Peace comes by forgiving

"Forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against." Mark 11:25

A lady was upset because her mother in law forgot to ask her to a family picnic. So when her son called on the morning of the event to invite her, she replied angrily, "It's too late-I've already prayed for rain!" When we're hurting we want someone to pay, so we lash out at the wrong people. One lady writes, "I was so angry I spent years trying to collect what I thought was due, from people who'd nothing to do with my hurt. Finally God caused me to realize that I was trying to collect a deft from my husband that he didn't owe. When I accepted this, God began to bless me beyond anything I could ever have imagined."
One night after preaching about forgiveness, Corrie Ten Boom recognized that the man approaching her was former guard from Ravensbruck, the Nazi prison camp where she was tortured and her sister Betsie starved to death. When he asked her to forgive him, Corrie thought about Betsie, and felt she couldn't do it. Nevertheless she knew she must, otherwise everything she'd preached would be meaningless. So she told God, "I can extend my hand, I can do that much, but You'll have to supply the feeling." Taking the man's hand she felt God's power rushing through her, enabling her to wholeheartly say, "I forgive you, brother." Corrie never experienced God's love so intensely as she did that night. Although she'd been badly tortured, she let God heal her, and then went on to help others. The truth is-forgiveness is the only way to have peace!

Needed-spiritual blacksmiths!

"There were no blacksmiths in the land." 1 Samuel 13:19

The Bible says, "There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn't allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews...none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan" (1Sa 13:19-22).
To keep the Israelites in slavery, the Philistines removed all the blacksmiths. It was a devastating blow. Blacksmiths made swords to be used in battle and sickles to be used in the harvest field. Can you imagine the effect that would have on a nation? Satan's tactics haven't changed. His goal is still to silence the molders and shapers of a new culture-a kingdom culture. Why do we need spiritual blacksmiths? Because they understand how to shape raw material into something God can use. They not only shape it, they sharpen it. All great leaders have emerged from raw material. And tomorrow's leaders are walking around today in raw form just waiting for a spiritual blacksmith to come along. Unfortunately many ministry leaders are so busy "running the show," they don't take the time to work with raw material. Spiritual blacksmiths aren't only needed in the local church, they're also needed in the nation to reshape our culture. We need "influencers" who can reform the ranks of business, education, government and media. Any volunteers?
It's time for the spiritual blacksmiths in the land to break free from the constraints of the Philistines and return to the ancient craft of shaping men and women for God's service. The battle is too big for Saul and Jonathan to handle alone!

The way up when life gets you down (Part 2)

"Elijah was...just like us." James 5:17

What was God's prescription for getting Elijah back on his feet? A lecture on the prophet's faltering faith? No, just rest and nourishment! God recognizes our limitations, even when we don't. "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Is 42:3). When we neglect our own legitimate needs, it shows up in our attitude.
God understands that being down is a "perspective" problem, and getting back up requires adjustment in four crucial areas. So: (1)He adjusted Elijah's God-perspective. "Get in the presence of God and he'll meet with you" (1Ki 19:11). The One who gave Elijah victory on Mount Carmel, could also sustain him in the desert of Jezreel. But first Elijah had to spent time with Him, otherwise he was running on an empty tank. Hello! (2) He adjusted Elijah's world-perspective. Elijah said, "God's covenant is broken, His alter destroyed, His prophets murdered, and I'm the only one left". But God showed Elijah that He still had the necessary resources and strategies to accomplish His purposes, even in a hostile environment. (3) He adjusted Elijah's self-perspective. The prophet saw himself as helpless and inadequate: "Lord, let me die, for I am no better than those who preceded me". But God showed him there were still kings to anoint, battles to win, and that Elijah had an important role to play. (4) He provided a helper. He sent Elisha to minister to him. You're not supposed to carry it all alone! Allow yourself to need help, and watch who God puts in your life to support you.

