When the world has you feeling BLAH – The Power of Simple Faith - Purity 509

When the world has you feeling BLAH – The Power of Simple Faith                                                                              

Purity 509 08/28/2021 Purity 509 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of a sunrise in Jacksonville Florida comes from a friend who enjoys rising early and watching their son ride the waves.  If you zoom in you I’m pretty sure you can see our friend’s son right under the rising sun.  Our friend shared this photo last week testifying to the fact that “when the world has you feeling BLAH! A good sunrise let’s you know today can be a better day.” In light of the chaos in certain parts of the world, they also prayed “God bless our troops.”

Surprisingly, three days later our friend announced that they have made the decision to pick up their stakes and pursue a career opportunity in Charleston, South Carolina. So while we will lament the fact that we may not get anymore sunrises shots from Jacksonville, we congratulate our friend on their new journey and look forward to what they may share in the future from Charleston.  

As we enjoy Saturday today and the weekend, I am glad for the contact that technology allows us to have with old friends and the way it allows us to make new friends who we would have never met otherwise.  

I’m not sure of the depths of my friend in Jacksonville’s faith but his comments and greetings to his friends reveal some biblical wisdom.  Their thoughts on how a sunrise can let you know that today can be a better day reminds me of one of my favorite passages in scripture. 

Lamentations 3:21-23 (NKJV)
²¹  This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
²²  Through the LORD'S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
²³  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

 

The Lord’s mercies are new every morning and therefore we can have hope.  Because God is faithful, we can trust Him and call out to Him in times of need.  

Our friend’s simply prayer, God bless our troops, also shows that they recognize ,however simply, that God is above the things of this world and that He can offer protection and favor.  I thought of a few verses that could apply to our troops for protection, bravery, or the sacrifices that they make but couldn’t settle on one, so I am sharing a couple of links that I found on Guideposts, which is a Christian periodical that is big on simple devotions, that provide various verse for soldiers. (https://www.guideposts.org/how-we-help/military-outreach/10-bible-verses-to-encourage-a-military-loved-one) (https://www.guideposts.org/how-we-help/military-outreach-stories/8-bible-verses-for-soldiers).  

Little did my friend know that his simply thoughts of well-wishing from last week would inspire today’s post. We all don’t have to be Bible school graduates or to be in active ministry to encourage another or to point to the fact that there is a God above our lives who oversees the course of this world and who can be interacted with.   

I shared yesterday in the concluding comments on my podcast that someone who saw my blog on reddit reached out to thank me for my posts.  They confessed that they were struggling with suicidal ideation and that my posts were leading them to relying on the Lord to see them through.  

Our words of hope can impact other people and with today’s technology our words of encouragement can span the globe.  

So if “the world has you feeling BLAH”, look to the heavens, count the blessings you have, and know that there is a God cares about you and that “today can be a better day”.

Our lives are a journey. No matter what the new day brings or where we will go, we have the Lord, and each other, to help us to experience lives filled with peace, joy, and love,

 

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Mark 12:31 (NKJV)
³¹  And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."  

Today’s verse highlight’s what Christ calls the second commandment and His authority to change the game.

Some people pay lip service to Jesus Christ by saying He was a wise teacher but then either reveal their ignorance or blasphemy by ignoring His words or the implications of His words.  

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus is rewriting the law by proclaiming that there are essentially two commandments: to love God and to love people. In a couple of sentences He simultaneously simplifies and complicates the expectations of those who wish to be right with God.  

One may think that Jesus’s commandments make things “simple” because there are only to commandments now, right?  

But the thing is that if we truly love God, and our neighbors as ourselves, our actions and attitudes would not only conform to the principles highlighted in the precepts of the Old Testament law, we would surpass those requirements that were put forth in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.   

If loving God wasn’t complicated enough with the expectation to be holy as He is holy, Jesus tells us that we are to love the difficult people in the world just as we would love ourselves. 

God may be in heaven, but He is good so while we may struggle with how we are to love Him we aren’t too thrown off with the idea of loving God because He is certainly worthy of our love. 

People on the other hand are right here in our face and while we may have more practical ideas of how we could express our love to them, we may have some serious doubts about why we should because they may not be so good, and we may decide that they are not worthy of our love. 

Christ’s second commandment presents the harsh reality that we are not to just opt out of society and go worship God in a cave somewhere. We are supposed to be in the world and share the love of God with the difficult people around us!

