Creating And Enforcing A Boundary Does Not Make You A Donkey

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:15-17 NIV).

All was well with God’s creation on earth for the entirety of the first two chapters of Genesis. Then, the story turns as we failed to obey His instructions, and the rest of the Bible is His loving actions to bring us back into relationship with Him. The fall and exit from the Garden of Eden was due to our failure as humans to honor His rules. Another word for rules is boundaries. God established a boundary regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Once that boundary was broken, Adam and Eve were no longer welcome in the Garden and we all today deal with those consequences in the form of pain, physical death, and toiling for food.

Speaking of boundaries, I recently read a good book on the subject by Lysa TerKejurst entitled, “Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Lovoing Others WIthout Losing the Best of Who You Are.”

You my know her from her appearances on K-LOVE radio and her Proverbs 31 ministry. In the book she talk about the pain she experienced when her hsuband had violated the sanctity of their marriage and she subseuqnetly instilled boundaries. When the boundaries were broken, she enforced them and filed for divorce.

She now must deal with the snipers in her life that have launched a whisper campaign against her. How could a Proverbs 31 woman divorce her husband. God hates divorce so why would she do this? Why not show love instead of drawing up boundaries. Why is she trying to control him with these boundaries?

I think it is important to understand that our God is a God of boundaries. He has established boundaries on us and very likely understands the need for us to establish boundaries on others if we are to love ourselves as we love Him. We can, and should, still love those in our life with whom we have placed boundaries, but now we do so in a different manner. One that is healthy for all parties and respects and honors God.

Some of us do not honor the speed limit, and the consequence of failing to obey that boundary is a speeding ticket. It is natural to try to blame “the system” for the ticket but the real fact is we were speeding, we failed to honor the boundary, and we will suffer the consequences. In rural areas, a no trespassing sign is fairly common. The landowner is not a donkey because he wants to keep people off of his land. The property line is the boundary. Your trespassing, and disregard of boundaries, is done at your peril.

If a person has established a boundary in their life it is probably not because they have a desire to control somebody else. More likely, they do have a very strong desire to enforce a boundary around the things that they hold dear, which is likely their family, their self, their ministry, and their work. The boundary was likely instilled because somebody in word or action became a threat. Lysa wrote in her book, “Remember all the work you’ve done to draw boundaries was not about controlling someone else’s behavior. It’s about paying attention and being honest about how someone’s poor behavior and lack of responsibility is possibly controlling you. And when people close to us are acting out of control, that’s when we run the greater risk of lacking self-control. When a relationship shifts from being difficult to being destructive, it’s the right time to consider a goodbye.”

So, if we feel compelled to label the boundary setter “a donkey, unchristian, mean, controlling, psycho, etc.” because they have established a boundary and we are unwilling and/or unable to respect that boundary, then perhaps it is time for us to entertain the possibility that the true “donkey” is the one looking at us in the mirror. Perhaps it is now time for us to do one of the most difficult, most necessary, and also most rewarding tasks that we can do as a human. It is time to find our quiet place and invite the Holy Spirit in to search us and reveal to us all of the many times that we have failed to respect and honor this other person, and consequently have failed to respect and honor our Lord and Savior. If this process cannot be done honestly and sincerely, then there is no need to do it. Also, if this process is attempted without the invitation and presence of the Holy Spirit, there is no need to do it. This is an important process, a sacred process. This is part of our pruning and sanctification. This is a task on our own personal road to Damascus.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the boundaries that you have placed in our lives as we know that they are for our own good. Forgive us for the times in which we fall short of honoring your boundaries and when we fail to honor the boundaries of others. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and a Certified Lay Speaker with the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a Board Member for Gulf South Men, an Action Team member for The Kingdom Group, and a Board Member for the Lagniappe Community Walk to Emmaus. Todd is a Past President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and remains active in this and many other local, regional, and international ministries. Todd is the proud father of Emma and Kyle and resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Grace Or Truth?

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 NIV).

One of the more interesting debates in contemporary Christian circles is the debate regarding two terms – grace and truth. The question inevitably becomes – Do you stand for grace or truth? My progressive friends tend to favor grace, and my conservative friends tend to favor truth. My Christian friends understand that this is a false question and favor both.

I don’t mean to be trite, but I certainly can sympathize with Pontius Pilate’s response to our Lord and Savior after He identified His purpose as coming into this world “to testify to the truth.” As we all know, Pilate infamously responded, “What is truth?”

Sometimes no answer to a question is the best answer. Jesus did not respond to the question from Pilate, but I wonder if He considered offering the same response that He previously offered to Peter after He had explained in Matthew 15 the parable of food and cleanliness. “Are you still so dull?” Jesus said to Peter. I suspect the proponents of grace are thinking the same of those advocating for truth and vice versa.

