Original, daily devotionals, inspiration and more from a fresh, "Hey! I never thought about it like that before" perspective.
Author: Aldtric Johnson M.A.
May Yahuah baruk you! I'm a husband, father and educator. My main spiritual gift is Exhortation...I'm a natural encourager. I love the word of Yah and sharing it from a "Wow, I never thought of it like that before" perspective. There's so much fresh revelation in Yah's word that is just as relevant today as it was as it unfolded. I hope my daily devotionals enhance your walk with The Most High.
Asking forgiveness isn’t repentance. In fact, God doesn’t emphasize asking Him for forgiveness as much as He does telling us to confess our sins (Psalm 32:5, Psalm 38:18, 1 John 1:9) — then He will forgive us. Yes, we should ask God for His forgiveness, but He knows that words are cheap. How many times have you asked for forgiveness only to do it again…and sometimes again and again and again?
God demands repentance.
Repentance doesn’t begin with your MOUTH it begins with your MIND
Look at how God beautifully defines repentance and then gives us a beautiful promise through the prophet Isaiah. There are others like 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 2 Corinthians 7:10, but I love the way God says it here…I’m just going to let you read it and allow it bless you because the Word speaks for itself.
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NKJV)
6 SEEK THE LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked FORSAKE HIS WAY, And the unrighteous man HIS THOUGHTS; Let him RETURN to the Lord, And He WILL HAVE MERCY on him; And to our God, For He WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON.
Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.
They may respond negatively…
They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…
They may tell you that you’re confused…
They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…
Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.
We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.
We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.
There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.
There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.
There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…
In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.
Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…
Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…
John 7:18 (NKJV)
3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
BUT,
Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.
Spiritual maturity is realizing that there are some things that caused you so much pain — you’ll never get OVER them. It doesn’t mean you don’t forgive. It just means the thought will always hurt you.
Every time it comes to mind — the thought will hurt you.
Whenever something or someone reminds you of it — you will feel pain.
People spend years of energy trying to make a horrible memory— not hurt.
That’s wasted energy.
You will never get OVER it.
But, you CAN get past it.
You can control how the pain controls you, and how you react to it.
You can prevent IT from preventing YOU from moving on.
Even God Himself felt pain when He thought of how His chosen people consistently turned their backs on Him…
Notice how God sounds like a ‘hurt lover’ as He expresses His pain against how they have treated Him…
Micah 6:3-5 (NKJV)
3 “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From [a]Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”
Remember, just because God said He will forget our sins doesn’t mean that He CAN’T remember them.
He is all powerful!
You will never remember something that our all powerful God can’t. It’s just a figurative way of saying that He will never hold our sins against us once we truly repent. WHEN GOD FORGETS, IT DOESN’T MEAN HE CAN’T REMEMBER…
I really believe this is going to set someone free…
Accept the fact that you will never get OVER some things.
Understand that some thoughts will ALWAYS cause you pain.
Ask God to help you get past the pain and move on.
Ask Him to help you to be strong enough to not let painful memories control you.
Ask God to help you move on, just like He moves on when we hurt Him.
Few people ever talk about the women who followed Jesus and supported Him financially, Not, just the women, but the ‘type’ of women…
Luke 8:1-3 (NKJV)
Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and [a]bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and [b]infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for [c]Him from their [d]substance.
So, you had a woman who many believed was a prostitute…
Wives of ‘important’ men…
And, many other women who were following the LORD and supporting Him financially.
We all know that would be beyond scandalous today.
We all know many of the people who claim to love Jesus would have criticized that.
How many men would co-sign on their wives following and giving money to a broke, uneducated, controversial traveling preacher?
It’s easy to be sitting pretty over 2,000 years later and judge the behavior of those living during Jesus’s earthly ministry — but we prove how we would have reacted if we lived then by how we react today.
It is clear what the bible says about adultery and fornication, it is strictly forbidden. God expects those who are married to forsake all others and be intimate only with one another…
1 Corinthians 7:1-2 (NKJV)
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Most of us also enjoy a good movie, television show or play, and appreciate a great performance from a talented actor or actress. Some of the movies, shows or plays have love scenes. It could range from a kiss…to partially clothed making out…to fully nude, erotic love scenes. I’m not talking about porn, I’m talking about the movies that are accepted and even awarded by the mainstream population.
Sometimes these actors and actresses are not only married, but profess to be Christians. Let me be clear that I AM NOT JUDGING THEIR FAITH OR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, but I do have a challenging question.
IS IT CONSIDERED CHEATING WHEN A MARRIED ACTOR OR ACTRESS DOES A LOVE SCENE?
The kisses are real.
The touching is real.
Sometimes, the nudity is real.
Even if they aren’t having intercourse, they are having sexual contact with someone other than their husband or wife.
If you aren’t an actor, how do feel about your spouse kissing or touching someone else? Most people say “No Way!”. Now, how do you feel about your spouse getting paid to have sexual contact with someone else…again a definite, “No!”
Now here’s the real challenging question for us as Christians. It their intimate contact is considered by God to be sin, does watching it and enjoying it make us partakers with them? Is it shameful for us to talk about the scenes in our daily conversation? Consider this…
Ephesians 5:5-10 (NKJV)
5 For this you know,[a] that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit[b]is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
Does God change the rules just because of our occupation? Does the fact that they are ‘acting’ mean it’s not real contact? And, if God considers it to be wrong, do we share in the sin when we watch, enjoy and share what we watched?
