Affirmed

Affirmed

Jude 1: ¹² With their shameless carousing they are like dirty spots in your fellowship meals. They take care only of themselves. They are like clouds carried along by the wind, but bringing no rain. They are like trees that bear no fruit, even in autumn, trees that have been pulled up by the roots and are completely dead. ¹³ They are like wild waves of the sea, with their shameful deeds showing up like foam. They are like wandering stars, for whom God has reserved a place forever in the deepest darkness.

 

============

 

“What about me?” I cried out to the LORD. I saw inexperienced people seem to excel, while I was sitting at my desk, waiting to be elevated. I asked mentors what I should do. “Promote yourself” they said. Something inside me took pause to the advice. A leader chose me and said “I am glad you are not like the others by doing self-promotion.”

 

• I was actually going to start self- promoting.
• I was tired of waiting to be noticed.
• I wanted a crowd to affirm “my” talents.

 

Jude continues his warning. He originally was going to write about salvation, but the HOLY SPIRIT led him to discuss “godless people” who slipped in, pretending to know JESUS as the Savior, but had hidden agendas to acquire fame. Jude compares these people to “dirty spots”, Clouds with no rain, trees that produce no fruit and waves showing shameful deeds.

 

My Observations:

• GOD sees when I cry out to HIM to make “me” famous instead of making HIM known.
• GOD wants me to turn to HIM and point to HIS SON so I can be used by HIM to bear fruit.
• GOD knows I need to focus on HIM versus focusing on fame so the world’s waves won’t pull me in.

 

Seeking affirmation can cause me problems. I mean, when I feel I need to be more famous, or “liked” by a crowd, I seek being noticed at every turn. This causes me to think only of myself and barely mention GOD. BUT HE has another way.

 

GOD wants my life to bear HIS fruit. My life is HIS and HE can decide how and when HE wants to use the gifts HE gave me. HE wants me ready and willing to be used by HIM, regardless of my fame. HE loves you and me and never leaves when times are tough. I am glad GOD helps us point people to HIM.

 

Challenge

• What comparisons from the writer sticks out the most to you?
• Have you ever gotten mad at GOD for making someone else famous?
• Will you seek to make JESUS famous to those who are around you and be affirmed that HE loves you just the way you are today?

But GOD

Jeremiah 10: ¹⁰ But the Lord is the true God;
    he is the living God, the eternal King.
When he is angry, the earth trembles;
    the nations cannot endure his wrath.

¹¹ “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’”

¹² But God made the earth by his power;
    he founded the world by his wisdom
    and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
¹³ When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;
    he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
    and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

============

Opening up a fortune cookie, I eagerly awaited the futuristic message. Disappointed by the vague contents, I shunned their predictive qualities. I turned to the newspaper where I would, on occasion, read my horoscope. Once it said “I would meet someone who traveled far.” I did! The person I met traveled all the way from 138th street. That was pretty far!

• There have been times in my life that I sought messages about my future.
• There have been times I wanted to know what would happen to me.
• There have been times when I sought any little message about what was going to happen next.

I have no idea why I was so curious about the future. I still am to this day. I love reading about what will happen next. The problem is, I was reading predictions made by those who have no idea about what will happen next. Vague empty words leave the masses guessing in their application. Some people make the words apply as if they had mystical qualities. But none of these match GOD.

• BUT the LORD is the true GOD; HE is the living GOD, the eternal King.
• BUT GOD made the earth by HIS power; HE founded the world by HIS wisdom.
• BUT GOD stretched out the heavens by HIS understanding.

No idol, trinket, bead, symbol or empty word can replace GOD. Anything made by human hands has no value when compared to GOD. HE is the only one who can make the earth tremble and the waters roar. No one can withstand HIS wrath, yet everyone is invited to HIS love. GOD’s immense power is peacefully controlled to love even me.

• What are you seeking as a sign?
• Do you put your trust in bank accounts, motivational speakers or some shrine you bow down to?
• Can you place your trust in the one living and true GOD today?

Empty Promises

Isaiah 36: ¹³ Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew, “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! ¹⁴ This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you! ¹⁵ Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’

¹⁶ “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, ¹⁷ until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

============

“I’d like to promote you” were the words of one who felt he was on his way up. Two months later he was fired. “If you would just work a little harder then…” were the promises of another manager. I worked harder and she was promoted and I stayed where I was. “I like your style, I want to promote you” were the words of the next boss. Wait, I think I heard these words before.

• Sometimes I had desires that were not in the best direction.
• Sometimes I had desires that were expressed but not understood.
• Sometimes I had desires that were surprisingly miscalculated.

After I heard the empty words from another manager, I thought I would take my career in my own hands. I climbed the ladder only to find dead grass rather than green grass. The fame and fortune was there but something was missing, GOD.

• GOD says to me “Do not be ashamed of me or I will be ashamed of you.”
• GOD says to me “Trust in the LORD with all your heart.”
• GOD says to me “Do not believe in flattering words, believe in the LORD your GOD.”

Companies threaten to take money away or they flatter with giving more money. I bought into the latter and found myself with less time for GOD and more time for work. BUT GOD was gracious. HE was glorious enough to allow me this away time from HIM. HE welcomed me back with open arms and guided me to HIS safety.

• Are you being threatened?
• Does the situation seem hopeless?
• Are you tempted to give up on GOD?
• Can you return back to HIM and believe in HIS deliverance?