How can we do this impossible feat of loving our neighbors as ourselves?

We can only do the second commandment successfully if we practice the first one.  Through our seeking, following, and loving the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we will be given the patience, joy, peace, love, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control that we will need to utilize to love our neighbors as ourselves.  

So we are to practice what we preach. We are to love God and love people. And there is a reason Christ put those two commandments in that order.  It is only through our relationship with God and the power of a life lived by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit that we will be able to experience the love of God.  

It is that love, the love of God, that we will use to love our neighbors as ourselves.  The earthly forms of romantic, friendly, or familial love just won’t transfer to our neighbors. It’s the love of God, that we are to share with them and in order to share it we first must receive it.   

So keep walking and talking with God. Seek His wisdom and love and when you receive it, obey Christ’s second commandment by sharing it with all the neighbors you encounter on your journey of life.  

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue with Dr. Neil Anderson’s Victory Over the Darkness, continuing  Chapter 13.

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $15.00:

Designs for Discipleship

Paul refers to three levels of maturity in Col. 2:6-10:

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.

According to Paul, believers are to be firmly rooted in Christ and then built up to walk, or to live, in Him. This defines three levels of maturity. Each level of maturity has specific conflicts that need to be resolved as illustrated in Figure 13-A. Figure 13-B illustrates the growth at the same three levels. Notice also the five dimensions of application for each level: spiritual, rational, emotional, volitional, and relational. Please understand that there are no clear boundaries separating the three levels of maturity or the five dimensions of application as the figures would seem to imply. We are not diced up into little squares.

Level I relates to being firmly rooted in Christ. These foundational issues are based on the fact that "in Him you have been made complete" (Col. 2:10).

Level II relates to being built up in Christ, which is how Paul describes our maturity in Christ (see Col. 2:7).

Level III relates to daily walking in Christ, which is based on our identity and maturity in Christ. Paul instructed, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Col. 2:6).

Each level of maturity is dependent on the previous level. Christians cannot have an effective walk (Level III) if they are not growing in Christ (Level II), and they cannot mature if they are not firmly rooted in Christ (Level I).

Level I: Rooted in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

The Level I spiritual conflict is the lack of salvation or the lack of assurance of salvation. God wants us to know that we "have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). To disciple people, we have to first lead them to Christ so the Holy Spirit can bear witness with their spirits that they "are children of God" (Romans 8:16).

The Level I rational conflict is intellectual pride. Prideful people are self-sufficient. They don't want anybody to tell them what to do or how to do it. Prideful people don't need God or anyone else. We have to come to the end of our resources to discover God's resources. We are ready to receive from God and others when our prideful spirits are broken.

The emotional conflicts at Level I are fear, guilt, and shame. Fear compels people to do what they should not do and inhibits them from doing what they should do. People who are motivated by fear are not experiencing their freedom in Christ. Fear of anyone or anything other than God is mutually exclusive to faith in God. Satan wants to be feared because he wants to be worshiped, but the fear of the Lord expels all other fears (see Psalm 34:4, 7). Guilt and shame also need to be overcome by the grace of God because, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

The Level I volitional conflict is rebellion. It is very difficult to disciple rebels because they won't submit to authority. Growth at this level involves understanding biblical submission to God and others.

The Level I relational conflict to overcome is rejection. The discipleship process is based on God's unconditional love and acceptance (see Titus 3:5). Building up one another does not start with authoritarian rule that demands accountability; it begins with acceptance and affirmation. When people know they are accepted and affirmed, they will voluntarily be accountable to authority. When authority figures demand accountability without acceptance and affirmation, however, they will never get it.

The first goal of discipleship is to help those you disciple become firmly rooted in Christ. This entails the following:

• Leading individuals to Christ and to the assurance of salvation
• Guiding them to a true knowledge of God and who they are in Christ, and starting them down the path of knowing God's ways
• Changing their basic motivation from irrational fears to the fear of God and helping them overcome guilt and shame
• Helping them see the ways they are still playing God or rebelling against God's authority
• Breaking down their defenses against rejection by accepting and affirming them

Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

God bless you all!

