The Path to All is Well

Jeremiah 7: ²¹ “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! ²² For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, ²³ but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. ²⁴ But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

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Rebellion was not pretty as I said the words, “I will not serve YOU.” I was not getting “my” way so why serve a GOD who seemed to just leave me on my own to fend for myself, meanwhile the rich and powerful filled their bellies on whatever they wanted.

• There have been times when I complained about GOD’s ways.
• There have been times when I looked at GOD and others as “the problem.”
• There have been times when I was so focused on “me” that I could not appreciate the right way.

Things started to go downhill quickly. I felt even more alone now that GOD wasn’t in the picture. Tired of being alone, I returned to church, not GOD. I figured that HE wanted a few dollars from me so I placed my five dollars in the plate and expected my problems to go away. More problems came. “See, this is why I left GOD in the first place” I thought. BUT GOD was gracious.

• GOD said to me “Obey ME and I will be your GOD and you will be MY people.”
• GOD said to me “Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.”
• GOD said to me “Give me your entire heart and I will mold it into something new.”

Giving up my heart was GOD’s expectation of me. HE wanted me to stop complaining, lusting after the things of Egypt or whining about perfect conditions being deplorable. HE wants me to see HIM no matter what situation is going on at the time. GOD’s road is filled with praise to HIM rather than complaints. GOD wants my heart, not half-hearted service.

• Are you serving GOD and mad at HIM?
• Are you trying to get your way instead of asking GOD for HIS way?
• Is your heart full of complaints?
• Can you turn your complaints into obedience for GOD? 

Want a blessing today?

Deuteronomy 15: ¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

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Sitting in the “counselors” chair a homeless person sat across from me and had to hear the “Gospel of CHRIST” from me. He wreaked of booze but was coherent enough to answer my questions. During our anticipated and somewhat robotic conversation it dawned on me… I wasn’t getting through to him so I asked those in charge, “Do we really have to give this guy some food?”

• When I serve with a grudging heart, I am not at my best.
• When I give out of obligation I hurl my money at the need in a tantrum.
• When I expect a monetary blessing because I have served, I may be on the road to manipulation instead of gratitude.

Poor people will always be around me GOD says. HE wants to bless me, but sometimes I see what this person is going to do with “my” money and I become the judge and jury and provide a verdict that is not favorable for the person standing in front of me. I mean this person is a drunk and that person is a drug addict and that person won’t stop being whatever they are being. I mean shouldn’t “my” money go to someone who “deserves” it?

• GOD says to me “judge not and I won’t judge you.”
• GOD says to me “look beyond the messy person I delivered to you and give them your best.”
• GOD says to me “I know you are weary from giving but my grace is sufficient.”

Sometimes it’s hard to give because I am either not seeing the change I want to see fast enough or the ocean of people seems too great for “my” power. I may feel overwhelmed because the need seems too great. BUT GOD says to me “do what you can with what I have blessed you with for I have many servants.”

I must trust that GOD has plenty and that I am only one of many distribution points for HIS wealth. Yes, the wealth is not mine but HIS and HE wants to do with it as HE pleases.

• Are you giving with a grudging heart?
• Are you serving out of expectation from GOD?
• Can you give and serve without expecting something from GOD?
• Won’t you trust that HE will bless you the way HE wants to bless you, when HE wants to bless you?

Three ways to live today

1 Peter: 4: ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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“Why do I have to be the one who does all the work” I said to myself. Look at everyone, just sitting there while I work my fingers to the bone. Some of these people are mean and nasty anyway so they probably can’t serve I surmised. From now on, I will hold back and watch everything fall apart.

• When I serve without love and compassion I get burnt out quickly.
• When I am trying to put on a goody, goody front I may begin to grumble when I have to serve.
• When I think higher of myself than I should I “hold back” my gifts as to punish those people.

It’s ashamed that GOD has to actually tell me to love people instead of it just naturally being that way. I actually have to get rid of my grumbling and complaining about others in order to serve them the way GOD wants me to serve them. HE doesn’t want my phony smile or fake behavior.