One can selectively select Scripture to make an argument for either grace or truth. However, Scripture is not intended to be selectively harvested to advance anything or anybody of this world.

In Christian theological terms, grace without truth is incomplete or distorted. Grace, which represents God’s unmerited favor and forgiveness, is inseparable from truth, which encompasses God’s revealed Word and moral standards. Without truth, grace may lose its transformative power and become a license for unrighteousness or a distorted understanding of God’s character and purpose. Thus, a balanced and coherent Christian theology recognizes the indispensable relationship between grace and truth.

Grace without truth can become a form of permissiveness or indulgence. An exclusive focus on grace allows one to unwisely feel secure in a life of unrepented sin due to the absence of the

refining and correcting element of truth. This can lead to moral relativism where any action or belief could be considered acceptable, regardless of ethical or doctrinal standards.

On the other hand, truth provides the foundation, the rules and guidelines for understanding our world and our faith. It allows us to navigate our spiritual journey with clarity and purpose.

However, truth without grace can become legalism, an adherence to the letter of the law without the transformative, compassionate, and forgiving spirit of grace. The truth is we are all sinners and all fall short of the glory of God.

Therefore, grace and truth are not mutually exclusive but complementary. In Christian theology, this is exemplified in Jesus Christ, whom the Gospel of John describes as full of “grace and truth” (John 1:14, emphasis added). Grace forgives and heals, truth guides and corrects.

Together, they form a balanced and holistic approach to faith and spirituality. Either term without the other is incomplete.

God reveals His divine nature of grace and truth to each through Holy Scripture. Our understanding of God and His nature is exponentially increased by inviting the Holy Spirit to be with us as we read, study, and meditate on His Holy Word and ask the question – Dear Lord, What message are You teaching me this day?

From a Wesleyan perspective, grace without truth is insufficient for sanctification. John Wesley believed in sanctification, or the process of becoming more like Christ. Grace without truth is insufficient for sanctification because it does not provide the moral and theological guidance necessary for a believer to grow in holiness.

Grace without truth is also contrary to the means of grace. Wesley outlined means of grace, which are practices that draw us closer to God and allow us to experience His grace more fully, such as prayer, Bible study, and communion. Grace without truth can be contrary to these means, as they all require an understanding and application of biblical truth.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for revealing your nature of grace and truth to us through Holy Scripture. Equip us dear God with the Sword of the Spirit and the complete Armor of God as we stand strong not in our strength but rather in Your mighty power and Your righteousness against all principalities and powers that do not submit to Your authority in heaven or earth. All honor and glory is Yours. Amen.

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Finding The Voice Of God

“A third time the Lord called, ‘Samuel!’ And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’” (1 Samuel 3:8-10 NIV).

I have empathy for the young Eli in 1 Samuel 3. The Lord audibly called out to him three times, but Eli thought the voice was from Samuel rather than God. Why? According to 1 Samuel 3:7, “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.”

Today, many people also struggle to hear the voice of our Lord. We clearly hear the voice of our flesh, society, and the enemy, but the gentle whisper of our Lord can be hard to discern. God is clearly speaking but unfortunately many of us are not hearing.

Many of our questions to God are seeking a yes or a no response. The answer is not found in a magic eight ball but rather through time spent in prayer and patiently waiting.

A “yes” response can be discerned through the Holy Spirit within us all. A “yes” answer will give us confidence that we are proceeding in accordance with God’s will and the Spirit within us will grant us peace. If you don’t have peace, the answer is likely “no” or “not now” but it is certainly not “yes.”

God also speaks audibly and directly from Himself as he did to Eli and on numerous occasions in Scripture. The Voice may come out of nowhere, but you will absolutely know that it is from God. It is a supernatural experience that is hard to explain. Of course, any voice or word we hear must line up with Scripture so that it does not contradict something God has already spoken.

God speaks to us through Scripture. He does not speak to us by opening the Bible and randomly place your finger on a verse. That is kind of like the magic eight ball approach to things. Rather, He will speak to us as we read His Word diligently and continually. The key is to invite the Holy Spirit to be with you as you read to guide, teach, and interpret. I like to begin my reading by asking, “What message are you teaching me”?

God is speaking to each of us. We just need to pay attention, filter out the other voices, and patiently and expectantly wait for an answer, which will come at the perfect time.

Prayer: Thank you for speaking to us. Help us to hear Your voice and to quiet all other voices that do not submit to Your authority. Forgive us for the many times that we do not listen or simply and sadly ignore Your voice. Continue to speak to us, pursue us, and refine us. Amen.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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