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

He Calls Me Out Upon the Waters – Finding Him in the Mystery - Purity 504

He Calls Me Out Upon the Waters – Finding Him in the Mystery                                                                                                                                                               

Purity 504 08/23/2021  Purity 504 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s epic shot of a solitary figure walking into the surf on one of the beaches of the Hamptons of Long Island under a blazing sun comes to us from a friend who spent the weekend there with friends and who has a history of bravely walking into the thick of things to help others. My friend’s bravery has been evidenced in their life history as they have not only served our country with military service but have also met the pain of loss to suicide by volunteering for , and leading, the cause of suicide prevention in their local community. So to see my friend enjoy the summer season and the company of friends fills my heart with joy.   

This scene reminds me of the Hillsong United song, “When Oceans Rise”, that begins:

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown
Where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours
You are mine

As we are called into another work week and may have to clean up some damage done over the weekend, we really don’t know what challenges we will face in the “great unknown, where feet may fail”.

Last week, I visited with friends who were hosting some unexpected house guests, a couple who were old friends that were drawn to the capital district because one of their parent’s health deteriorated quickly and whose life was expiring.  While my friends and their guests are Christians and were meeting the inevitability of loss with their faith, the stress of the situation and the uncertainty were paying a toll on all the parties involved so our small group prayed for our friends to have strength, compassion, and guidance in the days ahead last week.

Little did we know at the time, but the night we prayed for the situation, the house guests’ beloved parent would be called into eternity. The house guests returned home, and my friends attended the funeral this past Friday.  

They stated that whole situation was hard, but they were glad that they had made their home available to their friends and were there to support them in their time of need. They also testified to the fact that everyone’s faith in Christ was a tremendous comfort and that our prayers for strength, compassion, and guidance were answered.  

Even though we may walk through tough times in life, when the oceans are deep, and waters of trials and tribulations rise, when we have a relationship with  God through faith in Jesus Christ, we will “find Him in the mystery” by calling on His name and keeping our eyes above the waves.  When our worlds are turned upside down by changing circumstances and loss, if we keep our eyes on the Lord, our faith will stand because He will never leave us or forsake us. He makes a way for us in this life and prepares a place for us beyond it.    

So keep your eyes above the waves and keep walking and talking with God. He calls us to walk towards Him through the waves of change in our lives, even on Mondays, and if we call upon His name. we will find Him in the mystery and feel the warmth and peace of His embrace, as we can confidently say to the Lord that: I am Yours, and You are mine.”

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Mark 12:30 (NKJV)
³⁰  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

Today’s verse are the words of Jesus who informs us that we are to have an all-consuming love for the Lord. 

Forgive my silliness but as I wrote this I began to think about how we are to love the Lord and what that should like and as I contemplated it the word “devoted” came to mind as a description of the depth of feeling that we should have for the God who made us, gave us everything we have, and who loved us enough to show us the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to forgive us our sins and to provide us with mercy, grace, and a new and eternal life.   The word devoted triggered a memory of the song “Hopelessly Devoted to You” by Olivia Newton John.   

That ballad from Grease, just spoke of the depth of feeling that a young woman had for her less than perfect beau who had temporarily “pushed her love aside” but was alas hopelessly devoted to him all the same.     

Unlike our human relationships, God is perfect and the depths of His goodness, wisdom, and love are limitless.  If we seek the Lord’s presence in our lives and seek to know Him more, all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength will become “hopelessly devoted” to Him. Our realization of His continual presence and His rule over the course of our lives will give us an idea of the great love He has for us even though we can be quite unlovable at times.  

While God is not pinning away for us like Olivia Newton John, He has been patient in waiting for us to accept His love and the new life He has for us.  

Some Christians come to God with great joy upon hearing the gospel, but as they still must walk through the troubles of this life and their prayers aren’t answered in the way that they wish, their hearts can grow cold toward God.  When that happens we lead a defeated life.

That’s why Christ reminds us that our first commandment is to love the Lord with such an intensity that we never forget what He has done for us, who He is, and the fact that He is actively working all things together for our good. 

That promise from Romans 8:28 is conditional. He works all things together for good only for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.  As it turns out, today’s verse tells us that our purpose is to love Him.  

So remind yourself of the wonders of God’s love for you and endeavor to make a practice of reaching out to God with your heart. You don’t have to worry about Him “pushing your love aside”. Our devotion for God is not hopeless. Your love is never wasted on God. He can receive it and He loves to pour out His love for you in return.  So obey Christ’s first commandment and love God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength.   

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue with Dr. Neil Anderson’s Victory Over the Darkness, continuing in Chapter 12.

