13-14 The Master said: “These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren’t in it. Because they act like they’re worshiping me but don’t mean it, I’m going to step in and shock them awake, astonish them, stand them on their ears. The wise ones who had it all figured out will be exposed as fools. The smart people who thought they knew everything will turn out to know nothing.”
15-16 Doom to you! You pretend to have the inside track. You shut God out and work behind the scenes, Plotting the future as if you knew everything, acting mysterious, never showing your hand. You have everything backward! You treat the potter as a lump of clay. Does a book say to its author, “He didn’t write a word of me”? Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it, “She had nothing to do with this”? Isa. 29:13-16 (MSG)
Don’t be someone who gets their relationship with God drawkcab (backward). Know your place. Never forget who the Master is. I have come across some who get it wrong, and the result is they hurt people! And the worst part of it is they don’t realize it or ever admit it. It really is a sad sight to behold. If you do meet one, all you can do is pray for them because experience has taught me that they won’t listen.
There are many ways to share God with people. I have either heard or watched as others tried their way. One person told two young women they were going to split hell wide open. He judged them after learning they were lesbians. That wasn’t a very effective method at all. I told the individual, “Those ladies needed to hear of God’s love, not your judgment.”
I watched one Saturday night as an individual argued “religion” with another person, thinking they were going to convince them to accept their views and accept Jesus. It didn’t work.
People come to God in many ways. One way of sharing God that I have found to be effective is what I like to call “Lifestyle Evangelism.” If you come across an individual that you know you are going to be seeing from time to time, you can start sharing God and his love little by little. Whether it is going out of your way to help them, or remembering them in a time of need, or if they are celebrating a life event.
Eventually, they begin to realize that you are not “weird” but that you really do love God and want to love on people. People will begin to see that you and your way of life are so different from anyone they have ever known. It happened to Jesus. This can lead them to ask or to be open to hearing how to accept Jesus Christ into their life.
People don’t like to be controlled; they prefer to be led.
You could put it this way: people don’t want to be told what to do. But they are sometimes open to being led in the way they should go. Jesus is the way. Show people the way. Show people, Jesus!
Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NET)
Be imitators of me (Paul), just as I also am of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1 (NET) (The insert of the name “Paul” is mine.)
Occasionally, I’ll come across people scratching off lottery tickets while still at the store. It’s almost like they are at a “Lottery Bar,” and after a card is scratched, they tell the person at the counter, “Hit me again.” They sometimes will stand there for a while hoping, but spending on more cards the few dollars they win. They are taking a “chance” to win it big! Going from struggling to living on “Easy Street.” They don’t want to wait or work for it, but instead have it given to them as if they deserve it.
Some people have a similar attitude toward living life. They hope for things to change quickly and for the better. It seems as if these same individuals resist doing what they can to change things. They wind up leaving “life” to chance!
But they don’t have to.
If a person will give their life to God, accept his Son, Jesus, and ask for the forgiveness of their sins their wrongdoings, then they will enter a life where God will want to bless his new child who has entered into his family. Yes, there are Godly principles (not rules) to live by that make a difference in how your life goes. Now, I would be irresponsible if I told you that nothing bad will ever happen to you again. But if and when it does, God is there to lead you and guide you through it. And while experiencing an uncomfortable time, He is also there to comfort you. You may not understand why you are going through this, or you are asking, “What does this have to do with God’s plan?”
But if you trust him with the question, then you can trust him with the answer, whether you know it or not.
You don’t have to leave your life to “chance” but instead can have divine direction and deliverance. You won’t need to stand before God, “hoping” or “scratching” your way through life! Instead, you can be confident that the one who loves you more than you will ever know is right there with you. Oh! And please don’t scratch in public!
Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isa. 41:10 (MSG)
He’s learned it all from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who knows everything about when and how and where. Isa. 28:29 (MSG)
This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel [and] excellent in wisdom and effectual working. Isa. 28:29 (AMPC)
This lesson comes from the Lord of heaven’s armies. He gives wonderful advice. He is very wise. Isa. 28:29 (ICB)
All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent. Isa. 28:29 (NIV)
This also comes from the Lord of armies, Who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great. Isa. 28:29 (NASB)
This also comes from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom. Isa. 28:29 (NET)
Have you got it yet? No matter what version of the Bible you read, you learn in Isaiah 28 verse 29 that God knows, and He doesn’t mind sharing with you what He knows – IF YOU ASK! God knows everything about everything.
Just yesterday, I was putting up wood panels that interlock on a wall and struggling to get two pieces to go together. After getting frustrated, I paused and asked God what to do. Instantly, I got the inspiration to use my mini crowbar and lift the edge of the panel strip already attached to the wall. Of course, it worked! I got wisdom from God.
I know remodeling a wall is so minor compared to serious issues in the world, but at that moment, it mattered to me, and God cared. He knows what you are facing and going through. He cares! If you want his help and ask, He will give you what you need to know about “when,” “how,” or “where.” And I would add “what” as well. Why? Because He loves you so much.
Have you ever read something or heard something and had a new thought? Something that has never crossed your mind before? That happened to me today. Now, I have listened to or read Psalms 23 many times. Most of you probably have as well.
The line: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” got a new thought today.
The part that got my attention was the “shadow of death.” It is not actually “death” but its shadow. Shadows may appear scary, but they are not as frightening as the thing that is casting the shadow. Then, and this is big, there can only be a shadow if there is light! Jesus said of himself that he is light. In fact, the light of the world.
Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (ESV)
No wonder one doesn’t have to fear evil when they go through a valley or time in their life that can be filled with uncertainty because “thou (Jesus) art with me!” It’s comforting to know that Jesus, our shepherd, walks with us in life. He leads us and guides us like beside “still” waters so we can quench our thirst. Or to tables so we can eat relaxed, even in the presence of our enemies. If you miss what is going on here, it’s this: if you can trust Jesus with your life, you can live life even though things around you are not as good as you would desire them to be.
You will be comforted; you will be anointed so the smallest parasites of life can’t harm you. In fact, although life may be unstable around you, you will be blessed beyond anything you can imagine. Goodness and mercy will follow you wherever you go, and then, at the end of it all, you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
It’s not a bad gig for simply placing your trust in Jesus. You’ve got nothing to lose and real life to gain. The kind of life God intended for you all along.
Do you think God is so cold and so hard-hearted that He will not open his arms to the one who comes to him? Do you think He looks in a book and says, “I’m sorry. You messed up too many times.”? Do you believe that what you have done is so horrible that you do not qualify for his love and forgiveness? If so, then you may not know God.
The words that have hurt so many. The lies that have deceived and led astray the innocent. The conniving, the stealing, the murder, the cheating. It has amounted to so much pain. Do you consider that your actions are too much for God to forgive? If so, then you may not know God.
Satan, the devil will tell you it is. That there is no room in God’s kingdom for someone like you. That you have failed, that you aren’t good enough, that you don’t measure up. If you have believed any of these lies, then you may not know God.
For God IS love. Everything He does stems from a heart full of love for you.
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Rom. 8:31-39 (MSG)
Ask him for his love and forgiveness, and he will give it to you.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn. 1:9 (NIV)
Have you ever noticed how many times a person can have a different opinion than yours? Are you surprised by this or angry? I mean, we want people to think like us or at least agree with us. One reason for this is due to the other person’s perspective.
Their perspective has been shaped by their upbringing, background, experiences, and even by their faith or lack thereof, and so has ours. It isn’t easy, at times, to see things from their vantage point. Unless you are discussing a matter of right and wrong, neither perspective may be correct or incorrect. Hopefully, you can agree to disagree if needed.
However, there is one perspective that is always right and true. That is God’s. How can one know his? By asking and reading his word, the Bible. There, you will absolutely know what is right and wrong, and you will know why very well. Some know how God sees things but refuse to agree with him, and they will continue to do things on their own.
Seeking God’s point of view in all situations is wisdom. A friend of mine and a fellow blogger lives by this and actually named her website “seekingdevineperspective.com.” There, she shares what God shows and teaches her, but more importantly, she lives it.
Changing your perspective can be revealing. Take another look at the photo. This time, I have posted it from the original perspective of the photographer. Do you see it? Simply a series of rocks or a man reading?
Be open to other’s views of life, but be more open to God’s.
“I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Isa. 55:8-9 (MSG)
April has shared with me that she often will ask God, “Why did you make me the way you did?” Perhaps you have wondered the same thing about you. April finds tackling some subjects and issues in life challenging. It bothers her when others don’t struggle with those same things.
That is when I start reminding April that she is unique and has the strengths that others desire. For instance, she has this unbelievable talent for cooking these amazing dishes from leftover ingredients in the refrigerator. I had an uncle who once confessed to me that he would make chili from whatever he found in his frig. Needless to say, he also admitted that some of those items were past their expiration date, but he didn’t want to waste them by throwing them out. I never ate his chili!
April is indeed an excellent cook! I’m a lucky man! She is also a good teacher. Young children love her and respond when she speaks. But even in general, children are drawn to April. I believe this is because she is full of God’s love. They sense His presence on her and are attracted to her. Then, there is a particular kind of innocence about her. I can stand still in the entryway of a room and watch her. Then, whenever she sees me, she lights up with the cutest, sweetest smile you have ever seen. April was fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:13-16 (MSG)
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
No one else could be April. God made her unique. He has gifted her like no other. She also operates with the spiritual gift of discernment. She can meet someone and know about them or their motives. As my helpmate, something I have learned to rely on. As her namesake, “April Joy,” she brings a lot of happiness into our home. God made you unique, too. He designed you for his purposes. If you are struggling with life, then perhaps you are really struggling with letting God have control.
April isn’t perfect, though. God is still working on her, as He is with all of us. Don’t be puzzled. There may be pieces missing in us—pieces that God will put in place in his timing. One thing is for sure: one day, we will be complete with all the pieces in their proper place.
There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears. Phil. 1:6 (MSG)
What do you think of people? Do you like them? Tolerate them? Or are they merely interruptions? I have said a few times I could do without them. I know. Shocking. If I had the choice and the resources, I could live in a small cabin away from people. Kind of like Theodore (Ted) John Kaczynski, only without mailing bombs to people.
I don’t hate people, but I have come to realize that interacting with them requires something of me that doesn’t come easily: love. More specifically, God’s love. Consistently producing God’s kind of love in some form or another takes effort. Let’s face it: reacting in our flesh is much easier.
“Jesus had a plan for the day, but then, there were PEOPLE!” – Rich Rubietta.
Dealing with people takes time. But when it happens unscheduled, you have a decision to make. Am I going to stop, talk, minister, help, or what? My response to this person will be time-consuming!
The other day, I was trying to finish my grocery shopping before getting to a doctor’s appointment. I know the store well, so I grabbed the needed items and threw them in my cart. “Can you help me? I’m having chest pains,” the woman said. She got nervous, though, when she saw me pull out my phone and began to dial 911. “I’m not having a heart attack, but I feel anxiety. I only live a few miles from here, and I don’t feel like waiting for the bus. Would you be willing to drive me to where I live?”
I started thinking, why me? Had she asked others? Is this something she does all the time? Do I have a sign on my back that reads “Student Driver of God’s Love?” I’ll probably be late for my appointment. I had a good reason to say, “I’m sorry. I really can’t.” And I probably would have felt justified in doing so. What would you have done?
I agreed but found it challenging to keep her focused. Instead of getting in line like “normal” customers to get rung up, she took her laundry basket with her food around the customers, playing by the rules to the cashier directly. I kept reminding her we had to hurry because I had a doctor’s appointment.
I helped her get her groceries checked out and brought her to my car. As I was driving her to where she lived, I started telling her about God and His love. That God wanted to “love” on her today. Then I made an alter call. I asked her if she had ever asked Jesus Christ into her life for the forgiveness of her sins. I mean, the car was moving. Was she going to jump out to go the bathroom as some do when the minister does this in church? She said she had, but as she told me her story, it became apparent she hadn’t invited Him to be active in her life. I encouraged her to ask Him for help.
I got her delivered to the correct address faster than Uber Eats! I made it to my appointment with only minutes to spare. That wasn’t my plan. The nurse wanted to know why my blood pressure was high. LOL, I said, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
I know God needed someone to remind the woman that He was still there and that despite some of her life choices, He still loved her. Honestly, I was humbled that He picked me. I got teary-eyed when I realized that a few minutes of my time could ultimately change that woman’s life and her address for eternity. If you say you love God, then you have to love people.
19 We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.20-21 If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.1 John 4:19-21 (MSG)
On any spring Friday afternoon in a small town in Iowa, there is a baseball game. It is for anyone who wants to play, who used to play, or who wants to sit, watch, and root for their favorite team. As for me, I used to play pee-wee ball. I was never very good compared to the other boys my age. I had severe allergies, so, therefore, my muscles were not as developed as theirs were. Since I couldn’t play like they did, the coach would have me run bases after he hit the ball in different locations on the field. Since that is what I practiced, I became good at base running.
But this story isn’t about me. However, I will add the fact that on game day, when we were wearing our jerseys, they would make me “Brady” sit to the left of the other bench warmer, whose last name was “Bunch.”
No, this story is about Harry Stamford. He played second base on the team opposing mine. Harry was good. Actually, he was an outstanding player. He seemed to be gifted in knowing where to put the ball in play.
In one particular game, I made it to second. Harry got mad because he barely missed the tag that would have thrown me out. Seeing his disappointment in himself, I began teasing and harassing him when I happened to look down, and I saw a tear in the base. I went on to score, but our team still lost. After the game, I asked my coach about the rip in second base. I asked, “What damaged second base, and why hasn’t it been replaced?” He immediately shushed me as he quickly looked around to see if anyone had heard me.
He leaned into me and said, “During a game about twenty years ago, Harry was on second base when all of a sudden, there was a flash of light, and something hit the bag, tearing it. Harry fell, and so the umpire called “time” to see if he was alright. He said something scraped the back of his leg. We raised his pant leg, and there was a bleeding scratch, so we bandaged it. Harry said he was okay with staying in. After the game, when I was gathering the bases, I saw the rip and reached in. I found a rock. I took it to the community college here in town, where the science professor identified it as a small meteor. Ever since that day, we have noticed that Harry’s baseball skills have improved, and he plays like a young man in his late twenties, but we don’t talk about it.” “Would you believe Harry is 79 years old?”
“Wow! That’s an amazing story, and no, I certainly had no idea he was that old.” After that day, I stopped heckling Harry anytime I was on second base. And I started watching him closer.
One afternoon, before the end of the season, I noticed Harry getting out of his car. He was moving very slowly, although he still had on his uniform as if he was going to play. I walked over to him and apologized for all of the times I had heckled him when on second base. He said, “It’s okay. Just part of the game.” I then took his arm to help him to his team’s dugout. I asked, “Harry, are you okay?” He sat slowly on the bench and replied, “I saw my doctor on Monday. He said I have a fast-moving cancer. He told me to get my affairs in order.” I knelt and said, “Harry, I am so sorry to hear that.” He looked into my eyes and said, “I will miss my wife, family, and grandchildren. I will also miss playing baseball, and maybe you.” I laughed and then told him I would be praying for him.
The other players showed up, and the game was about to start when one player on Harry’s team noticed Harry’s eyes were shut, and he was slumped over. One of the doctors in our small town came to the dugout and, after a few minutes, announced that Harry was gone. A silence grew over the ballfield as word got out. They laid Harry down on the bench, and his best friend went over the flagpole. He lowered the flag but then removed it and used it to cover Harry’s body. He told everyone that Harry was a veteran.
“Now what?” asked one of his teammates. His coach said, “I think Harry would want us to play ball, so let’s go out there and win this one for Harry,” and they did.
The following week, Harry’s funeral was held. There were a lot of people in attendance, and many spoke publicly of Harry’s life and how he had not only helped them in one way or another but also talked to them about God and always asked if they wanted to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Many of them said they did.
Some may look back and say that the meteor gave Harry Stamford some extra strength that day while he was playing second base. I would say that it was God who was so pleased with Harry’s life and witness that He blessed him with what he needed to do the things that he enjoyed.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ, know that you can. He is waiting for you to accept his offer of forgiveness for your sins. With that begins a relationship that brings hope, encouragement, comfort, and guidance with the added bonus of eternal life. Along the way, you can ask for help with anything. Problems in life, relationships, and healing. Having a relationship with Jesus is the best thing you will ever do with your life. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are real. So are heaven and hell. There are no other alternatives. Accept Jesus and truly live life.
brady, mark a. 