The Devil's Work?

The Devil’s Work?

Mysteries surround me!  There are many things for which I have no explanation, choices that others make that defy reason. People find inspiration in places and from people that I don’t ‘get’ or understand. Others do things in the Name of Christ that seem weird to me. I may be tempted to judge them as being ‘of the Devil.’   I probably wouldn’t use that exact phrase, but in the past I might have demonized the situation!  I have learned to be careful before I go in that direction. God doesn’t need my permission to shake up the world. There’s a world of difference between snap judgment (bad!)) and discernment (good!). So, my aim when confronted with situations that mystify me, or even that leave me feeling some level of discomfort, is to wait, watch, and pray.

Jesus healed a man who was both blind and deaf. People saw it and were so impressed they started talking about Him with Messianic terms.  “He could be God’s expected Savior,” they said.  The religious leaders, quick to protect the status quo and God’s reputation, slapped a label on Jesus and His actions. "When they heard the report, (they) were cynical. “Black magic,” they said. “Some devil trick he’s pulled from his sleeve.”  (Matthew 12:24, The Message)  They were saying, “We don’t understand it, have no explanation in our world view that fits it, so we’ll demonize him.  We can’t have this stuff going on around here, especially when others think it might be God at work!”

Life and the Spirit have taught me that God’s Truth is persistent and powerful.  He doesn’t need me to jump in and get things straightened out. Most of the time, when that urge comes to me, I recognize it as having more to do with my own fears and preferences than it does with ‘defending’ God and/or His truth.  Oh, yes, there are aberrations of faith that need correction. There are heretical teachings that must be rejected. There are those who act in God’s Name who are only serving themselves.  Addressing them effectively, however, requires that I deal with my own fear or anger first.  If I take the offensive without being secure in His love the result will not be Christ-honoring. It will only stir up more problems.

Jesus reply to those Pharisees who attacked His work of healing moves me.  He challenged their logic and pointed them to an amazing fact.  "If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matthew 12:26-28, NIV)  Those men who thought that they were defending God were really refusing to acknowledge the arrival of God’s reign!  Oh, Lord, keep us from the same mistake, I pray.

Meditate on this word and before you’re too quick to label someone or something as the Devil’s work, see what God is doing. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:8-11, NIV)

Useless to HIM?

Jeremiah had the toughest calling in the world; to tell people hard things that they did not want to hear.  Sermons about God’s goodness, His love,  about the depths of His grace, get rave reviews.  Jeremiah preached one message for decades, “judgment is coming if you don’t get right with God!”  Who wants to hear that over and over again?  I’ll readily admit that I have not spent much time musing over the Word of God found in the book that bears the prophet’s name.  Yet, without judgment, grace becomes meaningless, doesn’t it?

Jeremiah was directed to turn his sermon into an object lesson. The Lord told him to go get a linen belt, a sash that was normally worn by royals and priests of high stature, and to wear it around his waist.  As he went around Jerusalem, people would take note of his sash, as it would stand out against his ordinary clothing.  Then God said, “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” (Jeremiah 13:4, NIV)  What happens to linen when it’s exposed to dirt and moisture? It deteriorates.  When the thing was ruined, God had Jeremiah dig it up and wear it around again. Every time somebody asked, “What happened to your sash?”  he had another opportunity to give them God’s message.  "These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless! For as a belt is bound around a man’s waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,’ declares the LORD, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’" (Jeremiah 13:10-12, NIV)

Abraham’s heirs enjoyed a privileged place before God, not because they were better or more deserving than any others, but because God had chosen them to make His Name great, to be a special, holy people that brought the admiration of the world to Him. Now, because they would not live obediently, they had become worthless.  Because they brought disgrace to Him instead of Glory, He was going to remove His protection and let them be ruined just like Jeremiah’s belt.  And, they were!

Musing on that passage, I asked myself if I have misappropriated the blessings of the Lord.  I wondered if I made it all about me, instead of Him?  The letter to the Ephesians is my favorite part of the Bible. It celebrates the high calling of every Christian, the amazing benefits that come to us.  And it reminds us that we are blessed to be a blessing.  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," (Ephesians 1:3, NKJV)  "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:11-14, NKJV)

Christian, are you walking worthy of the high calling of Christ? Or, because you have turned grace inside out, focusing on ‘me, myself, and I,’ are you ruined and therefore, useless? 

It is a sobering question, one we could never answer with confidence, except for the amazing promise that our Father invests the life of the Spirit in us, asking only that we humbly let Him work in us, and thus, work through us ‘for the praise of His glory.’  As you think about Jeremiah’s ruined, useless belt remember this promise of power to live a holy life.  Live in this word from the Word – today and always. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3-8, NIV)

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Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me

All His wonderful passion and purity

Oh, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

-          Copyright, Public domain

The Gaps of Ambiguity

The gaps of ambiguity

Americans love slogans and simplicity.  We like to frame issues in terms of black and white; people as good or evil.  But, life is not quite that defined. The most admired person among us is flawed. The noblest deed can be done for the basest of motives. That is one reason I hold so tightly to the grace of God, shown me in Christ Jesus.  Grace fills in the gaps created by life’s ambiguities!  Let me illustrate. A person visited me who was deeply grieving the tragic loss of a friend. “Is he with God?” she asked desperately.  His story was a complex one involving addiction and terrible emotional scars from war. From all outward appearances, he was no saint. I refused to give her a definitive answer.  I am not afraid of the truth. I am just not God! I do not have the ability to see the whole story of this man’s life, or honestly, even of my own.

Simplistic thinking that pigeon-holes everyone into some pre-determined category in our mind destroys relationships.  Stereotypes may make life simpler for us, but they also rob us of the subtle nuances of reality.  The Bible says that “love covers over a multitude of sins.”  (1 Peter 4:8)  We are loved by God, offered grace-based forgiveness. That love should teach us to love others in the same way – with great grace. But, does it?  How many conversations have you had that refused to give the benefit of the doubt to another? How often have you locked a person into a prison of preconceptions created by one statement, one act, one momentary failure that happened years ago?  It’s much simpler to assign that person to the ‘bad’ category, then we do not have to deal with them.  It’s much easier to write off the difficult people as being ‘beyond redemption,’ and thus to excuse ourselves from prayer and care. But, is that God’s way?

Nothing breaks God’s heart more than the hatred and our refusal to love is just that no matter how we dress it up with excuses. Love is complex and will allow for change, for growth, for development of that other person. Love is defined as a choice of action, not a passive response.  The Word says that "Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. " (1 Corinthians 13:5-9, NLT)

Some men who refused to see life in shades of gray dragged a woman to Jesus.  They wanted a judgment. “She’s bad,” they yowled. “Doesn’t she deserve to die?” “Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:4-11, NLT) In his response we are taught about grace that fills in the gaps and love that lays a foundation for change.

Here’s a word from the Word – one I love because it is my testimony, too. "Oh, how kind and gracious the Lord was! He filled me completely with faith and the love of Christ Jesus. This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I was the worst of them all. But that is why God had mercy on me, so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. Glory and honor to God forever and ever. He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:14-17, NLT)

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(CeCe Winans sings this song. Take 5 minutes and listen in.)

Alabaster Box

The room grew still

As she made her way to Jesus

She stumbles through the tears

That made her blind

She felt such pain

Some spoke in anger

Heard folks whisper

There's no place here for her kind

Still on she came

Through the shame that flushed her face

Until at last she knelt before His feet

And though she spoke no words

Ev'rything she said was heard

And she poured her love for the Master

From her box of alabaster

I've come to pour

My praise on Him like oil

From Mary's alabaster box

Don't be angry

If I wash His feet with my tears

And I dry them with my hair

You weren't there the night He found me

You did not feel what I felt

When He wrapped His love all around me

And you don't know the cost of the oil

In my alabaster box

I can't forget

The way life used to be

I was a pris'ner

To the sin that had me bound

I spent my days

Poured my life without measure

Into a little treasure box

I thought I found

Until the day when Jesus came to me

And healed my soul

With the wonder of His touch

So now I'm giving back to Him

All the praise He's worthy of

I've been forgiven and that's why

I love Him so much

I've come to pour

My praise on Him like oil

From Mary's alabaster box

Don't be angry

If I wash His feet with my tears

And dry them with my hair

You weren't there when my Jesus found me

You did not feel what I felt

When He wrapped His loving arms around me

And you don't know the cost of the oil

Oh you don't know the cost of my praise

You don't know the cost of the oil

In my alabaster box

CCLI Song # 2825962

Janice Lyn Sjostrand

© 2004 Little Pooky's Music (Admin. by Pure Psalms Music, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

If I grow rich, I may deny You

The teens in my household enjoy everything a kid could want – security, money, food, encouragement.  My loving provision shields them, in part, from the curse of Eden!  They think they are ready to run their own lives, totally unaware of how unprepared they are for making their own way. I wonder if my relationship with my Heavenly Father is similar?  Have His blessings actually allowed me to be deluded? Do I ever think that I can manage life apart from His care?  Am I content to give Him a little perfunctory respect just to keep the provisions coming my way?

God’s kids can develop an unhealthy independence from Him built on the illusion of self-sufficiency.  There is a pattern that I have observed many times.  A person grows up, gifted by God, blessed with parents who provide discipline, training, and stability. He takes those gifts and goes on to a successful life, in process abandoning all the but the pretext of faith, nearly completely unaware of foundations others provided for him. But, over time the neglect of the True Source of his blessings leads to crisis, for which he is unprepared. Only then, often too late, does he realize the gifts of God.  Or, there is the other extreme. A person whose life is in ruins desperately reaches out to God. Just as the Word promises, he finds Him to be a Friend and Savior. He loves worship and fellowship with other Christians. He devours books that show him the ways of Christ.  As he grows in faith and walks in spiritual disciplines, his life shows evidence of success. Destructive habits are replaced with responsibility. Godly ways are the fertile soil in which blessings grow.

Too often, we grow independent of the very God that blesses us! Financial independence allows diversions that lead us from making the Lord first priority. Ministries that once were the core of our lives are side-lined as we pursues the hobbies we can now afford. Weekends are spent at the vacation home, instead of at church.  Our prayers are polite and formal prayers, not heart-felt conversations with a Friend.  True thankfulness is almost non-existent, because we think we are a ‘self-made man.’  If asked, we  will thank God for the things we enjoy, but our words and our true values are far apart.

Think that's far-fetched?  Jesus spoke of the seed of the Word which was received with joy but then He said that "the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:19, NIV)  Moses prophecied that God’s people would abandon their Deliverer when they were settled in the Promised Land – “Jeshurun (God's people) grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior." (Deuteronomy 32:15, NIV)

In the richest nation on earth, empty churches on Sunday morning are but one stark symbol of our lack of regard for the Lord and things of the Spirit. We find more security in our bank accounts than we do in our Father’s promises. We gain more sense of worth from our ability to achieve that we do from His gift of grace. It may be that the price of real spiritual revival is deprivation!  It may be that the greater blessing is not more things, more wealth, even more health. Jesus asks, "How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?" (Luke 9:25, NLT)

Here’s a prayer that the honest man will pray in sincerity, trusting God to keep him. "Give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name." (Proverbs 30:8-9, NLT)   

Is It Worth It?

Is it worth it?

The teenage boys in my household are learning about managing resources. Their weekly allowance is finite, their desire for things seemingly infinite. If they spend their entire allowance on day out at the paintball field, they will have a great time, but they will also be broke for the rest of the week. So, they're learning to ask themselves, 'is it worth it?' I have to step back and allow them to choose, even unwisely at times, because that's part of the learning process.

How are you spending life's finite resources? I am particularly thinking of that most precious resource -time! With the end of my 6^th decade of life approaching, I ask myself, 'is it worth it?' I want to look back and see that I invested God's gift of time on people and projects that matter. The Bible says, "Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, NLT) Nothing is more tragic than a life spent, but never invested! The late Chuck Colson looked back on his life near the pinnacle of power here in the United States, when he walked the hallways of the White House and offered counsel to the President on a daily basis. The policy decisions seemed momentous at the time, he said, but 30 years later, almost each one had been undone or redone by subsequent administrations. After Colson became a devout Christian, he choose to spend his life in a way some would see as much less significant. He became a minister to those imprisoned. His choices no longer made headlines, but they helped to change the eternal destiny of thousands of men and women.

Are you spending your life on trinkets and trivia or investing it with wisdom? Granted, we must all do things that are 'just life.' But, even those mundane matters can be given significance if they are done in a way that honors Christ Jesus as Lord. How you do your work today matters, even if what you do will have to be done again tomorrow - be it ten loads of laundry, writing yet another memo about a product line, or driving a delivery route. The Word reminds that God cares how we do what we do: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

Here is a word from the Word for your meditation. Jesus urges us to invest. "Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself. "Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (Luke 12:31-34, The Message)

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