We don’t usually think of Valentine’s Day as an explicitly Christian holiday. Other major holidays have obvious Christian origins: Christmas (Christ’s incarnation) and Easter (Christ’s resurrection), sure, but Valentine’s Day? It’s true that Valentine’s Day is not connected with an event in the life of our Lord like Christmas and Easter are, but Valentine’s Day does have some intriguing Christian roots. Along with most holidays, Valentine’s Day has suffered from its share of commercialization and confusion, yet the story of the original Valentine’s Day is worth remembering.
After about 1,700 years of history, it’s kind of hard to know exactly who Valentine was and what he did. The truth is, there were probably several Valentines. Also, the truth is probably not as highly dramatized as we may wish. The truth is embedded somewhere in the depths of history, never to be known until we get to heaven. What follows may be part tradition and part truth, but completely fascinating.
The year was 270. The Roman Empire was engaged in a desperate attempt to retain the Pax Romana that had endured for centuries. Christianity was active during the 3rd century. Although Christ had died over two centuries prior, Christians were eagerly propagating their faith and churches were springing up everywhere. These early centuries of the church were the times of the great apologists such as Clement, Ignatius, Origen, Polycarp, Athanasius, and Chrysostom. But the 3rd century was also the time of the Christian martyrs. Prior to Constantine, the empire was not friendly to Christianity at all. Claudius, the reigning emperor of the time, was a warlord, intent only upon preserving his empire and routing his enemies. Christianity was not on his like list. His primary interests were military, and he would stoop to nothing to ensure that his mighty army remained loyal to him.
It was Claudius’s grip on the military that led him to install a very foolish policy empire-wide. Claudius had a problem on his hands when it came to the army. Believe it or not, his men would actually prefer to get married and stay home with their wives and families rather than risk their lives and sacrifice for their country. Military recruiting was suffering because of the petulant affection between man and wife. Love was getting in the way of patriotism. Claudius would have none of it. Being the man with the big stick, he could make laws and enforce them, too. So he did. Claudius passed a law forbidding anyone to get married. Obviously, this was an outrage. Was he serious? No marriage?
Living in this anti-Christian and anti-marriage climate, was Valentine. Valentine was a Christian priest in Rome. He knew from the Bible that marriage was good and honored by God. He knew that marriage was lawful according to the Christian faith, so he took it upon himself to perform Christian marriages contrary to the law. As a priest, he performed secret marriages for couples who desired to be married bravely defying the anti-marriage edict. It wasn’t just marriages that Valentine was working on. He was also trying to protect persecuted Christians who were being chased down and haunted by the aggressive Roman leaders. Christians knew that they could flee to Valentine to find protection.
Valentine was taking a huge risk. Not only was it absolutely forbidden to marry or to perform marriages, but it was also a criminal offense to aid or abet Christians, especially ones whom the Roman Empire had on their hit list. Valentine was enmeshed in what the Roman Empire considered high treason and traitorous activity. Although he was being loyal to his faith, he was flying in the face of Roman law. The Roman government hunted him down and locked him up in prison. Now, Valentine, protector of Christians and performer of marriages, was himself suffering for his love and devotion to God.
It got worse. Valentine, true to his bold character, tried to convert Emperor Claudius to Christianity. This had gone too far. Claudius demanded that Valentine recant his faith and submit to the cruel and godless tyranny of Rome. Valentine staunchly refused. The Roman Prefect condemned him to torture and death. He was beaten violently, then beheaded. Valentine was martyred for his faith.
Although part of this may be legend, history shares with us that part of this was true. There was a man that loved Christ so much and loved the sanctity of marriage that he was willing to die for it. How much more should we ourselves respect our vows and honor our commitments to our companions? On this Valentine's Day if you give flowers, candy, cards, or gifts, do so for the real reason-not for the economy, but because of the love God has placed in your heart.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
Honoring Our Elders
When King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam succeeded him as king over Israel (1 Kings 11:42-12:20). Initially he ruled over all 12 tribes. But early in his reign, the people of Israel requested that Rehoboam not repeat the harsh rulership of his father, the late King Solomon. So the new king asked for some time to consult with two groups of advisors: (1) the elders who had served his father Solomon, and (2) the young men who had grown up with Rehoboam.
The elders, men who had learned much wisdom over a long life, encouraged the new king to hear the people, to grant their request, and to serve them graciously as their king. But to his hurt Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men (12:13) and accepted the disastrous advice of his younger companions, who said to tell the people, "My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." (12:14).
The result of his embracing the younger men’s rash counsel and rejecting the advice of the proven, older men was the rebellion of the ten northern tribes. They made Jereboam their king instead, leaving King Rehoboam with only the tribe of Judah (12:16-20). I quote this piece of Bible history to demonstrate the importance of paying proper attention and respect to what I call the "wisdom of the elders".
The Bible says in Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."
A wise man or woman is one who listens to advice. This is in contrast to a fool, who looks to himself as the source of wisdom. But it’s not just advice that we need. Rehoboam got advice from his young companions, but it was wrong advice! It led to catastrophe for the king. So remember, it’s not just counsel, but good counsel that we need from others. And the Scriptures give a number of illustrations where that good counsel is likely to be drawn out of the older men and women, who have lived a long life and learned many valuable lessons. And by “older”, I mean those significantly older than the one seeking advice.
Leviticus 19:32 "Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord."
Proverbs 16:31 " The hoary head (NIV: gray hair) is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."
I’m not suggesting that just any older person is automatically a good source of godly advice. You and I both know that is not the case. Like a percentage of the adults of any age, some older people are criminals, some are drunkards, some are foolish in their life choices, and some show very little wisdom.
Time and again I turned to men older than I was. But they were not just older; they had also lived upright, godly lives for many decades. These were mature believers who had “exercised themselves unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). Seek counsel from older men and women of God who have a proven track record, who have lived for God victoriously over the long haul.
Proverbs 6:20-23 "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life..."
The first place to look for the wisdom of the "olders" is with Dad and Mom. I was blessed to be raised by God-fearing parents. Not all have that privilege, I realize. But that is still God’s ideal plan for instilling wisdom in young children. That is, they are to receive godly, bible-based teaching and life lessons from their parents.
1 Timothy 5:1, 2 "Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity."
Bible scholars generally agree that the apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy (4:12) in his role as pastor of a church, most likely in Ephesus. Paul exhorts the young minister to treat the older saints with kindness and high regard, treating the older men as fathers and the older women as mothers.
This picture of a young pastor in a mixed-age congregation that includes older men and women is actually quite similar to our opening story. The new, young King Rehoboam lost most of his “congregation” (the ten northern tribes) by listening to his youthful companions and announcing harsh measures. By contrast, the older advisors had counseled the king to treat the Israelites with kindness and an attitude of service to them. It’s the same in church leadership, in government, or in the business world. Younger men and women may be placed in positions of authority even over those older than them. Should they lead? Yes. But they should do it with deference to and respect for the accumulated “wisdom of the years” to be found among their older co-workers or fellow church members.
Titus 2:3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
There is a need in the church for younger women, in many cases recently married and beginning to raise their new families. Where should they turn for advice on being good wives, mothers, homemakers, and Christians? The answer is: to the “older women”, who have learned much by being good wives and successfully raising children over a long period of time.
How old is an “older” woman? Well, I’ve learned a few things over the course of my 61 years, and one of those is not to tell a woman at what age she becomes “older”! An “older” woman in this context doesn’t need to be in her 70's. No, she could be 40 and be counseling and teaching a young mother of age 20. That would certainly qualify her on all counts as relatively older and in possession of much experiential wisdom from having raised her own family, managed a successful home, and enjoyed a good marriage.
Avoid the error of King Rehoboam, who accepted the counsel of his young companions who were inexperienced in leadership. It seems that they responded out of passion and immaturity. But the wisdom the new, young king needed was that given by the elders, the older, mature men who had much experience and accumulated wisdom. As an older man myself, my heartfelt encouragement to you is to seek out and give a listening ear to the “wisdom of the olders”. Your life will be better for it.
A wise man or woman is one who listens to advice. This is in contrast to a fool, who looks to himself as the source of wisdom. But it’s not just advice that we need. Rehoboam got advice from his young companions, but it was wrong advice! It led to catastrophe for the king. So remember, it’s not just counsel, but good counsel that we need from others. And the Scriptures give a number of illustrations where that good counsel is likely to be drawn out of the older men and women, who have lived a long life and learned many valuable lessons. And by “older”, I mean those significantly older than the one seeking advice.
I’m not suggesting that just any older person is automatically a good source of godly advice. You and I both know that is not the case. Like a percentage of the adults of any age, some older people are criminals, some are drunkards, some are foolish in their life choices, and some show very little wisdom.
Time and again I turned to men older than I was. But they were not just older; they had also lived upright, godly lives for many decades. These were mature believers who had “exercised themselves unto godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). Seek counsel from older men and women of God who have a proven track record, who have lived for God victoriously over the long haul.
The first place to look for the wisdom of the "olders" is with Dad and Mom. I was blessed to be raised by God-fearing parents. Not all have that privilege, I realize. But that is still God’s ideal plan for instilling wisdom in young children. That is, they are to receive godly, bible-based teaching and life lessons from their parents.
Bible scholars generally agree that the apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy (4:12) in his role as pastor of a church, most likely in Ephesus. Paul exhorts the young minister to treat the older saints with kindness and high regard, treating the older men as fathers and the older women as mothers.
This picture of a young pastor in a mixed-age congregation that includes older men and women is actually quite similar to our opening story. The new, young King Rehoboam lost most of his “congregation” (the ten northern tribes) by listening to his youthful companions and announcing harsh measures. By contrast, the older advisors had counseled the king to treat the Israelites with kindness and an attitude of service to them. It’s the same in church leadership, in government, or in the business world. Younger men and women may be placed in positions of authority even over those older than them. Should they lead? Yes. But they should do it with deference to and respect for the accumulated “wisdom of the years” to be found among their older co-workers or fellow church members.
There is a need in the church for younger women, in many cases recently married and beginning to raise their new families. Where should they turn for advice on being good wives, mothers, homemakers, and Christians? The answer is: to the “older women”, who have learned much by being good wives and successfully raising children over a long period of time.
How old is an “older” woman? Well, I’ve learned a few things over the course of my 61 years, and one of those is not to tell a woman at what age she becomes “older”! An “older” woman in this context doesn’t need to be in her 70's. No, she could be 40 and be counseling and teaching a young mother of age 20. That would certainly qualify her on all counts as relatively older and in possession of much experiential wisdom from having raised her own family, managed a successful home, and enjoyed a good marriage.
Avoid the error of King Rehoboam, who accepted the counsel of his young companions who were inexperienced in leadership. It seems that they responded out of passion and immaturity. But the wisdom the new, young king needed was that given by the elders, the older, mature men who had much experience and accumulated wisdom. As an older man myself, my heartfelt encouragement to you is to seek out and give a listening ear to the “wisdom of the olders”. Your life will be better for it.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Love, Love, Love
"All we need is love! All we need is love!"
Well, that's what the Beatles sang years ago. Man, I wish that were true, but let me put it this way:
-Love doesn't pay the rent.
-Love doesn't pay the bills.
-Love is fickle and indecisive.
-Love can be affected by outside circumstances.
-Love can blind you to the truth.
-Love can put you in a pickle (LOL)!
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and give us the opportunity for new life. That message of love for you and me is conveyed all throughout the Bible.
The Greek language had four words for love and here is how God used them:
-The word eros, from which we get the English word erotic. Eros was the word often used to express sexual love or the feelings of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to one another. The word was also used as the name of the Greek god of love, Eros (the Romans called him “Cupid”). By New Testament times, this word had become so debased by the culture that it is not used even once in the entire New Testament.
-The second word for “love” was storge, which referred to natural, familial love. Storge (a word not found in the Bible) referred to the type of love shown by a parent for a child.
-The third Greek word for “love” was philia, which forms part of the words philosophy (“love of wisdom”) and philanthropy (“love of fellow man”). This word speaks of the warm affection shared between friends. Whereas eros is more closely associated with the libido, philia is associated with the heart (metaphorically speaking). We feel love for our friends and family, obviously not in an erotic sense, but in the sense of being kind and affectionate. However, philia is not felt between people who are at enmity with one another. We can feel philia toward friends and family, but not toward people whom we dislike or hate.
Different from all of these is the fourth Greek word for “love,” agapé, typically defined as the “self-sacrificing love.” This is the love that moves people into action and looks out for the well-being of others, no matter the personal cost. Biblically speaking, agapé is the love God showed to His people in sending His Son, Jesus, to die for their sins. It is the love that focuses on the will, not the emotions, experience, or libido. This is the love that Jesus commands His disciples to show toward their enemies (Luke 6:35). Eros and philia are not expressed to people who hate us and wish us ill; agapé is. In Romans 5:8, Paul tells us that God’s love for His people was made manifest in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Once again, did you know that Jesus loves you so much that He died for your sins and your salvation? It was and is His agape' love that continues to transform and change people's lives today. You need it. I need it. Everyone who wants to go to heaven needs it. Why don't you receive His love today? Just ask Him to be the Lord of your life and He will be.
Well, that's what the Beatles sang years ago. Man, I wish that were true, but let me put it this way:
-Love doesn't pay the rent.
-Love doesn't pay the bills.
-Love is fickle and indecisive.
-Love can be affected by outside circumstances.
-Love can blind you to the truth.
-Love can put you in a pickle (LOL)!
John 3:16 tells us that God so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and give us the opportunity for new life. That message of love for you and me is conveyed all throughout the Bible.
The Greek language had four words for love and here is how God used them:
-The word eros, from which we get the English word erotic. Eros was the word often used to express sexual love or the feelings of arousal that are shared between people who are physically attracted to one another. The word was also used as the name of the Greek god of love, Eros (the Romans called him “Cupid”). By New Testament times, this word had become so debased by the culture that it is not used even once in the entire New Testament.
-The second word for “love” was storge, which referred to natural, familial love. Storge (a word not found in the Bible) referred to the type of love shown by a parent for a child.
-The third Greek word for “love” was philia, which forms part of the words philosophy (“love of wisdom”) and philanthropy (“love of fellow man”). This word speaks of the warm affection shared between friends. Whereas eros is more closely associated with the libido, philia is associated with the heart (metaphorically speaking). We feel love for our friends and family, obviously not in an erotic sense, but in the sense of being kind and affectionate. However, philia is not felt between people who are at enmity with one another. We can feel philia toward friends and family, but not toward people whom we dislike or hate.
Different from all of these is the fourth Greek word for “love,” agapé, typically defined as the “self-sacrificing love.” This is the love that moves people into action and looks out for the well-being of others, no matter the personal cost. Biblically speaking, agapé is the love God showed to His people in sending His Son, Jesus, to die for their sins. It is the love that focuses on the will, not the emotions, experience, or libido. This is the love that Jesus commands His disciples to show toward their enemies (Luke 6:35). Eros and philia are not expressed to people who hate us and wish us ill; agapé is. In Romans 5:8, Paul tells us that God’s love for His people was made manifest in that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Once again, did you know that Jesus loves you so much that He died for your sins and your salvation? It was and is His agape' love that continues to transform and change people's lives today. You need it. I need it. Everyone who wants to go to heaven needs it. Why don't you receive His love today? Just ask Him to be the Lord of your life and He will be.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Don't be shocked by the Darkness
1 John 1:6, 7 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
Love hates darkness! Think about that for a second. Often we think of love as an emotion that causes us to lose our sense of right and wrong, but that’s far from true Christian love. We cannot love darkness and love God at the same time any more than we can love money and love God at the same time.
Here’s another way to put it- don't ever be shocked by the darkness of this world. That’s hard to do in a world where almost anything goes. Here’s a good test. When was the last time you blushed? In the olden days, we blushed when something risqué appeared on television. Now we hardly notice it or we laugh at it.
Sometimes we say, “Love is blind.” God says, “No, love needs clear vision.” Our love needs discernment or else we will end up loving things we ought not to love and entering into relationships that are not good for us.
-Not every relationship is a good relationship.
-Not every choice is a good choice.
-Not every friendship is good for us.
-Not every job is a wise career move.
-Not every decision is a healthy choice.
-Not every purchase is a wise use of our money.
-Not every choice is a good choice.
-Not every friendship is good for us.
-Not every job is a wise career move.
-Not every decision is a healthy choice.
-Not every purchase is a wise use of our money.
There are really two parts to making wise choices:
a. You must know what is right.
This is crucial because we live in a world where many people have lost all sense of right and wrong. Everything appears to them as shadows rather than clearly defined.
b. You must have the courage to do what is right.
A reporter once asked Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas how he managed to deal with all the criticism that comes to anyone in a high-profile position. He replied that the most important thing in life is to discover what you believe to be true, and then to stand up for those beliefs no matter what. He then added these words: “If you do what you know is right, it doesn’t matter what people think.” True discernment gives you vision to see what is right and then the courage to choose to do it.
Please take Paul’s words to heart!
Never get over being shocked by darkness, but glue yourself to the light. It will shine the love of God to all who need to see.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
It's Time To Know You Are Blessed
Deuteronomy 28:1-14
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them."
The old song, "Count Your Blessings", is based on this passage. Sometimes I feel sad because I cannot do what others do financially or because I don't have what others have. I believe that is the human side of all of us. We all want things in life because of that humanness, but with the cost of living and every thing else sometimes those things just don't work out as we desire.
Yet there is one thing the Bible does say that God imparts to His beloved, His bride, which the world cannot give, and that is blessing. The prerequisite to His blessing is found in Verses 1 and 2 of this passage:
"If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God."
If we are obedient to His Word these blessings will overtake us. They will come from out of everywhere and every place because of our obedience. In fact the Lord says that He will "COMMAND" the blessing upon our storehouses and put His hand on us. He will establish us as a holy people if we just keep His Word. He will bless us materially in all that we set our mind to and He will honor us if we will not stray from His path.
We do have by-laws and rules within our organization, but not a one of them supersede the Word of God. I am not talking about what Momma said or Daddy said, or even some preacher who preached his conviction rather than the Word of God. I am talking about obeying the Word of God. It is that obedience that opens the passage to blessing, and I know everyone reading this wants blessing rather than cursing.
So put your eyes on His road map. It will lead you to victory, blessing, and honor. It will give you direction and courage to keep on keeping one. It will provide you hop when you're hopeless and joy when you are filled with sorrow. You are blessed and it's time you realize that by doing and being what God wants you to do.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Are you having a Barney moment?
To most of this generation Barney is a purple talking dinosaur, but to my generation Barney is known as Mr. Fife. The most popular show on television for 9 years was The Andy Griffeth Show featuring Andy Griffith, Opie (Ron Howard before Happy Days), Aunt Bea (Francis Bavier), Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), and of course Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts). Andy was always the voice of reason, even in the early shows where he sounded more country than ever. On the other hand Old Barney always made a mountain out of a molehill. He always saw giants where there where grasshoppers. He was always looking for action instead of enjoying his peace and quiet.
That kind of reminds me of folks I know in this generation. Always building mountains out of molehills. Always looking for the bad instead of the good. Always wondering if they should get the other person before they get them. Always looking for trouble when there is none and always hoping to catch somebody doing bad so that they can look good. How prophetic were the writers of those shows. I'm sure that every Andy Griffith fan knows that in that latter years of the program when Old Barney was gone they repeated the theme of many of their scripts just with different characters. It never was the same though with out Old Barney, Those pop eyes he would give, that hump in his back, never being able to get that bullet out of his pocket, always bumbling, fumbling, and making mistakes made Don Knotts a character we will always remember.
You know some Barneys too, don't you. Their eyes pop out when they get excited. They always know more than anybody else, even when they don't have a clue what their talking about. They also go looking for trouble where there is none and if they can't find any they stir it up. And guess what? Sometimes we all have a Barney moment. It's those moments where we loose control and do something or say something we shouldn't. It's those moments when we see giants that really don't exist and wonder how we're going to deal with them. It's those moments when we just don't want to deal with reality and the fantasy that we're facing causes fear that justifies are lack of desire to deal with the task at hand.
It's when we have those Barney moments, we need to have a Joshua moment:
Joshua 1:5-7 "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest."
God says three things to Joshua that help us deal with the Barney moments in our lives:
(1) I will be with thee.
(2) I will not fail thee.
(3) I will not forsake thee.
So if you're having a Barney moment today and fear is ruling over you, or you are seeing too many giants, let the Spirit of God send the same Spirit He sent to Joshua. Courage is a whole lot better than fear and I'd much rather have a Joshua moment than a Barney moment.
No citizen's arrest, but a "Get behind me Satan" will be the rule of the day!
That kind of reminds me of folks I know in this generation. Always building mountains out of molehills. Always looking for the bad instead of the good. Always wondering if they should get the other person before they get them. Always looking for trouble when there is none and always hoping to catch somebody doing bad so that they can look good. How prophetic were the writers of those shows. I'm sure that every Andy Griffith fan knows that in that latter years of the program when Old Barney was gone they repeated the theme of many of their scripts just with different characters. It never was the same though with out Old Barney, Those pop eyes he would give, that hump in his back, never being able to get that bullet out of his pocket, always bumbling, fumbling, and making mistakes made Don Knotts a character we will always remember.
You know some Barneys too, don't you. Their eyes pop out when they get excited. They always know more than anybody else, even when they don't have a clue what their talking about. They also go looking for trouble where there is none and if they can't find any they stir it up. And guess what? Sometimes we all have a Barney moment. It's those moments where we loose control and do something or say something we shouldn't. It's those moments when we see giants that really don't exist and wonder how we're going to deal with them. It's those moments when we just don't want to deal with reality and the fantasy that we're facing causes fear that justifies are lack of desire to deal with the task at hand.
It's when we have those Barney moments, we need to have a Joshua moment:
Joshua 1:5-7 "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest."
God says three things to Joshua that help us deal with the Barney moments in our lives:
(1) I will be with thee.
(2) I will not fail thee.
(3) I will not forsake thee.
So if you're having a Barney moment today and fear is ruling over you, or you are seeing too many giants, let the Spirit of God send the same Spirit He sent to Joshua. Courage is a whole lot better than fear and I'd much rather have a Joshua moment than a Barney moment.
No citizen's arrest, but a "Get behind me Satan" will be the rule of the day!
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Peace
Hope and peace don’t come without a fight. God is pleased to work hope and peace in us surely but gradually. They come as we meditate, feed on Scripture, feed on Christ, and keep calling out for grace. The kingdom of God advances through weakness and dependence on the King, not through quick and bloodless victories. If you are feeling a bit weak, you are probably on the right path.
Essential to this battle with fear and anxiety is the gift of humility. It fits perfectly, doesn’t it? In our anxiety we are usually concerned about things we love. We want control. We want to take matters into our own hands to protect our future, but we are finding that it is impossible to manage all possible contingencies. We want to protect our kingdom. Find anxiety and you often find that your agenda is more important to you than God’s. You might find that you adopt your own interpretation of God’s world rather than submit to God’s clear words about His power, love, and care.
Peter writes about the link between humility and anxiety:
1 Peter 5:6, 7 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
He is asking us to do just one thing, and that is to humble ourselves before the Lord. Humility is expressed by casting our anxieties on the mighty and trustworthy one.
When a child’s fears are not swayed by a parent’s attempts at comfort, the child is essentially saying either that the monster under the bed is stronger than the parent, or the parent doesn’t really care about the child’s best interests. The child’s fear shows his or her lack of trust or confidence in the parent. Humility, in contrast, hears the voice of the parent and believes that the parent can be trusted, even when the evidence suggests that circumstances are out of control. Humility says, “I believe you more than I believe my eyes or my imagination.” Humility is submissive. This means that information and knowledge will not bring peace. Even more, we must respond to what we hear with humility and trust.
There are steps toward peace, but they are a little different than the steps we take in following a recipe. These steps are all personal. Know the God who comes near and walk before him in humility. Don’t give up on the pursuit of peace. Peace will make you feel better, which is a good thing, but there is something greater at stake. In a world where true peace seems impossible, we want to be ambassadors who say that real peace is available to us only in the Prince of Peace. This, indeed, will bring glory to God.
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