Has this become the ‘accepted’ open relationship?
Think about it. Pray about it. Feel free to reply and tell me what you think.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Leonardo Da Vinci’s THE LAST SUPPER.
It’s an iconic and well-loved work of art among many who call themselves believers in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), and it’s recognized among those who don’t. It’s been displayed in churches and homes for centuries.
The painting portrays the evening that the Lord ate the Passover meal and instituted the Lord’s Supper with His disciples before He was betrayed.
Remember, Jesus Himself told us that God is a spirit and demands to be worshipped in spirit and TRUTH…
John 4:24 (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We also live in time when people claim to love THE TRUTH and reject FAKE NEWS.
So, with all that being said, what’s wrong with the famous painting, THE LORD’S SUPPER, based on these scriptures according to the Complete Jewish Bible translation…
Mark 14:18 (CJB)
18 As they were reclining and eating, Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that one of you is going to betray me.”
Matthew 26:20 (CJB)
20 When evening came, Yeshua reclined with the twelve talmidim;
According to the scriptures as well as the context of culture and time…THEY WERE NOT SITTING. THEY WERE RECLINING.
Of course there will be some who say, “Why does this matter?”
Those of us who claim to be Christians can be the worst at sometimes deciding ‘that doesn’t matter’ when it threatens our traditions and what we choose to believe.
So, why does it matter?
Because the painting does not depict the way it happened, and that’s not truth.
Because every painting or picture intended to portray Jesus has influenced thought for centuries.
Because every painting and picture intended to portray Jesus has shaped what and how people believe and has had an influence on the faith.
Because it shapes the way people ‘experience’ their faith and what they think is correct and incorrect.
Do you want people publishing images of you depicting an event in your honor wrongly, falsely or inaccurately? Of course not. Why should our Lord and Savior be any different?
The fact is that when you present some people with the truth, they are reluctant to, or refuse to accept it because they have been influenced by art that very well MAY NOT have been commissioned by God.
Maybe this is why He clearly commanded in regard to likenesses of Him…
Exodus 20:4 (NKJV)
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
There are negative stereotypes about any group you could mention.
I don’t know what’s worse!
Those who judge and group people by these negative stereotypes…
Or,
Those whose behavior actually confirms those stereotypes to be true!
Unfortunately, there are those who seem determined to prove some of these prejudices are valid through their behavior. But, they by far never represent the entire group.
Stop it!
Stop judging entire groups based on these stereotypes.
Stop confirming these stereotypes with negative behavior.
Stop putting a spin on acceptable behavior transforming it into a ‘negative’ stereotype.
Remember how the disciple Nathanael unfairly grouped Jesus and those from His town when he first heard about Him…
John 1:45-46 (NKJV)
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Many times we hear people say, “What I do in my house is my business”. That’s true, but if it’s wrong…it’s wrong.
Think about the fact David committed his greatest sin while watching ‘soft porn’ at home (2 Samuel 11).
Notice how he affirms to behave at home in Psalm 101…
Psalm 101:1-3 (KJV)
I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
Yes, sinning ‘in the street’s’ affects others, but sinning at home alone can be more harmful than many may think.
How?
SINNING CAN BECOME EASIER
When we become comfortable sinning alone, it makes committing that sin, and other sins easier.
IT DEFILES OUR SPIRITS
God wants us to strive for holiness. That’s why He tells us to lay aside all filthiness and sin because it defiled our spirit.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Remember, God’s Spirit wants to live in a clean ‘temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:19).
IT MAKES OUR ‘HOUSE’ (BODIES) A COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR DEMONS
Piggybacking on #2, when our spirits are defiled, we make our bodies and spirits a comfortable place for demons to dwell. And, not just dwell, but thrive.Notice that Revelation 18:2 (KJV) called Babylon a ‘habitation’ for devils. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 12…
Matthew 12:43-45 (KJV)
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
We must make sure our spiritual and physical house comfortable for God and not the enemy. What we do or don’t do at home sets the atmosphere.
EVEN THOUGH WE’RE ALONE, WE STILL HAVE AN AUDIENCE
Just because you’re in your house with the doors and blinds closed doesn’t mean you’re alone. You’re personal angel(s) watching…
Hebrews 1:14 (NKJV)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
What has your angel(s) witnessed in your IN PRIVATE?
Be just as careful, if not more careful of your behavior at home. Watch what you watch, listen to, say and do. Watch who you allow inside your house.
Sin at home led David to greater sin, and it can do the same to us.
How many times have you heard someone proclaim after doing something wrong that they ‘did it for love’?
Some people have even murdered and claimed that they did it for love. It’s even stated in the lyrics to one of Al Green’s most popular songs,”Love and Happiness”…
“Love will make you do wrong”.
Well as much as I enjoy Al Green’s music, I have to say that he was wrong about that.
Just as the enemy wants to pervert everything else holy, he has been oh too successful perverting how we often define or misdefine love – prompting people to justify much of their wrong to ‘doing if for love’.
How do you define love? That’s easy. Here’s my BE BLESSTIFIED definition for love: GOD.
