When The Door Slams
Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
Psalms 91:14
Our responsibility is to set our love on Christ and trust Him to defend us. God's response is exultation. He will set us on high at the proper time. This is an incredibly freeing thought; no matter what happens we do not need to defend or glorify ourselves.
Our culture teaches us to respond defensively. It is a skill that each of us must learn and practice. Most of us assume that if we don't defend ourselves in a conflict others will see us as weak. In reality, the opposite is true. Nondefensive responses such as, "Let me think about that," and "Why don't we talk about this when you are not so upset," keep conflict from escalating.
Christ is a perfect example of truth in this passage. Christ is God. He didn't have to grasp for deity because He already had it all.
Christ was so sure of His identity that He was free to lay aside His position. He willingly stepped from deity into humanity. Because Jesus set aside His human will in order to do the will of His Father, "God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name."
Each of us needs to surrender our need to exalt ourselves. Our Lord will work out His perfect will in the details of our lives.
Lord, in the conflicts I might face today, help me to speak the truth in a loving nondefensive manner.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Sunday, January 19, 2020
God's Word Under Attack
When The Door Slams
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
Revelation contrasts the serenity and blessings of believers to the severe plagues and pain that will come to those who refuse to accept Christ. There is also a final warning to all people not to mass with God's Word.
The Bible is under attack in our world, even by very "religious" people. Some discredit it completely, but others are more subtle. Does your own pastor believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of the Bible? Even seminaries often belittle God's Word. Cults crop up every day. Manipulative men and women want to control others' minds. Some clam to have written new books to the Bible. They take advantage of the naive.
God's Word is complete. It is God's inspired love letter to us. It guides us to recovery from our negative tendencies, sins, and addictions. It teaches us to reach out to God and our peers. It teaches us our significance and promises a glorious future. It is God's Completed gift and our personal path to joy and peace. May God grant us the serenity that comes from trusting His Word and not being fooled by those who would discredit it or add to it.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge These to the Lord and think Him for his forgiveness.
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
Revelation contrasts the serenity and blessings of believers to the severe plagues and pain that will come to those who refuse to accept Christ. There is also a final warning to all people not to mass with God's Word.
The Bible is under attack in our world, even by very "religious" people. Some discredit it completely, but others are more subtle. Does your own pastor believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of the Bible? Even seminaries often belittle God's Word. Cults crop up every day. Manipulative men and women want to control others' minds. Some clam to have written new books to the Bible. They take advantage of the naive.
God's Word is complete. It is God's inspired love letter to us. It guides us to recovery from our negative tendencies, sins, and addictions. It teaches us to reach out to God and our peers. It teaches us our significance and promises a glorious future. It is God's Completed gift and our personal path to joy and peace. May God grant us the serenity that comes from trusting His Word and not being fooled by those who would discredit it or add to it.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge These to the Lord and think Him for his forgiveness.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Defense Mechanisms
When The Door Slams
"The heart is deceitful above all things. And desperately wicked: Who can know it?
I, the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways.
And according to the fruit of his doings."
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Our hearts are deceitful.
The heart includes our mind, our emotions, and our will.
We can be deceived by our thoughts, feelings and actions. Psychology has labeled these ways we deceive or lie to ourselves defense mechanisms. There are many defense mechanisms that can be used.
We can repress our true feelings and pretend we are doing good, when we are desperately hurting. Rationalization is a way we avoid the truth and make the unacceptable appear acceptable. Projection is another defense mechanism involving blaming others for our own shortcomings.
Denial is the refusal to see what really exists or to accept that it is true. There are many other defense mechanisms, but all of them are ways we lie to ourselves.
The truly wise person is not afraid to face the facts and understand that defense mechanisms is deceitful. A wise person will hate his or her iniquity rather than hide it. The wise person can face him or herself rather than live a life centered on defense mechanisms.
Lord, help me to see myself clearly. Help me to hate my own sin but lover the sinner, just as You do.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
"The heart is deceitful above all things. And desperately wicked: Who can know it?
I, the Lord, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways.
And according to the fruit of his doings."
Jeremiah 17:9-10
Our hearts are deceitful.
The heart includes our mind, our emotions, and our will.
We can be deceived by our thoughts, feelings and actions. Psychology has labeled these ways we deceive or lie to ourselves defense mechanisms. There are many defense mechanisms that can be used.
We can repress our true feelings and pretend we are doing good, when we are desperately hurting. Rationalization is a way we avoid the truth and make the unacceptable appear acceptable. Projection is another defense mechanism involving blaming others for our own shortcomings.
Denial is the refusal to see what really exists or to accept that it is true. There are many other defense mechanisms, but all of them are ways we lie to ourselves.
The truly wise person is not afraid to face the facts and understand that defense mechanisms is deceitful. A wise person will hate his or her iniquity rather than hide it. The wise person can face him or herself rather than live a life centered on defense mechanisms.
Lord, help me to see myself clearly. Help me to hate my own sin but lover the sinner, just as You do.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Lukewarm Spiritually
When The Door Slams
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth."
Revelation 3:15
One of the characteristics of someone who is severely depressed is a flat affect. What this means is that they show little emotion. This kind of person does not respond with enthusiasm to anything. They are "lifeless." Even when surrounded by the celebrations of Christmas there is no display of emotion.
In Rev. 3:14-22 the Church in Laodicea had become complacent. They showed no vitality and no life. They were lukewarm spiritually. In their feasts as well as in their religious sacrifices, people in the ancient world customarily drank what was either hot or cold, never lukewarm.
Therefore this distasteful "lukewarm" label had a real impact. The imagery is sorrowful. They needed to find true richness, they needed to cover their shameful nakedness with clothes and put salve (ointment) on their eyes so they could have spiritual sight. The church was unconscious of its real need.
The warning comes to us today to be alert to our spiritual life, to see clearly our spiritual situation, and not to get complacent in our materialism. Lord, at this time of the year when we are bombarded by materialism, help us to have spiritual eyes to clearly evaluate our personal lives.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth."
Revelation 3:15
One of the characteristics of someone who is severely depressed is a flat affect. What this means is that they show little emotion. This kind of person does not respond with enthusiasm to anything. They are "lifeless." Even when surrounded by the celebrations of Christmas there is no display of emotion.
In Rev. 3:14-22 the Church in Laodicea had become complacent. They showed no vitality and no life. They were lukewarm spiritually. In their feasts as well as in their religious sacrifices, people in the ancient world customarily drank what was either hot or cold, never lukewarm.
Therefore this distasteful "lukewarm" label had a real impact. The imagery is sorrowful. They needed to find true richness, they needed to cover their shameful nakedness with clothes and put salve (ointment) on their eyes so they could have spiritual sight. The church was unconscious of its real need.
The warning comes to us today to be alert to our spiritual life, to see clearly our spiritual situation, and not to get complacent in our materialism. Lord, at this time of the year when we are bombarded by materialism, help us to have spiritual eyes to clearly evaluate our personal lives.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Facing Evil
When The Door Slams
Every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
I John 5:4-5
There is no doubt that evil exists in the world today. More than a concept or an intellectual point of argument, evil impacts us all in countless of ways. We can see the presence of evil in historical events, for example.
Wars have been fought because of evil man with evil ambitions. Entire cultures have been threatened through the evil of prejudice, discrimination, and hate. Even the natural world has lashed out with outbreaks of evil in the from of natural disasters and disease.
Today we can see evil on a large scale through practices such as sex trafficking, where millions of young people are abducted and sold into a life of slavery. We see evil when illegal drugs are distributed to children or when people rise up to oppress others because of greed or ambition and the love of power.
Evil does not exist exclusively on a large scale of its own, We are all intimately associated with evil in our own hearts. If we are honest under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, who knows we all think evil thoughts. We all take evil actions in our own self-interest. We all sin against God and against our neighbors.
How comforting, then, to know we are not forced to succumb to the evil of this world and to the evil in our hearts. We can fight back! The promise of 1 John 5:4-5 is that our choice to follow Jesus will strike a blow against evil. We are engaged in a battle against the evil of this world, and God has already promised victory for us even as we follow Him and lean on His strength.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
I John 5:4-5
There is no doubt that evil exists in the world today. More than a concept or an intellectual point of argument, evil impacts us all in countless of ways. We can see the presence of evil in historical events, for example.
Wars have been fought because of evil man with evil ambitions. Entire cultures have been threatened through the evil of prejudice, discrimination, and hate. Even the natural world has lashed out with outbreaks of evil in the from of natural disasters and disease.
Today we can see evil on a large scale through practices such as sex trafficking, where millions of young people are abducted and sold into a life of slavery. We see evil when illegal drugs are distributed to children or when people rise up to oppress others because of greed or ambition and the love of power.
Evil does not exist exclusively on a large scale of its own, We are all intimately associated with evil in our own hearts. If we are honest under the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit, who knows we all think evil thoughts. We all take evil actions in our own self-interest. We all sin against God and against our neighbors.
How comforting, then, to know we are not forced to succumb to the evil of this world and to the evil in our hearts. We can fight back! The promise of 1 John 5:4-5 is that our choice to follow Jesus will strike a blow against evil. We are engaged in a battle against the evil of this world, and God has already promised victory for us even as we follow Him and lean on His strength.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Common Sense
When The Door Slams
A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.
Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
Proverbs 24:3-4
When families are besieged on all sides by our secular culture, many want to know, How do I preserve my family? How do I keep us together? How do I protect everyone from the assaults of the world?
These verses provide a powerful answer: through wisdom, good sense, and knowledge. What are these abilities? Wisdom is the capacity to solve problems skillfully. Thus, a wise father will understand how to help a son learn to cope with taunts from classmates. A wise mother knows when to stoop down and give her little one a hug instead of a lecture.
Similarly, good sense might be better worded common sense, the ability to apply experience and wisdom God gives us all for difficult situations. As a result, parents will see when lax discipline would lead to further trouble, while a firm and steady hand would get everyone back on course.
Finally, knowledge is that reservoir of simple truth gleaned from the ages. Good families spend time in God's Word to gain that precious knowledge that will keep everyone safe through a storm. God clearly communicates the fact that if we cultivate and nurture such qualities in our home, God will fill it with every good thing.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense.
Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.
Proverbs 24:3-4
When families are besieged on all sides by our secular culture, many want to know, How do I preserve my family? How do I keep us together? How do I protect everyone from the assaults of the world?
These verses provide a powerful answer: through wisdom, good sense, and knowledge. What are these abilities? Wisdom is the capacity to solve problems skillfully. Thus, a wise father will understand how to help a son learn to cope with taunts from classmates. A wise mother knows when to stoop down and give her little one a hug instead of a lecture.
Similarly, good sense might be better worded common sense, the ability to apply experience and wisdom God gives us all for difficult situations. As a result, parents will see when lax discipline would lead to further trouble, while a firm and steady hand would get everyone back on course.
Finally, knowledge is that reservoir of simple truth gleaned from the ages. Good families spend time in God's Word to gain that precious knowledge that will keep everyone safe through a storm. God clearly communicates the fact that if we cultivate and nurture such qualities in our home, God will fill it with every good thing.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
A Thanksgiving Blessing
When The Door Slams
How joyful are those who fear the LORD-all who follow his ways!...
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the LORD's blessing for those who fear Him.
Psalm 128:1,3-4
For the average Israelite, the dream was not a house on the beach or an estate in Rome but a plot of land that grew grapes and olives. Wine and olive oil were two of the staples of life, and the person who had a measure of each was truly blessed.
Think about this: You want to see GOD's greatest blessing? The first blessing is a good, loving, and healthy wife. The second is children full of life and spunk." In other words, the blessing for those who followed the LORD included a happy, joyous, and fulfilled family-a spouse, kids, grand-kids. The whole family.
If you ever question whether the LORD GOD cares about you, don't look at the bank accounts, the number of rooms in your house, or the size of your backyard. GOD's care can be found in other ways. For example, look at the faces around your table. If they are smiling and laughing and just enjoying a great meal together, you will know GOD's face is shining on you this Thanksgiving.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
How joyful are those who fear the LORD-all who follow his ways!...
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the LORD's blessing for those who fear Him.
Psalm 128:1,3-4
For the average Israelite, the dream was not a house on the beach or an estate in Rome but a plot of land that grew grapes and olives. Wine and olive oil were two of the staples of life, and the person who had a measure of each was truly blessed.
Think about this: You want to see GOD's greatest blessing? The first blessing is a good, loving, and healthy wife. The second is children full of life and spunk." In other words, the blessing for those who followed the LORD included a happy, joyous, and fulfilled family-a spouse, kids, grand-kids. The whole family.
If you ever question whether the LORD GOD cares about you, don't look at the bank accounts, the number of rooms in your house, or the size of your backyard. GOD's care can be found in other ways. For example, look at the faces around your table. If they are smiling and laughing and just enjoying a great meal together, you will know GOD's face is shining on you this Thanksgiving.
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin.
Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
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