When the Dust Settles

Ezekiel 5: ¹³ “Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath on them, they will know that I the Lord have spoken in my zeal.

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Feeling rather smug I went into the office of my new boss. This was a temporary situation because he was actually my boss’s boss, but my boss was fired and I was quite glad. He said to me “Why didn’t you help him?” I was actually shocked at the question. It took about a year or so to win his confidence back. It was a rough year.

• There were times when I have made people mad.
• There were times when I was the one who brought on anger.
• There were times when I was blind and deserved the wrath I got.

I couldn’t say “What did I do to bring on this?” because it was my “lack of doing” that brought on his anger. I had to change my attitude immediately otherwise I was going to be next in line to get ousted. After a year wrath, I definitely knew who the boss was.

• GOD has brought on situations in my life to show me HE is GOD.
• GOD has shown me HIS wrath and I definitely know HE is GOD.
• GOD has put stumbling block in front of me to show me HE is GOD.

While the situation was difficult, it was a great learning experience. My character was shown to be low and I had to improve it with sustained activity. It took a while but I won him over, to an extent. He approved my promotion and I could see his wrath subside. GOD has done the same in many instances.

HE has taken me though ups and downs to show me HE is in charge. HE wants me to see HIM as more than that of a wish giver but the ONE who is in charge. HE is supreme in all of HIS glorious movements. GOD is above all!

• Are you going through something?
• Have you asked “Why me?”
• Will you stop sulking and turn your eyes to GOD immediately?
• Will you seek HIS peace today?

Getting What I Ask For

Proverbs 15: ¹⁶ Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.

¹⁷ Better a small serving of vegetables with love
    than a fattened calf with hatred.

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“Meet the new boss” were common words at this particular company. I invited him out to dinner to get to know him so I could find out who I had to become now. Fortunately for me, my previous bosses were avid followers of GOD without distractions from their work, but this one was different. Our first conversation went down the direction of drunkenness and wild parties. Is that what I should become now in order to keep my wealth? I had a choice.

• Sometimes my wealth was the deciding factor of my path.
• Sometimes my wealth was the focus of my protection.
• Sometimes my wealth was the fear that was great to me.

The more wealth I accumulated the more I needed to protect it. This meant becoming the bosses right hand. Sometimes the hand was not as clean as it needed to be. I could feel the HOLY SPIRIT saying something to me. “No, not this time” were the words that started me on the path back to GOD.

• GOD wants me to follow HIM no matter what wealth status I am at.
• GOD wants me to praise HIM for just being with HIM, not for how much HE gives me.
• GOD wants me to know HIS love over wealth and HE will lead me in the way that is right.

It is better to have a little and be with the LORD than to be wealthy and be without HIM. I mean where would I go? HE is everywhere and HIS wrath is at the end to those who choose to not follow HIM. GOD blesses me daily with HIS love and protection.

• Are you seeking wealth?
• Are you trying to manipulate GOD in order to get wealth?
• Have you asked yourself “how did I get where I am” lately?
• Will you get back on HIS path?

Not Making Waves

Psalm 17: ⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
⁷ Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
⁸ Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings
⁹ from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.

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Critical of the person on stage I left thinking “What a waste of my time! I could do that better!” In later months I had my chance. I got in front of a crowd and gave it my all. When the evaluations came in I found out my rating was “okay” at best. Some liked my presentation style while others groused about my lack of real world examples.

I decided to shrink out of the public eye and not make waves anymore instead of improving and trying again. My peers made similar mistakes, but they kept trying and improving. Meanwhile, no one was approaching me for assignments. I was on the “bench” because I wanted to hide.

• Sometimes harsh critics make me want to hide.
• Sometimes bullies make me want to stay inside.
• Sometimes my mistakes make me want to crawl in a corner and shrink away from the crowd.

Taking the “not making waves” approach did not work for me. I mean, it’s easy to sit on the sideline criticizing others and thinking “If I just put my head down and do my job then maybe I won’t be noticed and I could get my check each week”. I was wrong. Even with that approach things did not go as planned. What should I do?

• GOD says to me “Live for ME” which means sometimes I will be misunderstood.
• GOD says to me “Present MY message in love” which means I have to get out of my comfort zone to proclaim HIS name.
• GOD says to me “Follow ME” which means I may be slandered, accused and sometimes thrown out because that’s the path JESUS took.

JESUS thought “being GOD” was nothing to achieve. HE became a human and tried hard to deliver a message. HE was ridiculed, slandered and even murdered for proclaiming HE was GOD! Now HE wants me to do the same? Yes! But if GOD could not convince humans, who am I? I am the person HE made, sent to the other people HE made to bring them back to HIM. As long as I keep my intentions focused on GOD, HE will help me bear fruit!

• Are you trying to hide?
• Do you criticize others from the sidelines while not being in front?
• Can you stop hiding in life, get out of your shell and go where GOD sends you?