‘God is love’ is more than just a simile. God literally IS pure love…
1 John 4:8 (NKJV)
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Anytime you see the word love in the bible, you can easily replace it with the title ‘God’ and the verse will mean the same…
Corinthians 13:1-8 (NKJV)
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
One could very easily paraphrase these verses by saying “Love does no wrong”.
If God is Love (which He is) then Love is God. If God can do no wrong, then that means that Love can do no wrong. If God can’t make you do wrong, then that means Love can’t make you do wrong.
So, as much as it sounds good in songs, poems and even as a defense in court (crimes of passion)…love can never make you do wrong.
The Pharisees, scribes, and religious leaders were constantly trying to trap and accuse Jesus. Many times that was their sole reason for going to the synagogue when they knew He was there (Mark 3:1-6).
In Luke 14 Jesus was at the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. You didn’t get into the home of a ruler without an invitation. This was an invitation only ‘event’ which is confirmed in verse 7 of this chapter ( So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them…). There was also a man with extreme swelling of his arms and legs (dropsy) there, but why was he invited too? Why was this man who was looked down upon invited to the ruler’s home? My thought is they were using him just so see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath, just so they could accuse Him.
Luke 14 (NKJV)
14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Wow!
Luke 5:17 records another occasion where Jesus was in a house, and the rulers had come from every town of Galilee for the sole purpose of accusing Him. But it goes on to let us know that the power of the LORD was present to heal them. But rather than get healing and deliverance, they chose to accuse. Their attitudes prevented them from the blessing of being in the Lord’s presence. Here a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by His friends and healed. The same healing was available to them.
Luke 5:17 (NKJV)
17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.[a]
But, the blessing here is that even though the man with dropsy (Luke 14) was being used. He was in the right place to get healed by Jesus. Being used positioned him for his blessing. (Just as in Mark 3:1-6). They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).
So, when it’s clear people are using you, don’t just ‘bail’. Don’t just leave. Don’t just let your pride get the best of you and say, “I’m not having this!” Don’t ‘cuss’ them out or ‘go off’.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is working all things TOGETHER for our good…even when we are being used.
If you know what they are up to, use it to your advantage. Stay strong in your faith in God. Don’t let the enemy poison your attitude. God promises that He will get glory out of your story.
Remember, people don’t use what has no value.
Is someone using you? Stay cool, and let God use them using you.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you will never think about what they did to you anymore.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t hurt when it crosses your mind.
Forgiveness means that you won’t condemn them anymore for what they did. It means that you no longer want to get even, or see them ‘get what they deserve’ for what they did.
Forgiveness means you want them free from the guilt of what they did. But, that doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t hurt or make you angry when you think about it. Especially if it’s someone who you truly love.
Yes, the bible says that when God forgives us that He forgets our iniquities and remembers them no more…
Hebrews 10:16-17 (NKJV)
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Micah 7:18-19 (NKJV)
18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.[a] 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all [b]our sins Into the depths of the sea.
But, do you think that means that God no longer knows what we did? Of course not. If our All-Powerful God can no longer remember something that we can remember, that gives us more power than Him in that area.
When God forgives ‘and forgets’ it means that He no longer condemns us for that sin as long as we have truly repented. Notice that God would often remind Israel of the sins He had forgiven when they backslid because their repentance wasn’t real.
Do you think that when the Apostle Paul said, “forgetting those things which are behind…” that he meant he could no longer remember how he persecuted the church? No. It means he no longer let those thoughts rule him or influence his future.
Philippians 3:13 (NKJV)
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
So don’t beat yourself up because you still feel pain or occasional anger over something that you have forgiven. Just don’t linger on those thoughts. Remember, forgiveness is a continual process. You will continue to forgive ‘them’ in your mind over and over again.
Judas was aware of his condemnation and regretted betraying Yeshua, but He didn’t repent. This led to him killing himself.
Matthew 27:3 (NKJV) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Peter betrayed Yeshua, but his repentance led to his restoration, and he was one of the apostles through whom we received the Gospel…
John 21:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of [a]Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [b]love You.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of[e]Jonah, do you [f]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, (D)You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Remember, repentance is more than regret. It’s a total change of mind, and change of direction.
It may be because of the mistakes and bad decisions you’ve made…
It may be because your children aren’t living up to their potential…
It may be because you don’t have the relationship with your children that you wish or thought you would…
You may feel that you aren’t getting the level of respect that you deserve…
You may even be a teacher or professional and feel as though you do better with other children than your own…
You may feel guilty because of the number of hours you spend working…
Or feel guilty of the fact that you haven’t been able to work.
I know there may be some people out there who feel they were or are the ‘perfect’ parents, but this article is for those who on some days feel as though they have failed at parenting.
Remember this, none of the anointed men and women of God were perfect parents.
But, here is an even more powerful, and liberating thought.
None of us are a better parent than God our heavenly Father.
He has never made a mistake in ‘parenting’ us, yet…
Many of His children still don’t live up to their potential…
Many of His children still don’t give Him the relationship that He deserves…
Many of His children still don’t give Him the level of respect that He deserves…
Many of His children live in open rebellion to Him.
Many of those who God created in His image don’t even acknowledge Him as their father
Think about how many times you, yourself have disappointed God.
So, the next time you feel you’ve failed as a parent, ask yourself…
Has God failed?
1 John 3:1 (NKJV)
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him.
If you’re a parent, there will be days that you may feel that your children don’t appreciate you.
Sometimes you may even feel that they resent you.
And, it’s even more painful when you know in your heart that as much as you love your children…that you haven’t always made the best decisions as a parent.
All parents have given their children some legitimate reasons to ‘feel some type of way’.
Remember that from Isaac, Rebecca’s and Jacob’s favoritism to Lot offering his daughter to be raped…parents in the bible were far from perfect.
But, think about this...there is no better parent than God our Father. Yet, many of the very ‘children’ that He created in His own image don’t acknowledge Him, blaspheme Him, and mock Him while breathing His air and enjoying His sun light.
Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
And, even those ‘children’ who do acknowledge Him, frequently complain, doubt Him, embarrass, rebel against, disobey, and in some situations deny and betray Him when we make a conscious decision to sin when we know it’s wrong.
But, our God is always willing to forgive.
The next time you feel your children don’t appreciate you, think about their behavior and then stop and think about when you have displayed the SAME behavior to God.
Then offer your children the same grace, mercy and willingness to forgive that God offers us through Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Have you ever noticed what Jesus told the crowd after He fed over 5000 people. He called them out for not valuing the miraculous signs He did and the fact that He was doing the works of the Father. He pointed out that they were just following Him because He fed them. In other words, they valued Him, but only for what they could GET OUT OF HIM. They valued what He could do, not who He was…
John 6:26 (NLT)
26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
Think about the people in your life who truly value you and who you are. These are the people who value the ‘INTANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table. Those closest to you; who enjoy quality time with you; those who are genuinely concerned about you; those who truly miss you when you aren’t around. They make your life worth living.
They are the people who will be there for you whether you’re up or down, through good and bad. They value helping YOU look good…These are the people who VALUE YOU.
Then there are those people who value the ‘TANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table….
Your skill-set…
Your finances…
Your talents…
Your innovation…
Your muscle…
Your hustle.
They may never even acknowledge that they value you, but they prove it through their actions. However, they ONLY value the ‘tangibles” that you bring to the table.
These people could care less how you feel. They aren’t genuinely concerned about you, and they don’t want to spend any quality time with you. They value how you make THEM look good. These are the people who VAL-USE YOU.
Pray for the discernment to distinguish between the people who VALUE you, and those who VAL-USE YOU.
They’re everywhere…
In your family…
On your job…
In your church…
Everywhere.
And, be conscious of the people you may be VAL-USING in your life.
When things got tough, uncomfortable or uneasy you acted like you didn’t know Him. Have you comforted yourself in the company of His enemy? Have you ever followed Him from a distance?
Have you denied Him?
Mark 14:54 (NKJV)
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
John 18:25 (NKJV)
25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”
Are you more like Judas?
Have you ever turned your back on Jesus for money? For influence? To satisfy your flesh? Have you gotten discouraged because things didn’t turn out as you thought they would. Have you ever put your motives above God’s motives? Have you ever put Him to open shame?
Have you betrayed Him?
John 12:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[a] and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Matthew 26:14-17 (NKJV)
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. 17 Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
Before we point a self-righteous finger at Peter or Judas, let us thank God for His grace and mercy because we have all been both of them.
Every time we yielded to our pride…our lust…temptation…
Every time we put others or ourselves before Him…
Every time we willingly lived contrary to His word…
Every time we influenced someone else to sin…
We have both denied and betrayed Him.
When we read about Peter denying Christ or Judas betraying Him, we are looking into a spiritual mirror.
Both were sorry for what they had done, but they both handled it differently.
Who are you more like?
Judas tried to return the money and was so grieved in His Spirit that he hung himself. He could have gotten on His knees and prayed for forgiveness. He could have rejoined the other eleven, admitted his mistake, and tell them he tried to return the money and been there when Jesus arose and ministered to them. They couldn’t have condemned him too much because they all scattered. Don’t you know that Jesus not only would have forgiven him, but commanded that his brother forgive him also? But, no. He hung himself in shame. If you have betrayed Him and not repented – you’re like Judas.
Matthew 27:3-10 (NKJV)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”[a]
After Peter denied Jesus, he rejoined the other eleven. He ran to the grave to find that Jesus wasn’t there. He saw Thomas put his fingers in the wounds. He ate a seaside breakfast with the risen savior. And, Jesus restored Him to become one of His most powerful apostles. Judas could have done the same thing. If you have messed up, repented and been restored – you’re like Peter.
John 21:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah,[a] do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[b] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[c] do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Judas’ story ended in disgrace – Peters ended in grace.
So, even though we have all been like both, our stories don’t have to end like that of Judas.
No matter how many problems you have. No matter how many issues you’re struggling with. No matter how little money, influence or resources you may have. God has still given you the solution to someone else’s problem.
Even if your meal is free, God has equipped you to bring something of value to the table.
It may not have a dollar $ign…
Encouragement…
Inspiration
Entertainment
Education
Strength
Support
A shoulder…
An ear…
A voice…
To the friendship…
To the marriage.
To the team.
To the organization.
To your church.
To a stranger.
Even if you’re broke, you can be the key to someone’s breakthrough.
Not only no matter your situation, but BECAUSE of your situation, God is strategically positioning you with the people and places where you can be a blessing.