The way up when life gets you down (Part 1)

"Elijah was...just like us." James 5:17

There are times in life when we all feel down. But God's word shows us the way to get back up. Look at Elijah, who "was just like us." How come he got so far down?
(a) It happened on the heels of a great victory. He didn't start out in the doldrums, and he didn't fall into sin. No, he'd just called down fire from heaven and slain 450 false prophets (See 1Ki 18:22-39). But that's hard work! So he went from exhilaration to exhaustion. Weary, defenses down and vulnerability up, he fell into a natural depression because fatigue strips us of our courage. (b) Fear caused him to lose perspective. The man of God who'd just faced down an evil multitude, ended up running from one women, Jezebel (see 1Ki 19). Fear made him forget God's power, it skewed his perspective and left him feeling suicidal. Exhaustion coupled with fear is a dangerous combination. It invites hopeless, wrong thinking, and creates the illusion that your options are gone. (c) He became isolated. Elijah left his servant at Beersheba and journeyed into the wilderness alone (1Ki 19:3-4). When you most need support, anxiety, a sense of inadequacy and fear of failure, will push you into isolation. At that point you're in the worst possible company-your own. Elijah thought, "I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me" (vs. 10, 14). Translated: "It's bad and I can't see it getting better!" When you're down, isn't the time to isolate. That's when you need to reach for God, and the people who love you and can help you back up.

Deal with it!

"But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." 2 Samuel 11:27

When David committed adultery with Bathsheba and she became pregnant, he tried to cover his tracks by having her husband Uriah killed, then marrying her before the baby was born. It looked like David was home free, except for one important detail. "The thing that David had done displeased the Lord." And you can't silence the voice of an angry God! Now, while David was "a man after God's own heart" (1Sa 13:14), the Bible says, "Be sure your sin will find you out." (Nu 32:23). God told David, "I made you king...freed you from the fist of Saul...gave you...Israel and Judah. And...I'd have gladly thrown in much more. So why have you treated the word of God with...contempt?" (2Sa 12:7-9). Then He passed sentence: "Because you despised me...I am going to bring calamity upon you...before all Israel" (2Sa 12:10-12). And from then on tragedy and turmoil plagued David's family.
"The way of transgressors is hard" (Pr 13:15) on many levels, not least of which is-God takes away our peace in order to take away our sin. It took an unplanned pregnancy, the murder of an innocent man, the death of a child, the persuasion of a prophet and the conviction of the Holy Spirit before David's heart finally softened and he admitted, "I have sinned against the Lord" (2Sa 12:13). And when he did, God treated David's sin the same way He treats ours: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive...and...cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1Jn 1:9). Is there a "sin" in your life you need to deal with today? Deal with it!

Do it while you still can!

"You will be missed, because your seat will be empty." 1 Samuel 20:18

When you lose a loved one, you realize that relationships are much more important than possessions. But we forget that in our scramble to the top of the heap. Being told you've only a short time to live puts you into shock, then re-orders your priorities. It makes you want to fill each precious moment with the words you've left unsaid and the things you've neglected to do. Don't allow self-centeredness, masquerading as ambition (or religious zeal!), to keep you from showing love to those who need it. Make that call. Send that email. Buy those flowers. Say, "I love you." In other words, "be there." Most of the time people don't need our wise analysis or brilliant answers, they just need our love-and support-and they'll find their own answers.
If you are a leader, you're particularly at risk. Don't sacrifice your family on the alter of your career, or you'll end up with regrets you can't resolve. The son of a well-known missionary stood at his dad's grave without shedding a tear. He told someone, "You never mis what you never had. My dad loved people on the other side of the world, but I'm not sure he loved me." Wake up! The clock's ticking and the days are flying by. Yes, you must fullfill your God-given assignment in life, but not at the cost of the people who matter. Take a moment and think about these words: "And Jonathan had David reaffirm his...love for him...Then Jonathan said to David...You will be missed, because your seat will be empty."

What's choking you?

"Desires for...things...choke the word." Mark 4:19

In the parable of the sower Jesus said, "Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful" (Mk 4:18-19). Notice, the problem is not the sower or the seed, it's the soil. Jesus said they "hear the word," so we're talking about church folks with a pre-existing mindset that chokes every Scripture they hear, read, or try to apply. Jesus describes these thorns as: "The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things." Do you remember the time when you thought the house you now live in, the career you now enjoy, and the investments you now have, would make all your worries go away? But no, the more you have, the more you have to lose, to protect, to maintain, and to worry about. That's "the deceitfulness of wealth." If your significance as a person or your sense of security is tied to anything other than your relationship with God, worry will choke the life right out of you. True happiness lies in trusting God for what you need, knowing if it's right He'll provide it, and if not He'll give you something better.
Chuck Swindoll writes, "We live among thorns because we've a quiet, respectable, secret love for them. I know. I've got the ugly scars to prove it. Each one a mute reminder of years trapped in the thicket; periodically I still have to yank a few." How about you-do you have some thorns you need to pull?

Don't keep score!

"Forgive as quickly and completely as the master forgave you." Colossians 3:13

Jimmy drank too much at the party and embarrassed his wife Lisa. Next morning he felt bad and asked her to forgive him. She said she would, yet she kept bringing it up. One day in discouragement he said, "I thought you were going to forgive and forget." She said, "I have, I just don't want to forget that I have forgiven and forgotten." Do you forgive like that?
Keeping score only works in competitive sports; it's disastrous in relationships. There's so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us, that we'll spend much of our lives learning to forgive and forget. And forgetting is harder when the offense is great. Small offenses can be forgiven quickly; big ones require a healing process. But until you make the decision to forgive, the process can't even begin.
How can you "Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you"? Paul answers, "Clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" (Col 3:12-13). To practice this kind of forgiveness you must focus on a person's worth, not their weaknesses. You must turn your heart away from what was, to what can be. You say, "Why should I forgive and forget?" (1) Because God's Word tells you to. (2) Because you yourself will continue to need forgiveness. (3) Because you weren't built to carry the stress that goes with resentment.

Stick to the plan (Part 4)

"Peter replied, 'Tell me to come to you on the water.'" Matthew 14:28

Peter didn't walk on the water all by himself, he did it with Jesus. Today Christ invites you to walk with Him and experience His miracles. Why don't we see more of them in our lives? Because:
(1) We don't pray and believe God for them. Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (Jn 15:7). Your prayers give God an invitation, an entry point and a channel through which His miraculous power can flow to change your circumstances. But you have to pray and believe Him to do it! (2) We think the day of miracles is past. The Scriptures declare, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb 13:8). In reality there never has been 'a day of miracles," there's only a God of miracles, and He never changes. So don't limit Him! (3) We allow sin to sabotage our confidence. John writes, "If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him" (1 Jn 3:21-22). (4) We look at the situation instead of the Savior, and our faith falters. When Jesus told Peter, "Why do you doubt?" He was saying, "Don't allow this storm to overwhelm you. I'm right here with you. Your problem is under My feet, therefore it's under your feet too. Just keep your eyes on Me, keep walking by faith and stick to the plan!

Stick to the plan (Part 3)

"Then Peter got..out of the boat, walked on the water...toward Jesus." Matthew 14:29

Peter proved that as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus and stick to the plan, you won't go under. Notice:
(1) Before you get into something, make sure it's God's will for you! Peter said, "Lord, if it's you, bid me to come to you on the water" and Jesus said, "Come." Before you take on something like water-walking, pray and be sure God's in it. In other words, get God's plan and stick to it. (2) Don't expect everybody in the boat to go with you. Water-walking is a lonely calling; it sets you apart from those who are timid and security-minded. It also tends to bring criticism from those who think you're making them look bad by contrast. (3) If you wait for good weather you'll miss your moment. When Jesus said, "Come," they were in the middle of a storm. Face it; we'd all like the stars to line up, or some big donor to underwrite the whole project before we make a move. But how often does that happen? Peter wasn't walking on the water, he was walking on the Word! What has God told you to do? Stop waiting for ideal conditions and start doing it! (4) Don't expect a mistake-free performance. Nobody walks without fluctuation. The Bible describes its heroes in one sentence: "Whose weakness was turned to strength" (Heb 11:34). All the great man and women of God you admire, go through sinking spells when they cry out, "Lord, save me." And do you know what? He does! And He'll do the same for you.