GOD'S SEVEN BLESSINGS
When our children are disobedient, we cannot bless them with the bounty we would like. They haven’t proven they can accept the responsibility that goes with the blessings.
Howe... View MoreGOD'S SEVEN BLESSINGS
When our children are disobedient, we cannot bless them with the bounty we would like. They haven’t proven they can accept the responsibility that goes with the blessings.
However, obedient children earn the right to enjoy all the blessings we can shower upon them. We know they will handle them wisely.
God feels the same way. In fact, in Deuteronomy 28:1-14, God gives us seven blessings that will come our way if we obey his Word.
Blessing #1:
He will give us honor among the people around us.
The only condition for this honor is to observe all the commandments he has given us in his Word.
Blessing #2:
We will not be able to escape all the good things he wishes to give us.
When we listen to the voice of God, his blessings will come and find us wherever we may happen to be. They will literally chase us down, whether in our homes, at our jobs, or as we travel the most remote areas of the globe.
Blessing #3:
Everything we touch will prosper.
Our children will make us proud. We will be successful at our place of employment. Our pantries will be packed, our gas tanks filled, and our bank accounts solvent.
Blessing #4:
We will never know the end of all God wants to do for us.
The Scriptures tell us that we will be blessed when we come in, and we will be blessed when we go out. As we live out our lives, his blessings will continue to flow through everything we do.
Blessing #5:
God will fight our battles for us.
Not only will God be our champion, the enemy will be so frightened at God’s majestic power that he will come at us head on, but at the sight of God, the enemy will scatter in seven different directions.
Blessing #6:
The Father will oversee all that he has given us.
He wishes to make us his holy people, and his hand on us will be an example to the world. Everyone will see us and be afraid to go against us, for they will know God’s blessings are upon us.
Blessing #7:
He will make us the head and not the tail.
The treasures of heaven will shower us, and we will channel our blessings to those around us. We will be givers of advice to those without direction; we will be the face of God before all people; and they will know his majesty through us.
God’s bounty knows no limits. When we follow his commands, the windows of heaven are opened, and he showers his blessings on us.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
TIT FOR TAT
What goes around comes around; live and let live; do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
These are all phrases for equality; for fair treatment of our fellow man; for livin... View MoreTIT FOR TAT
What goes around comes around; live and let live; do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
These are all phrases for equality; for fair treatment of our fellow man; for living well, yet not living well at another’s expense.
Tit for tat. I’ll give unto you what you gave unto me.
Normally used in a vindictive mien, this three word phrase’s connotation is that of equivalent retaliation. Often used in game strategy, it simply means to respond in kind.
We see this in business with the handshake given in greeting. I reach out—tit—and you reach back—tat—in a warm and congenial manner.
However, if the meeting does not go well, and I treat you unfairly, you are justified in also treating me unfairly. For example, I strike a fair deal with you, yet months later, I undercut your pricing structure. In tit for tat, you are free to then undercut my pricing structure, and so on.
In true tit-for-tat fashion, I even expect you to do so.
Gas stations do this all the time, one lowering prices, knowing the station on the opposite corner will soon follow suit. And airlines. Anyone who flies frequently is aware of the power of the major players, from baggage fees to food service. Even daily fares for every airline can drop radically if only one offers severe discounts.
Tit for tat is biblical, and directly from the mouth of Jesus. We can find his words in Matthew 7:12, Mark 12:31, and Luke 6:31, all telling us to play fairly.
Tit for tat.
Even under the rigid constraints of the Old Covenant, Leviticus 19:18 says not to bear a grudge or take your vengeance on another, but to love that person as you do the one who looks back at you out of the mirror.
Paul addresses this issue very specifically in Colossians 4:1. He is speaking to slave owners, but his words are to us.
The masters of slaves in Paul’s day owned them hoof and hind; there were few laws restricting how they were to be treated. Only the most heinous and brutal treatment was condemned.
A Roman slave could not even speak up for himself in a court of law.
Yet Paul encourages tit for tat. Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
Paul says it this way: Masters, give unto your servants good and fair treatment…
Yet, those words only give us the tit. Certainly, it is right and good that the master treat his slave well, but where is the benefit for the master?
That brings us to the tat.
Paul continues: Remember, you also have a master, one who resides in heaven.
Tit for tat. What goes around comes around. Live a life well-ordered and full of mercy, and let those you interact with each day have the opportunity to live in the same manner. Treat your business partner; your neighbor; your spouse; and your children in the way that you would want to be treated.
The Word of God goes so far as to offer us some suggestions:
#1:
Be positive. Hebrews 10:24.
Tell those around us at least one good thing they’ve done each day. If they live far away, text it to them.
#2:
Be patient and kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Count to three, then don’t say it. Then ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Then help.
#3:
Show respect. 1 Peter 2:17.
Imagine that the person next to you is your grandmother. How would you treat her?
#4:
Be sympathetic and tenderhearted. 1 Peter 3:8.
Just listen. Then don’t offer advice. Listen, cry along, and let them come back and do it again. For free.
#5:
Be merciful. Ephesians 4:32.
Put on their shoes. Have a meal with them. Get to know the person who’s offended you. Then decide if you want to punish them. Finally, remember, you are wearing their shoes.
#6:
Be generous with those in need. 1 John 3:16-19.
Once a month, leave a $50 tip. In ten years, you will not remember, but that waiter always will.
#7:
Honor one another. Romans 12:10.
Cook a cake for a neighbor, simply because they live next door. Meet the postman with a water bottle. Smile, and say, this is because you are special.
If the only rule we live by is the Golden Rule, then we will live well.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
OUR OPEN DOOR
An open door is an invitation for anyone or anything to walk into our household. Flying insects, stray dogs, or even the occasional traveling salesman. If our door is open, they will fi... View MoreOUR OPEN DOOR
An open door is an invitation for anyone or anything to walk into our household. Flying insects, stray dogs, or even the occasional traveling salesman. If our door is open, they will find us in our homes.
What do we want coming through our open door?
#1. We must invite household unity through our open door.
In 1 Samuel 27:3 David was on the run from Saul. Yet the scriptures tell us he did not run alone. While David resided for a time at Gath, not only did his faithful men have their families and retainers with them, David had both of his wives at his side.
Even when life comes at us with all barrels firing, God expects us to keep our families together. If we allow our families to become fractured, the rest of everything we have and do is wasted.
#2. We must bar arrogance and dissention from our open door.
In 2 Samuel 6:20 David had been preparing a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant. He returned, dancing with joy and praise, with plans to include his household in his exultation, only to be mocked by his first wife, Michel, the daughter of Saul.
For her insolence Michel was cursed with a barren womb until the end of her days.
When we allow dissention to infiltrate our households, bad feelings will build up, and we will not have unity. Without unity, our families will collapse, and our efforts will be wasted.
#3. We must invite a good work ethic through our open door.
Proverbs 31:27 speaks to us from the writings of Solomon. A good wife is one who watches over all the doings of her household. She does not allow her hands to become idle, for that leads to disaster.
When the members of a household keep busy in well-doing, there is no room for arrogance and bitterness to creep in. Michel considered herself above the rejoicing God expected of David, and it brought her to a bad end.
#4. We must invite God through our open door.
Ephesians 2:19 gives us a new slant on where we stand with God, for when we step through God’s open door, we become not strangers to him, but part of his household.
We become a family bound together by our faith in God. Whatever comes at us, if our Christian family is one in purpose and love, the Body of Christ will be strong in the face of all adversaries.
#5. We must invite compassion through our open door.
Galatians 6:10 reveals how to keep our relationship with our Christian family strong. As the opportunity arises, we are to do good to others, especially to those who are members of the household of Faith.
When we let Jesus come through our open door, he will give us a new family, one bound into a right relationship by his love and understanding, and they will be our support and comfort in everything we do.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
BUILDING A BETTER BILLBOARD
Some advertising logos have become iconic. No matter where we are in the world or in what media we see that familiar shape, we know the product.
And chances are, we trust... View MoreBUILDING A BETTER BILLBOARD
Some advertising logos have become iconic. No matter where we are in the world or in what media we see that familiar shape, we know the product.
And chances are, we trust it simply because it is so familiar.
Take the undulating bottle Coca-Cola has trademarked. All we have to see is part of that outline, and we know what we're looking at beyond a shadow of a doubt. There is the Nike Swoosh. Whole television commercials have been produced with no mention of Nike’s name. Yet, at the end, we see the Swoosh, and we instantly connect the advertisement with the product.
That connection in our thoughts is what makes advertising logos so vital to business. It is the reason companies will spend millions of dollars to build product identity, and then maintain that iconic emblem for another fifty years. It has become them.
Take Mazda. A number of years ago they started a new ad campaign showing a fast car on a winding road, and a boy appeared, whispering, “Zoom, zoom.”
Those two words became iconic for Mazda. Mazda no longer uses that boy in its commercials, but listen carefully, and when we see a Mazda ad on television today, at the end, we hear those two familiar words, “Zoom, zoom.” That’s brand imagery, and it connects us to all those other commercials.
What is our advertising logo for Jesus? The obvious one is the cross.
A single cross placed in any location, no matter how unusual, clearly stands for Jesus. Across the world, the symbol is ubiquitous.
Those three crosses raised high on Golgotha's hill? When we see those symbolic cruciform images, no matter how basic the representation, a connection is instantly there. They have become the billboard for the church.
Yet, what are we really telling the unchurched with our billboard? What do they really see when that cross is raised high? Do they envision an event that occurred two thousand years ago? Or do they see the representation of Christ in us? When they see the cross, are they reminded of Shawn across the street offering to mow their lawn when they were down with the flu? Or maybe they think of the Fall Fun Festival we invited their children to. Perhaps it’s seeing the taillights of our car as we faithfully leave for church each Sunday morning.
Proverbs is a treasure trove of advertising ideas. If we remember the following four suggestions, those around us will see the hand of Christ in our lives:
Suggestion #1: Proverbs 21:20 reveals that the wise use of our resources is a godly example to those around us.
Suggestion #2: Proverbs 28:22 tells us that stinginess will create a bad reputation.
Suggestion #3: Proverbs 22:16 warns us against putting our desire for money above our concern for those we come into contact with every day.
Suggestion #4: Proverbs 16:33 reminds us that even when we think we have control of everything, it is really God that directs the fall of the dice.
The New Testament gives us two additional ways we can boldly advertise for Christ. Let’s look at these iconic ideals that every Christian should strive for:
Ideal #1: James 2:19 espouses that our professed belief in God is essential.
Ideal #2: Matthew 5:42 encourages us to be generous with those in need.
What brand imagery do we show to the world? We are all billboards for Christ, whether we like it or not, and every action we take, every interaction with another human, creates an image that will live on long past the moment we walk away from that situation. When people see an image of a cross on the hill, what they really see is us and how we presented Christ to them.
We need to make that advertising moment a positive one, and we can only do that by following the instructions we find in the Word of God.
When people see the cross, they are reminded of every time they have spoken to a Christian. We are Christ to them, for it is through us that Jesus shows his divine nature to the world.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
FIVE STEPS OF BETHESDA
We all need a place of healing. The question is how to find it.
Joni Eareckson Tada has one of the most amazing stories of anyone out there today. At 17 she was an amazingly a... View MoreFIVE STEPS OF BETHESDA
We all need a place of healing. The question is how to find it.
Joni Eareckson Tada has one of the most amazing stories of anyone out there today. At 17 she was an amazingly adept young woman who had it all taken away in a diving accident. She lost the use of all four of her limbs, and yet, she found a type of healing through the grace of God.
How did she find her Pool of Bethesda? How did she make it to the waters as they were touched by the angel?
Let’s look at the history of the pool.
The Pool of Bethesda traditionally had five porticos, or porches in some translations. Some ancient manuscripts invite us to believe these covered porches were protected areas where people waited for their healing. Their cure could only come when an angel “troubled” the water. The first person in received his or her healing.
In John 5:1-17 the Bible relates the story of Jesus healing a man at the pool who had been bedridden for many years.
Let’s look at Jesus’ intervention in five steps.
Step #1: Expectation.
The lame man wanted to be healed. He had waited for 38 years for his hope to become real, and he hadn’t given up. He was filled with expectation.
Step #2: Timing.
It was the Sabbath, so of course, under Jewish law, no healing could be done on that day. Yet, that was exactly when Jesus stepped into the man’s life and held out his hand. When the timing was right, he was ready.
Step #3: Acceptance.
Jesus said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The lame man replied, “It’s beyond my ability.” When Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk, he did so, accepting the word of Jesus as truth.
Step #4: Searching.
When questioned, the man who was healed didn’t know who had come to his rescue. It was only later in the temple that Jesus revealed himself to the man.
Step #5: Sharing.
The Word tells us the man told everyone that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Finally, let’s look at the core of who Jesus is.
We sometimes forget one vital thing in our walk with the Lord. He cares about us body and soul, but he is spirit, and he comes to us in spirit. When our bodies are not healed, has he failed us? Or is it not yet in his timing? That’s hard for us to accept.
Joni Tada says she finds her faith in a fellowship of suffering that draws her ever closer to Christ. She’s nailed Step #5 directly on the head. She’s spent her life sharing the magnificent love of our almighty Lord.
When Jesus comes to us, we must be ready to respond to him in the moment of his passing.
Copyright © 2015 MyChurchNotes.net
THE BEST 21 STEPS A MAN CAN TAKE
In Arlington National Cemetery is a tomb that demands our respect beyond all others. No one knows who is buried inside, yet it is patrolled around the clock, 365 days... View MoreTHE BEST 21 STEPS A MAN CAN TAKE
In Arlington National Cemetery is a tomb that demands our respect beyond all others. No one knows who is buried inside, yet it is patrolled around the clock, 365 days a year.
It is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
One of the greatest honors in the United States Army is to take those 21 steps, face the tomb for 21 seconds, and then retrace those 21 steps, only to start over once again. To earn the right to guard this solemn memorial, a soldier must be exemplary in every facet of his life, with no mark against his record.
In addition, the soldier who wishes to qualify for membership in this honorable guard must endeavor to be spotless in presentation. His shoes must be shined to perfection. Every loose thread must be clipped from his uniform. Even his hat must rest at an exact angle.
As Christians, we too have a tomb to honor. How can we show that we are fit to honor the empty tomb in which Jesus laid all those many centuries ago, especially when we come from situations that mark us with scars and labels from which we cannot escape?
In Job 31:1-12, Job faced his accusers. His life had blistered him. His family was dead. Even his wife encouraged him to curse God and die. However, Job had a uniform he could put on, one with shoes shined to excellence, with not a thread out of place, and a hat that screamed perfection. It was his blamelessness before God.
Job lists his upright ways before the Lord:
Way #1: He has lusted after no one.
Way #2: Nor has he taken another man’s woman for his own.
Way #3: He has never been proud.
Way #4: Nor has he lied to further his welfare.
Job even offers to accept any punishment God wants to mete out if every word he says is not true.
The soldier who patrols the tomb of the Unknown Soldier must be perfect in every way, whether beneath the blistering sun or in the driving rain, just as Job was perfect in every way before his accusers, even as he sat in the ashes of his former life, brought low by the circumstances of life.
When we take our 21 steps to offer honor before our Lord’s empty tomb, how can we stand spotless and perfect? By the cleansing blood of Jesus. All we have to do is ask him to come into our heart, and all our imperfections are washed away.
When we stand with Jesus, his perfection covers all the mistakes we have ever made.
Copyright © 2013 MyChurchNotes.net
CHUNKIN' PUNKINS
There is a sport that takes pumpkins—the Halloween kind—and sees just how far we can toss those round, orange fruits.
The competition is so fevered, some teams resort to building ma... View MoreCHUNKIN' PUNKINS
There is a sport that takes pumpkins—the Halloween kind—and sees just how far we can toss those round, orange fruits.
The competition is so fevered, some teams resort to building massive trebuchets to send their orange bombs as far into the field as possible.
Why trebuchets? Simply, there is a bucket or loop on one end to hold the little orange beastie, and the weight on the other end can be wound as tightly as desired to build up as much force as possible. Then, when the trebuchet’s giant arm swings around, launching the pumpkin forward, it flies through the air with the greatest of ease.
Now, some people might read this and think, “Oh, what a waste of a good pumpkin!”
True. However, pumpkins are grown in massive quantities, and if they are not used in a timely manner, they spoil and become a smelly nuisance. A rotten pumpkin is something no one wants around.
What are the rotten pumpkins we fail to load into our trebuchets as Christians? Ah, now we’re to the meat of our article. There are things we need to cast as far from us as possible, because they will pollute our walk with Jesus.
Let’s look at seven examples from the Word of God:
Example #1:
Psalm 37:8 tells us: “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #2:
Proverbs 14:29 reminds us: “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #3:
James 1:20 cautions us: “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #4:
Ecclesiastes 7:9 is our guide: “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #5:
James 1:19 directs us: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #6:
Proverbs 15:1 is all about our tongue: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Chunk that punkin!
Example #7:
Ephesians 4:31 lays it out for us boldly and without question: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”
Chunk that punkin!
What pumpkins does God wish us to load into our trebuchets? Our anger, of course. If we fail to get it as far from us as possible, our anger will rot within us, and we will become a sour stink in the nostrils of God.
When we’re chunkin’ punkins, we’re sending our anger as far from us as possible. Then we win, God wins, and our fellow man also wins.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
PUNCHING UP THE PACKAGE
Our Christianity is a package deal. We can’t pick financial blessings and overlook the mistreatment of our fellow man. We can’t claim heaven as our home and forget that there ... View MorePUNCHING UP THE PACKAGE
Our Christianity is a package deal. We can’t pick financial blessings and overlook the mistreatment of our fellow man. We can’t claim heaven as our home and forget that there are people still going to hell.
Yet the religious world thinks nothing of arguing church dogma and religious precepts that differ only slightly from denomination to denomination.
Even Catholic to Protestant … we all believe in the same Christ.
We need to punch up the package. That means we need to tout the triumph of the entire deal. We need to raise Jesus high and let the arguments slip away unnoticed.
How important does God consider this? Let’s look at ten examples from his Word:
Example #1:
2 Timothy 2:14 tells us: “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.”
Winning the argument is for our edification only. God’s kingdom receives no satisfaction at all from our victory.
Example #2:
2 Timothy 2:16 cautions us: “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”
The current soap opera drama or neighborhood gossip is not good subject matter, not if we want to remain close to God.
Example #3:
2 Timothy 2:23-25 says: “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”
Quarreling brings no one to Jesus. Rather, it drives them away.
Example #4:
James 4:1-3 questions: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
Rather than argue with each other, we should turn to God with our words, for he has all the final answers.
Example #5:
2 Corinthians 10:5 gives us focus: “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
When we compare the arguments of this world against the Bible, all dissention will fade away. Only the Word carries the ultimate truth.
Example #6:
Proverbs 21:9 offers us a humorous comparison: “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”
The lesson we can learn from this? If we persist in arguing, we will drive people from the church and from Jesus.
Example #7:
Proverbs 15:1 is our solution: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
We can’t afford to cave in to wrong thinking just for the sake of peace. Neither can we confront misconceptions with a strong hand. Rather, we must gently present the truth.
Example #8:
1 Timothy 6:4 describes the argumentative man: “He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions.”
This is a mirror we can hold up to ourselves. How do we compare?
Example #9:
James 1:19 speaks to those on both sides of the argument: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
It takes two to argue. It also takes two to slow down and discuss a subject peacefully.
Example #10:
Matthew 7:3 shows just how ludicrous arguing really is: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
No one is perfect. We just tend to overlook our own imperfections and yet hold others to impossible standards.
Not only is Christianity a package deal, so are the people who walk the straight and narrow way at our side. When we punch up the package, we become a support network for one another. We encourage stragglers in times of difficulty, correct misunderstandings with gentle words, and always, always stand by those who endeavor to do right in the sight of the Lord.
Christianity is not Winner Takes All. We find our success as a team.
Copyright © 2015 MyChurchNotes.net
THE SMALL RAINBOW
Rainbows are transient things, not there in the most real sense, but rather an effect of several other things. What makes up a rainbow? Water. Sunlight. That’s it. Even then, howeve... View MoreTHE SMALL RAINBOW
Rainbows are transient things, not there in the most real sense, but rather an effect of several other things. What makes up a rainbow? Water. Sunlight. That’s it. Even then, however, we must be at a certain angle to the sun, and the water in the sky must be in a certain location, or the rainbow is not there at all.
But who cares about all that? It is the beauty of the rainbow that is important. It spans the sky, and in all its colors we see the magnificence of God’s creation exemplified.
What rainbows really do is signal the coming clearing, the ending of the storm, and the brightening of the day. In Genesis 9:17, God tells Noah that the rainbow is a sign unto man that he will never again destroy the earth by flood.
We cannot see a rainbow in the midst of the storm, however. If there is no sun, there is no rainbow. It takes water droplets refracting the sun’s rays to create the rainbow, and without both, the magic is simply not there.
Hence God’s promises.
God reassures us that the storm will end. We will see our rainbow. No matter how dark the clouds, the sun will eventually break through. God’s promises are our “small rainbows.”
Here are ten of God’s small rainbows to which we can cling in the time of storm:
God’s Small Rainbow #1 –
Genesis 8:1 tells us that God remembered Noah, and the waters receded.
God’s Small Rainbow #2 –
Psalm 3:2-6 says the Lord answers us from his holy hill.
God’s Small Rainbow #3 –
Mark 4:30-34 relates Jesus’ story of the mustard seed that grows to be the largest of all garden plants.
God’s Small Rainbow #4 –
Luke 18:35-43 describes Jesus giving sight to the blind man.
God’s Small Rainbow #5 –
1 Corinthians 15:54-58 lets us know that death has lost its sting through our victory in Jesus Christ.
God’s Small Rainbow #6 –
Revelations 22:18-21 promises Jesus is coming soon.
God’s Small Rainbow #7 –
Leviticus 26:40-45 reassures us God will honor his covenants with us.
God’s Small Rainbow #8 –
Joshua 10:25 wants us to be strong and courageous, for the Lord is with us.
God’s Small Rainbow #9 –
Job 5:16 states that the poor have hope.
God’s Small Rainbow #10 –
Romans 5:2-7 offers us the glory of God, for hope does not disappoint those who are in Christ.
In the darkest storm, we can see the small rainbow in the breaking clouds, and we know the end is come. We are filled with hope, because we can see the clearing sky.
God’s promises give us that hope. Even amidst the troubles that surround us, when we cling to one of God’s promises, we have his small rainbow with us all the time.
When we keep our eyes on Jesus, he is our promise of hope.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
THE SHARP BLADE
When we cook, we want the sharpest blade possible. That T-bone steak? The meat has to come off the bone. Ham, no matter how meaty and tender, also has to be carved off the bone. Even ... View MoreTHE SHARP BLADE
When we cook, we want the sharpest blade possible. That T-bone steak? The meat has to come off the bone. Ham, no matter how meaty and tender, also has to be carved off the bone. Even vegetables require the sharpest knife possible, or else all we will do is bruise the food and damage its appearance.
Yet, that same blade can cut other things, too. Get a finger too close while slicing that onion, and the blood will flow. Painfully, too.
The same is true during cleanup. The sharper the knife, the more care we have to take to ensure we don’t cut ourselves.
What about our hearts? What about when life is that sharp blade, and it slices us to the core? Our job, our health, or even those we are closest to; what about when life slices those things away from us, and we can do nothing except cry out in despair?
The Word gives us bandages for our wounds, padding that we can wrap around the injuries, so that we can heal and move on.
Let’s take a look at six of God’s healing bandages:
Bandage #1: Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Sometimes we simply have to step out in trust, and accept that God knows more than we do. He has all of time in his hands; we can see only the present moment.
Bandage #2: Ephesians 4:31-32
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you.”
Life cannot be allowed to take the joy of God from us. Our relationship with other people is more important. Even in our distress, we must reach out, allowing God to keep us connected, one to another.
Bandage #3: Isaiah 43:18-19
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
God has a new path for us, if only we can turn loose of the old. If all we do is look back, we will never find his new direction. Instead, we will run into every obstruction in our way, even the ones God does not intend.
Bandage #4: Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Only God can help us heal our wounds. All he asks from us is that we remember our job: to win others to Christ by the example we live out every day.
Bandage #5: Proverbs 29:11
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”
We will hurt. We will know pain. However, it is the love of God that others must see in us.
Bandage #6: Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
God is our source. When we are in pain, he wants us to turn to him, so that he may reach back unto us. Then his healing can cross that great divide, flooding into our places of hurt, and healing our every wound.
Life has a way of hitting us broadside. That is what it means to be human. God doesn’t prevent life from happening to us, but when it does, he will be our bandage. He will place our feet on solid ground, and we will find our peace in him.
When life beats us up, God’s love wraps us up.
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