There’s an unexplainable, intangible anxiety that sometimes troubles a creative spirit craving a connection with the eyes, ears and attention of the millions who will appreciate and be blessed by what God has placed inside them.
A fervent frustration…
A relentless restlessness…
A chronic concern…
A sudden sadness…
For those who will admit it…it’s an occasional inner storm of anger, jealousy, and envy of those who have a huge audience and squander it on foolishness or their own ego.
IT’S WHEN YOUR CREATIVITY IS CRYING.
Writers…
Bloggers…
Artists…
Songwriters…
Musicians…
Singers…
Actors…
Inventors…
Chefs…
Photographers…
Painters…
Preachers…
Ministers…
Speakers…
Does your creativity ever cry?
Keep sharing what God has placed inside you!
Appreciate the audience that God has given you!
God will make sure your gift reaches everyone whom He intends.
Trust Him and be faithful, even if your audience is just one person.
Ecclesiastes 11 (NKJV)
11 Cast your bread (A)upon the waters, (B)For you will find it after many days.
Asking forgiveness isn’t repentance. In fact, God doesn’t emphasize asking Him for forgiveness as much as He does telling us to confess our sins (Psalm 32:5, Psalm 38:18, 1 John 1:9) — then He will forgive us. Yes, we should ask God for His forgiveness, but He knows that words are cheap. How many times have you asked for forgiveness only to do it again…and sometimes again and again and again?
God demands repentance.
Repentance doesn’t begin with your MOUTH it begins with your MIND
Look at how God beautifully defines repentance and then gives us a beautiful promise through the prophet Isaiah. There are others like 2 Chronicles 7:14 and 2 Corinthians 7:10, but I love the way God says it here…I’m just going to let you read it and allow it bless you because the Word speaks for itself.
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NKJV)
6 SEEK THE LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked FORSAKE HIS WAY, And the unrighteous man HIS THOUGHTS; Let him RETURN to the Lord, And He WILL HAVE MERCY on him; And to our God, For He WILL ABUNDANTLY PARDON.
Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.
They may respond negatively…
They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…
They may tell you that you’re confused…
They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…
Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.
We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.
We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.
There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.
There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.
There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…
In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.
Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower
Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…
Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…
John 7:18 (NKJV)
3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
BUT,
Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.
Spiritual maturity is realizing that there are some things that caused you so much pain — you’ll never get OVER them. It doesn’t mean you don’t forgive. It just means the thought will always hurt you.
Every time it comes to mind — the thought will hurt you.
Whenever something or someone reminds you of it — you will feel pain.
People spend years of energy trying to make a horrible memory— not hurt.
That’s wasted energy.
You will never get OVER it.
But, you CAN get past it.
You can control how the pain controls you, and how you react to it.
You can prevent IT from preventing YOU from moving on.
Even God Himself felt pain when He thought of how His chosen people consistently turned their backs on Him…
Notice how God sounds like a ‘hurt lover’ as He expresses His pain against how they have treated Him…
Micah 6:3-5 (NKJV)
3 “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me. 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From [a]Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”
Remember, just because God said He will forget our sins doesn’t mean that He CAN’T remember them.
He is all powerful!
You will never remember something that our all powerful God can’t. It’s just a figurative way of saying that He will never hold our sins against us once we truly repent. WHEN GOD FORGETS, IT DOESN’T MEAN HE CAN’T REMEMBER…
I really believe this is going to set someone free…
Accept the fact that you will never get OVER some things.
Understand that some thoughts will ALWAYS cause you pain.
Ask God to help you get past the pain and move on.
Ask Him to help you to be strong enough to not let painful memories control you.
Ask God to help you move on, just like He moves on when we hurt Him.
Few people ever talk about the women who followed Jesus and supported Him financially, Not, just the women, but the ‘type’ of women…
Luke 8:1-3 (NKJV)
Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and [a]bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and [b]infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for [c]Him from their [d]substance.
So, you had a woman who many believed was a prostitute…
Wives of ‘important’ men…
And, many other women who were following the LORD and supporting Him financially.
We all know that would be beyond scandalous today.
We all know many of the people who claim to love Jesus would have criticized that.
How many men would co-sign on their wives following and giving money to a broke, uneducated, controversial traveling preacher?
