Gift Giving and Receiving

Gift Giving and Receiving
By: Melissa Creger Kennedy

I don’t know about any of you, but I thoroughly enjoy giving. It gives me profound, indescribable joy to give to the Lord, but also to give to others. So, for someone like me, Christmastime is especially fun. I get to give, and give and give! However, with the joy that comes from giving there is sometimes the disappointment and frustration of a gift being unappreciated, or even unacknowledged. You go out of your way, sacrifice time and energy, maybe even over-spend on someone and you don’t get so much as a “thank you.” Are you kidding me? What nerve! What poor manners! Didn’t their mother teach them any better?! But, then I realize that I shouldn’t feel alone in my astonishment at the ungratefulness and seeming chill from gift recipients. God feels that way……probably every minute of every hour of every day. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of God’s Son. Jesus wasn’t just any Son. He was God’s ONLY Son. God had nothing more and nothing better that He could give. But, what do we do with Jesus but put Him in a manger and sing Silent Night? Something seems amiss.

As Christians, we express our ingratitude to God in what I call “practical atheism.” We say we believe in Jesus, but we live like we do not. Believing and obedience go hand-in-hand. If you believe in the laws of gravity, which I’m sure all of you do, you don’t go jumping off buildings. Why? It’s because you believe in that law and the consequences that you will suffer if you do not obey. If we believe and obey the law of gravity that way, what’s our problem with Jesus? He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Gravity has held me down much more than living for Jesus has! By ignoring God’s gift of Jesus in our everyday lives, we are no better than the spoiled brat at Christmas who snubs what his/her parents worked and scrimped to give.

I cannot fathom the hurt and anguish Jesus suffered when He was on the cross. There He was dying, bearing the sin of the entire world, and was forgiving those who were torturing and mocking Him. In His literal last test as a human, Jesus was challenged with ultimate rejection, physical agony, and spiritual abandonment. God had turned His back on Jesus because God cannot look upon sin. Yet, in His darkest hour, Jesus loved and forgave those people. Then, I think about Jesus’ heavenly Father and how much pain He suffered as well. God had given part of Himself, His very best, the One He held most dear. And there those ingrates were……crucifying, mocking, beating, and spitting upon Him. Disappointment and hurt are probably two words that cannot even come close to describing God’s feelings that day. His best, most sacrificial gift was discarded and disregarded. And this happens every day, even in the lives of Christians.

It is so easy to fall into a trap of pride in our giving. We give and we feel that we are owed the gratitude and acknowledgement of those to whom we gave. But, if we are to be like God in our giving, we give our best and love the ungrateful, the inconsiderate, the insensitive, and the thoughtless just the same. God gave freely and generously, knowing that there would be those who would not receive the gift at all. Hebrews tells us several times that Jesus’ sacrifice was “once for all,” and that was the plan. Then in Matthew 20:28, Jesus said that His life would be given as a ransom for many. How many people fall between “all” and “many?” It could be a few; it could be a lot! Who falls in between “all” and “many?” Those people who do not truly acknowledge Jesus. I’m not talking about believing in His existence. That is historical fact, and facts are not debatable. I’m talking about not acknowledging Him or truly receiving Him with their hearts and lives. When we don’t, it’s the ultimate snub to God and leads to our ultimate and eternal demise.

So, this Christmas let’s give like God gives, love like Jesus loves, and receive like truly grateful people. Let’s really receive Jesus into our hearts and lives as God meant for Him to be given. James 1:17 reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from God. And so God gave us Jesus, Who is altogether good and perfect.

Joy to the world the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room! And heaven and nature sing!

Our Messianic Job Description

Our Messianic Job Description
By: Melissa Creger Kennedy

Isaiah 61:1-3 (Amplified Bible)--"1 THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound, 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

This passage of Scripture is so cricital to our faith as Christians. Messianic prophecy is throughout the Old Testament, but this particular passage describes in such beautiful detail the work of God's Chosen Servant. It is Jesus' job description and the purpose of His mission. We, who are in Christ, have been given the same job. We are ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19); we have been given the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). By virtue of our heavenly citizenship and the authority delegated to us through Christ (Matthew 10:1), we have the wherewithal to be of great impact on this world and those in our lives. However, I'm sure we've all experienced the resistance that people put up when we try to witness to them. I believe that this passage of Scripture outlines the Messianic roles that we are to play in the lives of those who are in our spheres of influence, both in the world and in the church. So, let's get to work.

Verse 1 says that God has anointed me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and the afflicted. Strong's concordance says that that word "anointed" means "to smear, anoint, or spread a liquid" and "to consecrate." How fantastic it is to think that God has smeared our lives with His hands. Our anointing is not limited to one day, time, task, or experience; it's spread out! Don't let the enemy fool you into believing that you'll only be effective in one area. You may be more spiritually gifted in one area than in others and can therefore expect a greater harvest there. But, because God's anointing has been spread all over our lives, we can step out and know that whatever we do for Kingdom purposes will not be without fruit. Those who are meek, poor and afflicted (physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually) are those who are in the most need of Good News. The Good News is that God loves them and is for, regardless of any circumstance that may feel is stacked against them. There is no sin, no sickness, no anything that can keep God from loving them. What a relief!

Verse 1 goes on to say, "He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted." The word "bind" means to bandage. Think of a little child who has fallen and scraped his/her knee. It's not a life-threatening injury, but it hurts all the same. From the little kids I've bandaged up over the years, I've found that what hurts them the most is the blow to their pride. They thought for sure they could fly off of that swing and land on their feet; but, alas, humans don't fly and they found out the hard way. They truly believed they would instantly sprout a cape and super-powers and be just like Superman. Such is the case of the brokenhearted. They haven't sustained a life-threatening wound, but they hurt so deeply because their hopes and expectations were dashed. They need to know that they are still loved and that they will be okay. They need to hear that while it was maybe foolish to pursue that sin, they can learn from their mistake, pick themselves up and go on, and still be loved just the same.

"To proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound." I find it so interesting that we're not ministering the opening of the eyes that are blind, but those who are bound. We can tell people that there's a way out of wherever they may feel trapped, and that's such a joy. But, this gets a little harder when the person doesn't know that he/she is captive. Only through the anointing of the Holy Spirit can our words be enlightening to those who cannot see their own condition. I'm sure we've all met someone at some point who was totally bound by sin and failed to see it. They thought they were just having a little fun! When Satan binds a person, he doesn't just bind their hands and feet; I believe he binds their eyes and ears so that they cannot see or hear what he has stolen from them--their freedom. He doesn't want them to hear the songs of those who are free; he doesn't want them to see or be around people who are free. Why? Because his little game will be up. That's why we've got to tell people about the freedom we have in Christ. Sinners genuinely believe that we as Christians live by a list of "Thou Shalt Not's." They have no clue that this life is the best because we are free to fulfill our purpose and are free to REALLY live, all under the blessing of heaven.

"To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God." I think it's just lovely that God's favor is mentioned in the format of a year, but His vengeance is for a day. The year is the full circle of seasons and days. God's favor has come full circle, people, and we need to get the word out. This is especially true since the day, as in the heat of the day, of God's venegeance is approaching. Vengeance is God inflicting the penalty of sin. Gesenius' Lexicon says that the primary idea behind the word is "breathing forcibly," as in anger. I can't say that I'm breathing calmly when I'm angry; you probably don't either. I, for one, am not interested in being on the receiving end of God's vengeance. People need to know that there is a way of escape from this and that the favor that God wants to bestow upon them is for a lifetime (Psalm 30:5).

"To comfort all who mourn." This is probably the easiest part of our job. Simply being there for people when they are suffering loss or pain is truly a privilege. Most of the time, we don't even need to say anything other than, "It'll be okay. In time, it will all be okay. These feelings aren't forever." When we hurt, the sound of a caring, compassionate voice is so comforting, but sometimes it's not nearly as welcome as the quiet presence of a friend who is just there offering a shoulder to cry on. This verse implies our job as it applies to ALL, without exclusion.

Verse 3, by far, has the largest part of our job description: "To grant [consolation and joy] to those who mourn in Zion--to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit--that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." This verse specifically dictates how we are to interact with those who are in Zion, the church. Mourning, in this context, means mourning for the dead or mourning because of calamity. Those with a lost loved one mourn because they know that person is spiritually dead. They can see it, they can feel it, and it is painful. Those who suffer calamity, whether it because of a demonic attack, the consequences of sin, or spiritual testing are in just as much need of comfort. We need to be about the business of speaking comfort and joy to the these folks, our brothers and sisters in Christ. The same precious blood of Jesus that covered our sin will cover theirs. The same God that delivered David from the paw of the lion and bear, and delivered us from our chains will deliver them from their situation. The same fire of the Holy Spirit that consumed that which was sacrificed, led the children of Israel at night, was in cloven tongues on the heads of those in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost will purify and cleanse them, just as it did for the rest of us.

We all will continually be in the process of sowing and reaping until we reach heaven. It is a law that God put into place that exists to teach us and refine us. Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified Bible) says this: 7 Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. 8 For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." All of us at one time or another have sown some bad seeds. We may or may not have reaped the harvest from them yet, but rest assured, harvest will come. A person may have sown seeds a sinner that will come to harvest after they are saved, and maybe after they've been saved for years. But, all seeds bear fruit. What we sow as sinners brings destruction and ruin to us, and if the harvest comes after we are saved, it has the potential to bring destruction and ruin to our witness. However, I am a firm believer that it should not bring ruin and destruction to the fellowship and unity of the Body of Christ. If we allow judgment and self-righteousness to take hold, we will most certainly reap that unto ourselves when our harvest-time comes. But, we are promised that if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap eternal life. Let us all take note of what we are sowing into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. The point of all this is found at the end of verse 3: that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." It is to God's glory that we, who were once sinners and miserable wretches, are now in right standing with Him. It's certainly not by any of our own doing; we were helpless in our sinful state. But, God through the blood of His Son has cleansed us. By His Spirit, He continually guides and leads us on the path. And by that same Holy Spirit, He plants us in a body of believers were we can be fed, grow, flourish.

Just as a side note on this: have you noticed that Christians tend to reproduce after their own kind, in a spiritual sense? Those who are in leadership tend to produce leaders. Those who are teachers have produced other teachers. Those who are evangelistically gifted have produced others just like them. Interesting, isn't it? God is so cool in how He puts everything together. Us following the plan is all in a day's work, according to our Messianic job description.

What Does God Do With Our Sin?

What Does God Do With Our Sin?
By: Melissa Creger Kennedy

First John 1:9 says that when we repent, God is faithful and just to forgive us. That means that He will forgive without fail. The enemy wants to remind us of what we have done, bring condemnation upon us, and lead us to believe that we cannot be forgiven. The forgiveness that God offers us is eternal because God is eternal. The very moment we ask for forgiveness of a sin or transgression we have committed, or of iniquity in our lives, we are instantly and permanently forgiven of that.

We need only ask once for God to forgive us of a sin. Sincere, heartfelt repentance is music to God’s ear; He is quick to listen and quick to forgive. We do not have to beg over and over; no amount of weeping or wailing is going to make us any more forgiven. David was a man after God’s own heart not because he was perfect, but because he was constantly mindful of his fellowship with God. He knew his sinful condition and knew that sin separated him from God. Therefore, he was a repentant man, constantly striving to maintain close fellowship with God.

What happens to our sin when we repent? What does God do with them?

1. He puts them out of sight.

Isaiah 38:17—“Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.” (AMP)

They are behind His back. He cannot look upon sin, which is why He could not look upon Jesus while He was on the cross. When you repent, your sin is out of His sight forever. God doesn’t look back or use rearview mirrors either.

2. He puts them out of reach.

Micah 7:19—“He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”(AMP)
Psalm 103:12—“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (AMP)

God will not bend down to pick up your sin from under His foot; neither will He dig around in the depths of the sea to find them. East and west never, ever meet. We cannot reach them, and God will not.

3. He puts them out of mind.

Jeremiah 31:34—“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (KJV)

God promises that He will not remember what He has forgiven. It’s the promise of a clean slate. God will not bring up your sins later when He’s trying to teach you a lesson. He cannot bring your sins to your remembrance because He does not remember them. When your mind is perfectly in tune with His, you won’t either. You’ll just remember that you’re forgiven.

4. He puts them completely out of existence.

Isaiah 43:25—“I, even I, am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (AMP)

Isaiah 44:22—“I have blotted out like a thick cloud your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” (AMP)

Acts 3:19—“So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.” (AMP)

Our sins are blotted out, not remembered, swept away, wiped out and are evaporated like morning dew. God justifies us when we repent. Justified means this: just-if-I’d never sinned. True repentance brings times of refreshing to us from the Lord because there is no hindrance to fellowship with Him.

With our sin completely gone, there is no separation between God and us. We can worship face-to-face and come boldly before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Those who come to God for cleansing are never turned away, and are made completely clean. David knew this and he prayed to God, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7—KJV)

We’ve got to get it through our heads that it is the enemy who condemns us; he is, after all, the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). If your sins come up in your mind, it’s not from God. We must remind ourselves and confess daily Romans 8:1-2: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The Penitent Man Shall Pass

The Penitent Man Shall Pass

By: Melissa Creger Kennedy

It is a little known fact, but I am a huge fan of Indiana Jones movies. In The Last Crusade, Indiana Jones' father is searching for the Holy Grail. His father had been searching for the Holy Grail for decades, noting every little bit of information and all the clues he'd discovered in his diary. Under the duress of his father being wounded by a gunshot, Indiana has to use his father's Grail Book to pass the tests and complete the search. The healing power of the Grail is the only thing that can save his father's life. As he begins his journey through a cliffside temple's dangerous traps, he is reciting the first clue, "The penitent man shall pass." Creeping through the cobwebs, he notices movements that are not his. He repeats over and over, "The penitent man shall pass." Finally and at the last second, he realizes what that means and says, "The penitent mall shall pass.......KNEEL!" Falling to his knees, he is saved from the circular blades that spun out of the wall and would have decapitated him had he not knelt. What excitement! And that was only the first test!

Penitence is a word not commonly used these days. It means, " mean regret for sin or wrongdoing, implies sad and humble realization of and regret for one's misdeeds, the implication of a resolve to change" (http://www.m-w.com). But, its synonym, "repentance," is a much more familiar term to most of us. In Luke 2:17, Jesus said, “…They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” But what does repentance really entail? Is it asking God for forgiveness of sin, or is it more than that? I believe that true repentance is not just an admission of guilt and asking for pardon. It involves the heart and mind, and in turn, our actions.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul was recalling the admonishing he had given the Corinthian church (see 1 Corinthians) regarding immorality in the church. Apparently, members of the emerging church had their feelings hurt and were pouting. Paul said, starting in chapter 7, verse 8: "For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while." Paul was glad he had administered the word of truth to them and shown them the error of their ways because he went on to say in verses 9-11, "Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." The Corinthians had a change of heart about their sin. When they realized the harm it was causing them as individuals and as a body of believers, they were grieved. This sorrow of heart led to their repentance. Paul noted that their change of heart had produced certain fruit in their faith in verse 11: "For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter." Many people are sorry when they are caught in their sin, but they have not become sorrowful over their sin. This sorrow produced fruit in the Corinthian church in the form of godly character.

According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word for “repentance” used in Luke 2:17 is metanoia, which means, “a change of mind, as it appears of one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or something he has done.” That is the noun version of the word. Repent, as a verb, in the original Greek is metanoeo, which means, “to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins.” As we read in 2 Corinthians 7:11, Paul noted the fruit of the church’s repentance. The church had not only changed their heart, but had changed their mind about sin as well. They were now more diligent disciples, determined to clear themselves of association with sin, indignant toward it, and had developed a holy fear of God’s judgment. They had also become zealous and full of holy fervor to flee immorality. They had simply changed their mind about sin. What they would once embrace or even tolerate had now become abhorrent. They made a conscious decision to amend their ways because they had been shown a better way. We can be very sorry that we sinned, but until we change our mind about that sin, we will be continually enticed into the same trap. Our minds must get to the place where we desire fellowship with God more than we desire the sin that so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1).

Sin is a deadly condition. Paul told the Colossians that they were dead in their sins, but Christ made them alive together with Him and forgave their transgressions (Colossians 2:13). It's no different for us. Our sins deaden our fellowship with God beacuse it puts up a wall between Him and us. Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." Paul also told the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 7:11, "the sorrow of the world produces death." Why is that? Because wordly, fleshly sorrow is feeling sorry without a corresponding change of heart, mind, and ultimately actions. Until we change our hearts and minds about sin, there will be separation between us and God and there will be no life in our spirits. But, we can be made alive together with Him through repentance and faith in the forgiveness He offers through His Son's shed blood on the cross. Once we get our hearts and minds in line and live a life of true repentance, our behaviors follow.

Notice the progression Paul showed the church: godly sorrow produces repentance, repentance leads to salvation. Sorrow does not lead to salvation, but repentance does. Just as Indiana Jones completing the tests to find the Holy Grail, the penitent man (or woman) shall pass.

___________
Scriptures extracted from the New King James Version, http://www.biblegateway.com

Guaranteed Victory

Guaranteed Victory
By: Melissa Creger Kennedy

Isaiah 54 holds a special message for women. In it, God provides the confidence and assurance that those who are lonely, childless, widowed, and disappointed will share in the joy of Zion’s redemption. However, it is applicable to anyone who has ever felt lonely, fruitless, abandoned or disappointed. All of these conditions can cause any person to feel down and defeated. But, God has provided a progression that guarantees victory in Isaiah 54:14-17. Arm yourself today. The enemy is roaming about.

Step 1: Isaiah 54:14--You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God's will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you. Merriam-Webster says that to establish means, “to make firm or stable, to introduce and cause to grow and multiply, and to put beyond doubt.” God’s will and order must be firmly established in our lives. When an Old Testament king took over a land and was going to establish his kingdom, the first thing he did was get rid of the old king. Two kingdoms cannot coexist in the same space. Or for our purposes, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the enemy cannot both be established in our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 that no man can serve two masters. Loyalties and allegiances cannot be shared. In Exodus 20:5, God even said He is a jealous God and visits the iniquity of those who serve idols to the third and fourth generation. Our own kingdom must be overthrown as well. We must depose our self, our ideas, our egos, and our perceived rights for God to establish His rule. When we do this, the rest of the verse comes into play: we won’t even think about destruction or oppression, we will have no fear or terror because it won’t come near us.

Step 2: Isaiah 54:15--Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you. I remember when I was in high school, I really needed this verse. It was likely the most horrible time of my life and has, unfortunately, shaped my perception of friends and my ability to maintain friendships. I had a group of “friends” who plotted to take me down. I chose to take the high road with these people and not play into their game, but I was hurt all the same. I wanted so badly to vindicate myself and get vengeance from wherever I could find it. Two of these girls were pastors’ daughters, and I knew that their fathers would have a cow if they knew how mean their daughters were. I could have talked to their fathers, or had my parents do it, but I chose to leave the situation where it was. The truth of what they were doing was exposed and they were ashamed, but not after they had caused me a world of hurt. They apologized and I forgave, even though I didn’t feel it for many years after. Their plan fell and they had to surrender. I never knew why that attack came upon me, and I still can’t say I’m glad it did, though I choose to be thankful in all things. However, I know that it was not from God and He lifted me above it. So that’s step 2; recognize the source of attack. If we don't know where the attacks come from, we're always caught off guard. We may not know the purpose right away, but if we recognize the source, at least we know who the enemy is! It's the one shooting fiery darts at us (Ephesians 6:16)!

Step 3: Isaiah 54:16--Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy. Every weapon has a purpose. Some are designed to kill, others to wound, others to maim and debilitate. However, all are meant to keep an enemy at bay. God allows those things that we perceive as weapons to accomplish a purpose in our lives. Those things that we believe are good in our lives may actually be to our detriment because we cannot see the eternal outcome. But, God can and will allow those things to be destroyed. Maybe we're holding on to a part of our kingdom; maybe we're letting the enemy rule; maybe we're too comfortable; maybe we don't even know how to fight. God will mercifully bring these situations to destruction so that we can experience true victory in this spiritual war. Yes, necessary, and yes, it's going to destroy; and no, it won't be fun or easy. But, the point of it all is that God is in control and He will not allow us to come to destruction when we are established in Him (Exodus 12:23) and He will not give us more than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Step 4: Isaiah 54:17--But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord. When we have established ourselves in righteousness, recognized the source of attack, and realized that God is ultimately in control, we have the ability to stand firm in whatever situation comes our way. No weapon formed against us shall prosper!! As the Amplified Bible says, it is a peace, righteousness, security and triumph over opposition that is a heritage of the servants of the Lord. It’s our God-given birthright because we’ve allowed kingdom of God to be born and established in us. I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of being defeated. It stinks! The devil is a jerk and doesn’t play fair or by the rules. But, when God’s kingdom is established, God’s rules apply. Since he can’t do anything but lie (John 8:44), that won’t fly in a kingdom established in righteousness. He’s got to go! Through God, our victory is guaranteed. 2 Corinthians 2:14--But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ's victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere. Hallelujah!

Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear

Anybody remember, “Be careful little ears what you hear…..for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little ears what you hear.” It’s so easy to sing that, but have we really applied it? Most would agree that Christians should not be listening to secular music that is vulgar or promotes immoral thoughts or behavior. We would agree that we shouldn’t listen to dirty jokes. What about the much more subtle attacks of the enemy on our minds? We all know that gossip is forbidden starting way back in Leviticus 19:16. But, there’s the speaking of gossip, and the hearing of gossip. Honestly, I don’t think the two can be separated. As the speaker of the gossip destroys a person with their words, the one who listens allows that person to be destroyed in their own mind. The one who listens becomes an accomplice to the destruction, and is therefore just as guilty.

I love Isaiah 53:1 where the Lord asks, “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?” I always want that person to be me; I want to believe Him and His word, despite any other influence, and see His work manifested before my eyes. And then I thought, what happens when we believe someone else’s report? I’ve come to discover that when you talk and listen to people there are three sides to every story: the accusation, the explanation, and the truth. Each person has elements of truth in their testimony, but it is invariably skewed by their perception and colored by their emotions. Perception comes through our mind, which is so bad-off it needs to be renewed constantly (Ephesians 4:23). Feelings come from a heart that is deceitful and corrupt (Jeremiah 17:9).

Gossip is one of the most deadly offenses that can be committed or experienced. It destroys people on every level without fail. There are three phrases that describe the process: whispering, slandering, and tale-bearing. It’s funny that whispering is mentioned. I’ve never heard anyone really yell gossip. It’s usually in a quiet tone or somewhere private, where the gossiper begs you to keep their confidence. It usually goes something like, “I know you won’t say anything, but…….” Proverbs 18:8 talks about a whisperer (Amplified Bible says tale-bearer or whisperer). The Hebrew word for whisper, “nirgan,” means “to roll to pieces.” Sounds like a killing to me. In Psalm 41:7, David lamented that people who hate him were whispering against him. That word, “lachash,” means to mumble a spell as a magician. Witchcraft is dabbling in a power that is not of God; Merriam-Webster's dictionary says it is "communicating with the devil." Whispering is also mentioned in the New Testament. Paul said that it was part of the reason people have been turned over to a reprobate mind (See Romans 1:28-32). In the Greek, the word is “psithurismos,” which means “a secret detraction.” That’s what gossip does: it secretly detracts from the truth because we’re caught up listening to what the whisperer is saying, not the truth. Further, it detracts from the measure of Truth in our own lives because we are allowing seeds of discord and disunity to be sowed in His Body through us. If someone has told you things about someone and has caused you to change your mind about that person, respect him/her less, or have doubts in your mind about that person, you have participated in gossip. And you may have done it without saying a word.

What I found particularly interesting was Paul’s instructions to Timothy regarding the women in the church in 1 Timothy 3:11. They were not to be gossipers (and don't think that's limited to women.....we know it applies to men AND women). I was so shocked when I looked up that word, "gossiper." In the Greek it’s “diabolos.” Anybody else know who that’s talking about? Bingo—it’s the devil, accuser of the brethren. Our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters call him El Diablo. Participating in gossip is participating in the devil’s attack plan on the Body of Christ. When he can get us attacking each other, thinking lower of one another, not respecting one another, he’s won. That’s why Paul admonished the church at Ephesus to give the devil no place (see Ephesians 4:27). We cannot do anything about what people let roll off their tongue, but we can control what we let go into our ears.

Proverbs 20:19 says, “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore associate not with him who talks too freely.” You know what you should not be hearing from others. For example, you should not listen to someone speak evil of the man of God (1 Timothy 5:19). Nor should you listen to someone speak evil or badly about their spouse. The marriage relationship is sacred before God and that level of intimacy should be respected and not be compromised (see Hebrews 13:4). I won't even let my husband talk badly about himself. I tell him, "Nobody talks about my man that way." He does the same for me. It communicates the respect we have for one another and reminds us to speak lovingly and positively of ourselves and others.

We are so quick to forget how “real” God is. We are all invited to cast every care upon the Lord (1 Peter 5:7). Nowhere in the Bible does it say that your conversation with God has to be pretty or perfect. There is no sense in trying to cover how we really feel when we are talking to God. He knows it already anyway. Owning up to it will do us good. We can vent, whine, complain, and pitch hissy-fits to God. He will listen lovingly, wait for us to finish and never judge us. So, when people come to vent to you, protect your ears. Direct them to their heavenly Father. Be careful little ears what you hear.

Enough

I remember hearing as a very strong-willed child, “Melissa, that’s enough!” I knew what that meant! It meant that I had to stop nagging, begging, whining, crying, complaining, and/or pestering immediately, or suffer the consequences. I’m sure none of you can relate…..ha. I’m sure every parent gets to the point where they’ve just had enough of their kid(s). You take his or her defiant little chin in your hand and sternly say, “ENOUGH,” “STOP IT,” “END OF DISCUSSION,” or something very similar. Where do you think a parent got that idea from? My humble supposition is that it came from God.

In Deuteronomy 3:21-29, Moses was recounting to the children of Israel what God had done for them. But, what I found interesting was found in verses 23-29. In The Message it reads like this: At that same time, I begged God: "God, my Master, you let me in on the beginnings, you let me see your greatness, you let me see your might—what god in Heaven or Earth can do anything like what you've done! Please, let me in also on the endings, let me cross the river and see the good land over the Jordan, the lush hills, the Lebanon mountains." But God was still angry with me because of you. He wouldn't listen. He said, "Enough of that. Not another word from you on this. Climb to the top of Mount Pisgah and look around: look west, north, south, east. Take in the land with your own eyes. Take a good look because you're not going to cross this Jordan. "Then command Joshua: Give him courage. Give him strength. Single-handed he will lead this people across the river. Single-handed he'll cause them to inherit the land at which you can only look." That's why we have stayed in this valley near Beth Peor.

I can see God, loving parent that He is, holy hand on His hip saying, “Enough of that. Not another word from you on this.” Moses had cried, begged, and pleaded for the thing that he wanted most: to see the Promised Land. Yet, God would not listen. In our eyes, he had every reason to feel that God owed him that. God visited him at the burning bush in Exodus 3 had raised him up to be a leader for the Israelites; he’d gone to Pharaoh as God’s man and demanded, “Let My people go.” And here it is, they’re about go into the land “flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8) and God says, “No. You can’t go in.” But it gets worse. God basically said, “You can take a look at it if you’ll climb to the top of Mount Pisgah, but you’re not going to cross the river and go in. But Joshua, whom you have trained, will single-handedly lead them across the river and into the land.” What a smack-down.

How do we deal when God tells us, “Enough”? Do we humbly accept the decision of our Heavenly Father and trust that He knows best? Do we pitch a fit like a two-year old, threatening to hold our breath until He does what we want? Do we act like a teen-ager and say, “I hate you” and go to our rooms and slam the door in His face?

Most of us, if not all, have prayed for something that we wanted so badly, but did not get it. Whether it be a job, a house, a financial need, healing, or a troubled family situation. We got angry with God because we didn’t get the answer we wanted. But, in all our time of talking to Him about it, did we happen to pause our whining, crying, begging, and pleading for a second to hear Him say, “That’s enough. Don’t talk to me anymore about it”? He is Sovereign, our God, and His plan stands firm forever (Psalm 119:89). Times such as these are tests of our trust in Him. Romans 10:11 quotes Isaiah 28:16 when it says that no one who trusts in the Stone (Jesus) will ever be ashamed or disappointed. Do we whole-heartedly, completely, and without question or reservation trust God, even when He says, “Enough”?

My prayer for you all today is that your trust in the Lord will be reaffirmed, even in the face of difficult circumstances not turning out how you wanted. In your prayer time, keep in mind that it is a conversation between you and God, a giving and receiving. God did give us one mouth and two ears, which implies to me that He wants me to listen to Him twice as much as He wants me to talk to Him. Maybe if Moses had done more listening than talking, God wouldn’t have had to say, “Enough.”

Selah (pause, and calmly and think of that).

Scripture References: Deuteronomy 3:21-29, Psalm 119:89, Romans 10:11, Isaiah 28:16.