Month: February 2020

“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.”  Matthew 26:14-15 NIV

When someone has betrayed you, it’s hard work to forgive them, but it can be done.  Today’s verses are the starting point for arguably the worst betrayal in history. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for what would be equivalent to $185-216 today.  He wouldn’t have even been able to buy a smartphone with his money. Yet He betrayed Jesus for it. I wonder what Judas’s heart motive was? Obviously greed, but what else?  Why would money cause him to betray his Lord and Savior? Understanding these details helps work towards forgiveness. We can see in hindsight, Judas’ betrayal, for whatever reason, was part of the plan.  If Jesus hadn’t been betrayed, He wouldn’t have been crucified. If He hadn’t been crucified and raised again, none of us would be saved. God uses all things to the good for those who believe, even our betrayals (Romans 8:28 NIV).

My neighbor for years was Debbie Smith.  She is the reason the Debbie Smith Act (DSA E) exists.  Four years before we moved beside her, she was raped in the woods behind our house.  Her husband, a police officer, was upstairs sleeping after working the night shift.  The armed man entered their house, dragged her into the woods and raped her repeatedly.  DNA was collected, but not analyzed until 1994. When it was, her rapist was found, already behind bars for another crime.  Debbie turned that dreadful event into a glory for God. The result of her work is the DSA which is designed to end the backlog of untested, unanalyzed DNA.  A movie has been made about that fateful day, A Life Interrupted debuted in 2007.  Debbie was betrayed by someone she didn’t even know.  A victim of someone else’s sin. Debbie had every right not to forgive, but instead she gave it all to God.   When we give our hurts and betrayals to Him, He turns them into wins. He takes ashes and turns them into beauty.

He takes ashes and turns them into beauty.

Betrayal is a part of life.  None of us escape it. Family betray us, Friends betray us, strangers betray us, our bodies betray us.  Betrayal is one of the hardest acts to forgive. When our trust in someone or something has been broken, it is not easily built back.  But trust can be restored. Over time, with hard work, we can overcome our betrayals. We can forgive the offender, create healthy boundaries and be free from the hurt.  The key to overcoming hurt, it’s a team effort. We can’t do it without Divine Intervention. God’s guidance, His presence, are what helps us overcome. Together, with Him, anything is possible, even forgiving betrayal.

Question of the Day:

What betrayal do you need God to help you forgive?

Further Reading:  Exodus 29:1-30:10 NIV, Matthew 26:14-46 NIV, Psalm 31:19-24 NIV, Proverbs 8:14-26 NIV

“Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.”  Psalm 31:9 NIV

One way to handle sorrow in your life is to cry out to God for mercy.  In this past week in my life, I’ve witnessed three heartbreaking situations.  First, a 26-year old father with a pregnant wife, died in a car accident. Then, a friend’s husband, a Christ following man, died of pancreatic cancer, five months after diagnosis, only 52 years old.  And the crash of the helicopter that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and 7 other people has gripped our nation in grief. All of these stories tell the fragility of life. They tell of unfulfilled dreams, missed moments, words left unspoken.  They are stories of heartache and loss that can cripple us. When we are in the depths of despair, we cry out to the Lord for His mercy. He will comfort us in our time of need.

My hairdresser lost her sister and nephew last year.  Her sister passed away first. She told me the story of how God comforted not only her family, but another one as well.  They were in Florida where her sister had lived. Her family had gathered at the beach at sunset, grieving together for their loss.  As the sun started to set, the clouds in the sky started to move. They slowly shaped the form of a heart. She has pictures to commemorate the moment.  Immediately, the family was comforted. All of them knew the heart was a sign from God that their sister was with Him. On the beach with them was another family who had lost a child to suicide.   When they saw the heart, they felt the same peace. They knew their loved one was alright. These two families, both in grief, met on a beach. They grieved together, comforting each other in the midst of their storms.  God’s mercy comes in miraculous ways.

God’s mercy comes in miraculous ways.

God’s mercy came in an unexpected form that evening on the beach for my friend.  His mercy came in an unexpected way for all of us when Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem.  God knows how desperately we need Jesus. He knows the depths of our heartache when we lose people we love.  He knows how temporary our lives here on earth are. He knows our pain. Jesus is His answer. Jesus is the bridge that connects our sinful lives with God’s sovereignty.  When we don’t understand why things happen, God does (Deut. 29:29 NIV).  Our perspective is limited, we can’t possibly understand the whole story from here on earth, but one day we’ll know (1 Cor. 13:9-10 NIV).  Until then, in our sorrow, we can cry out to Him for mercy.  His mercies are new every day, they never run out (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV).

Question of the Day:

What sorrow do you need God’s mercy for today?

