Controlling

Controlling

John 7: ³² The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. ³³ Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. ³⁴ You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”

³⁵ Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? ³⁶ What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”

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Planning my route was difficult this day. For some reason, several tempers had flared and multiple fights were planned in different parts of the playground leaving the school. In fear, I went an extreme route, that was several blocks out of the way, just to get home. “Why can’t this just be easy?” I exclaimed.

• Sometimes life seems out of control.
• Sometimes life seems like a huge problem.
• Sometimes life seems to bring raging out of control situations that affect me.

The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring about JESUS. They felt their controlling power slipping away. They wanted to get control of this situation so they sent officers to take HIM. JESUS knew what they were doing and addressed them directly. “You will seek ME and not find ME and where I AM you cannot come” was HIS disturbing news.

• JESUS wants me to let go of my control of HIM.
• JESUS wants me to allow HIM to do things HIS way and in HIS time.
• JESUS wants me to put HIM in control of my decisions, expectations and outcomes.

Trying to control GOD is like trying to control a raging storm. It cannot be done. GOD’s power is uncontrollable, by me. BUT GOD controls HIMSELF to love me instead of hating me for my sins. HE says to me “You are mine” so I can never put GOD under my feet and control what HE does.

I can control one thing, namely believing that HE knows what is best for me. GOD keeps HIS promises, always! HE wants me to be with HIM eternally and sends me out to seek those who seek HIM. I am grateful HE wants me.

• Are you trying to force GOD to act the way “you” want HIM to?
• Do you think that because you stopped doing a few sins, you are better than “that” person?
• Will you stop trying to control GOD with your smelly righteousness and allow HIM to control your path to guide people back to HIM today?

Popularity Contest

Matthew 27: ¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

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“Who should I pick for the team?” I asked. I had someone in mind, but figured I would ask the question anyway. A name was given to me that was different than I expected. “I wonder if everyone knows this person” I thought to myself.

• There have been times I have made decisions based on popularity.
• There have been times I have asked the crowd what I should do.
• There have been times I have tried to absolve myself from the decision by asking the crowd.

Going with the crowd seems like a harmless solution sometimes. I mean this way I can have a lot of people vouching for me and I can remain “in favor.” BUT GOD says something different.

• GOD wants me to make the right choice which is sometimes unpopular.
• GOD wants me to stand for what is right not what is popular.
• GOD wants me to follow HIS lead which can sometimes be the most unpopular direction.

Keeping people out of harm and guiding them to belief in CHRIST is very unpopular at times. Pilate had a choice to let JESUS go free and get rid of a well-known felon, but chose the popular route to his demise. GOD wants me to be brave enough to decide HIS way even when it is not popular.

• Are you choosing based on popularity?
• Do you follow the crowd a lot?
• Can you choose this day who you will serve, yourself or JESUS?

My Community Reputation

Nehemiah 11: ⁶ The descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of standing.

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Scrawny was my description in the neighborhood I grew up in. I can think of other adjectives like “holey pants” and “Professor” although that one didn’t quite turn out to be an insult. My next neighborhood was more of an extended area known as high school. I traveled one hour by bus through many tough areas and the terms “easy target” and “punk” were hurled at me.

Tired of these labels, I decided to make my own reputation in my college neighborhood, so I collected my wit and became a jokester with a foul mouth. I always had something funny to say so my crowd soon began to degrade to those who wanted to hear that kind of humor. Soon I had a reputation of “clown” and could not be taken seriously. What reputation should I have?

• There have been times where I wanted to be known.
• There have been times where I wanted to be popular.
• There have been times where I wanted to be heard.

It is easy to get a reputation that has little to no value to anyone else. Others were getting recognized for being “most likely to succeed” and I was being called out for being a “clown”.  My reputation was broken. BUT GOD said something different.

• GOD said to me “You will be insulted, BUT I made you beautifully and wonderfully.”
• GOD said to me “Do not be afraid of those who can harm you with words or even harm your body, but fear GOD who can harm the soul.”
• GOD said to me “Walk in MY ways and I will always make your paths straight.”

If GOD leaves me on this earth to reach 120 years old, what do I want my community reputation to be? Do I want a legacy to myself or to be known as a clown or would my life have pointed to GOD? GOD desires that I spend more of my time with HIM so I can point people to HIM.

• Are you trying to make a reputation for yourself?
• How are you viewed in all of your communities?
• Can you see if you need to move out of the complaining community and into a compassionate one?
• Will GOD say “Well done my good and faithful servant” to you if your heart is hard?

Reputations precedes me

Ruth 2: ¹⁰ At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

¹¹ Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. ¹² May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

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Popularity felt great at the time.  My foul mouth and quick wit earned me a spot in the “in” crowd, or so I thought. For some reason one of the populars decided to come up with a “most notable” declaration that wasn’t a contest.  The populars got together and decided who had what designation. 

They gave me “Campus Clown.” Several people told me to lay low and let the moment pass. Great advice!

• My reputation isn’t always as important to me when I want something.
• My reputation isn’t always a consideration to me when I want something.
• My reputation isn’t always top of mind when I want something.

I wanted popularity and I got it “the wrong way.” Maybe I didn’t want what I was getting after all. Maybe the thing I was shooting for was plagued with pitfalls and problems. Which reputation should I try for?

• GOD wants me to model HIS behavior as much as possible so people can see an example.
• GOD wants me to put away childish ways and grow in HIS grace and love.
• GOD wants me to increase compassion and decrease fear as my primary reputation.

GOD doesn’t want me doing things to be known, rather HE wants me to do things because of HIM. My reputation should point to HIM. If it points to me then I will have my reward here on earth.

I only have a short time to live on Earth and GOD has made it clear that I shouldn’t waste it on pettiness. HIS greatness comes through faith, compassion and love.  These are the areas I should desire more of so my reputation can point to HIM.

• Are you busy protecting your reputation to get more money?
• Are you trying hard to be polished so you can climb the ladder?
• Have you put any effort into focusing on what GOD wants for you?
• Is your reputation marred or is your life pointing to GOD?

I’m slowly becoming me.

1 John 5: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

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Combing my hair wasn’t my strength and my clothes may have been a little tattered but I still wanted to participate in “the group.” I changed my clothes, combed my hair and soon found out it wasn’t good enough. I then changed my glasses, lifted weights and I fit in a group I didn’t like.

Will I ever be “accepted” in this world?

·         Sometimes I don’t feel like I fit in.

·         Sometimes I think I would be better off if “that group” would just accept me.

·         Sometimes I fall into the trap of running after people who are not worth running after and I leave GOD out of the relationship.

Many times I beat myself over the head trying to be what someone else wanted me to be. I tried to fit in and found myself not liking “me.” Even in church I had a difficult time being “me” because I felt wrong all the time. I mean it seemed like I was never going to reach my destination anyway so why try? BUT GOD says different.

·         GOD says “Everyone who believes that JESUS is the CHRIST is born of GOD.”

·         GOD says “Everyone who loves the FATHR loves HIS CHILD as well.”

·         GOD says “Everyone born of GOD overcomes the world.”

I then realized GOD made my relationship easy.  HE didn’t lump the burdens of physical buildings and structured programs on me, rather HE gave me a simple message “GOD loves me and HE loves you.” You mean I don’t have to be like those people over there? Yes!

GOD made me special and only I can do the tasks HE planned for me. It matters not how accepting the world is of me, what matters is my belief in HIM who saved me.

·         Are you tired of running after people who are not accepting you?

·         Are you tired of trying to please everyone?

·         Can you stop trying to be something different and be what GOD wants you to be?