Gentleness is Strength

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV).

I am blessed to have so many good friends. I enjoy talking with them and spending time with them, but I probably learn the most by watching them. I have seen many of them go through rough patches, but through it all they remain calm. Some people foolishly interpret their gentleness as weakness. These men are gentlemen. They are gentle, men, and very strong. There is no truer form of strength than gentleness.

A common theme throughout Scripture is the need to surround yourself with good people. This is important because we tend to pick up habits and attitudes from those that we are with. Just as “iron sharpens iron” so can dirt dull iron. The Apostle Paul warns us of such “dirt” in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (emphasis added), “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”

When we are with argumentative and rude people, there is a good chance that we will take on those characteristics. For instance, if somebody gets angry with you, you get angry back. If somebody is really miserable and you hang around that person long enough, you get miserable too.

The Bible offers a different way to respond: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). A sign of true strength is when another person raises their voice is to lower yours. When you do that, you’re demonstrating strength under control.

Another word for strength under control is gentleness. Gentleness defuses conflict. It de-escalates anger. A gentle person does not overreact and is not driven by their emotions. A gentle person is showing one of the precious and beautiful Fruits of the Spirit.

The Greek word in the Bible for “gentleness” is the word prautes. Some older English translations of the Bible translate prautes as “meek.” The word “meek” isn’t used much anymore because meek has become a synonym for weak. But gentleness—or prautes—is anything but weak.

In fact, the word prautes was used to refer to a wild stallion that had been tamed. Think about that image. A wild stallion has tremendous brute strength but can be dangerous and unpredictable. But if you tame that stallion, it’s still just as strong, but the strength is brought under control. The strength is bottled up for the master’s use.

When you learn true gentleness, you don’t become weak. You just bring your strength under God’s control and use it for His purposes.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the teaching of Proverbs 15:1. Help us to tap into the strength of your Spirit to respond to rudeness with kindness. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Grapes, Giants, and God

“They gave Moses this account: ‘We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.’ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it’” (Numbers 13:27-30 NIV).

I recently heard a story on the radio in which a study had shown that individuals that were optimistic before they began a large task were more likely to finish the task than those that had a negative attitude. We all know that the optimist sees the glass half full, and the pessimist sees the glass half empty. Yes, …. and the engineer says the glass has been incorrectly manufactured for this application.

Sometimes in life the task before us seems impossible. Some people will focus on all the obstacles to success and then not ever get started. There are usually two different ways to approach an obstacle in life. The story of Israel’s twelve spies always helps me when I am facing an impossibility.

In Numbers 13 Moses sends twelve spies into Canaan to explore the land. They came back and gave a glowing report of the land of “milk and honey” but were but scared to take it because it was heavily fortified, and the people were “giants.” Caleb was among the twelve species and saw the same things as the others, but when he gave his report, he was focused on the positive attributes of the land, “the grapes,” and made no mention of any obstacles.

God called this kind of faith a “different spirit.” “But my servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land he entered, and his descendants will take possession of it” (Numbers 14: 24, emphasis added). Caleb knew that God wanted the Israelites to have this land (the Promised Land from Exodus 5) and any real or perceived obstacle in the way would be removed because he knew the battle belongs to the Lord.

I think we all have been in situations in which we can see and feel “the giants” around us. It can be paralyzing, and alone we simply cannot proceed. However, if we claim the victory of Philippians 4:13, then we can do it but only through Him.

Peace requires action. After the others gave their pessimistic account of the situation and stirred up the crowd, Caleb “quieted the people” (Numbers 13:30). He chose confidence over fear. He used his words to bring peace to a chaotic situation. You may recall Jesus using His words to rebuke a storm and saying, “Peace, be still (Mark 4:39).” He was calm while the situation around Him was anything but calm.

Jesus told us in this life we will have trouble. Amen? We can either view the trouble as an obstacle or an opportunity. Successful people chose the latter. Caleb saw the opportunity of an “exceeding good land.”

Caleb also knew “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us in….” (Numbers 14: 8, emphasis added). He searched his own life by prayer to be sure there was nothing within him that was “out of alignment” with the perfect will of God. We cannot face the giants if God is not with us. Sin separates us from God. John 15 is a familiar Scripture of the Vine and the branches. God will be pleased with us, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7).” The key to “remaining in Him” is to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

The prophetic perfect tense is a literary technique used in the Bible that describes future events that are so certain to happen that they are referred to in the past tense as if they had already happened. Caleb supernaturally saw into the future and envisioned his enemy defeated before the battle began. Numbers 14:9 reads, “Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us…” This is important because the battle had not even started but yet “their protection had been removed.”