Further Reading: Exodus 28:1-43 NIV, Matthew 25:31-26:13 NIV, Psalm 31:9-18 NIV, Proverbs 8:12-13

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21 NIV

If you want to learn how to manage what you have well, search the scriptures for guidance.  Today’s verse is talking about money. The Master has given three servants different amounts of money to keep for Him. One doubled his amount, he is who the Master is speaking to in the verse above.  One servant made nothing because he buried it in the ground for safe keeping. As a result, the servant who doubled his money was also given the second servant’s money. The reason being, the Master now knew who He could trust with His riches.  If you learn to manage what you have well, you’ll be given more.

By the time I graduated college, I had a boat load of debt.  I had student debt, credit card debt and car debt. It took me years to pay it all off.  The way I learned to handle money was based on Biblical principles, there are over 800 scriptures on money in its pages. I did what the Bible said to do with money.  I tithed, I saved and I paid off my debt. During those years, I would often cry out to God for a big check. After all, He has all the resources in the world, what’s wrong with dropping a few thousand in my lap?  I didn’t understand why He didn’t just pay it off for me. But now I do, I had to learn to manage what I did have well if He was going to give me more. Search the scriptures to learn how to manage what you have well.

Search the scriptures to learn how to manage what you have well.

God isn’t just talking about money in this parable.  Our wealth can be our health and relationships, as well as our money.  When we learn to manage our health by eating nutrition rich food and exercising, we have good health, which leads to more good health.  When we nurture our relationships by loving God and loving others, we’ll have better, richer relationships. And when we follow God’s plan for our finances, we’ll have more finances to manage.  God talks about all of these things in His word, through His people. All of us can learn to be better managers of our lives. As we begin to manage our lives better, our lives will be fuller and richer than we ever thought they could be.  God has it all written out for us what we are to do in His word, we just have to do it.

Question of the Day:

What do you need to learn to manage well?

Further Reading: Exodus 26:1-27:21 NIV, Matthew 25:1-30 NIV, Psalm 31:1-8 NIV, Proverbs 8:1-11 NIV

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. (Exodus 23:20-21 NIV)

If you want God to protect your path with an angel, you need to listen to what the angel says.  Angels can be those who have gone before us. My mom passed 6 years ago this month. I have heard her words in my head so many times since she died.  I understand her words more now than I did when she spoke them to me on earth. Now I understand why she constantly told me to slow down, not rush all the time. Now I understand why she told me to stop and think.  Now I understand what she meant when she said, “God will get you through.” If we want angels to protect us, we need to listen to what they say.

Not only are we to listen, we aren’t to rebel.  Submitting to authority in our lives can be difficult.  We all want to do what we want to do. God did give us free will.  Submitting is something we ALL have to do. Everyone is accountable to someone, first and foremost, God.  All will stand before Him one day and be judged (2 Cor. 5:10 NIV).    When He does, I hope and pray that Jesus is your defender.  Accepting the need for Jesus in our lives is an act of submission.  In order to not rebel, we must submit.

In order to not rebel, we must submit.

I remember the moment I asked Jesus into my heart.  I was 12 years old, it was a Sunday, something in the pastor’s sermon that morning in church stirred my heart.  I knew I desperately needed Jesus in my life. I ran home from our small country church, ran upstairs to my brother’s room, and crawled on top of the bunk bed.  I wanted to be as close to heaven as I could be. I wanted to make sure God heard me. Then I cried out to Jesus and asked Him to live in my heart. I didn’t want to go another day without Him.  I knew I needed Him desperately. That is what I did when I submitted my life to Jesus. I wasn’t in church, I didn’t say some special prayer. I just told Jesus I knew I needed Him. And I’m still doing the same thing today.

Each morning I ask Jesus to help me all over again. I now know He hears me where ever I am.  I tell Him I need Him, I can’t make it through one moment without Him. Each day I submit again.  If we’re going to ask for God’s protection through His angels. We need to start by listening to what they say and submitting. 

Question of the Day:

What area of your life do you need to submit to Jesus today?

Further Reading: Exodus 23:14-25: NIV, Matthew 24:29-51 NIV, Psalm 30:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 7:24-27 NIV

“All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose.” (Proverbs 7:22 NIV)

People fall into traps of their own making all of the time. The choices they make, the actions they do are destructive to their very lives, yet they have no idea.  They willingly follow to their slaughter, completely unaware of what is about to happen. Parents watch their children make poor decisions. Spouses suffer the consequences of their partners.  Friends watch friends snare themselves in traps. As hard as you try to tell them, they won’t listen. They are bound and determined to do what they want to do. And in the end, it leads to death.  Death of a dream, death of a marriage, death of a friendship. And sometimes, we’re the ox. Sometimes, we’re the ones who are following a destructive path, stepping into a noose, falling into a trap.  The only way to avoid a trap is to keep the Son in your eyes.

The only way to avoid a trap is to keep the Son in your eyes.

