Don't Take The Bait

"Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil."

(Ephesians 4:26-27)

Something I've learned the hard way—is that you must not keep a record of wrongs done against you.

And whether or not those 'wrongs' were things that people did to actually hurt you, or they were simply perceived wrongs, doesn't matter.

You have to forgive and you have to let it go. If you don't, it will eat you up inside to the point that it will destroy you.

It will be your downfall.

I believe this sinister ability to cause offense and stir up bitterness between God's people to be one of the most effective schemes that our Enemy, Satan has in dividing us; causing dissension, and turning the footholds we give him into spiritual strongholds, that can lead to our demise.

And so often, we take the bait.

This is what it means to "give place to the devil."

Because of our selfish pride and inordinate self-focus, most of us are so overly-sensitive and easily wounded by things people do and say, that we unknowingly cause cracks in our own spiritual armor, leaving us open and vulnerable to the fiery darts of  the wicked one, who only comes to steal, kill and destroy.

And what I've discovered about myself, is that even perceived wrongs done to others, is a weapon of Satan, formed against us to cause bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts—all designed to tear us apart.

'Divide and conquer' is one of his primary methods of operation.

Satan is the author of confusion, the father of a lie, and the accuser of the brethren. And so often he tries to convince us that someone wronged a friend of ours and then he stirs up trouble by planting seeds of division and accusation in our minds. Then once we've taken the bait, we begin to tell others about these perceived wrongs and a spark of gossip quickly becomes a wildfire of accusation.

The Bible warns us of the destructive dangers of this kind of gossip:

"Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell." (James 3:5-6)

To this very day, perhaps my greatest internal struggle is holding onto my bitterness and unforgiveness towards others, for what I 'perceive' to be the wrongs they have committed against me, or against people that I know.

"I can't believe he did that!"

But the saddest part is that when I refuse to forgive—when I keep a record of perceived wrongs and I harbor bitterness in my heart—I make myself a prisoner of my own hardened heart and unforgiveness.

Jesus said:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." (Matthew 5:21-26)

Bitterness and unforgiveness is a self-imposed prison, from which there is no escape, until you choose to forgive and let it go. As Jesus said, "You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

And this is one of the main ways that most people "give place" to Satan on a regular basis, giving him a foothold that he can quickly turn into a spiritual stronghold in your life.

Your Enemy uses this stronghold of bitterness and unforgiveness to destroy marriages, kill friendships, and steal your joy.

Don't give him any footholds in your heart or mind.

Daily, we have to put on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand the constant barrage of fiery attacks from the devil.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-16)

Our battle is not with people. It's not with our families, our co-workers, our boss, or even those who would choose to be our enemies.

It's a spiritual battle, and the weapons of our warfare are faith, the Word of God, and prayer. These are the weapons we have been given that are effective at demolishing the spiritual strongholds of our Enemy.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

We know what the Word says. We are not ignorant of Satan's schemes. He comes to divide and conquer; to steal, kill and destroy. His most effective traps are stirring up bitterness and unforgiveness by trying to cause God's people to be offended by one another.

—Don't take the bait.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Your Blind Spot

"When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil."

(Proverbs 2:10-12)

Didn't see that coming, did you.

It's funny how we are usually very good at seeing the potholes that other people are on a path to fall into, but we rarely, if ever, see our own.

From our own perspective, we can see things coming from every direction, save one; our blind spot.

That's why we need close friends—the kind who will stick closer than a brother—who will warn us when they see us wandering, unaware, towards the edge of a cliff. Friends who are committed to sticking with us in the foxhole of life.

Friends who would literally take a bullet for you—and you for them.

If you are heading down life's road like the Lone Ranger, you had better have a Tonto or two who has your six. You need friends who will tell it to you like it is, even at the risk of offending you.

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend." (Proverbs 27:6)

I've had friends in the past who got in my face and told it to me straight. They told me what I needed to hear when it was something I didn't want to hear. I once wanted to punch a guy for what he said to me. But now, after I've realized what he said to me was the truth, I will be eternally grateful to that friend for telling me what I needed to hear. I'm grateful that he cared enough about me to risk offending me, in order to keep me from falling headlong into a ditch.