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $15.00:

When You Are Tempted to Criticize or Reject Others

Focus on Responsibilities

Satan will also tempt us to focus on our rights instead of our responsibilities. For example, a husband may chip at his wife because he thinks he has a right to expect her to be submissive. A wife may nag her husband because she expects him to be the spiritual leader. Parents harass their children because they think it is their right to demand obedience. Members raise a stink in the local church when they think their rights have been violated by pastors, boards, or other church members.

Anytime a nation, a group of people, or even individuals focus on their rights at the exclusion of their responsibilities, they are going down. No culture can withstand that kind of self-centered orientation. Husbands, having a submissive wife is not your right; but being a loving, caring husband is your responsibility. Headship is not a right to be demanded but an awesome responsibility to be fulfilled.

Similarly, wives, having a spiritual husband is not your right; but being a submissive, supportive wife is your responsibility. Parents, expecting your children to obey you is not your right; but disciplining your children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord is your responsibility. Being a member of the Body of Christ and of a local church is an incredible privilege, not a right. This privilege comes with the awesome responsibility to behave as God's children and become a lover of God and people. When we stand before Christ, He will not ask us if we received everything we had coming to us. He will reward us for how well we fulfilled our responsibilities.

Don't Play the Role of Conscience

I grew up having a good, moral background and going to church, but I wasn't a Christian. In those days I really enjoyed beer, especially on a hot day after mowing the lawn. When I received Christ as a young man, I joined a church that preached total abstinence from alcoholic beverages. I didn't drink enough to be a drunk, so I decided to scratch that rule and have my occasional beer. Two years later the Lord brought a sense of conviction about my beer drinking. Along with the conviction came the power to obey, so I gave it up.

Sometimes we are tempted to play the role of the Holy Spirit or the conscience in someone else's life in areas where the Scriptures are not crystal clear: "Christians don't drink or smoke"; "You should spend at least 30 minutes a day in prayer and Bible study"; "Buying lottery tickets is not good stewardship."

I am convinced the Holy Spirit knows exactly when to bring conviction in matters of conscience. It is part of the process of sanctification that He superintends. When we attempt to play the role of the Holy Spirit in someone else's life, we misdirect their battle with God onto ourselves; and we are unqualified for the task. In doing so, we often do little more than convey criticism and rejection.

Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

God bless you all!

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Carpe Diem apud Deum – Seize the Day with God - Purity 502

Carpe Diem apud Deum – Seize the Day with God   

Purity 502 08/20/2021   Purity 502 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of a setting sun blazing through the dissipating rain clouds over the parking lot of Walmart in Hudson NY comes to us from yours truly as I jumped out of my car to capture it on the way home last night.  I had initially wanted to crop this photo to just highlight the sky but realized that a part of its beauty comes from the sun’s reflection in the parking lot asphalt.  I like to think of the fact that even asphalt can reflect the beauty of the sun as a metaphor for how the power of God can be reflected in each one of us.  

Upon further review of this spur of the moment photo, I realized I also captured a seagull on top of parking lot lamp post, which could remind us of the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence in our lives.  What we see, He sees and if we open our spiritual eyes He will lead us into all truth.   

The whole scene and the fact that I seized the moment to capture it is indicative of “walking in the Spirit”.  If I had been focused on “just getting home”, I could have missed this or decide just to move along.   But I knew that the scene was worthwhile, and I thought that I should enjoy what God was presenting to me and that I could also share its beauty with my friends.   

And that’s what “walking in the Spirit”  is all about: living our lives in the presence of the Lord and seizing opportunities to enjoy Him and to share Him with others.  

I have testified of my failures at being a “prophet” with the fact that I had dreams that I took to be prophetic only to learn that the dreams didn’t become reality, much to my embarrassment.  Although I have given up the idea of being the next Elijah, I still try to be sensitive to the intuitions I get and consider following them.   Although I have made mistakes and have jumped to conclusions in the past based on my desires, it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t  want to lead us into His will and the good things that He has prepared for us.  

On Monday, I shared how I had overwhelming feelings to “seize the day” and arranged to enjoy the good weather at a friend’s swimming pool after work.  I really felt that summer might be slipping away, and I had to move to grab the opportunity to enjoy it. So I did. I felt a little foolish about it, but I really enjoyed it.   And considering, how the weather did a complete 180 in the following days, with miserable overcast and humid conditions,  I am entertaining the idea that my “intuition” to seize the day may have been heaven sent.  

