Rational Thinking In The Midst Of Chaos Is The ONLY Thing That Can Produce Rational Results

This morning I read Psalm 57. David had fled to a cave to escape persecution by Saul and there he sings praises to God. He tells God all the things he's feeling about his situation and how much he loves Him.

Many of us are feeling persecuted right now. We feel helpless. No one in the human high places created to help us in such circumstances seem to want to help us or even acknowledge our persecution as a reality. 

We Don't Have To Give Up Our Principles To Love One Another as Jesus Commanded

I'm horrible at holding a grudge. Seriously. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t trust everyone who’s acted toward me with bad faith – but I don’t wish them ill or hold hate for them in my heart. This is partly because my temperament doesn’t function that way, but when I find my mind spooled up over something someone has done to me, I use prayer and reason to pull myself out of that trajectory.

In John 13:34, Jesus gives us a new commandment; “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Reading that statement, it sound so easy. In reality the concept stings from the hurts so many of us are faced with daily. Today, those of us who claim the Christian faith are persecuted for having personal businesses in which we choose to express our beliefs, we’re told we’re intolerant and called names like “homophobic” because we hold tight to Biblical principles, we’ve even been forbidden from worshiping together because the ‘state’ says so.

How do we ‘love one another’ and not be swallowed up by those who hate us and want to silence us?

First, we recognize that what Christians are facing today has already been identified by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12: “We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens.” (Common English Bible). Realistically then, we’re not going to win THAT kind of a battle on our own without some kind of spiritual help. Without entreating upon the name of our Lord and channeling the power He gives us to fight, we’re going to get nowhere fast. So, there’s that.

Secondly, we must realize we’re not the first generation to have to literally fight for our freedom against the tyranny of man. The Bible contains at least 86 verses testifying to the wickedness of man. Without God then, man is but lost. To think humans should somehow rely on humans to do the right things on their own when written records extending back thousands of years speak to us of the history of man’s inhumanity to man, is simply nonsensical. Only God can change any of that (Ezekiel 36:26) – which is why we must pray for those who curse us (Luke 6:27-28).

Thirdly, there are instructions for how to deal with a Christian friend who has wronged us (Matthew 18:15-17) and we should use those instructions because God has given us friends here on earth to keep each other accountable. “Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other.” (Proverbs 27:17 – See also Galatians 6 – CEB). For those who are not Christians – and those who are unable or unwilling to be reconciled with you, do as Paul and Barnabas did in Antioch; shake the dust off your feet and move on (Act 13:5). Scripture doesn’t say to be ugly, or fight with them, or otherwise curse them, it just says, essentially, “move on”. Paul and Barnabas were “bold” in the way they confronted the people, but once the people did not heed their message, it was time to “move on”.

Lastly, fear breeds hate and contempt and every possible bad human trait. If we can’t have faith that, no matter what happens around us or to us, God is with us and has plans for our future (Jeremiah 29:11), we’ll live constantly in fear, dealing with humanity from a position of anger and hate. Anger hurts only ourselves. It puts us in a position where we can’t reason properly and we can’t be victorious over any form of evil if we use only emotion because the “heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).

No, the human side of us doesn’t want to love anyone who hurts us, but we’re not talking brotherly, friendship love, we’re talking about the kind of love we have for people because God made us all – a love for HUMANITY. A love that keeps us from descending into a place where lack of reason rules our every move and forces us further away from an ability to see how to push back the evil that presses down around us, but forces us further away from God, family and friends.

Jesus wasn’t ‘friends’ with the Pharisees. He pushed back against them mightily, frequently calling them vipers and hypocrites (Matthew 12:34) – we even saw Him get righteously angry with money changers in the Temple and turn over their tables (Mark 11:15-18). Being Christians doesn’t mean that we tolerate those who try and hurt us. We may act with ‘righteous’ anger, but we cannot allow hatred and anger to rule us. We must act with self-control always and attempt to speak the truth in love – hating the sin, not the sinner. 

Remember, a house divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:25). In order to do the MOST good against evil, we must do our best to use the Fruits Of The Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and work with others of the faith, avoiding petty differences, loving one another as humans, even if we can’t as friends.

When You Are Truly And Sincerely Needing Help, You Have Only To Ask To Receive

Two times in my life I have cried out to Jesus for help in utter absence of an ability to do anything under my own power. Both times I have been answered. One was when we lost our son. 

What We Deserve

 

Some time ago I opened my Facebook page to find this meme. Now, I've noticed this not-so-subtle social engineering garbage being pumped into my Facebook feed for months now, but this today was specifically egregious to me. 

What If Doing Unto Others Actually Practicing Narcissism?

Do unto others...Luke records Jesus' words from the Sermon On The Mount a bit differently than Matthew. Luke provides the phraseology we so often use to advise our children - as I was advised by MY parents; "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." (Luke 6:31) Recently, I've been thinking on this edict and I have to say that, today, this admonition doesn't stand like it did decades ago when my grandparents - and even parents - used it.

To Whom Should We Really Pledge Our Allegiance?

This morning I read with interest yet another article about someone not observing the Pledge of Allegiance and it hit me - why not before I know not, but this morning it hit me - 'allegiance'. 

That's a tricky word, 'allegiance'. 

As a Christian, I owe my 'allegiance' to my father God - not to a flag, as that could be considered idol worship - so I went out to the internet and CAREFULLY found a website (meaning I didn't use Wikipedia or a government or other institution) that had information on the Pledge. 

I Can't Support Jen Hatmaker's Method of Ministry

A recent blog by Matt Walsh on the Blaze has been making the rounds. I have not previously followed Jen Hatmaker - I'm gonna say that right up front. In fact, I've only heard her name through friends of mine she inspires.

Heavy Heart Syndrome...

For the last several weeks I have been suffering from 'heavy heart' syndrome. 

A previously-healthy, sweet friend of mine is in the hospital struggling to regain her health, and her family and friends are concerned for her condition. I hear the prayer list at church and so many of our older members are struggling with health problems or dealing with spouses who have memory issues as well as those affecting their overall health, and they are tired and worn out. 

Storms Roll In

In place of a sunrise this morning, there was this.

I thought maybe I wouldn't capture the scene, as it was significantly uglier than what I see so often in its place, but then I thought about how often our days mirror this sky and not the beautiful, untroubled skies I often see.

So many of us have troubles and struggles and strongholds to hack through every day. Some of us have physical illness or deformity - unwieldy and/or disobedient children that make us wring our hands and cry - issues between spouses that have caused hurt and/or emotional separation - a loss of a job and/or financial struggles - some of us find solace in emotional pain because the familiarity it offers makes it so hard to move forward that we stay mired in the past...whatever the reason, we all have storms in our life and sometimes more often than calm. There is an answer, however.

Peter reminds us (1st Peter 5:7) to 'cast' all your care upon him (Jesus) for He careth for you. Jesus himself promised,

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." Following Jesus can be hard. Often, it's easier - more human feeling - to struggle; to feel depressed, to cry and wail and gnash our teeth - but Jesus promises we needn't have to waste our days in this way.

All we need to do is pray,

"Lord, take my burden, ease my woe, bring your peace in place of my misery and show me the way." I've done this more than once (after much personal struggle!) and it works! If you truly want your burden lifted and heart healed, and you pray this prayer with real sincerity, you will feel lighter and see a path through your storm. Don't be afraid. Don't stay stuck. Jesus, as always, is the answer!

The Importance of Evangelism

This morning as I was doing my farm chores, I chose to fertilize some of my berry bushes with water from the duck pond.

Late Bloomer

I was a later bloomer. Well, that's not quite accurate - I was an early starter, it just took me a really long time to capitalize on life. I was married at 19, had a baby by 20 and divorced when I was 27. I started college at 26 because, as with everything else in my life, I knew pretty much all there was to know, so what could college offer?

We Are The "Fragrance" of Christ To Others

I read this morning's devotion with much conviction. First, it was Friday's study that I'd not made time to read Friday and, second, because it reminded me that it's not just the people we meet on the street to whom we are the Bible. Above all, we are the Bible to our family.

A Band-Aid For the Soul

My husband and I are early risers. We've never gotten up past 7am - unless we're sick - and we're rarely to bed past 10. Weekday mornings Dave is up at 4:30am and I'm up at 5:30. Even on Sunday mornings when we'll be off to church by 9, we're still up at 6, preparing to go out and plant a few things that didn't get in the garden, taking care of animals, fence lines or other chores, before coming in to get ready for church.

Without The Cornerstone, Trump Will Be The Least Of Our Divisions

This has been one of the most - if not the most - divisive election season I've ever witnessed - particularly among Christians. I mean, I've been unfriended and yelled at - we've even had one woman quit coming to our church because we didn't extol the virtues of her candidate. We've had Christian leaders come out for different candidates, all claiming different reasons for their decisions.

Life Is Hard - Faith Is Hard - Thankfully, Help Is But A Call Away

Recently, I read about James' death at the hands of Herod (Acts 12:1-5) and my study directed me to the thoughts of John, his brother. Truly, this instance comes comes under the heading: 'How To Keep Your Faith When Awful Things Happen'. 

Losing Marshall - Finding Jesus

Recently I had an acquaintance ask about my testimony. I wrote it down just after my conversion happened nearly a decade ago now and I thought I would add it to my personal blog. It's my prayer it will strengthen your faith and bring you joy.