It’s easy to be sitting pretty over 2,000 years later and judge the behavior of those living during Jesus’s earthly ministry — but we prove how we would have reacted if we lived then by how we react today.
It is clear what the bible says about adultery and fornication, it is strictly forbidden. God expects those who are married to forsake all others and be intimate only with one another…
1 Corinthians 7:1-2 (NKJV)
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Most of us also enjoy a good movie, television show or play, and appreciate a great performance from a talented actor or actress. Some of the movies, shows or plays have love scenes. It could range from a kiss…to partially clothed making out…to fully nude, erotic love scenes. I’m not talking about porn, I’m talking about the movies that are accepted and even awarded by the mainstream population.
Sometimes these actors and actresses are not only married, but profess to be Christians. Let me be clear that I AM NOT JUDGING THEIR FAITH OR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, but I do have a challenging question.
IS IT CONSIDERED CHEATING WHEN A MARRIED ACTOR OR ACTRESS DOES A LOVE SCENE?
The kisses are real.
The touching is real.
Sometimes, the nudity is real.
Even if they aren’t having intercourse, they are having sexual contact with someone other than their husband or wife.
If you aren’t an actor, how do feel about your spouse kissing or touching someone else? Most people say “No Way!”. Now, how do you feel about your spouse getting paid to have sexual contact with someone else…again a definite, “No!”
Now here’s the real challenging question for us as Christians. It their intimate contact is considered by God to be sin, does watching it and enjoying it make us partakers with them? Is it shameful for us to talk about the scenes in our daily conversation? Consider this…
Ephesians 5:5-10 (NKJV)
5 For this you know,[a] that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit[b]is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
Does God change the rules just because of our occupation? Does the fact that they are ‘acting’ mean it’s not real contact? And, if God considers it to be wrong, do we share in the sin when we watch, enjoy and share what we watched?
Has this become the ‘accepted’ open relationship?
Think about it. Pray about it. Feel free to reply and tell me what you think.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Leonardo Da Vinci’s THE LAST SUPPER.
It’s an iconic and well-loved work of art among many who call themselves believers in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), and it’s recognized among those who don’t. It’s been displayed in churches and homes for centuries.
The painting portrays the evening that the Lord ate the Passover meal and instituted the Lord’s Supper with His disciples before He was betrayed.
Remember, Jesus Himself told us that God is a spirit and demands to be worshipped in spirit and TRUTH…
John 4:24 (NKJV)
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We also live in time when people claim to love THE TRUTH and reject FAKE NEWS.
So, with all that being said, what’s wrong with the famous painting, THE LORD’S SUPPER, based on these scriptures according to the Complete Jewish Bible translation…
Mark 14:18 (CJB)
18 As they were reclining and eating, Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that one of you is going to betray me.”
Matthew 26:20 (CJB)
20 When evening came, Yeshua reclined with the twelve talmidim;
According to the scriptures as well as the context of culture and time…THEY WERE NOT SITTING. THEY WERE RECLINING.
Of course there will be some who say, “Why does this matter?”
Those of us who claim to be Christians can be the worst at sometimes deciding ‘that doesn’t matter’ when it threatens our traditions and what we choose to believe.
So, why does it matter?
Because the painting does not depict the way it happened, and that’s not truth.
Because every painting or picture intended to portray Jesus has influenced thought for centuries.
Because every painting and picture intended to portray Jesus has shaped what and how people believe and has had an influence on the faith.
Because it shapes the way people ‘experience’ their faith and what they think is correct and incorrect.
Do you want people publishing images of you depicting an event in your honor wrongly, falsely or inaccurately? Of course not. Why should our Lord and Savior be any different?
The fact is that when you present some people with the truth, they are reluctant to, or refuse to accept it because they have been influenced by art that very well MAY NOT have been commissioned by God.
Maybe this is why He clearly commanded in regard to likenesses of Him…
Exodus 20:4 (NKJV)
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
There are negative stereotypes about any group you could mention.
I don’t know what’s worse!
Those who judge and group people by these negative stereotypes…
Or,
Those whose behavior actually confirms those stereotypes to be true!
Unfortunately, there are those who seem determined to prove some of these prejudices are valid through their behavior. But, they by far never represent the entire group.
Stop it!
Stop judging entire groups based on these stereotypes.
Stop confirming these stereotypes with negative behavior.
Stop putting a spin on acceptable behavior transforming it into a ‘negative’ stereotype.
Remember how the disciple Nathanael unfairly grouped Jesus and those from His town when he first heard about Him…
John 1:45-46 (NKJV)
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Many times we hear people say, “What I do in my house is my business”. That’s true, but if it’s wrong…it’s wrong.
Think about the fact David committed his greatest sin while watching ‘soft porn’ at home (2 Samuel 11).
Notice how he affirms to behave at home in Psalm 101…
Psalm 101:1-3 (KJV)
I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
Yes, sinning ‘in the street’s’ affects others, but sinning at home alone can be more harmful than many may think.
How?
SINNING CAN BECOME EASIER
When we become comfortable sinning alone, it makes committing that sin, and other sins easier.
IT DEFILES OUR SPIRITS
God wants us to strive for holiness. That’s why He tells us to lay aside all filthiness and sin because it defiled our spirit.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Remember, God’s Spirit wants to live in a clean ‘temple ( 1 Corinthians 6:19).
IT MAKES OUR ‘HOUSE’ (BODIES) A COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR DEMONS
Piggybacking on #2, when our spirits are defiled, we make our bodies and spirits a comfortable place for demons to dwell. And, not just dwell, but thrive.Notice that Revelation 18:2 (KJV) called Babylon a ‘habitation’ for devils. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 12…
Matthew 12:43-45 (KJV)
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
We must make sure our spiritual and physical house comfortable for God and not the enemy. What we do or don’t do at home sets the atmosphere.
EVEN THOUGH WE’RE ALONE, WE STILL HAVE AN AUDIENCE
Just because you’re in your house with the doors and blinds closed doesn’t mean you’re alone. You’re personal angel(s) watching…
Hebrews 1:14 (NKJV)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
What has your angel(s) witnessed in your IN PRIVATE?
Be just as careful, if not more careful of your behavior at home. Watch what you watch, listen to, say and do. Watch who you allow inside your house.
Sin at home led David to greater sin, and it can do the same to us.
How many times have you heard someone proclaim after doing something wrong that they ‘did it for love’?
Some people have even murdered and claimed that they did it for love. It’s even stated in the lyrics to one of Al Green’s most popular songs,”Love and Happiness”…
“Love will make you do wrong”.
Well as much as I enjoy Al Green’s music, I have to say that he was wrong about that.
Just as the enemy wants to pervert everything else holy, he has been oh too successful perverting how we often define or misdefine love – prompting people to justify much of their wrong to ‘doing if for love’.
How do you define love? That’s easy. Here’s my BE BLESSTIFIED definition for love: GOD.
‘God is love’ is more than just a simile. God literally IS pure love…
1 John 4:8 (NKJV)
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Anytime you see the word love in the bible, you can easily replace it with the title ‘God’ and the verse will mean the same…
Corinthians 13:1-8 (NKJV)
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
One could very easily paraphrase these verses by saying “Love does no wrong”.
If God is Love (which He is) then Love is God. If God can do no wrong, then that means that Love can do no wrong. If God can’t make you do wrong, then that means Love can’t make you do wrong.
So, as much as it sounds good in songs, poems and even as a defense in court (crimes of passion)…love can never make you do wrong.
The Pharisees, scribes, and religious leaders were constantly trying to trap and accuse Jesus. Many times that was their sole reason for going to the synagogue when they knew He was there (Mark 3:1-6).
In Luke 14 Jesus was at the home of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. You didn’t get into the home of a ruler without an invitation. This was an invitation only ‘event’ which is confirmed in verse 7 of this chapter ( So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them…). There was also a man with extreme swelling of his arms and legs (dropsy) there, but why was he invited too? Why was this man who was looked down upon invited to the ruler’s home? My thought is they were using him just so see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath, just so they could accuse Him.
Luke 14 (NKJV)
14 Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 2 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”4 But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 5 Then He answered them, saying, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?” 6 And they could not answer Him regarding these things.
Wow!
Luke 5:17 records another occasion where Jesus was in a house, and the rulers had come from every town of Galilee for the sole purpose of accusing Him. But it goes on to let us know that the power of the LORD was present to heal them. But rather than get healing and deliverance, they chose to accuse. Their attitudes prevented them from the blessing of being in the Lord’s presence. Here a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus by His friends and healed. The same healing was available to them.
