Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also Me.

   Today I experienced a troubled heart. Not for trouble I am personally experiencing, but because someone I love is troubled. Often it seems easier to endure my own difficulty that to watch someone else walk through theirs. After the initial impact, I prayed and I turned to scripture. Jesus' words in John 14:27 often comfort me – My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you…… Some days the world can pile us so high with trouble that our knees threaten to buckle under the burden, then a strange strength arrives unannounced and we stand. Wisdom and discernment begin to flow and eventually the Lord’s peace governs our heart, even under the weight of the burden, once again.  All of this is the work of the Holy Spirit, our constant companion. When we can’t tell truth from lies, the Spirit of Truth will discern. When our path is clear but looks too steep or rocky, the Holy Spirit encourages us forward. When we feel exhausted and alone, we remember David’s words – Where can I go from your Spirit? - and find ourselves in the company of Three – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are among holy friends, holy counselors, holy wisdom, holy healing and holy power from the throne of God in the form of the Holy Spirit. Fellowship in the Spirit can sustain us through what otherwise would seem impossible.

   Guzik writes -- Even though there was good reason why their hearts might be troubled, Jesus tells the disciples to challenge their troubled hearts with faith in the Father and the Son. They did not have to give into the emotions of fear and despair - they really could... let not your hearts be troubled.

   Do you need help today? The Helper is already present. He is with you and is reaching to help. He has been sent by the Father in the Name of Jesus. What could have more power? He has proceeded from the Father and the Son and remains in constant contact with all who have simple faith in the life, death and resurrection of the Lord.

   Do not let your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. God is with you.

              

               Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reproduced in whole or in art without prior written permission if a ink is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com

Soapy Mouthed Kids and #Cussin' Christians.....

   But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. (2 Tim 2:16 NKJV)

   There was a forsythia bush located at the end of my childhood home. It's branches were untrimmed and it draped to the ground creating a concealing canopy. As small children we loved its tenting privacy. When I was 4 or 5 years old, as several of us were  gathered there I was "dared" to say the sh-- word. I balked, so I was "double-dared". The peer pressure overcame me and I whispered the evil word. Immediately one of my sisters who was present jumped to her feet screaming, "Stevie cussed, Stevie cussed!"
 

   As I heard my Mom calling for me I felt fortunate that my Dad wasn't home. His punishment would have been forceful. Mom was probably going to give me a good talking to. She surprised me, herding me to the bathroom and pinning me against the sink with her legs. She quietly reached for the half used soggy bar of soap that was sitting there and said, "Let's clean that dirty mouth." and inserted the soap. It was a horrible taste. The soap was soft enough and my mouth small enough that bits of soap adhered to many of my teeth. Crying, I rinsed it out. Then again. And again, and again...... It was so hard to fully remove that taste that I soon quit trying. I tasted soap all afternoon.

   As dinnertime approached, I was certain that food would finally cleanse my soapy palate. As we were about to start dinner, Dad arrived, Mom informed him of the days activity, and he more harshly repeated the process, then sent me to bed. I tasted soap until I ate my Wheaties the next morning. I learned a lesson that day (but not the right one). I learned not to use course language around my tattling sister.

   In today's culture, few parents (even Christian parents) would use this punishment. I've learned of a company named Munchkins, makers of children's products, who this very year have launched a new product call "Naughty Mouth Soap". Copy from their website report -- Just like other Munchkin cleaning products, the new Naughty Mouth Soap is natural, and free of harsh chemicals, parabens and dyes. Available in five ill-tasting flavors, each addresses a specific behavioral situation, including Whining Wasabi, Lying Liver, Spoiled Child Spoiled Milk, Vulgarity Vomit and Extra-Strength Sour Pout Face, which features a foul-tasting concentrate ideal for even the most challenging personalities. - See more at: http://www.munchkin.com/press/munchkin-inc-raises-bar-cleaning-launch-non-toxic-naughty-mouth-soap#sthash.ag1NhkV7.dpuf  (When you go to this link, be sure to check the date of the press release.)

   If parents decide to use this product they'd probably struggle with which words are wrong to say. Many that were on Mom's "soapable offence" list are now commonly heard on evening TV shows. Lately, I know many born again Believers who have adopted the TV standard for use of language, or worse. I've even found myself doing it once or twice with words that seem not-to-be-any-longer-soapable offences.
 

    When I became a Christian, I had a mouth trained by thirty years in the industrial construction business. I struggled to stop swearing and failed repeatedly. One Sunday as I left church the Lord stopped me in my tracks and spoke into my heart that my cursing days were over. I broke and cried out to Him, explaining that I had tried often and failed often and couldn't seem to stop. His Spirit quietly said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV)  In my weakness and His power, I finally stopped. Many years passed without an evil word passing my lips.

   So, what words should a Christian never say? I polled a few friends this week and got a variety of answers, accurately depicting the disparity of belief that exists on this subject. All agree that the commandment must be obeyed - You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Ok, don't use the Lord's name in vain. That's were the agreement stopped. Many believe that there is no prohibition to the use of TV approved words, the so-called lesser swear words. A few even think that their apparent regular use of the F bomb is fine (a position that I think is a lot easier to defend before me than it will be on Judgment Day before the Lord). One dear friend from the mission field pointed out the use of alternative cussing, words like flippin', frickin", holy crap, and all the JC replacement words are out of bounds for him. Another quoted Romans 12:2 Don't be conformed to this world.... and lamented the extent to which Christians are being conformed to the culture rather than impacting the culture for Christ. Perhaps my favorite response was simply tis -- I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20). Anything that Christ wouldn't say, I shouldn't say.

   To all these biblical answers I say, Amen!, and offer this question for reflection:

   Dear child of Christ, what passes your lips that would never have passed His?

Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com


  

   

Duck Dynasty Beards, Egyptian Square Beards, and Where is the Culture Dragging Me that I Shouldn't Go?

And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. Ezekiel 5:1( NKJV)

   Every morning millions of men follow this instruction. Even men like myself with a full beard have a little morning maintenance to perform. The Duck Dynasty show has caused a resurgence in the popularity of full untrimmed beards in the US. While it seems like a new thing, it is not. In Leviticus 19:17, God instructed the Israelites -- You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. (Finally,  a decree of God I have faithfully obeyed for over thirty years.) Because of this commandment, the beard took on a special significance in Hebrew culture.

   Leviticus 19:17 is translated above, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard….. but a better translation for edges would be corners. Corners? Do beards have corners? During the enslavement of the Jews by Egypt, the Egyptian style was to trim the beard square (with corners). To imitate this style was to imitate enslavement and disrespect God’s deliverance in the Exodus.

   A Hebrew man’s beard was considered his finest adornment. Many would swear by their beard. To lose their beard would have been the greatest imaginable loss, equal to loss of
life. In 2 Samuel 10 when the king of the Ammonites died, David, who had been friendly with the king sent a cadre of servants to comfort his son and the new king, Hanun. Hanun’s people convinced him that David had really sent the servants as spies, and -- Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

    Conversely, it was considered a sign of most respectful greeting for one man to grab the other by the beard. What was socially respectable for the ordinary Hebrew often flowed from what was absolutely required of the priests of Yahweh, and this was true with traditions about the beard.

   In the Hebrew  beard centric culture, God told Ezekiel, a priest, -- take a sharp sword, take it as a barber's razor, and pass it over your head and your beard… The sight of a beardless and hairless priest then would have received the same reaction we might have today in church if a pastor walked to the pulpit to preach one Sunday, naked. People would scream and run, covering their faces. Most would condemn him. God was requiring of Ezekiel an act that while it might bring temporary shame to him personally, would assure that people noticed him sufficiently that they would receive God’s warning about their future. God is just. God is good. He prefers repentance to rebuke. His desire was that His chosen people would return their hearts to Him. Ezekiel complied and shaved it all, but God’s children continued to ignore Him.

   This verse made me reflect on my instinctive compliance to cultural norms. I say I am a man of the Book, and want to hold a biblical worldview, but in truth I often consider cultural norms so normal that I never even attempt to observe them through a biblical lens.

   Question for reflection through a biblical lens -- What areas of my life are culture driven rather than biblically driven? Where is current American culture dragging me that I shouldn't go?


Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Simple Grace Doesn't Always Seem So Simple

   The Lord has no need of me. He is the Creator of all things. He is larger than my imagination can conceive. He has a divine plan and can accomplish it easily without me. Sometimes in my vanity, I think I am necessary for God, but  in my soul I know it is not true. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34 NKJV

 

   The One who spoke a single word and created has no need of my noisy pestering prayers, but He listens anyway and often responds. He hears my many plans but wishes I would simply let Him plan for me. He prefers that I would listen to Him more often than I talk to Him. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.... (Isaiah 55:3 NKJV)

 

    I proclaim that my heart is His, then often waiver when it really counts. Some days my words adore Him but my life reveals other adorations. Often I'm far too comfortable with the contradictions in my Christian walk. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21 NKJV)

 

   In my humanity, my flesh, my faith seems to oscillate, sometimes strong, then suddenly weak. When I'm weak Satan may accuse me of not really being a Christian. When I was a new Christian, I sort of believed him. Now I know all these failings are simply part of being human in a world broken by sin. To some, my failures might seem smaller as I progress, but my desire to live as an imitator of Christ makes them seem huge to me. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV)

 

    The miracles of Christ as recorded in scripture are amazing. But as a man, nothing Jesus did is more amazing than the report that He -- in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. I remember meeting a friend for lunch a few years back. As I approached him he seemed lost in thought. Appearing astonished, this man of God reported to me that he thought it might have been three days since he last sinned. It was a personal record. If he's done better since, he's never told me.

 

    God could have doomed us for Adam's failure. His condemnation would have been warranted, but He refused to condemn us. That's mercy. Instead Jesus left the perfection of Heaven and came to live and suffer and be tempted and die among us to save us and take us home with Himself. That's grace.

  

    Mercy appears when we do not get what we do deserve. Grace appears when we do get what we do not deserve.

 

    I often catch myself comparing my walk to that of other Christians -- usually ones who are struggling more than I am, or sinning more than I am or in some way failing Christ more than I am. My sinful heart seeks favorable comparisons, but the Spirit whispers within me and returns my mind to reality. He reminds me  -- casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ... (2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV)

 

   One of the signposts I often see on the Narrow Path of Christ asks me -- Who do you think you are better than? -- reminding me that it is by the grace of God that  I am who I am. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:4-4 NKJV)

 

     The Lord has no need of me. It is true. Yet He listens to me, He blesses me, He forgives me, He has redeemed me, He loves me and one day He will call me home, to His home, to live with Him forever. That too is larger than my imagination can conceive, but I receive it as Truth by faith. Sometimes wavering faith, mustard seed sized faith, but always sufficient faith. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God... (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)

 

Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednsday.blogspot.com