Mr. and Mrs. Controversy

The person who thrives on controversy will find trouble wherever he or she goes. It doesn’t matter where they’re at or who they’re with, they’ll find a reason to stir and agitate to the point that a wake of victims lie in their path. And perhaps there are times where their concerns are genuine and need to be addressed – but they generally carry a hammer where a wet sponge would do the job.

This is the person that uses God’s Word as a tool to constantly find fault in others. It’s the person who sees another’s desire to serve God, but finds one piece in the puzzle that doesn’t fit to their liking and hyper focuses on that. It’s their method of ‘helping’ others look just and right (from the outside, of course) before God.

The person who thrives on controversy sees themselves as being able to ‘discern’ the problems of other people, but they often can’t discern their own issues. They may have a hard time discerning what's of God and what's coming from their own emotions and strongholds, so all of their words and actions are self-labeled as 'just.'

Tragically, this kind of person draws individuals who are in need of a strong motherly or fatherly figure, ‘trains’ them in their methods, and they begin to see the world through the same eyes as Mr. or Mrs. Controversy.

But we are not held captive by this type of thought. We are those who discern God’s ways and will, and progress in this walk of sanctification. So don’t take offense at Mr. or Mrs. Controversy – seek God’s input and pray! Stay away from those that constantly stir up strife; live a quiet and peaceful life in serving God.

“But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) … (ill-informed, unedifying…) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.
And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth … and that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God's] will." (2 Timothy 2:23-26)

Waiting to Forgive - Until Your Last Breath

As a hospice chaplain I regularly meet with people who's prognosis is death - within the next 6-8 months. Many of these are elderly people, but some are young.

People who are dieing have a different perspective on life than those who are actively living: they are often better able to examine themselves more truthfully because they have nothing to protect and nothing to hide. They are in life's most vulnerable position.

As a result, many of these people are willing to forgive long time grudges and be released to heaven with a clean heart. They see the Truth of God's love more clearly than many of us that are seeking and serving God and have many years left to do so.

Many of them also express deep, deep sorrow and gut wrenching heartache over having carried unforgiveness for so long. They seem to be able to see through the eyes of God into how things could have been if they'd forgiven sooner. How tragic it is to witness this and grieve with these people in their darkest moments, when they see that they have been bound by the chains of unforgiveness and it has poisoned themselves and the people around them.

But once they release forgiveness they are soon released into the arms of the Father - He keeps them breathing long enough to help them repent of all the darkness in their hearts then they enter into the gates of heaven with a 'hallelujah, I'm forgiven' on their lips!

Don't wait until your last breath. Don't live in darkness and withhold the love of God from your domain. Use every living breath wisely, and when you are old and ready to pass, leap into heaven with joy at having lived a life of love and forgiveness through the Spirit of God.

Out of Condemnation - Into Opportunity!

As I scraped a small area of loose paint around our tub it began to come off in small sheets - then a piece of the plaster underneath fell into my hands. By the time I was done ‘scraping,’ the lower half of the wall around the tub was lying inside of the tub – water damaged. At that point I couldn’t decide if I should cry about the damage or be happy that I’d found this problem: we spent the next 2 months of the summer repairing walls and water leaks in the bathroom.

As strange as it seems, this is very much parallel to the feelings we have and the process we go through when God reveals something unhealthy and destructive in our hearts and lives. On one hand we might wish we hadn’t discovered it, especially if we tend to lean toward the old adage which says “what you don’t know won’t hurt.” But on the other hand, it may be a relief to know the source of the issue which has affected our own life and that of others around us. That damage under the surface of the paint was causing serious allergy problems for our daughter and I was in constant prayer asking the Lord to reveal the source of it.

The process of sanctification should include an abundance of revelation concerning our personal ‘issues’ that God wants us to be rid of. However, never should these revelations be a source of condemnation - they are simply a moment in time where God is shining His Light on us in a new way so that we can repent, be healed and cleansed, and become a vessel with greater abilities to walk in His image – and this may take time!

Whatever character problems God reveals, and in whatever way He chooses to reveal them, don’t let condemnation come into your heart and mind. These revelations are continued proof of God’s love for us and never ending dedication to be faithful in recreating us into His image. Don’t allow the enemy to come in and beat you over the head when you get a revelation of ‘self,’ just sink into God and let the washing of the water of the word renew your mind and change your life.

Give yourself time, seek God, reject condemnation, and be thankful when these opportunities present themselves. God is cutting off chains and moving you toward the open door you’ve been waiting for, however, He sometimes has to trim off our excess ‘self’ to get us through that door!

Thou Shalt Not Be Exclusive!

The Body of Christ is composed not only of our fellowship group or even our group and the neighboring group with whom we 'click.' The Body is universal – we are one huge group of believers across the world.

But what I’ve seen in the past few years is a great ‘move’ of exclusiveness within individual bodies of believers. Each one claiming God is working in them far above and beyond what He is doing in other groups – and if others would come to us, they could experience God because we have the ‘market’ on His ‘move.’

This is a subtle ploy of the enemy to exalt ourselves in pride and prejudice! It’s a worldly attitude that looks and longs for renown – to draw others under our own authority with God’s name on it. Where God is truly moving amongst His people He is inspiring them to take His love to others for a Kingdom harvest - there's an excitement to share outside of the walls of our gatherings.

Just in the area where I live there are multitudes of churches and small groups who gather regularly for prayer – asking God to change their hearts and draw them closer to Him. Asking Him to guide them in lifting His name that all men would be drawn to Him – and then they are ready to submit to what He chooses as His way of doing so.

Even though these groups aren’t unified under one roof, they are all seeking the same thing. So who can claim the ‘move’ of God as He works amongst us when He, Himself, has inspired each body to for pray for these things?

Godly Grandmas are sitting in their prayers closets, praying for God to have His way with the church; they’re shut-ins and can’t get to the local church. Are they excluded from the presence and power of God that others claim to house? And what about the new believer who is desperately seeking God but hasn’t found that exclusive gathering? Is she excluded?

So I plead with the Body to throw away exclusiveness! Know that God has inspired His Body all over the world to pray for the same things that you are praying for, and to live holy lives of honor before Him. This is His universal call to the church and it’s a point of unity, not division and exclusivity.

Blessed be His name!

Pull Up the Anchor and Move Forward!

Pull up the Anchor and Move Forward!

Sometimes we rehash and rehash and rehash - instead of throwing it in the trash! Nobody's perfect - and we can't 'fix' other people, but we can forgive them and move forward!

Someone might say "but you don't know what happened to me!" And I would reply "and you don't know what happened to me -or her, or him, or them...." But we all know what happened to Jesus - and He forgave completely through the greatest sacrifice ever made!

But that sacrifice wasn't made for your forgiveness only - it was made so that you could be enabled to completely forgive (and love) others and live life to the fullest! Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and that more abundantly (John 10:10)."

Live life to the fullest in Him - be and do all that He has created you for - to the end that He would be glorified. Clip the anchor that's holding you back - whatever happened to you - and walk forward.

Enjoy life!

Payback is (from) Hell!

Throughout the Bible we’re told not to take vengeance on those who have hurt or persecuted us (Lev 19:18, Deut 32, Roman 12, 1 Sam 25, Eze 25). Vengeance is a sort of ‘pay back’ for wrongs done to a person, but it also includes making a judgment against another person. This type of judgment isn’t just a decision that someone has wronged us - it's acting as though we have the authority to proclaim a sentence, as though we are the presiding judge in a court of law, or as though that person is in our hands and we can decide how they’re to be dealt with. This is, in fact, usurping God’s authority because He decides when vengeance is due and He carries it out according to His plan. “Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.”   It’s not ours – to contemplate, to brew or to carry out.

Perhaps you haven’t gone as far as actively avenging someone else for what they’ve done – but if you’re still thinking on it then you’re holding a grudge. Leviticus 19 connects grudges and vengeance – they are demonic twins. To avenge is to take action toward punishing someone, but to hold a grudge is to cherish anger in your heart toward them. To ‘cherish’ anger means to have an aversion towards anger when the person is thought of, or to replace affection for that person with anger toward him or her.

Correction is different than vengeance: it’s God’s means of providing a path for restoration to Himself whereas vengeance provides self satisfaction. Godly correction is for those who love and cherish one another in the Lord. True correction has an immense desire to see a person walk in the fullness of God and is willing to make sacrifices to help make that happen. Correction is not an avenue for throwing personal hurts back at someone – or trying to vindicate self. Jeremiah expressed the heart of correction when he asked God not to correct him in His anger, lest He bring Jeremiah to complete insignificance and defeat (Jer. 10:24).

Let go of the irritations against your spouse, your pastor, your friend, your child, your coworker or whomever --- and stop usurping the authority of God. Forgive and release those things into His hands; He has better things for you to focus on. If vindication is needed don’t plot it – let God arrange it and it will be much sweeter!

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God's] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay… says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals [of conviction] upon his head. Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good (Romans 12:19-21 AMP).

Fire in the Tongue!

If you doubt that your words have power, call your son ‘stupid’ day after day for 10 years and see how it affects him (and you). On the other hand, continually tell him he’s filled with the love, wisdom and grace of God, then see what the end result is.

When we look at the power of our words on those terms, it hits home how important it is to use words wisely. They have both long term and short term affect, and they are more effective on our children and others when the character behind the words is Godly.

It's not a coincidence that 'tongues of fire' appeared over heads at Pentecost. The power of God is a great fire - given to spread the Gospel and burn away the old life - if our words are spoken at His direction. And this is not impossible – it simply calls for relationship with God. Jesus exemplified this, and the result is that He only said what He heard the Father say (John 12:49, 14:10). 

The Bible is our example for living and it’s filled with instances of God telling people what to speak – every day, ordinary people like you and I. We are instruments of God’s purposes here on earth and our words and actions are vehicles to fulfill those purposes. In fact, James tells us that the ‘ship of life’ is turned in directions against prevailing winds by the very small rudder called the tongue. A look at the current media trends can verify this same concept (for the negative or positive). People who have made mistakes in their speaking (and today not much is private) see the course of their lives changed by one little sentence.

Although God has given us power through speech, I am not suggesting that we become little dictators to the world around us by commanding everything to our liking, but that we submit our mouths to God as instruments for His work - that we let our words be seeds planted in the right season for a harvest of righteousness.

Life and death are seeds within the power of the tongue – strewn at the tongues bidding. And those who love God will allow Him to direct life and use our mouths to plant seeds accordingly! (Paraphrased from Prov 18:21).

Spinning Your Wheels?

When winter arrives you put away your bathing suit and when summer arrives you put away your snowsuit - each season requires it's own clothing. In the same way, it can be difficult and uncomfortable to step into the next season if you want to wear last seasons activities, worries and thought processes.

Changes in life circumstances require a shift in thinking - concerning how you treat your body, what you spend your time on, how your finances are used and who you spend time with.

An example of this in the natural would be changes in seasons from being single, to being married, to having children, to being an 'empty nester.' Each of these changes requires a shift in life style: you don't live the same way once you have children as you did when you were single - it's not a successful plan for that season.

If we remain stuck in last season's mode of operation we may spin our wheels in the new season. For example, a healthy and active 75 year old does not do the same things he did when he was 15 - his body may be healthy but it acts differently and he must adjust his life accordingly. This is especially possible because he has gained much wisdom in the 60 years that have passed before getting to his current season. It's a bit like having an older car - I can take care of it and treat it with kid gloves, but I wouldn't drive it the same way I'd drive a spanking, new Camaro.

In Luke 56 Jesus chides his audience for not being able to discern the seasons and times they're in. He wanted them to take a clue about the current Spiritual season - to note what was going on around them not just physically, but spiritually, and act accordingly.

If you've spun your wheels and been frustrated, perhaps you've missed the 'shift.' Perhaps the change of seasons has come and you're stuck in last season's mode of thinking and operating. If so, take a step back, go before the Lord and discern the times! Find out what needs to go, what needs to stay, what needs to be stepped up a notch.

Then do it!

Ever Been Misunderstood?

Have you ever been misunderstood and couldn’t seem to bring resolve to the situation? Perhaps your actions or words were taken in the wrong way and someone either wouldn’t listen to your explanation or they wouldn’t believe you!

Hannah, who cried before God for a child of her own, was accused of being drunk. Mary, when she anointed Jesus feet with spikenard, was accused of having ulterior motives of prostitution. But neither of these women had motives other than to serve God and give to Him the things they treasured most in life: Hannah her child and Mary her heart.

Hannah was able to explain her situation and make herself understood, but Mary wasn’t. However, Jesus spoke up for Mary – He knew the intentions of her heart. Where Mary had previously used her body in the life of a prostitute, she now gave all she had to the sacred service of her Lord Jesus Christ – even her hair and tears were meant to honor Him. Jesus understood her, but those around her snubbed her in spite of His explanation. Sometimes people will see us in light of our ‘past’ lives and refuse to let us out of that box – but not Jesus Christ, He sees the motive of the heart.

One reason people misunderstand others is because they have been hurt in the past (perhaps more than once) and our words or actions trigger the memory of that hurt. In response, they put the same motives behind our words and actions that were (or thought to be) behind the words and actions of those that hurt them. So we become just another offender – perhaps one in a series of offenders who have been misjudged or misunderstood.

There are a few things you can do to help a situation where you have been misunderstood:
1st – Pray, of course! Let God show you how to handle this – He may give you insight and you’ll be able to resolve it quickly or He may tell you to wait on His timing.
2nd – Check your heart for any hidden motives – was there anything inside of you that was taking an opportunity to ‘stick it to’ someone? If so, repent.
3rd – Go directly to the person, in LOVE, and ask for a meeting. If they are willing to meet, make sure grace and restoration are your motives. When you meet - Listen! - hear the heart of the other person. If they aren’t willing to meet, consider waiting a while then trying again.
4th – When another’s past hurts are involved, you will be dealing with a stronghold in the person’s emotions – God has to do the work. If they won’t meet or won’t forgive, you still need to forgive and move on or you'll stifle the love and work of God in your life. Don’t hold the hurt – and don’t spread the ‘news’ to others about it. Let nothing fester inside of you and form a stronghold which overrides future situations.

The Bible has various means of dealing with being ‘wronged’ (Matt 18), but this study is dealing with misunderstanding one another. Perhaps if we can quickly resolve a misunderstanding it won’t turn into a full blown ‘war’ between two of God’s children and the focus can be brought back to serving God instead of carrying out the plan of the enemy to divide the brethren.

Blessed are the peacemakers!

I'm Prettty Sure I Don't Sin Anymore!

Since sanctification is a process, the realization of sin has to be a parallel process. Sanctification is the renewing of the mind to God’s way of thinking, and in turn reflecting Him in our everyday lives. Because renewing the mind happens in ‘steps’ and over time, repentance must then come in steps as our understanding is opened and we turn more and more TO Christ and AWAY from the world.

In other words, our confession of Christ doesn’t keep us from the sinful ways that have developed in us throughout our lives – however short or long they have been – because we understand God and His ways progressively as they are revealed to us. So there is a process of removing sin in our lives and turning our hearts and minds to Christ – a process of separating ourselves to Christ and away from sin.

This process of sanctification includes repentance. So, for instance, when God gives us a revelation in our lives which turns our thinking away from error, He is showing us where there is sin and drawing us to repent and be sanctified in that area. If we accept those revelations as such, and repentance becomes a regular part of our lives, then we progress in Christ-likeness.

The ‘aha’ moments, the sudden revelation of scripture that breaks off erroneous doctrine or an old way of thinking, the wisdom given by a friend extending God’s grace, these turn us away from self and toward God. And if these things turn us to God, then they turn us away from sin and error. We may not want to call these aha moments ‘revelations of sin,’ but anything that is not God’s way of thinking or living is sin. It’s that simple.

This process should never stop as long as we are alive and willing to be cleansed from sin. If we think we’ve arrived, God will give us an ‘aha’ moment and break off a chunk of the old mindset, removing sin. He’ll show us where we’re mistreating our spouse, have a plank in an eye, are too stubborn to move forward, etc., etc. This is not so we walk around with conviction and condemnation hanging on us – but that our hearts and minds would be open to accept and give greater grace and love.

What is the greater purpose of your ‘aha’ moment? Thank God for His faithfulness to our sanctification as He continually reveals sin in our lives and brings us to repentance.

Blessed be His name!

Prophetically Paving the Future's Road

When Abraham met Melchizedek the Priest, he gave him a tenth of his spoils of war. The Bible tells us that Abraham’s giving was credited to his great grandson, Levi, as though Levi had given this spiritual blessing to Melchizedek himself. Levi wasn’t even born until some 160 years later, but his great grandfather,whom he never met, was storing up a spiritual inheritance through his spiritual actions and honoring of God (Heb. 7:9-10).

Our future descendants are being continually formed inside of us by the spiritual seeds we sow. This happens in a couple of ways. First, our lives are changed as we take on the person of Jesus Christ - there’s an actual change in our nature as we become more and more Christ-like. In this sense we are creating a new atmosphere, imbued with the grace and love of God, which becomes the ‘norm’ for our children and, in turn, their children. No longer do we have ‘earthly’ minded homes and lives, but we live in an atmosphere where Christ reigns and rules. This is a major paving of the road into our descendents spirituality – it’s like giving them a jump in life that lifts them above one of the everyday problems we face in trying to serve well!

Second, while Christians have long feared the negative spiritual dynamics passed on in families, we often don’t see the positive spiritual seeds that have been sown, perhaps even generations ago. Abraham’s great grandson, Levi, was later to become the first priest in the house of God. Abraham’s tithe was a prophetic action which looked forward to and confirmed Levi’s future, spiritual assignment (Heb.7). As complicated as this may sound, it simply says that the spiritual acts done by our ancestors have great affect on us and the work God has given us to do - and ours have the same affect on our descendants. In this way we are able to spiritually and prophetically pave a road for our descendants to walk into the Kingdom life and work which God has called them to.

We also see this concept in Timothy, the NT leader whose “sincere faith” was alive first in his grandmother Lois and then his mother, Eunice. Grandma Lois was ‘paying it forward’ for Timothy – she was actively living and planting in the Kingdom of God, which rolled into her daughter Lois and then exploded spiritually in her grandson, Timothy (1 Ti 1:5).

If you think you have little effect on the future it’s time to rethink your spiritual life. Not only can you affect your physical descendants, but you can sow into your spiritual descendants in the same way. There is never a time when we can simply live for ourselves and live for today, as long as we are part of God’s Kingdom.

In essence, as we cooperate with God we pave the way for His future to be lived out in the next generation(s). In this way we are linked arm in arm with the cloud of witnesses from the past, and we reach forward to future Kingdom workers, prophetically participating in their lives of service.

Failure or Work-in-Progress?

Each one of them made serious mistakes along the way – but they loved God. Each one of them has a list of things they did wrong which might be longer than the things they did right. We even have record of the ways that some of them messed up – like human beings do – while they were trying to follow God.

I’m referring to the Cloud of Witnesses in Hebrews 11. They include Abraham – who was an adulterer and liar. Sarah, who laughed at God and enabled her husband in adultery. Noah, who built the ark, miraculously floated through the flood, but later became a drunkard.

This could be the end of their stories, but God didn’t abandon them in their mistakes and sins; He saw them through to complete what He had for them to do. In Hebrews 11 we read only that Abraham left his family to serve God, and Sarah received strength from God to conceive and bear the child of promise in her old age. We read the Noah built the ark and participated in God’s plan, enabling his sons to become the progenitors of a new generation of people. We read the final chapters of their lives – the summation of God’s view of them, in spite of their past sins and struggles.

These people are us! They are the pastor down the street that messed up but still wants to follow God (perhaps like the Biblical David). They are the ones who grew from their mistakes and grieved in their hearts because they got off track, like the Israelite’s did, and like we do. They weren’t born under the New Covenant, they sinned terribly while claiming to follow God, and yet they are our examples of faithfulness in the Hall of Faith of Hebrews 11.

This isn’t a list of excuses to sin, but an encouragement to the downtrodden. Whatever mistakes we’ve made, in the end God is looking for the heart that will get back on track and follow wholeheartedly after Him. He will write the final page of your story – and perhaps it will be only Him that sees the faithfulness of your heart. Don't ever, ever, ever, let another person put the stamp of condemnation on you as long as you are still breathing, able to repent and move forward in God!

So I ask you, how do you see others? If they’ve sinned in some way, have you put the ‘dead’ label on their foreheads and called them sinners for life – unable to be used again by God? Do you warn others to stay away from them? If so, look again at Hebrews 11 and see what God calls them – He who knows the heart of each person claims them for His own and calls them faithful. He sees every sin and continues to draw us to Him in spite of it – He continues to call us out of our sin that we would learn from our mistakes and follow Him more closely.

Perhaps it’s time for a shift of focus – a shift that will enable us to see ourselves and others in the way God sees us. God told it like it was in Hebrews 11 – the real story. While we might look at it and see their errors along the way – they were a work in progress; half finished when we read of them in the Old Testament. But the Master, who sees the end from the beginning, recorded their faithfulness and left out their sin because He had removed it as far as the east is from the west. He saw them through heaven’s eyes because they lived life through the eyes of faith!

God help us to have ‘heaven’s eyes’ as we see one another’s mistakes and sins. Help us to encourage one another on to godliness instead of condemning and putting the ‘dead’ stamp on our brothers and sisters.

In the end, God sees us as more than conquerors, and that’s reality!