Summer in upstate NY is a tenuous thing and history has shown me it can be here one day and gone the next, and just when we think the season it is gone it will come roaring back in September or October.   

I’m not a meteorologist and I don’t watch the news, so I don’t know what the future holds in terms of the weather, but I do know that on Monday I had a strong intuition to grab a hold of an opportunity to enjoy the season and I took it.   The whole time I was filled with joy and gratitude.  

So, keep your eyes open, look for the things that God wants you to see.  Listen to the still quiet voice or those strong intuitions to do something good or spontaneous.  One fruit of the Spirit is joy, and the only way we will experience it is if we “seize the day with God.”  

So thank God its Friday! And go get whatever it is that the Lord has for you today, this weekend, and every day, by walking and talking with God.         

  

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Mark 12:24 (NKJV)
²⁴  Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?

Today’s verse contains the words for Jesus, Himself, who tells us of the importance of knowing the Scriptures and the power of God.    

Jesus was addressing the Sadducees who were asking hypothetical spiritual questions that they thought were compelling but only revealed their ignorance.   We say there is no such thing as a dumb question because seeking knowledge is a good thing, but the word of God tells us to study to show ourselves approved by “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Scripture also tells us that if we want wisdom to ask God for it.   While we can receive words of knowledge and intuitions in our spirit from the Lord for wisdom and guidance on occasion, the best way to gain wisdom is by studying the word of God. 

The Holy Spirit loves to bring us revelations that will edify and enlighten us in our search to know God and to do His will and the “language” He speaks is the “word of God”.  So we should really answer the call to study the Bible and even pray for the Lord to give us a heart to study and to understand what His word says.  

The word of God is powerful and can transform our minds and open our eyes to ultimate reality, a reality in which we all live under a transcendent, powerful, and loving God who has made all of creation for His purposes and who invites us to know Him and to discover our part in His divine drama.

When we meditate on the word of God and the fantastic things that it tells us about the Lord and the ways that He has interacted with mankind, we get a small idea of the power of God. When we receive that revelation of God and come into relationship with Him by placing our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, we come into harmony with Him and experience the blessings of a life filled with meaning, purpose, and the fruit of the Spirit.  

So endeavor to know the Lord by studying His word and by understanding the immense power and love that He has for us to experience.  

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue with Dr. Neil Anderson’s Victory Over the Darkness, continuing in Chapter 12.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $15.00:

Defensiveness Is Defenseless

No matter how well you live your life, somebody won't like it. How should we respond to those who can't or won't accept us? Should we be defensive? There are two reasons you never need to respond defensively to the world's critical, negative evaluation of you.

First, if you are in the wrong, you don't have a defense. If you are criticized for saying something out of order or doing something wrong and if the criticism is valid, any defensiveness on your part would be a rationalization at best and a lie at worst. You must simply respond, "You're right; I was wrong," and then take steps to improve your character and change your behavior.

Second, if you are right, you don't need a defense. Peter encouraged us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus who, "while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:21-23). If you are in the right, you don't need to defend yourself. The Righteous Judge, who knows who you are and what you have done, will exonerate you.

In the beginning of my pastoral ministry I was responsible for several volunteers in the youth ministry of our church, including a woman named Alice. Alice was a fine Christian who had been placed in charge of a girls' program at the church. Unfortunately, although gifted in many areas, Alice didn't have the administrative skills to do the job. She struggled with her ministry, feeling frustrated and out of place. Because things weren't going well, Alice must have thought she needed a scapegoat, so she picked me. "I need to see you," she fumed at me one day. So we set up an appointment.

When we sat down together, she laid a sheet of paper on the table. "Neil, I have listed all your good points and all your bad points." I glanced at her paper and saw two columns. One point was listed in the good column, and the bad points went all the way to the bottom of the sheet and over to the other side. I invited her to read the good point first and then read every bad point on the list.

The part of me made of earth wanted to respond defensively to each of her accusations. The part of me made of the Spirit kept saying, "Keep your mouth shut, Anderson." So I just sat and listened attentively until she had emptied both barrels.

Finally I said, "Alice, it must have taken a lot of courage to come in and share that list with me. What do you suggest I do?"

