Don’t worry about tomorrow, if you don’t trust God with today.
There may be some reason that you aren’t looking forward to or may even be dreading tomorrow…. next week… or next month. It could be because of challenges in your relationship(s), on your job, your health.
It could be that your paycheck will not be enough to take care of your obligations.
It may be a promise you made that you already know you can’t fulfill.
You may have robbed Peter and still don’t have enough to pay Paul. You may be separated from loved ones and support.
It may be the expected or the unexpected.
I’m not here to promise a miracle if you share this post.
I’m not even promising tomorrow will be better or even arrive.
God hasn’t promised us tomorrow…but He has given us today.
That’s why He said…
Matthew 6:34 (NKJV)
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
If you have the strength or means to read this post or have it read to you, then God has abundantly blessed you.
In fact, no matter how much or how little money, food, clothing, strength or hope you have, He’s given you more than enough for today.
Those days in your past that you have dreaded, even if they were as ‘bad’ as you expected…you’re still here.
The truth is that God is sovereign to do what He pleases with each day and each person He made.
He loves us, and no matter how bad it may seem, He’s working all things together for our good…
Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The fact is either we trust Him or we don’t. Don’t worry about tomorrow if you don’t trust God with today.
If you’re worried about tomorrow… next week… or even next year…
SNAP OUT OF IT! And, make a conscious effort to do everything you can to enjoy every minute… every second… every hour of today.
Reach down inside and praise God and tell Him you love Him and trust Him with today.
If you don’t know what to say, I suggest…
Psalm 118:24 (NKJV)
This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
As a man of faith in God, I enjoy many of the benefits that have come through science. But, when it comes to the origin of the universe, how life began on earth and many other things, science and religion are at odds. In those instances, I like to define science as the attempt to give a physical explanation to the spiritual world.
Even though they are at odds, the Bible and science agree in at least 3 areas.
1. LIFE BEGAN IN AFRICA/MESOPOTAMIA
Science
Most archeologists call eastern Africa the cradle of humankind. ‘Pre-historic’ remains have also recently been found in Morocco, which is still Africa.
The Bible
Scripture also affirms that life began in Africa. Notice the location given for the Garden of Eden…
Genesis 2:10-14 (NKJV)
10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river isHiddekel;[a] it is the one which goes toward the east of [b]Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
Wikipedia describes the location of these rivers…
Genesis 2:10–14 lists four rivers in association with the garden of Eden: Pishon, Gihon, Chidekel (the Tigris), and Phirat (the Euphrates). It also refers to the land of Cush—translated/interpreted as Ethiopia, but thought by some to equate to Cossaea, a Greek name for the land of the Kassites.[22] These lands lie north of Elam, immediately to the east of ancient Babylon, which, unlike Ethiopia, does lie within the region being described.[23] In Antiquities of the Jews, the first-century Jewish historian Josephus identifies the Pishon as what “the Greeks called Ganges” and the Geon (Gehon) as the Nile.[24]
2. ENERGY CAN’T BE CREATED OR DESTROYED
Science
First of all in science, laws are absolute. They are non-negotiable. Even if we try to challenge or resist them with technology, the laws will always win. That being said, THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF ENERGY states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but only transferred from one form to another.
The Bible
God is absolute. He is non-negotiable. Even if we try to resist or challenge Him with our technology, God will always win. God is an all-powerful Spirit. He is eternal. He was not created and can’t be destroyed. And yes, He can be transferred from one form to another.
Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Philippians 2:6-7 (NKJV)
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [a]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [b]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
To me, The Law of Conservation of Energy sounds like science’s attempt to define God.
3. LIFE SPREAD FROM WATER TO LAND
Science
Most of us remember from school that our science books taught that the earliest and smallest life on earth was first in the waters and then on land.
The Bible
Whether you believe Genesis is literal or symbolic, a literal week or thousands of years, all believers in God agree that He created the heavens and the earth in the exact order of Genesis. And in that order, God created the waters and the creatures in the waters first, just as science teaches…
Genesis 1:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living [a]creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the [b]firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both the Bible and science agree in such foundational areas. Here’s the thing. God created those brilliant scientific minds that contend He is not real. And, who can really prove that the sun is 93,000,000 miles away, or that the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. Who can travel that distance or speed to prove it? It takes faith in the formulas and scientists who ‘discovered’ these scientific ‘facts’.
I recently noticed a picture (meme) circulating on social media that shows the late Stephen Hawking, theoretical physicist and well-known atheist, featuring one of his quotes, “There was nothing before the Big Bang.” Most people know that many scientists assert that the universe BEGAN with a BIG BANG.
For Mr. Hawking to say there was nothing before the Big Bang still leaves to question what was that NOTHING, and how could NOTHING CAUSE AN EXPLOSION?
This is why I define science as our attempt to give a physical, biological or chemical explanation to a spiritual world. It’s how God allows to spiritual to manifest itself so it can be perceived within the ‘physical’ world and the realm of ‘time’.
This is why I believe that to some, the intelligence that God gave man to dominate the earth has become a curse…WHEN INTELLIGENCE HAS BECOME A CURSE…
So, I respond to the statement that “Before the Big Bang there was nothing”, with, “Eternity and God need no beginning”.
“In the beginning…” was written as a point of reference for the benefit of those of us who exist within the continuum of time.
Genesis 1 (NKJV)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness [a]was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
2 Before the mountains were born, before you had formed the earth and the world, from eternity past to eternity future you are God.
Notice how God described Himself to Moses as ‘I AM’…
Exodus 3:14-15 (NKJV)
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’
I AM! ‘I’ is a personal pronoun and ‘AM’ is a being verb. God is THE eternal BEING and defined Himself as a BEING verb. Wow! That is no coincidence.
I’ve stated in other articles that our ‘spirits’ temporarily’ exist outside of ‘time’ when we’re in a deep sleep or under anesthesia. We can doze off or be put to sleep and not notice the time that elapsed while we were ‘out’. Also notice the fact that even though we were all alive and aware, our minds can’t remember the day we were born or when we reacted to stimuli when we were in the womb.
God has promised us eternal life and most of the time we think of an eternal future. However, God IS! He stands outside of time experiencing the past and the future as if it were happening right now.
Isaiah 40:22 (NKJV)
22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
God is invisible, and it’s possible that the force and expanse that science wants to call ‘the universe’ is God. Even their ‘physical laws’ correspond with God’s spiritual essence…Energy can’t be created or destroyed, that’s God’s essence. If you believe energy can’t be created, then you can believe God didn’t have to be created. If you can see how the same internet can be ‘everywhere at the same time’, accessed in your bedroom, Texas, Aruba, or in space at the same time…then you can see how God can be everywhere at the same time.
May the Lord God of Israel from Eternity Past to Eternity Future bless you and keep you in the name and authority of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
So, going back to the BIG BANG. When God created the universe and ‘said’ “Let there be…” I’m sure there was a physical manifestation of sound and an incredible release of energy in an explosion. To me, the BIG BAND only confirms God lives.
I like to define science as humans’ attempt to give a physical explanation for spritual things.
Every thing that exists was spoken into existence by God, so everthing is a physical expression and extention of our invisible and spiritual God…
Romans 1: 20 (NKJV)
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse…”
I’m not against science, we have benefited greatly through scientific and medical discoveries and research. But, rather than disprove God…I feel it proves Him.
Notice the chronology in Genesis 1 is the same as what science claimes…
1st water…
Then the creatures in water…
Then plants and vegetation…
Then the creatures on land…
Then humans.
Physics…
Chemistry…
Biology…
Astronomy…
All Medical Science…
Can explain many things…
BUT,
Science can NEVER explain the invisible attributes of God that define how we are made in His image…
Those NON-PHYSICAL attributes He shares with us…
Those NON-PHYSICAL ELEMENTS that make us ‘look’ like Him.
Think about it…
Love…
Joy…
Peace…
Faith…
Kindness…
Hope…
Consciousness…
Science can NEVER isolate our spirits entering our bodies at the beginning of life…
Or, leaving our bodies at the end of life.
I call them GOD’S TANGIBLE INTANGIBLES…
Those things that your senses can’t exerience…
You can’t see, touch, taste, hear or smell love…
Only your spirit can experience it.
There’s no telescope or microscope that can see it…
No microphone thar can hear it…
No device that can measure it…
No computer that can create it…
Because LOVE IS OF GOD.
Love is even of God in the ungodly.
This proves God’s existence and sovereignty to me more than anything else.
God will never allow science to PROVE everything.
First of all because then man would claim he is God…
But most of all…then there would be no need of faith.
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Some things never change. Yeshua the Messiah made the ‘religious people’ so angry that they wanted to kill Him, and with the help of the Romans they did…at least thought they did.
Many Christians of every race claim to be His disciples, but we prove how we would have responded if we lived then by how we respond today. We prove on which side of history we would have stood by where we stand now.
The fact is that many of the people who claim to be Christians would have rejected Jesus, and here are 8 reasons why…
1. WOMEN SUPPORTED HIM WITH THEIR MONEY
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. How many men would co-sign on their wives following and giving money to a broke, uneducated, controversial traveling preacher?
2. HE THREATENED THEIR TRADITIONS
One of the most common complaints today is ‘cancel culture’. Too many people today are devoted to traditions, memorials, statues, etc. to the point of idolatry. Several of our modern traditions are clearly in direct contradiction to the word of God, such as swearing in officials…
Matthew 5:34-37 (NKJV)
34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let [a]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Can’t get more clear than that)
…but, some people would rather die than change. To many, patriotism, nationalism, racial pride, the economy and institutional traditions have become psuedo-religions. But, Yeshua made it clear that they were prioritizing their traditions over the Word of God…
Mark 7:7-9 (NKJV)
7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—[a]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”9 He said to them, “All too well you [b]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
3. HE HELD THE ‘LEADERS’ ACCOUNTABLE
Jesus openly rebuked the Pharisees, Scribes and teachers of the law concerning their hypocrisy, arrogance and pride. These were equal to respected political, religious and professional leaders today. But the LORD called them out and pissed them off. No matter what political or religious affiliation, how to react when those whom they respect are held accountable?
Matthew 15:10-13 (NKJV)
10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.
Matthew 23:13-36 (NKJV)
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 [a]Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of [b]hell as yourselves.16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that [c]sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who [d]swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who [e]dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and [f]self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and [g]adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.33 Serpents, brood[h] of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
4. HE WASN’T EDUCATED OR ‘CULTURED’
How many people only hire Pastors who hold multiple degrees? How many people don’t feel leaders are credible unless they have achieved an expected level of education or status? Many people were amazed at how well Jesus spoke because they knew He wasn’t educated.
John 7:15 (NKJV)
15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
Even the Apostle Paul said we shouldn’t be overly impressed with words of man’s wisdom, but in the power of God…
1 Corinthians 2:4-6 (KJV)
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
5. HE HUNG OUT WITH THOSE WHO RELIGIOUS PEOPLE LOOKED DOWN UPON
It’s amazing how we can allow our education, achievements, connections, affiliations, social status and even our faith to arrogantly allow us to think we are ‘better’ than others. We can look down on others because of the decisions thy have made…such as drug addicts, prostitutes, or homeless people…but, those are the people with whom Yeshua the Messiah came to make the most intimate connections. Many people today would complain about the company that Jesus kept, just as the ‘religious’ people did then.
Mark 2:13-3:6 (NKJV)
13 Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes [a]and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, [b]to repentance.”
6. HIS ETHNICITY
The fact is that if Jesus came today of the same ethnicity, that many who so passionately claim to love Him would not accept Him as a leader. As much as it may be unintentional… cultural and racial biases are real. If Yeshua would have come during this era…born in the ‘Middle East’ (the fact that it’s even called Middle East relative to Europe) with the same skin tone, language, etc.,…how many people who call themselves Christians would actually follow Him? WHEN PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO LOVE ACCURATE HISTORY ARE COOL WITH A ‘EUROPEAN-LOOKING’ JESUS…
John 1:46 (NKJV)
46 And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
7. HE DRANK ALCOHOL
How many people today would have rejected Jesus because of the fact that He drank wine? Some try to ‘sanitize it’ by saying that it wasn’t fermented, but that simply isn’t true. Jesus said Himself that unlike John the Baptist, he came both eating and drinking wine…
Matthew 11:18-20 (NKJV)
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a [a]winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her [b]children.”
He was called a ‘winebibber’ because He drank wine. Did He get drunk? NO! But, how many self-righteous ‘Christians’ would rebuke Christ for drinking wine?
8. TODAY, JESUS WOULD BE A MILLENNIAL
How many ‘established’ leaders and Christians today wouldn’t take Jesus seriously because of His age? He began His earthy ministry at 30 years old.
John 8:57 (NKJV)
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
So, be honest with yourself…how would you have received Jesus if you lived back then? How would you receive Him if He had come in our generation?
Too many people who call themselves Christians have a perverted view of strength.
They equate being proud, angry, loud, aggressive, insulting, retaliatory, impulsive, impatient, mean, ruthless, hard-hearted, violent and unforgiving to being strong…
While equating being humble, meek, quiet, patient, kind, gentle, self-controlled, merciful, willing to yield, soft-hearted, forgiving and turning the other cheek to being weak.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
James 3:17 (NKJV)
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
On social media and verbally, people brag about how easy it is for them to…
Cut people off…
Hold onto a grudge…
Revert back to their less patient, less forgiving, more hard-hearted and ready to ‘strike-back’ self.
They say, “You don’t know who I used to be” with pride rather than regret.
They boast, “I haven’t always been saved”.
They assert, “I can come down to your level.”
They lament about not being able to ‘cuss you out’, and brag about how they would have ‘back in the day’.
They infer that in some situations, they have to let Satan handle it instead of God through their behavior.
All-the-while these people who claim to be in the Body of Christ are impressed by people who ‘keep it real’ and say ‘just what’s on their mind’, even though the word of God prohibits that behavior…
Proverbs 29:11 (NKJV)
11 A fool vents all his feelings,[a] But a wise man holds them back.
When called out on either engaging in or celebrating overly assertive behavior that clearly doesn’t meet God’s expectations, they quickly want to call out Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) turning over money changers in the temple…as if that was an example of strong behavior, but allowing Himself to be beaten and hung on the cross wasn’t.
But, even when the Lord was turning over money changers, He didn’t strike one person. New Testament Christians love to revert to the violent Old Testament to justify their visceral behavior rather than the New Testament that doesn’t give ONE example of Jesus allowing us to violently respond…
Matthew 5:38-40 (NLV)
38 “You have heard that it has been said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not fight with the man who wants to fight. Whoever hits you on the right side of the face, turn so he can hit the other side also. 40 If any person takes you to court to get your shirt, give him your coat also.
When challenging so-called ‘strong words’, too many people mention when Jesus was calling the Pharisees hypocrites, a brood of vipers and sharply rebuking them, as if remaining silent before Pilate wasn’t strength.
People brag, “MY CUT-OFF GAME IS SO STRONG!”
People are competitive about how assertive and aggressive they can be to ‘get ahead’ in the world.
What if people bragged, “MY FORGIVENESS AND KINDNESS GAME IS SO STRONG!”
What if people were competitive about how gentle and willing to yield they can be to ‘get ahead’ in the Kingdom of God?
God doesn’t conform to the demands of our culture and standards…
We conform to His.
Matthew 5:5 (NKJV)
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
How many times have you had an argument with _______________, and it was not resolved?
You still don’t agree?
They are still very much angry at you?
You still feel they are wrong?
Or, You may know that YOU are wrong?
Now is the time that you may want to buckle down in your anger. It is the foundation to a grudge and a wall in this ONE area of your relationship with _________________.
You may decide you aren’t going to speak to them. You may decide you aren’t going to listen to them. You may decide you are going to ignore them when they speak to you. You may decide to have a negative attitude towards them or be mean to them. You may decide to withhold affection and kindness from them….
There is a reason that God tells us…
Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)
26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
Proverbs 29:11 (NKJV)
11 A fool vents all his feelings,[a] But a wise man holds them back.
James 1:20 (NKJV)
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
SO, BEFORE YOU BUCKLE DOWN IN YOUR ANGER, PLEASE STOP AND THINK ABOUT THIS…
Have you done something to make God angry?
Have you neglected doing something that God wants you to do?
Do you want God to buckle down in His anger towards you?
Do you want God to stop speaking to you? Do you want God to stop listening to you? Do you want God to start ignoring you? Do you want God to have a negative attitude towards you or be mean to you…
DO YOU WANT GOD TO WITHHOLD AFFECTION AND KINDNESS FROM YOU…FOR EVEN A BRIEF MOMENT?
NO! OF COURSE NOT!
So, the next time your anger burns hotter, cool it off with an act of kindness and love, especially if you don’t feel like it. That’s what makes it kindness and love!
Give them a hug. Do something small but kind for them, even if they don’t want you to. Let them have the last word.
Remember, giving someone the last word isn’t loosing an argument, it’s ending the argument.
Make it clear to them that you aren’t going to let your anger rule the situation. Make it clear to the devil that he cannot get a foothold through the situation.
Remember how long God remains angry at us…
Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)
5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But [a]joy comes in the morning.
To sum it up, make sure you have a forgiving heart quickly and let it go.
Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Luke 11:4 (NLT)
4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Remember, you never really hold a grudge, the grudge always holds you.
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! 