“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings." Psalm 23:5
This world will knock you down, push you around, beat you up, and kick you when you're down. People, who live in glass houses, will throw stones. Words will hurt. Lies will be spread like wildfire. Your name will be dragged through the mud. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from this kind of treatment and pain. If you live long enough you are sure to experience at least some of what I have just described. That is because we live in a sinful, fallen world and sin comes from the author of lies, Satan himself, the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
I struggle with blaming people for beating me up, kicking me, pushing me, throwing stones at me, and spreading flat out lies about me. When the reality is, that I am forgetting that scripture tells me that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities. (Ephesians 6:12) I am reminded from this scripture that we can all be used; the good news is that we can choose whether or not to be used by God for good or Satan for evil. I believe that is where personal responsibility comes into play. We have to take responsibility for our actions because every action we take is our personal choice but I do believe that it starts with a choice to be used for good or for evil. Evil can come in small packages such as lies and gossip just like good can also come in small packages such as smiles and hugs. When we realize that it's a choice and we realize that we can be used either way, then I believe that we become more proactive about being used for good. I'm choosing to move on in the knowledge that Satan is to blame and that the people that he worked through simply chose at that time to be used for evil, whether knowingly or unknowingly; but that God will always prevail. God will trump Satan every time. Good will overcome evil in the end. I believe that with my whole heart. So in every situation where you're hurt, remember that we aren't fighting against flesh and blood, forgive the person, and pray for their eyes to be opened to His truth and for good to prevail!!
I started this post with the bad.... what this world will do, how you will be wounded... but there is another story. Aren't you glad?! God loves you! His thoughts are for you! His plans are to bring you hope and a future! His grace is abundant. His Word is true! He cares for you! He wants a relationship with you! He will dry your tears! He will bring you comfort! He will give you unmerited favor! It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, how much money you have or don't have, what your status is, what family you belong to, what school you graduated from, or how many degrees you have on your wall... no one is immune from His love if they simply choose to believe and ask! Isn't that amazing?!
I have known God's love!! I am blessed to say that I know His love! I know His unmerited favor! I know His abundant grace! I know His Word to be true! I have a relationship with Him! The past few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life, the world broke my heart, the world tried to ruin my good name, the world came at me with a pretty powerful punch.... BUT GOD has spoken to my broken heart, protected me and my family, made a way where there seemed to be no way, gave me a HOPE and a FUTURE that was better than the path that I was on. He has made ALL THINGS work together for my good. Let me tell you how thankful I am! Let me tell you about His love that NEVER FAILS... He will never leave you or forsake you! No matter where you are, who you are, where you've been, how long you've been gone from Him... HIS LOVE NEVER FAILS. My cup runs over with joy and thankfulness tonight because of His love for me. I pray that you, whoever is reading this right now, would know the abundance of His love. As Paul wrote in Ephesians, I pray, "and may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is."
Thank you for reading my thoughts. God Bless You!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Oh Be Careful Little Mouths What You Say....
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me... Anyone ever heard that? Anyone believe that it's true? I don't. Upon saying that I don't believe this, I've had people say, well, words can't hurt you physically... I don't believe that either. Words can hurt, they do hurt... if a person is hurt badly emotionally, and it can cause them physical pain. The spread of certain words, more commonly referred to as gossip can be detrimental to a person's emotions, their reputation, their job, their family, their spirit, and their body.
The dictionary defines "gossip" as idle talk of rumor; especially about the personal or private affairs of others. We've all been guilty of gossip. We Christians like to get our gossip in under the disguise of prayer concerns. I'd be willing to bet that we've all been the topic of gossip. In most cases, the rumors that we're discussing are a tiny bit of truth wrapped into a gigantic burrito of lies. And yet, we spread it anyway...
Remember the words test? I need to be reminded of it... true, kind, necessary. How are we using our words? Are we speaking things that are true, kind, and necessary? Or are we speaking things that aren't true, that are unkind, and that are better left unsaid? I am guilty of not taking the words test... I'm guilty of saying things that are almost always true but they don't measure up as being kind and almost never are the necessary.
I have been the topic of gossip recently. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the "sticks and stones" saying isn't true. I can also tell you that most of the gossip being spread isn't true. Which brings me to my next point. What do we believe? Do our actions line up with what our mouths say that we believe? If we say that we love God and all we do is slander others, then I would say, "No" our actions aren't lining up with what we say we believe. If you're standing in Wal Mart and someone you know comes over to tell you something about someone else that you know; do you stop them when you realize that what they are saying is false and correct them or do you probe for more and engage in idle rumors? How often do we forget the character of the people that we know? We allow others to degrade and disrespect people that we know to be of high moral character when what we should do is cut them off and say, I know that person, that's not who they are and if you have a problem with them, let's go confront it with them present. If we all handled our words that way, a lot less people would be walking around wounded.
I am the first to admit that I am guilty of all of the above. However, I am choosing, daily, to the let the Holy Spirit lead me, direct me, and guide me... my thoughts, my actions, and especially my words. I know I will fail at some point and I'm thankful that I serve a loving, forgiving God who if faithful to forgive me when I do. When we focus on Him, allow our hearts to be filled with His Spirit, and meditate on His word, we are more apt to speak and act in a way that is pleasing to Him; and as Christians, isn't that what we want? To live a life that is pleasing to Him and one that makes others want to know Him?
"Therefore, put to death what belongs to your world nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient. and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old self and it's practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, God's chosen, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, put on love- the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the the Messiah to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts, and be thankful." Colossians 3:5-15
The dictionary defines "gossip" as idle talk of rumor; especially about the personal or private affairs of others. We've all been guilty of gossip. We Christians like to get our gossip in under the disguise of prayer concerns. I'd be willing to bet that we've all been the topic of gossip. In most cases, the rumors that we're discussing are a tiny bit of truth wrapped into a gigantic burrito of lies. And yet, we spread it anyway...
Remember the words test? I need to be reminded of it... true, kind, necessary. How are we using our words? Are we speaking things that are true, kind, and necessary? Or are we speaking things that aren't true, that are unkind, and that are better left unsaid? I am guilty of not taking the words test... I'm guilty of saying things that are almost always true but they don't measure up as being kind and almost never are the necessary.
I have been the topic of gossip recently. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the "sticks and stones" saying isn't true. I can also tell you that most of the gossip being spread isn't true. Which brings me to my next point. What do we believe? Do our actions line up with what our mouths say that we believe? If we say that we love God and all we do is slander others, then I would say, "No" our actions aren't lining up with what we say we believe. If you're standing in Wal Mart and someone you know comes over to tell you something about someone else that you know; do you stop them when you realize that what they are saying is false and correct them or do you probe for more and engage in idle rumors? How often do we forget the character of the people that we know? We allow others to degrade and disrespect people that we know to be of high moral character when what we should do is cut them off and say, I know that person, that's not who they are and if you have a problem with them, let's go confront it with them present. If we all handled our words that way, a lot less people would be walking around wounded.
I am the first to admit that I am guilty of all of the above. However, I am choosing, daily, to the let the Holy Spirit lead me, direct me, and guide me... my thoughts, my actions, and especially my words. I know I will fail at some point and I'm thankful that I serve a loving, forgiving God who if faithful to forgive me when I do. When we focus on Him, allow our hearts to be filled with His Spirit, and meditate on His word, we are more apt to speak and act in a way that is pleasing to Him; and as Christians, isn't that what we want? To live a life that is pleasing to Him and one that makes others want to know Him?
"Therefore, put to death what belongs to your world nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient. and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old self and it's practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, God's chosen, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, put on love- the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the the Messiah to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts, and be thankful." Colossians 3:5-15
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