Luke 5:17 (NKJV)
17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.[a]
But, the blessing here is that even though the man with dropsy (Luke 14) was being used. He was in the right place to get healed by Jesus. Being used positioned him for his blessing. (Just as in Mark 3:1-6). They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good (Genesis 50:20).
So, when it’s clear people are using you, don’t just ‘bail’. Don’t just leave. Don’t just let your pride get the best of you and say, “I’m not having this!” Don’t ‘cuss’ them out or ‘go off’.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is working all things TOGETHER for our good…even when we are being used.
If you know what they are up to, use it to your advantage. Stay strong in your faith in God. Don’t let the enemy poison your attitude. God promises that He will get glory out of your story.
Remember, people don’t use what has no value.
Is someone using you? Stay cool, and let God use them using you.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean that you will never think about what they did to you anymore.
It doesn’t mean that you won’t hurt when it crosses your mind.
Forgiveness means that you won’t condemn them anymore for what they did. It means that you no longer want to get even, or see them ‘get what they deserve’ for what they did.
Forgiveness means you want them free from the guilt of what they did. But, that doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t hurt or make you angry when you think about it. Especially if it’s someone who you truly love.
Yes, the bible says that when God forgives us that He forgets our iniquities and remembers them no more…
Hebrews 10:16-17 (NKJV)
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Micah 7:18-19 (NKJV)
18 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.[a] 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all [b]our sins Into the depths of the sea.
But, do you think that means that God no longer knows what we did? Of course not. If our All-Powerful God can no longer remember something that we can remember, that gives us more power than Him in that area.
When God forgives ‘and forgets’ it means that He no longer condemns us for that sin as long as we have truly repented. Notice that God would often remind Israel of the sins He had forgiven when they backslid because their repentance wasn’t real.
Do you think that when the Apostle Paul said, “forgetting those things which are behind…” that he meant he could no longer remember how he persecuted the church? No. It means he no longer let those thoughts rule him or influence his future.
Philippians 3:13 (NKJV)
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have [a]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
So don’t beat yourself up because you still feel pain or occasional anger over something that you have forgiven. Just don’t linger on those thoughts. Remember, forgiveness is a continual process. You will continue to forgive ‘them’ in your mind over and over again.
Judas was aware of his condemnation and regretted betraying Yeshua, but He didn’t repent. This led to him killing himself.
Matthew 27:3 (NKJV) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Peter betrayed Yeshua, but his repentance led to his restoration, and he was one of the apostles through whom we received the Gospel…
John 21:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of [a]Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [b]love You.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of[e]Jonah, do you [f]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, (D)You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Remember, repentance is more than regret. It’s a total change of mind, and change of direction.
It may be because of the mistakes and bad decisions you’ve made…
It may be because your children aren’t living up to their potential…
It may be because you don’t have the relationship with your children that you wish or thought you would…
You may feel that you aren’t getting the level of respect that you deserve…
You may even be a teacher or professional and feel as though you do better with other children than your own…
You may feel guilty because of the number of hours you spend working…
Or feel guilty of the fact that you haven’t been able to work.
I know there may be some people out there who feel they were or are the ‘perfect’ parents, but this article is for those who on some days feel as though they have failed at parenting.
Remember this, none of the anointed men and women of God were perfect parents.
But, here is an even more powerful, and liberating thought.
None of us are a better parent than God our heavenly Father.
He has never made a mistake in ‘parenting’ us, yet…
Many of His children still don’t live up to their potential…
Many of His children still don’t give Him the relationship that He deserves…
Many of His children still don’t give Him the level of respect that He deserves…
Many of His children live in open rebellion to Him.
Many of those who God created in His image don’t even acknowledge Him as their father
Think about how many times you, yourself have disappointed God.
So, the next time you feel you’ve failed as a parent, ask yourself…
Has God failed?
1 John 3:1 (NKJV)
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him.
If you’re a parent, there will be days that you may feel that your children don’t appreciate you.
Sometimes you may even feel that they resent you.
And, it’s even more painful when you know in your heart that as much as you love your children…that you haven’t always made the best decisions as a parent.
All parents have given their children some legitimate reasons to ‘feel some type of way’.
Remember that from Isaac, Rebecca’s and Jacob’s favoritism to Lot offering his daughter to be raped…parents in the bible were far from perfect.
But, think about this...there is no better parent than God our Father. Yet, many of the very ‘children’ that He created in His own image don’t acknowledge Him, blaspheme Him, and mock Him while breathing His air and enjoying His sun light.
Matthew 5:45 (NKJV)
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
And, even those ‘children’ who do acknowledge Him, frequently complain, doubt Him, embarrass, rebel against, disobey, and in some situations deny and betray Him when we make a conscious decision to sin when we know it’s wrong.
But, our God is always willing to forgive.
The next time you feel your children don’t appreciate you, think about their behavior and then stop and think about when you have displayed the SAME behavior to God.
Then offer your children the same grace, mercy and willingness to forgive that God offers us through Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Have you ever noticed what Jesus told the crowd after He fed over 5000 people. He called them out for not valuing the miraculous signs He did and the fact that He was doing the works of the Father. He pointed out that they were just following Him because He fed them. In other words, they valued Him, but only for what they could GET OUT OF HIM. They valued what He could do, not who He was…
John 6:26 (NLT)
26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
Think about the people in your life who truly value you and who you are. These are the people who value the ‘INTANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table. Those closest to you; who enjoy quality time with you; those who are genuinely concerned about you; those who truly miss you when you aren’t around. They make your life worth living.
They are the people who will be there for you whether you’re up or down, through good and bad. They value helping YOU look good…These are the people who VALUE YOU.
Then there are those people who value the ‘TANGIBLES’ that you bring to the table….
Your skill-set…
Your finances…
Your talents…
Your innovation…
Your muscle…
Your hustle.
They may never even acknowledge that they value you, but they prove it through their actions. However, they ONLY value the ‘tangibles” that you bring to the table.
These people could care less how you feel. They aren’t genuinely concerned about you, and they don’t want to spend any quality time with you. They value how you make THEM look good. These are the people who VAL-USE YOU.
Pray for the discernment to distinguish between the people who VALUE you, and those who VAL-USE YOU.
They’re everywhere…
In your family…
On your job…
In your church…
Everywhere.
And, be conscious of the people you may be VAL-USING in your life.
When things got tough, uncomfortable or uneasy you acted like you didn’t know Him. Have you comforted yourself in the company of His enemy? Have you ever followed Him from a distance?
Have you denied Him?
Mark 14:54 (NKJV)
54 But Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.
John 18:25 (NKJV)
25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!”
Are you more like Judas?
Have you ever turned your back on Jesus for money? For influence? To satisfy your flesh? Have you gotten discouraged because things didn’t turn out as you thought they would. Have you ever put your motives above God’s motives? Have you ever put Him to open shame?
Have you betrayed Him?
John 12:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii[a] and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
Matthew 26:14-17 (NKJV)
14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. 17 Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
Before we point a self-righteous finger at Peter or Judas, let us thank God for His grace and mercy because we have all been both of them.
Every time we yielded to our pride…our lust…temptation…
Every time we put others or ourselves before Him…
Every time we willingly lived contrary to His word…
Every time we influenced someone else to sin…
We have both denied and betrayed Him.
When we read about Peter denying Christ or Judas betraying Him, we are looking into a spiritual mirror.
Both were sorry for what they had done, but they both handled it differently.
Who are you more like?
Judas tried to return the money and was so grieved in His Spirit that he hung himself. He could have gotten on His knees and prayed for forgiveness. He could have rejoined the other eleven, admitted his mistake, and tell them he tried to return the money and been there when Jesus arose and ministered to them. They couldn’t have condemned him too much because they all scattered. Don’t you know that Jesus not only would have forgiven him, but commanded that his brother forgive him also? But, no. He hung himself in shame. If you have betrayed Him and not repented – you’re like Judas.
Matthew 27:3-10 (NKJV)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”
And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”[a]
After Peter denied Jesus, he rejoined the other eleven. He ran to the grave to find that Jesus wasn’t there. He saw Thomas put his fingers in the wounds. He ate a seaside breakfast with the risen savior. And, Jesus restored Him to become one of His most powerful apostles. Judas could have done the same thing. If you have messed up, repented and been restored – you’re like Peter.
John 21:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah,[a] do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[b] do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah,[c] do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Judas’ story ended in disgrace – Peters ended in grace.
So, even though we have all been like both, our stories don’t have to end like that of Judas.
BE BLESSTIFIED! 