Set Apart

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ … set apart for the gospel of God.
Romans 1:1

“What’s your greatest barrier to telling people about Jesus?” Craig asked his friend Charlie.
Halfway through his excuse, Charlie got a sense of how lame he must have sounded by the look on Craig’s face. “Okay! Stop looking at me like that. You really want to know why?” He sighed. “A lot of the time it’s because I don’t feel very spiritual. You know, like I don’t measure up on the ‘Spiro-meter.’ So I think, ‘Why should people listen to me?’”
Craig understood his friend’s dilemma. He’d shared those same misgivings. Then God had convicted him that gaining our silence is one of Satan’s attempts to keep us from spreading the gospel.
Craig shared his revelation, concluding with, “If I let how I feel dictate when and where I say something, I wouldn’t spread much of the gospel. If I remain silent because I don’t feel like speaking up, then most of the time I’d be robbing people of the chance to accept God’s love. Satan will lie and tell me any number of reasons I shouldn’t speak on God’s behalf—guilt and shame, inadequacy, shyness, being tired, or sick. The list is endless; but the results are the same. I fail to share the gospel. And Satan wins that round!” He emphasized his last remark. “I’ve found that if I respond when God leads by beginning to witness, the words come, and my hesitancy disappears.”

†

Until we come face to face with the reality and permanence of hell, we will fail to understand what our witness means; and, we will continue to succumb to Satan’s attempts to keep us quiet.
Fear of man and the threat of ridicule keep many Christians from sharing what God has done in their lives. Without this testimony, many may never hear what they need to hear to make a decision for Christ.
We are set apart for God’s kingdom. We cannot remain neutral in the battle for souls. It should be our privilege to stand up and proclaim the love and salvation to be found in Christ!

Prayer

“Help me, Lord Jesus, to share Your love. Give me the words to show what You’ve done in my life so others might find salvation in You. Amen.”

Spiritual ADD

[Aaron] took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf.
Exodus 32:4

Nick was just like every other kid in his class: high energy, fun loving, even a bit of a prankster. Nick had recently been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. His attention span was much shorter than his peers due to what his neurologists called a short circuit in his brain’s hard wiring. This short created an inability to tune out outside stimuli.
Nick’s parents knew his actions weren't just a ploy to avoid homework or chores because they’d observed the same distracted behavior on the baseball field.
Nick played second base. At any given moment, you might catch him looking around the outfield while the pitcher was in his windup. Or he’d be drawing pictures in the dirt when he should have been chanting, “Hey, batter, batter, batter.”
It was difficult for Nick to concentrate on his lessons for more than ten minutes at a time; there were just too many things vying for his attention. His parents and teachers were instructed to be patient and allow for his inattentiveness. They were told that long-suffering persistence would eventually help Nick overcome his inability to focus for extended periods of time. Nick learned coping strategies that helped fend off the unwanted interference, helping him direct his focus on things at hand.

†

Israel had a severe case of spiritual ADD. Although God was constantly with them, they were unable to focus on Him for more than a few days at a time. The miracles He had done on their behalf were forgotten, and they went right back to complaining. It cost them forty years in a desolate land.
But before we judge the Israelites too harshly, we should admit that we don’t retain the goodness of God any longer than they did. We, like Israel, get distracted by the enemy. We gripe and complain about our circumstances and God’s failure to meet our needs.
Like Nick, we need to develop coping strategies to tune out unwanted influence. By listening to God’s instruction, we can shorten our time in the wilderness.

Prayer

“Thank You, loving Father, for putting up with my impatient behavior. Help me shut out the world’s interference so I can focus my attention where it needs to be. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Betrayal

Jesus would not entrust himself to them … for he knew what was in man.
John 2.23

Ben and Kurt were childhood friends. There friendship spanned sixteen years of disagreements and reconciliations; until the day Kurt betrayed Ben’s trust when he learned Ben liked Melodie Wilson.
Ben confided to Kurt that he would like to date Melodie and asked Kurt if he would test the waters for him, so to speak. He prefaced this favor with the condition that Kurt not talk to her directly. Instead, he asked Kurt to talk to her friends to see if Melodie had ever mentioned him in conversation; and more importantly, if she liked him.
Teenage boys are likely to discard every other relationship in lieu of their first love! And that’s exactly what happened because Kurt himself was smitten by Melodie. In the blink of an eye Ben got kicked to the curb. Kurt began spreading rumors about Ben among Melodie’s friends. He even lied to Melodie, telling her that Ben only wanted to get her into bed. He, on the other hand, declared his honorable intentions. In the end, neither won her heart.
Sadly, Ben and Kurt went their separate ways, a life-long relationship abandoned because Kurt’s impetuous heart wanted what it wanted, and Ben couldn't find it in his heart to forgive the pain of betrayal.

†

In all trust there is the possibility of betrayal. Once betrayed, the heart rejects immediate forgiveness. Instead, it becomes wary … of everyone and everything. If left unforgiven, the rift will widen, and a spirit of cynicism will plant seeds of doubt until they grow into a lifestyle of suspicion, influencing our every thought. Nothing and no one is exempt from its vile destruction. The heart will protect itself at all costs; you will never get close enough to hurt me again! In a doubt-ridden mind trust and forgiveness are not open for discussion. Our hearts need Jesus.
And Jesus, knowing what is within man, is never cynical. He perfectly understands our nature and what He can do for us. He openly invites us to trust in Him without the possibility of betrayal or abandonment.

Prayer

“ I've been wounded many times, Lord Jesus. And sometimes it’s even been by friends. But I come today, trusting You to bring healing instead of betrayal or abandonment. Amen.”

Messengers

I will send my messenger.
Malachi 3:1

Thoroughly distracted, Michaela continued waiting tables. She’d just received the news that she was being laid off, and she’d been given one week’s notice before the layoff took effect.
Like everyone else, Michaela and her family lived day-to-day, dependent on her and her husband’s weekly wages.
Lord, what are we supposed to do? she silently prayed. You know we don’t have any savings. And Melvin’s wages won’t support us. How are we supposed to manage? In her spirit, she felt God answer. I will provide. Trust Me. Somewhat encouraged, she went about her business. Yet unsure of how His provision would manifest itself, she remained a little unsettled.
As Michaela took an order from a middle-aged couple, they asked if she had any prayer needs. She couldn't believe it! Briefly, she shared what had happened. Even more unexpected, when she’d concluded her story, the couple took her hands and prayed for her, right there, right then! Her hope restored, Michaela thanked them and returned to work.
Later, as the couple left, they hugged Michaela and told her to have faith.
After they departed, Michaela returned to clean their table and found an envelope with her name on it. Opening it, she was awestruck to find five hundred dollars and a simple note. “God sent us here today with a message of hope for you. Never doubt that He has His eye on you!”

†

God knew the worry that threatened Michaela’s heart, so He sent messengers to confirm His unseen provision.
Although God sends us messages all the time, the message and messengers aren't always easily recognized. Many times we fail to notice the visit until sometime later, after we've had a chance to assimilate the message.
God’s use of His children, as well as all Creation, is well documented in Scripture. He uses His messengers to show us that He knows what we need and is paying attention. Not all messages are as definable as today’s story. Sometimes the message is subtle; other times it’s as clear as audible conversation.
Each of them is timely and perfect if we watch for them.

Prayer

“Help me trust in You for all my needs, Papa. And when I doubt, help me recognize Your messenger so I can better hear the message. Amen.”

So, What Now?

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
Psalm 11:4

The race was over; the election hadn’t gone their way. “So, what now?” Peter asked Nathan.
“We keep doing what God tells us,” was his brother’s simple reply. “Look, Pete, God is still on His throne, and each day when my feet hit the floor, I’m going to continue doing what God called me to.”
“How can you be so calm about this, Nate?” Peter’s frustration was obvious.
“Pete, more than ever, what we need to be right now is calm. Getting upset and frustrated will only cause confusion, which is exactly what the enemy wants. When we’re frustrated and confused, it’s harder to hear what God is saying.”
Nate’s response sounded reasonable, yet Peter was angry at the lack of group effort from the Christian community.
Nathan continued, “Do you think God fell off His throne when the winner was announced?”
“Well, no, I don’t suppose He did,” Peter admitted. “But in the same breath, I don’t think it made Him too happy that many professing Christians sat idly by and did nothing to stop this from happening.”
“Maybe, but we can’t change that. What we can do is make the best of what we have. God allowed it, Pete. I trust Him.” With that, Nathan slapped Peter on the back and went back to work.

†

In today’s text, David makes a wise observation: although his adversaries appeared to have the upper hand, God remained in control and would prevail.
Our righteous God sees His righteous people and does not forget them in their time of trouble. Jesus himself said that there will be trouble (John 16). He also said He has overcome it.
When we face adversity, we need to remember and believe that God is never taken by surprise and will always stand with us to see us through to the other side of our problems. We stand in a place of victory. The time in between now and realizing the fulfillment of that truth will be better spent listening as we ask God the question, “So, what now, Lord?”

Prayer

“Lead me on in Your strength and assurance, Lord. Help me focus on Your agenda instead of being distracted by the world. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Defending the Weak

Defend the cause of the weak … and oppressed.
Psalm 82:3

Marla sat in the corner of the lunchroom, away from the other kids. She was unpopular and constantly reviled by her peers.
Teresa hated the insensitivity of her classmates. Angered by their actions, she began sitting with Marla, which in turn, caused them to turn on her, too.
During an exceptionally unpleasant day, Marla asked her, “Why do you stick up for me? Now they make fun of you as much as they do me.”
“For a couple reasons,” Teresa said. “One: what they’re doing is wrong. Two: they’re ganging up on you. I refuse to let you stand against them alone. As far as I know, you’ve never done anything to deserve their ridicule. Besides”—she leaned closer—”something inside me burns when bullies attack in groups.”
“But don’t they hurt? You know, the words and gestures?” Marla asked. “Aren’t you afraid?”
Teresa said, “Sure, it hurts when they call us names and make those vile gestures. But I’m not afraid.” She saw Marla’s eyebrows rise. “Marla, don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it. They’re cowards masquerading as thugs. But I don’t get my affirmation from them. I get it from God. I’m not afraid because God has given me peace about it. Yes, the words hurt. But I’m not who they say I am and neither are you. I know that because of God’s loving encouragement. He protects my heart from their insensitivity. God loves them too and wants them to change. Until they do, He’s asked me to take a stand against small-minded people.”

†

Without exception, we have all been bullies and been bullied. Someone or something has paid the price of our insecurity, receiving undue ridicule, or we ourselves have been on the receiving end.
Defending the rights of the weak is everyone’s responsibility. Yet fear of man prevents many of us from taking the necessary action. It can be uncomfortable, unpleasant work standing up for someone not directly involved in our life.
When faced with injustice, ask yourself: “If this were my sister, my brother, or my child, would I stand aside and do nothing?”

Prayer

“Lord, may I never again be the oppressor. Help me to always defend the rights of those who are weak and oppressed. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Rehashing the Past

I … am he who blots out your transgressions … and remembers your sins no more.
Isaiah 43:25

“But you don’t know what I’ve done!” Cassandra asserted, sobs wracking her body.
“And I don’t need to,” Julie said. “God isn’t as concerned with your past as He is with your today, Cassie. He loves you so much that He’s willing to forgive you of anything if you’ll just bring it to Him. Repentance brings forgiveness. And once God forgives, that sin is gone forever; He refuses to hold it against us.”
“But it can’t be that easy,” she argued. “Not after what I’ve done.”
As sure as Julie was of the truth, she knew Cassandra couldn’t fathom the depth of God’s grace right now. So she said, “The Bible assures us of God’s complete forgiveness, Cassie—an everlasting, unconditional forgiveness that, although we may not understand, is perfect in every way. I’ve experienced it myself.” And Julie had! What Cassie didn’t know was that Julie had once been a working girl. “If I were to let my past rule my today, I’d be telling God He’s incapable of forgiving sin. And that’s not what the Bible says. If we allow Satan and his followers to sell us the lie of unforgiveness, we are walking without faith and hope.”
“But I don’t feel forgiven,” she said.
“Forgiveness isn’t about feelings, Cassie. It’s about God redeeming things that are lost: parts of our soul. And it requires taking God at His word.”
“I’d like to do that,” Cassandra said. And with hope in her heart, she confessed her sins, asking God to forgive them.

†

God wants us in the present, ready to do His good will. But if we continue rehashing our past, we can’t join Him, thereby destroying our ability to effectively work in the present for His kingdom.
In Isaiah 43:18 God tells us to, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” We do well to heed His words.
Forgiveness covers every part of our past; not part, but all. He wants to bring us into the present with that forgiveness. Would you come join Him?

Prayer

“Lord, help me believe that my sins are forgiven. Speak to me in ways I can understand. And help me forgive myself that I might join You in the present. Amen.”