Post by solitarysoul on Apr 25, 2007 21:05:56 GMT -5
"It's No Fools" - Devotion for April 1st, 2007
Today's Scripture
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you." - 2 Corinthians 2:4
Today's Word
Rather than playing an April fools joke this year, let me instead try and debunk a misunderstanding that seems to plague Christians.
The night before Jesus was crucified, a group of guards captured Him with the information Judas gave them as a result of his betrayal. Upon capturing Him, Peter, one of the disciples who was with Jesus in the garden, fought back in defense for Jesus, and cut the ear off of one of the guards with a sword. In the midst of the struggle, Jesus calmly knelt and healed the guard, one of the very men who had just come to capture Him so that He would be condemned to death.
Now my question to you is, would you do the same thing? If someone tried to physically harm you, and a friend injured this person out of your defense, would you take the time to help this stranger? Would you have the love and forgiveness in you to ignore the fact that this stranger just tried to harm you, in order to kneel down and bandage this person's wound, and help them anyway?
Most people do not have the strength in them to do this. They think, "He just tried to harm me ... why should I help him?" They let their pride or anger take over. This is something every one of us needs to understand clearly right now, because it is very important. Pride blocks God . ( Proverbs 16:18 ; Deuteronomy 32:4 ; Proverbs 27:2 ) If you are prideful, you will have a very difficult time growing closer to God, because to know God means to submit and surrender to His will. That literally means to give up your pride, give up your own will, be willing to accept punishment and being wrong, and give it all to God. Too many people seem to think that "giving your life to God" is just a cliché. They worship God, and say they've given their life to Him, so they think they have. But giving your life to God literally means to openly dismiss your pride ... let go of everything and be willing to give up anything and everything for God if it became necessary. It means to value the truth, knowing when you are wrong, more than valuing to win an argument. Valuing the will of God, more than your own will and desires. Some people, such as the disciples, have had to give up everything to do this: a career, money, hobbies, interests, genre of music, a lifestyle, and even relationships. Do you value God high enough to do this if it was necessary? If so, then are you sure it is not necessary? Are you sure that the way you are living right now is the way that Jesus would live, or, are you simply too consumed in your own will and self desires, or pride, to accept the truth?
What we need to understand is that anger and resentment is the world's way of handling situations, not God's way. The world is selfish; God is selfless. It is hard to be a Christian. It is easy to pretend to be a Christian, yet continue to live like the world. But Jesus said that these people do not know Him, and they will not inherit His Kingdom of Heaven.
God's love is unconditional. That means there are no circumstances, no "buts", which would cause God to stop loving us. Similarly, as children of God, we are told to live in this same way. If we are holding a grudge toward an individual, or if we grow angry at someone for wronging or displeasing us, we are not doing God's will, and therefore He is displeased with our actions and decisions made as a result of such circumstances.
Many people are loyal friends when the going is great, but once you do something that hurts them they turn away from you in anger and resentment. They will find someone else who fulfills their desires and makes them happy, so that they can stand at a distance and live their lives in resentment toward what you have done, protected by their new friend. Jesus warns us to avoid these types of people, for they are not true children of God. No man is innocent of harming another, and therefore regardless of what the circumstances may be, there is never an excuse for not loving and forgiving others.
Unconditional love takes place when you set aside your circumstances, and focus on the bigger picture. So you may have been hurt, you may have been lied to, you may have been betrayed, you may have even had a family member murdered. These are all difficult situations to deal with, but unconditional love means to forgive and forget, even if they are not sorry. You set aside your circumstances to focus on the higher purpose. What that person did to you or your family may be wrong, and therefore God will see that justice is served, but you have no place in seeking justice yourself, because you too have sinned, maybe not necessarily in that situation, but you have regardless. (Don't cast any stones if you are not without sin). The Bible says that even if you so much as hate or hold resentment toward someone who sins against you, you are just as guilty as them, if not even more! God hates sin, but justice is for Him to seek, not you. God allows such things to happen not so that you will be more prideful and defensive, but to test you. To test your ability to love and forgive others regardless of what is done to you. Are you passing these tests?
Focus on the higher purpose. It is very difficult to help someone who just tried to hurt you, or succeeded in doing so, whether intentionally or not. But throughout the Bible we see time and time again how people were empowered to do the right thing as a result of the individual's strength to forgive and love anyway. After Jesus healed that guard, who just moments before was trying to hurt Him, the guard was left in shock, he was changed, and empowered to do the right thing. Therefore it's a question of priorities. Do you value your pride, or God's will? Are you more concerned about your own well being in such a situation (pride; not helping the individual who just harmed you), or are you more concerned about that person's salvation? (God's will; setting aside your circumstances and loving and forgiving so that others will be changed and empowered to do the right thing and follow God).
Are you living in resentment toward someone today? Have you betrayed a friendship for that of another person because of being wronged? Are you making excuses to stay away from these people, or to not forgive them? If so, you are outside of God's will, and you will be easily deceived.
What makes you a child of God? Seriously think about this for a minute. If you believe you are saved, why do you think you are saved? Is it just because you prayed a prayer asking for Jesus to come into your heart? Is it because you believe in God? Is it because you go to church, or maybe because you're a good person? Every one of these can be true for you, and you can still not be saved. Salvation is by genuine faith alone in Jesus Christ. If you asked people if they are really saved, I'm sure we all know of those who will respond with pride, giving a definite yes, and maybe a "how dare you to question such a thing". But you are not saved by pride. In other words, we are not saved just because we have convinced ourselves that we are saved. If you are saved, your heart is truly and genuinely focused on God and doing HIS will, rather than your own. You would have a desire to give your life to Christ, to hate the things God hates, and love the things God loves.
But now wait a minute. You say God hates when someone wrongs you, and that may be true, but let's not jump to conclusions here. God just as much hates the way you respond to that person who wrongs you, if it is not a truly loving and forgiving response, from your heart.
Let go of past pains, forgive and forget, ask God to forgive you for the way you responded to such an act, and love those who have wronged you, for that is what a real child of God does.
Copyright © 2007 T. Scott Morgan | www.the-daily-blessing.com
Please feel free to forward this message on as much as you like, as long as this copyright stays intact and the
devotion is not altered.
This devotion may NOT be redistrubuted for profit.
Today's Scripture
"For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you." - 2 Corinthians 2:4
Today's Word
Rather than playing an April fools joke this year, let me instead try and debunk a misunderstanding that seems to plague Christians.
The night before Jesus was crucified, a group of guards captured Him with the information Judas gave them as a result of his betrayal. Upon capturing Him, Peter, one of the disciples who was with Jesus in the garden, fought back in defense for Jesus, and cut the ear off of one of the guards with a sword. In the midst of the struggle, Jesus calmly knelt and healed the guard, one of the very men who had just come to capture Him so that He would be condemned to death.
Now my question to you is, would you do the same thing? If someone tried to physically harm you, and a friend injured this person out of your defense, would you take the time to help this stranger? Would you have the love and forgiveness in you to ignore the fact that this stranger just tried to harm you, in order to kneel down and bandage this person's wound, and help them anyway?
Most people do not have the strength in them to do this. They think, "He just tried to harm me ... why should I help him?" They let their pride or anger take over. This is something every one of us needs to understand clearly right now, because it is very important. Pride blocks God . ( Proverbs 16:18 ; Deuteronomy 32:4 ; Proverbs 27:2 ) If you are prideful, you will have a very difficult time growing closer to God, because to know God means to submit and surrender to His will. That literally means to give up your pride, give up your own will, be willing to accept punishment and being wrong, and give it all to God. Too many people seem to think that "giving your life to God" is just a cliché. They worship God, and say they've given their life to Him, so they think they have. But giving your life to God literally means to openly dismiss your pride ... let go of everything and be willing to give up anything and everything for God if it became necessary. It means to value the truth, knowing when you are wrong, more than valuing to win an argument. Valuing the will of God, more than your own will and desires. Some people, such as the disciples, have had to give up everything to do this: a career, money, hobbies, interests, genre of music, a lifestyle, and even relationships. Do you value God high enough to do this if it was necessary? If so, then are you sure it is not necessary? Are you sure that the way you are living right now is the way that Jesus would live, or, are you simply too consumed in your own will and self desires, or pride, to accept the truth?
What we need to understand is that anger and resentment is the world's way of handling situations, not God's way. The world is selfish; God is selfless. It is hard to be a Christian. It is easy to pretend to be a Christian, yet continue to live like the world. But Jesus said that these people do not know Him, and they will not inherit His Kingdom of Heaven.
God's love is unconditional. That means there are no circumstances, no "buts", which would cause God to stop loving us. Similarly, as children of God, we are told to live in this same way. If we are holding a grudge toward an individual, or if we grow angry at someone for wronging or displeasing us, we are not doing God's will, and therefore He is displeased with our actions and decisions made as a result of such circumstances.
Many people are loyal friends when the going is great, but once you do something that hurts them they turn away from you in anger and resentment. They will find someone else who fulfills their desires and makes them happy, so that they can stand at a distance and live their lives in resentment toward what you have done, protected by their new friend. Jesus warns us to avoid these types of people, for they are not true children of God. No man is innocent of harming another, and therefore regardless of what the circumstances may be, there is never an excuse for not loving and forgiving others.
Unconditional love takes place when you set aside your circumstances, and focus on the bigger picture. So you may have been hurt, you may have been lied to, you may have been betrayed, you may have even had a family member murdered. These are all difficult situations to deal with, but unconditional love means to forgive and forget, even if they are not sorry. You set aside your circumstances to focus on the higher purpose. What that person did to you or your family may be wrong, and therefore God will see that justice is served, but you have no place in seeking justice yourself, because you too have sinned, maybe not necessarily in that situation, but you have regardless. (Don't cast any stones if you are not without sin). The Bible says that even if you so much as hate or hold resentment toward someone who sins against you, you are just as guilty as them, if not even more! God hates sin, but justice is for Him to seek, not you. God allows such things to happen not so that you will be more prideful and defensive, but to test you. To test your ability to love and forgive others regardless of what is done to you. Are you passing these tests?
Focus on the higher purpose. It is very difficult to help someone who just tried to hurt you, or succeeded in doing so, whether intentionally or not. But throughout the Bible we see time and time again how people were empowered to do the right thing as a result of the individual's strength to forgive and love anyway. After Jesus healed that guard, who just moments before was trying to hurt Him, the guard was left in shock, he was changed, and empowered to do the right thing. Therefore it's a question of priorities. Do you value your pride, or God's will? Are you more concerned about your own well being in such a situation (pride; not helping the individual who just harmed you), or are you more concerned about that person's salvation? (God's will; setting aside your circumstances and loving and forgiving so that others will be changed and empowered to do the right thing and follow God).
Are you living in resentment toward someone today? Have you betrayed a friendship for that of another person because of being wronged? Are you making excuses to stay away from these people, or to not forgive them? If so, you are outside of God's will, and you will be easily deceived.
What makes you a child of God? Seriously think about this for a minute. If you believe you are saved, why do you think you are saved? Is it just because you prayed a prayer asking for Jesus to come into your heart? Is it because you believe in God? Is it because you go to church, or maybe because you're a good person? Every one of these can be true for you, and you can still not be saved. Salvation is by genuine faith alone in Jesus Christ. If you asked people if they are really saved, I'm sure we all know of those who will respond with pride, giving a definite yes, and maybe a "how dare you to question such a thing". But you are not saved by pride. In other words, we are not saved just because we have convinced ourselves that we are saved. If you are saved, your heart is truly and genuinely focused on God and doing HIS will, rather than your own. You would have a desire to give your life to Christ, to hate the things God hates, and love the things God loves.
But now wait a minute. You say God hates when someone wrongs you, and that may be true, but let's not jump to conclusions here. God just as much hates the way you respond to that person who wrongs you, if it is not a truly loving and forgiving response, from your heart.
Let go of past pains, forgive and forget, ask God to forgive you for the way you responded to such an act, and love those who have wronged you, for that is what a real child of God does.
Copyright © 2007 T. Scott Morgan | www.the-daily-blessing.com
Please feel free to forward this message on as much as you like, as long as this copyright stays intact and the
devotion is not altered.
This devotion may NOT be redistrubuted for profit.