This prophetic perfect tense is perhaps best summed up in Mark 11:24. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” David believed in advance of the battle that God would help him defeat the giant Goliath. Jesus has conquered death, and He can certainly conquer walls, armor, and any real or perceived “giant.”

I think a big part of prayer is to pray to God with gratitude for the victory before the battle. God may not always give us what we want, but He certainly will give us what we need as promised in Philippians 4:19. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” If we are seeking the same things for our life as God is seeking for us, then we know that we are seeking the things that we need. This is the message of Psalm 37:4. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

God wants us to see the grapes each day. If giants are present and they are trying to interfere with God’s plans, then they will surely be defeated before the first stone is cast.

Prayer: Thank you for the encouragement from Holy Scripture. Help us to step out in faith and show our appreciation for whatever outcome will occur to our problem. We know that whatever happens, You will walk with us, and somehow good will come I am from it. Help our hearts and minds to truly understand that if You are with us, then who can stand against us? Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

A Quest For Peace

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).

For most of us we want nothing more than peace. However, there are some that seem to thrive in drama and chaos, but I suspect that if they ever embraced the kind of peace that Jesus offers, they would likely have a different outlook on life. As I think about those that seem to be void of peace, I see one thing that they have in common – they want immediate satisfaction. But the more they pursue immediate satisfaction, the more that the peace of God alludes their relentless pursuit. I think Romans 8:6 provides the answer to this dilemma. “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” The life of a Christian is led by love of God, neighbor, and self. The life of a narcissist is led by love of self and immediate satisfaction of fleshly desires. Perhaps the Apostle Paul was warning Timothy, and us today, of such people when he wrote, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient, to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:2-5, emphasis added).

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John. 14:27). Note, this is just not any kind of peace but rather it is “His peace.” And His peace transcends all understanding and allows us to renew our minds.

You may be struggling with a major decision or dealing with a huge problem, and unable to calm your mind. As you lay in bed at night, your mind may be telling you that you can’t overcome this situation, this problem will never end, etc. It is important at these times to realize that these voices in your mind are seeking to rob you of peace and are not from God. Voices come from either God, flesh, society, or the enemy, and a voice that seeks to rob you of peace is clearly not from God.

You may wonder what does this “peace” actually look like? How do I actually get it? The peace that Jesus is offering in John 14:27 is a gift. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you (emphasis added). Every gift needs a giver and a receiver. We must step out in faith and receive His peace and hold it tightly as a highly treasured gift, which it is!

We all know that our words have power. This power is never greater when we use our words to rebuke thoughts that not from God. Just as Jesus demanded calm on the Sea of Galilee we can rebuke thoughts in His name that seeks to rob us of our peace by using the Spirit within us.

For most people gifts are transactional. I give you this because either you gave me something (and I feel obligated) or I am giving you this proactively because I want to receive something from you. Jesus said “… not as the world gives do I give to you.” We can never provide a return gift that is commensurate with His gift. So, our best response is to receive the gift and rejoice in the victory that comes with it.

As I think about His peace, I think about spiritual warfare because this is where peace is won or lost. The Apostle Paul understood this when he said, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians. 4:7, emphasis added). In Biblical times, to guard something typically involved a garrison of soldiers.

It is important for us to follow the teaching of 2 Chronicles 20:15 and understand that “…for the battle is not your’s, but God’s.” When we turn a problem over to God, His peace is an army of angels (garrison of soldiers) protecting our hearts and minds. Spiritual warfare is vastly different from traditional war. 2 Corinthians 10:3 reminds us, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.”

There is nothing more peaceful than a calm river in the early morning. The peace of God is the Fruit of obedience to Him. Scripture teaches us, “Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments. Then you would have had peace like a river…” (Isaiah 48: 18). In Biblical times, rivers were vital to life. Jesus told us that when we receive the Holy Spirit, “out of our heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7: 37).

Peace is not easy. However, Jesus never promised us an easy life. What He did promise was, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).” Step out in faith and receive the gift and cling tightly to it!

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the gift of peace. Help us to recognize Your voice and rebuke all others in Your name. Guide us as we seek the peace that you offer and forgive us for the times that we seek peace in ways that do not bring honor and glory to You. Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Pause At Easter And Behold Our Savior

Easter is one of the principal holidays, or feasts, of Christianity. It marks the Resurrection of Jesus three days after His death by crucifixion. It is a time of redemption, but we really have a poor understanding of the term. Redemption is when somebody pays for your sins so that you can be forgiven and walk away justified. They do your time. They pay your penalty. All the things you’ve done wrong are paid for by somebody else.

That’s what Jesus Christ did for you and me. He lived a perfect life so that his sacrifice was enough to satisfy God’s judgment. All of your sins were paid for on the cross, and we celebrate this gift at Easter. Sin has always required blood for redemption from the Father. Now, we no longer need to make animal sacrifices because the blood of Jesus has washed us all clean.

The word “behold” appears throughout the Bible. I think it is noteworthy when it appears in regards to Jesus. John 1:29 reads, “One day, Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. When John saw Him coming, he announced, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (emphasis added).

This was an interesting choice of words to be received by Jewish ears due the symbolism of this verse. Once a year in the Jewish faith, a perfect, spotless lamb was sacrificed at Passover to represent the redemption of the world.

John was prophetically and symbolically speaking to the crowd. John certainly knew the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the birth of Jesus, and he also knew the divinity of his Cousin.

The term “behold” is used again in regards to Jesus when He encountered Pilate. When the religious leaders who wanted to crucify Jesus brought Him to Pilate, the Roman governor interviewed Jesus and acknowledged that He was totally innocent: “Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, ‘You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him’” (Luke 23:13-14, emphasis added). Pilate recognized that there was something special about Jesus.

Prior to handing Jesus over to be crucified, Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” (John 19:14, emphasis added). I don’t think this was a sincere statement from Pilate since he knew that Jesus had not made a claim of earthly political power. However, I think this statement does serve as an important reminder for us. We should indeed behold our King but not just at Easter because we should live every day as Easter people.

The reason we would obey the words of Pilate is because John took these words and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit placed them in his Gospel.

Pilate had a choice and he made it for fleshly reasons. Jesus also had a choice. And although He was equal to God, He made a decision to yield to God as a sign of submission to the authority of God.

Pilate found no fault in Jesus. He didn’t see any sin or crime that Jesus should be punished for.

If you have not acknowledged that Jesus Christ has a right to be Lord over your life, what do you find wrong with Him? On what basis do you reject what He did for you? On what grounds do you reject Him as your Savior? Perhaps you have accepted Christ into your heart, but you are unable to forgive yourself for some past sin. If so, do you realize that you are diminishing what Jesus has done for you?

Jesus left us with the Holy Spirit and that Spirit is inviting us each day into Holy fellowship through the invitation of Revelation 3:20. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (emphasis added).”

At Easter this year, we should enjoy chocolate rabbits, easter eggs, and a nice dinner. All of these things are fine. However, we should also enjoy a moment to stop and “behold” the ransom that has been paid for us by our Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the blessing of Easter. Give us the wisdom and courage to live each day as Easter people. Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

The Sniper

^“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32 NIV).

I recently watched a documentary in which a sniper was sent to kill a foreign head of state. The sniper was wearing camouflage from head to toe and found a spot over a mile away from his target and laid and waited for the perfect opportunity. During this period, the sniper could not eat, drink, or move – only wait and watch. Then, the opportunity finally presented itself, and the sniper estimated the distance to the target and adjusted for wind, grain of the bullet, air pressure, altitude, temperature, angle to the target, and other factors, and squeezed the trigger to deliver the kill shot.

I think we all see snipers in our daily lives. The “bullet” are words, and the target is somebody that the sniper is unhappy with. The word may be true, partially true, or completely false, but that is not nearly as important as the goal because the ends justify the means. The means is to discredit the other person by firing off seeds of doubt. The fingerprints of the enemy are evident in the attack. Just as “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10) so too does the sniper.

In the documentary I watched, the sniper was well camouflaged to blend in with his surroundings, which reminded me of the warning from Matthew 7:15. “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” The modern sniper has much in common with the false prophet as both perceive they are more effective if they are able to influence as many people as possible.

The sniper uses his or her words to attempt to “kill” the target. Proverbs 18:21 teaches: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Our words can either speak life, or our words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. The sniper may be active in the church but is in fact spiritually bankrupt and is cut from the same cloth as the narcissist. The sniper intentionally choses to live in unrepentant sin and disobey 1 Peter 4:11. “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very Words of God.”

The sniper is also a defiler. Matthew 15:11 warns us, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” To defile something is an act of great disrespect toward God and/or others. The sniper attempts to slander others but in reality only defiles themself and dishonors God.

Sometimes we are the target of the sniper, and our initial gut reaction is to seek revenge. However, if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes we are the sniper. When we are the sniper, we feel justified because the target has hurt us, so we feel the need to hurt them back. We feel the need to speak negatively about this person to try to hurt their reputation, job, and friendships.

The sniper will seek to “kill” the target by speaking words of death to anybody that is close to the target – friends, neighbors, clergy, etc. A character assassination often does little to hurt the character of the target but speaks volumes about the character of the sniper. A sniper is essentially showing all with eyes to see and ears to hear exactly what is in their heart. Consider the words of our Lord from Matthew 12:34. “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

A lie from a sniper does not become truth just because it is repeated like a fully automatic weapon with a large magazine. Most people that hear the accusatory words will dismiss the attack but if the goal is to sew endless seeds of doubt, then eventually one or two will eventually grow even in unfertile grounds. Others may choose to believe the sniper, and that is sad but their choice. However, if you are a follower of Jesus you know that nobody or no sniper can separate you from the love of God as found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8).

Most people that hear the accusatory words will dismiss the attack, but if the goal is to sew endless seeds of doubt, then eventually one or two will eventually grow even in unfertile grounds. So, some may choose to believe the sniper, and that is sad but their choice. However, if you are a follower of Jesus you know that nobody or no sniper can separate you from the love of God as found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8).

King David was attacked emotionally, verbally, and physically. As a young man, he was anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king of Israel, but Saul was still king. Even though David served him loyally, Saul became jealous of David and decided to kill him. David had to hide from Saul in caves while lies were being told about him across the kingdom. Yet David never said a bad word against King Saul. He never retaliated. David was a sinner, but he was also a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

David modelled a proper response to attacks for us today by writing, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5). David trusted God to defend him. I can imagine that David wanted to rise up and do something about the attack, but he trusted God to be his defender. In short, David was living out two Bibles verses. First, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Secondly, “For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).

The best response to a sniper is to stop and read the two Scriptures above and remind yourself that this person is acting out of some sort of unresolved anger and/or mental disease that has come into their heart, found fertile ground, and manifested in words. Then, pray that God will release them from this bondage, and they can find victory and freedom in His grace and peace. As you release your anger and disappointment, a peace will fall upon you and the victim that is truly set free is yourself. The sadness may linger for a period, but the sniper has actually brought you closer in relationship with the Father as you remember, “the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Prayer: Dear God, Forgive us for the times that we are the sniper and speak words of death regarding others. Forgive us for the times that we become complicit when others speak words of death regarding a brother or sister in Christ. And, forgive us when we are the sniper and seek to deceive, divide, and destroy. We know that others will recognize us by our fruits so help us to show the fruits of your Spirit in our words and actions. Amen!

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

The Lobbyist

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Proverbs 14:12 NIV).

There are numerous non-government organizations and companies that have a substantial lobbying presence in Washington, D.C. An optimist would indicate that the lobbyists are there to educate lawmakers on the nuances of current or pending legislation that affects the employer of the lobbyist(s). A pessimist would state that the lobbyists are there to unfairly influence the legislative process on current or pending legislation. In any event, the job of the lobbyist is to try to convince those in power to take specific action based on what the lobbyist perceives to be the correct course of action.

I too am a lobbyist. However, I have never interacted with any politicians, and the closest I have come to any politician in Washington, DC was several years ago as I walked past the White House. I suspect that I have spent more years as a lobbyist than the vast majority of any lobbyist in Washington D.C. My lobbying is done on a pro-bono basis – I don’t get paid. I represent myself and have lobbied the same entity for decades upon decades. I have an unprecedented rate of failure in my lobbying efforts, but I persist to try to craft the perfect pitch that includes passion, reason, and creativity. I can even present a “win-win” pitch that everybody should love, right?

My “client” is God. I suspect He smiles and shakes His head and allows me to each day make my pitch as I try to get Him on board with my plans. On my better days, I pray to God, sometimes with wordless groans but with confidence that the Spirit will intercede for me. On other occasions, I try to disguise my pitch as a prayer and often confuse God with Santa Claus or a vending machine.

In the secular world, we are motivated by action and reward. For example, if I work for this company, they will reward me with payment. If I study hard at this school, they will reward me with a degree. If I am nice to my neighbor, hopefully they will be nice to me.

So, if I provide my prayers, presence, witness, gifts, and service to God does that give me special consideration when I make my prayer, or pitch, to God? No. The reality of the situation is that God does not always give us what we want but always gives us what we need. And nobody knows better what we need than God. So, the eventual answer to prayer may be no, not now, I have something different in mind, or yes.

A more fruitful approach is to submit to God rather than try to lobby Him. The Bible teaches that the key to submission is trusting in Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, emphasis added).

It is easy to trust in a God that knows all of my many, many flaws and shortcomings but still loves me enough to offer me the following promise and pathway to Him. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

My lobbying days are getting more infrequent. I pray that yours are too.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for loving us even though we often fail to properly love, honor, and trust in You. Forgive us for our efforts to lobby you rather than trust in You. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight, and give us the confidence that You are always with us and will never forsake us. Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Finding Good Fruit In Our Pain

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-11 NIV).

Is there anything more difficult to deal with in our human condition than pain? Physical pain can be horrible and so intense that the strongest Christian cries out, “Abba! Father!” to be Healed. Mental pain from the loss of a loved one can crush our spirit. All pain is raw and real.

In our times of pain, it is natural to ask, “Where is God?” I certainly have asked this question before and suspect that I am not alone. The truth is that God shares the pain of every single person. When we are hurting, He isn’t distant. He is aware of our pain. He cares for us during our pain. In my times of pain, I think of how Jesus reacted when He saw the pain and tears on the faces of Mary and Martha because Lazarus had recently died. Jesus, the God of heaven and earth, stopped and cried with them. He embraced their pain and I believe that His Spirit does that today for those that chose to turn toward Him.

Our pain presents us with an opportunity to “yoke up” to God by following the invitation of Matthew 11:28-30. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Our pain also presents us with the opportunity to look for someone to blame and seek revenge. Perhaps you were the victim of an accident caused by a drunk driver. The drunk driver may in turn blame the bar tender that over served him or his boss for not respecting him which “caused” him to drive while intoxicated. Sometimes we are an innocent victim, but other times the pain we are experiencing is a direct result of some very poor choices. The most important thing we can ever do is an honest self-examination, but yet the most difficult thing we can ever do is an honest self-examination.

Pain is inevitable in this life. Perhaps pain is God’s way of scratching the surface to reveal what is underneath. I have good friends that have experienced tremendous pain. They have been scratched deep, but they never lost their joy and the Fruits of Spirit were always manifested in their words and actions. I have seen others that when gently scratched, a dark underbelly is revealed that indicates mental instability and/or a poor understanding of Scripture.

I wonder if for some their response to pain is a learned behavior. For example, if a parent modelled for a child that pain requires “an eye for an eye.” They may see pain as an opportunity to play the victim, seek revenge, and engage in character attacks of their perceived offender. So, as an adult maybe they are following the same behavior as modelled to them by their parent(s). Perhaps Numbers 14:18 was written for these situations. “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation” (emphasis added).

Some people are particularly adept to play the victim and solicit sympathy in times of pain. This can be done overtly by public slander and defamation or covertly by “planting seeds of doubt” in an attempt to tarnish the reputation of their perceived offender and to further aid in their effort to win the “battle of public opinion.” These seeds never find fertile ground, never yield good fruit but do speak volumes about the character of the sower.

Jesus experienced pain so we have confidence that when we pray in our times of pain that He understands our pain. Hebrews 4:15 says: “Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are.”

He understands emotional pain, abandonment, loneliness, criticism, discrimination, rejection, and betrayal. Jesus also understands physical pain. Can you imagine not only the pain of the crucifixion but also carrying the sin of every evil act done throughout history? It is important to remember that in His pain and without sin He descended into hell but His victory over sin and death allows us to be presented as pure and blameless to the Father.

The Holy Spirit also shares our pain. When our pain is so great that all we can speak are groans, the Spirit intercedes on our behalf. Romans 8:26 reads, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

God shares our pain because He created us. The Bible says, “The one who formed their hearts understands everything they do” (Psalm 33:15). In other words, God is never shocked by your emotions or your thoughts.

There are many Psalms that begin in a similar fashion as Psalm 130:1. “Lord, I cry out to you out of the depths of my despair!” He not only welcomes our cries of pain, but He understands and offers comfort, if we plant our seeds on fertile ground rather than sowing seeds of doubt. If you are in pain, remember Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

You’re never closer to God than when you have a broken heart. This is the time to plant seeds in accordance with Matthew 13:23. “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” What sort of seeds will you plant during your pain? Choose wisely because future generations are watching and your actions can have implications for three and four generations.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the invitation to share our pain. Help us to turn to you in times of pain and to plant seeds that bring honor and glory to you. Help us to resist the temptation of the flesh to plant seeds of doubt and seek revenge. Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Use Advent to Guide Yourself And Your Family Toward Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2 NIV).

I love Christmas and the Advent season. It is a special time of year for families and the church. The Advent season allows us to prepare our hearts for the birth of the Christ child. I also love all the traditions that come with Christmas – decorating the tree with ornaments that have been passed down from generations, giving and receiving presents, candlelight service at church on Christmas eve, the smell of gingerbread or pecan pies baking in the oven, a fresh pine tree in the house, and the excitement of Christmas day.

One of the traditions of Christmas that we typically gloss over is the advent wreath. Each week we light a new candle, and the symbolism of each is important to help understand Christmas and the Advent season. The Catholic church adopted this tradition during the Middle Ages as a way to prepare the hearts and minds for Christmas. The word advent itself comes from the Latin word “adventus” meaning “arrival.” We prepare for the arrival of Christ. The wreath itself represents eternity and everlasting life, a circle that never ends (John 3:16).

The week one candle is purple and is known as The Prophet’s Candle and symbolizes hope. The week two candle is purple and is known as The Bethlehem Candle and symbolizes peace. The week three candle is pink or rose-colored and is known as The Shepherd’s Candle and represents joy. The week four candle is purple and is known as The Angle’s Candle and represents love. The week five candle is white and is known as “Christ’s Candle” and represents the Advent Child, Jesus.

I have visited with men all over this world and found very few to have an abundance of the four characteristics of Advent. Those that typically have these attributes in abundance are those that society would consider “poor,” but Jesus would likely refer to them as “the least of my brothers and sisters” (Matthew 25:40).

How can people living in poverty have the four components of Advent with no pension, no HMO or PPO health care, no private school for their children, no bass boat, no four-wheel drive truck, no chance of ever visiting Bass Pro or Cabela’s, no XM radio, no season tickets for the local sports team, no Polo cologne, and no ostrich boots or big belt buckles? As a younger man, I would not have a clue how to begin to answer this question. Now, as an older man I have the benefit of traveling the world, talking to men, and most importantly talking and listening to God through His Word. I still do not claim to have any answers for anybody or any topic, but I do know the One that does ,,,,,, and so do “The least of my brothers and sisters.”

They have hope because they live the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (emphasis added).”

They have peace because they know that they abide in God and He in them (John 15:4, emphasis added).

They have joy because they understand Psalm 16:11. “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right Hand are pleasures forevermore (emphasis added).”

Last but not least, they have love because they know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and believe that God is love (1 John 4:8, emphasis added).

All of these things are possible because they have the fifth candle in their heart, Jesus. Jesus said in Luke 18:27, “What is impossible for man is possible with God.”

It is really as simple as that. Hope, peace, joy, and love will not be found in any material possession. They are nice, make us temporarily happy, and might impress our neighbors but do little to advance our pursuit of Christ. The four attributes of Advent, and even more, will be given to us but only by surrendering all to Jesus and acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior. If you are interested in the “more” part, please read Galatians 5:22-23 and imagine how you, your family, your church, and your community could be transformed by a life lived blessed by the Fruits of the Spirit. Talk to your pastor, pray to God, find a small group of like-minded men, look for resources from groups/authors such as Promise Keepers, Man In The Mirror, Patrick Morley, Max Lucado, Gary Chapman, etc. and search for a copy of the book Lead Like Jesus.

Many readers may recall how Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen but yet they left their nets behind when called to follow Jesus. Similarly, in Luke 18 Jesus was asked by a rich ruler what he must do to inherit eternal life. He had already honored the commandments his entire life. Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Scripture tells us that the man went away sad because he was wealthy. Afterwards, Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” This connection between earthly wealth and heavenly reward is also addressed in Luke 16:13 and Matthew 6:24. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13, Matthew 6:24). “The least of my brothers and sisters” do not have to make the decision between serving God and money, but each of us, regardless of wealth, must answer the same question that Jesus posed to His disciples in Luke 9:20, “Who do you say I am?” Our answer to this question has eternal implications.

I do not think that Jesus is calling us today to sell everything we have to follow Him, nor do I think He would disapprove of our material possessions. However, I do feel that Jesus wants us to worship Him first, not our material possessions. One of the ways we worship Him is in how we treat “The least of my brothers and sisters.”

For Christmas this year, I want to receive hope, peace, love, and joy for the new year. I do not want to receive it transactionally as the world gives, but supernaturally as our Lord gives. I want a hope, peace, love, and joy that transcends all understanding, and I want that for you too. I want more of Jesus in me and less of me in me. If you seek the same for yourself, I invite you to join me in the prayer below.

Prayer: Merciful God, We confess that we have failed to an obedient church. We have failed to follow your commands and to hear the call of the least of our brothers and sisters. We have stored up our treasure on earth with little to no regard for our treasure in heaven. We have lost our hope, peace, love, and joy because we have strayed from You. Forgive us of our sins and restore in us a new heart in this season of Advent that yearns to only be satisfied by words and actions that bring glory and honor to You. Amen!

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

The Best New Year’s Resolution

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).

January is the time for New Year’s resolutions, right? I am considering joining a gym and need to get in better physical shape. You may seek to spend more time with family, find a new job, etc. All of these are fine goals. I read a recent article that indicated that most New Year’s resolutions will be abandoned or broken by January 19. Wow!

Most New Year’s resolutions are addressing a physical need such as my desire to get in better physical shape. Some may address a mental need such as a desire to slow down and work less. Regardless, we want a new self to correspond with the new year.

Millions of books have been written about military battles in the past. The greatest battle ever fought and the one with the most significance for each of us is being fought with or without your awareness in your very own mind. The best way to obtain a new self is to focus on our spiritual health, and the most important component of our spiritual health is our mind because it is in our mind that we tell ourselves who we are.

I am reading, The Four Voices, by Patrick Morley. This is an excellent book and in it, Mr. Morley helps the reader to understand that there are four voices competing for attention in our mind: the world, the flesh, the devil, and the Holy Spirit. The author provides useful and practical advice on how to identify which voice is that of the Holy Spirit.

It is important to identify the Voice of the Spirit because that allows us to renew our minds and claim the promise of Romans 12:2. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

We all have a desire to “fit in” to society. We typically seek to conform to the ways of the secular world. However, if we want to be transformed, we can not also be conformed. On earth, our fleshly tendency is to stop up treasure on earth, rather than in heaven. On earth, we think that the first will always be first, rather in heaven where the opposite is true.

When we conform to the world, there are many benefits with educational opportunities, employment, social advancement, etc. However, it is important that we do not conform to the world to determine wisdom. In the world, we determine what is wisdom in our minds. By renewing our minds, we better understand that true wisdom comes from God and His Word.

1 Corinthians 3:18-19 reads, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

The best New Year’s resolution is to change the way you think. However, please realize that you can not do this alone. Ephesians 4:23 says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”

Renewing your thoughts begins by knowing and living the Truth. You may already know these famous words of Jesus: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). But did you know that the night before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed, “Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth” (John 17:17).

God is the Truth and to know Him and live in Him and for Him is the only way to be complete. The best New Year’s resolution has nothing to do with willpower. The best New Year’s resolution is to study and live Scripture, which is Truth.

The more we get to know Jesus, the more Truth (i.e., God) we will know. As we know more Truth, we are better able to reject the lies from other sources. Now, we can renew our minds and with the help of the Spirit we can be transformed more into the likeness of Christ. So, the Truth really does set you free!

Prayer: Thank you for the Truth that is found in Scripture. Forgive us for the times we do not seek You first and Your righteousness. Please help us to yoke ourselves to Your Spirit to renew our minds. Amen!

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Liked this post?

Waiting For God In “The Gap”

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:12 NIV).

The period between asking God for something and receiving it is often referred to as “the gap.” Sometimes, the request is granted instantly (e.g., Matthew 9:35, Matthew 5:25-34, Luke 7:1-10). Other times, the request may linger for years before God responds. Joseph waited over 13 years before his prophetic promise was fulfilled. Moses waited 40 years before he had his divine encounter with the flaming voice of God. Abraham waited 25 years before God granted him a son.

We often think of waiting as a waste of time. We all seek instant gratification, and we often confuse God with Santa Claus and expect Him to answer our prayers on our timeframe. Perhaps a better way to view waiting is to realize that God is using this time to grow us closer to Him. The Hebrew word for “wait” is literally “to entwine” — like strands of a rope twisted into one. It is important to note that the Bible contains over 7,000 promises to us, but God does not promise that He will fulfill every one of them instantly. In fact, God has all of eternity to fulfill His promises. That means that some of His promises are certainly not going to be fulfilled in our timeframe, and it also means that some will likely not be fulfilled until our earthly life is over!

I wonder if God is using the time in the gap to grow our faith in Him. Perhaps He is waiting on us to surrender all to Him, while we are waiting on Him to answer our prayer. I wish I knew why God choses to quickly honor some requests and not others. If so, I could certainly cut down on my time in the gap! I do know that on many occasions after Jesus instantly answered prayers for healing, He mentioned that the petitioner had demonstrated “great faith” by their request to Him. These petitioners knew that if they were able to get in close proximity to Jesus to ask Him or just touch His garment, that He would honor their request.

Hebrews 11 is commonly referred to as the Hall of Faith. This chapter details the remarkable accomplishments of some otherwise unremarkable people that were accomplished through faith and begins by defining faith for us. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). The Apostle Paul expanded upon this concept when he wrote, “For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). This goes against our natural instincts and is very difficult to do.

For me, faith is waiting for something that you know is coming but you have absolutely no idea when it will come. The time in the gap requires endurance, and true endurance comes from God.

God will likely not talk to us through a booming voice in the sky, a burning bush, or a prophet as He did in the Bible. However, He is alive and talking to each of us right now through Scripture. He is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Our tendency during time in the gap is to look at the problem. Our tendency in the gap is to look at the mountain rather than the One that taught us that we could move mountains. Moses modelled the same approach as those that approached Jesus with faith in their hearts and asked for healing. The Bible says that Moses “kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). Moses showed great faith and we can “move mountains” and do even greater things than Jesus but only through faith.

During my time in the gap, I often asked God, “How much longer?” I have come to realize that God wants me to build my life on His promises rather than seeking His explanations for not following my time frame. In fact, God doesn’t owe me or you an explanation for anything. God is God, and we are not. I often think of God’s response when Job questioned His actions. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand” (Job 38:4).

I enjoy being a substitute pastor at local United Methodist Churches. During these times, I often preach about a topic that is a struggle for myself and likely others in the congregation. Similarly, I often write blogs for similar reasons. This is now the sixth time that I have addressed the topic of waiting for God. I have made progress over the years, but as with many things, I am still a work in progress.

On one hand I have faith in God, but on the other hand I would really like some assurances that He is taking me to the place I want to go. True freedom comes when I stop asking where we are going and understand that wherever we are going, it will be better than whatever I had planned and we will arrive at the perfect time. For me the key to finding peace in the gap is to embrace the journey, forget my timeframe, and worship God rather than question Him or lobby Him to embrace my plan.

Prayer: Please forgive us for our lack of faith in You during times in the gap. Help us to embrace this time as a time to grow closer to You and lean not on our own understanding. We not only cast our cares upon you, but we also seek to fasten our yoke to you to lighten our burdens and keep our paths straight. Amen.

Meet the Author

We welcome your comments below.

Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.

Gentleness is Strength

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

Grapes, Giants, and God

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

A Quest For Peace

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

Pause At Easter And Behold Our Savior

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

The Sniper

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

The Lobbyist

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

Finding Good Fruit In Our Pain

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

Use Advent to Guide Yourself And Your Family Toward Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

The Best New Year’s Resolution

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...

Waiting For God In “The Gap”

Liked this post?

Read more below or search for more topics...