Remember this…
James 2:5(NKJV)
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Have you ever stopped to think about how many blessings you may have missed out on because you said either out loud or in your heart, “I CAN’T”?
Many people comfort themselves when something doesn’t work out by saying, “Well, it was never meant to be.” That may be true sometimes, but definitely not always. Consider this…
What if the man who was waiting at the Pool of Bathesda told Yeshua, I CAN’T when he was told to take up his bed and walk…
John 5:8-9 (NKJV)
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath.
…He would not have been healed.
What if the man who had been born blind said I CAN’T when Yeshua put clay made from spit on his eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam…
John 9:6-8 (NKJV)
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was [a]blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
…He would not have received his sight.
What if the woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years (had spent all her money on physicians who could not help her) had said to herself when she heard that Jesus was coming through the crowd, “I CAN’T! It’s too many people. I won’t be able to get to Him”…
Luke 8:43-47 (NKJV)
43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter [a]and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, [b]and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
…She would not have been healed.
The Lord may not be telling you to take up your bed and walk. He may not be telling you to wash in the pool of Siloam. You may not be trying to get to Him in a crowd.
But, how many blessings have you missed out on because you said I CAN’T when He told you to…
FORGIVE…“I can’t forgive that!”
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK… “I can’t let them get away with that!”
GIVE… “I can’t give that preacher my money!”
HELP… “I can’t help that homeless person!”
SERVE… “I can’t, I don’t have time!”
PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMY… “I can’t, they hate me.”
Remember, the word CAN’T is the word CAN with a ‘KNOT’ tied at the end.
And, unfortunately some people judge the love of people in their lives based on the material things they give and the amount of money spent on those gifts.
But, the interesting thing about true forgiveness is that it can ONLY be given out of love.
The greatest gift ever given to us, Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was given as a perpetual willingness of God to forgive us.
True love isn’t only proven by what you’re willing to give, but what you’re willing to forgive.
Colossians 3:13 (NKJV)
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Have you ever heard anyone say anything similar to that? Many times when someone has hurt us, we want to see them hurt. We can find ourselves daydreaming comforting ourselves with the thought of getting even with or even hurting them, just as Easu did his brother Jacob for deceiving their father Isaac out of his blessing…
Genesis 27:42 (NLT)
42But Rebekah heard about Esau’s plans. So she sent for Jacob and told him, “Listen, Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you.
Sometimes when we see misfortune come upon someone who had mistreated us, we may take pleasure in that misfortune. And, if given an opportunity we may even gloat to their face…
“That’s what you get!”
“See, you got what you deserved!”
Or even…
“God doesn’t like ugly!”
God warns us agains gloating in our enemies calamity, even if it came from Him, and even if we feel they deserve it. This is what God warned Edom when pronouncing their punishment for their violence against Israel.
Obadiah 12-13 (NLT)
12“You should not have gloated when they exiled your relatives to distant lands. You should not have rejoiced when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune. You should not have spoken arrogantly in that terrible time of trouble. 13 You should not have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have gloated over their destruction when they were suffering such calamity. You should not have seized their wealth when they were suffering such calamity.
Why? Because when we arrogantly celebrate someone’s misfortune, we are in direct contradiction to the word of God…
Matthew 5:44-45 (NLT)
44 But I say, love your enemies![a] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Second, it’s judgement and condemnation, judging in your heart that they deserved what they got…
Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)
7 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others.[a] The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.[b]
We have all hurt others and sometimes we did it without knowing. Can you think of someone who you have given a good reason to hate you? Have you ever hurt someone without intending to do so? The pain is still real. When you judge someone deserves what happened to them, according to Matthew Chapter 7 verses 1 and 2, you are pronouncing that same judgment on yourself.
Also, be careful when you lie by telling someone you’re sorry to hear about their trial or misfortune when you’re really glad in your heart. Be careful when your consolation is really a celebration.
The next time you see someone getting what you feel they deserve, stop and thank God for His grace and mercy for not giving you what you deserve. And pray that their calamity brings them closer to God.
Let me preface this piece by saying this piece is not addressing dangerous, abusive relationships.
We all encounter people who ‘get on our nerves’. We all have people in our families, workplaces, and even churches who love to cause trouble, drama and who cause us high levels of stress and anxiety.
Some people have a chronic propensity to bring negativity to every interaction.
One of the most common and seemingly practical pieces of advice is to remove the people toxic people from our lives…but does the Bible support that teaching?
It sounds good in blog posts, self help books, sermons, and motivational speeches, but how does God expect us to handle the situation?
Notice that God told Ezekiel that He was sending Him to…well a nation of ‘toxic people’.
Ezekiel 2:3-5 (NKJV)
3 And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. 4 For they are[a]impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.
God equipped Ezekiel for the challenge, and He is trying to equip us…
Ezekiel 3:7-9 (NKJV)
7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are[a]impudent and hard-hearted. 8 Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ, sent His disciples into ‘toxic situations’…
Matthew 10:16 (NKJV)
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless[a] as doves.
The fact is that Jesus gave us instructions for how to handle people who intentionally antagonize us…
Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)
44 [a]But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
Notice that the Lord didn’t say avoid your enemies, block those who curse you, and remove those who spitefully use and persecute you from your life.
God expects us to strong enough to be light, and a positive spiritual influence to those who are ‘toxic’. The very person or persons that you have decided to eliminate from you life might have been specifically sent into your life to benefit from your light.
Let’s say you’re one of those people on social media who announce they are unfriending or blocking the ‘negative or messy’ people from their lives. These are people who haven’t unfriended or blocked you from their lives, even though they may be sometimes annoyed by your passion or love for God. You may be the only light they see in a sea of the craziness on social media.
God expects us to be strong and grow in wisdom, knowledge, understanding, love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control and faithfulness enough so we can represent His glory and image in every relationship and interaction.
This is when what God told us through the apostle Paul is the most powerful…
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
13 I can do all things through [a]Christ who strengthens me.
Before you get rid of someone toxic, why not pray for the strength, wisdom and patience to be a blessing to them?
What if Jesus had decided to reject the negative people in His earthly ministry?
Before you block their calls, what if blocked yours?
It’s unfortunate that too many times, Christians totally disregard what God said. Christians will claim to live by God’s word where it’s convenient for their own personal theology, but in places where it challenges their beliefs or behavior, many totally disregard what the word says explicitly.
“You’ve got common sense.”
“God didn’t mean that”
“Times are different now!”
“They don’t know who they’re messing with!”
“Don’t make me revert back to my old self!”
“I haven’t always been saved!”
These are just a few of the statements made when people want to exercise their own authority over God’s word.
One such statement and commandment that Yeshua (Jesus) made was when He clearly told us to TURN THE OTHER CHEEK…
Matthew 5:38-39 (NKJV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
There’s no IFs, ANDs or BUTs about what Jesus said. We are not to resist an evil person, but we are to do exactly what He did before He was crucified…
Luke 22:64 (NKJV)
64 [a]And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, “Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?”
Many Christians are quick to teach their children that if someone hits you, that you are to hit them back. “Don’t let anyone think you’re afraid of them.”
Others will say that God allows you to defend yourself.
They are correct that God allows you to defend yourself WHEN YOUR LIFE IS IN DANGER. But, someone trying to humiliate or intimidate you by slapping you or striking you is totally different from someone tackling you or trying to overcome you physically. It’s totally different that when someone is really threatening your life.
HERE’S THE PROBLEM WITH IGNORING TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK…
Yes, God give us permission to defend our lives, but when our lives aren’t in danger, its not about self defense…IT’S ABOUT PRIDE!
Pride and the sins that come from pride (arrogance, jealousy, envy, wrath, revenge, etc.) are the reasons that disagreements escalate…
families are dysfunctional…
friendships end…
crime is prevalent in so many cities…
and wars strike up around the world.
Too many Christians are ‘ready for a fight’!
Too many Christians are fantasizing about a situation where they have to ‘stand their ground’!
Too many Christians don’t trust God to fight their battles! (Read 2 Chronicles Chapter 20).
Too many Christians are ready for a physical fight because they don’t trust God to fight their spiritual battles.
We can’t cherry-pick our way through the bible asserting our own authority over God’s. That’s idolatry, and He’s not having it.
…but rather than quote, credit, or acknowledge that God used YOU to release it…
…they will repurpose or blatantly ‘carbon copy’ it as their own. (Yep, that was a purposely long run-on sentence and overworked ellipsis).
Some preachers who quote the great theologians, or famous preachers, speakers or authors feel free to use your creativity as their own.
Some writers and bloggers who are careful to cite other sources will feel it’s okay to assume ownership of what they read from your pen or keyboard.
Some musicians will use just enough of bars to make it their own.
Some artists will hope your obscurity remains obscure.
Some chefs put their name on your culinary genius.
Some inventors will tweak and turn your innovation into theirs. (Think about Apple and Android).
The truth is that one of the greatest forms of flattery is when someone steals from your creativity.
If God uses you to release something, His concern is that it’s released. There were countless people in the bible and beyond who were responsible for the word of God we all rely on today.
Think of the countless tunes that stick in your head and you don’t know who composed them.
Now think about this. Without researching it, do you know the name of the person responsible for putting chapters and verses in the bible?
And, it’s true that we can think something is original to us and someone else we know released the same creativity. Personally, I rely on someone else’s creativity and free images for every blog post (not this one though.)
Remember that you’re an expert at being you. The fingerprint of your voice and personality will be consistent in everything you do.
And really, all of us who share our gifts with the world without giving God the credit and glory is guilty of spiritual plagiarism because anything GOOD will originate from Him.
When I’m honest with myself, my creativity isn’t mine, it’s God’s…and there’s nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NKJV)
9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
Do you remember in the first chapter of 1 Samuel when Hannah, Eli’s wife, prayed silently and he thought she was drunk because he only saw her lips moving?
God heard that prayer and granted her a son.
The more I learn about how things work in the spirit world and how they effect the physical world…
The more I learn about the spiritual battles that take place over our lives by angels and fallen angels…
The more I realize that some prayers need to remain silent. Some things, some plans, some goals, and especially some fears need to remain between you and God.
Notice what happened when Daniel prayed about one of his visions, the angel that God dispatched to give him revelation was detained 3 weeks by a high ranking fallen angel…
Daniel 10:10-14 (NKJV)
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
Notice how Yeshua reminds us that we all have angels who minister to us daily…
Matthew 18:10 (NKJV)
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
You can’t believe in God without believing in angels and fallen angels (demons). These demons partner with the adversary (the devil) in being our aggressive antagonists.
Matthew 18:10 (NKJV)
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
The devil is our spiritual adversary, but he does not have the ability to know our thoughts. But, just like any physical human adversary, he can react to what you say to antagonize and hinder you. He and his fallen angel cohorts can react to what you say.
Just as a physical enemy will react to your words, so will the devil and demons. So, be very mindful that some things DON’T need to be said out loud.
Some prayers need to be spoken in your heart as you pray silently, just as Hannah did.
God has knowledge of what you need even before you ask.
His Holy Spirit steps in when words can’t be expressed or don’t need to be expressed…
When you pray silently it’s just like whispering in God’s ear.
Romans 8:26 (NKJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession [a]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Be careful how and with whom you share your plans…
Be careful how and with whom you share your hopes…
Be careful how and with whom you share your fears…
Pray for wisdom on what should be spoken out loud and when you should whisper in God’s ear.
Sometimes it seems that texting while driving has stolen the spotlight from drunk driving.
However, it’s still the same problem it was back in 1976 when my grandfather was killed by a drunk driver on his way TO work.
But, many drunk or buzzed drivers aren’t just the stereotypical, stumbling alcoholics.
How many well-respected, hard working professionals, both ‘blue and white collar’ share ‘a couple of drinks’ after work before going home FROM work?
Not only is it a part of day-to-day life in some work places, but in many work cultures it’s an expectation to network and ‘climb the ladder’.
It’s only by the grace of God that more of these happy hours don’t end in tragedy.
I’m not saying don’t go to happy hour, but be responsible. Many people leave one drink, and one blink from suddenly changing (or ending) their life…or someone else’s.
Ephesians 5:17-19 (NKJV)
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
In traditional American culture the husband was the bread winner and the wife always only took care of the house and children, if they had them. And yes, men are natural providers and women natural nurtures, but if you read the bible closely, the responsibility to bring income into the home wasn’t only on the ‘man of the house’.
In Proverbs 31, the virtuous wife wasn’t only a domestic professional, but she was also an entrepreneur who helped bring income into the house. Check out these verses from this famous chapter that describes a virtuous wife…
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
16 She considers a field and buys it; From [e]her PROFITS she plants a vineyard.
24 She makes linen garments and SELLS them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
This chapter describes a woman who contributes to the income of the home. In those days, there were no offices and factories. That agrarian society meant many men and women worked the land at home, while working their ‘side hustle’ of producing garments and carpentry products to sell.
If you notice, even during the time of the New Testament church, both Aquila and Priscilla his wife were tentmakers. They shared in that trade to provide for their family…
Acts 18:2-4 (NKJV)
2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. 3 So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.
Yes, the bible states that part of a woman’s role is to be a domestic professional (Titus 2:5), but that doesn’t take place in a vacuum…(did you catch that?. That doesn’t mean that is their ONLY role.
While at the same time, men in the bible also shared in some so-called domestic tasks. Remember that Jacob (Israel) was known for cooking (and a really good cook) rather than hunting like his brother Easu…
Genesis 25:27-30 (NKJV)
27 So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a [a]mild man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob
29Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary.
In today’ society, many times the husband has lost his job, and his wife either may be the only one working or she may be making the most money. This can sometimes cause friction in a marriage.
Many men feel guilt because their wife is working…
Many wives feel unhappy because they feel they shouldn’t be working…
The bible clearly supports a two income household.
If this blessed you, please share it with someone you feel needs to hear it.
We have all been there. Those moments when you aren’t angry at God. You aren’t angry at God. You aren’t angry at the world…you’re angry at yourself and the sins, bad decisions and mistakes you have made.
Most of the time we feel this way because we’re living out the consequences of those mistakes, or it’s because we are silently noticing how our decisions have had a negative affect on those we love.
Yes, there are things beyond our control. Yes, there are times the world hasn’t been fair to us. And, yes there are times that God could have moved on our behalf and He didn’t.
But when we’re honest with ourselves, much of the difficulty we face in life is a result of our own sins or bad decisions.
When we admit this to ourselves, it can lead to moments or seasons of depression. So, what do you do?
1. REMEMBER THOSE USED BY GOD IN THE BIBLE WERE FAR FROM PERFECT
Remember that everyone in the bible who was used by God was far from perfect. From Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the patriarchs. From Noah to Moses to David to Peter to Paul. From Sarah to Rebecca to Miriam to Job’s wife…the men and women in the bible made horrible mistakes. However, they were still used by God.