I don’t know any other way to avoid traps than with Jesus.  But what does it mean to keep the Son in your eyes practically?  First, don’t follow people blindly, seek the counsel of wise people.  Solomon tells us if we seek the advice of wise people and accept discipline, we’ll be among the wise (Proverbs 19:20 NIV).  Not only do we have to seek wise counsel, we also have to accept the discipline that comes with it.  Discipline such as not putting ourselves in tempting situations, not following known troublemakers, listening to what our wise counselors tell us.  And we have to trust God.

Not only do we have to trust God to keep us out of traps, we have to trust Him to keep the ones we love out of their traps.  We can do that by praying for them, talking to them, and loving them, no matter what. God will help us stay out of traps, and He’ll help our loved ones stay out of theirs.  But it may not be the way we think it should be. Sometimes, God does allow the trap to close because He knows, it’s the only way to teach us a lesson. Whatever trap you or someone you love is facing today, keep your eyes solidly focused on the Son.  Let Him be the One to lead you to safety.

Question of the day:

What trap do you need God’s help with today?

Further Reading: Exodus 21:22-23:13 NIV, Matthew 24:1-28 NIV, Psalm 29:1-11 NIV, Proverbs 7:6-23 NIV

“Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,  as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Psalm 28:2 NIV

When you’re at wits end, cry out to God for mercy.  God knows exactly how we are designed, He knows what we can handle.  He knows where we need Him to intervene for us, one way or another. We were never designed to handle things all on our own, yet day after day we try.  Our greatest temptation in life is taking matters into our own hands. When we are exhausted and overloaded, it’s because we’ve been doing it on our own power.  God is waiting to help you. All you have to do is call out to Him. He’ll answer.  

My Dad died from lung cancer when I was 16.  Losing him was the first “big” thing I went through in life.  He was my hero, I didn’t know how I could live one day without him.  He was in the hospital when he passed, all of his family surrounding his bed.  I remember the walk to his room to say goodbye. My Aunt Margie walked beside me. She said these words to me, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”  I’ve lived by those words since that day. But I’ve realized Aunt Margie didn’t finish the sentence. The full statement, and what she meant was: “God will never give you more than you can handle with Him!”  We’re never alone when we’re in the midst of a storm, He is always with us. When our strength runs out, His mercy is waiting. 

When our strength runs out, His mercy is waiting.

My Mom and my Aunt Margie are the two women who impacted my life the most.  Sisters, 8 years apart, they were very wise women. They were strong, powerful women who endured hardships I can only imagine.  They taught me the truth about where they got their strength. Their favorite Psalm was 121: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (vs. 1-2 NIV).

They got their strength from God. They held God to His promises.  They trusted Him. They followed Him.  I have never known two women who lived out their faith better than them.  They set an example for me I can only hope to achieve.

You have access to the same wisdom, the same strength, the same power they had.  Look to the mountains like they did. Trust that God will help you, no matter what the situation.  Let him take control.

Question of the Day:

What help do you need from God today?

Further Reading:  Exodus 19:16-21:21NIV, Matthew 23:13-39 NIV, Psalm 28:1-9 NIV, Proverbs 7:1-5 NIV

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?”  Proverbs 6:27 NIV

If we learn what fire is, we won’t get burned.  Fire is spending more money than you make, drinking too much alcohol, or eating too much food.  All of these things will cause you to get burned. On the other hand, if you run three miles a day, you will get in better shape.  If you eat less calories than you expend, you will lose weight. And if you spend quiet time with God, in His word every day, you will grow closer to Him.  None of these things are fire, they won’t burn you if you scoop them in your lap. The choice is yours what you scoop into your lap. If you scoop fire into your lap, you will get burned.  If you avoid the fire, you won’t get burned.

One way we get burned  is by assuming. We assume we know what other people think, what other people are doing, why they are acting the way they are. For instance, I’m taking graduate classes right now.  I had a realization yesterday of an assumption I made years ago when I was working on my Bachelor’s. I assumed when the professor gave me a bad grade, it was because he didn’t like me.  I thought I was doing the best I could and he should give me a break. However the best I could caused me to flunk out three times. My assumption was wrong. I wasn’t being honest with myself, and so I blamed my professors.  The truth is, they were just grading the crappy work I did. I scooped fire in my lap, I got burned. Assuming is a scoop of fire to avoid.

Assuming is a scoop of fire to avoid.

I still struggle with assuming.  I have to have mental conversations with myself saying, “I don’t know.”  I don’t know what someone else is thinking. I don’t know what they are doing if they aren’t with me. I don’t know why they act the way they act.  Assuming is a scoop of fire that is done so quickly, so easily and can have such dire consequences. The problem truly lies in the fact that we don’t realize we do it.  We don’t realize we make these assumptions, it’s automatic for us. We make them based off of our own lives, which is a limited perspective. We assume, at the core, everyone is like us, but no one is.  We are all unique, created for a special purpose. If we’re going to assume, then assume we don’t know, instead of that we do. One way to avoid fire is to stop assuming you know.   

Question of the Day:

What assumption of yours is getting you burned?

Further Reading: Exodus 17:8-19:15 NIV, Matthew 22:34-23:12 NIV, Psalm 27:7-14 NIV, Proverbs 6:27-35 NIV

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 NIV

The easiest way to overcome fear of people is with God. Stronghold is defined as a place that has been fortified against an attack.  A stronghold can be either negative or positive. If you are gripped with fear of people, a person or relationship, that is a negative stronghold.  The fear is affecting your ability to enjoy your life. However, if you make God the stronghold of your life, He overcomes any other fears you have. He is your fortress, no matter what the circumstances are in your life.  He will protect you from all attacks, help you weather the storm and have peace in the midst of it. If you want to get rid of your fear of people, make God your stronghold.

How do you make God your stronghold?  By spending time with Him. There is no perfect formula what your time with God must look like.  Oswald Chambers said,  “Allow God to be as creative and original with others as He is with you.”  In other words, don’t compare yourself to how others connect with God.  Each of us has a unique relationship with our Creator, one that no one else shares.  I connect with God in the morning, you might connect with Him in the evening. I read scripture and devotionals, you may listen to worship music and podcasts.  However you choose to connect with God, do it daily. Spend time with Him daily and He will become the stronghold of your life.

Spend time with Him daily and He will become the stronghold of your life.

When a dear pastor friend of mine was shot five times and his son killed while working on a house for a homeless veteran, God was his stronghold. Victims of a robbery, two 18 year old men, shot and killed his son upon sight.  That action took away a worship leader for his church, a husband to his wife, and a father to his daughter. Then they shot my friend 5 times, leaving him for dead. But God had other plans. He gave my friend the strength to crawl outside to call for help, to live.  When he woke up in the hospital, the first thing he asked for was his Bible and books on heaven. He took refuge in the Lord, God is his stronghold. My friend has spent a lifetime of connecting with God daily, trusting Him with his life. Because of his daily discipline, when tragedy struck, He was already deeply secure in God’s stronghold.  Each day you connect with God will make the stronghold a little stronger. If you want to overcome fear of people, make God your stronghold.

Question of the Day:

What is one thing you can do today to make God your stronghold?

Further Reading:  Exodus 15:19-17:7 NIV, Matthew 22:1-33 NIV, Psalm 27:1-6 NIV, Proverbs 6:20-26 NIV

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV

The key to letting God do the fighting for you is to be still.  The verse above comes in the middle of one of the most epic stories in the Bible.  Moses is leading the Israelites out of the slavery they’ve been in for hundreds of years.  Pharaoh is in hot pursuit after them with his army of men in their horses and chariots. The Israelites are freaking out.  They’re complaining to Moses that he should have left them in Egypt, it’s better than dying. They’re standing at the edge of the Red Sea, from all human appearance, trapped.  And Moses tells them, “The Lord will fight for you…be still.”  They were doing exactly what God wanted them to do.  He was directing one of the greatest stories ever told.  We’re at the climax of the story, what’s going to happen next?  The only way the Israelites will find out is if they be still.  How do we let God do the fighting? We be still.

The Israelites really have no choice but to be still.  If they go back the way they came, they will run into Pharoah and his men.  If they go straight, they drown in the Red Sea. There is no place for them to go.  God often puts us in a similar situation. We feel like all of our options are exhausted.  We’ve tried everything, and nothing has worked. We’re trapped in a situation with no way out.  But that is because we’re looking at it from our limited human perspective. God’s ways our not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts, His perspective not our perspective (Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV).   Instead of giving up, we can do what Moses did, cry out to God (Exodus 14:10-15 NIV).  When we cry out to God, He gives us our next steps.

When we cry out to God, He gives us our next steps.

As soon as God heard the Israelites grumbling to Moses, He gave Moses direction.  He told them to “move on” (Ex. 14:15 NIV).  For the Israelites, that meant walking into the Red Sea.  But first, Moses had to part it. Moses raised his staff, stretched out his hand and parted the sea (Exodus 14:16 NIV).  Where there had been no way, God created one.  God knew what He was doing when He led the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea.  He knows what He’s doing with the situation you are in today. Whatever seems hopeless, God has a plan.  Whatever seems lost, God has a plan. Whatever impossible situation you are facing, God has a plan. But first you have to be still.

Question of the Day:

What battle do you need to be still and let God fight for you?

Further Reading:  Exodus 13:17-15:18 NIV, Matthew 21:23-46 NIV, Psalm 26:1-12 NIV, Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV