Exchanged Life Ministries: Recent Episodes
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Turning Mountains into MolehillsEach person faces a twofold challenge in daily life. One is to keep ourselves from making big deals out of little problems. The second is that we learn how to positively manage big problems so they can be resolved. Problems should be resolved; they shouldn’t become our barriers.
Years ago a researcher set out to understand why some people are luckier than others. He wanted to know why certain people found lucky breaks while others failed and ended up being among those counted as unlucky in life. He followed several families for many years and discovered some interesting truths.
Both lucky and unlucky people encountered similar challenges and have common hard breaks, but how people responded to adversity determined the outcome of their misfortune. Some people hit a wall, made an effort, and failed. They tossed their hands up and said, “I tried. This always happens to me.”
Others hit walls, were knocked down, and refused to accept failure. The only real difference between those who found ‘luck’ was how they responded to adversity. The ‘lucky breaks’ didn’t come to the most talented, the most wealthy, or the most charismatic people. The breaks came to those who persevered. Eventually, opportunity presents itself, but it is only seen by those who keep looking for the good behind every circumstance in life.
This is not to say each person faces the exact same circumstances. Some people face hardships that most others will never experience, yet even from the worst environments this truth emerges. Two people from the same difficult environment can have very different outcomes in life. Why do some people overcome the tragedies of life while others in the same environment carry failure into the next generation?
This is often seen in dysfunctional families with two or more children. Each child endures the same harsh environment, but they often have very different outcomes in life. Those who give up will never overcome challenges because they are more focused on the failures in life than the goal that lies ahead.
It’s all about attitude. Not one of us can predict life and not one of us can prevent challenges, hardships, or adversities. It’s coming to us all. But each person’s attitude determines how they respond to it. Some people turn the slightest problem into a mountain, while others seek to climb over the mountain. There is not one person who has a bad attitude forced upon them. Quite the opposite. We force our attitudes upon every circumstance we encounter. A bad attitude inflates the mountain, while the good attitude creates expectation and hope that is bigger than the mountain.
Let’s consider a few examples in the Bible. One is an example we touched on earlier – the people of the Exodus. God gave His people the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. It was the land given to Abraham before Israel was enslaved in Egypt. Through many miracles God led the people out of bondage, defeated armies, made a way across the Red Sea, fed and watered them in the desert, and finally led them straight to the promise. In less than two weeks God’s people could have been in the Promised Land.
What was God’s desire? It was to give His promise to His people. And the Lord took them straight from Egypt to the edge of the promise. His promise was, “I have given you this land, I will be with you, and I will fight for you.” But God tested His people with adversity. He sent twelve spies into the land, one representative from each tribe. They returned with good news and bad news. The good news, the land was just as God described it. Flowing with milk and honey, and it is a good land. They brought back many samples as proof.
But there was a problem. Adversity stood between the people and the promise. Let the spies explain the situation for themselves. Look at Numbers 13:33
“There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Notice the words they chose. We were like grasshoppers in our own sight. This is the challenge you and I face each time problems arise. Why are the problems big? Because we are looking at it through our eyes instead of the Lord’s.
God destroyed the armies of Egypt, the greatest world power of that day. And He did it without a single man having to fight. Yet now they are afraid of the descendants of Anak? Anak were people of great stature. Admittedly, they were fierce looking warriors, but that was part of the test. Would God’s people put their trust in adversity, or would they trust in the promises of God?
Only two men out of twelve were willing to trust the Lord, Caleb and Joshua. Everyone else went into a panic and turned from the Lord. Because they could not trust the Lord, God swore they would never receive the promise. Other than Caleb and Joshua, not one person saw the Promised Land of God. Because they trusted adversity, the Lord allowed them to choose it.
While God’s plan was to lead them directly to the promise, they instead wandered forty years through the desert. Adversity was only intended to be a gravel road they had to pass over. Forty years later, Joshua proved God’s original intent, for not one adversity overcame their march toward the promise. Yet an entire generation was lost because they believed the threat over the promise.
To put this in our terms, many of us trust in our problems and allow adversity to turn our hearts from the Lord. This is why few people actually experience what God has in store for them. Like the people escaping Egypt, they can see God’s hand when things go perfectly, but not when they have to trust God to lead them through trouble instead of around it. The Israelites felt that God should have kept trouble away from them.
Isn’t this exactly what most people live out in their lives? A problem arises and they exalt it like a mountain. In their eyes, the problem is huge and it becomes insurmountable. Instead of raising their hands to the Lord, they toss their hands up in surrender to adversity. We must learn to surrender our will to the Lord, not surrender to our problems.
Adversity may indeed be a big problem and hard to overcome, but that’s okay. God will allow problems bigger than your ability so He can reveal His power to you. It requires no faith if the solution is within our own power. It’s not our battle unless we make it so. We wander through the desert of despair, while every problem weighs down upon us and we find no relief for our souls. Yet the relief is within our grasp, if we’ll just take it. It’s called faith in God.
Faith is believing the word of the Lord to the point where we are willing to put our trust in Him. Faith was the strength of Job. When in the midst of losing his family, possessions, and health, Job uttered the greatest testimony of faith in the Bible, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
In the end, what happened in Job’s life? Though he lost much, he gained ten times more. The same is true for you and I. We often get so caught up in what we are losing that we can never receive the abundant promise of what God is giving. When we become bitter over losses, we also are turning from the Lord – who blesses those who endure with faith.
This is the reason for adversity. It’s to prove what is in our hearts. Anyone can trust God when the going is easy and when we’re getting what we want. But let adversity arise and let us feel threatened, and we’ll reveal the truth of what is in our hearts. Adversity reveals whether we are walking by faith in the Spirit, or by the sight and strength of the flesh.
Here’s the real irony of the story of Israel’s rejection of the promise. They withdrew from the Lord because they viewed the giants of Anak as too strong for them. Yet Caleb entered the land as an eighty-five year old man. When they were dividing the inheritance, Caleb requested the mountains where He would feel closer to the Lord. Do you know who inhabited the mountains? Yes. The giants of Anak. Caleb, the oldest man in Israel said, “The Lord will drive them out before me.” He knew they could not stand, and sure enough, he drove them out.
Caleb and Joshua endured the adversities of the desert for forty years while waiting for the promise. Not one time do we see these two men complaining. They patiently waited because at the time God swore that not one of their peers would enter the promise, He also promised they would. They endured in faith, because the promise was real. Look at the words of Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
It’s God’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom, but this is a call to receive it by faith. Those who draw back miss the pleasure of God’s blessing toward them. The opposite is true for those who don’t draw back. The same Lord who made the above statement also said, “This is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith.”
Like the example of Joshua and Caleb, when we walk in God’s purposes by faith, adversity will arise, but nothing can stand against God’s will. We then will walk in the victory that overcomes the world – our faith in God.
Faith is believing God. Not just intellectually, but actively. It’s the person who is willing to put God’s word to the test and live by it – even in adversity or temptation. We endure because of the joy set before us. This joy is grounded in the promises of God.
The heart which is grounded in the word of the Lord cannot be moved; however, the mountain can be. Look at the promise Christ gave in Matthew 21:21-22
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.
22 “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Jesus again used another variation of this teaching in Luke 17:6
So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
Notice how both of these examples focused on immovable objects. Try plucking up a tree and see what happens. It doesn’t budge. The strongest man on earth couldn’t take the trunk of a grown mulberry tree and rip it from the ground, much less cast it anywhere.
Stand before the mountain of adversity. Can you move it? No. And it isn’t your job to move it. God doesn’t call you to move mountains; He calls you to have faith in His ability to move mountains. It’s not about believing in yourself. You are limited to your own strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. It’s about trusting in the Lord, for according to Jesus, what is impossible with men is possible with God.
We are not called to speak our will to the mountains. We are called to walk in God’s will and conquer the mountain. The promise is that if God calls us to move an immovable object, it cannot stand if we are walking according to His will. When something stands like a mountain between us and fulfilling God’s calling, we must refuse to consider its strength. We rebuke the challenger of God’s will by declaring God’s purposes and walking where He has called us to walk. We may say, “Be removed,” but unless it’s an answer to God’s call, we aren’t promised the power to remove the mountain.
This isn’t a promise for us to have the power to fulfill our selfish will, but the promise that if we are walking in God’s purposes, nothing can thwart His will. At times, the Lord will allow you to struggle. This is where faithfulness separates the believer from the one who feels inspired, but continues to live according to the flesh.
The challenger might be a valley, mountain, the gates of hell, your internal struggles, or any other thing. These may have the power to stand against human abilities, but they cannot prevent God’s hand. If you know God’s purpose for you (and you will if you practice living out the things we’ve discussed so far), then the mountain serves no other purpose than to test you to see if you believe the flesh, or believe the word of God.
Don’t forget the promise, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Do not reverse this. It isn’t Christ who does all things through us, but we do His will through Him. We are not asking God to enter into our plans to fulfill our purposes. We are submitting to His purposes and entering into His work.[1] When we are in Christ and walking in God’s will, His strength is perfected in our weaknesses. We then have no limitations in Him. You have limitations, but the Lord will complete His plan – and there are no limitations with God.
While the faithless person turns molehills into mountains, and views them as giants in their own eyes, God is calling us to say to the mountains, “Be removed and cast into the sea.” Think of the weight of this truth.
Unbelief exalts molehills into mountains that defeat us, while faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Through faith, not only are we not exalting the molehills, but we are casting down the mountains. We do so because faith is not in our efforts or our selfish will, but it is in the Lord’s work within us that calls us to walk in the works He prepared beforehand.[2]
When we are pursuing the purpose of our calling, things will stand in our way. This is assuming we are living according to His purposes. A life without direction is a barrier in itself. But when we see the glory of God’s purpose in our lives, we will also hear the calling to come and follow. But the Lord will allow things to test us and challenge us. This is why we are promised all the good things of His kingdom if we overcome. “To Him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.” All the greatest promises are to those who overcome.
We overcome our will first, and then we overcome anything that stands in our way of fulfilling God’s call. Fear, frustration, guilt, greed, lust, adversity, and many other struggles will stand as trees and mountains in your way. But as Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Through His overcoming, we are also given the faith that overcomes the world.
Life Applications* Memorize Ephesians 6:5-8. * How does this passage apply to your life today? How does this principle apply to your career, home life, and responsibilities? * Come up with a plan now for how you will respond on your job and other responsibilities. * How will your positive attitude affect your work and the things you dislike or feel is unfair? * According to the passage above, what happens when you serve with a good attitude? * Will the end result be fair? * What will be the result if you adopt a negative attitude? * Read Hebrews 10:38. What happens when you allow your heart to draw back from God? What happens to the person who does not draw back, but endures regardless of circumstances? * Is it possible to live for your purposes and have confidence when adversity blocks your way? * Evaluate your life and look for areas that need to be surrendered to the will of God. * Take time to review Life Applications from previous chapters.
[1] Ephesians 2:10
[2] Ephesians 2:10
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I can’t control my thoughts!One of the most common concerns I hear are people who fear they have entertained a thought which makes them guilty of the ‘unpardonable sin’. We’ll talk about this scenario in a moment, but first, I want to look at why such things find their way into our minds.
Has a negative thought ever popped into your head without warning? Perhaps it’s something you have struggled with, but sometimes it may be the most off the wall thought and not something you would willingly think upon. At times it comes at a moment of anger, or in a moment of temptation, or it could be something out of the blue – an idea you may be shocked would find its way in you.
Sometimes our thoughts are the result of spiritual warfare. This isn’t always the case, but at times it is. Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, experienced such a thought. The Bible says the devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus. Of course, Judas never bought into Jesus’ teaching, so he was already vulnerable. We can see that many evil thoughts and ideas can have their origins in demonic sources, but this is not always the case.
Let’s stop for a moment and think upon this. There is a danger of going too far with this idea. Not every thought is an attack of the devil. Often, our mental process is the result of our own habits. When we dwell on anger, we will be susceptible to angry and vengeful thoughts. We can also yield our minds to the enemy by submitting ourselves to sin. This was the case with Judas.
Judas never accepted the role of being a disciple. In fact, the other apostles stated that he was greedy and a thief from the beginning (John 12:6). He was the one who kept the money for the twelve disciples and made a habit of taking money for himself. He looked at Jesus as a means of gain. His idea of ruling with Christ was based on his assumption that Jesus would be setting up an earthly kingdom.
When Jesus began foretelling of His death and crucifixion, Judas’ hope of personal gain took a devastating blow. This put him into a position where he was open to temptation, and when Satan put the idea to him, Judas embraced it in his heart.
Another important thing to note is Judas was not a transformed believer. According to John 7:39, the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus had not yet completed His work. This means the internal restraint and guidance of the Holy Spirit was not part of the believer’s life. This is important to understand because if you are born into the Spirit by faith in Christ, the Bible says you have the Holy Spirit within you. The Holy Spirit guides you into all truth, convicts you of sin, and works to conform you to the image of Christ.[1] The Holy Spirit also seals us for God.[2]
There is no such thing as a demon possessed Christian. As Jesus said, a house cannot be divided and the Holy Spirit cannot have communion with devils. Since the Bible calls us the temple of the Holy Spirit, we cannot also be the temple of demons. This should give us some peace knowing that even when we struggle in thought, it is something we can overcome because we have the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says, “Greater is He who is in you (the Holy Spirit) than he who is in the world (any spiritual force not of God).” The ‘He’ within you is the Spirit of God. If demons could reside in the believer, this statement from the Bible would be confusing, for how could we defeat something in the world if the spirit of the world was also inside our hearts?
Sin wars against our mind through our flesh, but God empowers us through our spirit. Therefore, when we have wicked thoughts, it is coming through our flesh and not the new spirit God has placed within us. The scriptures teach that when we are born into the Spirit, we become a new creation, born of incorruptible seed. Take a look at this passage in 1 Peter 1:23
Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.
Notice the word ‘incorruptible’. This word means exactly what it sounds like. The spirit of new life God places within you cannot be corrupted. This means you can’t be possessed, for possession is a spiritual state. Your new spirit cannot become wicked. It is incorruptible because its life is in God and not by man. Since it is from the Spirit of God and its life is in Christ, it cannot become corrupted. Period.
So where do these thoughts come from and how do they get into our minds? According to the Bible, it comes from our flesh. One day our bodies will be redeemed and we’ll be like Christ in body as well as in spirit. For now, the Bible states that our bodies and all of creation groan with the desire to be redeemed at our adoption – the time when we receive our promise to be in God’s presence for all eternity. Until then, we remain in a body that is still affected by sin.
Look at the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-23. We’ve touched on this teaching a few times, but in this chapter we’ll dig deeper so we can glean the truths that will empower us to overcome.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Notice how the Apostle Paul draws a distinction between his flesh and the goodness of God. When sin is spoken of, it is always associated with his flesh. It is within his flesh, not in his spirit – for the spirit of the believer is a new creation, given by God, and cannot be corrupted.
Do you find yourself struggling against temptation? Negative thoughts? And becoming apathetic when it comes to doing the right things you know you should do? Welcome to the club! If the Apostle Paul lamented over this struggle, we should not be surprised when we struggle.
So where do these thoughts come from? Though our spirit is redeemed and incorruptible, sin remains in our flesh. Not only is sin in our flesh, but it is warring against our minds and attempting to bring us back into captivity. It’s a battle that will never end in this life – but it’s a battle you can win. You do not have to surrender your mind to sinful thoughts. It is my hope you will understand how to win this battle by the end of the chapter.
Who’s driving this ship?Are negative thoughts yours, or is it something warring against your mind? It depends on your active reasoning. If you’re dwelling on something negative, it’s safe to say you are the one guiding your thoughts and repentance is in order. If someone has wronged you and you are brooding with anger, then if a vengeful thought enters your mind, you are responsible for this and for your current emotional state.
People plan vengeance in order to pay back a wrong; therefore, they are submitting themselves to anger and creating the problem in their emotional state. When we catch ourselves brooding, God calls us to repent by forgiving the wrong-doer and surrendering the wrong to Him. Only God has the right to judge and only He has the right to take vengeance. As we discussed earlier, our calling is to forgive, pray for the one who wronged us, bless them, and turn our focus on the perfect will of God. He will bring good into our lives unless we choose to bring vengeance into our life instead.
If you are not brooding, thinking upon something tempting, or doing anything to set your mind upon sin, and a thought emerges from nowhere, it’s safe to say this is an attack of the flesh. It may be spiritual warfare, but the war comes through the flesh, for Satan cannot attack our spirit. It is incorruptible. Satan can draw us out of walking in the Spirit and into the flesh. The flesh is his domain and this is the only place where a Christian can be defeated.
When thoughts arise, you do not have to take ownership of them. They do not belong to you unless you receive them into your heart. Let’s say out of nowhere a blasphemous thought pops into your head. Have you sinned? No. Simply acknowledge this is not your thought and cast it out. When it comes back, cast it out again. Consider this passage from 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
This is the power given to you through the Spirit. Greater is He who is in you – the Spirit of God – than he that is in the world – anything or anyone who opposes God. Pay careful attention to the weapons of our warfare in verses 4-5. Satan attacks through the flesh, but we don’t war according to the flesh. Our victory is found through the Spirit. We are attacked through the flesh, but we find victory in the Spirit. If you try to war through the flesh, you will lose.
Remember our discussion about Jane and her daughter? How was Jane trying to control the situation? By meeting her daughter’s actions in the flesh with her own reaction through the flesh. Both sides lost, for you cannot defeat the flesh with the flesh. The same is true for your external and internal struggles – including your thought life.
Let’s put this to the test. By using mere human effort I want you to try this experiment. Let’s introduce a new superstition – lemons are evil. Lemons are so evil, even thinking upon them is an unpardonable sin. Don’t think about their color. Don’t allow your mind to see the lemon peel. For goodness sake, don’t think about the sour taste which causes your lips to pucker and your mouth to water. If you salivate at all, you are in sin. Don’t even think about the color yellow, for it might make you think about a lemon. Some people are so morally bankrupt they actually mix the sour lemon juice into water and add sugar. Do everything within your power to ignore those who add ice and talk about lemonade. That cool liquid in the mouth and cooling down your throat is not something you want to even imagine. Now suppose if you even allow your mind to think upon any of this, you’re doomed to hell. Take a few minutes and concentrate on not thinking about lemons.
Did it work? Were you able to keep any thoughts of a lemon out of your mind? Well, it looks like we’re all doomed together. If someone truly feared thinking upon something, what do you think would seep into their thoughts?
The truth is, you can’t cast a thought out of your mind by determining not to think about it. In fact, the more we fear a thought, the more it will draw our attention. This is why people who fear committing the unpardonable sin suddenly have blasphemous thoughts entering their mind. The more emotions an idea generates – including fear – the more our subconscious processes kick in to explore the idea. It’s a fact of our brains – like it or not. But it isn’t the unpardonable sin. In fact, it most likely isn’t a sin at all. We merely need to learn how to set our minds on something that doesn’t feed negative ideas.
The mind is active and will naturally settle on what is demanding its attention. The same holds true for any thought. People fear when they have thought about blasphemy, lust, hatred, greed, and any number of temptations common to us all. Remember the promise of the sound mind? How does the Bible tell us to put all corruption out of our minds? We are taught to think on these things: whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy.
To think upon is to consider its value, and treasure each of these things as though they are something to be cherished. Don’t think on these as mere words, but what they mean and how scripture applies to our walk of faith. What is just? How are we made just? What did Christ do to make us just before God and how does this reveal the loving relationship He desires for us. Think upon these things and explore them in your mind as you let them establish you in faith.
Our minds do not operate in a vacuum. We must set our minds upon these things and then we have the promise that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds through Christ. We aren’t staring down our temptation, but turning from it and toward something pure. You will drive yourself insane trying to herd thoughts. They are like catching shadows. They remain just out of reach and impossible to grab hold of.
In truth, we aren’t casting them out of our minds; we are casting them down from their place of dominance. I recapture my mind by setting my mind on things above – things eternal and godly. When negative thoughts attempt to capture my attention, I cast them down again by setting my mind on the right things again. Remember, sin dwells in our members – our body of flesh. So these things aren’t going away, they are being dethroned. They lose their power and we refuse to give them heed, but don’t be alarmed if you see them scurrying by from time to time.
Like rats, when the infestation is severe, it will take time to regain control, but you will see them losing power as you do the things God has revealed in His word. God does not require you to redeem your flesh, only that you account it as dead in Christ. This is done by putting off the flesh and putting on Christ. Here is how you regain control of your thoughts. Look at Ephesians 4:22-24
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Put off your former conduct. The old man is your flesh – the human nature that is inherited from Adam but was crucified in Christ. The nature is dead, but his deeds remain in the body. We put off the old while putting on the new. You can’t do one without the other. None of us can put on the new man – our spirit led lifestyle – while remaining in the flesh. Nor can we put off the flesh without putting on our new nature. Life is not a vacuum. And the key to it all is constant renewal.
The negative thoughts and emotions are scurrying around, looking for an opportunity to seize control, but they are cast off as we renew our minds and put on the spiritual man. The word of God renews our minds, and as we submit to the word, we are putting on the new man.
Once you put off the flesh, something will happen you probably won’t expect. It will rise up and attempt to seize control. And it will do so again, and again, and again. However, as we grow in the Spirit, the flesh loses its grip on our minds. So what is difficult now will become easier as you learn how to walk in the Spirit. It won’t completely go away until our transformation is completed at Christ’s coming, but it will lose its strength.
The flesh will cease from being a strong bully which attacks and tries to overthrow, but instead will transform into a deceiver that tries to persuade you into partaking in a little temptation.
Don’t blame the devil. The Bible says we are tempted when we are enticed by our own lusts. Temptation is not demonic forces seizing control, but the cravings of our own flesh. It only seems like an irresistible force because we have conditioned ourselves to receive temptation. But we overcome by dying daily. The diligent pursuit of living according to Christ’s holiness is a lifelong process.
The flesh is very opportunistic. It will seize any opportunity, and there will be times when you’ll lament along with the Apostle Paul, and wonder why you do what you know you shouldn’t do, and why you don’t do what you know you should. However, if you consistently apply the principles of scripture to your life, you will also rejoice as Paul did, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” You then will also discover you have the power to serve God through your mind and deprive the flesh of its desire to control the body, which serves the law of sin.
Victory is given. We already have the victory. We just need to learn how to walk in it.
The Unpardonable SinLet’s talk for a moment about the dreaded ‘unpardonable sin’.
As I mentioned earlier, we don’t resist temptation by staring it down, but by turning our hearts to what is good. I’ll share the scriptures with you that cover this in a moment, but let me say first that those who are asking such questions haven’t committed the unpardonable sin. If God was so easily offended that a thought popping in our heads could condemn us to hell, we’d all be doomed.
Though I touched on this a moment ago, this is a topic many fear. It’s the most common question I am asked; therefore, it is necessary to fully answer this question and relieve the fears of many.
We should take a moment to examine the sin of blasphemy and observe the difference between the condemnation of the Pharisees and the mercy given to the Apostle Paul – who was also a Pharisee. Both were blasphemers and both tried to stop Christianity. Both thought the church was evil and regarded Jesus as a deceiver. Both persecuted Christians and both had them put to death. Yet the Pharisee Paul was forgiven, but other Pharisees were warned that forgiveness was now impossible. Look at Matthew 12:31-32
31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
When Jesus uttered this warning, what was taking place? In verse 10, Jesus healed a man with a withered hand. The Pharisees raged against Him for healing on the Sabbath, even though Jesus explained He was the Lord of the Sabbath. Their response to the miracle was to plot to destroy Jesus. He withdrew, and as was often the case, the Pharisees followed to watch Jesus, looking for something by which they could accuse Him. Verse 18 quotes a passage from Isaiah, foretelling that it would be self-evident Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy given about His ministry and life. In verse 22, the people brought a man who was demon possessed, and Jesus cast out the devil and healed the man. What did the Pharisees say? “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
The work of God was revealed directly to them in an unmistakable way. The Pharisees heard the word of God through Jesus’ teaching. They saw the miracle of healing. They saw the affirmation of Him through the Old Testament scriptures, which, by the way, was their primary field of study. Finally, they saw Jesus’ power over Satan revealed before their very eyes. Their response? “He has the power of Satan.”
To make such a claim was to call the Holy Spirit of God the power of Satan. Did Satan heal the man’s hand? Did Satan give Jesus the words of truth? Did Satan write the book of Isaiah which foretold of these events? Did Satan cast out himself?
Consider more of these things. When Jesus fed the five-thousand, the people demanded a sign from God in order to believe. Several times the leaders demanded a sign from Christ, and what did he say? “No sign will be given – except, the sign of Jonah.” Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, Jesus would be in the grave three days and would emerge.
In a parable, Jesus told about a man who died and was tormented in the flames of judgment. The man begged to go back and warn his brothers of that horrible place. He was told, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.” This of course is the reference to the Old Testament scriptures. The man knew that like himself, they were ignoring the word of God, so he pleaded by saying they would believe if someone returned from the grave to warn them. But he was told, “If they won’t believe Moses and the prophets (the word of God), they will not believe – even if someone were to rise from the dead.”
Jesus proved this to be true twice – His own resurrection and by raising Lazarus. Lazarus was dead four days, and Jesus came and raised him from the dead. How did the Pharisees react? They plotted to put Lazarus to death, for many believed on Jesus because of the dead man’s resurrection. All their efforts to stop Christ were fruitless and the Pharisees lamented how all their efforts to silence Him accomplished nothing (John 12:19).
When Jesus was crucified, the Pharisees persuaded the Roman governor to place a squadron of soldiers to guard the tomb so the disciples couldn’t steal the body and claim Jesus had risen. Jesus did rise, and the Roman soldiers witnessed it. A squad of terrorized soldiers ran to the Pharisees and reported how they witnessed Jesus emerge from the tomb. What was the response of the Pharisees? They came up with an alternate story and offered to pay the soldiers money to hide the truth and spread their lie.
So you see, this was much more than a blasphemous thought popping into their heads. They fought against God, told others it was Satan’s work, plotted to destroy the evidence of God’s work, and lied to persuade others to disbelieve God. They knew without a doubt Jesus was who He claimed to be. They even acknowledged both the resurrection of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus. But their response was to destroy the work of God and hide the miracles. All of this stemmed from one thing – they resisted the Spirit of God working in their hearts. You see, we all were blasphemers before we were redeemed, but God didn’t judge us for it.
The Apostle Paul blasphemed the work of God and called it evil. In Acts, Paul gives his testimony and says how he obtained orders from the priests and hunted down Christians from city to city, captured them and brought them back to be put to death.
Not only did Paul cast his vote against God’s people in their trials, but he also testifies of two practices we think of as despicable. He says he hailed people in their houses. In other words, he found out who was a Christian by giving them a Christian salutation. If they answered back, he knew they were believers and he would arrest them. It would be something like walking into a house and saying, “Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ.” He was pretending to be a Christian, knowing that if they blessed back in the name of Jesus, they were followers of what he considered to be an evil cult of Christ.
The second despicable practice was that Paul said, “I compelled them to blaspheme.” In other words, he used threats and punishment to force people to speak against Christ. Scourging was a common practice, so he may have had them beaten until they spoke evil against the way of faith in Christ. His goal was to utterly destroy the faith of believers, not to just punish them.
So why didn’t God judge Paul as He did the other Pharisees? He also blasphemed, called the work of God evil, and set out to kill anyone who followed Jesus in order to destroy the faith. In action, there is no difference between the Apostle Paul and the Pharisees whom Jesus proclaimed, “You cannot be forgiven in this life, or the life to come.” I say, no difference in action while in the act of blasphemy, but there was a huge difference when seeing the work of the Holy Spirit. Let me explain this first by looking at two passages. Look first at Romans 1:18-19
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
Now read 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
I underlined the key points I wanted you to notice. The wrath of God was revealed against the ungodly AFTER He made Himself known to them and showed the truth to them. Those who refused to receive the love of the truth were given over to the strong delusion so they will believe a lie. Why? It was for this reason – they rejected the truth that they might be saved. A truth God revealed in their heart, according to Romans 1.
Paul thought the work of God was evil and was something to be stamped out. He was wrong. He was corrupt, sinful, and a wicked man who blasphemed and forced others to blaspheme. Yet he found mercy.
The Pharisees were evil men who thought the work of God was evil. They blasphemed and encouraged others to blaspheme – even issuing ordinances that if anyone testifies to Christ, they would be permanently kicked out of the Synagogue and excluded from the Jewish culture everyone depended upon. They tried, condemned, and executed believers in Christ.
The ONLY distinction between those who received mercy, and those who received judgment is the response to the truth of God when it was revealed to their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
It is not our response to the word, but our response to the revelation of the word. There is a difference. The Bible says the natural man – those viewing the world through human nature, or the flesh – cannot receive or understand the things of God, for they are spiritually discerned. The word of God is foolishness to the flesh, and we are all born into the flesh. Hearing truth does not turn the light bulb on in our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit who opens our eyes to see the truth and then calls our hearts to respond.
Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). You can hear the word of God without faith, but you cannot have faith without hearing the word of God. God calls us through the word, and He opens our understanding in His own time. This is why someone will hear the word their whole lives, and then suddenly understand the gospel and are born into the Spirit.
From the outside, you and I cannot determine what God is doing in someone’s heart. Just because someone doesn’t respond, does not mean they are resisting the Holy Spirit. Rejecting the truth is not what brings us under judgment. We all reject the truth in our flesh. But, when the Holy Spirit pulls back the veil of our flesh, reveals the truth to us, and makes God manifest to our heart and understanding, the moment of decision has come.
The decision is not whether we will choose God. We cannot choose God. God chooses us and calls us to Christ. The ONLY decision is whether we will resist the Spirit of grace that is being given to us.
Go back to the passages above. Those judged SUPPRESS the truth. It is taking the truth which has been revealed to our hearts, refusing it, and trying to push it away from our understanding that God condemns. It is for this reason we are given over to our vile passions and turned over to the lie we have already chosen.
So the problem is not blasphemy in thought, but blasphemy by resisting the Holy Spirit and turning against the truth being revealed by the hand of God. Then, and only then, have we committed the unpardonable sin. We cannot be forgiven in the life to come because we remain in our sins. We have chosen to live for the flesh and have pleasure in unrighteousness, and there is no redemption for those who die without receiving the love of the truth. For God has revealed it in them.
Inside the heart of man, God manifests Himself, calls us to lay down our lives, and offers a new life in Christ, born after the Spirit. But those condemned in the above passages, like the Pharisees, despise a God who calls them to let go of their lives in this world, and have suppressed the truth revealed in them. They reject the revelation of God in their hearts and cling to the flesh. They love a life grounded in sin and count the sacrifice of Christ as a worthless thing (Hebrews 10:29).
We all struggle with different thoughts at different times. When an offending thought pops in our head, it is not a sin. It is our flesh that has sin in its members and wars against our minds in an attempt to bring us back into its dominance.
We are commanded to guard our hearts, for out of it come the issues of life. Our minds guard our hearts. Jesus said, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adultery, fornication, thefts, false witnesses, and blasphemies.” It is not a sin until it proceeds from the heart. Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35)
Notice, the heart doesn’t produce these things. They are thoughts we have stored as treasures. Whether good or evil, the things in our heart are things we valued enough to store as treasures.
Let’s summarize what has been discussed in this chapter. When I dwell on evil thoughts, I am treasuring those things in my heart. If I entertain thoughts of lust, I am treasuring something in my heart that will emerge in my life as sin. The same is true for hatred, greed, covetousness, blasphemy, and any other sin.
When those thoughts enter our minds, it begins as an involuntary idea. Involuntary thoughts are not sin, and we will not be held accountable for them. It’s not until we welcome the thought and surrender our minds to it that it becomes sin.
There are indeed consequences when we treasure sin in our hearts, but missing out on God’s forgiveness is not one of those consequences – unless we refuse God’s call to let go and receive freedom. May we find confidence in the promise of Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Do not fear your flesh, but overcome with the power of God given to you. Have confidence in the Lord, for He has mercy, He abundantly pardons, and He becomes our sure foundation which overcomes any threat. Our weaknesses are not a hindrance to the Lord – for His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Victory is found in surrendering to the Spirit of God.
Life Applications* Memorize Ephesians 4:22-24 * Set time aside each day to renew your mind through the word, prayer, and meditating upon the things God has told us to think upon. * Daily remind yourself that harmful thoughts are not yours. Reject them and turn your mind to God’s word. * Each morning die to your will and put on the new man according to God’s will. * When you feel as though you failed or have blown it, claim the promise of Isaiah 55:7. * Remind yourself that God doesn’t judge you for who you are, but blesses you for who you will be when you stand before Him. * Review the Life Applications from previous chapters.
[1] John 16:8, John 16:13, Romans 8:1-17
[2] Ephesians 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
The post 12. I Can’t Control My Thoughts – Sound Mind first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Ch04 of Simple Faith Is Jesus God in the flesh?
This study examines the multitude of scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments that explain that the Redeemer (Christ) is YHWH, the God of the Old Testament and God in the flesh in the New Testament.
The post 04. Is Jesus God? first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
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The battle to control emotions isn’t won at the time of conflict, but right now. By conflict, I mean your internal struggle. External circumstances may be the catalyst, but the real conflict is first fought inside, and you either are overcome by or gain control over your emotions.
The internal struggle may seem like a flash reaction, but control is either surrendered or gained in that instant. Your battle could be with anger, fear, jealousy, or any other thing that challenges for control. The moment of decision is just that – a moment. Therefore, you need to prepare now so you can have the right mind-set when the time comes.
Let’s use anger as an example. Consider this scenario:
Jane walks in the room and sees her daughter reading a novel. “Is your homework done?” she asks.
“I forgot.”
“How could you forget? You know what you’re supposed to be doing. We go through this every day.”
“You always start yelling at me.”
Jane tries to mask her frustration, but can’t keep a higher pitch from slipping into her voice. “I’m not yelling.”
“You’re yelling at me now. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”
“I told you to do your schoolwork. You disobeyed me. That’s wrong.” The daughter rolls her eyes, amplifying Jane’s frustration. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me. I’m your mother!”
The situation escalates rapidly. The daughter argues; Jane argues. Jane shouts that she shouldn’t be arguing with her parents, while the daughter shouts that she feels mistreated. When her daughter says something like, ‘I hate you’, or ‘you hate me’, things are plunged into a free-for-all. Jane screeches at her daughter, her daughter screeches at Jane. By the time the dispute ends, both sides are mentally frazzled and stressed. The original problem has been lost in the cloud of conflict. Jane’s remaining day will be on edge. Stress hasn’t been relieved by the blow up. Instead, it has been amplified.
Jane readily admits she has a temper problem, but try as she might, she can’t control it. For a few moments at the beginning of the conflict, she thought about her need to control her emotions. Everyday seems to be filled with conflict and each day seems to get worse. At least her nerves are getting worse.
It’s not only anger that could fit into this situation. It could be jealousy, fear, or any other emotional response that builds stress or harms relationships.
Let’s go back and look at Jane’s breaking point – the point where she lost her cool. Voices are raising, but Jane hasn’t yet lost her temper. She feels the pressure building, but the safety valves haven’t yet blown off. Her daughter can’t see her own lack of responsibility, and Jane is trying to explain this to her. The daughter isn’t listening, she’s preparing for a counterattack. They go back and forth until the daughter decides to push Jane’s self-destruction button. The child knows where that button is. Or it could be many buttons. She knows what offends or hurts Jane, and when the child sees she is losing the battle, she falls back to the Nuclear Option.
If Jane has a weight problem, the nuclear option could be, “If you’d spend less time pigging out on chips and cake, maybe you wouldn’t feel so bad about yourself, and people will like you.” She might choose to zero in on Jane’s divorce and offer her versions of the reason why dad left her mother. The target of the nuclear option could be anything, but it is guaranteed that it will be disrespectful and hurtful.
Jane’s reaction is immediate. No longer is she thinking calmly. The button has been pressed and we have liftoff. “I am your mother,” Jane seethes. Then she shrieks, “How dare you talk to me that way.” Jane now launches her nuclear counterattack. All-out war has begun and there will be no winners.
Let’s stop for a moment and examine this scenario. In an argument, both sides are trying to get the upper hand. Oftentimes, the catalyst for the argument is petty. The main focus is on gaining control. While Jane may have originally intended to resolve a small problem, within a few words, the focus has shifted from the problem to regaining power. Jane isn’t trying to gain control of herself, but instead is trying to control her daughter.
The reality of human interaction is that no relationship can be healthy when one side is trying to control the other. Jane must first learn to control herself and then take steps to mature her daughter into self-control as well. Sometimes people are simply immature and unwilling to control their actions or do what is right. When our responsibility is to lead others, we may indeed have to force them to do what they are resistant to do. Even so, we must first control our reactions before we can have any hope of effectively communicating with others.
What could Jane have done to stop herself from losing control during this argument?
That was a trick question. War is not the time to strategize. Nor is the heat of an argument the time to plan your emotional response. The battle isn’t won during the conflict. The battle is won or lost right now, when you have a cool head and a clear mind. Jane had already lost the battle with her emotions before she said, “Why aren’t you doing your homework?”
Jane needs a new game plan. One thing is certain – her current reactions and counter-reactions are not working. They haven’t worked for years. The only solution she has considered is forcing the same reactions into the argument with more volume and frustration. Because Jane hasn’t considered a better course of action, she applies the same methods to the same situations. She reacts rather than responds.
A reaction is an automatic action without reasoning through a situation. A response is when we consider our options and decide on a reasonable course of action. A reaction isn’t controlled. A response is.
Applying more passion and trying harder to make a solution work isn’t effective. If shouting doesn’t resolve the problem, shouting louder won’t either. Even if you win the battle, it’s a losing victory. Jane is emotionally exhausted, her daughter is emotionally exhausted, and their relationship will continue to build stress in both of their lives.
The same scenario may apply to a husband, wife, sibling, co-worker, parent, in-laws, or any other relationship you are dealing with. When your current solution isn’t working, forcing it with bigger emotions won’t improve your odds of success. Quite the opposite. It guarantees failure.
When a square peg doesn’t fit into a round hole, does applying more force make it fit better? What about getting a bigger hammer? If you have a big enough hammer, you might be able to force the peg in, but not without destroying the peg, the hole, or both.
So why do we keep trying the same failing methods and growing more frustrated by the lack of results? We do this because we don’t have any other solutions. Jane doesn’t know what to do, so her frustration grows and she is now driven by the passions born through anger and not a passion for doing the right thing. And to make matters worse, Jane believes she is doing the right thing. Just because her daughter is wrong, doesn’t make Jane’s reaction right.
What is the solution? Admittedly, this is a difficult one to apply, but I assure you this will work. The reason solving the problem is so difficult is because we must first battle our own emotions before we can address the problem causing our grief. It’s a war on two fronts. The hardest battle is our internal one. Once we master our emotions, we can see clearly to address the problem that grates on our emotions. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:3-5
3 “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5 “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Notice Jesus did not say we aren’t to worry about the speck in our brother’s eye. He said we must do something with ourselves first so we can see clearly to handle the situation. Stress and out of control emotions often are planks in our own eyes. The problem we are addressing is the speck.
Think back at the homework situation. Is this a big problem, or a small one? It’s a small speck of a problem that should have an easy resolution. The problem is only big because of the emotions added into the mix.
Jesus intentionally used an illustration that is exaggerated to the point of absurdity. Yet this is an accurate view of what we are doing in our daily human interactions.
The person with the speck in their eye bothers us. We see something wrong which needs to be fixed. It’s a real problem and is something that truly needs to be resolved. But we can’t fix it. The reason? Every time we step close enough to deal with the problem, the huge board in our eye bangs around and creates more problems. We can’t reach the speck. In fact, our plank is causing more damage than the speck ever could.
When we try to zero in on the speck, the plank blocks our view and the closer we get to the problem, the less we can see. Our plank dominates the situation, and soon it becomes the problem that overshadows the speck.
Isn’t this a great illustration of our emotional reactions? How many times have we lost sight of the real problem and began focusing on feelings and reactions on both sides? After a heated dispute, neither party cares about the speck. Instead, one side is saying “you hate me,” and the other side is saying, “You are so disrespectful.” One says, “You always,” the other says, “You never.” By the time the dispute runs its course, neither side is satisfied and neither party cares about the speck of a problem that began the dispute. The beam is all they see.
Remember our discussion of Cain’s anger in a previous chapter? When Cain became angry with his brother, Abel, what was the Lord’s warning? God warned him about his anger by saying, “Sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Cain chose to allow himself to be ruled by his emotions and the results were disastrous.
When emotions rule, it is always a recipe for disaster. We were not created to be ruled by our emotions. Someone is going to get hurt when we allow emotions to become the driving force in our lives. More times than not, the damage begins with you and then spreads out to those around you. There is a lot of turmoil inside before the symptoms bubble to the surface for others to see. By the time emotional problems are visible, much internal damage has already been done.
Emotional wounds are the hardest to heal. The Proverbs teach, “A brother offended is harder to be won than a city.” A city can be conquered, but no one’s heart can be won by force. Fortunately, emotional wounds can be healed, but not by brute force.
Healing comes through nurturing. Scars may remain, but we have constructive ways of dealing with them. In fact, a scar can become a blessing and a trophy of grace, but only after the wound has been healed. The first step in healing is to learn to deal with your emotions in healthy ways.
Let’s go back to our argument with Jane and her daughter. How can Jane learn to deal with her own emotions so she can handle the situation better? Should she ignore the problem? No. It is a problem that needs to be addressed. It’s a speck that needs to be removed. What will happen if we leave a speck of debris in our eye? It creates more problems, possibly an infection, and many bad things can happen from there. The speck needs to be removed, but not until Jane can get the plank out of the way. It is doing more damage than the speck, and the real problem can’t be addressed until the plank is gone. Jane needs to reevaluate her own reactions prior to addressing any problem.
To illustrate this, I’m going to use my own life. I’ve gone through this very thing. This is why I know the solution works. It is not an easy fix, but it is very much possible to overcome our emotions and regain control of our life. Not many people know this, but I’ll share my own personal confession with you.
I had a serious temper problem and I couldn’t see it. The real irony is that before I married, I was known as even tempered and laid-back. It wasn’t until I had to share my life with someone that these hidden flaws began to emerge. Let me first tell the story from the perspective I had at the time.
There would be times when life began closing in on me. Job stresses, tight money, too many home duties, and my wife’s complaints would all hit me at one time. I literally felt like the entire world was caving in on top of me. Then my wife would add the final weight that pushed me to the breaking point. She would complain about something, I didn’t want to be bothered with another issue, and she would keep pressing. I’d send out warning flares, but she never seemed to respond to them. The weight of everything became unbearable and I’d finally explode. Though I never physically hurt my wife, I would beat her back with angry words and my huge explosion of rage. I would get in her face and bully her into submission.
After the explosion, I felt a sense of relief. The weight of everything was off my back for a moment and I’d be back to my normal self in no time. Then I’d act as if nothing was wrong; however, my wife would be reeling from my reaction. In my mind, everything was justified. I tried to warn her, but she wouldn’t listen. She kept pressing even though I was getting to my breaking point. To me, this was a self-preservation measure. What I didn’t understand at the time was that each time I lost control, it made it harder to be in control the next time. The more I lost my temper, the more little things created stress in my life. I was giving myself over to emotions. My blowups became a constant occurrence and increased in frequency.
One day I had someone get angry with me. The issue was petty, but the person got in my face. Amazingly, I held my own temper and removed myself from the conflict. I was boiling inside, but I didn’t allow it to show. In the car on the way home, I told my wife, “There is nothing worse than having someone in your face and yelling.” As I spoke, I realized I had just hung myself with my own words. In that instant, my eyes were opened and I realized I had more guilt than the person I was complaining about.
Until this day, I never recognized my own temper problem. I had blinded myself to my own faults and instead blamed others for making me angry. Never mind that I was dropping a nuclear bomb on my wife for firing a cap gun.
Not only was I failing to exercise self-control, but I was using unjustifiable verbal force to bully my wife to get my way. I had never felt more convicted in my life. I determined that day to never get in her face again, and to get my temper under control. Not getting in her face was the easy part, but regaining control of my temper was not. I had allowed my anger to become my master and it did not want to step down from the throne of my life.
I determined two things in my heart that day. One, I would get my temper under control. Two, I would never again justify my explosions.
It wasn’t long before a new situation arose where I again felt the weight of the world bearing down on me. I tried with all my might, but I quickly hit my stress limit and exploded. I failed on point one, but I kept myself accountable on point two. Once I cooled down, I apologized to my wife for my reaction. I did a lot of apologizing. I can remember walking outside to cool down and praying, “Lord, why can’t I catch myself before I explode?”
One thing I quickly realized was even when I held my temper, I was only holding in the stress wanting to come out. Resisting an explosion wasn’t the answer. I had to find a way to deal with my stress to relieve the pressure. After the next eruption, during my cool down period, I began analyzing my feelings. What made me angry? I knew how I felt – the world was caving in on top of me. But what was the root of the problem? I began to follow my emotions back to the first signs of stress. What made me feel stressful?
I made an amazing discovery about myself. I was selfish. Shocking, I know. Almost without exception, my reaction was caused by my inability to order the world the way I wanted it to be. I thought something should be done one way, but my wife saw things differently. And did things differently. The root of the problem was that I wanted to control everything and everyone to fit my self-centered world view.
When I looked at the root of the problem, it was an emotional reaction to unfulfilled selfishness. None of the things bothering me truly mattered. I was making my desires the standard of right and wrong.
It has been over thirty years now, and I don’t remember the specifics of our arguments, so I’ll just use an absurd example that is a fairly common issue. I’ve seen people argue while loading the dishwasher. Some want bowls on top; the other wants bowls on the bottom. Some want to rinse all the food off before loading; the other leaves residue on the dish.
It was these types of petty issues which caused most of my stress. Granted, some of my stress came from work and the challenges of life that can’t be controlled, but the catalyst for my rage were things I felt I could control. My wife wanted me to take out the garbage now; I wanted to do it later. She then complained about the smell; I complained I was in the middle of something. She would come back and start again, and then we’d start bickering. As we bickered, I began to feel as if she were pressing down on me along with the rest of the world.
In truth, I wanted a world centered upon myself. If I didn’t want it, I shouldn’t be forced to do it. If I wanted to do it, I shouldn’t be denied. I was trying to keep everything within the boundaries of my self-centered world view. As things would escape the boundaries of my control, I would try to herd them back into place. The more things I had to keep under control, the more frustrated I became. The real pressure was caused by me trying to keep my world centered upon me. It was simply selfishness.
It was then I realized identifying selfishness was the first step toward changing my behavior. Because I had let myself lose control, I would often lose my temper before I could catch myself. I’d explode, calm down, analyze myself, and again realize my stress was over something petty, and I’d apologize to my wife. Then I’d lament before God as to why I couldn’t stop myself and look at the heart of my situation before blowing up.
Then one day I caught myself. I felt the pressure building and I was ready to blow, but I thought about my reaction and asked myself, “Is this justified?” When I looked at the problem I realized this wasn’t worthy of the emotional energy I was putting into it. This was something that truly didn’t matter. Then I felt silly for being angry. I cast the selfish thought away, acknowledged everything didn’t have to be my way, and the stress disappeared.
I still exploded more times than not, but I began catching myself more and more often. I would defuse the bomb and feel childish for my reaction because it was something that simply didn’t matter. Tomorrow I won’t even remember this, so why am I concerning myself with little things which have no bearing on my life whatsoever?.
Ultimately, my problem was a failure to fulfill what Jesus called one of the two greatest commandments. When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said there were two. Love God with all your being was the first. The second comes out of the first – to love your neighbor as yourself. Love God with your all, and love others as yourself. I was willing to destroy others to love myself. Yet if I expressed the same love to others I wanted for myself, then I wouldn’t have been putting my perceived needs over my wife and others. Without realizing it, I was learning to apply this basic command to my life.
Other than losing my selfish little world, there was no loss. And my selfish world needed to be dismantled. As I put these things away, I found that life became much happier when the world wasn’t about me.
My wife never saw when I didn’t explode. She only saw when I did. It was many months before she even noticed the changes in my life. In fact, she had a hard time believing I was changing. It wasn’t until I began to look at life without self-centered eyes that I realized the emotional damage I had been doing to her and our marriage.
The Christian life is filled with breakthroughs. We live in ignorance and often suffer needlessly because we can’t see the plain truth before us. But then God prepares our hearts, orchestrates events, and then opens our eyes. It becomes a ‘wow’ moment. We then pass through the hedge of our blindness and walk into the path God has revealed and discover God’s life-changing truth. We only remain in failure when we refuse the revelation or are unwilling to take the steps to apply these truths to our lives.
This is what having someone get in my face did. It was a God-orchestrated event, placed at the right moment in my life to jolt my eyes open to what God was showing me. He showed me my self-created failure, but then showed me a plan of escape. He then called me to begin building my hopes around His plan instead of upon my desires. While I’m far from perfect, this part of my life is dead and buried. It is no longer mine.
Many other needs are present with me, and God reveals each stronghold of the flesh as He opens the door to freedom. That’s the difference between self-abasement and conviction. Many people see their failure. They grovel in guilt and become more unstable and worse in their reactions. But conviction is sweet. It is God’s revelation of a failure for the purpose of perfecting this area in our life according to His truth and His power to change us.
That’s the loving patience of God. He knows our failures. He also knows our stubborn pride. Yet the Lord still shows us compassion and leads us out of failure and closer to Him. That’s where success lives. It wasn’t me changing myself and determining not to be angry. I couldn’t restrain my anger. Part of me had to die. I didn’t understand what God was doing at the time, but He was calling me to die to myself so I could experience life in Him. It is as the Apostle Paul said, “I die daily.” It is daily dying to my selfish flesh so I can live for something better. This is what is taught in Romans 6:8-14
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
In Christ we die to the flesh. How many things are in my life right now that I cannot see because of the blindness of my selfish pride? Many times since this event I have been brought to a new hedge to pass through. A hedge I didn’t even know held me, but God reveals a new spiritual understanding to me, and then leads me into a new path of life. This path calls me to pass through the hedge between the selfish flesh and into a deeper walk in the Spirit.
This is exactly what God is trying to do in your life. Pray for God to open your eyes to see.
I am unable to bear the burden of seeing the vast differences between myself and Christ. If God showed me all that needed to be changed, I would be overwhelmed and would give up. He shows me one fault at a time. And with God, the fault is revealed when God is about to lead me out of it. Guilt has no role to play.
