A Penny for Your Thoughts

Personally, I wouldn’t give a penny for anyone’s thoughts.  God, himself, doesn’t care much for man’s thoughts.  In Palms 94:11 he says, “The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile [useless/occupied with trifles].”  Everyone has occasion for daydreaming; imaginations.  Our thoughts can get us into plenty of trouble if we don’t control them.

From the beginning of time, God has read the thoughts of man.  “The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” (Gen. 6:5)  There is much said about God’s creation in this particular verse.  First, we know that He watched mankind to see what they are doing.  Secondly, man was not always this way, because God said they had become wicked. Thirdly, man’s thoughts of his heart were always evil, which showed they didn’t control their thoughts. Fourthly, this verse shows us that man’s character had changed and thinking evil thoughts had become natural to him, as he was inclined to do so.  Because of this, God destroyed all mankind, except Noah and his family. 

Quoting evangelist, Steve Hill, “Things are not always as they seem."  On the outside we may appear to be lily white, but inside, our thoughts may be black with evil.  In 1 Chr. 28:9 King David was speaking to his son, Solomon and warned him that “....the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.”  God knows even the motives behind what you are thinking.   Let’s look at an example.

Acts 5:1-4 “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.  With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.  Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

What Ananias and Sapphira did by giving money from the sale of their property looked good, but God knew the motive of their hearts was wrong.  They both died for this sin.  There was a reason that God wanted this event recorded in the Word.  It was a warning for all those who came after.  The warning is this:  Be sure you have the right motive behind your thoughts and actions.  Make sure everything is as it seems.  2 Cor. 10:5 tells us how to do this by, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.....”

We can control our thoughts if we cut off the bad that enters, and fill our mind with things of God.  First, you would make a decision to never look at pornography again.  Because of what you have already seen and thought, it will continue to pop into your mind, but you have the ability to cast those thoughts out and fill your mind with things of God.  “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Phil 4:8)

In Malachi the scriptures tell us how important it is for us to think on the Lord.  “Then those who feared and loved the Lord spoke often of him to each other.  And he had a Book of Remembrance drawn up in which he recorded the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him.”  (Mal. 3:16 TLB) 

Although what we see with the naked eye might seem spiritual and good, God sees the motives with his Spirit.  Are there things we do ‘in the name of Jesus’ or, ministries that we give our all to, and yet our motives are not right.  Do we have difficulty with PRIDE?  Only God knows your thoughts, but there will come a time when even this will be revealed.  “... He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.”  (Luke 1:51) 

We may be surprised at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  There will be many who stand before him believing they have made it in.   What a surprise it will be when they are told, ‘I never knew you’! “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”   (Matt. 7:21-23)  Maybe they served God, working hard in His service, doing all the right things, but the motive behind what they did was PRIDE!                                                                                                             

            You may be a leader in the church, a teacher, a worshipper, or a giver of time, talents and money, but if your motives are wrong, none of that will make any difference.  There may be those who don’t dress right, talk right or smell right, but they may be the ones to whom the Lord will say,  “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”  (Matt 25:3)

We are living in the day and the hour when God is calling for repentance.  That includes repentance of the attitudes of the heart.  It is time for each of us to examine our thoughts and see if they are filled with things that are ungodly.  If you have any doubts as to what is in your heart, open up the Word of God and begin to study; to meditate.  It will reveal your innermost heart. Heb. 4:12 tells us, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

This year may be the last to dawn on the Christian life as we know it today.  Let’s begin right now by repenting from evil thoughts that control our minds and wrong attitudes that have taken hold.  Is there a single person that if asked, “A penny for your thoughts”, would be willing to take that penny and reveal everything they are thinking?  Before you decide, remember this, the Lord knows all your thoughts; the ones you are having now and the all those you have ever had.  Without repentance, can a one of us stand before him and look into his eyes and be unashamed? 

A Penny for Your Thoughts?

Puff, the Magic Dragon

In 1963, one of the most popular songs was, “Puff, The Magic Dragon”.   It was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, who did much to sway the musical direction of the 60s to folk music. “Puff” was written about little boys who grew up and left the land of make-believe.  Peter, Paul and Mary were very influential in our culture at the height of their popularity.  Most of their music reflected social and political issues, to which they were committed and they used their talents to get the message out to others. 

There was another group of people, with the same names, Peter, Paul and Mary, who lived in an earlier time.  They also were committed to a cause and reached out to others, not with music, but with discipleship. In Greek the word 'disciple' normally referred to a follower of a particular teacher or religious/philosophical school. It was the task of the disciple to learn, study, and pass along the sayings and teachings of the master. (Holman Bible Dictionary)

However, there is far more to discipleship than just following someone.  It is a commitment to serve Christ and places everything you hold dear to second place in your life.  Jesus made this clear several times in the Bible.  In Luke 14:26-27, He said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.  And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

This doesn’t mean that we should hate our family members, nor does it mean we should dislike or disregard them.  Jesus never taught us hate, or even dislike, but taught that we should love unconditionally.  What this scripture means, is that our love for Christ should be so strong, that even those we hold the dearest, would be loved less than Him.  No other person should ever stop us from loving and serving Christ, no matter who they are.

            The Peter, Paul and Mary of the Bible are great examples, each in their own way, of practicing discipleship.  We first read about Peter in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter four.   Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, called Peter and his brother, Andrew, to leave their fishing trade and follow him.  Peter was just an ordinary person, working in an ordinary occupation, as was common in those days.  Perhaps many of us can see ourselves in the character of Peter.  He was compulsive, uncommitted, coarse, and loud and occasionally his anger controlled him. 

Christ will use anyone who is willing to answer His call.  This does not mean that Peter had any special qualifications, but he responded to the call.  With our intellect, we feel that we must first be qualified, and then God will call us into ministry.  The fact of it is, God does not always call those who are qualified, but he qualifies those he calls.  This is exactly what he did with Peter.  Peter was willing to give all he had to follow Jesus; his possessions, job, time and talents.  In doing that, he became a disciple.

Was it easy?  Nothing seemed to be easy for impulsive Peter.  It brings to mind some old clichés:  “think before you speak”, or “look before you leap”.  Peter did neither of these. Yet, he was the “rock” on which the church was built and the leader of the disciples.  It was he that held the young, fledging church together and he remains today a hero in Christian history.  Peter gave everything he had to serve Christ and in the end, even his life. 

Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, was possibly the greatest of all the disciples of Christ.  Thirteen of the books in the New Testament are attributed to him.  Paul’s character was opposite from Peter in that he was well educated, committed, patient, and in his own words, “content in every situation” (Phil 4:12).  Paul also had a trade as a tentmaker, which provided for him during the times he traveled.  Paul was a Jew and had no use for gentiles; a most unlikely candidate to lead the gentiles to Christ. Yet, Jesus saw in him as a strength to get a big job done, and called to him on the road to Damascus.  Paul answered that call and over the years suffered much.  In 2 Cor. 11:24-27, he writes, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.  I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”

Through Paul’s discipleship, Christians today understand more about Christ, Gods gift to mankind, conversion, reconciliation, faith, hope, evangelism and living and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The sacrifice was great, but the rewards even greater.

Are we then to believe that we must go through what Peter and Paul did to be disciples of Jesus? Let’s look at our third example of discipleship, Mary of Bethany.

Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus; the latter being the one Jesus wept for and raised from the dead. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus seem to have been part of an inner circle of Jesus' associates and he and his disciples stopped at their home many times.  We find in Luke 10:40-42, that on one of these visits, Martha, being the industrious one, complained Mary was not helping with the work.  Jesus answered her by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Mary was a student of Christ.  She loved him with her whole being and didn’t want to miss anything he said or did.  Mary must have communed with God, possibly being a great prayer warrior, for in John 12, we read that she anointed Jesus' feet with precious oil in preparation of his death.  Mary is shown to be a follower, a disciple, who learned and prayed at the feet of Jesus.  Her discipleship of priority, obedience and a deep love of the Master is an example for us to follow today.

Whoever you are, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, you have a call on your life to be a disciple.  Just as he spoke to the Galilean fishermen, “follow me and I will make you fishers of men”, he speaks to each of us today.  He will work within the abilities of our talents, skills, and background.  We just need to be willing.  You probably won’t be called to die upside down on a cross, as tradition tells us Peter did.  You more than likely won’t go through all the physical sufferings Paul did.  However, it is most definite that you will be called, as Mary of Bethany was, to sit at Jesus feet, learning, listening and praying. 

You will be called into a commitment to discipleship by self-denial (putting away our own sinful passions and desires), standing on Christ’s word, “not my will, but thine, be done”, (Luke 22:42).  You will also be committed to depend on the instructions and truths of God’s word, therefore practicing Holy Living.   It also means that you will be ready at all times, in season and out of season, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are lost and dying in sin. 

Do the cares and concerns of this world take priority?  Do you have dreams and ambitions that must be fulfilled before you are willing to become a disciple?  If it is your ambition in life to become famous, perhaps like the Peter, Paul and Mary who wrote “Puff, The Magic Dragon”, your priorities may be out of order. There’s nothing wrong with writing songs, or singing for a living.  They made their livelihood singing about make-believe, and a magic dragon that lives forever, as well as many other hit songs.  We all need an occupation to sustain us.  However, as a Christian, our first ambition should be to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, telling others of a loving Savior who died for them, so they might live forever with Him.

Let’s grow up and leave the land of make-believe.  Let’s face the reality of a real Savior, a heaven and of a hell and the millions of people who are going into eternity without Him.  You can make a difference, if you become his disciple.  The benefits are great! You don’t need to buy an insurance policy, because as a Christian you have an Assurance Policy that guarantees you a heavenly home.

OL’ MAN RIVER

“Lift that barge and tote that bale, git a little drunk and you land in jail.  I gets weary and sick of tryin’, I’m tired of livin’ and skeered of dyin’, but ol’ man river, he just keeps rolling along.”

Has your life become like the slave who sings this song, as he labors into exhaustion?  He could not say no, because he was a slave.  He couldn’t slow down because he was under bondage to his master.  He would have liked to do something to help him forget his troubles; maybe getting drunk.  However, that wouldn’t work, because he would be in a worse fix than ever - he was in a prison, whether within, or without.  This, my friend, is called stress.  He was caught in a place of being too tired and worn out to go on living, and faced the fearful possibility of dying.  In the end, he finds it is a hopeless situation, for the river of life just goes on.

Are you like that slave, under so much pressure and bondage, it seems as though there is no hope?  You are not alone.  Christians all over the world are finding the pressures of serving God increasingly difficult.  Why?  It isn’t one specific thing, but a variety of things that drive us, condemn us and scrutinize us.  Many of us feel driven to accomplish great things for the Lord. Webster’s dictionary describes ‘driven’ as a forward motion by physical force, authority or influence.  It also means to have a compulsive or urgent quality, or sense of obligation.

Let’s examine the word ‘lead’.  Lead means to guide on a way, by going in advance; to direct on a course, which naturally brings others to follow. If you take the words drive, or driven and compare it to the word ‘lead’, it would be like a negative and a positive.  The negative is to be driven and the positive is to be led. 

In studying the scriptures, we find that Christ never drives the believer into serving him, but gently leads his own, as the Good Shepherd, (John 10:11). One cannot lead unless someone will follow, and one cannot drive unless there is someone to push forward.

The song, “O’ Man River” describes the plight of a person who is driven and cannot find escape from this bondage. Many Christians are like that and let themselves be driven into a place of despair and frustration.  They may tell you they are doing all these things for Christ.  Yet, would Christ drive them to despair, exhaustion and poor health?

            We need to remember that although it is true, ‘God is good’, ‘everything that’s good is not always God’.  An example of that is found in Job.  God allowed Satan to test Job, and because of what Job was going through, his friends came to mourn with him and comfort him.  When they saw his condition, they wept and tore their clothes, for they could hardly recognize him.  What they did was good.  They wanted to help him, and after much dialogue, came to the conclusion that in some way he had sinned against God.  Then Elihu, a younger man, confronted Job and told him that his suffering was caused because he needed to change his attitude and become humble. 

What these men did seemed good, but it wasn’t God.  They did what they felt was righteous and godly.  All of them proclaimed God’s justice and majesty, which was good.  However, they were out of God’s will, and sought to drive Job to repentance, when he was not in the wrong.  The whole book can be summarized in this:  Grace is a gift from God and not a debt, for we cannot earn it.

In Acts, chapter five, we read about Ananias and Sapphira, a couple who sold their land and gave half of the money to the church.  That was a good and godly thing to do.  There was only one problem with it, they lied and held back from God.  They died because of what they did.  It seemed good, but it wasn’t God.  What we learn from this example is that God knows the motives of our heart.

Who or what drives us in such a relentless way.  Could it be we think we are gods who can single-handedly do every service that is needed in our church or Christian community?  Who drives us to exhaustion, stress and poor health?  Is it Christ, the Good Shepherd; the leader of whom we should be followers?  I think not.  Our Lord is not the one shouting out driving commands, “tote that barge and lift that bale!”  Instead, “He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”  (Mark 6:31)

Another time Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  (Matt. 11:28)  Jesus knew the need for rest and it appears he did this often.  He never seemed in a hurry, when he raised Lazarus from the dead, or when he brought the little girl back to life.  Our Lord, who could do miracles such as these, also remarked to his disciples, “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;   Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Matt. 9: 37,38)  If he was going to do this by himself, why did he pray for laborers? 

When we take too many tasks unto ourselves, we will short change someone.  We may have many talents and gifts and enjoy using them for God’s purpose, but it may be time to examine ourselves and look at the real motive behind what we do.  Are we afraid of saying ‘no’ to God, or to man?  When we are so busy we have no time for prayer, we are saying ‘no’ to God.  When we are so busy we neglect our health, we are saying, “I have no regard for this temple I live in”.  Perhaps our pride won’t let us even admit we can’t ‘do it all’. It is impossible to please all the people all of the time.  Someone will be neglected and at the speed most of us are driven, it will probably be God himself!       

There are those who have pushed their bodies to the limit.  Do they feel the need to endure because they like being a martyr?   I am reminded of the monk who wore a garment of hair that constantly scraped his skin raw.  There are people in South America, who on Good Friday, actually drive nails through their hands to experience the suffering of Christ.  Sounds terrible, doesn’t it?  It’s really no worse than what some of us do, only in different a way.

I used to brag about how hard I worked.  I loved to awe people with the load I carried.  Then I discovered a truth.  “There is none righteous, no not one.”  (Rom. 3:10)  Like Job, I cannot earn righteousness.  I also cannot work my way to being ‘spiritual’.  The only thing that really counts in life, after all, is my relationship with the Lord and to follow his direction.  I don’t have to be everything to everyone.  He has not asked me to be a martyr, or a slave.  He doesn’t drive me to despair and illness.  His living Word tells me this: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  Even 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.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Ps. 23) 

Many times we have heard this Psalm and yet, it is ever new.  Listen how he tells us to come aside and rest and how he leads and guides us.  Even when our life seems to be filled with enemies wanting a piece of our mind, our talents, our health, he says to us, “Sit down and rest a while.  I’ll feed you and sustain you right in front of your enemies. I will anoint you with the oil of my Spirit and you will feel my peace flow over you.  You will find contentment and relax in the love and goodness I pour out on you.”  What hope - what joy, to know we will be with him throughout eternity. 

Ol’ Man River just keeps rollin’ along.  Life goes on and either we will jump in the river and be refreshed in Christ’s presence, or we will spend our days on earth, “liftin’ that barge and totin’ that bale”.  We may find ourselves trapped in a prison (jail) of our own making and will suffer the consequences.

How can we, as busy Christians, find this place of refreshment? Psalm 84:1-7 in the Living Bible describes it for us.  “How lovely is your Temple, O Lord of the armies of heaven?  I long, yes, faint with longing to be able to enter your courtyard and come near to the Living God.  Even the sparrows and swallows are welcome to come and nest among your altars and there have their young, O Lord of heaven’s armies, my King and my God!  How happy are those who can live in your Temple, singing your praises.  Happy are those who are strong in the Lord, who want above all else to follow your steps.  When they walk through the Valley of Weeping it will become a place of springs where pools of blessing and refreshment collect after rains!  They will grow constantly in strength and each of them is invited to meet with the Lord in Zion.” 

When we follow him, he will take us through places we cannot go through alone.  No matter how difficult it seems at the time, he will turn it into something good and we will be blessed and refreshed.  Give your busyness to him, long to enter his courtyard - more than ministry; more than carrying that heavy load. Lay down the work load - the world will not stop.  It won’t even miss a beat.  How pompous we are when we think things can’t go on without us.  What little humility we have, when we judge the rise or fall of our ministry, our work, our business, on our own overworked talents and efforts. It is he who “removes kings and raises up kings”. (Dan. 2:21 NKJ)  Today, this moment, give it all to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

COME, LORD JESUS!

            Today, most of us find a guarantee is a very important part of the way we live.  It helps us decide what we buy, what we eat, what we wear and what helps us function in today’s world.  However, many guarantees are subject to change and most are definitely limited. Some items state they have a lifetime guarantee, but who is going to cash in on that?  However, if a company goes out of business, their guarantee is useless.  Also, most guarantees are conditional.  There is one and only one guarantee that a person can really depend on and that guarantee is for eternity! No one else can make that statement.  Not only that, but it can be proven many times over.  This guarantee comes from the throne of God.  In keeping with these times, (end times) it would be well to check on the guarantee spoken of in the Bible.

Can we really depend on the Word of God for guidance and direction in our life today?  Eph. 4:30 says that “We are sealed for the day of redemption”.  That means we (the believers) are guaranteed to be redeemed at the last day.  In Heb. 7:22, it says, “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. Also, in I Thess. 4:17, the bible states, “After that, we who are still alive and are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

Will God follow through with this guarantee?  Rom. 4:16 puts it this way, “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring...” (Of whom we are, by being grafted into the tree.  (Rom. 11:19)

            First, we need to accept the Word of God as TRUTH.  If we have ever doubted our salvation, which at times most people do, we must remember, salvation is by faith. However, there is a way to check the Bible for its accuracy. This can be done by looking at Bible prophecy.

Jesus’ coming to earth was prophesied many times in the Old Testament.

            The place of birth - Mic. 5:2 - to be born in Bethlehem

                                            Matt. 2:1 - it came to pass

            The time of birth   - Da. 9:25   - the Anointed One comes

                                            Lk. 2:1-2 - it came to pass

            The mother             - Isa. 7:14   - Born of a virgin

                                            Matt. 1:18 - it came to pass

            His death                - Ps. 22:16 - Hands & feet pierced

                                             Jn. 20:27 - it came to pass

            His resurrection    - Ps. 16:10 - Not abandoned to the grave

                                           Matt. 28:9 it came to pass

These are just a few of more than thirty-eight prophecies in the Old Testament concerning Jesus from his birth through his ministry, death, resurrection and ascension.  Every single one of these prophecies has been fulfilled.  The odds of that happening are greater than we can even count - something like 1 in a nonillionth. The Bible indeed has proven itself to be the true and living word of God.

If all these prophecies in the Old Testament have come to pass, even though the odds would be a uncountable times greater than winning the Lotto, we can be assured that when the bible says,  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:31), it is true.  Therefore, it makes sense that we should believe the prophecies concerning the return of Jesus.

In one book of the New Testament, every chapter mentions the return of Christ.  I Thessalonians 1:10 (NIV) “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

Chapter 2:19  “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?”

            Chapter 3:13  “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

Chapter 4:16-17  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

            Chapter 5:23  “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Acts 1:10-11  “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

One resurrection morning, almost 2000 years ago, a tomb was found empty.  The place where Christ’s dead body lay, held only wrappings - the burial cloths. He was then seen alive by many people after that - the disciples, Mary Magdalene and others..  It was prophesied and because all the other prophecies came to pass, I believe it happened. Jesus himself told the disciples he would be killed and after three days, rise again (Mark 8:31). 

There is coming another resurrection morning, when graves will be opened and those who have trusted in Christ will rise first, and after that we who are still alive will be caught up in the clouds and meet the Lord in the air.  What a resurrection morning that will be for those who believe in the cleansing and saving power of the cross.

We can be assured that our Lord is who he says and does what he says he will do. “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”   (Isa. 58:11)  He also says he will always be there for us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”   (Heb. 13:5) 

We can say with total assurance, “COME,  LORD JESUS!”

There's a Fork in the Road

In your walk with God, have you ever found yourself going down a road on the way to a place you had dreamed and planned about, only to come to a fork in the road?  Perhaps you stopped and looked at the path that led off to the right and wondered briefly if there were great adventures awaiting you in that direction.  You have felt very uncomfortable about where an unfamiliar path might lead.  Then you continued down the road you were planning to go on.  Sometime later, you may have reflected on that fork in the road.  The thought may have even come to you that you could have missed God’s direction.  How can you know you are on the right road?  Did you ever consider looking at the map?  God has put a road map in front of us, yet many never look at it, or study it to find the way in times of decision. 

            My husband and I love to drive around the countryside.  It’s so relaxing to take off early in the morning and just drive.  We don’t always know where we’re headed, but we find interesting places to visit.  Sometimes we drive through familiar territory, or again, we may drive through a neighboring state, looking for out-of-the way places. We might think we know where we are and where we’re headed, but then find ourselves hopelessly lost. About that time, he’ll say, “Honey, why don’t you look at the map?”  Amazingly, it always shows us where we need to go to get back on the right road.

            This is often true in the life of a Christian.  God has called you to follow him and most of us really want to do that.  The problem is that we think we see the whole picture for our life.  However, the Bible says, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” (I Cor. 13:12)  It looks like it’s time to get out the road map - the Bible!  There are times God is very detailed and to the point, like the following scripture.  “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."  (Isa. 30:21)  You may say, “But God never told me that!”  Well, have you been asking?  Have you been praying and seeking God in this particular situation?  Let me tell you a big truth, God isn’t going to talk to you, if you don’t talk to him. 

          Have you ever made wrong decisions by not talking to God, or waiting for an answer and found you often paid a price for doing that?  It is God’s desire to give you direction.  When we take off on our own, we usually have very little understanding of what to do.  How do we know the decisions we come to are God’s desire for us?  “A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?”  (Prov. 0:24) There are instances in our life when we ignore the Holy Spirit’s leading and follow our own wishes.  We may even pray about it and don’t like what we know is an answer, so we continue to tell God what we want.

            A good example of this kind of decision making is when someone is house hunting and they find what they consider to be their dream home.  They know they can’t afford it, but they pray about it, which they should do.  They go ahead with trying to buy it and are turned down by the bank; the sale of their old house falls through and it looks like nothing is going to work out.  They continue to pray, “God, I know you want me to have that new house of my dreams, even though I can’t afford it - I don’t even have the right furniture and will have to buy new, somehow.”  The realtor doesn’t really want to lose this deal as it involves more than one house, so he comes back and says, “I think I can find a way to get a loan for you”.  Wow!  God has made a way.

The old house sells when the price is lowered; then they buy the new one.  They were right - the furniture didn’t look good, so they went out and charged more, along with a lot of other things they didn’t think of before.  Now they have so many bills, they can’t possibly pay them all every month, so they have to juggle them.  Eventually, it all catches up and either they have to sell the house, or lose it.  Now, they are in worse shape than before, because even if they sell, they have so many bills, by the time they pay them off, there is nothing left to buy another house.

In the above example, God had answered their prayer several times, but they wanted their own way. When we finally get our own way, it may turn out to be a poor decision.  The Living Bible puts in very plainly in Proverbs 1:29-31:  “For you closed your eyes to the facts and did not choose to reverence and trust the Lord, and you turned your back on me, spurning my advice.  That is why you must eat the bitter fruit of having your own way, and experience the full terrors of the pathway you have chosen.”

            Most of us have chosen our own road at one time or another and have “eaten the bitter fruit” of it.  It’s not a pleasant experience and it seems as though we would learn from it, but we don’t.  We prefer to wander down a wide, tree-lined avenue that appears to be headed towards our castle in the sky.  We don’t like to follow the hard, narrow path before us and trust God for where it leads us.

            Let’s look at the roadmap again: “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.  Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.  Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”  (Pr. 4: 25-27)  Even if the road ahead looks difficult, don’t compromise, don’t cheat or lie.  It only leads to destruction.  You know when you are going in the wrong direction. You can hear God’s voice telling you to turn away. He does not direct us the wrong way.  “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Pr. 10:9)

            Today, you may be at a fork in the road, having to make a decision of some kind.  There may be a way that appears easy and it’s what you really want to do, but in the deep recesses of your heart, you know it’s not the way God wants you to go.  Some may describe this feeling as a “check in the spirit”.  Don’t ignore the “still, small voice of God”.  Psalm 23 tells us that, “He leads me in paths of righteousness.”

There are times when God shows us ‘tough love’ and we cringe at this experience, but if you’ve ever had to use that kind of love on your children, or an abusive spouse, you find that it works.  It’s like taking the person you love and handing them totally to God - out of your hands and into His.  Out of your control and into God’s leading.  Is it easy?  No, but his ways are greater than ours and He knows what’s best.

            In summary, let’s look in Jeremiah 6:16. “This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Healing The Past

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

 (Rom. 12:2)

There is nothing that hinders a Christian more than holding on to the past.  Often we see God-fearing people at the altar time and time again looking for God’s peace, because of past sin, hurt, or bitterness, in their lives. Still - they are as miserable as ever.  Is there an answer for those who need healing of the past?

Emphatically - yes!  There is hope and help for all those who are encumbered with their past life.  We will look at three separate steps in leaving the past behind, once and for all.

Gods Forgiveness

The first step is to understand the fullness of God’s forgiveness. Ps. 103:12 tells us that God has such compassion on his children (believers like you and me), that when we accepted him as our Savior and Lord, our sins were forgiven and will never be remembered again.  In Isa. 43:25, he again tells us that he blots out our transgressions (sins) and will not ever remember them again.  This means that each time you go to God, weeping and filled with self-condemnation about your past, he is not going to do anything about it.  Why?  He has already taken care of it and cannot remember what you are talking about.  Can he keep forgiving you over and over again, when he looks at you and doesn’t see all those things in your past? Can you be born again, again?  No, and neither can you be forgiven of the past again.  “You are sealed for the day of redemption”.   (Eph. 4:30)

Jesus took your sins upon himself, so you could be forgiven.  Heb. 10:15-18 says that sin and lawless acts He remembers no more and not only that, but verse 18 tells us, “And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.”

We have been given a new life, free from the bondage of our past.  What grace - what mercy! Paul, himself, no doubt had to confront this issue and when he finally received the revelation, he was set free.  Here is the revelation of a buried past.  “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”  (Rom.6:1-4)

Looking Forward

Now that God’s forgiveness is established, the second step is to decide in what direction we are going.  We have several options as to the direction we take.  We can go to the left, right, backwards or forward. The Word of God will give insight as to all of these options. As believers, we are to obey God’s commands.  It has been this way from the beginning and will remain this way until the end of time.  The command is this:  “So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”  (Duet. 5:32-33)   God has commanded us to follow him for our own good - so we will have life, be prosperous and live many years.  This is the desire of most people.

The second option is to go backward.  Jesus put it very plainly, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for service in the kingdom of God”.  (Luke 9:62)  Why would he say this to us?  He knows that when we are in bondage to the past, we cannot have our mind on him.  Therefore we won’t be of service to him, if our whole heart isn’t in it.  The Word speaks about a double-minded person and says they are unstable in all they do (James 1:8).  If our mind is on the past when God calls it to be in the present, we are double-minded and what kind of service can an unstable person perform?  God needs our undivided attention.

The only option, within the will of God, is to go forward.  Paul put this as clearly as one could, when he wrote to the Philippians,  “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”    (Phil 3:13-14)  Forget - that is what we are told.  Don’t remember what has already past.  It can’t change anything, it won’t do anyone any good and when you’re looking back, you can’t see where you are going.  The only thing it can do is cause disaster and unhappiness.  Who wants to concentrate on the broken pieces of the past, when just ahead is the prize.  “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”  (I Cor. 9:24)  That prize is an imperishable crown of righteousness! 

Every believer knows that we must keep our eyes on Jesus, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...”  (Heb. 12:2).  In order to do that, we must look in front of us, for that’s where he is.  One of the disciples said to Jesus, “Let me go bury my father”, “But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.”  (Matt. 8:22)

What Jesus was telling him, was to let the past go - bury it, its dead.  Then, ‘follow me’.  One thing is for sure, you can’t follow Jesus, unless you go forward.

Renewing our Mind

God has forgiven us past sins, but we must bury our own dead past.  The third and final step is the renewal of our mind.  If you are saved, (born again) you have no business following the ways of the world.  You already did that and it didn’t work.  You found that living a sinful life style didn’t make you happy, money never made you happy and a life without Christ was an empty life.  Why on earth, would you want to continue living in the old ways? 

An anonymous quote says that “The battle is won or lost in the mind” and it is scripturally accurate.  Rom. 12:2 teaches us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” How do we do this?  It’s called decision making.  Decision making is so simple that often the average person passes over it, looking for a more complex answer to a problem area.  In the business world, they have found ways to come to a decision through graphs, charts and diagrams.  They form teams to investigate problems and through an elimination of causes, they finally come up with a decision. It might take weeks or months to come to this decision and even then it isn’t foolproof, but it is a decision.

As Christians, we don’t have to go to great lengths to find the answer to problem areas in our life.  The manual was already written with explicit detail, simple enough for a child to understand.  For example, if you have a problem concerning finances, the ‘Manual’ says, “You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.  This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.”  (Hag. 1:6 & 7)

Now that’s too simple - to think about what you are doing with what you have.  Maybe we should look at another problem, such as, a married couple who fights all the time.  “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (I Pet. 3:9)    Have you ever heard it said, ‘It takes two to tango’?  It also takes two to fight or argue.  If that isn’t clear enough, how about this? "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.” (I Pet. 3:10-11)  It couldn’t be put plainer.

Let’s try one more problem solving - anger.  Your anger may cause you a lot of problems in life and you don’t know what to do about it.  Proverbs gives you a simple answer, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” (Prov. 29:11)  Need we say more?

God has given you everything you need to renew your mind.  In fact, in I Co. 2:16, he tells us, “we have the mind of Christ”.  All we need to do is decide to use it.  Why was Jesus successful and Adam failed?  Both had to make decisions.  Jesus decided to live a perfect holy life and Adam decided to give in to temptation.  This is why we are told in Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”  When we make the decision to not conform to the pattern the world sets for us, we will be  transformed and “be renewed in the spirit of your mind”  (Eph. 4:23)

Those who are not healed of the past become bitter people.  Eph. 4:31 says, “Get rid of all bitterness…”.  Don’t look back.

P.   - Put

A.  - Away

S.     - Sad

T.    - Thoughts

God has left us with a picture of what happened to one person when they looked back.  The story begins in Genesis 13:12.  Abraham’s nephew Lot had chosen land in Canaan and pitched his tent toward Sodom, a wicked city.  Eventually, he moved into Sodom and lived there with his wife and two daughters.  The daughters married men of the city.  It became so wicked, that God decided to destroy both cities of Sodom and its neighbor, Gomorra.  Abraham prayed to God to save these cities if any righteous could be found in them.  God listened to Abraham’s prayer and sent angels to escort Lot and his family from Sodom.  Lot’s son-in-laws were wicked and laughed at him when he told them to leave, so only Lot, his wife and two daughters escaped before the cities were destroyed. 

There was only one warning the angels gave them as they left, “Don’t look back”.  Lot’s wife didn’t listen and even though she had an opportunity to press on to a new and better life, she dwelt on the past and looked back. She was turned into a pillar of salt.  Looking back destroyed her.  That warning holds true for believers today - don’t look back.  You can be healed from the past if you want to.  Don’t be like the little bird that longed to be free.  The cage door was left open, but he still stayed inside wishing he was free.  Come out into freedom, but be sure you close the door behind you.

The Cooking Pot

Over the years I’ve had many cooking pots.  I have no idea how many meals of soups, stews and other savory delicacies were cooked in them.  These meals were made for family, friends, or whoever happened to be at my table.  Most of the time, a pinch of love was thrown in the pot for good measure. On rare occasion, a little bitterness or anger were stirred in and brought to a boil.  The amazing thing about it was the anger and bitterness never lasted and neither did the pots.

A few years ago, I bought a new aluminum cooking pot.  It seemed a foolish thing to do, because my children all had their own homes.  However, the pot didn’t cost very much and it made me feel good, bringing back memories of times when my table was full.  I never used it, but every time I opened the pantry door, there it was - my shiny security blanket.  Somehow, the cooking pot made me feel as if I had a purpose.  I wasn’t quite sure what the purpose was, other than it had something to do with my family.

Family life today is certainly different from what it was in the fifties and sixties.  Families were drawn together on a regular basis. Almost every Sunday after church, my husband and I, along with four kids and a dog, would pile in the car and head for my parents home.  They lived about an hour away.  The drive passed quickly with the chatter or singing of the three voices in the back and the little one in the front.

The picturesque little town where they lived lay peacefully in a valley, and as we broke over the crest of the hill that sloped down into the town, one word always rose in my heart - home! When we walked into Mother’s bright, yellow kitchen, delicious smells would be coming from the bubbling pot on the stove.  One Sunday, it might be chicken and dumplings and another, beef and noodles.  It gave me a feeling of security; still under a mother’s care.  My children grew up going ‘home’ to Grandpa and Grandma’s, where the cooking pot always held enough for whoever happened by at mealtime. 

My father died many years ago, but Mother’s cooking pot still welcomed family and passersby.  Then, when my mother went to be with the Lord the cooking pot faded into a memory. Things would never be the same again.

Time changes many things.  I, like many other homemakers began to work outside the home.  After my children were grown with families of their own, I wasn’t often home.  All of us were very active in ministry and Sundays were some of our busiest days. My grandchildren didn’t know what it was like to go ‘home’ to Grandpa and Grandma’s on Sunday.  They didn’t know what it was like to walk into the kitchen and be greeted by a cooking pot cheerily bubbling on the stove.  What is it that makes the cooking of food so important to a family?  Going back in history, some of great Bible stories portray important events that transpired around a cooking pot. 

            Isaac had two sons - Jacob and Esau.  Jacob was a ‘con man’ from the beginning, while Esau was an outdoorsman; a mighty hunter.  One day Esau came in from hunting and was starving.  Jacob had a pot of stew cooking and sold his hungry brother a bowl of stew for his birthright.  A birthright meant the inheritance of the father went to the eldest son.  Esau cared nothing for his birthright, but Jacob wanted it and got it.   (Gen. 25:29-34)  On top of that, with help from his mother, Jacob deceived his aged and blind father into giving him the blessing reserved for the eldest son.  (Gen 27:1-29)

            When Moses led the Israelites through the desert, God sent them ‘manna’.  The people gathered the manna everyday and cooked it.  We read in Num. 11:7-8 (Amp. Bible), “The manna was like coriander seed and its appearance was like that of bdellium (perhaps a precious stone).  The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes of it; and it tasted like cakes baked with fresh oil.”  God supplied manna to his people for forty years.  They could not have survived without it.  Can you imagine the number of cooking pots boiling away everyday, over the campfires of a million or more people camped in the wilderness? 

           We read in 2 Kings, 38-44, where Elisha went to Gilgal and there was a great famine in the land.  He was meeting a group of prophets and had his servant put a large pot on the fire to cook food for all the prophets.  The servant gathered wild herbs and gourds for the stew and served it.  Apparently, what was cooked was poisonous, so Elisha put flour in the pot and it became good to eat.  God gave them a miracle in a cooking pot. 

            We find biblical history being shaped in the cooking pots of the patriarchs of old. What security do we see in this?  Esau was saved from starving.  God made provision for the Israelites, his chosen people; Jehovah, Jireh.  Elisha and the prophets experienced a miracle. If the Bible was written today, it would probably say that Jacob took Esau to McDonald’s when he was starving.  Perhaps the wandering Israelites were fed by the Red Cross and surely Elisha and his group of prophets gathered at the local restaurant where bad food was served them.  It doesn’t sound right, does it?  Somehow, families or friends gathering in a public restaurant don’t give warm fuzzies.

            Not long ago, we moved and while unpacking, I pulled out the shiny cooking pot - still new.  It was then I made the decision to use it for making memories, as generations before me had.  I invited my children and their families to begin coming ‘home’ one Sunday a month. They all thought it a great idea and so began another generation responding to the cooking pot.  I rinsed off the dusty pot stored away in the pantry and began thinking of things I could cook to feed a lot of people.  At first, it all went pretty well, but I found my new cooking pot was too thin and scorched some of the food.  I also received a nasty burn from it one day. 

            Then a wonderful thing happened.  My son-in-law, Dave, who is a chef, surprised me with a new stainless steel cooking pot.   This is a very expensive pot, and the great thing about it, it cooks evenly, doesn’t burn food and the handles are not too hot to touch. This gift gave me a message I needed to hear.  Without the words, my son-in-law was telling me, “I care about you and it matters what you do.  I’m there for you and I like coming ‘home’.”  I didn’t know he felt that way, although in the past he has been my encourager in difficult times.  What it all boiled down to (not a pun), he showed me I still had a purpose.  My family needed me!

            There is something quite miraculous about this pot.  God is in it! He adds the flavor of Love and Mercy, the Salt of the Gospel, Bread of Life, the Wine of the Spirit and a Sweet Savor to everything that is cooking.  It brings our family closer together, heals wounds from the enemy and serves encouragement in times of trouble.  It causes laughter and at other times dries up tears. 

            I have come to the conclusion that everyone should have a big cooking pot that draws family and friends together.  As a matter of fact, I believe it’s almost scriptural.  After all, Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  (Matt. 18:20)