It's so amazing to me how I can read the same passage from the Bible a hundred times and then one day, I read it again, and God just makes a fresh message pop out at me - always just what I needed.

The foolish man –

Have you ever seen someone you love running blindly towards a cliff?  You can clearly see what is coming if they don’t change direction, but they are oblivious to the danger.  Or maybe they do see the path ahead but believe that they will be able to fly right over the abyss, magically?

So many times, I have tried to warn others of that camouflaged cliff, but to no avail.  It is easy to convince ourselves that our situation will be different.  We want what we want and our human desire blinds us to the danger that will come when we do things our way instead of God's way.  We believe the Enemy's lie which unfortunately, many times, our friends and family encourage us to believe.  Our loved ones see us in pain and want to help us, they want to fix it, the human way.  God love them all!  They really do have the best intentions, but when friends offer solutions that God does not, we simply must choose to listen to Him alone. 

Why don’t we just trust God to show us how to find joy, even in those times when things are not exactly what we had hoped?  

When bad things happen, when life seems so unfair, human nature attacks us with a vengeance.  Self-preservation, my right to be right, my desire to be happy – people will encourage us in these pursuits which do not always match God’s plan for us.  Let me tell you, human nature is dangerous enemy, especially when it comes from people who care about us.

Matthew 7:24-27English Standard Version (ESV)

Build Your House on the Rock

²⁴ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I was listening to an audio Bible reading of Matthew this morning.  I heard the beatitudes – a list of blessings that come to us when we walk in the light.  Jesus told his disciples that they were to be salt and light and to let their good deeds shine for all to see, for the praise of the Father.

He then went on to teach them how it looks to be salt and light. 

Not only are we not to murder – we are not to be angry with someone.

We are not to call anyone a fool or an idiot.  We are not curse someone.  When I heard that again, I immediately thought of how many times I have heard someone call down a curse in the name of God on someone who has made them angry or treated them harshly.  Jesus said if we do that, we are in danger of hell fire.  That is not something to take lightly.

He said not only are we not to commit adultery, we are not to even look upon another person with lust in our hearts.  If the only way you can keep from lusting is to pluck your eye out, Jesus says that is better to lose an eye  than to be thrown in to hell for lusting! If we took this literally, there would be lots of people with the eyes plucked out!

Divorce – not okay with Jesus.  I can try to justify with human reasoning why it's okay for me,  but He clearly tells us that the only reason to divorce is for adultery.  If I am trying to walk in the light, I can’t leave my spouse because we don’t get along, or because I’m just not in love any more.  Jesus said except for unfaithfulness, if we divorce, and find someone else, we are committing adultery.  That is horrifying.

Jesus also said not to take revenge when you have been wronged.  In fact, he even went so far as to say we are to love our enemies.  When people see us being kind to our enemies, those who have persecuted or harmed us in some way, they can see we are truly children of our Father in heaven – that’s what Jesus said.

Give to those in need – and don’t expect gold stars for doing something good for someone in need. Your Father sees and He will reward you.  His reward is far better than earthly praise.  And earthly praise can sometimes be a tool the Enemy uses to make us feel prideful.  Oops!!!  The good things we do can end up causing us to think more highly of ourselves than we should.  Got to watch that!

Jesus continues with His message – calling us to be more than we think we can be.  The expectations are so high and we can begin to fill hopeless.  But isn’t that why Jesus came to earth, because we can't do it on our own? He came and took our punishment, He covers our failures with His righteousness. Thru His death, burial and resurrection, He gives us new life in the spirit - providing us with strength thru His Holy Spirit.  He offers mercy and grace we fall.  

As I listened to the book of Matthew, I felt like a failure.  Everything Jesus said I should do, I have not done consistently.  Everything He said don’t do, well…  Thank God for His grace and mercy.  I felt like Paul when he spoke to the Romans –

Romans 7:15-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁵ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. ¹⁶ But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

¹⁸ And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. ¹⁹ I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. ²⁰ But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

Paul understood exactly what I am feeling.  But he didn’t throw his hands in the air and say, “oh well, I might as well just sin all I want, because I can’t follow the rules that Jesus has set out for me.  It’s impossible.”  No, Paul had the answer.

Romans 8 is the answer.

What I learned this morning is that every temptation or struggle that God allows in my life can remind me of my sinful nature as a human being.  When my marriage is not doing so great, and I start thinking how much better my life would be if only… My human nature will dwell on every fault and every failure of my spouse.  and guess who will be cheering me on? The Enemy – who sometimes will take the form of a good friend who encourages me to do things I shouldn’t do.  Jesus tells me do not divorce.  My friend says I deserve better.  Who am I going to listen to?

In Matthew 7, I listened to the story of the wise man and the foolish man.  Every kid who has sat in Sunday School knows the song – The wise man built his house upon the rock, but the foolish man built his house upon the sand.  Didn’t we all just anticipate that big SPLASH! When the foolish man’s house failed?

When you read the explanation for this passage. Jesus said that anyone who hears His teaching and doesn’t obey is like the foolish man – building his house upon sand.  When the rains come, and they will come, our house will fall if we are not walking in obedience to His commands.  This is not a threat. It is a warning.  Jesus loves us and wants so much for our lives to be full and fruitful.  His commands give life and keep us from a world of hurt and pain.  His commands are for our good, not just for now, but eternally.

There are so many times when I just do not know how God puts up with me.  I get up in the morning wanting to be His ambassador, to shine for His glory, and then some little temptation or trial comes along, and I forget to call on Him.  I struggle to find the answers to the problem, and I come up with human reasoning.  When I use my human heart, I can justify every bad decision. But my human solution  to the struggle leads to bigger problems – maybe not today or tomorrow, but down the road.  My house goes “SPLASH!” because I built it on a humanistic foundation made of sand.

I want to be the wise man and the only way I can do that is through obedience to the One who loves me and wants me to have the best possible life.  That life will be full of struggles and temptations and thru His strength, my faith will get stronger as I see how He brings me through every circumstance.  My character will reflect Jesus to those around me.  And hopefully, someone who struggles can see that I  struggled, too, but Jesus got me thru it, every time. I pray that they will see the hope I have is not for temporary happiness in this life, but for eternal joy in Heaven with my Savior.

My life is not supposed to look like everyone else’s life. I am not supposed to blend in; I am supposed to be set apart, holy.   When troubles come and I keep my eyes on Jesus, my response may seem crazy to the world, but when I come thru, still standing, maybe those around me will see His strength working in me.  Maybe they will see my joy, even in the worst of times if I keep trusting in Him instead of my own strength and wisdom.

https://youtu.be/QPpUqVmPZYY - I will lift my eyes - Alisa Turner

Trust and Obey – it’s that simple and that hard.  For me, I will keep trusting and doing my best to obey the One who knows what lays ahead, and has carefully prepared the way for me.  If I will just listen to Him and obey and remember, in the end, this world is not my home.  I don't want to live just for today - I want to live with Eternity in my heart.

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Blessed to be a blessing

“The true measure of a person’s character is how one handles one’s failures, not successes.”

― Bill Courtney, Against the Grain: A Coach's Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family, and Love

Larry and I watched "Undefeated" on Netflix yesterday. What a powerful story of young men rising above their circumstances in great part because someone, their football coach, loved them enough to give them hope and not give up on them.

Not every child starts the race at the same starting line.

This documentary along with another one - "Rich Hill" - which follows three young boys who also grew up in poverty without the security of parents who provided a safe and stable home - these two shows reminded me of just how much I have been blessed. It made me sad to watch these young men struggle with things they shouldn't have to worry about at such tender ages. But what can I do with that feeling?

I have always had parents who provided for me, and I didn't have to grow up worrying about where my next meal was coming from or if I my dad was even going to come home at night. It's too easy for me to just get up and walk away from the T.V. and forget the reality that many young boys and girls deal with every day. I did nothing to deserve the wonderful family and home I had just as those kids didn't do anything to deserve the struggles they face.

My responsibility as a Christian is help those who do not start this race of life with the same advantages that I have had. God didn't bless me because I am his favorite. He gave me blessings that I am supposed to use to lighten the load of others. It is truly better to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35New Living Translation (NLT)

35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

How many times does God tell us to help those who need help? Once should be enough but there are multiple times He tells to to help the poor. It's our job as Christians. How can we seen people hurting and refuse to do what we can do to help?

Hebrews 13:16

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

One of the last things Jesus said before ascending back to heaven was about this very thing. When we help others is just as though we are helping Jesus Himself. But when we fail to help those we can help, it's just like we are turning our backs on Jesus.

It's very easy to sit in my comfortable home with plenty of everything I need and shut my eyes to the poverty around me. Dear Jesus, help me to see what You put before me and not just shake my head about the unfairness of it all, but to actually do whatever I can to make a difference.

Matthew 25:35-40 New King James Version (NKJV)

35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Holy Father, help me to see what You see. Help me to have compassion that doesn't end when the movie ends but that makes me move to do what I can to help those You put on my path. Forgive me for taking my comfortable home and wonderful family for granted - as if I did anything to deserve such blessings. Help me to see those blessings as instruments to help those who do not have what I have.

Thank you for Your patience and mercy and forgiveness. Thank you for giving us the perfect example of how we are to live for others by sending Your Son, who was not born into wealth, but born in poverty.

The Creator of the Universe humbled Himself and did not even have a home to call His own, yet He gave so much to others. Thank You, Jesus, for Your great love and compassion, for even me. Purify my heart and create a clean spirit within me. Use my life as You see fit and help me to see what you have for me to do and then to do it.