Know When to Turn Away

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE 
 
"It is an honor for a man to cease from strife...” (Proverbs 20:3, KJV)
 
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria 
 
In life, many of the challenges we face are simply distractions from the enemy to keep us from pursuing our destiny. Maybe someone in the office isn’t as friendly to you as you’d like. Maybe you have a neighbor who always parks in front of your house and blocks your mailbox. Those things may be frustrating, but they have little significance when you look at the big picture of eternity. You can’t allow the little things to cause strife in your life.

In scripture, just before David fought the giant Goliath, his brother Iliab tried to confront him. But David knew that arguing with Iliab wasn’t even worth his time and strength. He knew his real battle was with Goliath, and he didn’t want to be distracted. He simply “turned away” from Iliab and kept his focus on what he was called to do.

Let’s follow the example of David and keep our eyes on what’s most important in life. Instead of being led away by frustrations, let’s focus on the big picture. Know when to turn away from strife and receive the mark of honor the Lord has for you!
 
A PRAYER FOR TODAY 
 
Father God, thank You for Your hand of victory in my life. Give me the wisdom and courage I need to walk away from strife so I can focus on the destiny You have prepared for me. I love You and bless You today and always in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
— Joel & Victoria Osteen 

A Brutally Honest Letter to God

A young lady I have a blogging friendship with posted this and I found it so touching and felt so many may be able to relate in one way or another that I had to share. All of her post are so honestly revealing so if you get a chance check out her blog but for now I share this post:

My Brutally Honest Open Letter to God

written by Paramourinwaiting

Dear God,

I don’t know how to address you, especially after all this time. I can’t imagine you this bearded old man (or woman) in the sky. I can’t imagine you perched in pages of someone’s testament. I can’t imagine you in a deep and unfamiliar voice that boldly sprouts from nowhere. So I write to you instead. My mother used to write you. She never knew this but as a child, I used to read her letters to you in her Bible. I know that was a violation of privacy but I’ve always been in love with words penned on pages. They tend to be more candid—or at least in our case. Her letters were uplifting and full of wonder; other broke my heart. Her faith quivered but I could tell that it was still there. I probably also thought that I could understand you more through her.

My parents always spoke of religion and you interchangeably but I could never fully embrace it. There seemed to be so many holes in religion and I feared coming off as the spawn of the devil if I dared to ask. A part of resented them for making me believe in notions that I did not seem to cling to. They seem so stifling and I imagined you as free and uninhibited as my thoughts. I’ve seen you in contagious laughs and spellbinding smiles of children, in kind eyes, in good thoughts and deeds, in poetry, in music, in art, in tears, in happiness, in every “I love you”, in every changing season—somewhere in the stillness swirling furiously and touching everything and everyone that crossed your path.

I guess you’ve noticed that we haven’t talked much in a while. I think I brushed off nearly all of your presence after you did not come when I needed you the most—as I was being raped. I began to see you differently. But I did talk to you sporadically—mostly as a promiscuous teen begging not to become pregnant. I promised that I would change my ways if you just granted this one prayer. That one prayer morphed into several more. It was our recurring storyline. I eventually realized that perhaps this wasn’t the type of prayer that you really wanted to hear. I mainly saw you as the modern day Plan B pill. I did not take you seriously. I saw you as a convenience and wondered if I somehow became a nuisance—an ungrateful child tugging on you.

When my sanity fluctuated, I asked you why I was born. I never hesitated to let you know how much I hated fragments of myself and life. After a couple of half-hearted suicide attempts as a teen, I contemplated a nonexistence throughout my entire adulthood. My guilt, self-destructive behaviors, and the lack of courage were the driving forces that kept me here (or so I thought). I wanted to prove to you that you weren’t as awesome as others pegged you out to be. I decided to disregard you. I rarely thanked you. I infrequently acknowledged you. I silently mocked those who were delirious in their love for you. You were that elephant in the room that I made sure I always tiptoed around in the dark to avoid. They say elephants never forget; neither did I no matter how hard I tried.

