Be Filled
A few weeks back Taelyn attended a week long, daytime, VBS (Vacation Bible School). The kids had such a great time. At the end of the week the kids each received a take-home CD. The CD was loaded with all the wonderful catchy tunes that the kids had learned that week. It was the kind of music that sends thousands to their feet, and raises the arms and wiggles the hips of even the most conservative of worshippers.
Tae and I love to sing. Sing out loud. When we are in the mood, mostly while driving, we like to belt it out. There are times however, that we just don’t feel like singing.
As I drove him home at the end of Friday, the last day of VBS, Tae’s eyelids were droopy and his head started bobbing. He was nearly asleep in his car seat and I didn’t want him falling asleep at that hour. I quickly pressed play on his new CD and turned the volume full-up. Before I could even adjust my rear-view mirror to peek, I heard Tae’s little voice singing along.
When the song had ended Taelyn said, “Mom, I don’t even want to sing, but I just can’t stop myself.” I smiled and thought to myself, “ Now that is the power of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit nudges you to do the things that glorify God the most. His power is most evident when you find yourself doing those things when don’t even feel like doing them.
Sadly, many Christians live their lives void of this power, and therefore, miss out on the true abundant life. Now to be clear, all true believers have the Holy Spirit, but not all believers are filled with the Holy Spirit; our sin prevents it. Yet, God commanded His children to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The use of the verb “to be filled” implies that it is not by one’s own doing, but that God does the filling.
So how do we allow God to fill us up with His Spirit? GOOD QUESTION, I’m glad you asked.
The Holy Spirit will have more power as you begin to make good choices. The spiritual disciplines are, by God’s design, a way to put yourself in a posture that allows Him to fill you. When you spend time praying and fasting, praising God and reading His word – you are spending time with God. The more time you spend with God the more likely you are to want to become like Him. When you want to become like Him, you begin to give up some of the sin-filled practices.
When you make the decision to resist sin and spend more time with God you will experience a spiritual detox. With your old nature gone, there is more room in your heart for the Holy Spirit. That’s when you will see His awesome display of power first hand.
The Holy Spirit’s purpose is always, first and foremost, to glorify and give evidence to Jesus as the Messiah. In addition, He was sent by Jesus to purify you. As the Spirit has more room in you, you might begin to find yourself leaping tall buildings with a single bound. No wait – that’s a different superhero story. 
You will begin to find yourself doing things quite out of character – your character that is. Just like Taelyn, singing when he didn’t even feel like singing, you will do things that glorify God even when you don’t feel like doing them.
Rather than praising and giving thanks to God only in the good times, you will praise Him for the difficult times as well. In place of being impatient with your children, you will find yourself sitting a spell, laughing and being silly with them. Rather than criticizing your husband, you will shower him with words of encouragement. Instead of dreading the weekly call from your mother-in-law, you will find yourself calling her first, and feeling joy in your heart while chatting to her. Now that my friend, is the power of the Holy Spirit.
While you cannot fill yourself with the Holy Spirit – the amount of filling will be in direct proportion to the amount of space you are willing to give up in your own heart. So how willing are you?
Shalom Aleichem
~dl.
Don’t Tell Me That!
It’s cherry season in Kelowna and cherries are one of Kelly’s favorite fruit. Last week we were invited to a friend’s house to pick cherries from their tree. Kelly quickly jumped at the chance, packed a ladder, grabbed the biggest buckets he could find, and off we went. You might have thought Kelly won the lottery by the look on his face. He had a huge smile as he spotted the tree; huge and drooping with cherries.
Picking and eating, Kelly spent the next hour humoring himself by spitting the pits at the birds who were contending for ‘his’ fruit. I humbly suggested Kelly not eat the fruit until we had taken it home and washed it, because our friends had sprayed their tree. Of course Kelly found no wisdom in my words.
Arriving home, content with his harvest, Kelly washed some of his cherries, placed them in a bowl and settled down in front of the television for a feast. While he ate, I picked through the rest of the cherries to discard the rotting ones, and that is when horror struck me. The bowl of cherries was crawling with worms! Worms that reared their ugly little white heads, and appeared to stick their slimy tongues out at me in taunt. I screamed, and to Kelly’s dismay, I yanked the bowl out of his lap. After I explained my actions, Kelly groaned and said, “ AHHH – I wish you never told me that.”
The truth is, even when sprayed, cherries sometimes have worms. It’s one of those things that you don’t really want to know, but once you know, you feel obliged to tell others.
I don’t mean to compare God’s instructions to a bowl full of cherries with worms, but I couldn’t help but laugh the other day as I shared a truth from the Bible with a friend. As I told her about a passage that I had read that morning, my friend covered her ears, groaned, and exhorted – “Don’t tell me – I don’t want to know!” Oddly, I understood exactly what my friend was experiencing.
There are things in the Bible I wish God never said, or at least wish I didn’t know. Things like;
- I’m supposed to be a submissive wife.
- I’m supposed to love my enemies and pray for them.
- I am to honor those who have authority over me: prime ministers, corporate authorities, pastors and yes, parents, even if I don’t agree with them. (Note to wives: husbands are included in that list too.)
- I am to give away ten percent (at least) of my hard earned money to the church, ie: people that I don’t know all that well, so that they can use it in whatever way they deem best, at the same time, I am to deny myself of the pleasures in this world.
Oh and by the way, I am to do all this with joy in my heart and not complaining!
I have a counter-will issue. Show me a rule and I’ll break it. Show me a line and I will cross it. Once, while wrestling with God about what He was telling me I needed to do, I stamped my feet and shouted at Him out loud, just like a little girl might do, “I WISH I NEVER KNEW THIS”!
Sometimes it seems the Bible is taunting – or is that daunting? Maybe both! Living in ignorance to God’s instructions can at times, seem easier. Just as I felt obliged to tell my husband about the worms in his cherries for obvious reasons – the writers of the Bible can be credited for their strong warning to us. Likewise, we have an obligation to tell others the truth, in an act of love!
A person can, unknowingly, pop a cherry full of worms and become ill from the maggot infested fruit. Once you know at least you can make an informed decision.
Just as easily, not knowing the truth can lead us into some dangerous situations. God’s hedge of protection over us can only be found within the walls of His divine will. When we step outside those walls we are on the enemy’s turf. Obedience = Protection.
If you are in Christ, no doubt you have had an experience like I have; where the Word from God’s own lips, as tough as it was to hear, transformed my thinking and saved me from certain destruction.
Will you share God’s word today – even if it isn’t the most welcomed message!
Aleichem Shalom.
~dl.
Looking for Mr. Loophole
I was indignant as I read through an article about a lawyer dubbed “Mr. Loophole.” The British attorney lends fond endorsement to his alias, citing his extraordinary talent for finding the legal technicality to help his clients avoid the consequences of their bad choices as the reason for his own fame.
Some notable moments for Nick Freeman include:
Defending Sir Alex Ferguson who was caught driving on the hard shoulder. Ferguson’s ‘out’ was that he felt nauseous and was merely looking for a restroom.
One business man was acquitted after crashing his car. The man sustained injuries from his accident and was rushed to the hospital. Alcohol was believed to be the cause of the man’s crash, so a blood sample was drawn. Later, the case was dismissed because the medical professional that withdrew the blood was also assisting to the man’s health concerns. The law required that blood testing for a drunk driving suspect be done by a medical practitioner not associated with the drivers care.
In another case a police officer was accused of drunk driving and the lawyer used the improper arresting procedures by the officer’s colleagues, as the means of avoidance.
As to the ethics of what he does, Freeman said, “Morally I can’t justify it, but ethically I can.” Since ethics are based on moral principles, I find this lawyer’s statement a complete contradiction.
Ah – ha! There’s my issue, it’s the contradiction. My annoyance with Mr. Loophole had more to do with the parallel of his story and the dichotomy that has taken place in the past in my own faith journey.
Mr Loophole specializes in motor vehicle infractions. For way too many years my own specialty was finding the loopholes in the Bible. How ‘bout you? Caught up in a world view, I think many of us have devalued at best, and at worst negated, Jesus’ teachings altogether.
Here are some of the trendy inconsistencies between what we think and what the Bible really says.
1) We think, “I want a home that will be a blessing to others. My home, including the granite countertops, the cork floors, the finest appliances, and the beautiful new furniture is a sign of God’s favor over me. Besides, it isn’t a sin to have nice things.”
The truth is, “if you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.”
2) We think, “It is okay for me to tell this story so that others know how to pray for her. Besides, I need to warn others about what she is doing, so they don’t get involved.”
The Truth is, “Gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.” Proverbs 20:19.
3) We think, “I am entitled to my feelings and I’ll forgive when she (or he) proves she is truly sorry for what she did to me. Besides, she needs to know what she did was wrong.”
The Truth is, “Bear with one another, and forgive one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must do.” Colossians 3:13.
4) We think, “It’s okay for me to continue to drink and party. I’m only doing it so that others will see that it’s cool to be a Christian. Jesus doesn’t care as much about what I do, as long as I have a relationship with Him. Besides, Jesus drank wine didn’t he”?
The Truth is, “do not get drunk with wine, for that is the dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”
5) We think, “I deserve to be happy. I don’t think Jesus would want me to stay in an unfulfilled marriage. Besides, it isn’t good for our children to be constantly exposed to our fighting.”
The truth is….Jesus was confronted by some of the Pharisees on the legality of divorce. The Pharisees were always trying to trap Jesus by bringing up Old Testament law. They thought they had him once on the issue of divorce, but here is what Jesus said: “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” Matthew 19:7&8.
There are other areas where we try to find loopholes. What about “little” white lies, open or same sex marriages, not paying back what you have borrowed from others, or working for cash to avoid the tax man? These are all behavior based. Jesus never missed an opportunity to look beyond a persons’ behavior. He always went straight for the “heart” of the matter.
God wrote one book explaining how our lives would work out best if we chose to follow his loving instructions. There were no built-in loopholes for his plan. Paul said, “If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.” Trust me friend, the prize that Paul spoke of wasn’t a gold medal or a trophy.
Are you looking for the “out?” Jesus, going straight for your heart, would ask, “What is the lie you believe about Me preventing you from trusting ME?
Do you believe Jesus can satisfy all of your needs – or – do you think you still need more of the world? Do you believe God knows what will work best for you – or – do you think He is only trying to coerce you into abiding by a bunch of rules? Chances are, if you are looking for a loophole, you are believing some lie about your sin and/or you have a distorted view of who Jesus is.
Instead of looking for the technicality, try looking for an area of your life that you are not yet willing to trust God with. Then ask God to show you how you can begin trusting Him in that new way.
Aleichem Shalom
~dl
I’m a MESS – With a purpose!
Do you really want your heart to be healed? Healing begins with repentance! Repentance means to turn and head in the opposite direction. It involves a change of thought and action to correct a wrong.
Not forgiving others, is wrong. Repentance is your choice. Healing your heart is the miracle work of God. Let’s look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, for proof, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray….and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (Emphasis mine.)
In my last blog, we read Matthew 24:10-13, where Jesus warned those who were most at risk, His followers! When offended by others, many [Christians] would fall away from their faith. Jesus said, “only those who endure to the end [in love] will be saved.” (Emphasis mine.)
I have been studying God’s Word on the topic of forgiveness for sometime now. Even so, I have messed up many times in the last while! I’ve allowed myself to become offended, reacted from a sense of entitlement, and let my pride and my feelings guide my actions. I’ve been clinging to bitterness and resentment like it’s my last dollar. A week or two ago, I declared myself “a hopeless mess.”
As strange as this might sound, reassurance for my own moral state came on one of my recent trips to Superstore.
For any of you who live in Kelowna and shop at Superstore, I’m sure you’ll get this…Over the last eight weeks or more, the supermarket has been undergoing major renovations. Despite the plethora of signage thanking people for their patience and, in exchange, promising a better future shopping experience, people could be seen wandering from aisle to aisle with a perplexed look on their face while muttering “something” beneath their breaths. I felt the same way because of the mayhem.
A few weeks back, I walked into Superstore and though they were not finished their rennis, I could see that their “mess had a purpose.” Peace, though only a glimpse of it, poked its little head out from the beneath the chaos. I was flooded with relief. Because I have several young men (translated that means big eaters) in my family, it only makes economical sense for me to continue shopping there.
Press the pause button here for a moment.
I feel a bit silly. I was completely unaware of the timing that this series would take us through, when I humbly agreed to partner with Lesley-Anne on the topic of forgiveness. We are just over our Easter celebrations. For Christians, Easter is the most sacred time in all the year. It marks the anniversary of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, so that we could be forgiven and reconciled with God.
During Jesus’ day, the Jewish people had been longing and looking for a new king. Israel was under constant threat from all sides, and in a state of pandemonium, most of the time. Jesus promised to be the king that would restore peace and bring order to a country in chaos.
Can you imagine the thoughts running through the minds of those who had followed Jesus closely for three years, when they saw Him hanging on that cross, dead? To those who had put their hope in Jesus, the situation must have appeared to them as “a hopeless mess.” What good could come from Jesus death? Of course, we know now that “that mess had a purpose!” Jesus promised that when He left this earth He would send a helper.
In Luke 13:3, Jesus told His followers, “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Our initial salvation process begins when we choose to repent. In Revelation 3:19 & 20, Jesus tells us that, “if we repent, He will come in and live with us.” Repentance is “how” we open the door through which Jesus, by His Holy Spirit, promises He will enter. What a beautiful thought, “when we decide we want to leave our former ways behind, we make ourselves ready for God to come near.”
Does our repentance mean we will never sin again? The verse from 2 Chronicles would indicate otherwise. Only those who are saved are, “a people called by His name.” After all I have learned I wish I could tell you that I am “fixed” but, as I confessed earlier, I am still making mistakes.
Our subsequent “saving” from sin (unforgiveness, etc.) also happens when repent.
I used to think that when I made my initial decision (when I repented) to forgive others, my unforgiveness would be gone. Poof! No more ill-feelings towards others. I have since learned that while repentance is necessary and no healing can come without it, forgiveness is not a one time event – it is a process.
My process began when God revealed to me that there were people in my own life that I thought I had forgiven, when I had not. I knew I was supposed to forgive, so I had simply tucked things away, hiding hurts deep in my heart. Every time I would hear a name, or see a face of one I hadn’t forgiven, the Holy Spirit would remind me that we weren’t done yet. Sound familiar?
The Holy Spirit is the architect and site supervisor of the renovations of the heart. Did you know that it is the Holy Spirit’s job to bring order out of chaos? To learn more about the ministry of the Holy Spirit see, Radical Love …Forever Changed.
God sees all “unforgiveness” as a wicked way. Matthew 18:23-35. It take humility, especially if you are one of His people, called by His name, to admit you have not been able to forgive. When we seek the compassionate, loving, merciful face of God and repent, God promises healing to our land – one heart at a time.
I admit I am still a mess – but I’m not hopeless! God faithfully reconstructs those He loves. The good news is that I am learning to repent a lot sooner now and trusting that God is working in me, to conform me to the image of His Son. Romans 8:28 & 29.
When it comes to forgiveness, are you still feeling like a mess? Every change toward Godliness begins with repentance. Do you want to be healed? Repentance is your first step.
If you have truly repented, The Holy Spirit lives in you and you can be confident when you glance at hope – You may be a mess, but you are a “mess with a purpose.”
For those who love Him and seek to follow His ways, Jesus promises that patience will produce a better future. Trusting that it begins with repentance, and only you can make that initial decision, why not talk to God, turn, and let the healing begin?
Aleichem Shalom
~dl
The Avalanche of Unforgivness!
DANGER! WARNING – KEEP BACK – EXTREME AVALANCHE CONDITIONS!
I can’t help but wonder why people take risks when the warnings are urgent and the consequences are so severe. Perhaps they are uneducated and therefore oblivious to the impending disaster. Maybe they just believe it will never happen to them. Whatever their rationale, the choice to ignore the warning signs can inflict devastating and wide spread consequences.
I live in an area that is a winter playground for many, and it’s now avalanche season. For the third time in two weeks, we have heard news reports of several people dying, and many more injured, when they were struck by an avalanche.
Police, and search and rescue teams, had hoped that with the back-to-back incidents and easy accessibility to weather reports, people would weigh the risk factors, educate themselves, and avoid the consequences.
Avalanches can be surprising, awe-inspiring, beautiful and deadly. They can sweep trains off their tracks, crush buildings, uproot trees and bury people. Some avalanches have even covered entire houses with people still inside. Most avalanches though reported to strike without warning, are human-caused.
Regardless of the repeated warnings, people are still not getting the message.
I feel for the families who have had to suffer, because of the poor choices made by some thrill-seeking sledders and snowboarders. So many innocent people could have been spared heartache and pain, if these snow-sports enthusiasts had heeded the initial warnings. My friend, it is that way with unforgiveness. The only way we will ever be able to prevent ourselves from being buried alive by unforgivness, is to heed Jesus’ warnings in the first place.
In my last blog, I promised we would begin mapping out the steps to forgiving others. It has been critical for me to educate myself, so I can avoid the consequences. Let me ask you, if you knew for certain that you were about to be buried alive by an avalanche, would you even take the first step onto that dangerous slope?
It starts with trust! If we don’t believe God is for us, we won’t trust that His ways are what is best for us. This morning, I had a ten minute conversation with my seven year old on “why” we have certain rules in our home. In the end, it all boils down to this one thing; we have rules so “we” stay safe. God has given us moral guidelines for the very same reason. He never issued a single command that didn’t have our best interests in mind. When we sin, we are choosing to ignore His warnings. God will never force us to listen to Him, nor will He prevent us from experiencing the consequences of our choices.
I have wasted far too much time and energy inflicting pain on others, because I was imprisoned by my own unforgiveness. For this reason, I humbly share with you what Kim and I learned as we wrote Radical Love ~ Forever changed. The first step toward unforgiveness, is becoming offended!
From the book, Radical Love ~ Forever Changed.
Offended = Sin
“When you blame anyone for what they did to you, you are the one who sins!” Your response may be, “What? When someone hurts me, especially if it is intentional, they aren’t to be blamed?” This may be the toughest truth to swallow. Friend, we so desire you to know – you need to know – there are few things more damaging than for you to be set up to feel the sting of an offense, and then remain there.
We will look at Matthew 24:10 – 13 (NKJV) for proof.
“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound , the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end he will be saved.”
What Jesus is saying here is so important. Keep in mind that the people whom Jesus was talking about were the people in His church, the people who call themselves His followers. He was talking about Christians, and was speaking of the signs of the end times.
The word offended translates from the Greek word “skandalizo” and means;
1. to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall,
2. to entice to sin,
3. to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and
obey,
4. since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed; to cause
displeasure or make indignant.
The bottom line is that many will be hurt. What do those hurt people do? They hurt more people. They betray one another, they hate one another. And, they are inside homes and inside our churches. The word many in this passage refers to a very large amount; a vast amount; the majority! Who are they that mislead others? Who are the ones doing the deceiving? Who are the ones leading many astray? The offended. Jesus even called them ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing.’ Do you see the danger?”
Radical Love – Copyright 2009 – Property of For the Sake of ONE Ministries.
As long as we are alive people will be difficult to deal with. Some people will be bent on intentionally hurting us, some people will hurt us and not even know they have done so. The “absolute” is that the potential to be hurt is unavoidable. We are often blindsided and hardest hit by those we love and respect the most. As natural as it seems, becoming offended is the beginning of a spiritual and emotional, but no less tragic, avalanche. So can we choose not to be offended? Stick with me for a couple more minutes, ok?
All avalanches have three ingredients: snow, a sloped surface, and a trigger. Ideal conditions for an avalanche include unstable or uneven ground, where the snow is under tension or stress. As little as a 10% slope is all that is required for a severe slide to occur. When someone steps on an area of weak snow, it triggers an avalanche, in an instant, un-suspecting victims are buried alive.
Becoming offended has three ingredients: pride, a weak self-image, and a trigger. It takes so little, but when we are under tension or stress, we are vulnerable and at great risk. We will react out of pride or a sense of entitlement, when we lose sight of who we really are. Our pride can trigger a spiritual avalanche, and before we know it, we are buried alive beneath the weight of bitterness, anger, hurt, hate, fear, resentment. We may even start seeking revenge. As U2 sings in their song, Peace on Earth, “And you become a monster so the monster will not break you.” Because of unforgivenss we are cloning more monsters. There are times when I have been a monster. How ‘bout you?
My friend the stakes are so high. There are the physical manifestations that present in anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease and even cancer. These killer diseases are at an all time high. It’s human-caused – the slide of which has been strong enough to sweep Christ followers off their tracks, crush marriages and uproot families. Some unforgiveness avalanches have covered entire churches, with people still inside.
How can you tell when you are at risk?
Pride entices us. The enemy taunts us. Becoming offended seems like the most natural thing.
When it’s pride, there is a sense of entitlement, and/or self righteousness. Thoughts come to mind like, “I do not have to put up with…..,” or, “I’m sick of hearing about…..,” or, “I will not let them get away with……..” I am learning that it’s my pride talking when my thoughts start with “I.” These thoughts will be self-centered.
When it’s the enemy trying to derail, he most likely will be spewing words of judgment and/or condemnation. Thoughts come to mind like, “You can not trust…….,” or “it’s your own fault for……..,” or, “If you don’t do something about…….” I am learning that when the enemy is talking, my thoughts usually start with “You.” These thoughts will also be self-centered.
These are triggers that lead us to believe that becoming hurt is natural, but it is a trap!
Condemnation tears people down. There is no condemnation in Christ. Two thousand years ago, Jesus warned us of the consequences of unforgiveness. He urged us to forgive, not out of His anger or judgment against us, but out of love and a desire that none would perish. When God speaks to us about our issues, He does so in a loving manner, to convict us. Conviction builds us up. It inspires us to want to take action, to trust that we can be made better at loving God, others and ourselves. I am learning that when God speaks to me, my thoughts are focused on what He can do, and are usually others-centered.
Can we choose not to be hurt? Have you noticed times when you are less affected by the things that others say and do? I sure have. Usually when we are at our optimum, we are more willing to let things go. We will be at our best when we are grounded in the truth of our identity.
Of all things said here it is this I hope you remember - you are accepted, forgiven, redeemed, holy, blessed, a beloved child of the Almighty God. If we had a heart knowledge of who we are in Christ, the effects of our identity would be unstoppable in this world.
Here is one action step you could take today: Turn to the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, and write down everything that God says about you. Then record the promises God made to you. Ask Him for faith to help you believe. If you don’t own a Bible, here is a link to Isaiah 43.
It is much easier to avoid the avalanche in the first place. However, we cannot go back and undo what has already been done. I can assure you, God has the greatest search and rescue team. I know because He rescued me. If you are still buried beneath an avalanche of unforgiveness Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, wants to rescue you too. I’m so blessed that we are on this journey together. Until next time……
Aleichem Shalom
~dl.
Forgiveness. Have you opened your gift?
In my last blog, Understanding Forgiveness: Part One, we caught a glimpse of God’s “Abundant Pardon” toward us. To summarize, there is nothing you have ever done, nothing you are currently doing, nothing you ever will do, that God cannot forgive.
Though God’s mercy is abundant, forgiveness is a transaction. In an ordinary business deal, a transaction is complete when payment is made in exchange for the delivery of goods. It is the same with forgiveness. Jesus paid the price. He died on the cross so that you could be forgiven and reconciled with God. However, you must receive that forgiveness or the transaction is incomplete.
In my senior high school years, I had a special friend. I wanted to do something really significant for him. I decided to buy a gift for his birthday. I knew the gift had to be something useful, but I also wanted the gift to absolutely “wow” him. I wanted this gift to be something he would never have the means to acquire for himself.
I had no money, but I did have a part-time job. I asked my boss if I could work extra hours on evenings and weekends. My boss agreed, and for the next twelve months I worked as often as I could. In addition, I saved my birthday money, and any extra cash that came my way.
I spent all my free time window shopping and pouring over catalogues, trying to decide on a suitable gift. Near the end of the year I found what I considered to be the perfect gift. It was a power tool. I don’t think I have ever been so excited about buying a gift for anyone. I was ridiculously giddy as I made my purchase.
Long story short, I wrapped the gift in beautiful paper, planned a special dinner, invited guests and carefully thought out what I would say when I gave the gift to him. For months I had been imagining the look on his face, as he opened my special gift. Now the time was finally here. I was shocked, no, devastated by what happened next. When he opened the gift, he showed no signs of enthusiasm. He was completely apathetic. The gift remained at my house, in the half opened box, with the wrapping torn to shreds. Eventually I gave the gift to someone else. I guess he was not able to see the value of the gift.
His response however, did not negate the facts.
That gift cost me a lot more than cash. It was bought and paid for, even though he never took it out of the box. The gift was meant for a specific purpose. It was supposed to benefit him, and if used as it was intended, it could have brought him and many others, great joy.
Sadly, as the gift remained in the box it was rendered useless!
I cannot help but see the parallel between my story, and God’s. The gift God gave us, was far more valuable than the one I chose to give my friend. Forgiveness came at a great personal cost and extreme sacrifice. It came beautifully wrapped in precious human frailty, which was later torn to shreds. Regardless of our response to it, the gift of forgiveness for our sins has been bought and paid for. It’s up to us whether we take it out of the box or not.
For many of us who call ourselves “Christians,” we have often received the gift of God’s forgiveness with apathy or total rejection! It’s apathy when we lack joy in our lives and do not praise God continually, for what Jesus did for us, regardless of our circumstances.
It is rejection, when our lives remain unchanged by the power of His forgiveness. In speaking about the times to come, Paul describes such people to Timothy in this way, “men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, ungrateful, haters of good, …..reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure, rather than God. These people have a form of godliness, (think – church goers, professing to be followers of Jesus) although they have denied it’s power” (those church goers remain unforgiving, unloving, exactly as they were before they met Jesus.) 2 Timothy 3:2-5.
When we are apathetic, or reject God’s forgiveness, we are rendered ineffective, because Christianity hinges on the power of forgiveness.
The transaction of forgiveness is made complete with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God’s ultimate power tool. When the Holy Spirit lives in us we have all the power we need to live completely different lives. The Holy Spirit enables us to live in obedience to God’s Word, no longer chained to our former thoughts and bad habits. Along with forgiveness, we receive both understanding of who God is, and reconciliation with Him. Forgiveness brings great joy and eternal life, to anyone who accepts it.
So what about you? Have you taken the gift of forgiveness out of the box? Are you walking in obedience, leaving behind your former ways? Have you noticed an increased desire to praise God, regardless of your circumstances? Do have the joy of Christ in you?
You can’t give something away unless you have it to give. Forgiveness is a gift that is meant to be passed on. In my next blog I will begin defining the steps of forgiving others. For now, I hope you will spend some time with God, making sure you understand the value of His gift to you.
Aleichem Shalom
~dl.
Understanding Forgiveness – Part One
David. A Symbol of God’s Abundant Pardon?
We all need forgiveness. We all have people we need to exonerate. Though we know we should, and maybe we even know why, most of us do not know “how” to forgive. Sadly, too many people are living as prisoners, bound by the chains of unforgiveness.
Forgiveness is not a human inclination. Whether giving or receiving forgiveness, we tend to reject the idea that it’s the best way. True forgiveness is contingent upon our faith in Jesus. Without Him, forgiveness is impossible!
As we begin to understand the amazing pardon God has made available for us, both to give and receive, it is my hope and prayer that you would experience the freedom in forgiveness and that those chains loosen
God knew it would be hard for us to understand, and because He knew we would always be looking for a “loophole,” God gave us many clear illustrations of what forgiveness really means, infact, it is the central theme of the entire Bible. David’s story was no exception.
David was just a boy when he was hand picked by God to be the future King of Israel. You might remember the story of David and his famous fight with the giant Goliath. David did many wonderful things for God. At one point God even called David, “a man after His own heart.” However, it is David’s fall into sin that is the focus of our attention today.
Why are we focusing on David’s sin, if there was so much that was good about him. The short answer is because God did. “And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David. Behold I have made him a witness to the peoples.” Isaiah 55:3. God used David’s story as a symbol of His abundant pardon.
Here is a quick synopsis of David’s fall:
After David became King of Israel, the Israelites went to battle against the Syrians. While his army was at war, David remained in the comfort of his palace. At the end of a blistering hot day, David wandered out onto the roof top to enjoy the cool of the evening. From this vantage point, David was able to see into the home of Bathsheba. David’s gaze fell upon this beautiful woman as she was bathing.
Bathsheba was married to Uriah. He was the loyal commander of David’s army. Though David was also married, the temptation was more than he could resist. While Uriah was out fighting for the nation of Israel, David sent for Bathsheba, slept with her, and she became pregnant.
Rather than owning up to his mistake, David tried to cover it up. He sent for Uriah, and on several occasions, tried to manipulate Uriah into sleeping with Bathsheba, to alter the evidence. Uriah, loyal to the army, refused to indulge himself while the others were still at war. When that plan failed, David conspired and intentionally had Uriah sent to the front lines, so that he would be killed in combat.
Because God is Holy, he cannot condone sin. The penalty for sin is death! However, because of His amazing Grace, He had a plan for reconciliation. Even before we knew we needed it – God prepared a way for us. From David’s story, let’s try to grasp the principles God wants us to learn.
Does God have restrictions?
God’s forgiveness is abundant, while we have many conditions. We will forgive some people, but not others. We find some offenses easier to forgive, while others are just too big. We will forgive someone once, maybe twice, but we will not be a doormat for anyone.
In Isaiah 55:8&9 God reminds us, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9. We simply must understand forgiveness from a Godly perspective!
Who Qualifies?
Isaiah 55:1a reads, “HO! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters.” Not long ago I heard an amazing teaching on the single word “Ho.” The word is spoken is a loud shout, coming from the inner soul. It is like a deep groaning that surfaces and cannot be contained. “Ho” portrays God’s longing to get this word out to the people. “Ho! Every one who thirsts,” qualifies for God’s promise. We all have a thirst. It is the deep longing inside each of us that only God can satisfy. Forgiveness from God, it is like water to a parched soul.
How much does it cost?
God accepts us as we are. Because Jesus paid the price on the cross, forgiveness is free to anyone who seeks Him. Isaiah 55:1b. “And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk Without money and without cost.”
How much is too much?
All sin is equal to God. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” James 2:10. God does not compare your sin, to mine, or mine to another’s and decide on some scale of “better or worse,” who will receive a pardon and who will not, as we do. You and I, David the murderer, and even Billy Graham, we are all equal to one another in God’s eyes.
What is the limit?
We often limit the number of times we will forgive one another. Imagine if God had said to David, “David, I definitely could have forgiven you, if all you had done was sneak a peak at Bathsheba while she was bathing. Ok, maybe, just maybe, I might have been able to forgive the adultery. Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice shame on Me. But David – three strikes and you are out! You just had to go and murder Uriah. You can’t expect me to forgive you now!” God in His Grace forgave David for His sins.
Time sensitive offer.
“Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is Near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “ Isaiah 55:6&7
We do not know when our lives will end, nor do we know the life span of another. This is a decision that demands immediate attention.
Have you accepted God’s abundant pardon? Do you have someone you need to forgive?
Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.
Shalom Aleichem.
~dl.
Giving Up? The Game’s Not Over Yet!
It was just a silly game of cards, our fiftieth, I believe. Ok, perhaps that number is slightly exaggerated. Taelyn was sick so he had been home from school for many days. Together he and I had played many games of Go Fish. Today was no exception.
We were tied, as we began our third game of the morning. I was ahead with six pairs to Taelyn’s one. I noticed that my lead, at least in part, had contributed to a change in Tae’s attitude. His voice became quiet. He sounded discouraged and his actions became less than enthusiastic. One more pair for me, and Taelyn declared, “game over!” “I quit,” he said. “Quit?” I was surprised. “Why would you quit now, when the game is not over yet?” It didn’t make sense to me. “Because I can’t win.” Taelyn responded.
His assessment of the situation was based on tangible evidence – the mound of cards on my side, and the lack on his. In his mind, it would be impossible to catch up, never mind win. To my son the situation was, in a word, hopeless!
This game had me thinking about more than just a game of cards. We often look at the tangible evidence in our circumstances, and if the odds seem stacked against us, we declare the situation, in a word, “hopeless!” Like Taelyn, when the challenge seems insurmountable to us, we tend to give up before the game is officially over. Yay! Score “another one” for the enemy. Satan is a cheater. He wins because of the false evidence he provides us with. I tell you, nothing makes me angrier!
Ironically, just before my game with Taelyn, I had been praying about a circumstance in my own life. This is a situation I have been praying about for more then ten years, with little sign of hope. I have to admit, I have grown weary many times. I shared my frustration with God this morning. I told Him I was about ready to give up! I asked God to give me a clear sign, or at the very least, some encouragement to go on.
God used the game of Go Fish, and my conversation with Taelyn to answer my prayer. God reminded me of Biblical figures like Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Moses, David and more. In each of their lives there were situations that appeared impossible. I couldn’t help but smile when I realized, if they had not trusted God, they would have missed the divine victory. I heard my words ringing loudly in my own ears. “Quit? Why would you quit now? The game is not over yet!”
Before you quit, consider these questions:
1) What are you about to give up? If it is nothing more than a silly card game, then go ahead – give up! BUT, and I ask this in total humility, are you quitting simply because you are worn out?
Do you feel like you will never get a handle on your debt? Do you doubt that your children will come to faith in Jesus? Are some of your relationships, maybe even your marriage, appearing hopeless? Are you battling an addiction? Perhaps worse than all of these, are you thinking of aborting your own faith walk with Jesus, because it is just too difficult. If you feel hopeless – DO NOT GIVE UP YET!
2) What were you expecting? A game without opposition? If you don’t have an opponent, there is likely nothing at stake. A.J. Coyner said, “Christianity does not provide a supernatural cure for suffering; it provides a supernatural use of it.” Your opponent wants you to believe your situation is hopeless. If it is not impossible, would you even have a need for God?
3) Will you miss a divine victory if you give up now? As hard as it may be to keep going at times, quitting, going back, often leads to bigger heartache and disaster.
Because Abraham and Sarah trusted God, they were blessed at a very old age, with the birth of Isaac. Abraham also became the Father of the whole Israelite Nation, through the birth of Isaac. In spite of all the hopeless situations Joseph found himself in, he continued to trust God. Because of Joseph’s faithfulness, God used him to prevent all of the Israelites and the Egyptians from starving to death. Moses never gave up in his battle against the Pharaoh, so the Israelites were set free from their captivity, and eventually made it into the promised land. Because of David’s courage, he fought Goliath and won. Jesus became part of the lineage of David. Every difficult situation has a God glorifying ending - if you finish the game.
Romans 5:3-5 [NASB] reminds us, “but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (emphasis mine.)
Today I faced my own situation, with new resolve. Today Taelyn won at the game of Go Fish. What are you hoping for? May the hope that does not disappoint, be poured out in your heart today.
The game’s not over yet!
Aleichem Shalom.
dl.
Not Valuable But Valued
You and I are not valuable to God. As harsh as that sounds, it is the truth. But more valuable than being valuable, is the truth that He loves you, because He chose to love you!
Click here to listen > Not Valuable But Valued – Isaiah 43
Aleichem Shalom.
~dl.
