthritis. It is hard to work at times yet I do because the bills must be paid. There are many times that by the time the weekend gets here the last thing my body wants to do is get up and go to church. Just let me stay in bed and hide.

Thank God for His Holy Spirit! While my body may be crying out in protest at the thought of taking one single step, my soul cries out for the Lord. I would rather suffer the physical pain at times than miss the fellowship of worshipping the Lord with my brothers and sisters in Christ. As the psalmist said, "I would rather spend one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Psalm 84:10)

Father, today I thank you for the strength that you give me each day to do the things I need to do. Help me, Lord, to lean on you more and more each day. I lift up to you today those Father who are physically unable  to be in church. Raise up men and women and children, Lord, who will minister to them where they are. Thank you for the needed strength and comfort that you provide daily. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Repeat Forgiveness

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." - Matthew 18:21,22

I believe that Jesus was not only referring to the number of times an individual offends us but also to the number of times we allow ourselves to be offended over and over again by the same offense.

Most of the time forgiveness comes easy for me. I tend to be a very forgiving person. There were a couple times, however, when I was hurt deeply by people who were not only supposed to be my friends, but we attended church together and worked together. In this case, I was only offended once but relived it over and over in my mind. For years, even after praying about the situation and turning it over to God, I would find the same feelings of resentment and hurt rising up whenever one of the people involved in the situation was mentioned.

In my heart, I had forgiven them. When I would remember them, I would remember the good times that we had enjoyed together in the Lord. But when someone else would mention them the resentment would return. I felt the enemy trying to convince me that I had never really forgiven them and that my resentment was a sign of defeat in this area.

Victory over these attacks from the enemy came when I remembered Jesus' commandment to pray for our enemies and for those who wrongfully accuse us.  Now whenever Satan wants to torment me with memories of past hurts I thank him. I thank him for a reminder to pray for God to work in their lives and to use them for His glory.

My Father, you are in heaven. Your name is holy and your ways are righteous. Father, I pray that your will would be done in the life of this person. You created him/her in your image and you have a plan for his/her life. Whatever needs he/she has, Lord, I ask you to provide them. Father, if they have sinned against you, forgive them. If I have sinned against them forgive me. Father, as they walk through this day I ask that they not be led into temptation but that you would deliver them from all evil. To you may all glory and honor and praise be given. In the precious name of Jesus, I pray. AMEN. 

Please Come Back

One of the reasons it can take so long between blog posts is because I want to be sure that what I am sharing is based on scripture. I ask myself is this what God would have me share or is it what I want to say on a subject. Sometimes God is trying to speak to me on a subject and my mind starts rambling with my own opinions on the subject and, honestly, God can't get a word in edgewise.

I've decided, on this particular subject, to just open up and share some of my own thoughts and feelings. Hopefully, I won't offend anyone and, if I do offend you, know it is not my intention. Quite honestly, I'm selfish. I need you. We need you. The body of Christ needs you.

There are a lot of people through the years who have given up on the local church. Some left because they were hurt, either by a person or persons within the church. I don't know how many times I have heard someone ask, "Does so-and-so still go to church there?" Or they will say something like "I didn't know so-and-so went to your church, They were at such-and-such a place with so-and-so. I won't go to church with hypocrites."

Been there, done that. It was one of the most miserable points in my life. I still believed and loved God, but I just couldn't get past the hurt. I tried other churches but until I had resolved the issues and forgiven those who had hurt me, whether intentionally or imagined in my heart, I could not find peace with another congregation.

Jesus said, in Mark 2:17, "It is not the healthy that need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  If you have a man of God in the pulpit preaching the Word of God then you will have sinners in the church. If Christ is being preached, He will draw all people to himself. We don't get to decide whether they attend our church or whether they get sent down the road. We do get to praise God that they are reaching out to Him.

When I was a young Christian growing up in the church, I was privileged to sit under a pastor who encouraged us to take notes, write down scripture passages and check things out for ourselves. He would tell us, "Don't just take my word for it." One of the things I like about my current pastor is that he begins every sermon with a prayer and somewhere in that prayer, every Sunday, are the words "Hide me behind the cross." He recognizes that it is more important that we hear what God has to say than it is to hear what he has to say.

I have said all of this just to say, Please come back. The body of Christ needs you. God has a place and a purpose for you within the local church. I am not asking you to attend the same church I attend, although you will always be welcome. I am asking you to find a body of believers with a man of God who preaches God's Word and be encouraged in your walk. If you will do this God will use you to encourage others.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more so as we see the Day approaching. -Hebrews 10:25

Peace (?) In Trouble

Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble. So why I am spending so much time trying to avoid it. My mind goes constantly, sometimes day and night, trying to figure out how to solve problems that haven't even arrived yet.

When the financial burden is the greatest I think, if I could win the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, even a small prize, I would have no more financial worries. If I had a special someone to share things with so that I didn't have to walk through life alone, it would be easier to get through the difficulties in life. The truth is there are as many problems associated with having money as there is with not having it. And that special someone, they can come with there own set of special problems.

In John 16:33, Jesus goes on to say: Take heart for I have overcome the world. In fact, before he mentions the trouble we will have he tells us that he is telling us these things so that we can have "peace". Sometimes it's hard to find the peace in the middle of  the problems, The peace comes from knowing that God saw the problem coming long before it got to me and together, he and I, have already overcome it.

"Father, I will always long for a problem-free life but, I also realize that it is not going to happen this side of heaven. Thank you for the peace that comes from knowing that this problem too will pass and that victory in this life is secured through the death and resurrection of  your Son Jesus Christ."

Victory Over The Enemy

I've been having a difficult time for the past week. My mother went for her routine check-up with her cardiologist. He was concerned about some issues she was starting to have and ordered a echo cardiogram and a stress test. After the stress test the doctor told her that they had seen a small spot in the lower part of her heart. He ordered a heart catheter and we went in believing possibly she would need a stent or two.

Three days later we are standing beside a hospital bed looking at my mother who is still on a vent after just coming out of bypass surgery. Seeing her on that vent, so soon after losing my brother who had spent several weeks on a vent, was hard on all of us. For me it opened a whole new floodgate of grief over the loss of my brother.

Our enemy, the devil, specializes in attacking when we are down. God tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 that our enemy prowls around like a lion seeking someone to devour. Like a lion, he lurks around watching, waiting until we are weak or distracted by something else. While I was caught up in the emotion of my grief, true to form, the enemy decided to attack.

Even though my mother was and is improving every day, in the first few days after her surgery the enemy tormented me with thoughts and fears regarding her recovery. During the weakest moments he would remind me how my brother had improved on a daily basis and yet still died unexpectedly. These thoughts coupled with the grief I was still feeling over the loss of my brother threw me into a season of depression.

Victory over the depression began when the Lord showed me that the devil had nothing to gain in this battle by taking my mother, or even in my brother's death, unless I allowed him to have victory over me in this situation, because whether in life or in death my mother and brother will walk with Jesus.

Victory begins when we realize where the attack is coming from but victory can only be obtained when we stand in the gap and refuse to let the enemy have victory through us. 2 Thessalonians 2:14,15 tells us that God called us that we might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and that we should stand firm in the teachings that we have received both through the readings of the scripture and from the mouths of God's servants.

Father God, thank you for your Word for your Word is truth and the Truth sets us free from the attacks of the enemy. I thank you for the men and women of God whom you have brought into my life to encourage me and remind me of your teachings. Help me today and everyday to stand firm in your teachings that I may resist the attacks of the enemy and have victory through the blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen!