Unforgiveness - The Great Advantage of Satan

II Corinthians 2:5-11 "But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

When someone does something wrong to us, why is it that we end up being the one who feels so rotten?  Why doesn't that other person feel like we do?  Why do they seem to go through life happy and carefree all the time?  It just makes us sick doesn't it? 

Paul understood something here in our scripture today.  He was teaching of the power and release of true forgiveness.  It is so easy to hold on to hurts.  It is even easy to pick up someone else's hurt.  Look at verse 5, "But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all."  This church was standing up for Paul against someone who had done him wrong.  It is as if they said, "Paul, if they have done you wr0ng, then they have done us wrong too."  Yet, Paul doesn't say, "thanks for sticking up for me and having my back." Rather, he instructs them to forgive them, comfort them, and love them.  He told them that he too forgave them.

We do have another option besides forgiveness.  You can always continue to harbor those feelings of resentment.  You can continue to reclaim your hurt and disappointment. You don't have to let them off the hook.  Hold onto your anger. You have every right to be mad. Go ahead blame them for all your problems, they are the cause of it anyway.  That's right, forgiveness is for the weak minded person anyway.  They deserve it.  Let them feel the pain of my not forgiving them.

Every reason listed above, is one that I have told myself time and time again.  There is only one problem with those - they are all lies of the devil.  Did you catch the last verse of our scripture?  "Lest Satan should get an advantage of US!"  Forgiveness is more about your own peace of mind than it is about the one you're forgiving.  We are not just releasing the offender from the hurt they may have caused, we are free ourselves from Satan gaining an advantage over US! 

Does Satan have an advantage over you? He doesn't have too.  Take back the advantage that you have given to him.  Forgive!  Set yourself free and forgive.  Release them from your resentment.  Grant them their freedom from your hatred - and set yourself free.  Forgive them.  Give up your claim to feel the way that you're feeling - forgive them. 

Where do you hide?

Psalm 91:1-2 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

When I was a child, I liked to play hide and seek.  It was a lot of fun, and it didn't matter if it was outside or inside.  Some of the best times we had playing hide and seek was right before it was about to be dark.  You know what I'm talking about, when it's just light enough to still see things, yet dark enough to not see them clearly.  The best spot to hide in, was the spot that no one else knew about, and the moment someone would find that spot you just knew it was over because everyone was going to hide there now, and you'd have to find another place to hide. 

The Bible tells us that Satan is like a "roaring lion", "seeking whom he may devour."  The Christian life is unlike the game of hide and seek because it is not a game at all.  However, there are some principles that we may apply from our childhood and from our scripture today.  As Satan is seeking out our lives to devour what he will, the Bible assures us that we have a hiding place and it is a secret place.  I find great comfort as the psalmist said, "the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress."  We have a hiding place that the devil can find nor penetrate.  We have a fortress that he cannot get past the security.  We have a God who cares and protects us. 

I want you to take special note of two phrases that are key in these two verses.  In verse one, "He that dwelleth." That is the first key.  The secret place of God is a place that we are to dwell in.  That means to stay there and not leave.  The second phrase comes at the end of verse 2, "in Him will I trust" When we trust Him, we will stay with Him.  There are times in our lives as Christians that the devil may get ahold of us.  It is at those times that we were not dwelling in the secret place.  Most of the time when we don't dwell there it comes down to trust.  We trust ourselves more than we trust God. 

Proverbs 3 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding." We don't have to play hide and seek with devil.  We need to put our full trust in God and God alone and dwell in the secret place with Him and let the devil go seek someone else.

They Watched Him

Mark 3:2 "And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him."

When Jesus began His earthly ministry most everywhere He went He performed miracle after miracle. He healed the sick, the lame, the deaf, and the blind. He cast devils out of those possessed by them.  Everywhere He went, people watched Him.  Some watched with amazement.  Some watched with faith believing. Some watched with skepticism and doubt. Some watched, as our verse points out, looking to catch Him doing something wrong or against the law. 

Jesus was the Son of God.  He was without sin, without fault, without error, and without mistakes. Yet, because of their doubt, they watched and waited for Him to fail.  Glory to God He never did. 

Are you watching how the Lord is working in your life today?  If so, how are you watching? Are you watching with great amazement? Are you watching with skepticism and doubt?  Or are you watching with faith believing?  Nearly every time Jesus healed someone He would tell them it was their faith that made them whole.  Even today, there are great benefits of exercising our faith and trust in what God is doing in and through our lives.

Watch the Lord with faith believing today and see how wonderful it is to believe. 

Have You Considered Praying for Someone Other than Yourself?

Job 42:9-10  "So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.  And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before."

 What a tremendous statement we find here in our scripture today.  In Job 42:10, the Bible says, "and the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends."  Job was no doubt an amazing man who had a great amount of faith and trust in God.  He went through the fire.  Trial after trial that he went through, and yet never was his faith rattled by those trials.  It seems to me that answer to ending those trials came when Job stopped focusing on himself and started to notice the need of his friends around him. 

I remember the first time I noticed this phrase at the end of the book of Job.  It just jumped off the page at me.  Job's captivity was turned, when he prayed for his friends, wow.  I was simply amazed.  Maybe we need to apply this principle to our own lives.  Instead of focusing on everything wrong in our own life, maybe we should take a moment and consider praying for someone else other than ourselves.  Learn the compassion of praying for someone.  Our friends need our prayers, they need our compassion. Pray for them.
    

Don't Stop, Keep Going...

Mark 1:16-22 "Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.  And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes."

Here in our passage today we get a glimpse of the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry and the calling of the disciples.  The first ones we see Him calling are the brothers Andrew & Peter, and more brothers James & John.  All four of them did the exact same thing, when Jesus said to come and follow they left everything and went on to follow.   As they followed, they heard Him teach. When He taught they were amazed at what He had to say, and the authority He displayed as He said it.

What caught my attention the most today was the phrase, "And when he had gone a little further."  What an awesome and convicting thought.  What if Jesus hadn't gone further that day?  We very possibly would not have 5 books of the New Testament.  Or they would at least be titled differently than after John.  What if Jesus hadn't gone further that day?  Would the New Testament even read the same way with out James, John, Peter being a part of the inner circle of Jesus.  It is exciting to me that Jesus went a little further.  I am grateful that He always goes a little further for His children.

While I am thrilled that Jesus goes a little further in my life, it convicts me to think that when the Holy Spirit prompts me to go a little further, I often stop a little short.  As I type these thoughts this morning, I am overwhelmed with thoughts of people that I should have, and could have reached with the gospel, but didn't because I stopped too short.  I wonder how things would be different in my life had the people who have gone out of their way to help me, if they had stopped too short.

We need to be the type of Christians that would be willing to go a little further.  You may be reading this today, and you've been thinking about stopping.  May I plead with you for a moment - don't stop, just go a little further.  You never know who you may come across if you just keep going.  You may never know whose life you will impact by not stopping.  Just go a little further, seek to be a blessing. Step out of your comfort zone today, and go a little further for Christ.

Be Strong and Do It...

I Chronicles 28:10 "Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong and do it."

Here in our scripture today we are given the wonderful look at some fatherly advice from David, King of Israel, to Solomon his son, concerning the Temple which Solomon was to build for the Lord.  For years, David had a strong desire to build a house to honor the Lord with. However, the Lord would not allow David to what he desired to do, because he was a man of war.  David had chosen Solomon to follow after him as the next king.  As he is preparing the people around him for the transition of power, he is also preparing the heart of Solomon.  Here in the text verse David tells Solomon that God has chosen him to be the one to build the sanctuary.  At the end of the statement, David admonishes Solomon by telling him to, "be strong and do it"  David goes on to explain how it should be done, and in the end Solomon did indeed complete the project given to him by the Lord and his father. All because he stayed strong.

I could not help but think as I read that verse about the phrase, "be strong and do it."  I wondered about how many tasks God has chosen for me to do that I was not strong enough to complete the assignment given to me...hmmm??  That's too convicting, let's move on :)

34 times through out the scripture we can find the statement "be strong."  Here are few:

•  I Corinthians 16:13 says, " Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong"
•  Ephesians 6:10 says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his     might." 
• II Timothy 2:1says, "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

We may never be chosen to build a house for God, but I want to remind you of something.  Any task that we are chosen to do for God is of utmost importance.  We must remain strong and get the job completed the way that He wants it done. Have you quit because you didn't think you were strong enough to get it done?  If God has chosen you, remember that he has also equipped you with the ability to finish.  Don't let your flesh and the devil deceive you into thinking that you can't, because you most certainly can.

Be strong and do it.

Use your Safety Net

Proverbs 11:14 "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety."

 The Bible tells here in Proverbs 11 that without counsel, we will fall, but when we seek much counsel there is safety.  As we are faced with decisions that we have to make, one of the major decisions we are faced with is who do we go to seek advice.

Many people make the mistake of only going to people to whom they think will agree with the decision that they want to make.  Unfortunately, that is not what getting counsel is.  Counsel is not finding as many people who will agree with you.   Counsel, is not finding people who disagree with you either. 

When we seek counsel, it is vitally important that we seek godly counsel.  When ever we are faced with a decision we must ask ourselves and our counselors, "Am I violating scripture if I make this decision." The second question we must ask is, "If I make this decision, how will effect my walk with Christ."  Usually, when we consider the decision, we only look at them from our perspective.  We need the perspective of those godly people in our lives, and as we get it, we will find safety.

Are you Standing in God's Way?

Isaiah 59:1-2 "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that he will not hear."

I find great comfort in verse one of Isaiah 59, and great conviction in verse two.  The Lord is truly a gracious and merciful God.  He always has His hand ready to reach out and save us.  He always has a listening ear to hear us.  I am reminded of the great event in scripture where Jesus comes to His disciples walking on water.  Peter questioned if it was truly the Lord and asked if He was in fact the Lord, and if he too could walk on the water out to Him.  The Lord granted his request and Peter began walking on water.  After walking for a short while, Peter began to notice the waves crashing around him and he began to sink into the sea.  It was then, that Peter cried out saying, "Lord save me!" And Jesus stretched His hand out and walked Peter back to the boat.

What a wonderful picture we have of the Lord reaching out His hand to save.  Now the part that troubles me here in our passage this morning is verse 2 and that little bitty word - "BUT".  While the Lord's hand isn't shortened, and His ear is always listening there is still that, "but" in verse 2.  God wants to save us, He wants us to call unto Him.  BUT, there is something that is standing in the way of Him doing what He wants, and that something is not a something as much as it is a someone - it is US.  We stand in the way of God reaching out His hand. Even though God knows exactly where we are at, at all times, He still lets us hide ourselves from Him. The reason God will not hear us is because we are not calling unto Him.  We may be crying, but it isn't unto Him, it is out of our sinful self-centeredness.   If God is going to hear us, and reach out His hand to us, we must repent to Him and long for that fellowship and companionship to be restored to us.  It is our own bullheadedness and lack of repentance that causes the separation from God.  Verse 4 gives even more insight by saying, "None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity."

God is standing there waiting with open arms, longing for us to cry out to Him.  Don't let your own foolish pride stand in way of you experiencing the wonderfulness of God's outstretched hand. As long as you hold on to the sin your life, whether it's lust, bitterness, anger, greed, gossipping, fornication, or pride, you will never know how good God truly is.  Let it go, stop trusting in your own vanity, and trust God.  Cry out to Him as Peter did saying, "Lord save me".

You Missed a Spot

Proverbs 16:2 "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits."

I am a sloppy painter.  I just don't have the paitence that it requires I suppose.  When I paint, there is usually just as much paint on my hands, arms, jeans, t-shirt, & shoes as there is on what ever it is being painted.  When it comes time to get cleaned up, it is inevitable, I am going to miss some paint that I got on me.  As I get dressed and go back out with others, it becomes apparent as my wife says to me, "You missed a spot."  That is when I begin looking with great disagreement not seeing what she can clearly see.  As usual, she ends up being right, and it's back to the shower for me to get the spots I missed.

It hit me this morning as I read this verse, I do the same thing in my Christian life that I do as a painter.  I rush through carelessly, making just as much of a mess as I do getting the job done, and end up leaving myself spotted and covered with sin in the process.  Then when it is time to "clean up", I may go and do my routine "cleaning" and leave some spots that I didn't notice. Here is the lesson that I learned, just because I think I am clean doesn't mean that I am.

We don't have to live your life walking around covered in the spots that we miss.  The Bible says, "the Lord weigheth the spirits".  It is not up to us to determine whether or not we are clean.  We need to allow the Lord to move and work in our hearts.  Ask Him, as David did in the 139th Psalm, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."   Let's not be fooled into thinking that we can do it on our own, and don't argue with God either.  We need to trust the Lord, let him point out our spots, and get cleaned up.

Have you missed a spot?  Is the Lord weighing your spirit right now?  Don't ignore Him, go ahead and get cleaned up and learn how refreshed you will feel.

At the Crossroads of Heaviness or Gladness

Proverbs 12:25  "Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad."

Have you ever watched as people enter into a room.  More often than not, you can tell how someone is doing just by looking at the expression on their faces.  Are they worried? Are they bothered? Are they angry? Are they happy?  Are they depressed?  Are they having a good day? 

We have the ability to make a difference in the lives of people.  I love the verse here today out of Proverbs 12.  When man has a heavy heart, he stoops, or is down. But a good word can make a difference and lift them up out of their heaviness. 

As Christians, we ought to be on the lookout all the time to bring someone a good word.  In thinking about this topic, there is actually a two fold purpose of having a good word to say to others around us.  You see, if we are thinking about being an encouragement to someone then when we are they are blessed and lifted up.  Then the other side of that is this.  When we are thinking about being an encouragement, we are going to be more mindful of saying things that may offend or be hurtful to those around us.  The difference comes from thinking of others more than thinking about ourselves.

I'm sure there may be some today that are reading these words thinking to themselves, "That is so right, no one ever does that. I wish someone would say something kind and good to me."  Then they will go through their day looking for someone to fill that desire.  Now, don't miss the point here. We are not to be looking for someone to fill that desire for ourselves, we are to be seeking to do that for someone else.

Will you continue to let someone be in heaviness or  will you make an attempt to say something kind in an attempt to bring them down the road of gladness?
It's your crossroads, which way will you go?

Memorial Day - More than Special sales and a Day Off Work

Proverbs 10:7 "The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot."

Today is Memorial Day.  Originally known as Decoration Day, its observance began shortly after the Civil Way to remember the soldiers who gave their lives during the war.  Over time Memorial Day became a time to remember all American Soldiers who had given their lives for our country.  It is truly a special day for us to be grateful for the freedoms that have been extended to us as Americans.

Today, it seems to have become more about special deals at stores, days off, and cook outs at family reunions.  While there is nothing wrong with those things being done.  May we not forget the people who have given their lives for us to still be able to live in one of the greatest and freest countries in the world - the American Soldier.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.  What an overwhelming emotional experience.  As I walked through gates, I quickly became humbled at the thought that every body buried there had given their life for their country.  Hundreds of matching tomb stones, perfectly placed through out the rolling hills of the cemetery, was truly magnificent.  Today as I observe Memorial Day, I observe it with a different point of view than I have the previous 34.

God Bless America! 

Give me thine heart by Pastor Tim Cruse

Here are some great thoughts from Pastor Tim Cruse that I thought you may enjoy.
 

“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
Proverbs 23:26

God wants His people to guard (Proverbs 4:23), guide (Proverbs 23:19), and give (Proverbs 23:26) their hearts. When children give their hearts to their parents, they trust them to protect, provide, and prepare them to follow God’s will for their lives.
Here are ten truths about your child’s heart to keep in mind as you prepare them for God’s will:

• By nature my heart is sinful and therefore imperfect.
• I need you to hold me accountable and teach me good character by helping me to think biblically.
• My view of God and how to trust Him is being shaped by your influence and example. Please teach me how to properly respond to His authority.
• I feel most secure when there is harmony and structure in the home, and I am allowed to become who God wants me to be.
• I lack discernment, and need you to keep me from the appearance of evil so I will not be weakened to the evil itself.
• Your acceptance and understanding means the world to me even though we do not always see eye to eye on some things.
• Your unconditional love when I have stumbled teaches me forgiveness and grace.
• Know that I have problems, and do not believe me if I act like I do not need to talk with you about them.
• Your time is more important to me than your gifts.
• Never give up on me or stop praying for me.

By Pastor Tim Cruse

The Power of Influence

Galatians 5:7 "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" 

I love a good question.  You know, thought provoking questions, the ones that really make you consider something that you would otherwise think if the question hadn't been asked.  That is the type of question Paul is asking here in our passage this morning. 

There are two aspects to this verse. The first one deals with your own influence. Have you considered your own power of influence on those people around you? What kind of difference do you make in the peoples lives that you effect?  Do you cause them to want to be closer to the Lord? Do you encourage them be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving?  Or do you bring them down to a level that they don't even obey the truth anymore?

The second aspect of this verse deals with others influence on you.  First you must ask yourself, "am I obeying the word of God."  When we answer that question we must be honest and if we answer no, we must examine the cause.  Who in our lives may have influenced us to be this way?  We must consider everyone that we allow to influence us in any way.  What changes have taken place?  Who am I spending more time with?  Who am I giving my time too?  Who is influencing me?

In order to correct this in our lives there may have to be some changes in who we allow to influence our ways. Consider this today: "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" 

At the Crossroads of the Natural Way or the Bible Way

Proverbs 15:1-2 "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.  The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the moth of fools poureth out foolishness."

Many times in life we do what comes natural to us.  We typically have this attitude of, "If someone yells at me, I'm going to yell back."  It is very natural to yell back when someone is yelling at us.  It is instinctive, and we view it as necessary.  But is it really necessary to only do what comes natural to us?   

In Proverbs 15, the Bible is telling us to do something that goes against our nature.  It goes against mine at least.  "A soft answer turneth away wrath"??? When you consider that statement at first glance, it doesn't make sense.  What makes more sense to me is whoever yells the loudest and longest wins.  Look at what he says in the second part, "but grievous words stir up anger."  Grievous words??? What is that? Grievous words are those words we choose to say to hurt someone on purpose, usually in an argument.  Rather than choosing to use a soft answer, we choose to get back at them. As we get back at them, intending to hurt them, it only stirs up more sorrow for us. 

I have always considered this verse of scripture in the backwards.  I have always thought of the soft answer being for the other person.  And in a way it kind of is, but it is really for the person giving the soft answer.  If you want the wrath and anger to continue, yell & fight back.  If you want the wrath and anger to stop - consider using a soft answer next time.  Verse 2 actually gives us more insight into this line of thinking.  "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness."  When we use the knowledge of a soft answer, it will work.  To not use a soft answer is foolish. 

Are we so foolish to think that we know more than God?  I have talked with folks before about these very verses, and the response is usually the same, "that won't work"  or "I've tried that, it doesn't work".  Listen, the Bible doesn't say, "A soft answer turneth away wrath, and it you try it for five minutes and it doesn't seem to be working feel free to let them have it with both barrels." I'm telling you right now, if we only try it for a little while it will not work.  You are going to have to not just try it, but let it become who you are and what you do - because you are no fool I know.

It's simple, "a soft answer turneth away wrath."  You're at a crossroads - which way will you choose?  The natural way? or the Bible way?  Don't be foolish, choose the Bible way.

At the Crossroads of Refined & Wasted: How to respond to the Heat of a Trial

I Peter 1:6-9 "Wherein ye greatly rejoice though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

I'm pretty sure no one woke up this morning and said, "I think I'm gonna go find me a trial today and take it head on."  A trial is not something that we seek out and desire to go through.  It is though a stretch on the highway of life that we all must face from time to time.  Consider it a type of road construction.  Yes, road construction!  No one likes it, but it is necessary.

A trial is described here in our scripture passage this morning in such beautiful light.  Peter tells us first off that trials are temporary, they will not last forever.  The phrase, "if need be" is very important to take note of.  While none of us ever desire to go through trials, they are sometimes necessary for us to travel through in order to grow our faith in Christ.  The trial of faith is an amazing process.  Peter likens it to how gold is refined.  Gold is one of the most precious metals on earth, it's value is compared to very few things and here Peter tells that our trials are more precious than the gold we covet.  He goes on to tell us that it is precious because when we go through the heat & fire of the trial, the outcome is expected to bring glory back to Christ. 

There is another very important aspect of going through this construction zone of life.  This one, may very well be the difference between being refined or being wasted.  Our response to the heat of the trial is more important than the trial itself.  Peter uses a phrase that we don't like to consider when going through a trial, and he even uses it more than one time.  "Greatly rejoice," he said.  Finding the joy in the trial will be difference between being refined or being wasted.  He went on to say that we should rejoice with "Joy unspeakable and full of glory."  When we learn to rejoice in our lives, even in the midst of the trial that we may be in, we can know for certain, that we will be refined like fine gold and not wasted and discarded. Our rejoicing through the trial will bring us to praise the name of our wonder God.

As you come to the crossroads of refined or wasted, don't let the heat scare you into turning the wrong way.  Face the trial head on and rejoice. Don't be tempted to turn down Satan's detour that he will place along the way.  Just keep on going through, rejoicing as you go until you reach the end of that particular journey of increasing your faith in Christ.