2. YOU DIDN’T CATCH GOD BY SURPRISE WHEN YOU MESSED UP
God was not surprised when he sinned with Bathsheba. God knew that was going to happen when He anointed David king years before. Also know that YOU didn’t catch God by surprise when you messed up. Especially if it’s due to one of the weaknesses that He gave you. Many of our weaknesses are innate. Some people are naturally horrible with managing money. Others have an unquenchable appetite for sex that can only be controlled with the help of God’s Holy Spirit. While other people have a natural tendency to quickly get angry and act before thinking. These are all weakness that we need God’s help to overcome. This is His way of nurturing a relationship to keep us close to Him…but too many times we allow our weaknesses to overpower our strengths. Never forget that His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses…
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
3. GOD MADE YOU AND KNOWS THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING IN ‘FLESH’
God knows that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41)
He has compassion on us when we are repentant about our ‘human’ moments…
Psalm 103:10-14 (NKJV)
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. 14 For He [a]knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
4. GOD CAN DELIVER US FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR SINS, BAD DECISIONS AND WEAKNESSES
God is a keeper ( Yehovah Raah, The Lord is our Shepherd) and is able to sustain us in spite of our mistakes. There are those who have made the same mistakes you have and have lost much more… have suffered much more… and some didn’t even survive. But, He kept you…sustained you… nurtured you… and had mercy on you through your weakest, darkest moments. David remained king after he repented and remained a man after God’s heart. God restored to Job twice as much as he had after he prayed for his friends who made his ordeal much worse (Job 42:10-17). After denying Christ, Peter went on to be one of the most influential Apostles. No matter what you’ve done, if you repent and it’s God’s will, He can deliver you from the consequences of your sins, bad decisions and weaknesses. Especially if it’s an innate weakness He gave you. Make this prayer a part of your regular prayer life:
“Heavenly father, I truly repent of how I have let you down. Please forgive me and if it’s your will deliver me from the consequences of my sins, bad decisions and weakness.”
5. REMEMBER THAT GOD ALLOWS US MOMENTS TO LAMENT AS LONG AS WE STILL PROCLAIM OUR TRUST IN HIM
One of the most beautiful things about the Psalms is that they teach us how to express our regret and even question Him in respect as long as we end those moments reaffirming our trust in Him.
Psalm 13 (NIV)
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.
So, don’t be too hard on yourself wen you’re feeling down and depressed. God made you and He knows you. Just as parents don’t enjoy seeing their children cry when they are truly sorry of their mistakes, God is compassionate. Do just what David did as he lamented the kidnapping of their women and children and bore the blame of those closest to him. Encourage and strengthen yourself in the LORD and keep it moving! Remember, God gave him the victory then too.
1 Samuel 30 (NKJV)
Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was [a]grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
This is a picture of my family in a van traveling to Florida. Before we left home, we all held hands and asked God for His divine protection. We asked for each of our angels to be with us. We asked Him to put a hedge around us, just as He did Job (Job 1:10). We asked for a safe trip…a safe stay and a safe return home.
As we left Memphis at mid night we traveled safely through the night on schedule. I drove the entire time. Around midday we crossed over the Georgia/Florida county line and made a last stop for gas and get something to eat.
We were then on our last stretch of the trip.
As I drove down I-75 near Gainesville, I was in the fast lane of a three- lane stretch of highway. The interstate was extremely busy because this was the Friday before Christmas. Every lane was full of cars and trucks…BIG TRUCKS.
Suddenly, immediately in front of our van a huge cloud of smoke appeared. As I drive into it I discovered that not only could I NOT see the cars around me, I couldn’t see 1 inch in front of us. I couldn’t even see the windshield wipers!
I WAS DRIVING BLIND! We were definitely riding by faith and not sight.
I expected to hear vehicles crashing around me any moment. My wife told me to stop the van, and everyone was bracing themselves.
As she told me to stop the van, I calmly replied, “No”, but did stop accelerating as I eased over onto the shoulder of the road with only a small guard rail separating the oncoming traffic on the other side, hoping and praying not to slam into a wrecked or stopped car in front of me, while also praying that a car or truck didn’t slam into the back of us.
All I could think about is the multi-car pile-ups I have seen in white-out snow or blinding fog. Everyone in the car wondered if this was the day we were going to die or be severely injured.
I was driving, but I definitely was NOT in control! After driving several seconds in the smoke, we emerged and there was no accident. The man in the car next to us looked at my wife as if to say, “What was that?”
Here’s the thing. With dozens of cars enveloped in the smoke, how likely is it that abosolutley not one car, one truck, one SUV or crossover…not one 18-wheeler stopped? If only one vehicle stopped it would have been catastrophic.
ONLY GOD PREVENTED ANYONE FROM STOPPING!
We immediately began thanking and praising God.
God answered our prayer before our trip. Our families could have been receiving a horrible phone call later that day.
Two weeks later after returning home, I was watching the news and saw a report of a multi-car accident on the same interstate, in the same area and one of the vehicles involved was a van. Not only that, 7 people were killed and 7 people were injured.
It was 7 people in our van that day (one person can’t be seen in the picture above).
I pray God’s strength for the families involved in that accident, but God quickly reminded me that could have been us.
So many times after near death experiences or after living foolishly many times people say, “I shouldn’t be here” as a testimony of God’s grace and mercy.
But I have learned that those experiences are confirmation that, WE SHOULD BE HERE! It’s confirmation that God still has purpose for our lives.
That experience gave me brand new appreciation for…
Psalm 118:17-18 (NKJV)
17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord has chastened[a] me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 20:6 (NKJV)
6 Now I know that the Lord saves His [a]anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.
Just as Psalm 118:17 say, “ I will declare the works of the Lord!”
When God delivers us, saves us, rescues, protects us from certain hurt, harm, danger or death it is our responsibility to let the world know.
God delivered my family from death that day December 21, 2018. We still don’t know where the smoke came from.
I do know that God proved to us that when trouble, pain or uncertainty, surrounds you like a cloud.
When you seem to be enveloped in darkness and you can’t see your way through.
Growing In Yahuah 