We Can't See Their Heart But We can See Their hurt.

 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.  - Psalm 141:4

This is about speaking into someone's personal pain.

I might say something to that someone about their behavior or choices. The same words can be either intended to tear down or build up. They can be critical or encouraging.  Condemning or edifying. As Christians, the former should never be our motive. Everything we say should be intended to correct and direct. Encouraging the person to repent - go another way - reflecting the Lord in word and deed. What does the Word of God help us to do - To know what’s right. To know what’s not right. To know how to get right. To know how to stay right. 

So we should .....

"consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… encouraging one another.” — Hebrews 10:24–25

“Encourage one another and build each other up.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:14

“Remember that the words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” — Proverbs 12:18

“Not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.” — Ephesians 4:29

“Carry each other’s burdens.” — Galatians 6:2

Taken together, these passages teach that encouragement means noticing people’s needs, speaking words that strengthen rather than wound, helping those who are struggling, being patient, and motivating others toward love and good actions. It doesn’t require pretending everything is fine; biblical encouragement can include gently offering truth, hope, prayer, and practical support. 

These verses are guides for others to step into the lives of some struggling Christian to be Jesus to them. In doing that you will be casting spiritual seed. Applying kindness, love, and spiritual oil as a balm. Your ministry may never be received in the way that you would like to see it at the time, but that is not your responsibility. That is between the hearer and God. We cannot see their heart but we can see their hurt.

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Will You Get In The Wheel Barrow

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. - John 14:27

The real test of spiritual focus is being able to bring your mind and thoughts under control. Is your mind focused on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Is it your work? Is it your idea of what a servant should be, or maybe your experience of salvation and sanctification? If so, then your ability to see God is blinded. You will be powerless when faced with difficulties and will be forced to endure in darkness. If your power to see has been blinded, don’t look back on your own experiences, but look to God. It is God you need. Go beyond yourself and away from the faces of your idols and away from everything else that has been blinding your thinking. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Seeking God out in the midst of living out your life … is that a problem for you?  Our lives of faith are not merely thinking about God and then trying to do godly things … that is a certain path to failure … we do that every day even though we know that we cannot be righteous in our own strength. Yet we try to live righteous lives to the best of our ability.  Chambers said “You will be powerless when faced with difficulties and will be forced to endure in darkness. “Have you ever heard yourself say “I am doing the best that I can!”?  It’s thinking that “we” must be doing that is our real problem. 

The underlying issue of all of this is our lack of trust or faith in God.  It’s like the guy who pushed a wheel barrow on a rope stretched across Niagara Falls.  When he got to the other side he asked a spectator “Do you believe that I can take the wheel barrow back to the other side?”  The spectator said “Yes” so he said “Ok, get in!” Now that was a problem … we can believe that God will provide and take care of us, but when it is time to ‘get in the wheel barrow’ we back up … We have a tight grip on our lives and and are not ready to give the control to someone else … even if that someone else is God. 

Have you ever heard the phrase “Let go and let God”?  That is what we have to do … Putting your faith in God is where the natural meets the super-natural.  Can you trust Him?  You bet.  How will you know you can trust Him … the only way you will now for sure is by climbing into the wheel barrow.  You won’t be disappointed … trust me!

Why are you downcast , O my soul? … Put your  Hope in God - Psalms 43:5

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Want A Better Life - More of Jesus - Less Of You - Is A Good Start

Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ. Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.  - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest 

There is an old hymn that describes what our attitude should be with regard to our past, our present and our future.

“Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!

Thou art the potter, I am the clay! Mold me and make me, after Thy will While I am waiting, yielded and still

Search me and try me, Master, today! Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, As in thy presence Humbly I bow

Wounded and weary, Help me, I pray! Power, all power, surely is Thine Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Hold o'er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit 'til all shall see Christ only, always, living in me.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!”  POLLARD, ADELAIDE

All of us have things in our past that we regret.  Satan, the god of this world, would have us cling to those things, so that they would define who we are today and limit what we will be in the future.  But Jesus has overcome sin and the grave. (1 Corinthians 15:17) In Him we have new life. (1 John 5:12) Old things are passed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  We are forgiven, in Christ. (Ephesians 4:32) 

It is Jesus that defines us now. Of course that is not to say that it would be OK to continue to sin, but that we should not let our sins in the past be a wall that we cannot get by.  If you want to refresh your commitment of faith, make it that you will draw closer to Jesus .. 

And .....  "turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” 

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Asking For Help From A Drowning Man

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. —2 Corinthians 5:17

In today’s culture when someone says “Prejudice”, the narrow definition is racial prejudice or bias.  Actually the root of the word has to do with having an opinion about something.  Dislike or even hatred, of people of other races is one type of prejudice.  That is one of the prejudices that is part of our old nature. Let’s use that as an example.  Men have argued for years that one race is superior to another. Typically it is the race in power that holds that view.  It is part of the old nature.  So what does the Bible say? Well, man was created in God’s image. (Genesis 1:26) Genesis does not say only white or red or black or yellow or brown.  So God must not have been referring to skin color or national origin.  Paul wrote “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female” (Galatians 3:8) in the Body of Christ.  Jesus prayed “That they may be as one, as we are one" (John 17:11).  John wrote “If you say you love God and hate your Brother, you are a liar and the Truth is not in you.” (1 John 4:20)

We try to justify our prejudices – the opinions born out of our old nature – by turning to those who think like us to seek affirmation … and we will always find approval from those who have the same prejudices we do or at least are tolerant of our prejudices lest we fail to accept theirs.  If you want someone to say your sin is OK ask another sinner.  When drowning, why would you seek help from someone who is drowning beside you?  The Word of God is the place you go to know what is Truth.  The Spirit is the One that affirms and confirms what is right and what is wrong … the Spirit convicts us of our sins. (John16:8)  I know a good number of Christians that hold on to opinions – prejudices that were born out of their old nature.  So what to do?  It’s actually a simple solution that is impossible to accomplish by wishing it so …. it requires faith not will power.  We must surrender our prejudices – our old nature – to God.  Offering ourselves, daily, as a sacrifice. Confessing our sins, daily. (1 John 1:9) As you develop your spiritual acuity, (one day you will have 20-20 spiritual vision) you will see those opinions or prejudices for what they are and abandon them by faith and through the power of the blood of Jesus.  “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

I was in a meeting some years back where the topic was racial reconciliation in the Body of Christ. The question of asked of the men of color (other than white) “Has anyone every expressed bigotry or prejudice toward you?  Virtually every hand of every man of color was raised. Then the question was asked to the men of European origin, “Have you ever expressed prejudice toward a man of color?” Very few raised their hands. Those men with their hands raised, were thanked for their honesty.  Then to those who had not raised their hands, the speaker asked, ”Do you even care that it happened?”  Good question.  When God asked Cain where his brother, Able, was, he answered “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The same might be asked of us.  As Christians, our answer is, or should be, “yes”. Read Matthew 25:31-46.

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Seeing Should Not Be A Requirement For Believing

Without faith it is impossible to please Him… —Hebrews 11:6

Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, and not just sometimes. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless.” - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

When I woke up this morning, the thought “Seeing is not a requirements for believing.” Was on my mind. Then I read Chambers devotion for today. The Spirit is speaking to me. That ever happen to you? Probably, but perhaps you don’t realize that is what is happening when it does.  To know something to be true without evidence is different from “thinking” something might be true.  Faith is spiritual and works on another plane than our natural reasoning.  I know that I know, but don’t know how I know.  I struggle because I try to filter a faith-fact through my natural mind.  Thomas struggled with believing that it was Jesus standing before him, until he filtered it through the natural man – “I must touch his wounds!”  Jesus then said “Blessed are those who believe and have not seen.” (John 20:29)

Can you .. .will you trust Jesus even when what you are trusting Him in is contrary to reason?  I did not say contrary to the revealed will and Word of God.  Faith facts will always be consistent with who God is and His truth. But it may not make any sense.  Martie and I find ourselves in that place all the time.  The hazards (if you will) of our calling.  

Proverbs 3:5-6 says not to lean on our own understanding.    In other words, faith comes first.  Understanding will follow … most of the time.  When I was in Army Basic training at the ripe age of 18, I had one particular drill sergeant, SSGT San Felice.  He was 6’2”, red hair, from Puerto Rico.  He had a very thick accent.  He told us .. “I don’t care if you don’t understand me, you better do it!”  I think I did a lot of unnecessary pushups! Well, our life in Christ is that way in some respects.  We hear God, we don’t understand what was said, but we doubt God.  The disciples did that during the storm.  Peter did that while walking on the water.  We do that when God says do something that makes no earthly sense.  It means that we have to give up our worldly confidence and rest in God’s faithfulness. Friend, that is the life we have been called to. 

We live by faith and not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7

What is it that God is telling you to do?  You must choose.  And, by the way, to do nothing is making a choice . And that choice is not for God.  

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. - Joshua 24:15

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Why You May Not Be Content With Your Place In The Body Of Christ

By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain… —1 Corinthians 15:10

The way we continually talk about our own inabilities is an insult to our Creator. To complain over our incompetence is to accuse God falsely of having overlooked us. Get into the habit of examining from God’s perspective those things that sound so humble to men. You will be amazed at how unbelievably inappropriate and disrespectful they are to Him. We say things such as, “Oh, I shouldn’t claim to be sanctified; I’m not a saint.” But to say that before God means, “No, Lord, it is impossible for You to save and sanctify me; there are opportunities I have not had and so many imperfections in my brain and body; no, Lord, it isn’t possible.” Always be humble before God, and allow Him to be your all in all. There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

You must be careful to not compare yourself to other Christians and imagine that you can never be like them.  It’s true, you may never do what they do, but if you are born again .. you are exactly like them.  You are exactly like Paul … exactly like Billy Graham … but you may be a different part of the body.  (1 Corinthians 12:14-25)  “… the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. […] The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.”

God has purposed us (Ephesians 2:10).  You might decide to be a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker in the natural, but you do not decide what part of the Body you will be in the supernatural.  God does that.  Exactly like Paul and Billy Graham.  Now that is not to say that you might be envious of someone who is the mouth.  But that is your flesh at work.  Perhaps your insecurities at work or maybe your pride. I have known men who demanded that they have a certain leadership position in a local church.  Not because they were called to it, but because they lusted after it.  They want to be significant in the eyes of men or perhaps to overcome some feeling of inferiority.  Or maybe you feel like God can’t use you because you have nothing to offer.  You do! You do!  You offer … you.  Then trust that God will use you as He sees fit. It may be to fulfill a place that people won’t see or ever know about.  Is that OK with you?  If not, examine your heart.  If your desire is to glorify God .. the first step is to submit your life to Him and to His will.  A song you may be familiar with … “Yes Lord yes to Your will and to Your way.  Yes Lord yes.  I will trust you and obey.  When the Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I’ll agree and I will answer .. YES Lord YES!” 

God will provide the opportunity for you to fulfill your purpose. You don’t have to make those opportunities.  Just do what God puts in front of you.  If it seems bigger than you are .. for whatever reason .. it is most probably God.  There was a man, Brother Lawrence, who was known for his spirituality.  He was a monk.  One thing he did not want to do was work in the kitchen.  He decided that.  Any guesses where God put him?  For 15 years.  During that time, he made a huge impact in many people’s lives.  He served faithfully where God put him and glorified God and blessed others in the process.  Are you ready to work in the kitchen? To set side notoriety and not be praised by men.  (Mark 9:35) [Jesus said] “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”  Hope that puts things in perspective for you.

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Is There Enough Light To Convict You Of Being A Christian?

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:13-16

As born again Believers, we have the “light of God” – the Holy Spirit in us. That light and His transforming power should be evident to everyone we meet.  Not only by what we say or don’t say, but by what we do and don’t do.  Jesus charged the disciples – which includes us – to let our light shine in the world.  We are to be witnesses so that God will be glorified.  Jesus said (John 13:35) “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  Years ago we sang a song at fellowships – “They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love”.  I think there are two main reasons why there is a lack of light in a Christian’s life. 

First. The Christian is not pursuing their faith and they are still spiritual infants and are indistinguishable from those who are still lost in the world. 

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. - 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

2 Corinthians 5:17 says “old things are passing away and all things are becoming new”  That is true for the heart that is devoted to God.  But Spiritual transformation does not happen when your heart remains devoted to the things of this world.  You growth is stunted – your light is hidden – your witness non-existent.  

Second.  The Christian is afraid of being rejected by the culture they live in – afraid of the social and/or financial loss they might incur if they let their light shine and make what they believe to be Truth – Biblical Truth – known.  Jesus told the disciples, 

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. - Matthew 10:34-39  

Most of us have a herd instinct.  We want to be around other people.  We want to be accepted by those people.  For a Christian – that can mean that they must not make their beliefs evident – they must be silent – even when what is acceptable to the “herd” is clearly contrary to the declaration of God.  They only way to overcome that is by having a strong faith – a heart for God. (see #1) 

I am not sharing these things try to “guilt” you into something. I want you to understand your new nature and life – how we are to live.  Dr. Francis Schaeffer wrote a book some years back “How Should We Then Live” which addresses this very thing.  How should Christians live in the context of the world around them.  I don’t want you think, after reading this, that you will just have to try harder.  On the contrary. What I hope for is that you will decide to “faith” harder.  Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and Joshua 1:8-10.  

Think about it – Pray about it - Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone