Because I believe that a few of you or more can relate to the topic I’m writing about today, I am sharing an amplified version of the devotional I wrote for our church bulletin last Sunday. Here it is: [Many years ago, one of my co-workers in the post office asked me to reserve for him all the leftover supply of sample cartons of cigarettes which could not be delivered. He added: “remember that I’m your friend.” I responded, “Because I am your friend, I can’t do that.” I added: “Can you imagine me standing by your bed when you’re dying of lung cancer knowing that I helped put you in that situation?”
All of us want the best for our friends and especially our family. Even so, if we are careless, there are times when we can do more harm than good when we do things they want. Parents face that situation often. Because they want to give their children what they ask for, they often wind up hurting instead of helping them. Even as I am re-writing last Sunday’s devotional, I suspect that some of you have crossed the line that separates right from wrong, wise from foolish. And please don’t think that I haven’t made those mistakes myself.
Proverbs 27:6 says: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Yes, there may be times when people we love will be angry or upset with us but whether parent or friend, those who are wise will ask God for the courage and the grace to say “no” whenever it is necessary. If you are facing that type of situation today, I pray you will do the same. ]
God’s word for today (Proverbs 20:7 NIRV) “Those who do what is right live without blame. Blessed are their children after them.”
If after reading the gist of today’s blog thinking “Hmm, that was pretty bizarre”, I won’t be surprised. However, I am who I am, and I feel one or more of you can relate to my way of thinking or at least understand it. I’ll try to explain. First, this question: Have you ever held someone or something so cute and adorable, perhaps a baby or a puppy, that your first impulse is to squeeze hard, even bite? Hoping I’m not the only weirdo, I pray more than one or two of you will say “Yes, I’ve felt those urges from time to time.” I’m not a psychologist, neither have I played one on TV or recently stayed at a Holiday Inn, but I believe some babies bite those who are carrying them as an expression of deep affection or joy for them. In other words, they can’t help it. Ever known any biting babies?
This leads me to share with you one of my real and constant worries. I pray it is because of the love of Christ which lives in my heart, but I fall in love very easily with people, especially those who are part of my family at home and even in church. Because I love them so much, my first reaction is to hug them tightly, whether male or female. I fear, however, that one day, one may misinterpret the hug and take it to mean something impure. In a day when accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior are common, people who have the same emotional “flaw” as me, need to be very careful when interacting with others. Even with those who are members of my immediate family, I need to avail myself of the grace and self control of the Holy Spirit in order to resist the temptation to squeeze them too hard or even bite them.
Perhaps I was led to this topic because I just read the account of the day when Jacob was finally reunited with his son Joseph. Genesis 46:29 reads: “So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.” (a long time) I also remembered the account of the day the prodigal son came back home. Luke 15:20 reads: “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.” (probably for a long time too) Because I have an unusual and imaginative mind, sometimes I wonder if Joseph or the prodigal son, or both, while in the tight long embrace of their fathers ever thought within themselves “Ok dad, that’s enough.” Perhaps we should keep that in mind next time we hug someone too tight or too long or even feel the urge to bite.
God’s word for today (Galatians 5:13) “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
I just heard this funny story again recently, one some of you may be familiar with. There are several variations of it but the points that it makes are the same. Here’s mine: After his sermon, a pastor announced that he would see anyone after the service who needed special prayer. A young man in attendance that morning took him up on his offer. The pastor asked what his petition was and the young man said he needed prayer for his hearing. Immediately, the pastor cupped his hands over the petitioner’s ears and prayed. “Oh God, I ask you to please heal this young man.” The pastor then asked “How’s your hearing now?” The young man replied, “I don’t know, it’s not till next Thursday.”
Here are two obvious points to this story: (1) When we pray, we should do it in faith but also with understanding. Speaking in general about prayer, Paul wrote: “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.” (I Corinthians 14:15) (2) When someone asks us to pray for them, we should make sure what their exact petition is. Sometimes, we just assume the obvious and ask accordingly. One pastor I know was approached by one of his members who asked prayer. She said her husband left her and was very worried about it. He too, instantly lifted up his prayer and said “Oh Lord, please speak to this man’s heart to come back home immediately.” She quickly interrupted him saying: “Oh no pastor! I wanted you to pray that he never comes back.” I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “Be careful what you pray for.” That is some very sound advice.
God’s word for today: (Philippians 4:6) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
While waiting in the customer’s lounge earlier today as our car got it’s scheduled maintenance, I was subjected to watch a program who had as a special guest, a so-called life coach. He was expounding his personally devised method on how to find true happiness and fulfillment. As usual, the host as well as the audience was “eating it up.” To me, it was one more reminder of man’s futile attempts to get the best out of life with God completely out of the picture.
Three bible verses immediately came to mind as I continued watching this silliness: (1) (Proverbs 14:12) “There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is the way of death. (1 Corinthians 1:20) “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” and (James 1:17) “Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God. He is the One Who made all light. He does not change. No shadow is made by His turning.”
As I meditated on these verses in light of the foolishness I was watching on the screen, these questions came to mind. Really, can men take us to true happiness and fulfillment, and not God? Can anyone else, other than God, offer us an abundant life? Outside of God, (Christ) Can we find love, peace, joy, hope, and assurance, among other excellent things? Almost all true children of God have been on both sides of the fence, so to speak. If our life before Jesus was so great, wouldn’t most of us rush back to it? No, sir! Even little dogs will drop an old dry piece of bone when offered a fresh piece of meat or chicken. Here’s the bottom line: Don’t be fooled by imitations. All you will ever need to be truly happy, fulfilled and satisfied in this life, will be found in Christ.
God’s promise for today: (Proverbs 19:23) “The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.”
A very well known and beloved bible verse is Romans 8:28 which reads: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” To many of us, that verse is a reminder that God has a habit of taking a painful, sad, even tragic event in our lives and turn it around to do us good. I can almost hear an “amen” from many of you. One good example of that truth is what happened in the life of Joseph. His many painful experiences, including the one in which his own brothers sold him as a slave, could have destroyed him forever. God turned that experience around and it became the best thing that ever happened to him. In fact, it was the best thing that happened in the lives of his brothers. After Jacob, their father, died, Joseph’s brothers, fearing retaliation, humbly and meekly asked his pardon. Joseph replied: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)
Actually, I was reminded of this truth some time back when I heard a line in an old popular song which said something like: “What can you do with a broken heart?” My immediate thought was: “By God’s grace, you can do something good with it.” Some of you are aware that many great hymns and Christian songs were born from someone’s broken heart. Two prime examples are Horatio Spafford’s “It Is Well With My Soul” and Thomas A. Dorsey’s “Precious Lord Take My Hand.” These two men did something great with their broken hearts. Their hymns have inspired, blessed, and comforted millions of people and will continue to do so until Jesus returns.
If you are struggling today with the painful effects of a broken heart, do what your God does: Turn it around! In fact, your broken heart is what God may use to bless, inspire and comfort those around you. Whining, sulking, feeling sorry for themselves, and bringing many others down with them, is something losers do. God’s children, on the other hand, regardless of their situation, bless those around them. That is because they are more than winners, they are conquerors.
God’s promise for today: (Psalm 34:19) “The righteous have many troubles, but the Lord delivers them from them all.”
I’m sure many of you have heard this heartbreaking phrase concerning a loved one or a dear friend: “At this point all we can do is keep him (her) comfortable.” To many, these are dreaded words. To them, it means that all hope is gone and unfortunately to some it makes them believe that God let them down. Notwithstanding, comfort is an extremely undervalued commodity and it helps and blesses the recipient much more than most people realize.
The author of Psalms 94 wrote: “When my worry is great within me, Your comfort brings joy to my soul.” (Ps. 94:19 NLV) I bet more than a few of you can recall a time in your life when worry, anxiety, doubt or fear filled your heart. Then, all of a sudden a strange feeling of peace and assurance came over you. To put it simply, God was comforting you. After all, He is the God of all comfort. (See 2 Corinthians 1:3)
I had that exact experience and I will never forget it. One night several years ago, I was struggling with, fever, chills and extreme weakness and about to be transported to the hospital. I must have looked like such a pitiful sight that my wife drew near and just held me. She probably felt helpless and wished she could have done more but as sick as I felt, her embrace afforded me an indescribable comfort which, for a good moment, made me forget my misery.
It is such a valuable thing that God wants us to comfort others when the need arises. By His grace, we will be able to comfort others with the same comfort we have received from Him. (See 2 Cor. 1:4) Because you were there when someone needed some comfort, one day something or someone will comfort you. On that day you will be very happy and grateful for it. My wife and I have very recently been comforted by some of you. If you should happen to hear that phrase again, the one with which I started this blog, please remember that it is a good thing, not a bad one. And because it is, do you know of anyone who may need some comfort today?
God’s promise for today: (John 14:18) “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
For many years now I have been corresponding with prison inmates who are generally related to members of our church family. In their letters, almost all of them speak about changing their ways and especially drawing closer to God and serving Him like never before, once they are released. In the most recent letter, a young man known by several members of our church family expressed his desire to serve in any capacity in our church upon his release.
Let me add that this is not the first time this young man has been incarcerated and in the past has let a lot of people down, including his wife and family. When I notified some of them about the letter and news of his impending release none of them gave an unchristian response but their reaction seemed to indicate that they doubt he will straighten out or ever change his ways. I’m not surprised because that is a typical natural response. On the other hand, however, I can think today of several exceptions who almost everyone, me included, gave up on and, in time, proved everyone wrong. This is a testament of God’s grace, mercy, and power.
Concerning Abraham, recognized by many as the father of our faith, Romans 4:18 says this: “who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” Although Abraham did not see the completion of the promise, it is obvious that he lived as well as died in hope. Why can’t we be like that? Why can’t we give those who have fallen flat on their face over and over again the benefit of the doubt? And if you say “It’s because these people can’t be trusted” I will remind you that it is not a matter of trusting people but trusting God. And because God is faithful and all powerful, let’s learn to see struggling souls in a different light. If, in fact, there is someone in your life who has failed you over and over again, put your hope and trust in God. And even if they fail you again, be like Abraham, that others may one day say that you were a faithful child of God who lived and died in hope.
God’s word for today: (Psalm 146:5) “Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”
I suspect that some of you are like me in that the things we see and hear on a daily basis often remind us of a bible story or truth. If you are a devoted Spurs’ fan, by now you are probably aware that we just lost one of the best players ever. Without a doubt, his trade to another team has been difficult to swallow for many Spurs fans. In a press conference two days ago, Coach Pop ended it by saying: “We wish him well, but at this point it’s time to move on.” For whatever the reason, these words quickly reminded me of a biblical account I have taught and preached about on several occasions. I am referring to the day God removed Saul from being king over Israel.
That day was one of the worst for the prophet, Samuel, for he had a deep fondness for Saul. From the day he first saw that tall, handsome, young man who was also very humble at the time, he felt Saul definitely had to be the answer to Israel’s dreams. Time and time again, however, Saul would let him down and eventually break his heart. I Samuel 15 ends on this sorrowful note: “And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.” (verse 35)
At the start of the following chapter, we read: “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” Yes, Samuel was broken hearted, and yes there was a time to mourn, but the day came when the Lord basically told him: “Get over it. Its time to move on.”
It may be that one of you, like Samuel, is overdoing it in your mourning because of something that recently happened in your life. The truth is that we all will experience heartbreaking events in our lives. Maybe today the Lord is telling you to let Him have your burden of sorrow, that He will give you the grace and the courage to continue on the path He has chosen for you. God sustained Samuel and in time the prophet saw how things dramatically improved under King David’s reign. God will do the same for you, just trust Him. Come on, it’s time to move on.
God’s word for today: (Psalm 34:18) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
In speaking afterwards to a relative of a man whose service we attended recently, l was reminded of something which to appears to be a constant regarding many funerals. I am referring to the uncovering of the deceased’s shady past. Please keep this fact in mind: The majority of the funerals I conduct or attend are family or church related where much evidence is present that the deceased was a genuine, heaven bound, child of God. I suspect this is God's way of reminding us that even the best of people have a shady past.
Those who are not too familiar with the Bible are often surprised that even the greatest bible heroes had something in their past which was often the opposite of the end product. Among them are Moses, David, Peter, and the apostle Paul. One can only speculate why God allowed these shameful accounts to make their way into the Bible. Could it be because it shows that the only One who is perfect is God Himself or because He gets more glory when He reaches down to the lowest of the low and makes something special out of them? If these are not the main reasons, they are certainly worthy of consideration.
Though hurtful and embarrassing, most Christians will publicly own up to their less than stellar past. The apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1 Tim. 1:15) The odd thing is that he spoke in the present tense. (I am) True believers will never attempt to convey themselves as being superior to others. They know that if there is anything good in them it is because of God’s grace and mercy. Though we are now cleansed and sanctified, may we never forget this truth. In closing, don’t forget the change Christ effected in your life and don’t let your shady past haunt or condemn you. What matters most is what you are today, not what you used to be.
God’s word for today: (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT) “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
As soon as this fellow got to work one morning, one of his co-workers remarked “Boy, that is a very strange pair of shoes! One is brown and the other is black.” He replied. “I know! The strange thing is that I’ve got another pair at home just like it.” Excuse, the corny start but when I heard the joke it reminded of something we can all relate to. Not you, of course, but if we are honest, many of us will confess that before we came to Christ, we were seriously lacking intelligence, knowledge, and even common sense. If you are like me, you can now laugh and the silly antics we once pulled off and marvel that we are still alive today. In the case of the man in the corny joke, it is obvious he wasn’t very bright.
But there is a remedy for those who are lacking in this area’ David wrote: “O how I love your law! it is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me.” (Ps. 119:97-98) Maybe I’m wrong because I’m no expert on the matter, but I sincerely believe that what makes a person smart or dumb lies in the amount of information his or her brain can process and retain. I realize things are very different today than they once were, but all through my 12 years in public school, I don’t recall ever doing any homework away from school. I suppose some of my classmates thought I was smart but God just blessed me with a good memory which enabled me to maintain very good grades.
It will do us all well to seek more of God’s Word for our lives and to ask Him for the ability to process and retain it. The more we know it, the more people around us will think we are wise or knowledgeable. If we seek the Lord in this way, before long we will have a PHD. (a Positively Higher Discernment)
God’s word for today: (Psalm 19:7) “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”
