Recognize and Resist Stumbling Blocks

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
Matthew 16:21-23

As I was recently pondering the statement Jesus made in Verse 23 I saw just how much it applies to us today. The word used as 'satan' in verse 23 comes from the Hebrew word which means "opponent" or "adversary". The word that is translated "offence" describes a snare or trap. It literally comes from the word which describes the trap stick that would be used to ensnare an animal when hunting. In other words, an offence is something which causes us to fall or stumble into sin unsuspectingly, or under the guise of something else. And the word given as "mindful" has to do with setting the mind and affections on something, with regard to disposition, concern, or obedience.

Peter was attempting to persuade Jesus to take a course of action that was contrary to God's will for His life. He did so because he was seeking worldly things that pertain to man (perhaps earthly rule, kingdom and status) and this was opposed to the will of God for Jesus' life. Jesus' rebuke makes it clear that this was no slight matter. If we would look at the situation above with our human reasoning we may think that Jesus over-reacted. But we know that He didn't over-react and that this incident is in Scripture because it conveys something which is important for us to know and understand. Traps on our path may involve some very obvious people and things, as well as other more veiled and insidious plots, but all of them lead us into destruction - always leading us out of the will of God. We must be careful to separate ourselves from any thing or person leading, enticing, or counseling us contrary to the will of God.

There is danger in giving our ear and time to listening to counsel that is contrary to God's will, and perhaps more so when it comes through a friendly vessel, someone we trust or have a relationship with. The Scripture speaks of having "ears to hear what the Spirit says (Matt. 11:15, Rev. 2:29)" and warns against "giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1)". Yes, it matters greatly what our ears hear and give heed to. What we hear can have such an effect as to cause us to stray from the path of God's will, either by misleading us or enticing us to rebellion by doing things our own way.

In a time when everyone seems to have an opinion and wants to be heard, or wants to give their free advice, we are bound to have acquaintances who may well be the ones to set these stumbling blocks in our way. If this is the case, we should interrupt those who are giving their advice or opinions contrary to the will of God and not allow them to continue. We do not have to be mean, but we cannot afford to be politically correct and tolerant of something that is dangerous to our spirit and soul. Christ didn't. We must let Jesus be our example in recognizing and resisting such stumbling blocks because these are obstacles on the narrow path that leads to eternal life.

Valuing Time in this Final Countdown

To realize

The value of a sister/brother

Ask someone

Who doesn't have one.

To realize

The value of ten years:

Ask a newly

Divorced couple.

To realize

The value of four years:

Ask a graduate.

To realize

The value of one year:

Ask a student who

Has failed a final exam. 

To realize

The value of nine months:

Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize

The value of one month:

Ask a mother

Who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize

The value of one week:

Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize

The value of one minute:

Ask a person

Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize

The value of one-second:

Ask a person

Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

I got this little poem in an email forwarded to me. This is something worth pondering, especially the parts about valuing time...Every day as I catch the world news I see the prophecies of God's word being played out. I have been thinking about all of this a lot. And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door (Mark 13:29).

And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
Revelation 22:10-15

Apply Biblical Wisdom to Relationships

There is simple biblically inspired wisdom that can help us to nurture the close relationships that God has ordained for our life. As believers in Christ we probably all know that we'll enter our eternal home with full recognition of those we formed relationships with on earth who are also there with us. A few months back it became really, astoundingly, clear to me that our relationships are all that we'll take with us into eternity. Of course, even if we didn't know anyone on earth who is in heaven (I doubt that would be the case) we'll still be loved and welcomed into joyful fellowship, but wouldn't it be extra special if we had a lot of people to welcome us based on recognition, to catch up with, and to continue having fellowship with? We need other Christians here on earth. Christ has made us members of one body and without the other parts we will be dreadfully crippled. Furthermore our adversary the devil walks around as a roaring lion seeking whoever he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), and he is going to be most able to get the weak, the wounded, and the isolated or lone stragglers.

Now, no matter how friendly we are, not every sincere believer we encounter and share interests with is going to become a tight friend that we keep in touch with and share our hearts with. Some of these kinds of God-connections are transparently one-sided where you are either the receiver or giver for God's working and with genuine Christian love - that's perfectly okay. But what I wanted to emphasize is that the Bible has a lot to say on how we are to conduct ourselves and treat one another as members of the Body of Christ and these are equally life-giving commands for personal friendships and relationships. No one should treat a stranger better than they treat the people in their home or in their inner circle. That should be obvious but most of us have been guilty of failing to show family members simple respect. Many later find themselves struggling with household issues that arose out of neglect, hurt, unforgiveness, or an emotional 'disconnect' and lack of empathy for one another.

There is a flip side to using biblical principles in relationships and it has to do with recognizing when and what to leave behind. The world is a very large place and as Christians, God has appointed times, seasons, and places for us. We may interact valuably with many people but we cannot maintain relationships with all of them. There are some others that are harmful and we should not seek to hold on no matter the transient comfort or benefit they seem to promise or provide. The right relationships will be found in the path God has for us, but the wrong ones will lead us to detour from God's will. Relationships literally change the course of our lives for better or for worse.

There are some people who will reject a relationship with us despite our willingness, or who mistreat us. In these cases we should step out of the circle rather than continue going round and round in it. These scenarios may sadly often involve persons within our own biological family. Wisdom from the Scriptures and prayerful trust in God would lead us to avoid investing unhealthily, in a host of unhealthy relationships. This is also a great factor for consideration in assessing potentially romantic relationships.

Recently I had to give some advice to an acquaintance concerning a relationship with a man whom she has invested everything into - though she now sees that he is unwilling to commit wholeheartedly to her in the future. Still, she struggles trying to get him to change. There is wisdom which is found in the Proverbs and woven throughout all the lessons of Scripture which will help her. It is wise to avoid the man who is inattentive, abusive, often angry or mean spirited, or who does not treat you with the common kindness (which he shows to other women or others in general). The man who has a wandering eye and unfaithful heart will not be able to love you as God commanded. The man who does not call you, invest mutually in you, or pursue you, is telling by his actions that his heart is not set towards you. The man whose heart is not set on God is not the person for you. Similarly, I would briefly advise Christian men that the woman who is flirtatious, or loud, or controlling and manipulative, is not the person for you. The woman who is beauty, charm and sweet words - without also having selflessness, godly virtue, discretion, and proven godly character is not the person for you. And to both men and women, the person who can 'talk the Christian talk', but who fails to 'walk the Christian walk', is not the person for you [***see note at end!]. Always believe a person's actions and behavior, far over and above words and appearances. Of course people can be changed if they yield themselves to God, but this is out of our hands. We can only work on ourselves. What we must consider is that what exists in the other person's character right now, is what is real at the same point in time, and that is what we must act on. We are all a work in progress. We can choose to walk in love towards all, but must carefully choose our inner circle of those permitted to know the deeper things of our hearts.

When we must choose who we allow into our life on an intimate basis we do not have to make our assessment blindly because the Scriptures contain what we need.  We need to just take the Word of God at face value and apply its truths to each situation in front of us. In addition, a multitude of godly counselors who stand on the word of God will also add invaluable wisdom to us towards making good decisions. Get counsel from those who esteem God's word and fear Him, who will be confidential, speak the truth and back it up with God's word. Ask God to show or send to you such people. In this way you will be sure to get reliable counsel and insight.

There are relationships in which we grow apart from someone else. Perhaps we got saved and Jesus became our life, but because the other person does not know Him a polite disconnect takes place. In other cases, we may have both once loved sharing the things of God but after some time passes, one relationship has continued to grow with the Lord, and the other person has been backsliding. Now we may still engage some small talk but that person no longer even mentions God, the Bible, or anything that was part of what fostered a connection in the first place. Communication forms the foundation of a relationship. Without sharing core values and interests, communication becomes shallow or infrequent and a separation begins. Prayerfully navigating this time we must ask God for His wisdom and trust Him to lead us in the right way. Sometimes these relationships will be mended and restored by God; sometimes it is best we let them go because these persons are on a different path from the one God has for us. It's worth repeating that relationships literally change the course of our life, and it is in our best interest to trust God with what is unknown of another person's heart. As far as intimate friendships and relationships go, the person who consistently hurts, mistreats, or puts us down us (contrary to the careful and loving behavior such as found in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13), or who draws us away from a relationship with God will be harmful to both our soul and spirit.

It should be easy to recognize how to cherish those God has blessed us with, and alternatively how to flee what is harmful. But we, as people, are complex and fragile. Only the wisdom of God's word when applied to each and every situation - no exceptions - will enable us to navigate safely. I began by making mention of the relationships we may take from this age into eternity. My epiphany about this has inspired me to be more deliberate about how I spend my time and how I engage others at church or wherever I may meet other sincere Believers. I also find a renewed desire to grow in God's love in such a way that no matter which path God leads me into, those I interact with will have experienced a pure, genuine concern and love for themselves from me. I am already grateful for the godly friendships that God has ordained for me in this life. Let me leave you with some inspiring wisdom from author and speaker, Lisa Bevere:

It is imperative, especially in these times, that we allow God to establish our friendships based on His truth and principles. First make God your best friend.

He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
Proverbs 22:11

Then let the King choose your friends.
We must desire pure hearts over our needs for friendships...God will choose His friends for us, and thus He will want us to treat them the way He would treat them. Then God will entrust us with true friends because He knows we will be true to them.

***Note well: My comments regarding the tell tale signs of relationships which are not the best for a man or woman, do not pertain to those already married but to those who are single or unmarried. The term "not the person for you" is also used loosely, but it should not be mistakenly thought to point to making decisions based on worldly definitions of 'soul mates', or as involving a mystical or unrealistic process of finding 'the one'. It is my view that God alone can best choose a mate for His own children. Many agree that important decisions should not be entered into with God's specific leading and will to be made clear (where to live, career, finances and other life altering ventures). Similarly, but far above all those other reasons, the covenant entered into in marriage is of priority with earthly and eternal spiritual consequences. I do not believe that (with human inability to perfectly know the heart, the future, or even understand all present circumstances) God intends for us to use our limited understanding to choose our own mate without consulting Him and getting specific leading. In fact, I believe that for His own people God is, and should be, the only match maker - even though this specific leading is not to be thought to necessarily depend upon 'signs' or mystical occurrences. The key is to stay submitted to God, seeking His will from the heart, and nurturing relationship with Him so that one knows His leading. This leading will always be in agreement with His word, His ways, His Spirit, and His peace.

Ingredients of Effective Prayer (10)

This is the 14th post in a series on Praying Effectively. We talked about what effective prayers are and in the most recent post we learned that praying in agreement with the Spirit of God and with other believers makes our prayers powerful.
Today's post is about Abiding in Christ, the last ingredient of effective prayer that we will be looking at. In the next post in this series we will continue to explore other factors related to Praying Effectively.
If you are just joining me, please see the end for a special note before continuing!


(10). Abide in Christ.

The discipleship relationship is the most important thing. It is about knowing God and walking with Him in life - above and beyond instances of praise, petition, supplication and intercession.

John 15:4, MKJV
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

John 15:7, ESV
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

abide - menō [Greek]
men'-o
A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for)

Abiding in Christ has a lot to do with carefully nurturing our relationship with Him by purposefully drawing near to Him and safeguarding time with Him. Abiding in Christ necessarily includes prayer, but this prayer is first devotional and personal. Without these times with God, endeavoring to pray effectively in other areas (for example, intercession for others) will doubtless become a duty without joy and increasingly difficult to sustain.

The favour of God the Father is guaranteed to those who establish their lives upon Christ His Son and are diligent to obey Him - proof of love for Him.




[This is the 14th post in a series on the subject of prayer. In the previous installment we looked at the importance of praying in unity with the Spirit of God and other believers.
These posts are interspersed among other blog topics so for the easy identification of related posts, look for the label 'praying effectively - series' in the sidebar. If you are just now joining in I recommend that you read the first post where I shared my reason for doing this series. I hope to share practical keys and insight into praying effectively, in bite-size blog posts which you can easily follow.]

Because It's Valentine's Day

Many people celebrate Valentine's Day as a day for showing appreciation and love for family, friends and significant others. Whether or not it's a big occasion on your agenda, no one can argue that true love is a wonderful thing - not often easy, but always wonderful!

In the contemporary culture of mixed messages, where whimsical emotion or lust is often mistaken for love, and where relationships are rife with superficiality, flattery, insincerity, or built on the shaky foundation of individual brokenness and misplaced neediness, it is important for Christians to be intimately acquainted with the true God-kind of love. Several months ago I did a series on Loving with God's Love by taking a look at God's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. I hope that you will be inspired to read this chapter of Scripture again, and I invite you to peruse the series by using the links below!

1st - Love is patient
2nd - Love is kind
3rd - Love does not envy
4th - Love does not boast; it is not arrogant or rude
5th - Love does not insist on its own way
6th - Love is not irritable
7th - Love is not resentful
8th - Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth
9th - Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures, all things

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love God! 

Love somebody with God's love!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:7

Reflective and Thankful

I have had a lot of things on my mind lately as I have been studying Scriptures that pertain to End of Days events. Daily life has also brought its peculiar observations about the world, people, and myself. All of this has been stoking such gratitude in my heart that I get to belong to God that I wanted to blog some reflections, on a personal note.

I'm at a place in my life where in every major area I am facing the unknown. There are lots of loose ends as I wait for God to lead me in the way I should go. There are critical circumstances outside of my control. There are also many needs, and lots of desires that I've entrusted to Him. I'm telling you this so that you know I'm not speaking from a position of being full and comfortable. Yet my life is filled with good things. These good things happen to be mostly invisible spiritual blessings but I am so very aware of them.

For example, I remember when waiting on God caused me great distress. I didn't trust Him very much so anxiety about people and things consumed me. I recall when my life was filled with negative emotions, useless strivings to improve myself, constant pessimism and dissatisfaction. There was a time when the circumstances I'm surrounded with presently would have probably drowned me in a sense of hopelessness. Instead, today I have peace. My heart is quiet. I truly apprehend the necessity and the benefits of waiting on God. This, coming from a person who used to earnestly pray for a "blueprint" to follow (seriously)...who would have thought I would get to this place? But all of this is more evidence of how much change His Word will bring to our way of thinking and living if we let it.

I marvel at the 'then' and 'now' pictures of what God has already given and done, particularly in my inner life. Every smidgen of growth and refinement is the result, wholly and solely, of His grace - His mercy, compassion, patience and unrelenting love. Surprisingly (although it shouldn't be) these benefits were realized out of trials and other resistance which compelled me to turn to His word and prayer. By the grace of God I was saved. And now by that same grace, I've been launched into a life-sustaining journey of knowing Him more.

Today, on a personal note, I encourage you to take the time to weigh the spiritual blessings in your life. Where you are right now may really be hard but if you stay the course, clinging to God, you will see change where it matters most - in your own heart and in your relationship with Him. Knowing God more and more as He really is makes all the difference. Being known by God as His own makes it all worth it.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:1-10