I was humiliated. I knew if I faced you, I would reek of disappointment. Disappointment would ooze from my pores and flood my entire being. I could picture the literal disgust on your figurative face. I could imagine you holding your nose and avoiding all eye contact. I had to spare myself from further embarrassment. I’m so filthy and can’t possibly see myself in you. Sure, I have some noble qualities but not too much of me is pure—especially my intentions. I am always faltering. I can’t even trust myself sometimes. You’ve tried to reach me through others. I’ve watched their lips move but wasn’t open to the vessel of truths that cascaded from them. You felt inaccessible to me. It’s like you’re in the VIP section and I’m on the outside watching you fulfill others because I was not properly dressed to grace your presence. It’s like you’re flying first class and I achingly peer through the curtains to see others licking their lips from the champagne of your being. I feel as though I cannot afford you. I feel spiritually bankrupted. I feel snubbed. Maybe I’m the one who has been snubbing you this entire time and for that I am sorry.

I am finding my way back to you. I’ve been away for far too long. Please forgive me for resenting you all these years. Please help me to forgive myself. Help me heal so I can forgive others. Help my find purpose. Help me to love myself. Help me to live my life without fear because I feel so consumed by it. Help me see the splendor of life. Save me from my destructive behaviors and thoughts. Lift me up because I’m tired of falling apart at the seams. I’m tired of doing this without you. I’ve treated you and myself with reckless abandon. I need help to make it up to the both of us. Thank you for the things that you’ve already done for me that I have so blatantly ignored. I will be more appreciative and receptive towards you.

With Love,

Nisha

 

Dirty Little Secret…SHHHH!

That’s what she called him.  Her “dirty little secret”.  Here was Malynda*, an attractive, vibrant single Christian woman.  She thrived in her job as a paralegal, owned her own home, and was a leader in her church.  By all outward appearances, she had it together.  But she had a “dirty little secret”.  Actually, it was a huge secret.  Despite what she appeared to be on the outside (together, compliant…even spiritual to some), Malynda carried on a secret sexual relationship with a man to whom she was not married.  While she felt extremely guilty, ashamed, and convicted by God for her behavior, Malynda could not seem to stop.  And, despite these feelings, she also felt a hidden thrill about her secret.  She felt a distorted satisfaction at a base level–despite her faith and what she knew intellectually about the importance of obedience and submission to the will of God.

What is it about things that are secretive that seem to feed the flesh and ignite a fierce drive to get more, more, more?  That cake of which you know you should not have another piece.  That money you promised you would not spend because it was set aside to pay an outstanding debt.  That online relationship that, if exposed, would damage your reputation and entire life.  These things and others like them can be and usually are secrets, but they feel good.  Why is that?

The short and obvious answer to the aforementioned question is because we have the flesh and anything that appeals to it is attractive.  The forbidden feels good.  The forbidden that is also a secret can feel even better…almost powerful.  Yet I propose that there is something deeper than the obvious…something that is both general to all and specific to each individual.  It is the longing to be “like God“–an offering originally promised by the devil himself.  It is the desire to be in control of our world, to satisfy our every desire and longing on this side of heaven, to create (and have) our own personal Eden.  This is the thing that drives every outward move towards the “dirty little secret”.  It is sin.
Well, if it all goes back to sin, what hope is there?  If I go to a counselor to address my secret shopping addiction and they (eventually) tell me or lead me to see that I “just need to repent”, what is the point in paying them if I already knew that in the first place?  Valid questions.  The answer is both simple and complex.

The answer is Christ.  It is His death on the cross.  It is His resurrection from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is the fact that He made us alive again spiritually and gave us the power to live with unmet desires and longings on this side of heaven–regardless of the fact that it often feels like we can not.  It is that power that brings our “dirty little secrets” to light and gives us the power to overcome their relentless pull.  The real, life-giving secret is in Christ. We’ve FOUND the (real!) secret!  This is our hope.

*The name and story mentioned in this article is fictional and used solely for illustrative purposes.  Any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.  Individuals seen in a professional counseling setting are protected by confidentiality as agreed between them and their respective counselors.

Written by Nicole Efunnuga, M.S. – Christian Therapist

Jesus Our Example ( A Childs View)

He… was subject unto [his parents]– Luke 2:51

Young people, you may sometimes feel as though your parents do not understand you. Neither did Jesus’ parents understand him. In fact, the verse before (50) specifically mentions “they did not understand” what Jesus was saying to them.

You may sometimes have difficulty overlooking your parents’ flaws. But imagine what it was like for Jesus, who was absolutely perfect, to have parents who were both sinners! Every day would be an occasion for offense and fault-finding, if Jesus had wanted to criticize His parents.

But here is this remarkable statement about Jesus: “He was subject to his parents.” Regardless of their failures, regardless of their inability to fully understand him, Jesus obeyed and honored his parents!

What about you? Are you listening to your friends, or are you looking at Jesus? Are you following the crowd, or are you respecting your parents?

If Jesus voluntarily submitted himself to the leadership of his flawed and sinful parents, what possible excuse could you give for disregarding your own parents? If Jesus could overlook his parents faults, when he had none himself, how much more should you be able to forgive and look over your parents’ failings, knowing that you too are a sinner.

A great reminder!

Several years ago, a preacher from out of state accepted a call to a church in Houston, TX. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.  When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself. 'You'd better give the quarter back.  It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount?  Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it.  Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.  When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change. The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?' Yes' he replied.  Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.' When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.'

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test!  Always be on guard -- and remember -- you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself 'Christian.'

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Everyone’s Battle

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15

Everyone battles bad behavior. Becoming a Christian does not obliterate bad behavior. Becoming a Christian gives you the Spirit of Christ in which to choose good behavior. However, the battle still rages. We know the eternal war is won with our salvation in Christ, but the temporal battle with sin does not cease at salvation. You are naïve to think otherwise. It is spiritual warfare that requires spiritual weapons.

Fighting behavioral battles in your own strength leads to defeat. Do not be cocky with your Christianity. It is not a safety net for bad choices. Rather, it is the power of God for wise decision-making. Still the battle over bad behavior is a daily engagement. You know you need to be patient, but you lose your temper instead. 

You know you need not covet another woman, but your lust lingers. You know you are to exercise forgiveness, but you harbor resentment. You practice peace “faking” when you should be humbly confronting. You lie when you know you should be honest and trust God with the outcome. Your pride and ego self-promotes, while you know in your heart you should give God and others the credit and the glory.

These conflicting behaviors do not go away. You find yourself feeling defeated, because you once again gave in to behaving badly. How can this cycle cease? How can we prepare for this sly suicide bomber of bad behavior? This self-inflicted terrorism can drive you crazy. It can even lead you to give up on God. “After all,” you say, “this is the guilt I gave up at salvation.” The battle over behavior is wearisome, but do not give in or give up. 

God cares. God understands. He is there with you moment by moment. In spite of behaving badly, you are not any less a Christian. And He does not love you any less. He feels for you in your conflicting emotions and actions. Most of the time He will not erase the negative consequences of your sin, but He will certainly stay with you during this disruptive time. God does not flee from your failures. He is there to help you pick up the pieces. He is there to help you learn from your mistakes. He equips and empowers you to win this particular behavioral battle in the future.
 
Do not be overwhelmed by the onslaught of the enemy on multiple fronts of your life. Fight each battle one at a time and watch God win. Seek out a mentor to coach you into wise living. Learn how to depend on the Spirit of God living through you. His grace is sufficient. He who lives in you is greater than he who lives in the world. No behavior, no matter how bad, can separate you from the love of your heavenly Father.
 
There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Start by being honest about the ugliness of sin that still seeks to influence your attitude and behavior. Become more self-aware of blind spots that cripple your relational effectiveness with others. Learn how to live by faith and not by sight. Seek reconciliation with another you may have offended or who may have offended you.

Avoid magazines and web sites that flame your lust. These are everyone’s battles, and these are battles that can be won. Fight with the weapons of God’s wisdom and truth, and not man’s ingenuity. Let Him fight on your behalf. Be accountable to God and man. Move beyond the guilt of failure to the non-condemnation in Christ. In Christ is everything we need to fight everyone’s battle!
 
Taken from Dose 50 in the 90-day devotional book “Infusion”. Download the Kindle version here: http://amzn.to/dRobnw

Scripture Meditation

Psalms 27:14

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 

YOU ARE BLESSED FOR ENDURING TEMPTATION, AND YOU HAVE INCREASED YOUR PATIENCE AS A RESULT! 

Psalms 27:14 says “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”