• GOD wants me to truly care about those who are difficult to love.
• GOD desires that I show hospitality with excitement rather than saying “why me again?”
• GOD prepares me with gifts and talents that HE expects me to use to serve others.

It’s simple… I should love, serve and grow people the way GOD wants me to because grace has covered mu multitude of sins.

• Are you complaining?
• Do you see yourself grumbling about serving?
• Can you stop thinking more highly about yourself and serve “that” person?
• Won’t you examine your heart to see if it is too stony to have “love” in it?

Let it go!

John 20:  ²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

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“Won’t these people move faster” was the thought running through my mind as we were slowly exiting the plane. Suddenly an even more impatient man got up from behind me, grabbed his bag, hit me on the head without excusing himself and pushed his way through the crowd. “I hope he’s late” I thought.

• When I look for sins in people I can easily find them.
• When I pick at someone’s scab from the wounds of life blame will flow.
• When I seek to find how “the problem” began in someone we seem to all get wounded.

One strength that is also a flaw is I know healing won’t begin unless there is true admission of sin and wrongdoing. If the person cannot see they have a problem, they will never seek a cure. My problem is that it is easy for me to see the problems in others and difficult to admit problems of my own.

• Forgiving others makes it easier for me to admit my problems to them.
• Forgiving others means I must erase the recording that plays over and over in my mind.
• Forgiving others frees up my thoughts for lovelier peaceful ones.

This is not an easy task for me. Perhaps it’s a defense mechanism or just a major flaw in my character. When GOD told me to “pray for my enemies that they may prosper” I thought HE was crazy, now I understand that grudges are poisonous and even the slightest glance from me will be filled with venom.

My wife asks me the question sometimes, “isn’t that the past, how do we look at the future?” In other words “let it go!” Sometimes it’s necessary to revisit my old wounds to see how they are healing as long as I can let the scab fall off in its natural time instead of picking at them and bleeding blame.

• Is there someone who has wronged you deliberately or by accident?
• Are you still holding onto a grudge?
• How long will you hold onto that grudge?
• Do you realize grudges are immature?
• Can’t you look for the peace that GOD wants you to have by “letting it go?”

I need a bad "memory."

Matthew 6: ¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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Which box are you in, box number one or two? You are probably in a box because I put you there. Either you did something bad or good to me. Funny, if you are in the “did something bad to me” box then it’s very hard to get you out of that box. My memory is clear and the malefaction is brought top of mind.

The other box is a nice box that I put you in which is the “you did some nice things for me” box. It’s filled with good memories and sometimes raises the person up on a pedestal that maybe they don’t deserve.

• When I remember the sin the other person did, I cannot fully forgive.
• When I replay the details of the sin over and over, then my mind adds details from other sins.
• When I retrace the steps of the person’s sin I find myself in the trap of their sin.

Humans will do wrong things. I am human and I will do something wrong. My reaction to sin, blatant or not, is what GOD looks at to determine my consequence. “Consequence?” you ask. Yes consequence. I am saved from eternal separation through belief in JESUS which is an “ultimate” path, but what about the “relative” path?

• If my “relationships” are not healed then I will have turmoil on earth.
• When my “relationships” suffer my words are weakened and I spiral downward into more sin.
• If I allow their sin to get in the way of my “relationship” with the person then GOD will allow the full consequence of “my” sin to hit me hard.

GOD put me here to “relate well” with others in order to draw them back to HIM. I must model the mercy, grace and love HE models toward me. I must admit this is quite difficult, especially with close loved ones BUT GOD gives me help.

In my prayers I can ask for GOD to forgive them as HE has forgiven me for (insert sin here). I can also purge my memory of the event and practice remembering good things.

• Are you good at holding grudges?
• Someone has to show grace and mercy first, can it be you?
• What sin have you done recently that GOD may show full consequence?
• Can you remember what good things the other person has done?