He saw my blind spot.

If you've been there through thick and thin with a friend, you've prayed with him, you've shared a good chunk of this life's journey, and you've had his back—then you've earned the right through relationship to speak into his life and warn him of his blind spot when he can't see it.

However, if you haven't proven your friendship through battle-tested relationship, then keep your mouth shut. There's nothing worse than some super-spiritual know-it-all who doesn't really know you, but always seems to have a "word for you."

My true friends who have consistently been there with me in the foxhole of life have earned the right to speak into my life. And I give them Carte Blanche to tell it to me like it is, even if they think it may offend me.

It's a matter of life and death.

If you don't have true friends like this, and your relationships with other Christian men are superficial and shallow, then you are missing out. And even worse, you are vulnerable to attack, and you will get blindsided, if you haven't already. And, trust me Lone Ranger, you will have your ass handed to you by an Enemy who studies you 24/7, and who only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

And if you don't think that an enemy like this exists, you need look no further than the epidemic of divorce and broken families in this nation. We are at war.

You can't fight this battle alone.

Think of your small group of closest friends like a unit of Marines—a Band of Brothers.

I met a young man a few years ago at a men's retreat who had seen bloody combat as a soldier in Iraq. He watched at least one fellow Marine die on the battlefield. With tears in his Post Traumatic Stress worn eyes, he told us of the camaraderie and the love that his small band of brothers had for one another. All of them would literally take a bullet or fall on an I.E.D. for each other.

They had each other's six.

The following passage perfectly describes this kind of sacrificial love:

"Greater love has no man than this; than to lay down one's life for his friends." —Jesus

Have your friends' six.

Watch his blindside, and then love him enough to warn him of hidden danger when he doesn't see it coming.

He'll be eternally grateful to you.

—I know I am.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

At The Edge of a Spiritual Cliff

"How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gather her chicks under her wings, bu you were not willing."

—Jesus

One of the greatest fears of many people in America today is the looming "fiscal cliff."

If you really want to hit people where they live, mess with their money. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of man more than the prospect of losing all they have materially and financially.

But what about the prospect of being spiritually bankrupt?

Like I did for most of my adult life, most people feel that they are "just fine."

"I'm a good person" you say.

"I don't murder people or rob banks" they reason.

And yet, I believe that most people feel a growing sense of uneasiness today. A growing awareness that everything is not okay in this nation, and in this world. An increasing feeling of trepidation that something big, something horrific, is going to happen one day soon.

But instead of looking within and acknowledging that the real problem is in the heart of man, people point the finger at each other.

"We inherited this mess!"

The recent school tragedy in Connecticut, the looming fiscal cliff, the rapidly increasing downward-spiral of morality in this country—these are all symptoms of a much deeper cause.

It's a spiritual problem.

In His admonition to some people who also thought they were 'just fine' Jesus said:

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." (Revelation 3:17-18)

You could spend a couple of days discussing the full theological meaning behind the four sections of this passage. But the basic message from Jesus here is, 'You think you're just fine, but you're spiritually dead. You think you're enlightened and can see things clearly, but your sin and pride has blinded you to the Truth.'

Like He is saying to an entire planet today, Jesus was saying to these spiritually dead, arrogant and pridefully blinded people that they are not "fine" and they desperately need Him.

The Savior of the world.

But most people will not surrender their pride, their hearts, and their hurts to Jesus Christ. They will not take the loving Hand that is freely outstretched to all men, offering them the free gift of salvation, found only in Him.

They refuse to see and acknowledge that they have a spiritual problem

And for another nation 2,000 years ago, who arrogantly rejected His love, He bitterly wept for them:

"O' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gather her chicks under her wings, bu you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37)

Some people think the message of salvation in Christ alone is hateful. That's it's based on fear, and not on love.

What about you?

If you saw someone walking towards the edge of a cliff, but could not see it coming, wouldn't you frantically warn them of the imminent danger that lies in their path?

Of course you'd warn them.

You'd do it out of love and concern for the person.

America and the rest of the world are at the edge of a spiritual cliff.

Many people are blinded to the path that they are on.

They can't see what's coming.

Hear the heart of Jesus today...

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

It's His message of Love.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and that whosoever will believe in Him shall not perish—but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

A Moment of Silence?

"You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent." 

(Isaiah 62:6)

In the wake of the school tragedy in Newton, Connecticut, the ever-increasing restrictions of this nations' culturally appeasing, political correctness, deem it appropriate to not pray aloud, but, in the interest of not offending anyone, to instead, "observe a moment of silence."

However, when a tragedy such as this occurs, observing a moment of silence, no matter how well intended, accomplishes nothing.

Another popular, but equally benign sentiment, is to seek to console someone by writing or saying, "You're in our thoughts."

If I am lying in a hospital bed, hanging on for dear life, please do not observe a moment of silence for me. Please do not just think positive thoughts about me. You might as well put me in the coffin yourself.

Political correctness is killing our nation.

God called His people who were sinning and had stopped praying to repentance:

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Look, there's a time to sit quietly with a friend who is suffering, when he just needs you to be there for him. A time when your own personal words of consolation cannot comfort his grief, or help him try and make sense of a tragic loss that is beyond comprehension.

But when an entire culture is terminally ill, such as ours is today, the way to bring healing to a nation is not by standing idly by, observing a moment of silence.

This may have the outward appearance of being reverent or respectful. 

But is is absolutely powerless.

This nation has all but banished God from public life, and instead caters to the whims of a perverse and twisted, politically correct culture.

And we wonder why tragedy is on the rise in this country?

It's ironic how politicians often end their political speeches by saying, "God bless America!" But their godless policies oppose everything God has commanded us.

In America, our "god" has become political correctness.  

"We don't want to offend anyone."

But what if we've offended God?

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." (Psalm 33:12)

Don't expect God to "bless America" if you've thumbed your nose at Him and laughed Him out of your twisted and perverse culture.

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

"Oh Lord, have mercy on this nation." 

—Our land is in desperate need of Your healing.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Why Did God Let This Happen?

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

(Acts 17:30-31)

In the stunning aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, in Newtown, Connecticut, many people are still in shock, searching for answers, crying out:

"Why did God let this happen?!"

It's a fair question.

And one that I believe can only begin to be answered by first looking at the 2,000 year old verses above from Acts chapter 17.

God, "Now commands all men everywhere to repent."

What does that mean?

To repent, literally means, to change your mind—to think differently afterward. 

By virtue of giving all men everywhere a command to change our minds, God has given all men everywhere the moral agency of free will. 

The capacity to choose.

People are free to choose their words, their actions, and their responses.

In this current age, God does not force anyone to do anything against their free will. And people wouldn't have it any other way.

Would you?

Would you have yourself and all other human beings be created as pre-programmed, subservient robots, with no capacity whatsoever to choose?

Of course not.

One of the driving forces of mankind is our innate need to be free. To not be bound or controlled by another person, or by any other force.

God has given all men the right to choose.

And if you're still struggling with, "Why does God let bad people do bad things?" Think of it this way; why did He let you say something unloving to that person the other day? Why did He let you think those bad thoughts? Why did He let you tell that lie? Why did He let you flip off that other driver? Why did He let you cheat on your spouse? Why did He let you look at porn on the Internet last night? 

Puts it in a very different perspective doesn't it.

Every one of us has been given a conscience and the right to choose our words, actions and responses.

What most people won't do—the people who refuse to obey God—is to acknowledge that they are ultimately accountable to Him for their life-long, free will choices of words, actions and responses.

It's because no one wants to be accountable to another person. No one wants to be controlled or ruled over. Not even by God.

You can't have it both ways.

You can't be 'free' to choose how you live and not have God intervene, but then expect God to control the actions of other people.

All men everywhere are sinners. We've all broken Gods laws. We've all sinned against Him.

That's why He gave the command 2,000 years ago, and still gives it today, that all men everywhere must repent. 

We've all been given a choice to turn to God and confess that we've sinned against Him, and that we are not righteous people. We can never meet God's perfect standard of holiness by trying to be good or do good deeds.We need a Savior. We need the blood of Christ to wash away our guilt and shame. 

The Bible says all men everywhere must repent because God has:

"Appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

Jesus Christ was nailed to a Cross and died there. He was buried, and He rose again from the dead three days later.

Virtually everyone who grew up in America has probably heard that story from the Bible at least once in their life. And your conscience won't let you forget it. You may be angry when someone reminds you of it. You may hate Christians for sharing it.

But the day that God will judge the world in righteousness is coming. 

None of knows the day or the hour. 

But your conscience won't let you deny that this day is eventually coming, and you will be accountable to God for your life—your choices, words, actions and responses. God's justice and righteousness demands it.

But on the Cross of Christ, God's love and justice embraced. 

Jesus was judged for your sins against God, so you don't have to be judged, if you will repent an turn from your sin, and turn to God.

Jesus, the Son of God said:

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, and that whosoever will believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus Christ, the Son of God who never sinned, was killed by sinful men, and He hung on that cross to pay for the penalty for your sin and mine.

Why did God let this happen?

—Because He loves you.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

No Greater Love

"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16)

One of my closest friends—a true friend who sticks closer than a brother—shared with me how he has been kind of down lately. He said since he just moved, again, that he hasn't been serving God, and it has been the cause of some depression.

My friend and I always seem to call each other at just the right time. Either he needs some prayer and encouragement, or I do. But these phone calls always come in our greatest times of need.

Coincidence?

I think not.

Throughout our conversation on this particular day, among other things, my friend asked for prayer that God would give him an opportunity to serve Him—to be utilized.

He needed a divine appointment.

Well, I wish I could say that I was the faithful friend who prayed right then, without waiting. But I had to go in and see my next client, and was planning to pray for my friend while I was walking across the huge parking lot and into the store. I didn't really pray much, but had intentions to do so, once I got back to the car.

When I was finished with my appointment, I came back out to the car and my friend had called me back because his number showed up, as a 'missed call' on my cell phone.

Yep, it was just a pocket dial.

Upon calling my friend back, he excitedly shared with me how, immediately following our phone conversation, that God had already answered his prayer, because he 'just happened' to meet a man who worked in the workout room facility in his apartment complex. My friend said hello and asked the man how he was doing.

He apparently wasn't doing too well. His wife, who had cancer a few years ago, had just learned that her cancer had returned.

The man and his wife were both devastated.

My friend, who loves people, asked the man, "Can I pray for you?"

The hurting man readily accepted.

Turns out the man goes to a Church of Scientology. And now my friend has this incredible opportunity to share Christ with someone who is lost and hurting, and who desperately needs the truth and love of Jesus.

I'm not sure who was more blessed by this chance meeting.

My friend—or the man he prayed for.

Suffice it to say, that my friend no longer felt "down." His depression was turned into joy—all because he loved this guy enough to step out of his comfort zone, and ask the man if he could pray for him.

It was a divine appointment.

How many times are we in a situation where we meet someone, and even say "hi" to that person, but we stay in our comfort zone and we don't do as my friend did, and extend the love of Christ?

Loving people as Jesus did is rarely, if ever, convenient.

This kind of inconvenient love is one of the ways that we can "lay down our lives for the brethren."

Not just for fellow Christian brothers—but for all those who need the same love that Christ has loved us with—such as the hurting man that my friend just happened to meet.

Just as my friend experienced, we don't have to go searching high and low for someone to minister to. God has already appointed people for us to share His love with—we just need to make ourselves available to share, as my friend did.

The Bible says God has "ordered out steps."

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way." (Psalm 37:23)

My friend running across this hurting man whose wife's cancer had just returned was no coincidence. This was a divine setup. My friend's steps had been ordered—foreordained by God—to be in the right place, at the right time, to minister to this man, and pray for him and his wife.

God wants to use you in the same way. He has ordered, or foreordained your steps.

And as my friend experienced, all you have to do is ask the Lord for a divine appointment, and He will show you that He already has an appointment scheduled for you.

All you have to do is show up for the appointment.

My friend is a good man.  He really has a heart to serve others, which is one of the things that I admire most about him. His steps have been ordered by the Lord. And he experienced the truth of the words that Jesus spoke:

"It is far better to give than to receive."

Who has God placed in your life today who needs to receive the truth and love of Jesus?

—Only one way to find out.

Being The Right Person

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own."

(1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of books available on relationships.

Though I have read a handful of them, and a few have been helpful, there is only one Book that has all the real answers on relationships—the Bible.

And yet, that Book is far too often the least read book on relationships, even by those who profess to believe in it's truths and in it's Author.

It is amazing to me, how many times over the years, that I had tried to find the right books on relationships, and had spent quite a bit of time and money purchasing and reading them—even sincerely trying to put the principles I learned to good use.

But the one thing I noticed more than anything about many of these so-called 'relationship' books, is they are often focused primarily on getting what you want out of the relationship—not giving to the other person what they need.

Most people, in my experience, are searching for the "perfect person" for me. Someone who will fit all of my criteria, and meet all of my needs.

A wise man once said,

"The secret to marriage is not about finding the right person—it's about being the right person."

Sure, you need to find someone with whom you are compatible. Goes without saying.

I love the following quote from the author of "Love & Respect," which perfectly describes what it means to "be the right person" in a marriage:

"Your marriage is not primarily about you and your spouse; it's about you and Jesus Christ. Marriage is a test of how you unconditionally love and respect your spouse as you obey, honor, and please the Lord." 

Also part of being the right person—is according to the verses quoted above from 1 Corinthians chapter 13—the Love Chapter.

I'm only going to focus on two specific portions of this passage today.

1.  "Love suffers long and is kind."  - This could also read, "Love is long-suffering in kindness."

Patient, sacrificially enduring, fully committed in love; no-matter-what. 

Love means you you don't have to be right all the time. Love means you are willing to take a bullet for your mate—bearing their burdens, lightening their load, taking upon yourself the things that can cause your mate anxiety, worry, stress, pain, discomfort, etc.

One of the saddest aspects of many marriages that are several years old, is people have forgotten how to, or more accurately, are neglecting to be kind to one another. 

Men; when you were first courting your wife, you jumped at every opportunity to open doors for her, racing around the car to open her door for her before she could open it herself. 

But after several years, many men won't even put down the remote and get off their lazy butt and carry in the groceries. Or, she's out raking the leaves that you should be raking, while you're inside watching the 49'ers on TV. 

Guys—is chivalry dead? 

2.  "Love does not seek its own." - In other words, love is not self-seeking.

Someone very dear to me was in a relationship a few years ago and the guy had a very rigid criteria that she needed to meet, to qualify as being worthy of becoming his wife someday. Needless to say, he broke her heart and bailed from the relationship after he found someone who more closely fit his selfish little shopping list.

The guy had absolutely no clue of what it means to be the right person. He was only concerned with finding the "perfect person" to meet all of his needs. Totally self-seeking. He was a "me-monster."  The guy is a narcissist. And there are a lot of them out there, sad to say.

However, above all of these things, the most important thing in being the right person, is, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

And if you say "yes", do you love Him?  - Not just in what you speak, but in your daily actions?

Jesus said, "If a man loves Me, he will keep My commandments."

True Love, demonstrated in obedient action, is the God-kind-of-love. 

Talk is cheap.

Jesus gave us the purest, perfect example of Love:

"There is no greater love than this—that a man would lay down his life for his friends."

The God-kind-of-love is selfless and sacrificial. Never self-seeking.

This simple little diagram perfectly illustrates two people who are both being the right person...

Both people are seeking God first—growing closer to Him.

And as they grow closer to Him, they grow closer to each other in the process.

This does not apply only to married couples. It applies to two people who are dating, or even thinking about dating.

And if you are truly seeking God first, in every aspect of your life, you will eventually meet that right person for you, because they too are seeking God first—not trying to find the right person for themselves. 

Jesus said:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

If you are doing this, or desiring to do so, but the person you are interested in, or already dating, is not, then that other person is not the right person for you.

And if you are not passionately seeking God first, greatly desiring to love Him with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength—you are not being the right person for anyone.

If, like I did, you spend a lot of time reading books on relationships, but have spent very little time reading The Book on a personal relationship with Jesus—please, do yourself a favor and put away your books.

"Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Seek Jesus first, and love Him with all that you are, and in so doing, He will make you into the right person for someone who is seeking Him and loving Him in the same way.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own."

Just Love Jesus first.

—The rest will follow.

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Our Very Present Help in Time of Need

 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

(Psalm 147:3)

As I drove west, across the rain-soaked farmlands, on my way to a day of fishing in the desert, I noticed a small flock of sheep out my right side car window. And one little ewe lamb was walking with a very pronounced limp—a grimace of pain in her eyes. But just as striking, was the larger sheep just to her left side and slightly behind her. I got the strong impression that he was caring for her... watching over her.

He had her back.

I was so moved by this that I got tears in my eyes and felt compassion for that little lamb. And I had to call my wife immediately and tell her about the lamb and the larger sheep watching out for her, and how much I loved her. My wife loves all animals, but especially sheep and little lambs. 

We had a tender moment on the phone. 

She said, "I'm the little sheep with the broken leg."

I said, "I have your back honey."

This is the beauty of how Jesus made the Body of Christ—His eternal family.

Certainly, this kind of loving care for one another directly applies to all married couples. 

But not just to married people. 

This is the kind of love and care we should all have for one another. We are to come alongside one another, and care for each other, and bear one another's burdens. (Galatians 6:2)

I heard a story several years ago about a little girl who was afraid of the dark and wanted to get in bed with her mother. 

Her mother said, "Honey, you need to go back to bed and just pray to Jesus and He will take away your fear." 

The little girl said, "Mommy, I know that. But tonight, I need Jesus with skin on."

That's what we, as the Body of Christ, are to be for one another—Jesus with skin on.

God can absolutely heal all sickness, disease and injuries.

But, in my experience, more times than not, He instead chooses to bring His people alongside those with sickness, disease and injuries, and calls us to bind up their wounds, comfort them, and just love them.

He sends us to nursing homes to comfort an aging man or woman who lost their spouse, and now lies there alone, desperately in need of someone to spend time with them, bringing God's love, mercy and comfort to them in their time of need.

He calls us to love, support and care for orphans in the slums of India, where children with Aids have lost their parents to Aids, and due to the cruel Caste System there, they are outcast and left to die on the streets because no one wants them. They are labeled "untouchable."

He sends us to befriend and comfort people who have gone through a painful divorce and just need someone to encourage them and be a good listener. 

We are to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

To be Jesus with skin on to people.

That is how God can be a very present help in people's time of need. 

He has the Body of Christ—His Church—spread across the entire  planet, called to be available to help those who need His help, loving those who need His love.

And sometimes, all we need to be is available. 

We don't need to be a Pastor or a super-anointed Bible teacher. We just need to be available to love the hurting people who God places in our lives.

A dear friend of mine shared the following truth with me a few years ago:

"God does not call us based on our ability—He calls us based on our availability."

I have never forgotten that.

And if you feel that you are not properly equipped to minister to hurting people in this way, my friend also encouraged me with another profound truth:

"God does not call the equipped—He equips the called."

None of us come naturally equipped to be Jesus with skin on to anyone. We are born sinners. With men, this God-kind-of-love is impossible. 

But with God, all things are possible.

Jesus said, 

"Without Me—you can do nothing."

When we, in our absolute weakness, take the step of faith to call on Jesus to give us His love, compassion and strength, to reach and minister to those with needs that far exceed our ability to help them, He will empower and enable us to do great things.

God alone is able.

All He calls us to be is avail-able.

—Are you available?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Honorable

"You people draw near to Me with your mouth, and honor Me with your lips, but your heart is far from Me." 

—Jesus

Honorable.

Here are a few definitions of the word:

• Performed or accompanied with marks of honor or respect.
• Consistent with an untarnished reputation.
• Characterized by integrity.
• Guided by a high sense of honor and duty.

What does the word honorable mean to you personally? More importantly, what does "honorable" look like in your life? In your daily practices? 

In your obedience to God? 

The Bible says, "Man looks at the outward appearance—but God sees the heart." (1 Samuel 16:8) 

Talk is cheap. 

It's way too easy to talk a good game—to appear like a righteous person.

But what does God see when He looks at your heart?

One of my life-changing verses from the Bible, and that which I most desire to live by, is John 14:21. 

Jesus said: 

"Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, is the one who loves Me." 

That one verse strips away all religious sacraments, liturgy, good works, holy appearance, and lofty speeches.

It pierces and reveals the heart.

If you love Jesus—really love Him—you will keep His commandments. You will obey His Word. Anything less, proves that you don't love Him at all. It actually reveals that you don't even know Him:

"Now by this we know that we know Him; if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him' but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him." (1 John 2:3-5)

Anyone can sit in a church week after week. You can read a Bible. You can talk the spiritual talk. You can look the part.

But if obedience to God is not your way of life, then you are not in Christ.

Jesus said:

"Why do you call me "Lord" but not do the things that I say?" (Luke 6:46)

It's all about love.

Love is a verb. It requires action.

If you truly love Jesus and are thankful for what He did for you—giving you the free gift of eternal life—then you will be honorable, and obey His Word.

—Do you love Him?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.

Rivers of Living Water

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me—as the Scripture has said—out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

(John 7:37-38)

I have always been mesmerized by rivers.

Rivers flow out from their source. 

One of my favorite rivers is the Henry's Fork of the Snake River. It literally flows out of the ground at Big Springs, Idaho. Water from Henry's Lake, along with snow melt, seeps into the volcanic caldera which lies underneath a huge portion of the eastern part of the state, and it gushes forth at Big Springs, immediately transformed into a full-fledged, living river. It is one of the clearest, most beautiful rivers you will find anywhere on earth.

Flowing rivers bring life.

Always moving, flowing outward, downward, watering crops, bringing much needed moisture to parched lowlands, cool drinking water to those who thirst, calling spawning fish home, providing refreshment—bringing much-needed life.

Lord, thank You for the life your living river brings.

The polar opposite of rivers are ponds. 

Ponds are self-contained—having no inflow or outflow. They slowly stagnate, surface thickening with parasitic insects, algae and pond scum. Robbed of oxygen, they slowly dry up, and eventually, they die.

Do you see any examples in these two metaphors with real life?

How about in your life?

Jesus said:

"If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive." (John 7:37-39)

I can see my own heart in both of the previous water examples.

Fortunately, I've had times where I remembered my Source and allowed His life-giving water to flow out of my heart, providing desperately needed mercy, encouragement and love to those around me.

Sadly, I've had far too many times when I was like a self-contained pond. Self-focused, stagnate, allowing no healthy inflow, and therefore, no life-giving outflow was coming out of my heart. The pond scum of self-absorption was choking the life out of me to where I was no good to anyone.

When we become inordinately self-focused, we are so blinded by self that that we cannot see others all around us who are in need of God's love and encouragement.

This kind of self-focus is self idolatry.

May God forgive me for all the times my heart was like a self-contained pond.

We have to choose to allow the river of the Spirit of God to flow into our hearts. And then we have to allow His living water to flow out onto others. Those living rivers were never meant to stay locked in a stagnate pond.

Is your heart flowing out like a river?

Or self-contained like a pond?

—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.