Guilt causes us to hide from God in shame. I was guilty of my sin against my family and against God; however, the Lord called me to leave the guilt, shame, and failure behind so He could draw me into the Spirit and receive the sufficiency of His power through grace. Grace is God’s unearned favor toward us.
Dying to ourselves is very much a part of gaining control over our emotions. When God reveals your failure, it is a call for you to die to that part of your life. It is letting go of what is dead and to be crucified with Christ so you can walk in newness of life. And it doesn’t stop with what you know you’re struggling with. That is just one hedge to pass through.
Life is letting go of what is dying – self, being renewed with new life, and then purging the next selfish way of living so God can impart the next life-giving change. It is only when we are prideful that we stop growing. God wants to reveal the things He has in store for you, but this can only happen if you surrender to Him.
I must die daily. You must die daily. Today’s victory will be forgotten during tomorrow’s battles. The flesh will use apathy when all else fails. When you quit striving for godliness, you slowly lose ground.
God must open our eyes. And we don’t even realize we are blinded to our faults. It is as Paul instructed the church, “Anyone who thinks he knows anything, knows nothing he ought to know.” In other words, what you know is important and life-changing, but you haven’t reached perfection and there is so much more God has yet to reveal to you. Regardless of the depth of your understanding, you are just getting started.
It is His pleasure to give you His kingdom, and this begins with conforming to the likeness of Christ. We are a long way from this standard of perfection, but that’s okay. God changes us one step at a time.
When we quit seeing our need to change, pride is on the throne of our heart – regardless of how spiritual we or other people may think we are.
I’m not the same person I was in the early 90s. That’s not because I became a better person. It’s because part of me died. Many other parts of my old life have been put to death since then and the process still continues. Sometimes my old behaviors try to climb out of the grave, and I have to guard against them. I do so by standing upon the promise that I have been crucified with Christ and sin no longer has dominion over me. I frequently look back to the cross and remind myself and my flesh that the old man has been crucified. I have to be vigilant and watchful so I don’t give power back to my flesh.
I am now a spiritual man – born of God into a new life. I could not crucify my own life. This was the work of God who took my old life and buried it with Christ, and then raised me as a new creation, born from the Spirit. But now that I am born in the Spirit, I am called to reckon my flesh dead each time it rises up. It may attempt to take over, but I turn to the cross and offer my body as a living sacrifice. My eyes remain on Christ and my flesh remains crucified. I must refuse its call to come down and regain its former dominion.
The same is true for you. You are a spiritual person. The flesh tries to rise up and regain dominion, but reckon, or account, yourself dead to the flesh but alive to Christ.
This is how you prepare for the challenges you will face. Die to yourself so God can take away what is corrupted and establish you in the next step toward perfection. Your failure is not the problem. It’s resisting God’s call that is the problem. When you see a failure, it is the call of God. He’s about to do something spectacular, but you have to surrender your will and submit to His work.
Life Applications* Memorize Matthew 22:36-40 * Identify something that frequently stirs your internal frustration or builds stress. * Think about the root of the problem. What is it that bothers you and why? * Strategize now as to how to deal with it in a healthy way. * The next time you get angry or frustrated, walk through your emotional reactions. Again determine what bothered you and why? * Examine your life and determine how you can respond to problems without reacting. * Recognize you can’t control others or circumstances, but you can find strategies to respond in healthy ways. * Pray for God to open your eyes as you seek and self-examine.
Review previous Life Applications.
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Faith is not a force; it is Christ focus and how we receive every promise and the power of the Spirit.
The post 03. Simple Faith Chapter 3 – Simple Faith first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
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Planting and HarvestingWe’ve touched on this topic briefly, but in this chapter we’ll dig deeper into how our daily decisions affect life as a whole. Today is the day to prepare for tomorrow’s harvest. Let’s learn how to grow into maturity by sowing the seeds of joy with intent and purpose.
If a farmer plants corn, he can expect to reap corn. If he plants wheat, he’ll reap wheat. Obvious, right? What if he planted weeds, thorns, and briars? Could he expect to reap wheat, corn, or anything of value? Of course not. Yet this is exactly what we do in our daily lives. We invest our lives in valueless endeavors, but then we expect to be fruitful. If I invest my time and energy in negativism, can I expect a return of peace, joy, or happiness? Can I expect a cheerful outlook when I’m cultivating negative emotions in my heart and mind?
The next time you wonder, “Why am I so down?” stop and examine your investments. Consider the words of Galatians 6:7-9
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Remember our earlier discussions about the flesh? The flesh cannot produce anything but the things of the flesh. To reap the things we value as Christians, we must sow in the Spirit. Only then can peace, love, and joy come to maturity in our lives.
Let’s look deeper into this and see how to apply it to everyday life. We’ll look at sowing in the Spirit in a moment, but first let’s look at the contrast between sowing for either corruption or good. Well doing begins in the heart. We are commanded to love others and to do good from a pure heart. It’s not possible to serve God and do good works without first dealing with your own heart.
Can you produce good from a heart that is destined to reap corruption? Certainly not. We establish good works from a heart that has already been established in the grace of the Lord. All good comes from God. We receive from God, grow in grace, and then God’s goodness comes out in our lives.
The first warning in the above passage is, God is not mocked. The word mocked comes from the Greek word, ‘mukterizo’, which means: to thumb the nose.
Few of us would think of ourselves as thumbing our noses at God, but there is a significant truth for us to consider. When David sinned, God said, “You have despised Me.” When the people refused to live in obedience, God said, “You have no right to claim my covenant seeing you hate instructions and cast my words behind you.”[1]
To know the truth and to cast it behind us is to mock God. This is true even if the truth we reject seems insignificant to us. It’s the little things that lay the foundation for the bigger things of life.
This chapter might come across as a little harsh, but hang with me here. This isn’t intended to be judgmental. It’s the straight truth. And it’s what I’ve had to learn the hard way (and am still learning). Sometimes we need a good jolt every now and then. It’s far too easy to get into a funk and stay there, but applying these truths forces us into action.
The harsh reality is when we need to apply God’s principles the most, we want to do it the least. Yet to neglect these things puts us on a path of grief. We need to be reminded by someone who cares enough to stand in our way and tell us we are making foolish decisions. And that is what some of these hard scriptures are doing. They may sound harsh, but it is the voice of God’s love.
Every time I choose to neglect the word, I am making a foolish choice. The choice is not only affecting my momentary state, but I’m setting in motion a harvest in my life which will either benefit me, or further corrupt my heart.
Before I go on, let me qualify my above statement. The corruption we experience is our life in the flesh. While it’s hard not to doubt our salvation when we drift far from God, the truth is that the consequences of our choices aren’t necessarily speaking of eternal life. There are consequences and rewards. We’ll be held accountable for the life we live in this world, but this doesn’t mean the Christian will lose eternal life. But it does mean we will regret our bad choices.
If we care nothing about spiritual things, the Bible calls us to examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith. This chapter isn’t intended to create doubt, but to show us how to find confidence. The consequences of disregarding God’s word are often in this life as well as forfeiting many promises in the life to come.
For example, the Corinthian church had a man living in a very immoral lifestyle. Though later he was restored, while he was actively living in corruption, the following instruction was given to the church, “Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”[2]
His life was put into turmoil for the purpose of facing consequences now, rather than facing Christ for the consequences later. The corruption of his flesh became the consequences for his foolish actions, but it served to turn his heart to the Lord for the purpose of reconciliation – not judgment. Though he could have stiffened his neck and forced judgment, he recognized the error of his ways, repented, and was restored.[3]
Regardless of how shallow or deep we sin, the same principle applies to us. God will allow us to reap the consequences of our choices now so we have the opportunity to turn away from our own ways and toward Him. Sadly, most people never recognize the cause of their grief. They continue to invest their lives in negative behavior and wonder why they are reaping emotional damage, broken relationships, and other consequences.
I witnessed someone I care about go through this very situation. Little things bothered them. While all of us are bothered by little annoyances, this person took each annoyance into their heart and cultivated it like a cherished seed. They watered it with anger, fertilized it with bitterness, and nurture it with frustration. They could let nothing go, but everything they disliked became an offense and viewed as a threat. Their entire life was spent brooding and lashing out in anger. Before long, their problems were deep rooted and stood as a mountain of emotional turmoil in their life.
I’ve had many conversations with them and I get frustrated watching them. It bothers me to see them ignoring every biblical principle, and instead choosing to embrace the things that make them miserable. Life is unhappy, and until there is a change of attitude, life will always be unhappy. In fact, unless there is a change of behavior, it will get worse from here.
The truth is, each time they invest their lives into negative emotions, they are also teaching their minds to develop negative habits. The mind is like a muscle. What you invest in will become its strength. An athlete invests their time and energy into the sport they love. The result is mental reflexes and a sharpened ability which helps them excel in that sport. Some people love math (though I don’t know how this is possible). As they exercise their mind, math becomes easier and they excel deeper into this skill. The same is true for any form of academic skill, physical talent, or way of thinking. This means it’s also true for how we think in our daily lives.
If we develop a good attitude, we are building thought patterns which change our outlook to positive behaviors. If we develop a bad attitude, we are also teaching our minds to think in negative ways. When any situation arises where we need to engage our minds, what thought pattern do you think the mind will follow? It will be the way we have developed our ways of thinking. Everyone will have negative situations that challenge them, but those who have developed strong positive attitudes can better overcome negative emotions than those who have invested their lives into negative attitudes.
Each person will reap what they have sown into their life.
You and I have the power to derail negative emotions if we so choose, but the truth is, if I do not control my emotions on little things, I will not have the mental strength to control them on the big things. What I have invested my life in is what will come out in my character.
I had a coworker some years ago who was struggling with his emotions, and he explained his problem better than anyone I’ve met. He just didn’t know how to handle stress. He explained his problem this way. “When you squeeze an orange, what comes out? Orange juice. When pressure hits, what is inside is what is going to come out.”
He understood his own problem. When you press an orange, what is inside is what comes out. Painting an orange a different color won’t change what’s inside. In the same way, putting on a happy mask doesn’t change your emotional make up. Most of us can put up a front to others, but when stress arises, what is inside will be what comes out in your life. Therefore, you need to begin changing what is inside. And how do we do this? The secret is found in a passage we looked at previously – Philippians 4:4-8
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.
Is this part of your daily life? When your mind is idle, do you meditate on these things? Or do you think upon the things that offend you? We all wrestle with this, though some have a more difficult time than others. For much of my life I allowed my idle mind to brood on the things that bothered me. It only built anger inside and set a pattern of thought in motion which affected many areas of my life. I can remember throwing many pity parties. Rarely did a day go by that I didn’t meditate upon my frustrations.
One day the veil was pulled back and the Lord opened my eyes. I was wallowing in my usual state of feeling sorry for myself and then my thoughts shifted. I realized when I moped, no one came to console me. In fact, my attitude pushed people away. No one wants to hang around a sulky person. As I stepped back and looked at myself, I realized that no one cares if I’m feeling sorry for myself. I should have figured this out long ago, for I don’t rush to join someone else’s pity party either.
That was the day I began changing my way of thinking. But it isn’t something that comes easy. In fact, just the other day, I was riding in the car and in a pleasant mood, but my mind slipped back into the old way of thinking. I thought of an event that happened over twenty five years ago. It was something from my military days and without realizing it, I allowed my mind to run free for a few minutes.
I didn’t realize what I was doing until my anger started rising. It was a rather unpleasant situation, but certainly not worth revisiting after two and a half decades. Sometimes these memories serve to remind us of our need to forgive a wrong done. It may be that we need to pray for the person who wronged us. Once I realized my mind was brooding, I turned my focus away from it and found relief from these negative feelings. Looking at this I realize how true the scriptures’ teachings are, and what a great benefit they have in our lives.
There was a time when I couldn’t turn it off. I even enjoyed brooding over my problems and the wrongs done. Even thoughts of vengeance seemed pleasant. Yet, how easy it now is to put this thought away shows the value of God’s ways. Once we establish ourselves in the word, it becomes easier to turn our hearts to what is good.
Looking back, I remember my parents asking why I was always down. I also remember a class mate stopping me and saying, “Why is it that you always have a frown on your face? Are you ever not sad or mad?” Another church friend in my youth group once said to me, “You are always talking bad about people. Don’t you ever have anything good to say?”
I never forgot his question, for it cut me deeply. I didn’t like having this type of reputation and it made me aware of my behavior. This is why the Bible says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” This person wounded me, but not by attacking me as a person. He pointed out my negative behavior. It wounded me in a way that revealed my need to change. I doubt those around me would say this about me today.
At the root of the problem was the focus on negative things. As long as my focus was on the bad, it came out in both my attitude and in my conversations.
The scriptures give a clear path to follow so we can reprogram our way of thinking. The ultimate problem is this battle between our flesh and the Spirit. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.[4] We discussed this several chapters back, but this is where it directly applies to our lives.
Your flesh will war against your mind and seek to draw you back into captivity. It’s the call of two voices. In your flesh, you are called to submit back into bondage, but the Spirit of God that dwells within you[5] calls with the voice of wisdom. One call is to feed the passions of the flesh – including negative emotions, but God’s call is to ‘dwell on these things’ as mentioned above and walk in the Spirit. One seeks to dominate your life; the other is to lead you into the joy of the Lord.
When you are feeling overwhelmed by temptation (and yes, brooding is a temptation), it’s time to stop and remember the promise of God. “My old nature was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that I should no longer be a slave of sin.”[6]
If I try to resist the emotions that enslave me, I find I’m powerless to overcome. The reason is because ‘I’ am trying to overcome through my own strength. Yet, when I look to Christ with eyes of faith and claim the promise, it is not ‘I’ who am fighting my flesh, but the Spirit of God, who has transformed me into this new life by faith, who also renews my mind by faith. I step out of the old nature which once enslaved me and into the spirit, by faith. It is God who delivered me, and I no longer have to submit myself to the bondage of my old passions.
I must want freedom before I will leave bondage.
When negative emotions seek to take over my mind, I remind myself and my flesh that the body of death has been done away with. It no longer has power over me. I do have the right to submit myself back into its power, but it does not have the power to overcome me, because my strength is the Lord and not my own abilities.
There is an interesting life-hack that can help when we are in the midst of runaway emotions. When we are angry, or feeling emotionally out of control, our brains send our thoughts down the pathways we have empowered and strengthened over the years. Once our thoughts are racing, it is hard to stop the emotional flood. But there is a brain hack that can derail that emotional train.
Ask yourself a question that forces rational thought. Normally, we are asking ourselves, “Why does this keep happening?” Or, “Why did this person do this to me?” “Why me?” and many other such questions that keep feeding the emotional engines that are out of control.
Instead, ask yourself, “What is the best solution to resolve this?” “How do I apply the principles I am learning so that I have a good outcome?” Or even, “Lord, how do I trust you, and live out my faith in the challenges I am facing?”
An interesting thing happens when you ask a question that requires a well thought out answer. It derails the out of control emotions because they are running in the automatic part of your brain, but you just engaged the part of your brain that analyzes and seeks for resolutions.
When I say, “Why does this always happen to me?” I am tossing more emotional energy into the auto-response, and your mind will answer that question with more reasons to be upset, and more examples that affirm your question.
However, when you ask your mind for a resolution, you have flipped a switch that emotions can’t pile through. Then you start looking for solutions, new ways of handling problems, and opportunities to trust God and see His hand in your life and in your problems. If emotions try to flip the switch back, keep asking, “What will give me positive results?” “How do I trust when I can’t yet see what God is going to do?” “How do I apply the Bible to my life in this situation, and in what ways can I expect good even when things don’t make sense? How do I apply what I believe?” This also forces you to take your focus off the flesh, and turn it back to Christ where you are empowered in the Spirit.
Not only does this work with our emotions, but asking healthy questions also diffuses conflicts. When someone is lashing out in anger, and you ask, “What do you think is a good resolution,” or “What do you hope to accomplish in this discussion?” it derails their emotions, and forces them into a resolution mindset. That is much more productive than pointing out their faults and failures.
You and I can respond to negative situations without falling back into negative behaviors. It’s not easy to keep the flesh from reacting with negative attitudes. In fact, it’s impossible when I’m looking to myself. When I feel myself slipping, it’s a reminder to look back to the cross where my deliverance was accomplished. It’s the power of God, not the power of self.
Temptation is the flesh calling for me to take my eyes off of Christ and to look to something else. It could be desires, negativism, pride, or anything other than Christ. Repentance is God’s call for me to take my eyes off everything else but Christ. Turn to Him and receive His power to overcome.
This is where the moment of decision arises. My flesh calls me to submit my mind back under its power, but God’s Spirit of wisdom says, “Turn to Me.” Look at the call of God’s wisdom in Proverbs 1:
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
Do you realize the power of this promise? “Turn at my rebuke…and I will pour out my spirit on you.” What is the rebuke of wisdom? You are doing things your way, and God is calling you to turn to Him and follow the Spirit.
Stop and look at your life. Are your ways working? When you blow up in anger, does it accomplish good? Does brooding and cultivating frustration produce any good fruit in your heart or life? It will always do the opposite. It produces more anger, more frustration, and more pain.
You may say, “I can’t overcome these things.” Welcome to the club. I said the same thing, but for most of my life I missed the point. Turn at God’s rebuke and He will pour out His spirit upon you. His power is your strength to overcome.
The fool hates knowledge. Such was I. Perhaps this also applies to you. How so? When God reveals the knowledge to overcome, and we choose our own ways, it is a rejection of knowledge. When you begin responding to God’s call, you won’t understand how any of this will work, and that’s okay. The promise also is, “I will make my words known to you.” It isn’t until you believe God and turn to Him by faith that you begin to understand. The call comes first, we then believe and respond or disbelieve and reject. If we respond and turn to wisdom, understanding will follow. It may not be an instant understanding, but as we put our trust in God’s ways, understanding will begin to dawn in our hearts.
Let me reiterate what I mentioned earlier. When you are in the heat of passion – whether that be anger, jealousy, lust, bitterness, etc. – you will not want to turn toward the call of wisdom. At least not until you begin to mature in these ways. Your desire will first be to give yourself over to anger, frustration, bitterness, and selfish brooding. God calls, but so does the flesh. When you answer God, surely He will pour out His Spirit upon you and the flesh no longer has power over your mind or life. Yet, if you reject that call, you are sowing the things which bring future consequences.
Remember when we read that God isn’t snubbed? What we sow into our lives we will reap. This is also reiterated in this instruction in Proverbs 1. Let’s continue to read:
24 Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30 They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.
31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.
Now is the day to turn to the right way. Don’t wait until you want deliverance from the consequences.
This is a hard teaching. However, this passage is not saying we can never have mercy again. I can speak from my own experiences that indeed we can turn and find deliverance. This passage is warning that there are consequences. If someone warns me that putting my hand in a fire will burn me, and I ignore the warning, will I get burned? Certainly. When burned, if I repent, will I still have blisters? You bet I will.
This is also true when it comes to wisdom’s call. It especially applies to our discussion on emotions. If God warns that if we submit ourselves to anger, bitterness, and other things of the flesh we will have consequences, but we choose to do so anyway, what will happen? God’s warning will be true. At some point we may recognize the consequences of our actions and look to the Lord for deliverance.
While He will fulfill His promises when we respond by faith, He does not promise to remove the consequences. But this does not mean He doesn’t show us mercy and receive us into His arms. In fact, He will be our strength as we work through the consequences.
A raging man may allow his temper to control him and do violence. I’ve done prison ministry and met many such men. Some are in for murder, some assault, and many other crimes done through uncontrolled passion. Some of these men are truly sorry for their actions and are making a sincere change. However, they will still pay the consequences for their sins.
I watched a show where a news station worked with police to set up a sting to capture people seeking underage relationships. I watched this show as dozens of men were arrested. In the interrogation room, three of these men revealed they were Christians. All three said something to the effect of, “Something kept telling me, don’t do it. Don’t go. But I didn’t listen.”
That was the voice of wisdom. Now they are all repentant, but not one of them escaped justice. If they had turned at Wisdom’s rebuke, they would have escaped, yet because they refused, they will all eat the fruit of their own way. God forgives their sin, but does not negate the consequences of their actions.
The same is true for you. When your passions rise up and call you to obey, you will also hear the call of wisdom. If you turn, God promises to empower you by His Spirit. Turning is not merely resisting, for then you are still in the flesh. The flesh profits nothing and you can’t overcome the flesh with mere human effort.
Turning means you turn your heart and mind to the cross, believe God’s word, which promises you have been delivered and your flesh has been put to death with its passions and desires, and receive God’s spirit of deliverance by faith.
Begin cultivating a heart of faith now. What you sow, you will reap. Sow the word into your life by reading and studying the word. Sow through praying in the Spirit. Sow by setting your heart on the things above, not on the things of this world. Sow by thinking upon these things: things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, of virtue, and are praiseworthy. Let’s again review the promise found in Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Guarding your heart and mind is not your role. It is God who promises to be your guard and the provider of peace. If you do these things, God will fulfill His promises. If you sow in the Spirit, you will reap these things of the Spirit. Cultivate the good things of God in your heart and your emotions will then be built on that foundation.
Don’t build your life upon emotions, but build emotions upon a Spirit filled life.
This is God’s will and desire for you. Live by Wisdom’s call and be abundantly blessed!
Life Applications* Memorize Galatians 5:8 * Think upon the call of wisdom. In what ways do you feel God is calling you to change? * Determine to turn from your negative behaviors as you turn toward God for strength. * Decide now that if you catch yourself acting out in negative ways, you’ll stop yourself – even if you are in mid-sentence or in the middle of the action. * Read through Proverbs 1 each day for the next week. * Practice positive outcome questions, such as, How do I resolve this problem, or How do I handle this in a way that builds me up in faith? * Review the previous Life Applications.
[1] Psalm 50
[2] 1 Corinthians 5:5
[3] 2 Corinthians 2
[4] Galatians 5:24
[5] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[6] Romans 6:6
The post Ch10 Planting and Harvesting – Promise of a Sound Mind Audio Book first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Ch09 of Simple Faith Many believers struggle with how God views them, often fearing His anger when they fail to achieve perfection. They perceive an angry God based on their own feelings or religious beliefs. However, the Bible emphasizes that God’s primary desire is to rescue us, and pour His perfection into our lives. While human effort and works of the flesh cannot achieve perfection, believers are declared perfect through the finished work of Jesus Christ. Rather than viewing God as an angry judge, Christians should see Him as a loving Father who pulls us out of the sin that entangles us, carries us, sets us onto a firm foundation, and delights in leading us into spiritual maturity and teaching us how to receive His righteousness, which conquers our weaknesses.
The post The Lord Sings Over You – Simple Faith Ch09 first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
The foundation of our faith is the love of God, but how does the Bible define love?
This study seeks to answer these four questions: What is Bible’s definition of love?
What does ‘God so loved’ mean to you?
Does God’s love stop when we sin?
How do I learn to love my enemies?
The post 02. Simple Faith – 2 Simply Loved first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Ch08 of Simple Faith Discipline is a vital part of a successful life. Even so, discipline can become a form of legalism. This study seeks to find the balance between healthy discipline and making discipline into a new form of religious legalism.
The post Dare to be Disciplined – Ch08 Simple Faith first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
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Cultivating a Thankful HeartIsaiah 26:3
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
The above passage is at the heart of thanksgiving. The Bible instructs us to do all things without complaining and disputing.[1] The grumbler does not see good in what he or she is doing. A complainer has a hot head and a cold heart.
When we are in this state, we don’t recognize the goodness of God’s hand. When we find ourselves in a difficult, uncomfortable, or even a painful situation, we say, “God why? Why did you let this happen? Why did you do this? Why don’t you fix it?” Or the most common complaint, “Why do I always have to….”
If you’ve read the story of the Exodus, you know how God delivered the Jewish people from the oppression of Pharaoh. God took them from slavery, delivered them from the pursuing army, and sent them through the desert as they journeyed toward the promise of their inheritance. It was an inheritance guaranteed by God’s own covenant with their forefather, Abraham.
When the people became thirsty, God gave them water. When they were hungry, God sent manna from heaven. The Lord met every need, yet the people couldn’t see God’s hand in their lives. They could only see the sand of the desert. They complained about the food, the journey, the leadership, and the things they left behind. The very people who cried out to God for deliverance from the hard bondage of slavery began to say, “Oh that we were back in Egypt.” Some even formed a party and prepared to return back to the land of bondage.
Their unthankful hearts not only blinded them to God’s grace, but it also caused them to forget what they had escaped from. What originally had been intended as a few weeks of journeying toward an inheritance, suddenly appeared as less desirable than a lifetime of bondage.
We look back at the foolishness of these people and are amazed they could be so blind. Yet this is the picture of the Christian life. We were under the bondage of sin, but God delivered us, defeated Satan, and set us on a journey through the desert. We often forget, this Christian life is a journey through the desert of this world. The Bible says, “Blessed is the one whose strength is in you, whose heart is on a pilgrimage.”[2]
Is your heart on a pilgrimage? Are you living life as though you are journeying toward something better? Or do you look at this life as the prize? This directly affects how we respond to the circumstances of life.
There are times when the journey seems long and tiring. Sometimes we are uncomfortable, miserable, and want something different. It is during those times when we have to stop and think about not only where we are, but consider where we are going. This is why the Bible says to adopt the attitude of Christ. For the joy set before Jesus, He endured the cross even though He despised its shame.[3] The shame didn’t disappear, nor did Jesus escape the thing He despised. He endured it, not because he changed His circumstances, but because He looked beyond that to the goal – our reconciliation and redemption.
We are also in the same position each time we are in the midst of circumstances we don’t like. Though it may not be as severe as the cross, we become weary when we forget where we are going. When we forget we are on a pilgrimage – a journey through a land that isn’t our destination – we can easily become discouraged. Don’t try to make the desert your home. Life can be hard, but there are times of refreshing. However, this refreshment is to prepare us for the next leg of the journey. Let’s look at the wonderful thoughts of King David’s journey in Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
Take a moment to reflect on this passage. First, we are being led somewhere. Like Israel in the desert, God is leading us from a life of being bound by sin and worthless passions to the promised home He has prepared for us. Take to heart the words of Jesus, “I go to prepare a place for you and will come again to receive you.” That is our destination. We live in a fallen world and even if we could control every aspect of our lives, the world around us would still be fallen, and it would fall short of what God has prepared for us.
Take note of verses two and three in Psalms above. They are the preparation for verse four. God restores our soul and gives us good things and times of renewal, but this isn’t our reward. It is the rest for the next leg of the journey.
When we forget this, we begin murmuring when our Shepherd leads us into the valley. That valley can be ugly. It can be fearful. It can cast the shadow of death all around us. Yet, we must pass through the valley because it’s between us and our destination.
Even in the horrible valley, there is still peace and comfort – if we have eyes to see it. We can rest in the comfort that God is with us and protects us. As David expressed, though he walks in the valley, he doesn’t fear – for God protects with His rod and staff. The rod is a weapon, the staff is correction. When a sheep drifts off course, the staff had a hooked end and the shepherd would reach out and stop the sheep from walking into danger. The rod is the weapon the shepherd used against predators who threatened the sheep.
What should be a great encouragement is that even in the valley, with enemies all around, God prepares a table before us where we can dine and have fellowship with Him. This isn’t the time of refreshing we’ll experience when we arrive to the next green pasture. This is the strength and encouragement of God’s fellowship in the midst of turmoil.
The enemies may be around us, but we still experience fellowship with our God. The enemy could be people, hazards, hardships, or our own internal struggles. Yet as we allow God to lead us through this valley, we are renewed in the midst of hardship. We may still be in our difficulties, but not without the strength and fellowship of our God. There is a peace of God which can be found in the midst of any valley. But we must have eyes of faith in order to see it.
Stay Focused on JoyNow let’s go back to the historical illustration of our Christian journey – Israel’s journey through the desert. They truly only had two options, return to bondage, or journey through the desert. Nothing good can come from returning to Egypt, just as nothing good can come from abandoning our pilgrimage of faith and returning to living for the world.
Why were so many tempted to abandon God’s leading? They lost sight of where they were going and began to focus on where they were and what they wanted now.
There is a firm truth in this historical biblical illustration. God gave us the historical account of Israel for a reason – it is our example.[4] They missed the promise because they could only see what they had lost and what they were going through. Quickly they forgot the promise of where they were journeying to and they forgot the bondage of where they had come from.
We do the same thing with sin. When we forget the harm it caused in our lives, we then look at it as if it were a benefit. We crave it because we forget how it desires to rule over us. Temptation is a call to submit back into the slavery of the flesh. This is what Israel faced. They forgot the hardship they left and only looked at the things they craved. They forgot the promise of where they were going, so they could only see the hardship of the journey. They forgot to be thankful for God’s daily provision, and the joy of what He was leading them toward.
Hardship seems pointless if there is no joy before us. Joy causes us to look beyond our circumstances (as Christ did) and to the reward on the other side. I know I’m repeating this illustration, but it’s important for us to fully grasp the purpose of joy. Jesus endured the cross, not because He wanted the cross. He despised it. Three times He begged for another way,[5] yet He endured for the joy set before Him.
Hebrews 12:3 reminds us to look at this very example so we do not become weary in our souls. If you forget the joy, you will grow weary in the journey. But if you look at the joy set before you, endurance will come from the Lord. Don’t forget the promise we looked at earlier, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”[6]
Joy is not like happiness. Happiness is dependent on circumstances. If I get a new job or pay raise, I’m happy. A house or car makes me happy for a moment. Anytime I get what I want, I’m happy for a short time. But what happens when my marriage has trials, my job becomes stressful, or my car breaks down? Any time circumstances take a turn for the worse, I’m no longer happy.
Circumstances can’t rob me of joy – unless I put my hope in something other than Christ. Joy is not looking at what I have, but at the promises of the Lord. Some of those promises will be revealed in this lifetime, but most will not. The promise of God is eternal. Our promise is like the Promised Land God gave to the Jews. Many didn’t believe and never found the promise, but God raised a people who would enter. They journeyed long and hard to reach the promise. It was their rest. We too are journeying to a promise. Our promise is not this fallen world. Many promises do apply to this life, but ‘the promise’ applies to the day when we finish this journey and our faith becomes sight.
I’ve said all of this to lay the foundation of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the health of the Christian soul. Unless we understand the pilgrimage of our lives, we won’t have a solid foundation in which to understand thankfulness. When thankfulness is dependent upon positive circumstances, our hearts will fall short of this command.
Yes, thanksgiving is a command, and understandably so. If God provides the miracle of manna in the desert, is it too much to expect a heart of gratitude from a people who would have otherwise starved?
When did the people begin to despise God’s provisioning of manna? They grew tired of eating it because they looked back to where they had come from and said, “They are eating better than we are.” They should have looked forward and said, “When we get to the promise, we’ll have a land flowing with milk and honey.” One attitude looks at what we don’t have. The other attitude looks at what God promises we will have. Neither attitude changes the circumstances, but one acknowledges God’s goodness and provision while the other despises what God is doing.
Thanksgiving is rooted in faith – believing the promises of God. This attitude of thanksgiving changes the way each of us approach life and our relationship with God.
Be Thankful – all things work for good!Romans 8:27-28
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
What does it mean that all things work together for our good? The first thing we must understand is how good should be defined. In our human nature, we tend to measure goodness based on how we feel or whether we are getting what we want. We define ‘good’ based on life in this world, but God defines ‘good’ based on eternity.
When it comes to difficult circumstances, if it doesn’t make me feel good, I don’t think of it as good. If I lose my job, I’ll come home and say, “I have bad news.” From the temporary perspective, hardship always looks bad. Yet there are bad things in my life where I look back and realize it was indeed good. I can look back and see how circumstances forced me to go where I didn’t want to go, but I now see the goodness of God in those circumstances. And how what I thought was a bad problem was actually a door for God to bless me in ways I would never have experienced.
This is true for our life in this world, but how much more true is this in our life to come. God will sacrifice your temporal comfort for your eternal good. We may look at painful situations as tragedies, but that’s because we are measuring things against our perceived needs and desires. These desires are felt through a body of flesh that can only understand a temporary world and short-term comfort.
Shortsighted human nature looks at our situation and compares it to what we believe will make us happy. A thankful heart looks at the promise in the scripture above and compares it to our circumstances, then understands that because God is working all things to our good, the end result will always be good. The truth is all good things have their roots in the heart of God; therefore, to find good we have to be in the will of God. And we have to trust Him enough to abide in Him and obey, regardless of how we feel.
When I walk in my own ways, I can never have confidence that hardship is for my good. Without discovering the heart of God and His love toward me, I also cannot understand what is truly good.
Good is measured against God and His eternal purposes, not against my feelings or comfort. Many times God’s good will indeed make me happy, but sometimes it does not. That’s because what I think is good isn’t always good. The path I think is right doesn’t always lead to what is right. I can only see the short term view of what appears good, but the Lord sees all things, for He sees the end from the beginning, and is able to turn even the most difficult circumstance into a blessing. The Lord will also take us through difficulties in order to obtain the greater blessing.
God will test you. God will allow things into your life that will challenge your faith and attempt to rob you of joy and thanksgiving. He does so only after giving us the power to endure and the faith to believe. Faith is hoping for what is not yet seen.[7] The one who begins to grumble will not see the fullness of God’s blessing. They will often miss the promise that can only be received by faith. Let’s go back to our illustration of the desert for an example.
After enduring many hardships, God took the children of Israel to the edge of the promise. God did not require faith until the time came to inherit the Promised Land. The Lord delivered a faithless people from the land of bondage. He defeated the army which pursued them after they left. He fed them with manna and provided water from a rock. He covered them from the heat by a cloud and met their every need. All the while, God told them He was taking them to the land of promise. Then one day they arrived. Standing on the bank of a river, the people camped while God instructed twelve men to go and spy out the land. It was a test of their faith.
Twelve spies explored the land and returned with their report. Their word was, “Everything is just as God described it. The land is truly flowing with milk and honey as God promised. But – there are giants in the land and we cannot stand against them.” As the people heard the report of the dangers which threatened them, they wept in disappointment, and then revolted. They refused to cross the river because of the hardships and trials that looked threatening.
What did God do? He sent them back into the desert. They couldn’t inherit the promise because they trusted the circumstances over the Lord. Is this not what we do? How many seemingly faithful Christians turned back because the road was too hard? Indeed it is too hard. It’s supposed to be. God is calling us to go where we cannot go and do what we cannot do by our own strength. Facing the giants on our own leads to certain defeat, for they are greater than we are. But they are not greater than the Shepherd who leads us.
He leads us into the valley to prove our faith. Those who emerge on the other side do so because they have learned to trust God in the storms of life. Those who don’t, turn back and never discover what God had for them. But all good is found within God’s purposes, not our own.
Thankfulness is not looking at circumstances and problems, but looking to God to lead us through and believing His promise that good awaits beyond our hardships. Consider Psalm 139:14-18
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
Do you realize that God formed you as you are? And fashioned the days of your life before you were born? When Moses struggled to trust God because of his speech impediment, God said, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?”
You mean God is behind my physical struggles? According to God’s own words, yes. Why is someone born blind, unattractive, beautiful, imperfect, weak, or strong? This isn’t for us to fully know, but one thing we do know, God has it as part of His plan. Just as God used Moses as a leader of Israel, who spoke before kings in spite of his speech problems, God also uses us to accomplish His purposes in spite of our shortcomings. If anything, our shortcomings become a blessing because we learn what it means to depend on God and not our own abilities.
Does this mean life should be easy? Certainly not. Overcoming is difficult. If it were not so challenging, Jesus would not have said the greatest promises are “To him who overcomes.” Him refers to both men and women, for it is in reference to mankind in the general sense. Overcoming is a challenge, and it isn’t something we have fully accomplished until we are standing firm on the rock of Christ and walking in God’s will.
The Apostle Paul had a physical problem which deeply troubled him. It was something related to his appearance because he praised the church of Galatia for not rejecting him because of it. After three times of begging God for healing, the Lord showed this was of God and served to make Paul weak so he could experience God’s strength.
Each weakness or limitation we have only serves to reveal God’s power in us – for as Paul said, “Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. When I am weak, then I am strong.”[8]
We depend upon ourselves when we feel confident and strong, but when we are in need, we depend upon God. That is when we discover true strength – when we get out of the way and allow God to reveal Himself through us.
When we acknowledge our weakness before God, His strength becomes our foundation. This same truth applies to any circumstance in our lives that we cannot handle. Rather than crumbling under the weight of our problems or grumbling against God for our circumstances, we must learn to cast our cares upon the Lord. Learn to be strong in Him, acknowledge our weaknesses, and take confidence in His strength.
Rejoice Always1 Peter 1:6-9
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.
Rejoicing and having a heart of thanksgiving does not mean we deny that problems exist. Though we may be grieved by various trials, the heart founded upon a genuine faith has the ability to rejoice in God through these trials. Once again, the rejoicing is possible by looking beyond our struggles and to the coming promise that will one day be revealed.
Giving thanks in all things doesn’t mean I have to thank God for the pain I may have to endure; it’s to thank God for what lies beyond the pain and heartache. It’s the realization that trials are for the perfecting of the saints. Through these hardships, I know I will experience something greater than what I lost. Let’s look ahead to the Apostle Peter’s explanation in 1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
What are we being called to rejoice in? The trial? No. We are rejoicing that we are partakers of Christ’s sufferings so we also may be partakers of His glory. Throughout the scriptures, we are promised if we are faithful, we’ll inherit the Kingdom of God, reign with Christ, and receive every promise in scripture. Add to that, God hasn’t yet revealed all that awaits us. But just as was the case with those wandering through the desert, if we turn from God during the trials, we miss the promise.
A murmuring spirit doesn’t acknowledge God is working for our good. What a loss it will be if we endure life with bitterness and never profit from what we have to endure. God’s goal is not to merely try us for the sake of trials, but to bring about good and lead us to the glory yet to be revealed. Let’s add one more passage to help explain one of the purposes of trials. Look at Hebrews 12:27-28
27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Many things are shaken for the purpose of proving what is of God and what is not – such as the earth, the church, and us as individuals. Our spiritual lives are founded upon the immovable rock of Christ. However, our lives in the flesh are not. When circumstances shake our lives, anything that is not of God is shaken. Anything secure in the Spirit remains unshakeable. Sometimes trials prove us – whether we are truly in the Spirit. Other times it is to shake loose the things of the flesh – for the flesh can’t remain unshaken when tried.
Often times we think we are spiritual, but we are still carrying the burden of the flesh in many areas. Trials shake these things free. The person who is clinging to the flesh will fight against God because they are unwilling to allow the Lord to shake loose the fleshly things of their heart.
Other times we may sorrow, but still trust Him as He prunes our lives. As we grow in the faith, we’ll learn what Peter is teaching – to rejoice in the trials knowing God is purifying our souls.
When an unexpected tragedy strikes, does it catch God off guard? No. He has already made a way through the trial and has His goodness prepared to be received on the other side. At times God has prepared a miraculous deliverance, and other times we must endure trials. To us who are called and following God’s purposes, all things work for our good.
If a circumstance threatens us and is not something God is using for our good, He will deliver us from it. If He does not deliver, it is something which will produce good in our lives – either now, or for our eternal good. It’s God’s good pleasure to give you His kingdom.[9] Sometimes part of our old life has to be removed so we can receive the Kingdom and new life.
Now let us consider Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
The one body referred to in this passage is the collection of all believers. We are one body, the people of God. Though we have many churches and denominations, anyone who belongs to Christ is part of the body of Christ, the universal church. Church unity begins the same way a thankful heart begins – by letting the peace of God rule in our hearts. Peace rules when there is nothing else on the throne but Christ. Thankfulness is once again at the center of the right attitude and a heart of peace.
A thankful heart is a trusting heart. Trust produces thanksgiving. It does so because our faith opens our eyes to see beyond the circumstances to the goodness God is working. Even if we don’t see how our individual hardship is going to be resolved, we still can look ahead to the goodness of God, knowing He is leading us to every promise.
One truth must always be at the forefront. God seeks my good. Because this is true, my current situation is part of God’s plan to deliver His goodness into my life. I may only see the valley, but I can look back and see the good He has already done, look ahead to the promises of what He will do, and then be assured that beyond the valley is a goodness He will bring. I don’t have to see it to hope for it. I merely have to believe His word.
This is why God instructs me to come before Him with prayers and supplications with thanksgiving. I can be thankful, even when I don’t see beyond my next step. Is it hard to be thankful when things seem difficult? You bet it is.
Anyone can have faith when the road is smooth. Everyone is thankful when getting what they want. But faith is proven when the road is difficult and the only good I see is the promise of the word. Then I know it lies ahead and I can be thankful even as I present my prayers for God’s strength during my hardship. While I pour out my grief before Him, I can also be thankful and rejoice in what He is leading me toward. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 explains:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
If you can’t give thanks in everything, it is not possible to fully experience the will of God in your life.
If you and I can live by this passage, we will do well. It is through these things God gives us the promise that His peace will guard our hearts and minds through Christ. How would it change our lives if we consistently practiced the above passage – even when we don’t feel like it? Even when we don’t understand?
Learn to cultivate a thankful heart and you will accomplish God’s will and experience the fullness of joy. It’s a promise. Rejoice in that promise!
Life Applications* Do you find yourself grumbling? Let this remind you to take your eyes off the circumstance and look ahead to the promises of God. * Memorize Hebrews 12:1-3 * Think about something God has promised that gives you hope. When something troubles your heart, practice dealing with the problem while keeping your focus on what gives you hope and joy. * Memorize Romans 8:27-28 * Take time out to thank God for the good you see. * Meditate on your life. Think of the good things which show God’s hand. Think about the times when problems ended up leading you to a blessing. Consider these things when you see problems today. * Let God shake loose the things He is removing. * Set ten minutes aside each day to thank God for all things. Name the good and the things He is using for a future good. * Learn to rejoice in the Lord always. + When troubled, rejoice in the promises and His refining process. + When happy, rejoice in the time of refreshing. * Take time to review previous Life Applications.
[1] Philippians 2:14
[2] Psalm 84:5
[3] Hebrews 12:2
[4] 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11; Hebrews 4:11
[5] Matthew 26:39
[6] Nehemiah 8:10
[7] Romans 8:24-26
[8] 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
[9] Luke 12:32
The post Ch09 Cultivating a Thankful Heart – Promise of a Sound Mind Audio Book first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus says that He hates the deeds and doctrine of the Nicolaitans. This study looks at who they are, and how this applies to the church today.
The post What are the Nicolaitans and Why is God opposed to them? first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
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A Blessed ConfidenceStop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
Isaiah 2:22 NIV
When Jesus began His ministry, He performed miracles that caused many to believe on Him. But the Bible says even though the people were praising Him, Jesus didn’t commit Himself to them, for He knew what was in man.[1]
People are fickle. In a short moment a friend can become a foe. In Jesus’ life, one day the masses were shouting, “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” and a few short days later, the same crowd was crying, “Crucify Him!”
We cannot make people into our confidence. There are indeed loyal friends and faithful spouses; however, even a true companion does not have the capacity to bear the burden of our happiness. It’s unjust to put the weight of your emotional health on the shoulders of another. It’s also a recipe for your own disaster.
People aren’t perfect and they will let you down. You will also let them down. Each of us views the world from our own perspective and what makes me happy may not make my wife or friends happy. Add to that, if I am burdening those around me with the demands of my own perceived needs, I am also driving love out of those relationships.
Human nature falsely identifies love as a relationship that meets the individual’s perceived needs. I’m using the term ‘perceived needs’ because many times what we think is a need, or what we think will provide fulfillment, is based on our perception at the moment. Perceived needs often drive people to seek fulfillment in ways that may or may not be healthy. What is a perceived need today may not be something we value tomorrow.
When we look at relationships based on what will make us happy, we aren’t truly seeking love, but self. Selfish motives are often misinterpreted as love, but love is much deeper and stronger than self-serving motives. Let’s take a moment to consider the meaning of love. We’ll turn to the scriptures for a perfect definition. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
I want to zero in on the core of love found in verse 5 – “Love does not seek its own.” I listened to a young woman explain why she loved her fiancé, “I love him because he makes me happy.”
True love is outward focused, not inward focused. What happens when he doesn’t make you happy? What happens when the beauty fades from the youth of the bride? What happens when the strong, handsome man becomes balding and middle-aged? There is a selfish love and there is a true (or Agape) love. Self-love seeks its own, but true love seeks to give to another.
When I am dependent upon my spouse for happiness, my love becomes dependent upon her ability to meet my perceived needs. When she is dependent upon me, her love is dependent upon what I can do for her. Self-love eventually becomes two people taking from each other, and then resenting one another when needs are not met. True love does not seek its own, but seeks the good of another person.
When both sides understand true God-given love, it becomes two people giving to each other and finding fulfillment through benefiting the other.
When giving love is the focus, love endures all things, is not provoked into resentment, and doesn’t rejoice in iniquity. True love will never rejoice in doing something to avenge a wrong on the other person. That can be active aggression, or passive aggression. Passive aggression is doing or saying little things we know will hurt the other in small ways, while pretending not to be the aggressor. Any time I am giving into the desire to retaliate in any way, I have stepped outside of love.
God has given us the checks and balances to examine our lives to see if we are truly walking in love. Let’s again be reminded of this book’s overarching passage – God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. Love comes from the Lord and as we submit to His word, we discover how to walk in the outpouring of His love.
There’s an important truth often overlooked and most people never learn about relationships. I believe this passage from Jeremiah 17:5-6 explains it well:
5 Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.
Let’s pause before going on and reflect on what is being said. Relationships can be a curse if we put our trust in a person or group of people. My trust may also be in my own abilities or possessions. This is what is meant by making flesh our strength. Mankind is not our provider. Even if there is a dependence upon another person, it is still God’s provision. My job is the means by which God blesses me to take care of the physical needs of my family. Though the channel by which our financial needs are met may be through my employer, the employer is not my provider. Employers can turn against us at any time. Corporations have layoffs, churches ask pastors to leave, the economy sours and companies go under. What happens when I lose employment? Consider the words of Matthew 6:25-26
25 ” Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Who meets our needs? We’ll see this clearly when we look at the rest of Jeremiah’s declaration. For now, it’s important to understand that when we look to any other source than God for our strength (be that financial, emotional, or spiritual strength), we are already under the curse. Why? The flesh is corrupted and falls short of God’s plan.
Every person struggles with flesh and the corruption of sin. Sin is the curse. The curse came by sin. Anything corrupted by the curse of sin is a curse to any who place their hope in it. People are imperfect. We all have the flesh and we all see the world through selfish eyes. We strive to overcome our selfish nature, but we still filter everything through our own flawed perspective.
The one who puts their hope in people is putting their hope in the flesh. Their heart departs from the Lord because they are looking to something other than the Lord for their trust. Where your eyes are looking, your life will follow. Try walking straight while looking to the side. Your direction will drift to where you are looking. When another person is your hope, your life will follow that person and when they let you down, it will shake you. Depending on the circumstances, it could shatter you. If they drift off course (which we all do from time to time), any who follow will drift with them.
When you are dependent upon people or circumstances, you will not see the good when it comes. Think about that statement for a moment. Why would we not see when good comes? What happens when someone irritates us? Or fails to do what we think needs to be done? When we are frustrated, what do we think about? All of our focus zeroes in on what bothers us and we cannot see anything but the source of our frustration. If you have a hundred good things in your life, and one thing frustrates you, which do you focus on? The hundred good things, or the one bad thing?
When someone we are dependent upon for our emotional health fails us, what state does that leave us in? If you love someone because they made you happy, but now that person fails to do so, what happens to your love? It becomes disappointment, then frustration, anger, and finally bitterness or even hatred.
The truth is, many people are in love with happiness, and the heart of their relationship revolves around self-love. Have you witnessed a bitter divorce? How do two lovebirds become mortal enemies? Sometimes marriages fall apart suddenly. People seem to be getting along one moment, and then at war the next. The truth is, the foundation has been eroding for some time, and when the walls begin to fall, the whole marriage collapses quickly.
A bitter spouse cannot see good. A bitter person cannot see good. They are like a shrub in the desert and cannot see good, even when it comes into their presence. The reason they cannot see good is because they can only see what disappoints. And it all begins with placing our hope into a person who has no more ability to make us happy than we do ourselves. It’s unfair for me to make my happiness dependent upon my wife’s abilities. This is selfish, destructive, and gives her a burden she cannot carry for long. If I can’t make myself happy, how can I expect someone else to do this for me? If my spouse can’t be happy in the Lord, I have no power to overcome this shortfall either.
The reality of life is if I’m looking at people for my satisfaction, it puts me into the desert. I will not be satisfied through people. Human nature cannot rise to the level of perfection needed to sustain happiness. When people fail me, if they are my hope, I will only see what’s lacking and cannot see the good around me. Or the good in that person.
The picture the Bible gives is that of a dry shrub in a salted desert. This vivid illustration paints an accurate picture of a bitter heart. Nothing good can satisfy the bitter heart and it won’t recognize good when it comes. But the opposite is true for the blessed heart. Let’s continue beyond God’s warning in Jeremiah 17 and see the promise.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Is there a greater picture of true satisfaction? Years ago we had a severe drought where I live. It didn’t rain for a couple of months, and the hot summer heat parched what little moisture was left in the ground. I took a walk in a national park and saw the dry trees shedding their leaves. It looked like winter. Nothing was green and nothing looked alive. It was a pitiful sight.
As I walked, I descended a hill where a stream was. The stream was still flowing with water and the trees around it were teeming with life. Not only were they unaffected by the drought, they were unaware there was a drought. This is the picture God is painting in Jeremiah.
The one whose hope is in the Lord will never be barren in their soul, nor will fear the year of drought. The word in verse 8 which says ‘fear’ is the Hebrew word, ‘ra’ah’, which means to see, perceive, or consider. Literally, this promise of God is saying we will not perceive the drought when it comes because we are planted by God’s river.
The truth God is communicating is that life is full of hard times, difficulties, and things that challenge the world around us. Anyone not planted by the waters of God’s providing hand will dry up. Those dependent upon circumstances and people will be frustrated, disappointed, and likely will become bitter. However, those whose hope is in the Lord will not be in the desert, will not experience the drought, and will not wither from the dry heat of life.
Do you see the incredible promise of God? Even in the most difficult circumstances, you cannot only survive, but will flourish, be fruitful, and unaffected by life’s scorching heat. Your friends will fail you, but God sustains. Your spouse will disappoint you, but God fulfills. The Lord is your provider and He is your trust. If you trust in the flesh (other people or circumstances), you’ll miss the good even when it comes. If your trust and hope is in the Lord, you will flourish and be fruitful, even when people fall short, disappoint you, and even when they turn against you.
Our hope becomes either a blessing or a curse. When we trust in something that is prone to failure, our expectations fail with it. But when we trust in the Lord, who never fails, our hope is always sustained, for the Lord upholds us with His hand.
The things of this life are either eternal or temporal. Anything temporal is rooted in the flesh, but the eternal is grounded in the Lord. Trusting in the flesh is to put our hope in money, careers, or any person or circumstance.
When life is viewed through the eyes of the flesh, it often isn’t fair. People wrong one another and often get away with it. I recently read a book about a family who faithfully served the Lord[2]. A politically powerful man in their small town decided the pastor had to go. The persecution the family endured was almost unbelievable. Through it all, the family remained faithful to God and taught their children not to harbor bitterness, but to pray for and forgive their persecutors. Even when the persecution grew into violence, this godly family refused to retaliate, but constantly reminded the young children to forgive and trust the Lord.
I expected to see a miracle of God to intervene to stop the persecution, but the persecutor finally won his battle to drive the family out of the town. The family had given refuge to a woman fleeing her violent husband. Seeing an opportunity, the pastor’s enemy helped the husband to become intoxicated, worked him up emotionally, gave him a gun, and sent him into the home with the intent to kill. The pastor and his wife were shot and she died at the scene.
When I read this I was stunned. Why didn’t God stop the persecutors? The man who pulled the trigger got a long prison sentence, but the one who tormented the pastor’s family for years and orchestrated the attack received only one year in prison. What a horrible injustice! Because he was politically connected, the man who rejoiced while the ambulances took away a shattered family received a mere slap on the wrist. But then something happened.
The man emerged from prison after one year a changed person. He then made it his life’s ambition to do good to the remaining family members and asked their forgiveness. In prison, someone shared the gospel, and he finally understood the message, and surrendered his life to Christ.
Humanly speaking, we want God to miraculously strike down the wicked who seeks to destroy the righteous. There are times when this does happen, but not always. Often God asks His children to endure persecution and not to love their lives in this world. A godly man and woman made it their life’s mission to do good to many (including to their persecutor) but ended up losing everything. Yet, during the years of persecution, they prayed for God to change the heart of the man who hated them.
Which is the greater miracle? Striking down the wicked, or changing the unchangeable? A man who paced back and forth in front of their house for years, ranting in the early morning hours and shaking his fist at the godly family who lived there, was changed by the love he saw. A love he thought he hated.
Now let’s compare the temporal to the eternal. Was it fair that God allowed a faithful family to suffer so much? Was it fair for two children to lose the mother they loved and see their father destroyed by the ungodly? If we look at this situation through the scope of our 70-year life on earth, this is a horrible tragedy and a grievous injustice. What kind of a loving God would allow the innocent to be destroyed by the wicked? In the 70-year perspective, there is no way this is a fair result. However, if we look beyond the temporary and to the eternal, everything changes.
What happens to the mother whose life was stolen? When we stand before God, what happens to the father who served God on earth at the cost of everything we as people hold dear? Will he ache at the loss of what he missed on earth? Quite the opposite! To give up what is destined to pass away in order to gain what is eternal is not a sacrifice, but an investment in eternity. Not one person will grieve in heaven for what he or she sacrificed on earth. On the other hand, many people will grieve over what they forfeited in heaven for a few days on earth. Consider Joel 2:25-26
25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame.
This is a promise to Israel, but the principle applies to us all. When God’s promise becomes reality, will we mourn over what was consumed by the locusts of the earth? No. We will rejoice over God’s restoration, and we’ll see what the New Testament states, “No eye has seen nor ear heard what God has in store for those who love Him.” Or as the Apostle Paul stated, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
What lies ahead is not worthy to even be compared to this life; therefore, what we lose is nothing. It’s not even worth considering. But we have to have an eternal perspective to see this truth. We can’t see this unless our lives are looking through the lens of eternity instead of through the eyes of this temporary life.
What problems are you enduring? What wrongs have been done to you? What sacrifices are you forced to endure – or are being called to make?
We get angry and bitter at people and God, and this is because we are looking at life through the trust we have in the flesh. We can’t see the good of God’s will because we focus on the temporal good our flesh demands. I say good in the fleshly sense, but in truth, God is the only provider of good. We think pleasure is good, wealth is good, relationships are good, etc. While these things have their place, they are a poor substitute for the good of eternity.
When we have to endure hardships, if our trust is in the flesh (the things which make us happy in this life) we cannot see when true good comes. Jesus said, “He who loves his life will lose it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” To hate our life in this world doesn’t mean we despise life or ourselves. It means we don’t consider our life in this world worthy to be compared to what lies ahead. It’s to be willing to endure difficulties, persecutions, problems, and loss in light of God’s perfect will and the kingdom we will inherit.
It’s the Lord who promised that all things work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes.
Do I truly believe this? If so, I’ll put my trust in God’s purposes and the good behind it rather than in people, things, and circumstances. This promise is to those who are walking according to God’s purposes; therefore, we must seek to know God and look for His will over our own. This is a lifelong process and is something we have to daily seek.
Today’s victory won’t be tomorrow’s triumph. Each day is a new willful choice to surrender and walk in God’s purposes. Each situation we face is a choice to seek God’s will, or focus on the desires and preservation of our flesh.
To seek our own pleasure makes happiness and joy dependent upon what we can gain. We would then be required to control our circumstances in order to find joy. Since it’s impossible to control every circumstance, joy will always be just out of reach.
When we seek God’s will, He becomes our reward and our satisfaction. Only then do we have the promise, “You prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” and, “You give me to drink from the river of Your pleasures.” The Bible says when God blesses, He adds no sorrow with it.[3] God’s pleasure never includes regret or consequences. However, the true promise is what lies at the end of this journey.
The blessed confidence is in those who say, “Not my will, but Yours.” Anything outside of God’s will leads us to the parched places in the wilderness. Do not allow people to be your source for happiness. Enjoy relationships through God, not outside of Him. Then love others without conditions. Let’s conclude this chapter with Proverbs 11:24
There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.
How true this proverb is in relationships. The person who seeks love often lacks it. Emotionally needy people are takers, yet they are never fulfilled. They often fall into emotional poverty. The person who takes the love God has poured out into their hearts (see Romans 5:5) and scatters it into the lives of those around them, will increase with more than they have given.
Love is the thing which grows more abundantly as it is given away. But it becomes scarce as we take it from others. Love isn’t a treasure protected within the heart, but a fountain which must flow outward. Love is something given to us by God’s grace. Just as He expresses love toward us while we are at odds with Him[4], we also must give His love to others – both to those who deserve it and those who do not. Hoarded love stagnates into self-centeredness, but love given away returns in abundance.
In this assurance from God we find our blessed confidence.
Life Applications* Memorize 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 * Evaluate how you define love against the passage above. * Consider the ways you have withheld love in your relationships. What happens when love is conditional? * Identify relationships that are lacking in love as God has defined it. Plan ways to show love without requiring anything in return. * Pray for the power to give with no other motivation than to express faith in God’s commands and promises. * Review Life Applications from previous chapters.
[1] John 2:22-25
[2] The Devil in Pew Number Seven
[3] Proverbs 10:22
[4] Romans 5:8-10
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Is Unforgiveness ever Justified?When the topic of forgiveness comes up, people often ask, “What if the other person refuses to apologize? Do I still have to forgive them?” Sometimes people wrong us but are not sorry. The Bible says if someone asks for forgiveness we must forgive, but what if they are not repentant?
This is a good question and is something every person will have to deal with throughout their life. I’ve touched on this a bit from my life’s experience, but since letting go of wrongs can be difficult, we need to look at this question from a biblical perspective as well. When we stop and look at it from a wider perspective, I’m confident you’ll see why it’s necessary to forgive – period. We can’t hold those who wrong us to a higher standard than we want to be held to. Jesus addressed this concept in Matthew 7:1-2
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 “For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
This is not saying we shouldn’t use good judgment or evaluate right from wrong, but that we must judge based on the standard we are willing to stand upon. How many unconfessed sins have I committed in my life? Wrong thoughts, selfish motives, words of offense to others, or any number of other things. We are all guilty. Do we want to judge ourselves for our unconfessed transgressions? Do we want to live under the burden of the Old Covenant?
If I want to live under the law, I cannot experience the fullness of grace. Not only can I not measure up to God’s standard by my own performance, I also cannot demand someone else to measure up to performance based righteousness. Can I expect to walk in the joy of God’s grace while demanding others to fulfill the law? Is this not what God is addressing in Romans 2:1-8
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath,
Think about the weight of this passage. Those who judge are condemning themselves, for they are doing the same things. When we judge someone else unworthy of forgiveness, we are also judging ourselves unworthy, for we do the same things. When I refuse to forgive, I am despising the goodness of God. Though I may think I am holding my neighbor accountable, in truth I’m rejecting God’s grace and demanding to live under the law. I am the judge against my own behaviors.
My judgment is not because God was unwilling to forgive, but because I was unwilling to forgive. Instead of storing up for myself the treasures of heaven, I am storing up for myself judgment by which I will stand before God to answer for my guilt. And I will be my own condemner as God allows me to judge myself by the standard I have demanded.
As stated before, this is not the loss of salvation, but the forfeiture of my rewards and inheritance. I cannot inherit from the law, for the law and any works done under human standards will not survive the judgment seat of Christ. See 2 Corinthians 5:10 and 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.
Anyone who doesn’t recognize their own sin is blind, prideful, and still in their sins. If I think I’m guiltless, I’m a fool. How many times have I said thoughtless things to my wife, kids, or those around me? Sometimes I don’t even realize I have done this. Other times I have realized it, but just didn’t think it was a big enough deal to address it. If they didn’t say anything, I assume it didn’t bother them. But often they are wounded in silence. Can I now declare my neighbor guilty because he or she failed to apologize to me? If I do, then I am now holding myself to that same works-based religious standard.
What about our hidden sins? As we have seen, Jesus said, any who have ever looked upon someone to lust after them has committed adultery in their heart. Any who are greedy are thieves. Those who are covetous are idolaters. Those who hate are murderers. My life consistently fails to stand up to God’s requirement of perfection. But in the grace of God given through Christ, I am forgiven and I walk in newness of life. Yet, I have not combed through my past and confessed every sin. That’s impossible. It is my life that has repented and everything is taken out of the way when I look to the cross.
Yet Jesus warned His disciples that if they hold their neighbor accountable and demand judgment, they are living according to the legal standards of the Law. The law has no mercy, it only condemns. But we are not under the law. We are under grace. And now we have the command to love from the perspective of grace.
So the argument of some is that the story of Jesus and the wicked servant is how the man asked for forgiveness and was denied. While this is true, it isn’t the point of the parable. The point of the parable is that we stand upon grace and God requires us to love others with the love He has given to us.
No exceptions are given. He didn’t say the onus is on our brother to ask. The onus is on us to forgive from our heart – not based on our brother’s worthiness, but based on God’s abundant mercies shown to us. God is not required to honor any loophole we think we can find in His word. The issue is we must forgive from the heart, not out of obligation once a set of rules has satisfied us.
The servant held his neighbor to a higher standard than God held him to. So if someone wants to hold their neighbor accountable for unconfessed wrongs, fine. They should be aware that they are placing themselves under the same standard of law. Under that standard, they must go through every minute of their lives and identify every sin they have ever committed. They must then confess them to God and find the person wronged or they thought evil toward, and confess to them. This isn’t only actions, but thoughts, sins of omissions, words, and even wicked emotions such as lust, jealousy, covetousness, envy, hatred, and unjustified anger.
To demand this method of religion is utterly foolish. A person under this system will never have joy, never have peace, never have unity, and will never experience intimacy with God. God forgives, shows mercy, and pours out His grace through the Spirit. But that can’t be experienced by the one who lives according to the law. That person is still in the flesh and not in the Spirit.
Hopefully you can see the value of forgiveness. Not only does God show you mercy, but God empowers you to rise above your harmful emotions and strengthens you to forgive. When you forgive, anger will attempt to rise up again, but you must cast it out. Look to the Lord for strength and refuse to allow anger, hatred, and bitterness to rule over you. Forgive, bless, pray for, and do good to those who have wronged you, and the Lord will reward you.
This is God’s desire – to reward you. One of the greatest rewards is the peace of God which will reign in your heart, but this isn’t where the reward ends. Forgiveness releases you from the harmful emotions which rule you, so forgiveness is just as much an act of God’s mercy toward you as it is of your mercy toward another – and more so.
When you forgive, you are putting yourself in a right relationship with God and stepping onto the path of God’s purpose for your life. Forgiveness is a giant leap toward peace and joy. Forgiveness is not only a commandment, but it is necessary for your own emotional and physical health.
Examine Yourself.We’ve looked at the reasons why forgiveness is necessary, but it’s also important to examine ourselves and see if there is anyone we need to forgive. Begin now and search your past. When you think of someone, does your stomach tighten or your heart ache?
Ideally, we want reconciliation; however, this is not always possible. It takes two to reconcile, but only takes your willing heart to step into a life of forgiveness. Do you need to forgive a parent, relative, betrayal of a friend, or the harm caused by a stranger? Remember, God has promised healing and blessings to those who forgive. It won’t be easy, but the rewards are great.
When we refuse to forgive, we give our enemies or those who have wronged us power over our emotions, and ultimately our lives. Forgiveness takes the burden off our hearts and places it on God’s shoulders, where it belongs.
Don’t lose sight of the example of Christ. Though He was betrayed by a close friend, rejected by His own people, tried for a crime He didn’t commit, and executed by a Roman governor who testified, “I find no wrong in this man,” He forgave.
On the cross Christ declared, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they do.” They knew what they were doing to Him, but they were blinded by human nature. Foolishly, they allowed their own misguided ideas to drive their emotions into hatred. Then all they could see was that Jesus was a threat to their desires and personal beliefs. Their understanding did not go beyond the quest for self-fulfillment.
Some of the very people who demanded Jesus’ death later came to faith in Christ and found God’s mercies. Though Christ was persecuted and reviled, He didn’t lash back in return. He committed Himself to the Father, who judges righteously. And what does our Heavenly Father desire most? Reconciliation and forgiveness.
When we commit the wrongs against us to our Heavenly Father, it is an act of faith. We are acknowledging our own need and are recognizing God has the right to show mercy to those who have wronged us – just as He reconciled us, who have wronged Him.
Don’t forget that a single sin separates us from our God, for all sin is a challenge to His right to require His creation to live according to His character and nature. We are created in God’s image, but we fall short of this standard when we turn from God and choose our own ways. Since one sin causes us to fall away from God’s image and perfection, reconciliation must go through the cross. On the cross, Jesus was credited with our sins so we could be credited with His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
This means any sin you or I commit is responsible for putting Christ on the cross. We are responsible for His suffering and death; therefore, what wrong can we endure that is greater than condemning Jesus and putting Him to death on the cross?
Forgiveness is an act of faith because we are putting our trust in God to handle the situation according to His own wisdom. It’s saying, “God I trust you to make this situation right. I can only see this from my limited perspective, but you see the good you’re going to bring through this.”
In the Old Testament, Joseph’s brothers hated him with such passion that they could not say a peaceable word to him. They wanted to murder him, but when they saw a band of traders passing by, they decided it would be better to make a little money off him, so they sold him as a slave. They coldly ignored his anguished cries and rejoiced that the brother they hated was gone. Heartlessly, they conjured up a story to make their father believe Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. Grief almost destroyed their father, but they held to their story.
In the end, God blessed Joseph and exalted him to become the governor of Egypt. In hindsight, we see God was preparing the way for Joseph’s family to be delivered from a coming famine. When all things were concluded, Joseph was in a position of authority and could have brought vengeance down on his brothers. Instead he looked at the plan of God and said, “You meant this for harm, but God meant it for good.”
The Lord used the hate of Joseph’s brothers as a tool to test Joseph, shape his character, and then bless his life in ways that would not have been possible if he had stayed in the safety of his home. But one important thing to note is Joseph’s forgiveness. He acknowledged the wrong, but then credited it to God. It was something God not only allowed, but He orchestrated these events so Joseph could ultimately find the goodness of the Lord, and be in a spiritual condition to receive it. He forgave his brothers and became a blessing to them.
Joseph forgave because he took his eyes off the wrong and looked to God’s plan. By looking at the bigger picture of God’s plan, Joseph could see the hand of God through the hardships, pain, and then through his exaltation. If his anger had bound him to the wrongs done, Joseph would have been blind to the work of God. He would have then fought against God’s plan instead of being an instrument of blessing.
Could God have used Joseph if he hadn’t trusted the Lord enough to forgive?
Knowing Joseph was in a position where he could now retaliate, his brothers were living in fear, but Joseph spoke kindly to them. “Fear not,” he said. “Though you meant it for evil, God meant it for good. It was necessary to save the lives of many. I will take care of you and nourish you and your families.”
At no time in Joseph’s life do you see bitterness. In fact, his positive attitude caused him to find favor in each situation – including several years when he was wrongfully in prison.
Forgiveness is also an acknowledgement of our need. I need forgiveness. I need God’s mercies. I recognize I’m not upright in all my ways. I want to be, but I fall short. Because I recognize my need, I also recognize the importance of not holding others to a standard I don’t want applied to my own life. Forgiveness is an acknowledgement of God’s mercy over me. I forgive because I have been forgiven.
Unforgiveness reveals the opposite. When I refuse to forgive, I am declaring that I don’t recognize my own need, and therefore do not acknowledge the greatness of God’s mercy and grace toward me.
Unforgiveness is my declaration that God doesn’t have the right to put me through hardships in order to use me to be an instrument of blessing in His miraculous plan. It is to say my temporary comfort is more valuable than God’s eternal plan. It is to say, I’d rather have short-term comfort than be patient enough to see the salvation of the Lord – and have the blessing of being part of that salvation.
I cannot plead for mercy in my own life and then demand justice in the life of others. Consider James 2:13
For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
What a beautiful passage! Mercy triumphs over judgment. When you and I forgive, we are showing mercy. The other person has committed a wrong and is indebted to me – whether they realize it or not. But because I have been shown mercy and God forgave me all that debt, I recognize the necessity to show God’s mercy to others.
This is what Jesus was saying in the parable about the two servants. The one with so great a debt couldn’t see his own need.
Instead of holding our grudge as a demand for payment for a wrong, we release it to the Lord, trusting in His mercies – both to us, and to the one we are forgiving. Not only are you setting that person free, but you are setting yourself free as well. The cage of bitterness opens and you walk out. Then you are free from the chains of bitterness and your debt has now been overcome by mercy.
Let me reiterate what was stated in the last chapter. Forgiveness is essential for emotional, spiritual, and often for physical health.
Self-ForgivenessWhat if the person we cannot forgive is ourselves?
Our past can weigh heavily on our hearts. I worked with a man with a difficult personality. At times he was a nice guy, but he quickly became broody and snapped at people for little annoyances, and sometimes without provocation. One day we decided to sit with him and share God’s forgiveness.
He said, “Let me explain why I get angry over the slightest stress. When you squeeze an orange, you get orange juice. When you squeeze a lemon, you get lemon juice.” We looked at him, confused about what he was talking about. Then he said, “Don’t you get it? When someone is stressed, what comes out is what is inside. I used to have a family. I had an affair and lost my wife and my kids hate me. It’s no one’s fault but my own. I blame myself and for years I have been angry at myself. That’s what’s inside and that is what comes out when I feel any pressure.”
It was a surprising show of self-awareness. Unfortunately, he could not accept forgiveness because he felt unforgiveable, and would not budge from his desire to punish himself.
When we understand our wrongs, one of three things happen. We either go into self-denial and convince ourselves that we are innocent or self-justified, or we fall into guilt and self-condemnation. Then that internal guilt creates a new form of bitterness, depression, or self-loathing.
But there is a third option. We have the invitation of God to cast our cares upon Him, and receive His forgiveness. Then we can walk in life instead of regret.
The Apostle Paul was such a person. He was very zealous for the Old Testament law. He viewed Christianity as a threat to God, and took it upon himself to destroy the way of faith in Christ. In his later testimony, he said that he got authorization from the governing authorities to find anyone who was of ‘the way’, and bring them back to be executed. He even said, “I would hail them in their houses,” and “I compelled them to blaspheme.”
In other words, he would go into a suspected Christian’s house and give them a greeting that, if they replied to, would tell him that they were Christians. Then he would do everything in his power to get them to speak against their faith and say blasphemous things about Christ. He not only wanted to execute them but wanted to utterly destroy their faith by any means necessary. Paul was an evil person.
He had letters of authorization in his hands as he traveled to Damascus to arrest Christians. On the way, he encountered a light brighter than the sun, and heard Jesus confront him. “Paul, why are you persecuting Me?” Jesus compared his efforts to kicking against the thorns. It was fruitless and painful. Paul was blinded by that light until God removed the blindness, and called Paul into the ministry of the faith he once destroyed.
Paul had a lot of regret. When he tried to join the other disciples of Christ, no one trusted him. He ended up spending fourteen years in the desert, studying the scriptures and learning of God. Then Barnabas came to find him and introduced him to the other apostles.
The beginning of the church started with Jewish believers. Paul was never accepted by these formerly persecuted disciples, but God used this to send Paul to the Gentiles (or non-Jewish world). He became the apostle of the Gentiles, and spread the gospel farther than anyone else in history.
Paul did not have the opportunity to find all those lives and families he destroyed, and apologize. He could have spent his life fruitlessly trying to right every wrong. But he finally grasped God’s purpose and said two things. “I count everything I once valued as trash,” and “I am forgetting the things that are behind as I press toward the high calling of Christ.”
He could not fix his past. He had to come to the realization that his old life had to be relegated to the trash heap of the past. Then he looked to Christ and set his focus on the purpose of what God was calling him to do. He was in a new life where now all things are new, and he was a new creation. Without burying his past, he could not reach ahead to what God was giving him. God forgave, then called Paul to let go of his old sins and receive new life and God’s gift of righteousness.
The same is true for us. Sometimes we feel guilty, and feel the need to punish ourselves by carrying the weight of the trash of the past as if we can make up for mistakes by burdening our minds today. This is not the way of faith, and God is calling you out of this way of thinking.
Your calling – and commandment of God – is to give Him the past and receive the present promises He guarantees. The only thing you can give God is the trash of your old sins. God gladly receives this act of faith, takes the mistakes of your past, and throws it into the trash heap He is burying. Once you have empty hands, you can then receive what God is giving you.
Whether unforgiveness is against another person, or against yourself, it is a burden of trash that you carry, and until you release it, you can’t receive the new way of life you have been called to. You also have a high calling of Christ. You are invited to press ahead toward Him and His calling for you. Or you can choose to keep dragging past wrongs and mistakes as you stumble through life.
Forgiveness – even self-forgiveness – is critical. Until you let go, you can’t reach ahead. Promises are ahead. The curse of wrongs must first be released before you can reach ahead. In front of you is God’s invitation. He has new life prepared for you, but you have to drop the old before you can have empty hands to receive your new abundant life of promise.
Life Applications* Memorize Matthew 7:1-2 * Think about something in your life God forgave you of. Thank God for showing mercy. * Read Isaiah 14:12-15. * Read Proverbs 16:18 * Read James 4:6-8 * What was the cause of Satan’s (Lucifer’s) fall? * How does pride blind us to our own destructive behaviors? * Think upon the ways that pride interferes with your obedience to God. * Think about how pride prevents us from forgiving. * Repent – or turn from – your own pride, confess this sin to God, and pray for a willing heart to forgive others.
Submit to God that you may experience the power to resist temptation – including pride.
The post Ch07 – Is Unforgiveness Justified – Sound Mind Audio Book first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Often people who prefer traditional worship styles condemn contemporary worship as a compromise with the world. How should we approach worship? Does God prefer one style of music over another? Is a praise band merely a concert? Or does it have a place in biblical worship.
This video hopes to offer some thoughts that may be helpful in exploring this subject.
The post Modern Music Controversy first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
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This topic will be the lengthiest section of this book, so I’m breaking it into two chapters. There is so much we need to understand about forgiveness that it is necessary to cover this topic more fully. All of God’s commands are intended for our good, but few commands produce immediate results like the command to forgive. Yes, forgiveness is a command – not an option.
Let’s first look at the results of unforgiveness. Harboring resentment and anger creates more stress on our minds than any other cause. It’s like a weight than we never put down. We might endure the stress of carrying this burden, but we’ll never thrive as we could. The longer we carry it, the more blind we are to its presence in our lives. This is why childhood traumas have such lasting impacts. Long after we’ve forgotten the specifics, we struggle with the symptoms.
Victims of bitterness often don’t even know why they are bitter. Or why they have certain emotional scars. It becomes part of our personalities and what drives many of our emotional reactions. Anger and unforgiveness creates bitterness and hatred.
Everyone is wronged. Any person who lives among other people will be offended and done wrong. Human nature cannot be removed from our social world. This is even true in church. Sometimes it appears that offenses are more common in churches, but this is because relationships are more intimate in a congregation, and the opportunity to offend becomes greater.
You will be wronged. You may not realize it, but you will also wrong other people. Sometimes one comment, a slip of the tongue, can create a chain of events with consequences we could have never anticipated. Churches split, families divide, friends become enemies – all from one misspoken word which hit an area of sensitivity in another person. Children fight and make up, but adult disputes can last a lifetime. This problem has always existed and we must learn to deal with it. Consider the words of James 3:2, 5-10
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
…
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
Let’s first take note of how James introduces this discussion. If anyone doesn’t stumble in their words, they would be a perfect person. Keep in mind, this applies to all. As mentioned earlier, when the Bible uses the word ‘man’ in the general sense, it is referring to mankind – both men and women.
Who doesn’t slip up with their words and say things that offend? No one. Everyone struggles to control their tongue – this includes you and I. Our words are compared to a match in a forest. Sometimes one word can cause a fire that spreads outward and causes much unexpected damage.
We say things thoughtlessly that can create a firestorm, but we also say things spitefully. As James puts it, the same mouth which praises God is a curse to man. These things ought not to be, but they are. James is speaking to the church. Though we should be guarding our mouths, in a moment of carelessness or a moment of anger, we say things which have serious consequences.
Saying, “I shouldn’t have said that,” doesn’t stop the fire. Someone once shared this illustration I believe is fitting. A man took his kids in the bathroom and squeezed all the toothpaste into a sink. He offered ten dollars to the first child who could put the toothpaste back into the tube. Some tried, but no one had success. He then said, “This is what happens with your words. Once they’re out of your mouth, you can’t put them back in.”
King Solomon put it this way, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Sometimes our words are life to the hearers. A word of praise. A word of encouragement. A kind gesture.
Other times our words are death. Discouragement, carelessness toward someone’s feelings, statements that drive right to the heart of another, these can all be daggers to the soul of the hearer. Instead of bearing up those who are weak, we have a tendency to say things that add to their burden and shatter the emotions of those around us. Because we struggle with our own sinful flesh, we have a tendency to speak more words which kill the emotions of others than we use words that give life and encouragement.
I say all of this to make an important point. You are guilty. So am I. We will say things which ought not to come from our mouths. We offend and then expect others to not take offense. Yet we then want to hold them to a higher standard than we are willing to hold ourselves. I’ve seen people apologize and be rejected. “I can never forget what you said,” the offended person says.
If we were held in contempt for every word spoken, the wars would never end. For some people they don’t. For many, it’s a silent war. In churches and families the cold war rages in a never ending standoff.
Think for a moment on our own ways of dealing with words. Have you ever been offended and had someone say something like, “What did I say?” Or perhaps we’ve asked the same question. Someone comes up to us a week or a month later and says, “You hurt me by what you said.” Immediately we rack our brains thinking, What could I have said? I don’t remember saying something offensive.
We live in a self-centered perspective. When I speak, I’m evaluating my conversations based on what I feel and what I have experienced. There are times when people are offended at something that seems ridiculous to me. I can’t see their feelings. I can’t know their experiences. I don’t know what is fragile in their emotional makeup, so an offense won’t make sense to me.
The opposite is also true. What cuts me deeply may seem like a passing comment to the other person. They aren’t bothered, so why am I? They don’t know I’m sensitive about the way I look, or the way I talk, or that I feel insecure because I can’t afford nicer clothes. They don’t know I don’t feel accepted when they mention ‘those people on that side of the tracks.’
We all offend. We all get offended. It’s how we respond that affects our lives. It’s true that we should always seek reconciliation and give a heartfelt apology when we’ve offended others. However, this book is going to focus on how we deal with forgiving those who will never apologize. People will offend and not be able to see the wrong they have done.
There are people who don’t care if they have offended us. There are people who are abusive. There are even people who take pleasure in hurting others. There are also those who cannot see how their actions or words are harmful to others. These will not apologize and if not handled properly, it leaves an open wound. Open wounds don’t heal. But learning the true meaning of forgiveness is the salve that heals.
We learn to handle the offenses of others by learning how to deal with ourselves. The solution is not to change others. You can’t change the other person. You and I must learn how to deal with offenses in a healthy manner while also learning how to take care not to be the cause of offense. It is our responsibility, regardless of who has the greater fault.
A personal testimony.Let me tell a true-life experience that taught me much about forgiveness. Several years ago I worked as an IT professional. I loved the type of work I did and my performance showed it. I was promoted several times and eventually became the team lead for our department. The company I worked for had some financial struggles and was hit hard by layoffs. Our team was cut in half and we were merged with another technical team. My manager didn’t survive the cuts so I now reported to the other team’s manager.
I already knew this manager and quickly established a good working relationship. Then one day I was asked to do something unethical. I won’t go into details, but it was something commonly practiced by my new team in order to falsify performance reporting. When I brought up the discrepancy to my manager, the reaction was immediate and harsh. I was demoted from a lead position and my manager made the comment, “When I write someone off, I never go back and I never forgive.”
No truer words were ever spoken. What I thought had been an honest mistake turned out to be the way the team hid unethical practices. For the next three years my manager did everything within their power to destroy me. I was given impossible projects that required 70-80 hours a week to accomplish. Being salaried, there was no extra pay.
When I completed the project, it would be transferred to someone else so I didn’t get credit. The reason for the change, “Eddie wasn’t able to get the job done, so I transferred it to Bob from Account Temps.” Never mind that the work had already been completed.
I was given work in two cities that were due at the same time. One would inevitably go past due. My manager also put me in charge of the parts room. When I was sent to a different state to work, I was still responsible for issuing and watching over the inventory of parts in my home state. My inability to get back in time to issue parts to other technicians was noted as a failure on my performance review, but not the reason why.
To make a long story shorter, anything that could be done to show me in a bad light was done. On my yearly performance review, I was given an unsatisfactory rating and dozens of infractions were listed against me. Knowing this was coming, I logged every email, communication, and job. I disputed my review and provided a thirty-page document detailing every perceived infraction, and proving why the accusations were false. Human Resources (HR) complimented me on the details of my documentation and removed every infraction from my record, but they refused to remove the poor performance rating.
I was frustrated. I was a salaried employee, so I got no overtime, but I had more than double the workload of anyone else on the team. To keep up I put in up to thirty hours a week unpaid overtime. Sometimes forty. I mapped out my coverage area – forty-thousand square miles. The next closest person had one hundred square miles.
When I left in the morning, my kids were asleep. When I came home, my kids were asleep. I looked for another job, but with five kids I couldn’t afford a pay cut, and the economy wasn’t offering many positions at my level. I was growing bitter, grumpy, and miserable. I kept praying, “Lord, why are you letting this happen? Get me out of this situation.” When I applied for jobs within the company, my manager would give a bad report and nix my chances.
Another year rolled by and it was time for my next annual performance review. I knew what was coming. It would be another substandard performance review. The previous year I had disputed the slander and every allegation was proven false. My complaint was noted, but the manager had an explanation that apparently persuaded HR not to act. Now I was in the same position again. Do I dispute? Last year it did no good, created more tension, plus it was stressful trying to present my case to a skeptical corporate Human Resources department – a group that naturally wanted to support management.
While I pondered my difficult situation, I prayed for guidance. In my morning devotion, I came across this passage in 1 Peter 2:23
When He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
It didn’t make much of an impression on my heavy mind at the time. I headed out for the long drive and listened to my Bible on audio. My audio was at 1 Peter and I heard this passage again. What a coincidence. Later in the day, I was driving between sites and turned on the radio. Just as the radio came on, someone was reading scripture for a sermon, “When He was reviled, did not revile in return…but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
I turned off the radio. Three times in one day. Lord, are you trying to show me something?
I began praying for God to open my eyes to see what He was showing me. That’s a prayer God quickly answered. I couldn’t see it before because I had only been focused on my own misery. My focus was on the wrongs being done, not on the work God wanted to do.
It was like blinders fell from my eyes and the bigger picture of God’s plan unfolded in my mind’s eye. This was a refining process. I had seen God work in my life through the good things and the situations I understood were blessings, but I didn’t recognize the true blessing of God refining my life and showing me what was truly important.
My job wasn’t something I had control over. Nor did I need to fret over it. If it was truly a blessing from God, it was God who gave it, and only God who could take it away. This manager could rage against me, but had no power beyond what God was willing to put me through. And according to scripture, if I’m walking in God’s purposes, everything works toward my good.
Did I believe this was true? I knew it was.
Suddenly I felt a load lifted off my shoulders.
Then God hit me with something I wasn’t sure I could do. Rather than me telling you, let’s look at the scripture’s command in Matthew 18:23-35
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 “And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 “But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 “The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
30 “And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34 “And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
God was not only teaching me patience and trust, but He was teaching me what it truly means to forgive.
One thing we must realize is that sin is a debt. When I sin, that sin must be paid. The Bible says every sin will be held in account before God. For us as Christians, our debt has been paid, for Jesus bore that debt upon the cross. That’s why Jesus said in the model prayer, “Forgive us of our debts as we forgive our debtors.”
My manager was a debtor to me. Every wrong was piling up in the account I was keeping track of. Even subconsciously, we keep a mental note of wrongs and recount them when something reminds us. Jesus’ disciple, Peter, made a statement he thought was a noble effort. “How many times should we forgive someone? Seven times?”
Seven was a generous offer by human standards. Freely forgiving seven times is more than most people would do. Most times it only takes one offense to create an enemy. Jesus’ answer took the records of debt away completely. “Not until seven times, but seventy times seven.” Four-hundred and ninety times. You see, I can remember seven times, but there is no way I can keep track of four-hundred and ninety. Even if I forgive from the heart, my memory can go back seven times. But Jesus pushed the number beyond our ability to remember. In other words, never stop forgiving. If I’m keeping records, I have failed to forgive. When I remember the wrong, I am commanded to erase it again.
As a self-protection method, I had been keeping track of my manager’s wrongs. I could easily have produced another thirty-page defense. I could have produced a hundred-page defense. But the Lord shattered my rationale. I thought about my record keeping and remembered, seventy times seven.
When I’m keeping records, I am taking my problems out of God’s hands and setting myself up as the debt holder. Which also puts me under the debt, for I have decided to be judged under a human standard instead of by grace.
Don’t misunderstand what is being said. The passage of the unforgiving servant is not referring to salvation. All our sins have been paid by Christ and will not be held against us again. Jesus was speaking to people who were under the Old Covenant. We are under the New Covenant that is dependent upon Christ and not based on our performance or ability to keep the law. However, there is a truth that applies to us as well.
The scriptures teach that even the Christian will be judged for what is done in the body. This is not the Lord measuring our good against our bad, but are we in the Spirit or in the flesh. An unforgiving Christian is placing themselves into the flesh where sin reigns. I cannot be in the Spirit if I am in the flesh. Therefore, if I try to live by the Old Covenant, I am abiding in the flesh and can never earn enough forgiveness points to emerge from my debt.
The unforgiving Christian has chosen to live according to the flesh and will never be able to walk in the Spirit until they let go of unforgiveness. They are choosing to walk under the Old Covenant, where the flesh is measured based on its weakness and not by grace. Grace is still given, but I cannot walk according to God’s grace while demanding to reign over others in the flesh.
Did I want God to be in control, or me? At this point, I had a two-year track record. None of my work and record keeping had done much good. Easy choice on that one.
But look how many things this person has done to me, I thought – wanting to justify my anger. Then I remembered the passage above. I was the man with more debt than he could pay. Did I want to measure life according to a fleshly standard, or did I want to experience the fullness of grace?
To put Jesus’ parable into perspective, the man who owed ten-thousand talents could never pay it. It’s ironic that he pled, “Have mercy and I will pay all.” The only thing the Lord listened to was, “Have mercy on me.” The debtor could never have paid it all. A talent was a weight of measure which is approximately 130 pounds. In this scenario, it was gold measured out by weight. What would a hundred and thirty pounds of gold cost in today’s market? Now multiply that by ten-thousand. I don’t think a man who was penniless would have any hope of repaying one talent, much less ten-thousand gold talents.
A day’s wage in that era was a denarii. His fellow who owed him 100 denarii did have a significant debt. It would take one-hundred days of labor to pay the man back. But what is that in comparison to the billions of day’s wages he owed, but had been forgiven?
The picture Jesus is painting regarding forgiveness is that you can never repay God for the offense you have done. Or I have done. Every sinful thought, action, lie, offense, and wrong is a debt we cannot repay. The flesh can never produce good, so even a lifetime of servitude cannot repay anything to God.
Jesus even took sin to the reality of the human heart when He said, “I say to you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust has already committed adultery in his heart.” Think about this the next time you do a double take when an attractive man or woman walks by. He said greed is equal to thievery, envy equals idolatry, hatred is murder, etc. There is no limit to the debt I have to God. Yet He forgave me of all that debt, and now He is asking me to release the debt of wrongs done to me. God offers grace freely, but I have the right to ignore grace and hold on to the flesh.
I tossed aside my records. But that wasn’t enough. It’s not to just ignore the wrongs done; it was to forgive them from the heart. And what is the evidence of forgiveness? Remember the first verse we looked at? God has given us power, love, and a sound mind. Forgiveness flows out of that love and is something God has empowered us with the ability to do. Look now at Matthew 5:44-46
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
This is forgiveness in action. It’s hard to do, but necessary. Until I forgive, bitterness and hatred remain. Bitterness and hatred don’t only destroy the person they are against, these also destroy the one who possesses them. Did I want to forfeit my reward in order to hold onto debt?
Have you ever seen a hateful person who has joy? Are they happy? Bitterness is the bars of our own prison cell. It becomes a prison we construct to confine ourselves in order to get back at our enemy.
Love your enemies. How do I do that? According to Jesus, I must bless. I must do good. I must pray for them. Pray for, not against. “God, get them back for me,” is not praying for our enemies. “Lord, I release them of all wrong. Bless them, forgive them, and give me an opportunity to do good for them,” is a prayer of forgiveness.
It isn’t for you or I to judge someone’s worthiness of forgiveness. God’s first desire is always mercy. It’s God’s desire for your enemy to repent of their wrongs, surrender to God’s mercy, and find forgiveness through Christ. This makes your enemy a brother or sister in Christ. Just as those whom you have wronged have no right to demand God refuse mercy to you, you have no right to demand for God to be merciless to another person.
Is forgiveness hard? You bet it is. And it takes time to heal. But this healing is applied each time we forgive. When our mind conjures up past wrongs, it’s a reminder to pray for that person. You’ll find deliverance from your own pain when you deliver that person from debt. Your pain will remind you of that person, and this should remind you of the command to forgive, pray, and seek their good. When you do so, there is a reward. Look at Proverbs 25:21-22
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.
The Lord rewards those who follow His word. Your first reward is peace and deliverance from anger and bitterness. Also, when we forgive, we are placing ourselves in the center of God’s grace for our own lives.
The choices are to remain angry, become bitter, refuse God’s will for our own life, and suffer the consequences, or release these and trust in God’s ways. Bitterness is the most destructive force in your emotions. Clinging to it is like poisoning your mind. Yet our human nature would rather poison itself than release the debt of another. But God has given us the power to act according to our new nature in Christ.
After you forgive, the wrongs will come to mind again. And again. And again. You have trained your thought patterns to dwell on the things that bother you. Now you have to change your way of thinking. And this doesn’t come easy.
After God revealed these things to me, the relief was almost overwhelming. No longer was I controlled by my enemy, but I found a peace that had evaded me for two years. As I thought upon these things and began to see how much it caused me to grow spiritually and emotionally, I would have written a ‘thank you letter’ if I didn’t think it would have antagonized the situation.
Then something happened. A new wave of attacks came. Though I had forgiven and felt such sweet relief, all my anger and frustration came pouring back when the next wrong came along. I had to wrestle with my emotions again. I had to go through the forgiveness process again. I had to make myself say the words, “I forgive you,” and then pray for that person’s good. I had to wrestle with my heart so I could sincerely bless that person. Over time I learned how to do this better, but it was never easy to forgive someone I knew would never even acknowledge the wrong. In the end, who is better off? The person saying, “I forgive you and I bless you?” Or the one seething with hatred and trying to find a way to cause more harm?
While my manager was in bondage by the vindictive attitude controlling them, the attacks became my blessing.
It would be another year before God removed me from this situation. On occasions I remember this manager and pray for them. The wrongs I suffered can never be undone, but the Lord rewards and out-blesses any wrong.
Life Applications* Memorize Matthew 5:44-45 * Memorize Proverbs 24:17-18 * Pick out an offense or someone who has hurt you. Say out loud, “I forgive you.” Consciously release that person of their debt against you. * If you have hard feelings against anyone, take time out and pray for that person. + Pray for God to forgive them. + Pray for God to reveal His mercy to them. + Pray for God to bless them. * Continue going through any offenses or hurtful relationships and forgive, then pray for the person who has caused you pain. * Each time you feel hurt or remember a wrong done, follow the above steps to forgive and pray for the person who wronged you. Don’t allow your feelings to fester.
Review Life Applications from previous chapters.
The post Ch06 – Forgiveness – Sound Mind Audio Book first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Few subjects are quite as touchy as music in the church. For example, someone recently made this statement online, “Today’s modern church has replaced the choir with a praise band, and worship has been replaced with a show. Instead of singing hymns, people now just sit and watch a performance. No longer do we focus on God, but on pleasing men with a stage and concert.”
Perhaps we should stop for a moment and look at worship from a different perspective. When I was a kid, my father hated my music. When he was a kid, they had real music. Now it was a bunch of noise that didn’t make sense to him. Ironically, his father said the same things about his music. I look at secular music and am tempted to say, “That’s not music. When I was a teen, we had real bands with real talent.” And that is just looking at the secular music. Once you add the emotional attachment of religious upbringing to the situation, things really get complicated.
As a pastor, I faced this issue often. One older gentleman was upset because a younger man played his guitar and sang a modern song that meant a lot to him. But it did not strike a chord in the older man’s heart. He thought we should stay with the Broadman Hymnal. “Now that,” he said as he held up the hymn book, “that is godly music. These are the songs that honor God.”
I thumbed through the book for a moment and said, “Let me ask you a question.”
“Okay,” he said.
“Based on the dates I see at a quick glance, it looks like these hymns were written between the late 1700s and the newest looks to be in the early 1900s. The oldest song I see has a date of 1796. What did people sing to God prior to the 1790s?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, how did people sing praises to God before 1796 if God only approves of the songs in this book? Before 1790, what did people sing?”
And this points out the problem with the music controversy. A few years ago, someone surveyed music preferences. This was a secular study and not a Christian study. However, it does shed light onto the controversy in the church. The survey found that most people only like music that was popular in the era when they were teens are early adults. People who grew up in the 50s, only listened to 50s music. The same was true for people in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. They all thought that music outside of their preferred genre were outdated for the earlier music, and lacked creativity for the newer music. Good and bad music was judged against their preferred genre.
Once you add religious preference in the mix, this problem is amplified. Not only is church music judged against the era in which we were raised (or first experienced faith), but it is also considered morally bad if it doesn’t fall within our preferred genre. We mistakenly judge the spiritual quality of music against our experience of discovering worship. Now anything outside of our experience is considered non-spiritual.
Our feelings and preference is not a valid measurement of whether worship is good or bad.
Having said that, we should also address another common objection to modern Christian music – some have unbiblical messages. Sometimes that indeed is true. But some of the old hymns often have lyrics that don’t line up with scripture as well. Also keep in mind that only a fraction of old hymns are enshrined in printed hymn books. How many thousands of hymns were written during that two-hundred year span that didn’t line up with scripture? They were sung by some, but didn’t survive history. Even among those that did survive, some don’t belong in worship. Patriotic songs make it seem as though God favors our nation over other nations. Some hymns slightly miss the mark, and some make false statements. For example, Away in a Manger claims that the baby Jesus never cried, yet the Bible says that Jesus felt everything we felt. When the baby felt the pangs of hunger, or awoke out of sleep, or was startled, He would have cried like any other infant.
Is that a big deal? It’s not something to lose sleep over, but it does paint an unrealistic picture of the world God entered into, and the fact that He had to endure the same flesh we were born into. Look at Romans 8:3-4
3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
He was born into sinful flesh, but because His nature was not born out of the sin of Adam, Jesus had the power to live contrary to the flesh. When He hungered, He ate. Jesus felt pain, frustration, anger, and the same feelings that arise in us, but He faced them without sinning. Because He had the same temptations as we do, He was able to condemn the flesh on the cross. Crying as a baby is not sin, so there is no reason to create an infant that has no negative feelings or struggles.
If you comb through a hymn book, you would find lines that we would not agree with. In fact, if you put many denominations on the task, you could probably create quite an argument of what each denomination deemed biblical and what was not.
Just as thousands of hymns were not canonized in our hymn books, there are many modern songs that also fail to line up with scripture, or are overly slanted to the writer’s belief system. I personally find a lot of songs worshipful and biblical, and a lot that are not. Sometimes I like the song, but one word or phrase seems to miss the mark. Do we reject a song or artist because they made a mistake, or have a flaw in their theology? If so, to be consistent, we would probably have to reject every preacher and teacher that has ever lived. We all have assumptions that may miss the mark of perfection.
As I grow in my faith and knowledge of the Bible, many times I have had to go back and correct an assumption that I once believed to be true, but a deeper understanding has corrected that belief. In fact, if you never see a flaw in what you believe, you are not growing. Our understanding is not infallible. If we think it is, pride has blinded our eyes.
When we understand this, we should also give grace to Christian artists and song writers as they also grow. Even a slight flaw in a lyric does not mean the person is not worthy to praise God with their music.
Finally, let’s answer the last objection raised in the criticism against modern music I quoted at the beginning of this. Namely that modern churches replace choirs with a praise team and turn worship into a show where we just watch their performance.
Having grown up in a traditional Baptist church, I find this criticism ironic. When choirs sing, the congregation sits and listens to them performing the hymn. We never sang with the choir. The congregation sang a few hymns when the music minister led, and then we sat and watched the choir perform. Is that not watching the show? Just because it’s an older song doesn’t mean it’s not a concert, albeit a short one. And there were many times a guest quartet would visit the church and perform ‘acceptable’ music while the congregation sat and listened.
On the other hand, when I am in a church that has a praise band, instead of one minister of music, there are four or five of them. The congregation doesn’t sit and watch the show. The congregation becomes the choir. I look around and see hundreds of people with their hands up, singing out loud, worshiping God as a body of believers. That is not a passive group of concert watchers. The congregation becomes part of the praise team. What right do I have to say to a congregation, “You are not worshiping God properly?”
It is selfish for me to say, if it’s not my style of music, I am going to condemn and refuse to accept your worship.
This is a music preference issue, not an essential Christian doctrine to fight over. There is nothing wrong with a church singing hymns only. If that is my preference, then I should find a church with the worship style that speaks to me. If I don’t find meaning in the old style of music, then I should find a church that has a worship style that moves me. In truth, I can find meaning in both hymns and praise music. While I may prefer one style or the other, I am not bound by the music. I can still express my heart to the Lord in whatever church I find myself in.
I don’t have a right to condemn your worship preference, and you don’t have the right to condemn mine. That is a meaningless division, and at the heart, condemning others when their preference is different than mine is selfishness.
The issue is not what style of music is playing. The issue is, Am I here to worship, or customize things to my wants? Am I focusing on expressing my worship to God, or focusing on my likes and dislikes? A generation from now, the youthful music we condemn will be what this generation points to when they say, “That was worship music. This new stuff isn’t real worship.” God doesn’t prefer a specific genre of music. God calls us to worship in Spirit and Truth. This is not dependent on any style of worship.
Eddie Snipes
July 2024
The post Today’s Music Controversy first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
In both the Old and New Testaments, there is a common theme – we are justified by faith, and we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. It’s an easy principle to understand, but difficult to live by. We naturally want to see where we are going and know what we are stepping into.
In Psalm 119, the Bible says that God’s word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path. It is not a spotlight that shows where the path is leading or where we are going. Sometimes God draws our hearts to follow a vision He has intentionally left dim for us. We are only called to step into faith, and then to continue taking each step by faith.
When God led His people into the Promised Land, He did so during the flood season. They had to cross the Jordan river during its flood stage. God’s call was simple. “Step into the river, and I will make the way.” Nothing happened until they stepped into the river. Then God caused the water to be blocked up stream, and it remained in place until the people crossed. But nothing happened until they obeyed the call to step into the raging river by faith.
When God called Abraham to leave his home, God gave him the promise to lead him and make him into a great nation, but it was a vague vision with no clear path to get there. Look at Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Sometimes God gives a clear direction, but often He does not. The goal is for us to learn to trust God, knowing His purposes are for our good, and that He has the power to do what He says He will do. The goal is to learn to walk by faith. Whether we have a clear direction or not, one instruction is always the same. Do not look at the circumstances. Do not look at the obstacles or challenges. Do not look at the odds of success. We are called to look at Him alone. Consider the words of Deuteronomy 20:1 and 3-4
1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
…
3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
4 for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
The words spoken to Israel during their quest echoes down to us today. We are also in a journey of faith. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have troubles, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” Then we are told that we are more than conquerors through Him. Not merely survivors. Not barely conquerors. More than conquerors. Victory is a guarantee – but only to the one who stands in faith.
Our focus is always on Christ. My efforts don’t defeat the enemies of life. He has already established my path, and if I am allowing myself to be led by God, I cannot miss His purpose – which always includes the promise of His blessing over me.
God does not promise that it will be easy. Quite the opposite. Anyone can walk by faith when things are going well. We have the privilege of seeing faith’s work when things are humanly impossible. Just as God sent His people into a land with enemies who stood as giants over them, held weapons and armament that far exceeded their own, and had fortified cities that appeared impenetrable, we also are called into a Christian life that isn’t just difficult, but impossible. It’s impossible to live out this Christian life because it is not for us to do for God, but to walk by faith, knowing the battle is always His.
Jesus said that the way is narrow and the path is difficult that leads to life, and few will find it. This doesn’t only apply to salvation, but the path of life God has called us to follow Him through. It is supposed to be difficult because without faith, it is impossible to navigate through it. Few can pass down this path of life because the vast majority of Christians turn back when problems appear too great, or we can’t see how God will come through. We want to see first. When circumstances seem too hard, we want to either be in control, or be able to see evidence God is in control before we follow Him. But that is not how the life of faith works.
When the giants of life stand against us, we have the same command as Israel had. The instructions given to the Old Testament people is now the word picture that becomes our example. Those who looked at the giants and saw them as too great to overcome turned back. An entire generation of faithless people passed away, never experiencing the victory that was rightfully theirs, but could only be received through faith. God said, “Do not let your heart faint. Do not be afraid. Do not let them terrify you.” Why? Because He promises to be with us, go before us, and fight the battle.
When our hearts become weary, we can’t allow it to become our focus. We must learn to take our focus off the circumstances, and put them on the promise. When the enemies of life try to terrify us, we take our eyes off the problem and place them onto the Lord. Our abilities are limited, and the way of the Christian life is impossible. However, when we enter into faith, God’s power makes it impossible for our problems or enemies to stand. They have no power over Him, and when we stand in Him by faith, they lose power over us.
The hard part is not looking at life through the eyes of our flesh. There WILL be times when God moves too late to keep circumstances from seemingly overcoming us. To our human eyes, God failed and we are defeated. To eyes of faith, we don’t know if God will take us through the hardship, around the storm, or if He will crush our problems. We can’t put God’s ways into the box of our human reasoning.
However, we do know that God creates a door where there is no door, turns defeats into victories, and raises us into a greater life from the ashes of our dead expectations. We may find that our expectation has to die in order for us to receive something greater than what we once thought was our best option. Sometimes we spend so much time weeping over the ashes that we never look up to see the greatness of what God has for us. Consider our example – Christ. It appeared that He was defeated on the cross, but God raised Him from the dead, and the cross became the emblem of His victory.
Those who walk by sight and human reasoning will become angry with God and turn back, never discovering the greatness of what should have been theirs. In the book of Genesis, Joseph lost everything. His freedom, family, reputation, everything. But he never lost sight of the Lord. When the time came, God exalted him and his life was so blessed that he gave his first son a name that meant, “God has made me forget all my troubles.” You see this truth repeated in the lives of those who trusted God throughout the Bible and by the testimonies of those faithful in this era.
How many people did God try to lead in the era of the Bible, but were forgotten by history because they couldn’t trust God when His leading didn’t make sense? Church history is filled with silent failures from the masses that never experienced the life of faith. I’ve seen many people turn back when the road got too hard. Yet there are a few amazing stories sprinkled throughout church history of those who trusted God no matter what. They accomplished amazing things because they never allowed their problems to persuade them to stop trusting in God. Then He worked through them, and we look at these testimonies with amazement, often wondering why God doesn’t do this in our lives.
Those who appear to be strong in their faith have a secret. It may look like personal strength, but this is the power of standing on faith in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10 explains:
Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.
Your strength will fail when circumstances wear you down. Those who rest in the Lord stand upon the power of His limitless strength! Trust in His word, not allowing circumstances to rob you of the greatness of what He has for you. The victorious Christian life is already yours. Rest your hope in the promise of His word, and don’t allow the trials of life to persuade you to turn your focus from Him. When God commanded, “Don’t be afraid, or terrified of them. Don’t be afraid when the enemies are greater in number than you,” He also gave the key to living this out. The key is to not look at the enemy or problems, but to Him.
When the enemy came after the prophet Elisha in the Old Testament, he awoke to find that a massive army had surrounded him. Elisha was unconcerned, but his companion was in a panic. “What shall we do,” he asked with great anxiety. Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes that he may see.”
God had Elisha’s enemies surrounded. My prayer is that you and I may have our eyes opened to see. God is in complete control of everything. Your purpose was established by God at the creation of the world. The path and your success has already been mapped out on the narrow road of faith. God may or may not open your eyes to see how His plan has been laid out. However, you can always have eyes to see Him. Then you need only to focus on Him and be led. At the end of every difficulty, we will stand amazed at how God worked all things for our good. But that can only be ours when we ignore the call of fear or doubt, and focus on His leading hand through every circumstance.
For we walk by faith, and not by human sight.
Eddie Snipes
May 2024
The post Walking by Faith not by Sight first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
2 Corinthians 5:7
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
In both the Old and New Testaments, there is a common theme – we are justified by faith, and we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. It’s an easy principle to understand, but difficult to live by. We naturally want to see where we are going and know what we are stepping into.
In Psalm 119, the Bible says that God’s word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path. It is not a spotlight that shows where the path is leading or where we are going. Sometimes God draws our hearts to follow a vision He has intentionally left dim for us. We are only called to step into faith, and then to take each step by faith.
When God led His people into the Promised Land, He did so during the flood season. They had to cross the Jordan river during its flood stage. God’s call was simple. “Step into the river, and I will make the way.” Nothing happened until they stepped into the river. Then God caused the water to be blocked up stream, and it remained in place until the people crossed. But nothing happened until they obeyed the call to step into the raging river by faith.
When God called Abraham to leave his home, God gave him the promise to lead him and make him into a great nation, but it was a vague vision with no clear path to get there. Look at Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Sometimes God gives a clear direction, but often He does not. The goal is for us to learn to trust God, knowing His purposes are for our good, and that He has the power to do what He says He will do. The goal is to learn to walk by faith. Whether we have a clear direction or not, one instruction is always the same. Do not look at the circumstances. Do not look at the obstacles or challenges. Do not look at the odds of success. We are called to look at Him alone. Consider the words of Deuteronomy 20:1 and 3-4
1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
…
3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them;
4 for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’
The words spoken to Israel during their quest echoes down to us today. We are also in a journey of faith. Jesus said, “In this world, you will have troubles, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” Then we are told that we are more than conquerors through Him. Not merely survivors. Not barely conquerors. More than conquerors. Victory is a guarantee – but only to the one who stands in faith.
Our focus is always on Christ. My efforts don’t defeat the enemies of life. He has already established my path, and if I am allowing myself to be led by God, I cannot miss His purpose – which always includes the promise of His blessing over me.
God does not promise that it will be easy. Quite the opposite. Anyone can walk by faith when things are going well. We have the privilege of seeing faith’s work when things are humanly impossible. Just as God sent His people into a land with people who stood as giants over them, held weapons and armament that far exceeded their own, and had fortified cities that appeared impenetrable, we also are called into a Christian life that isn’t just difficult, but impossible. It’s impossible to live out this Christian life because it is not for us to do for God, but to walk by faith, knowing the battle is always His.
Jesus said that the way is narrow and the path is difficult that leads to life, and few will find it. This doesn’t only apply to salvation, but the path of life God has called us to follow Him through. It is supposed to be difficult because without faith, it is impossible to navigate through it. Few can pass down this path of life because the vast majority of believers turn back when problems appear too great, or we can’t see how God will come through. We want to see first. When circumstances seem too hard, we want to either be in control, or be able to see evidence God is in control before we follow Him. But that is not how the life of faith works.
When the giants of life stand against us, we have the same command as Israel had. The instructions given to the Old Testament people is now the word picture that becomes our example. Those who looked at the giants and saw them as too great to overcome turned back. An entire generation of faithless people passed away, never experiencing the victory that was rightfully theirs, but could only be received through faith. God said, “Do not let your heart faint. Do not be afraid. Do not let them terrify you.” Why? Because He promises to be with us, go before us, and fight the battle.
When our hearts become weary, we can’t allow it to become our focus. We must learn to take our focus off the circumstances, and put them on the promise. When the enemies of life try to terrify us, we take our eyes off the problem and place them onto the Lord. Our abilities are limited and the way of the Christian life is impossible. However, when we enter into faith, God’s power makes it impossible for our problems or enemies to stand. They have no power over Him, and in Him, they lose power over us.
The hard part is not looking at life through the eyes of our flesh. There WILL be times when God moves too late to keep circumstances from seemingly overcoming us. To our human eyes, God failed and we are defeated. To eyes of faith, we don’t know if God will take us through the hardship, around the storm, or if He will crush our problems. We can’t put God’s ways into our box of human reasoning.
However, we do know that God creates a door where there is no door, turns defeats into victories, and raises us into a greater life from the ashes of our dead expectations. We may find that our expectation has to die in order for us to receive something greater than what we once thought was our best option. Sometimes we spend so much time weeping over the ashes that we never look up to see the greatness of what God has for us. Consider our example – Christ. It appeared that He was defeated on the cross, but God raised Him from the dead, and the cross became the emblem of His victory.
Those who walk by sight and human reasoning will become angry with God and turn back, never discovering the greatness of what should have been theirs. In the book of Genesis, Joseph lost everything. His freedom, family, reputation, everything. But he never lost sight of the Lord. When the time came, God exalted him and his life was so blessed that he gave his first son a name that meant, “God has made me forget all my troubles.” You see this truth repeated in the lives of those who trusted God throughout the Bible and by the testimonies of those faithful in this era.
How many people did God try to lead in the era of the Bible, but were forgotten by history because they couldn’t trust God when His leading didn’t make sense? Church history is filled with silent failures from the masses that never experienced the life of faith. I’ve seen many people turn back when the road got too hard. Yet there are a few amazing stories sprinkled throughout church history of those who trusted God no matter what. They accomplished amazing things because they never allowed their problems to persuade them to stop trusting in God. Then He worked through them, and we look at these testimonies with amazement, often wondering why God doesn’t do this in our lives.
Those who appear to be strong in their faith have a secret. It may look like personal strength, but this is the power of standing on faith in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10 explains:
Finally, brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might.
Your strength will fail when circumstances wear you down. Those who rest in the Lord stand upon the power of His limitless strength! Trust in His word, not allowing circumstances to rob you of the greatness of what He has for you.
Eddie Snipes
May 2024
The post Walking by Faith not by Sight first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
I received a question on my study on generational curses that I’ve heard before, and feel should be addressed. My position, which is clearly biblical, is that Jesus became the curse for us; therefore, all curses of the old life were buried with Christ. This is clearly stated in Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree “),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The question posed was, “What harm can it do to go through the process of breaking the generational curse? If it’s true, then our prayers can break the curse. If it’s false, then what harm would it do to say a few renunciation prayers?”
If you have seen these ‘renunciation prayers’, you know that it is a lengthy ritual of addressing every possible curse. It is a ritual based on what we must do to free ourselves, instead of what Christ has done to set us free. But what harm can it do to go through this ritual? Let’s answer that question.
Let me start by saying that anything that takes our focus off the completed work of Christ, and places it on anything else, is a denial of the completed work of Christ. There are two specific examples in the New Testament that address this very question. The Bible does not pull any punches on this question.
Let’s look at the most blatant of these examples. The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrew (or Jewish) Christian. These believers had come out of the law, and were now putting their faith in Christ. One thing the Bible makes clear is that all the Old Testament rituals were ordinances that pointed to the coming work of Christ. The Bible calls them shadows or images of the true work of God – Jesus Christ. Once Christ had come, there was no longer a need for the shadow that pointed to Him. In fact, to worship in the shadow was now sin, for it was a denial of God’s final provision.
These new Jewish believers were under pressure to continue worshipping through the shadow. They were being treated as if they were disobedient to God because they no longer participated in the sacrifices of the Passover lamb. This was the main feast the Jews celebrated. Not keeping the traditions of Moses was looked upon as a violation. Many leaders began teaching others that it was fine to trust in Christ, but they must also keep the law as well. This became a point of contention that we see in the book of Acts. Abstaining from this feast put them at odds with those who still held to the Old Testament traditions. Therefore, some Christians began compromising. What would it hurt? They would trust in Jesus, and also do the sacrifice that pointed to Him. That way they could cover both sides – just in case. Look at how the Bible addresses this in Galatians 5:4
You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
This wasn’t considered acceptable. Hebrews 10 treats this in the same way. To those who hedged their bets between the old law and the new covenant of grace by participating in the sacrifice, were harshly rebuked. This chapter says that there remains no more sacrifice for sin, but now they are only gaining a fearful expectation of judgment. In fact, the Bible calls this a ‘willful sin’ to participate in an ordinance that denies Christ’s finished work.
Then the issue came up about circumcision. This became a point of contention among the non-Jewish Christians. The Gentile people were never under the law, but many Christians who came out of the law were teaching them that they had to trust in Jesus, plus keep this ordinance of the law. Their thinking was also, “What would it hurt?” They were being taught that this ordinance was necessary in order to be fully under God’s blessing. Why not just do it to be on the safe side? Let’s let the Bible answer this. Look at Galatians 5:2-3:
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
In their attempt to follow this erroneous teaching thinking they were earning a blessing, they were actually stepping outside of the blessed life. Once they decided to step into human effort-based religion, they were stepping out of the blessed life. Christ now profits nothing. Instead of finding freedom, they put themselves under the debt of the law – a law they had never been under before. When these teachers came in, the Apostle Paul stood against them. He said, “We didn’t give them submission – not even for one hour.”
And what they were dealing with was actually in the Bible. It was a misinterpretation of the Bible and a lack of understanding of the complete work of Christ, but at least they could point to the Old Testament. The generational curse ritual is not even remotely biblical.
One of the complaints the apostles leveled against legalistic teaching (such as circumcision and keeping the law) was that it was a false teaching that put people under bondage. We were called into freedom. Jesus said, when He makes us free, we are free indeed. He has broken every chain and released us from the bondage of the flesh, and the sin which controlled it. These teachers were empowering sin and the flesh. They were teaching things that would make people debtors of the very sin that Jesus died to free them from.
The generational curse teaching does this very thing. The ritual I was sent with this question has dozens and dozens of prayers that must be declared. What if something is missed or said wrong? What if this person didn’t think of every curse? Some teach that we must confess the sins of our fathers and forefathers. We can’t remember our own sins, much less can we think of every possible sin our ancestors committed. Another form of this teaching says that if we had any previous relationships, we are bound to that person’s curse unless we go through the process of breaking that spiritual tie with the other person. This is nothing but bondage and trusting in our efforts instead of Christ.
Now let’s look at why the generational curse is impossible. Let’s start with what I previously referenced – John 8:36
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Do we think we know more than Christ? Are we going to say, “No, no, Jesus. We are free from everything except the generational curse? I have to do what you failed to complete?” Let’s look at three more passages from three different books of the Bible that explain why the curse cannot be in the new life of faith. Look again at Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree “),
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
You have been redeemed from the curse of the law through Christ. I don’t see anywhere in this passage that says, ‘you have been redeemed from the curses you confess or renounce’. Jesus became the curse for you, and you enter the blessed life through Him. The curse is of the flesh and cannot enter the life of the Spirit. The curse cannot go where the blessing has been established. You can only be lured out of faith and back into the flesh. You either receive the promise through the Spirit by faith, or step out of faith by disbelief, and willfully enter into the flesh and claim the curse.
This is what you are doing when you turn to a ritualistic curse breaking attempt. You are claiming the curse, and then trying to eradicate what God has already removed.
One of the problems is that Christians do not understand that they are no longer of the flesh. All sin was bound to your old life, and that was buried with Christ. Why then, do we dig into that grave and try to resurrect the flesh so we can try to fix that dead corpse. The old man is dead and buried. No one should be doing surgery on a buried corpse. Carefully read Colossians 2:11-15
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
The reason circumcision became a sin after Christ is that it was a foreshadow of the true circumcision. The image of circumcision was that the flesh was cut away from a male child so he could enter into God’s promise. It was given as a word-picture through the physical act of circumcision, but this was just an illustration and not the real thing. Now that Christ has removed all the written requirements of the law that condemned us, and then taken the sin that the law revealed in us upon Himself, He nailed it to the cross. But that is not all He nailed to the cross. He also took upon Himself our sinful flesh. When we enter Christ’s work by faith, the Spirit circumcises away our old nature. The fleshly nature is cut out of us, so that a new nature can be given to us. That old flesh (old man) is taken away, when we enter into Christ by faith.
The curse can only be applied to the old nature. So are we going to declare our disbelief in this work and say, “No Jesus. I have to dig up that old, cursed nature and try to fix it. You shouldn’t have buried it. I need to revive it?”
Of course we would never say that like this, but we are making this declaration when we try to un-curse the fleshly nature He has removed and nailed to His cross. You have a new nature that cannot be cursed. Look at 2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
How many things have become new? All? Do we believe the promise, “Now all things are of God?” Or do we say, all things are of God except the curses we want to fix ourselves? Has God given us the ministry of calling others into the reconciliation of Christ that transformed us from the flesh to the Spirit? Or are we going to push grace aside and follow the ministry of the generational curse? Either Christ has reconciled all things, redeemed all things, and made all things new, or He has not.
Like the first century church, we must decide if we are going to believe in the completed work of Christ, or push grace aside and follow religions and teachings that depend on what we do instead of what Christ has done. Either our faith will be in Christ, or in our works. There is no middle ground. Once we trust in works, we are debtors to do all of the law and try to fix the curse of sin by human effort. As the Bible says to those who fell into this trap, it says to us today, “You who try to be justified by your efforts, you have fallen from grace.”
Anything that isn’t received by the Spirit through faith in what Christ has already done, is an act of the flesh and can never inherit the promise. So, what do we do if we have fallen from grace? Turn our hearts back to grace. Live according to the promise that all things are gifts of grace received through faith. Stop looking at your personal efforts. Stop looking at any religious teaching that makes the promise dependent upon you. Trust in Him, not religion or human effort. As the Bible says, it is either by grace or by works. There is no mixture between these two.
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post What Harm Can It Cause? first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Bible reading and Bible study is important, because if we don’t know what the Bible teaches, we can’t benefit from it. However, knowledge alone does not give us understanding. We all have the power to gather knowledge, but we are dependent upon God to reveal Himself to us through the word. Knowledge alone does not change our hearts. In fact, the Bible warns us that knowledge alone puffs us up with pride (1 Corinthians 8:1).
One of the meanest people I ever met loved to beat people up with Bible verses. He could always find a way to condemn anyone with an out of context scripture. Anyone who has been around the church for long has probably seen someone who tries to use the Bible for self-gain, self-justification, or self-glorification.
This isn’t too surprising. The Bible warns us that the flesh cannot understand the truth of God. This is especially true for the deeper revelations of the Spirit. Look at 1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The natural mind is human reasoning, and human reasoning is based on the flesh and not the Spirit. Galatians 5 warns that the flesh has intense desires that are contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit’s desires are intensely opposed to the flesh. These two are at war and can never be joined. The flesh can be brought under subjection to the Spirit, but it can never do the work of the Spirit, nor can it discern the word of God. The flesh will always twist the scriptures and our thinking to fulfill the desires of the flesh. Therefore, if we are approaching the Bible through human reasoning, we are crippling our understanding.
Human reasoning can grasp simple things like don’t steal, don’t kill, and surface understanding of basic scriptures. But it cannot grasp the life-changing power of the word. That can only come by revelation. God has to open our eyes to see and minds to understand. When this happens, it becomes life to our soul, and joy to our hearts.
King David, who wrote most of the Psalms, rejoice at God’s revelations to him saying that God has caused him to excel in his discernment more than his teachers, and has gained more understanding than his forefathers. This has caused him to be wiser than any who opposed him, and caused him to resist sin and go in the right way.
He received teaching about the word, but there came a point in time when he outgrew his teachers. I once had a church leader tell me that no one can grow beyond the teachers they allow to become their covering. Thank God, that isn’t true. One of the great promises we have is that we shall be taught of God. Many times I have finished my time of study and said, “Wow. I’ve learned things I have never been taught.” Sometimes God adds something to my understanding that clarifies what I have been taught in a deeper way. I love the way the Apostle Paul states it. “Anyone who thinks he knows anything, knows nothing that he ought to know.” In other words, we will never reach the point where we can say we are masters of the word. No matter how much we know, we are just beginning to discover the treasures God has hidden for us to find.
Though knowledge puffs up pride, the Bible says that love takes that knowledge and turns it into edification. In other words, it builds up what the flesh tries to dismantle and reshape into pride. Pride says, “Look what I know”, but the one standing upon God’s love says, “Look what God has given to me. I want to share that with someone else.”
Ironically, pride has a broken piece of understanding, but the missing pieces are provided by the revelation of God’s love. The one who rightly studies the word comes to the Bible with the understanding that they are completely dependent upon God’s revelation, and the confidence that God loves them enough to lead them into the treasures of His knowledge. They study with expectation.
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible speaks about the mystery of God hidden from the foundation of the world. Along with this, we are told that these mysteries have been revealed to us through the Spirit. We stand upon the promise that you and I have ‘the mind of Christ’, and that through this, we can know all things. Yet these are not revealed at once, but are revealed as we are able to receive it – and as we seek it.
The book of Proverbs says that wisdom is hidden deep in the heart of man, but a man of understanding will draw it out. When we bring this truth into what the Bible teaches us about our faith, we can get a clearer picture. The Bible says that when we come to Christ, we are given a new spirit, AND God places His Holy Spirit within us. That is how we have the mind of Christ. God’s Spirit speaks to our spirit to reveal the understanding of the word. As we seek His understanding, God begins revealing these things to us, and then that flows into our mind, which then affects our understanding and daily walk of life. That is why we quiet ourselves from the world, and prayerfully study the word, looking to Him for understanding.
This is why mere Bible reading and getting your daily tasks out of the way does little to grow us. We aren’t just reading – we are seeking. Jesus promised that if you seek, you will find, ask and it will be given. There has to be time to invest our lives into seeking Him. That requires quieting the world from our minds, stepping away from the busyness of life, and seeking Him.
You have the Spirit, who is eager to reveal deeper things of God to you. You have the mind of Christ. You have the promise that God reveals these things to you. The man or woman of faith has the assurance that these things are already theirs, so they dig into the word to find it, and then have the understanding that God’s revelation has been prepared for us, and is ready to be drawn out, so they are teachable by God. Sometimes we have to ask God to teach us. Sometimes that starts with, ‘Teach me how to draw out the understanding. Teach me how to seek. Teach me how to quiet myself from the world.’
It takes time, but it begins with small steps of faith. It is yours to receive if you ask God to reveal Himself to you through His word. Don’t seek mere knowledge, but understanding.
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post Knowledge vs. Revelation first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Deuteronomy 7:
16 “And you shall destroy all the peoples whom the LORD your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.
To some, this proclamation seems a bit harsh. Why would God order His people to completely destroy the nations and claim the land God promised to Abraham. Does this seem cruel?
As with many parts of the Bible, we have to dig below the surface to understand what is going on. The first indication of this coming event was given to Abraham in the book of Genesis. God swore to Abraham that the land he stood on would be the possession of his descendants forever; however, there would be a four-hundred-year delay. Look at Genesis 15:13 and 16:
13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
…
16 “But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
God was not going to remove the people in the land for another four-hundred years because ‘their iniquity was not yet complete’. In other words, Abraham’s inheritance was going to be given at the same time the current inhabitants are judged.
What we often don’t see in retrospect is that the world was very superstitious back then, and they formed very cruel religions. This region was known for having very demonic type religious practices. God’s people could not cohabitate with the people because they would be drawn into idolatry. If they allowed them to remain, the people would be lured into the same idolatrous practices. Practices that were more cruel than God’s jusgement.
This had already happened twice along the journey to the Promised Land. In Exodus 32, when Moses was gone for 40 days in the mountain of God, the people thought he was lost forever. So, they turned back to the gods they had seen worshipped in Egypt. They built two golden calves and had a pagan ritual. They unclothed themselves and threw off all moral restraint. A similar thing happened in Numbers 25. The women of the land used sexuality to lure the young men into idolatry and pagan worship.
Now the nation was on the edge of the Promised Land. They had already fallen, and there were much worse practices these nations participated in. Look at 2 Kings 17:31
The Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
These religions were so demonic that they would sacrifice their children to the gods they worshipped. God sent prophets to warn the people until the time when all the land was corrupted and had to be driven out. Eventually, Israel’s kings would welcome in these same cruel rituals they observed from other nations. This is when God judged Israel and drove them out of the Promised Land.
It may seem harsh that God seemed merciless to the people Israel was commanded to drive out, but it was to bring an end to these types of pagan practices. In those days, they did not have the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Even with the Holy Spirit guiding believers today, we still see the church drifting into the world when they neglect the call to renew their minds in the word of God. If we struggle to keep our focus, it’s not hard to understand why their only option was to remove anything or person that held to idolatry.
Now we have this promise of John 16:13-15
13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
15 “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
The Bible teaches that God places His Spirit within us, and He guides us into all truth. Then we are called to renew our minds daily, so we are not conformed to the world around us (Romans 12:2). We are renewed through the knowledge of Christ – through the word of God. Through this understanding, we make a conscious effort to put on the new man. (Colossians 3:10) The new man is the new way of thinking through our new spirit. We receive understanding as we seek God through His word. Then we have a natural course correction. You cannot drift very far off course when your eyes are on Christ. You will always drift in the direction you are looking.
Finally, as we are looking to Him, we have the promise of the washing of the Holy Spirit and the renewing of our strength by the Spirit. Worldly thinking is washed away, and we are renewed by His strength.
The post Why Did God Give Israel the Land? first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Romans 8 explains to us that the weakness of the law is our flesh. The purpose of the law is to show people that flawed human nature cannot measure up to the perfect demands of the law. Any who look to the law eventually find failure – not success. The law does not produce righteousness; it exposes sin.
The Old Testament aids us in seeing this truth. Moses was the man the Lord used to bring the law to God’s people. After the law came in, there is only one recorded mistake that Moses made. Let’s stop for a moment and look at the accomplishments of Moses.
God called him out of the desert to lead God’s people who were enslaved in Egypt. He stood before Pharaoh, who was leading the world power of that day, and boldly proclaimed God’s purpose to set the people free. Ten times he faced off against Pharaoh until God broke the kings will through the ten plagues. When Egypt decided to destroy Israel after they left, Moses trusted God and saw the miracle of the Red Sea parting to escape the pursuing army.
Moses led the people through the wilderness. He established the tabernacle for worship. He judged the people when problems were brought to him. He interceded many times on behalf of the people when their sins brought judgement. He delivered the Ten Commandments. He taught the people God’s word and ways. He endured the people’s rebellion, and two times when a mutiny challenged his leadership, he waited for God’s help. He never exalted himself, but was known as a humble man. When his leadership was challenged, he allowed God to intervene instead of fighting for himself. But he made one big mistake.
After many years leading a nation of grumbling people, he grew weary and frustrated. They were in the desert, and no water could be found. The people were complaining and accused him of bringing them into the desert to die. He’d faced grumbling people before, but this day was worse. The people were so angry that he fell on his face to prostrate himself. For the second time, the people were ready to stone Moses in their anger, then God intervened. The glory of the Lord stood between Moses and the people, and God said, “Speak to the rock and it will yield water for the people.”
Moses had had it. He was at his wits end. He stood up, took his staff and shouted at the people. “Listen to me, you rebels! Do we have to bring water out of this rock for you?” Then in his anger, he struck the rock with all his might twice. Water gushed out abundantly, but there was a problem. God had commanded him to speak to the rock, but Moses took out his anger on the rock with his staff.
1 Corinthians 10 explains that the rock that gave them water in the desert on two occasions was Christ. Jesus is the rock the church is built upon, and once again, we see the New Testament foreshadowed in the events of the Old Testament. The first time the rock provided for the people (Exodus 17), God said to strike the rock. This was a foreshadow of Christ, who was struck down through His crucifixion (Matthew 26:31). The second time the rock stood before the people, it is a picture of Christ’s after His resurrection. They drank from the water just before entering the promise.
Even though Moses had done so many things right, his one act of rebellion disqualified him. Why? Because he was under the law, and the Bible says that if you keep the whole law, but stumble in one point, you are guilty of the entire law. (See James 2:10).
The law can never enter the promise because the law is a condemnation system. The law stands in our path and says, “Are you perfect? No? Then you cannot enter.”
But Jesus is the door into the promise. In Him, we are not under the law, but are in the promise, because He fulfilled the law, and any who are in Christ, are perfected. No one can keep Christ out the promise, and we follow Him into the promise. We can see a word picture of this truth in this illustration of Moses.
God told Moses to go on top of the mountain. “You shall behold it with your eyes, but you shall not enter in.” Moses saw the promise just before he died. The law giver took the people to the edge of the promise, but the law could never take anyone in. Look at Galatians 3:24-25:
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Moses, the picture of the law died, and Joshua took over. The name Joshua in the Old Testament is the exact same name as Jesus in the New Testament. The law passed control to Jesus, and then Jesus took the people into the promised land, which is called the place of rest for God’s people. (Psalm 95:10-11) The only thing the people had to do was follow him into the promise.
This was a foreshadow of Christ in the New Testament.
When Jesus referred to John the Baptist, He said that there was none greater than John the Baptist, yet the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John. This seems like an odd statement. John did not perform a single miracle, yet Jesus called him the greatest prophet. How can that be? What about Elijah and Elisha, the miracle working prophets of the Old Testament. What about Moses. He was called a prophet, and he was the one to call the people out of Egypt, and lead them to the edge of the Promised Land. All of these did many mighty works. All John did was point people to Jesus and say, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” And then, how can Jesus say that he is least in the kingdom of heaven? These are odd statements until you dig below the surface.
John is the last Old Testament prophet. He took the people, and delivered them to Jesus. Then he said, “I must decrease, but He [Jesus] must increase.” He took the people to the New Covenant, and then died. Jesus then took the people into the promise of Grace. It’s the very thing the story of Moses and Joshua were representing. Just as Moses took the people to the edge of the promise, but could not enter; John took the people to the promise of Christ, then he passed away.
John did no miracle, but he was privileged to deliver the Old Testament people to the New Testament Christ. He was of the law, so he could not take them into the promise. So he delivered them to Jesus, and He led the people into the promise of grace, which is the true place of rest. That is a privilege that all the old prophets saw at a distance, but John was honored to be the final tutor that led the people to Christ.
The reason he is least, is because he lacked the perfection that only came through Christ. Until someone enters into Christ, they remain limited to the flesh. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, according to scripture. Obviously, after Jesus’ death, John’s sins were covered as well; however, until we receive the righteousness of Christ, we are nothing in the kingdom of God.
Thankfully, we do not have that problem. For us, the flesh decreases because the Spirit within us increases. The weakness of the law has been removed, and all we must do to inherit every promise is to follow Christ. As we trust Him enough to allow Him to lead, nothing is withheld, and nothing can stand. Every barrier is brought down by God. We rest, and like Moses, we allow God to work as we trust in Him.
The Christian life is all about learning how to seek Him. That is when we hear His quiet voice. The barriers of the law have been removed, and you are now free to walk in the promises through Christ!
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post The Weakness of the Law first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
In the Old Testament book of Numbers, we see a good illustration of the unstoppable power of grace. Remember, grace means the gift of God’s favor without doing anything to earn it. There are a few twists in the story we are about to review. The people stepped out of faith, experienced consequences, and then returned to the right path. We’ll discuss this, but let’s first look at the story of Balak’s curse.
During Israel’s journey through the desert, they encountered nations that were intimidated by their presence. God’s work to free them from Pharaoh’s grip was well known. Egypt was the world power of that day. Knowing that Pharaoh had been defeated put people in fear of them. As they journeyed near the nation of Moab, their king, Balak, feared the people of Israel. He knew that God was with them, so he reasoned that if he could have a prophet of God curse them, then the nation would lose its power. It was clear that the gods of the idolatrous nations couldn’t stand before the Lord, so the only way to defeat God’s people was to get the Lord to turn against them. Or so they reasoned.
This king sent his noblemen to the prophet Balaam. He gave him the promise of great wealth if he would only curse Israel. In the Old Testament, the primary evidence that someone was a prophet of God is that their words were one-hundred percent accurate. Even one false word completely disqualified a prophet. See Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
Balaam was known as God’s prophet, so King Balak sent for him. In his mind, if Balaam stated that Israel was cursed, then God would have to curse them. He did not understand that Balaam had to listen to God – not the other way around. However, if Balaam made a false proclamation in the name of the Lord, it would disqualify everything that God had proclaimed through him to that point. God ordered Balaam not to go.
The king was persistent, and they came with multiple offers. Finally, God allowed Balaam to go. Along the way, temptations for wealth began to seep in, so God sent an angel to confront the prophet. He could not see the angel, but the mule he rode on could. It kept deviating from the path, and Balaam was striking the mule for not cooperating. This happened three times, and then the angel spoke through the mule, then opened Balaam’s eyes to see the danger.
Balaam looked up to see an angel with a drawn sword, ready to strike him down. “If your mule had not turned aside, surely I would have slain you,” the angel said.
This put the fear of God into Balaam. Then he was warned not to speak anything that was not given to him directly from the Lord. The warning was clear – he would not live long enough to finish his sentence; much less collect the gold he was promised for cursing Israel.
When he was taken to a ridge and told to curse Israel, he spoke God’s word of blessing over the people. “Maybe it’s this spot,” Balak said. So, he took Balaam to another place he thought his gods controlled. “Now curse them.”
Another blessing came out of Balaam’s mouth. Three times King Balak tried different areas of his land to see if one of his gods could help Balaam curse. All three times a blessing came out.
“I would have given you great wealth and honor if you would just curse this people,” King Balak said.
“Didn’t I tell you that I can only speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?” Balaam said. “The Lord has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.”
And this is an important principle for you to understand. You have been called into the blessed life of faith. No matter what stands against you, rest. You have been blessed, and no person, circumstance, or curse can reverse that. If you are walking by faith, even if you don’t know what you should do, trust in His leading. You cannot miss God’s blessed life because He will lead you in the right way. This is true even if God has to bring circumstances into play to force you into the right direction. Instead of getting frustrated, look up and say, “Even if I don’t understand, I’ll trust you. Lead me.”
Now here is where the twist in this account comes in. Balaam wasn’t an honorable man. He wanted the reward, and since he couldn’t proclaim a false word from God and could not curse God’s people, he taught King Balak another option. The people couldn’t be cursed, but they could be led away from God. So, they came up with a plan to use the most beautiful women in Moab to seduce the young men. They persuaded the men to look away from the Lord and pointed them to their own gods through seduction. The moment they stepped into idolatry, they were stepping out of the blessed life, and they suffered severe consequences.
And this is how temptation works. The devil knows you can’t be cursed, but he can persuade you that the world around you has something better. He uses your weaknesses and desires to tempt you to look away from Christ, and put your hope in the world. Once you are trusting in the flesh and the world as your fulfillment, you are stepping out of God’s purpose and into a world that is cursed by sin.
Even though the promise of fulfillment in the world always ends up being empty and unfulfilling, the tempter continues to show you the most alluring options, hoping you won’t look beyond the temptation. When threats and pressure to abandon God doesn’t work, he knows that all he has to do is get your eyes off Christ. Then you will drift and step out of the promise of God, and into the false promises of temptation. That is when you are easily defeated. Temptation may be the promise to escape a problem, gain something you don’t want to wait for, lust, greed, getting even, or even to become your own protector / defender. Anything that promises a quick solution by taking our eyes off of Christ is temptation.
Consider these promises:
The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22
4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5
And so, after he [Abraham] had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:15
Temptation promises that we won’t have to patiently endure, but we can bypass God’s plan to have what we want now. I love the way Proverbs warns us about temptation. We are like a bird rushing to a snare, not knowing our life is in danger.
Fortunately, we have the promise that God provides an escape from temptation. There are always consequences to sin, but God guides us back into the blessed life, and then calls us to keep our eyes upon Him. He leads us through the trials of life and protects us, but He calls us to walk by faith. He does not force us to remain in faith.
However, as we learn to trust in Him and shun the world, we remain blessed – even when life throws hardships into our path. Encourage your heart with His promises. Jesus came to give you life, and that life is more abundant than anything you can find outside of Him. His blessings enrich our lives, and adds no sorrow to it. It will eventually grow to the point where the sorrows of life are swallowed up with the joy of the Lord. As you mature in the faith, you will grow to the point where you realize that everything looks like trash compared to the excellence of knowing Him. I’ve never met someone who consistently walked by faith who felt deprived. But many who pursue the world live in regret and dissatisfaction.
You are blessed, and no enemy can reverse it. Never let temptation cause you to lose sight of this truth!
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post The Blessed Life first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
When we are young in the faith, God knows we are incapable of walking by faith when difficulties hit. God works in small and sometimes large miracles to reveal Himself to us and build our confidence in Him. As we grow, God uses life’s challenges to teach us how to depend upon Him.
When we have had time to mature, God will put us into positions where we have to choose trust, or disbelief. Before we receive the promises, God often tests our faith. When we reject the call of faith, we cannot inherit the greatness of His promises. Applying Hebrews 11:6 is a vital part of growing in faith. Those who stand strong in faith are those who diligently seek Him in daily life. Most people fail to stand by faith because they have not sought Him in their daily walk. I used to play sports. One thing I learned is that the game isn’t won on game day – but in the daily preparations that lead up to the game.
This is true of faith. It isn’t the day of testing that prepares us, but the daily walk of faith where we seek God and learn to walk with Him. Jesus said that the person who withstands the storms is the person who hears and applies themselves to the word of God. That person is building their lives upon the immovable foundation of the Rock of Christ. The one who does not prepare their hearts by building on Him are standing on a foundation of sand. When the storms of life hit, the person with a weak foundation will fall, but those secure in Him will stand. The preparation comes before the storm. The one seeking to know Him are already prepared in their hearts to pass through the trials of life and into the promise. The Bible gives a good example of this in the life of His people in the Old Testament.
In the book of Numbers, God tests His people. God prepared the people by showing His works and miracles along the way. After being enslaved to Egypt for 430 years, God delivered them by breaking the will of Pharaoh. God showed His power, not by merely getting them out of their situation, but by taking their slave-master, and breaking him to the point where he thrust them out of Egypt. Not only that, but God paid them four-hundred years of wages by having their former task masters give them their money and goods. They left Egypt with everything they needed and more.
When Pharaoh changed his mind and sent the armies to destroy them, God provided a pathway through the sea, and then used the sea that rescued them to destroy their oppressors. Then God fed them with mana from heaven when there was no food. God provided water from a rock in the desert twice – when they were in danger of dehydration. God became a cloud over them during the heat of the day, and a cloud of light during the night. Over and over God revealed His power to them.
One thing that was missing was a heart to seek Him. Joshua and Caleb stayed near the place of worship and sought the Lord. The others were delighted with God’s provision, but never prepared their hearts to receive Him. They received the blessings, but not the call to seek Him.
God led the people straight to the Promised Land. It was the destination of rest the Lord had promised the people when they left the labor of slavery. He promised them a land where His provisions abounded. Now they stood at the boundary of the promise. God had them appoint twelve leaders to go and spy out the land before entering. One spy represented each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The spies came back with evidence of the goodness of the land. “It is just as God described it. It flows with milk and honey, and we brought back many fruits as evidence.” Then they gave the hard news. There were giants in the land, warriors of great stature and walled barriers. Then they said, “We can’t do it. The obstacles are too strong for us.”
The people panicked and decided it was better to go back to Egypt and return to slavery. God responded with words that apply to every believer today. Numbers 14:22-23
22 Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice,
23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it.
God said that none of the people who saw His works, yet still rejected His call to trust would enter the land, and they would wander 40 years until that generation passed away. Two men stood against the crowd. Joshua and Caleb said, “If the Lord delights in us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us.” They believed God. In fact, forty years later, Caleb was an eighty-year-old man. He said, “Give me this mountain. The Lord will be with me to drive out the giants.” Even as an old man, he still believed God, and took on the very giants that sent a nation fleeing during their first visit.
Caleb prepared his heart to seek the Lord; therefore, every challenge, enemy, and obstacle was God’s job to resolve and defeat.
When it comes to our walk of faith, God shows us His works, provisions, protection, and miracles. We have the promise that our steps are ordered by the Lord, and that He delights in our way. If we fall, He upholds us with His hand. And we are promised that He is the voice whispering to us, “Go to the right, go to the left, this is the way, walk in it.” Sadly, most people have too much noise in their lives to hear His whisper of guidance. When the prophet Elijah was in distress, God said He would speak to him on the mountain. There was a mighty earthquake, fire, and wind hard enough to split rocks. But God said that He was not in the shaking of the earth, was not in the fire, and was not in the mighty wind. He revealed Himself to Elijah through a whisper.
Each day, God whispers to everyone who quiets their lives to seek Him. He prepares our hearts by showing His power to us through small and large daily miracles; however, He reveals Himself to us on a personal level through His whisper. We prepare our hearts by quieting ourselves and putting activities aside to listen for His whisper. The primary way He speaks to us is through His word. However, we are seeking Him, not trying to check our religious boxes. Seek Him in the word and through prayer.
Few take this time, but the few who do are the ones who will stand in faith when life is hard. We can then look at problems as the barrier God will break down on our way to His promise. I’ll end this with an important truth. God is never going to call you to make your own way. He always calls you to follow Him. Human effort cannot accomplish the work of God. Instead, He gives us the whisper of His call, and then tells us not to focus on the obstacles, but trust in Him.
The people turned back because it was impossible. Of course it was. That is the point. God delights in moving the impossible out of the way. Faith will test you with the impossible.
The opposite is true as well. Some of the people decided to take the land on their own. They were completely defeated, and survivors returned wounded and discouraged.
How then, do we know when our purpose is our own human effort or God’s call? You won’t know if you are not walking with Him. The Old Testament example shows that they could not hear His call to step into the challenge with confidence in Him. They also could not hear His instruction to not go without Him. The issue is that they could not hear His call. Neither can we until we learn to make seeking Him a daily part of our life. The multitude saw the Lord as a distant God. Moses, Joshua, and Caleb saw God as Lord, but also a companion, friend, and father.
God reveals Himself to those who diligently seek Him. That is when God gives you the ability to hear His voice, and wisdom to know the right steps to take throughout this life.
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post A Listening Heart first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Most of my early Christian life was spent trying to please God by what I did or didn’t do. Christianity was about keeping the rules, but this mindset falls so short of the life of faith we have been given. God isn’t measuring us based on who is the best rule-keeper. In fact, there was a church rebuked in chapter two of the book of Revelation. They worked hard for God, produced many works, stood against evil, and dedicated their lives to keeping everything in biblical order. Yet they still fell short. They had the religious side worked out to the nth degree, but they missed the foundation of the Christian life. The Bible pointed out their flaw – they left their primary purpose – their first love.
They forgot that God is love, and the primary purpose of the church is to reveal the love of God. Works founded upon love creates ministry which draws others to the heart of God. That is why the sinners who were repelled from religion were drawn to Jesus. Without condemnation, many drunkards, prostitutes, thieves, and outcasts of religion were transformed into saints. Love met them where they were, invited them into fellowship with God, and then God’s love transformed them out of their old ways. What the wagging finger of condemnation could not do, love could.
The challenge each person faces is not allowing their focus to shift from a foundation of love to a foundation of requirements. Once that first love is lost, a condemning spirit seeps in, and the heart of faith begins to harden.
By ‘first love’, the Bible is talking about the love of God. In Revelation 2:4, that word is translated from the word ‘agape’. The word ‘first’ in that passage means ‘first in order’. What is being taught is that before ministry or any religious activity, agape love has to be put in front of everything. Agape must always be the focus, and the lens we look through when we address the world or any problem in the church or its people. Since Agape love’s only source is from God, we can only love like God loves if we are receiving the love of God. We comfort others with the comfort we are receiving from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). In our faith, we can only give what we are receiving. Anything else comes from the flesh of human nature.
With that being said, we should understand that our personal faith is based on establishing our hearts in the love of God. Christianity is not about what we do for God. It is about walking with God. You and I will always struggle in faith and life until we realize that God’s purpose for us is to experience the intimacy of friendship with Him. Look at these passages – one from the Old Testament, and one from the New Testament.
James 2:23
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
Exodus 33:11
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend…
The great men and women of faith aren’t those who have special abilities, or who experience favoritism from God. Throughout the Bible, God says that He is not a respecter of persons. In other words, He doesn’t show favoritism based on someone’s status, wealth, abilities, or race. Often, it’s quite the opposite. Rarely is the person of strength or status chosen by God. Those who are of status have a difficult time recognizing that weakness is the only way to receive God’s strength. They rely upon themselves; therefore, are not able to trust in Him enough to lay down their lives so they can take up the life He has created for them.
This is the call of faith – to lay down your life as an offering of faith so you can receive the new life, created for you in Christ. Then the call of faith is to remain in His love, resisting the human reasoning of religion and resist the call to return to the world’s value system.
These temptations arise when our eyes focus in the wrong direction. The eyes of our flesh see value in the things that are temporary and are bound to a world that is passing away. To experience the joy of the Christian life, we have to be experiencing the joy of fellowship with our Creator.
The only way to experience faith on the level God designed for you is to focus on knowing Him, and stop focusing on yourself. Confidence only matures in our hearts when we become Christ confident. This comes by seeking Him and learning how to receive His love. Walking by faith is always trusting completely in Christ. Rest in His love and grow in faith.
Eddie Snipes
April 2024
The post Success Through Rest first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
It’s often said that knowledge is power. When it comes to living out our faith, those who live empowered lives are those who go from knowledge to understanding. The Bible says that knowledge alone puffs us up with pride, and scripture also teaches that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. That would explain why some can quote scripture as a weapon of criticism and condemnation, but never grasp the basic principle that a true disciple of Christ shows love and compassion. Knowledge must be transformed from information to understanding. Understanding is only by the revelation of the Spirit, and the Spirit reveals as we humble ourselves and seek God.
It isn’t just seeking information, but fellowship. From the beginning of the Old Testament, through the unveiling of the Covenant of Grace in the New Testament, this is reiterated in scripture. Long before there was a temple, as God’s people wandered through the desert, they erected the tent of the tabernacle of meeting each time they stopped to rest. It’s interesting that the Bible calls it the Tabernacle of Meeting. The congregation did not meet there. According to Exodus, those who sought the Lord would go there. It was a place where seeking hearts met with God.
In the New Testament, we are called the temple of the Holy Spirit. We don’t need a building or structure to meet with God. We just need to set the world aside long enough to seek Him. But in that day, people met God where the Ark of the Covenant rested – which at this time was in the tabernacle. Look at Exodus 33:
7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp.
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13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
There is a lot going on in this section of the Bible, but two things jump out in this passage. First, Moses made it his priority to leave the world behind and seek the Lord. The crowds were in the camp, but he separated from people long enough to seek God and spend time with Him.
Second, notice the focus of Moses’ seeking. His goal was to know God and for God to show him His ways. The world pulls us in many directions, but the one who finds rest for their soul is the one who seeks to know God and understand HIS ways. We are not trying to shape God into our world, but step away from distractions, selfish ways, and busyness so that we can establish ourselves onto the firm foundation of God’s ways and His plan. He promises to give us rest, and we will experience His presence with us. Life is hard, but dealing with life is a lot easier when we are coming from the place of resting in the understanding that our ways are grounded in His presence.
Understanding this truth is difficult. We may know it in our head, but when life is difficult, rest seems impossible. God has to reveal our place in His rest in order for us to be at peace, while the world around us is far from restful. We prepare for life now – not when we feel like we are drowning in chaos. This comes by seeking understanding from Him.
Jesus often taught large crowds. He used parables to communicate concepts that our natural understanding can’t grasp. There were times when Jesus taught thousands, but few left with real understanding. During one of his teachings, He fed five-thousand men. In that era, people were often counted as family groups, so they would count based on the number of men old enough to be fathers. That five thousand could have been as many as twenty-thousand or more. The Bible records that they were all amazed at his teaching, but most walked away with inspiration, but not understanding. Inspiration fades, but a seeking heart grows.
After teaching with many parables, some of Jesus’ disciples came to Him afterwards and asked Him to help them understand the parables. He says an interesting thing in Mark 4:11
And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables”
There is a difference between those who our outside of understanding, and those who are ‘on the inside’. Jesus said, “Seek and you will find.” Those who seek God and seek to understand His ways are given something those who are without do not receive. Jesus made a similar statement in Luke 8:18
Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.
This is the difference between those who are inspired by a message, and those who seek to understand God’s ways. The message will soon be forgotten. I once knew a preacher who had 200 sermons he recycled over and over. He said, “No one remembers what I preached last week, much less what I preached two-hundred weeks ago. For the last thirty years, I have just preached until I get through them all, then I start over again.” Though I don’t agree with this perspective, it does show how quickly we lose what we hear.
One thing we don’t lose is how God reveals His understanding to us. I can’t remember what I taught or preached last month, but what I do remember is how God revealed Himself to me as I studied. The understanding He gave me becomes a foundation where I can receive the next revelation.
There was a time when I tried to reach a certain number of chapters a day, and it was merely a checkbox in my religious duty. I read, but I did not receive. It was a task, not a time of seeking. As a result, I got little out of it. When my perspective changed, my life changed with it. Now I study with expectation. I ask God to reveal Himself to me, and reveal His ways to me. Even after years of experiencing the revelation of God, I still say, “There is so much I don’t understand. Open my eyes to see.”
The moment we stop seeking, we stop receiving. The moment we think we have the answers, we stop searching for revelation. God used Moses to write the first five books of the Old Testament, which was the only scripture at that time. Yet he still sought God and asked for understanding. He still said, “Lord, teach me Your ways.” The Bible calls him a man of humility and the friend of God.
One thing Moses said, “You said I have found grace (favor) in your sight. If that is true, show me your ways.”
The Bible says that because you are in Christ, you are called the friend of God. You are favored by God. You are His blessed child. Take this truth as the opportunity to pray, “Since you called me favored, show me Your ways. Teach me.” Then explore the word with the expectation that God will reveal Christ in it, and His ways to you. Walk by faith, knowing that everything you do, know, and this walk of life, is His gift to you. Everything good is a gift. Pray for the revelation of that truth, and that He would teach you how to trust and be led through each step of this journey of life.
The post Revelations to a Seeking Heart first appeared on Exchanged Life Ministries.
Most believe weakness is a failure, but the Bible presents it as a great asset. The Apostle Paul discovered this truth and stated, “When I am weak, then I am strong. In my infirmities, the power of God rests upon me.” Weakness is the call to step out of the limitations of human ability, and […]
This political season has exposed the loss of direction the church has been struggling with for years. Divide and conquer has always been a tactic of the devil. Even Jesus said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I can remember the Moral Majority movement in the 1980s, where there was a campaign to get… Read More »Christians Entangled in a Political War
Eddie Snipes – Prodigal Son Eddie Snipes – Prodigal’s Father Eddie Snipes – Prodigal’s Brother