My question took her completely off guard and she began to cry. "Oh, Neil, it's not you; it's me," she sobbed. Well, that wasn't completely right either. There was a kernel of truth in each of the criticisms she had leveled at me. If I had defended myself on any of those points, however, Alice would have been even more determined to convince me that I was not yet qualified to be a member of the Trinity. As it turned out, my openness to her criticism prepared the way for us to discuss her frustration with her ministry. Two weeks later she resigned from the girls' program, and now she is having a great time serving the Lord in a ministry that fits her gifts.

If you can learn not to be defensive when someone exposes your character defects or attacks your performance, you may have an opportunity to turn the situation around and minister to that person. Christians who put down others are hurting people. Mature Christians don't behave that way because they know believers are not supposed to do that.

You are not obligated to respond to rejection by beating the system, giving in to the system or rebelling against the system. The world's system for determining your value as a person is not what determines your value. Peter wrote, "And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:4). Your allegiance is to Christ your Lord, not to the world.

Paul said, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" (Col. 2:8). The world's system is very influential, but you don't need to respond to that system because you are not of this world. You are in the world, but you are not of the world (see John 17:14-16). You are in Christ. If you find yourself responding to rejection defensively, turn your attention to those things that will build you up and establish you in your faith.

Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

God bless you all!

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands - Purity 475

                                               

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

Purity 475 07/20/2021   Purity 475 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo comes to us from our dear friends and the co-hosts of our weekly Bible Study, Arthur, and Suzanna Cincotti, who know how to appreciate the wonder of God’s creation and to not take themselves too seriously.  Here Suzanna has positioned Arthur to be the recipient of God’s blessings as they enjoyed a recent rainbow in the front yard of their home in Stottville, NY. But the quizzical look on Arthur’s face makes me pretty certain that he fully intends to share all that he receives with his dearly beloved wife and anyone else who is in need.  Our weekly Bible study highlights our common desire to grasp the truth of God’s word, receive the blessings of knowing Him more, and sharing our thoughts and insights to help other Christians with walk.  To listen in to our Bible Study discussions, check out the mt4Christ247 podcast available on most podcast services.

Today’s photo reminded me of the African American spiritual, “He’s got the Whole World in His Hands” that was first published in 1927 and became an international pop hit in 1957 when English singer Laurie London covered it.  But I have to say I prefer Mahalia Jackson’s version that captures the soulful origins of the song that reminds us all that God’s got this!  

I listened to Mahalia Jackson version just now and Amazon music started sharing more of her gospel music after it finished and my spirit soared. I had to stop it to concentrate on finishing today’s blog.  But I highly recommend you check out her gospel music, oh brother, talk about Worshiping with your soul and spirit!

Anyway, God does have us. He’s got the whole world in His Hands!  So as we have made it through Monday and head into day two of the work week, let me encourage you that God is over and above all things. He loves you dearly and wants you to come into harmony with His plan for your life through placing your faith in Jesus Christ and by living your life with and for Him. 

The peace that goes beyond all understanding only comes through seeking and following the Lord.  Don’t harden your heart, open it up to Him.

Give your pain and heartache to the One who can heal it.

Give your fears and anxieties to the One who will give you strength and protection. 

Give your confusion and chaos to the One who defines Truth and puts all things in order. 

If you’ve felt that you’ve “quenched” the Spirit, turn from the selfish life you’re living and surrender to His wisdom, power, and love.

Don’t just pray for it. Pursue it. Change your mind. Change your heart. Change the direction of your life by following the One who brings you out of the darkness and bathes you in His magnificent light.  

So keep walking and talking with God.  He’s got you and me, brother in His Hands. He’s got you and me sister in His Hands. He’s got the whole world in His Hands!  

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Mark 12:25 (NKJV)
²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Today’s verse contains a mystery straight from Jesus that can confound us but can also bring some of us a great deal of comfort and hope.    

The Lord recently shared Mark 12:26-27 a few days ago via our random verse selection. Those following verses encouraged us of the truth of a resurrection of the dead and our lives’ continuity into the kingdom of God.  

The context of this verse is Christ answering the Sadducees’ hypothetical question about woman who had the dubious distinction of marrying and outliving seven brothers.  Like wow, I suspect she might have been a “black widow”. She mates and she kills. 

But seriously no foul play is mentioned, each husband dies, and she marries next brother, until all the brother’s die and then she also dies.  The Sadducees ask Jesus which brother will be her husband in the resurrection, which they don’t believe in.    

Christ gives us a spiritual insight that puts our earthly concepts of life and fulfillment on its ear.  Jesus responds that we” neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven” when we rise from the dead.      

This is one verse that isn’t given much explanation and is certainly not highlighted at the weekly church service that seems to almost exclusively minister to married couples.  

Our earthly conception of family and fulfillment is the highlighted in the American dream of a married father and mother with a few children.  While that maybe the model that we are to seek to follow here on earth, from Christ’s words, it seems that there may be a whole different program after the resurrection. 

While well meaning pastors assure congregants that we will all see our lost loved ones and things will be much like they are here on earth when we get to heaven, Christ’s words may be describing a whole different society where the spiritual aspects of our relationships will supersede the needs that marriage meets here on the terra firma.    

With this one verse there is lots of room to speculate. For instance, the happily married among us could say “Well Jesus is just saying that there are no “new” marriages. They don’t marry, meaning no weddings, and they are not “given in marriage.” meaning no engagements.  Looks like you missed your chance at wedded bliss, sorry!”  

Anyway, as distressing as Jesus words could be for the happily married among us, His words could actually be a comfort to those who are single, divorced, or who are suffering in a bad marriage.  Christ words tell us that His kingdom will be different. 

While a happy marriage may be the be all to end all, here on earth because of the concept or myth that we each have a soul mate somewhere out there that will complete us, Christ words put marriage in its place as secondary to kingdom of God.   

As nice as your wife or husband may be, there is only One Person who completes us: Jesus Christ.  

So Jesus’ words here are a mystery, and whether you are happily married or not, whether you’ve never been married, or are divorced, we don’t have to fear them.

Christ’s words indicate that we have much to learn about our lives beyond the testing grounds of this fallen world, but the good news is that as long as we have Christ as our Lord and Savior we know that the next place will be good and that we will be with the One who completes us forever.   

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue with Dr. Neil Anderson’s Victory Over the Darkness, continuing Chapter 8.

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work. If you need this title you can find it online at several sites for less than $15.00:

Proper Guidelines Lead to a Proper Walk

3. Fulfillment. Key Concept: Role Preference

Fulfillment in life can be summarized by the simple slogan, "Bloom where you're planted." Peter said it this way: "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another" (1 Peter 4:10). Fulfillment is discovering our own uniqueness in Christ and using our gifts and talents to edify others and to glorify the Lord.

God allowed me to understand this simple principle before I entered the ministry while still employed as an aerospace engineer. I knew God wanted me to be an ambassador for Him on the job, so I started a breakfast Bible study in the bowling alley next door to the office. My announcement about the Bible study had been posted in our office for only about an hour when a Jewish fellow pulled it off the wall and brought it to me. "You can't bring Jesus in here," he objected.

"I can't do otherwise," I said. "Every day I walk in here Jesus comes in with me." He was not impressed with my response!

One of the men who found Christ through the Bible study became a flaming evangelist. He passed out tracts everywhere he went. When I left that aerospace firm to enter seminary, he took over the Bible study.

A few months later I went back to visit my friends in the Bible study. "Do you remember the Jewish fellow?" the leader asked.

"Sure, I remember him," I said, recalling his brash opposition to our Bible study.

"Well, he got sick and almost died. I went to the hospital and visited him every night. Finally I led him to Christ."

I was ecstatic at the realization that I had become a spiritual grandparent. The sense of fulfillment was exhilarating. It all happened because I started a simple little Bible study where I worked so I could do what Paul said: "Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim. 4:5).

God has a unique place of ministry for each of us. It is important to your sense of fulfillment that you realize your calling in life. The key is to discover the roles you occupy in which you cannot be replaced, and then decide to be what God wants you to be in those roles. For example, of the six billion people in the world, you are the only one who occupies your unique role as husband, father, wife, mother, parent, or child in your home. God has specially planted you to serve Him by serving your family in that environment.

Furthermore, you are the only one who knows your neighbors as you do. You occupy a unique role as an ambassador for Christ where you work. These are your mission fields, and you are the worker God has appointed for the harvest there. Your greatest fulfillment will come from accepting and occupying God's unique place for you to the best of your ability. Sadly, many miss their calling in life by looking for fulfillment in the world. Find your fulfillment in the kingdom of God by deciding to be an ambassador for Christ in the world (see 2 Cor. 5:20).

Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

God bless you all!

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship