Month: September 2013

My brother announced to my dad that he wanted to marry his girlfriend. I was only eight and even I knew that my brother was too young to be married.  His voice booming, my dad said, “Are you willing to die for her?” Hastily, my brother answered yes.  My dad stood to his feet, threw out his chest and held his head high.  He positioned himself in front of the couch where my mom was seated – his back to her.  I could see the concern in her eyes and I can still see her holding her breath.   My father, even louder, said, “Imagine if someone were going to shoot her – would you stand in front of her and take that bullet?  Would you die for her?”  My brother hung his head, paused, and confessed that he would not.  My dad, still standing at attention in front of my mother said, “I would.  I would take that bullet for your momma and I would die for her because I love her.  If you aren’t willing to do the same, then you don’t love her.” Decades later this exchange is engraved upon my mind in vivid detail – I can almost still see the shooter as my father stood in front of my mother.

As I think about the act of sacrifice that Jesus, the Son of God, endured, it strikes me how much He must have loved us as he wept in the garden, as he prayed to the Father not to have to show this display of affection for his people, as he endured the unspeakable torture, and as he walked to the hill at Calvary.  As I picture Jesus hanging on that cross, dying for my sins, for nothing he did, but everything I did, and everything I still do, I am overwhelmed by just how much I am loved.  The love my earthly father described is nothing compared to the love Jesus loved me with on that day almost two thousand years ago.

The adversary wants me to fail. He wants me to lose my faith and lose my courage. He wants me to walk in fear without hope. His mission is to use me for his purposes or destroy me. There is no middle ground for him. Sometimes my circumstances remind me of just how fragile my faith and courage can be.
When all earthly hope is taken away from me, when the doctors or the bankers or the creditors tell me there is nothing they can do to help me, when there is no one on earth I can turn to, let me not lose heart – let me not give up – let me not feel like everything is slipping away from me. Let me set my eyes upon Him who is Hope.

Read Psalms 13:1-6

• When I am troubled, do I seek my own answers or remember that my Lord and King promised deliverance to me?
• When I am attacked, do I feel defeated and abandoned with no hope or do I remember that my God said He would deliver me?
• Do I focus on my enemy or do I see the Lord and trust in His favor?

Oh Lord, when troubles come, let me not center my attention on myself or on my enemy, but let me lift my eyes to You. I will trust in Your favor. I will rejoice in Your victory. And I will sing of Your wonderful works in my life. I will not worry about what anyone thinks – I will focus on hearing from You and learning from my situation. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Gossip kills people. That’s right, it kills people – and it kills dreams and futures. It ruins tomorrows for people that cannot overcome the gossip spoken over them yesterday. Every word spoken about a person is either going to sow life or death. Our words are capable of destroying not only those around us, but we can speak about ourselves in such a way as to kill ourselves. God is the only one deserving of our trust. Only His words are true.

Read Psalms 12:1-8

• How can I watch the words I speak over others and over myself?
• Have I contributed to any person not overcoming the gossip I idly spoke about them?
• Do I need to make things right for this person?
• Do I join in gossip by listening or speaking?
• What can I do to commit not to be a party to gossip?
• What pure words from His word can I hold onto that sow life into my life and into the life of those around me?

Let me always remember oh Lord, my God that all of Your word is true and deserving of my trust. You are not a man that You should lie. Your truth is so pure and perfect – what could I say to compare? Absolutely nothing. Let me remember that all of Your words are “yes and amen” for those who love you – for me.  When I see “godly-appearing” men fall, faithfulness disappearing, wicked and depraved men worshiped by the world, let me remember You alone are true and faithful. Keep me from falling into wickedness – set a guard over my mouth – that my words would not cause death to others or to myself. Protect me from evil regardless of its source – especially evil that would seek to rise up in myself. You are my only safety. I praise You and thank You, my King. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

On more than one occasion, in the midst of a storm, I have been tempted to take matters into my own hands.  The truth is, I have given into that temptation more times than I care to recount.  I have pursued my own ideas for solutions to the gale rather than trust God and His righteousness.  In those cases, my resolutions never really put the trouble to bed, but rather delayed its departure and prolonged its presence in my life.  In some instances, my remedy actually caused the hurricane to strengthen and bring in more debris. My ideal is, when everything seems to be coming against me and the very foundations of the world seem to be crumbling, I will not fear.  Because my Lord is on the throne – He cannot be done-in by evil.  His eyes see everything.  He knows what is good and what is evil.  He alone will judge in His righteousness, even when I think He doesn’t see or when I don’t see His justice.

Read Psalms 11:1-7

• Who do I run to in the middle of the storm?
• Do I stay in His protection when the storm lasts longer than I anticipated?
• Do I seek my own way out or His solution?
• Do I seek out my own version of justice?
• Through my own idea of justice, does evil rise up in me?

Lord, let me not take action to seek justice that would cause me to be evil.  Let me always remember that You are seated on high always no matter what I see here on earth.  I know that You judge rightly.  Help me not to run from You when trouble comes, but let me run to You for Your protection and Your solutions.  Thank You, Lord, for Your love that seeks my good and not my harm.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I can’t talk about love without talking about sacrifice, and
I can’t talk about sacrifice without talking about mercy.
Love is doing what is best for someone else
regardless of circumstances,
regardless of what I may feel,
regardless of what others may do to me.
Sacrifice is giving up my position,
my plans,
my ideas,
my ideals,
my feelings,
my desires
for the good of someone else.
Mercy is the coming together of love and sacrifice.