The Care of the Ravens

Recently I watched an hour-long documentary about ravens. Yes, I do that kind of thing because I love to learn. I was fascinated by the complex social structures that ravens create. They pair up for life and adopt a home territory which they defend.

Together, they build a nest and raise young together each year. They are devoted to each other, and the male tirelessly feeds his mate during her time of nesting. When the chicks hatch the adults feed their offspring for the first three months of their lives, carrying food to the nest, then teaching them to forage for themselves even after they become fledglings. It might be a stretch to call it ‘love,’ but it sure looks like it to me! (https://youtu.be/7RGmh_C3Kyg?si=QE92p07pdklRJjX_)

As I watched, I was reminded of my Father’s care for me!
Do you realize how much you are loved by your Heavenly Father?
When you think of Him do you think of a remote God or a caring Person?
Is He angry or welcoming?

Jesus tells us "He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

“Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no holes in them. Your treasure will be safe—no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, your heart and thoughts will also be." (Luke 12:31-34, NLT)

What a revelation about the nature of our God. He loves to GIVE. He grants us access to the resources of His world as His children. Meditate on that fact. One of the persistent lies about God rooted in the deceptions of the Devil is that God is an angry Person, uncaring, and demanding. Jesus tells us the exact opposite truth. Secure children of God need not live in fear, nor should they feel orphaned in this world.

John underlines that fact in one of my favorite portions of the Scripture when he writes - "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1, NIV) The love and care of our Father is profusely given, not meted out from a miserly heart. He gladly identifies with us, calling us His children. Yes, I am a child of God through adoption by the Spirit, through the mercy and grace of Christ Jesus. This is the Gospel. Believe it, my friend, and live with joy.

Jesus says that there is a visible result in the lives of those who live the richly resourced life of a child of God.
*They do not need to cling tightly to their wealth for they know that God will provide what they need when they share with others.
*They will invest in true spiritual wealth because they are assured of the value of treasure in heaven where “they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves.”
*They know the meaning of real wealth, not merely that of earthly treasure.

Knowing these things, by faith, they will become generous in every way. Loved and secure people are peaceful people.

The words of Paul close these thoughts today. I pray they will inspire us to live joyfully in the Father’s love today. "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Philippians 4:19-20, NIV)

Live as one whose every need – spiritual, emotional, and earthly – are cared for by a loving Father.

Amen

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

I quit!

A few years ago, the news reported the story of a flight attendant who was harassed by passengers. When the plane arrived at JFK, he announced, with profane language, his disgust for those who had been so difficult. He then opened the door of the plane, deploying the emergency chute, slid down and walked off. What a dramatic way to quit! He was fined $10,000 and banned from the industry.

Ever been so fed up you just wanted to quit?

The story of William Wilberforce inspires me in those kinds of moments. For twenty-six long years he brought up the same subject in Parliament.
*His colleagues mocked him, accusing him of losing his common sense to religious fervor.
*The business establishment threatened that his idealism would destroy the economy.

Stress took a toll on his health, and he aged far beyond his years because of carrying on what many people at the time believed to be a fool’s crusade. But William Wilberforce would not quit!

Using wit and wisdom, he turned the issue of slave trade into the talk of England. Finally in 1807, this great Christian succeeded in getting the House of Commons to vote to end slave trade. The Crown agreed and a vile practice came to an end. This wealthy man, first elected to Parliament at age 21, was tempted many times to abandon his political career, at one point even considering becoming a clergyman, but, urged by his friends, he did not quit the fight and his persistence changed history!

Times come to us all when life’s difficulties turn into monsters. In those moments it may seem that quitting is the only option. When we’re taking a beating, it may seem only reasonable to throw in the towel and end the match. “How much more can I take before I break?” we think to ourselves.

In Genesis we read the story of Joseph who must have wondered if he would break under pressure any time before his God-given dreams were fulfilled.
*His brothers sold him into slavery, motivated less by greed than hatred.
*The wife of his owner, Potiphar, tried to seduce him and when he resisted her, falsely accused him of rape, leading to a long prison sentence!
*A man he befriended and helped in prison was released and promptly forgot all about him.

But he kept his dreams and his faith in God. He refused to become a bitter cynic. When given the ‘perfect’ opportunity to settle the score, he forgave those who hurt him the most. And, after years of disappointment, he saw God’s promises fulfilled as he provided safety for his people.

In years of pastoral ministry, I have watched so many wrestle with hardship, becoming disappointed with God, and choosing to just ‘walk away’ from faith. Others find themselves in a church setting that has turned unpleasant and they choose to abandon fellowship, claiming a newly ‘privatized’ faith, ignoring God’s call into His Church.

The Bible urges disciples to keep their faith. "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NLT)

Quitting too soon has one predictable result - FAILURE.

Don’t confuse persistence with stubbornness! A stubborn person keeps on doing the same thing, refusing to adapt and learn, thinking himself above advice. He perpetuates his failure! A persistent one studies his plans, prays fervently, listens well – and keeps trying, and trying, and trying – until he finds a way to do what he was born to do.

Hang in there, friend. Charles Spurgeon reminds us that “God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”

Here is a word from the Word for today. "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

Filled With Good

Theo of Golden, a novel published by a first-time author, has become a viral phenomenon! It’s a bestseller on many ‘must read’ lists. After reading the story, I agree. The story is about an old man’s gentle acts of kindness in a small Georgia town that changes one life after another. When you put it down you want to be a better person. Yes, it’s just full of goodness.

Are you a good person; not a self-righteous judge of others, but rather someone who makes others feel value, who shares in both joy and sorrow, who makes the burdens of life lighter? Once this way of life was lauded as virtuous. Sadly, the ideal of virtue has become suspect, and often it is the ‘bad boy’ character that gets featured in our stories and pop culture. Ask most people if they want to be known as ‘good,’ and you will most likely get a strange stare because “good” is for the weak, the fearful – or is it? The life that is lived without adventure or risk that grows out of fear of criticism or an unwillingness to step outside of norms is not truly virtuous!

Indeed, real virtue is courageous, goes against the stream, and stands against the normal cruelty of humanity. The Bible says that the Spirit’s life in us will produce ‘goodness.’   Both Peter and Paul urge Christians to be virtuous people, people who live with excellence as their guide; practically and personally. Inspired Scripture tells us that those who claim the Name of Christ will be “true, … noble, … just, … pure, … lovely, … good report, … virtue and … praiseworthy.” (Philippians 4:8, NKJV)

I have no desire to be so void of fire or passion that I am a weak man who is incapable of living an effective life. But I want to be known as a good man. Jesus was a man of virtue, yet He was capable of strong emotion, of challenge to those who abused authority, of resisting evil. Children loved him and moneychangers in the Temple fled His wrath!

There is a famine of personal virtue in our nation. The goodness of character that produces self-restraint and respect for others, which causes the pursuit of excellence is being lost. Our radical self-love is destroying the fabric of a nation. The historian, Alexis de Tocqueville of the 18th century, declared that among the Americans he observed there was such virtue that the need for government regulation was reduced to non-existent. They simply did what was right and good! Call me cynical, but I am certain that were he to walk our streets today his conclusion would be very different.

When personal virtue is lost, law must attempt to restrain selfish acts. Greed and injustice are unthinkable to the person of virtue, but they are a natural, even laudable, choice in a society where radical individualism and self-interest is the highest value.

For the Christian, virtue is not just about learning civility or attempting self-discipline. True virtue is made possible by a transformation of the heart by the power of Christ.

Faith in Him breaks the power of evil. He gives us the Spirit who subdues our sinful nature and create a hunger for the good in us. That will cause us to walk with the broken, the fallen, the debauched, those lost and confused, without adopting their values or being corrupted. Yes, the virtue created by the Spirit living in us allows us to “become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:15, NIV)

So, are you a person of virtue?
Do you fear being labeld as ‘good’ so much that you will not allow the Spirit of God to develop the beauty of Christ’s holiness in you?
Or are you hungry for God’s goodness, ready to move beyond the natural impulses of selfishness and walk into the Spirit’s plan to make you a noble, holy, and good person?

Here is a word from the Word. May we be challenged to offer ourselves to Jesus and become truly good! “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans (those who do not know God) that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.“ (1 Peter 2:11-12, NIV)

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

 

My way, in my time, by my preference

I appreciate my local QuickChek™ store so much. It’s close by and I am able to get gas, a good cup of coffee, a bottle of ibuprofen, milk, a sandwich … and anytime of the day or night! The aptly named “convenience store” charges higher prices for the same things I could buy at a large supermarket, but I gladly pay the premium to save a longer trip. I am a true American consumer.

Even in this time of declining involvement with the local church, many who claim the Name of Christ Jesus are basically consumers who drop in when a crisis comes, who show up when life is tough and they feel the need for a little ‘inspiration’ or when they want the prayer. Missing the point of Christ’s Church, they have no desire to build any real relationship with other Christian or to serve in the larger Body in any way. Instead, they trade a donation for some ‘religious goods.’  

The result is an immature and undeveloped faith that is truly an ‘adventure in missing the point.’

The best and deepest Christianity requires a mix of several choices: 
receiving God’s grace by faith,
learning God’s ways through regular study and daily prayer,
becoming part of God’s family in a local church, and
serving God’s purposes as life’s highest priority.

Being a disciple is often inconvenient!

Jesus teaches us that His call is comprehensive, touching every facet of life, and seeking our full engagement. “Take up your cross and follow Me,” He said. Think about that. It is not a pretty metaphor.

A cross is an instrument of death, not a means of finding one’s personal path of pleasure. The invitation is to ‘follow,’ not to lead. His invitation is costly, not convenient, but it comes with great promise. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" (Luke 9:23-25, NLT)

Knowing how quickly human beings will abandon the pursuit of the Holy, Moses warned the ancient Israelis about wandering. God was going to give them blessings, provide abundantly for them. Would they be grateful, careful to remain devoted to Him? Read on. "“The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land filled with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name." (Deuteronomy 6:10-13 NLT)

Tragically, they did forget the Lord! Just a couple of generations after they entered the Promised Land, they wanted more, turned to worship of local fertility gods, and abandoned the LORD. Like true consumers when crisis came, they ran back to God Who faithfully loved them, though they suffered for their sin. Restored to wholeness, they prospered and wandered again. The pattern was repeated many times!

Here are some questions we who are trained as consumers should ask ourselves frequently.

Am I treating the things of the Lord as consumer items?
Are my prayers more fervent, my searching Scripture more intense, when some stormy season arrives, only to be laid aside when things level out?
Is my expectation that God will meet MY need or that I will seek His will and way?

True joy, deepest fulfillment, and the ultimate eternal reward will be found by those who take Paul’s inspired counsel to ‘keep step with the Spirit’ walking in the road of the humble servant.

I can tell you from experience, even as a “professional” Christian who has spent his life in the Church that seasons will come when you have not desire for worship, prayer, or service. You will find people in the Church who disappoint you. I am sure that in the thousands of sermons I preached there were some real duds that bored the socks off of those in the pews. But … we stay faithful, not because we are buying something new, exciting, or even appealing; but rather because we are called by God into His holy family.

Don’t let American consumerism turn you into a church shopper. Instead, pray to be guided by God to a place where you can commit, serve, and grow in grace through every season.

Here is a word from the Word. "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved." (Hebrews 10:35-39, NLT)

Amen

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Video at https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

“C’mon! Get it right!”

A friend offered a gentle rebuke to me recently. It stung because I realized the statement was true. When I pointed out what I perceived to be a lack of effort on the part of another, I heard this- “Well, I guess nobody but you gets it right.”  Those words poked a big hole in my pride, helping me to know that I needed to do better at encouraging, letting go of critical thoughts.

Why do those critical comments come to us so easily?
Ever criticized another’s marriage without really understanding the relationship?
Ever said of another “C’mon. Get it right!” without thinking about the hardships they are trying to survive?
Ever looked at a public person with contemptuous criticism having little actual knowledge of the pressure they face each day in their duties?
Ever threw a word grenade at a fellow Christian who is struggling with some habit, or doubts, or fear when what they needed was support and encouragement?

To be sure, there is a place for evaluation and even criticism. Nobody ever gets it right all the time. We grow when we are made aware of our flaws, when we are challenged to make a better effort. But the years have taught me that it is a lot easier to toss grenades to blow things up than it is to build things.

Jesus generally approached others with offers of acceptance, understanding and lifting them up. Yes, He could be a critic, when necessary, but reserved His critical comments for the self-righteous.  

When some grenade throwers dragged a woman caught in sin He did not lash out at her with scathing words about her shamelessness. He did not chide her for the failure to understand the consequences of her choices. He did not shame her for a lack of character.  He offered her love, gave her dignity. Only then did he say, “Now, go and sin no more.”  (John 8)

Truth here!
*People who are secure because they know the redemptive and complete love of God will be much better at the work of encouragement.
*Those who understand their calling and know their own strengths and weaknesses will have less need to compare and criticize.

When you find yourself tossing those grenades of criticism, pause to take an inward look. Ask yourself where you are feeling anxious about life, what you fear. Renew your understanding of God’s amazing grace, with grateful prayer for His mercy and love. 

This passage has rescued me from judgment more times than I can remember. John says – “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.”  (1 John 3)

God offers full acceptance, not because we are good, smart, or perfect in every way. The Word tells us that “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ.”  (Ephesians 1:7-9, NIV) Yes, He showers kindness on us, not criticism!

The example of Israel’s great leader, the Lawgiver, Moses, is rich for us. When the LORD told the man that his leadership was ending, he argued asking for more time. Instead, God told him to get another ready to take his place – “commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” (Deuteronomy 3:28, NIV) Moses’ obedience was remarkable. He became Joshua’s biggest supporter, urging him on, endorsing him before the nation. In part, Joshua’s amazing success was directly attributable to Moses’ encouragement.

There is joy found in instilling another with hope, helping to lift a burden, pointing one to a new way of thinking. Some may realize what you have done and say, ‘thank you.’ Some may never know the wind that you redirected into their sails. Will you toss grenades like any old critic, or will you hold out hope?

Here’s a word from the Word. “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13, NIV)

Amen
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Video at  https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

The Inevitable!

As I stood looking down into the coffin which contained the body of an elderly Christian women the weight of my own mortality bore down on me. When I was greeting the family members, one woman of my age remarked that she looked at a picture recently and realized everyone in it except her had passed on. “Yes,” I replied, “we’re next in line.” It could be a depressing fact!

That appointment, deny it though we may in so many ways, is inevitable. For the Christian, there is a promise that gives hope. The end of this earthly life is not the end. It is a change of address as we go home. What a home God promises for us. That eternal home has no sin nor suffering. Tears are wiped away forever and our longings for God are fulfilled. David’s words are mine - "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." (Psalm 27:4, NIV)

Eternity is written into our hearts by our Creator. Solomon said, "God has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NLT)

Dallas Willard one of my favorite Christian teachers, urges Christians to lift their vision, to ‘see’ beyond time’s horizon. A faith-inspired vision of our promised Paradise protects us from despair. He writes –

"I meet many faithful Christians who, in spite of their faith, are deeply disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Sometimes it is a matter of how they experience aging, which they take to mean they no longer have a future. But often, due to circumstances or wrongful decisions and actions by others, what they had hoped to accomplish in life they did not .... Much of the distress of these people comes from a failure to realize that their life lies before them...  one that goes on endlessly before us in the kingdom of God."  (The Divine Conspiracy) 

The frustration and futility that stalk us in this present realm lose much of their power when Heaven is in our heart! Right here, even now, we are eternal creatures. Yes, the bodies we live in are aging. This globe we call home is decaying, but we are alive forever in Christ!

Jesus stood outside of the tomb of a dead friend, looked his sister, Martha, in the eye and promised “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live." (John 11:25, The Message)

Eternal life begins now, not when we die. The hope of Heaven is ours today, not just when our bodies are in the grave! I am a citizen of Heaven, now by the grace of Jesus Christ. I am connected, right here and right now, with the Lord of Glory, through the Holy Spirit’s immediate Presence. I do not sit around pining for my Heavenly home because I know that my mission is to bring Heaven to earth, even as I live with an expectation of glories to come. I know the joy of overwhelming the darkness of sin with the Light of Heaven, right now!

Let’s be like Abraham. He heard God's call, grasped the reality of eternal life, and lived the rest of days here on earth on pilgrimage. He took some detours from the straight and narrow path, but he never lost sight of where he was going. "It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:8-10, NLT)

The ‘heaven’ of our modern imagination, which fills the movies, is far from the reality of Scripture. Misty fog enveloping transparent spirits floating in a ghostly realm, spirits living at the edge of human consciousness trying to reach us, are inventions of storytellers.

Heaven is a real substantial place, created by the same Person that thought up the refraction of sunlight by water moisture which produces the beauty of a rainbow.
Heaven is unfathomable beauty.
Heaven is suffused with the love which we see in Christ Jesus, who left His place to seek and save those who are lost. The most beautiful music, the deepest love, the most stirring worship, the most blissful day - are just glimpses of what will be ordinary in eternity!

So, by faith, reach out and hold onto Heaven even as you live your life to the full. 
When life is overwhelming, when sin threatens to engulf you, when everything seems futile, when disappointment breaks your heart - look up and thank God that He has written Heaven into your heart. It is precisely the longing for Paradise that makes us unwilling to settle down and desire our best life now. We are headed home!

The word from the Word is a portion of the ‘faith’ chapter that describes the hope of saints in times of trouble. 

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."   (Hebrews 11:13-16, NIV)

The inevitable appointment is robbed of dread when we remember that we are on our way home.
Amen!

Video of this blog

 

https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55

Seeing God's Purposes Clearly

When I finished mowing the lawn I noticed that the vision in my left eye was blurred. I didn’t think much of it at the moment figuring that it was just some dust. Later I realized that even when I washed out my eyes the blur remained. My eye was watery and irritated. My conclusion? Apparently, something blew into my eye causing a scratch that needed to heal.

This all made me think about my spiritual vision which has been blurred by the ‘stuff’ of life recently. I have found myself working to sort through conflicting ideas thrown at me by the culture in which I live, trying to make sense of major shifts in values in the world around that make no sense to me, and dealing with angst about the future. Those things are like dust that obscure the promises of God, which blur my vision for His purposes and will. So, I pray that God will wash the dust out of my spiritual eyes and restore unclouded vision!

Paul was inspired by the Spirit to warn of blurry vision. He said that God reveals His majesty to us in the wonder of Creation. Will we see it? Here’s the text - 
"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:20-21, NIV)  

The cure for blurry vision is the choice to offer our praise and worship with honest gratitude. When we speak of His wonders, when we offer ourselves in worship, He renews our vision.

Have you become so taken up with the trials and challenges of life that you have lost sight of the big picture? Have you fallen into a pattern of complaint and negativity that obscures the reality of God’s love for you?

Don’t panic. Pause! Take a worship break. Quiet your mind and pick up the Scripture. Turn to a familiar passage of promise: a Psalm, or the rich words of Ephesians that are full of grace, or the revelations of Jesus in the first three chapters of the Revelation – and give thanks to God for HIS steady, unchangeable ways, for His love that never fails, and the dust of doubt will be washed away.

Peter says, “prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1) We have a responsibility for our focus. Martin Luther reminded Christians of the blessings of choosing our thoughts.
He said, “You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”  When the focus of our thoughts is on Jesus, the Spirit will lead us to the serenity Jesus said is His gift to us. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

So…. What do you see this morning?
-about the core purpose of your life?
-for your children's future?
-about finding a way to honor God in what you do as your daily work?
- about making Jesus and His Kingdom visible in this darkened world?

Keeping sharp vision requires constant effort. It is worth it! Without clear and God-formed sight we will quickly become mired in mediocrity, or turn into a burnt-out shell, which will cause us to leave the work of God undone, and the peace of Christ unknown..

Here is the word from the Word. “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room. Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.
Make sure that the light you think you have is not really darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight is shining on you.”
(Luke 11:33-36, NLT)

Critics!

Who hasn’t felt the sting of criticism? In my 5 decades of serving as a Pastor, I have been the target of critics more than a few times. Sometimes their words had an element of truth. Sometimes the critic was upset about some situation that had little to do with me, but my semi-public role left me vulnerable. And sometimes the critic was just avoiding his own insecurities.

Let me quickly add that I have known a great deal of support and affirmation, too! But, somehow, the voice of the critics always seems louder.  When critics spoke, my usual response was to take their words to the Lord with a prayer to see clearly, to learn from what was true, to discard what was not.

In all honesty, knowing my self better than anyone else, it is a source of real wonder that God would trust me with the care of His Bride, the Church. I know I am not smart enough, 'Christian' enough, to serve perfectly. I remind myself that the strength, the wisdom, the gifts belong to my Master and Lord. I try to remember that I “serve at His pleasure!”

Do you feel incapable? Have critics made you feel inadequate? Have those feelings bled over into your spiritual life causing your sins and failures to taunt you from the edge of your consciousness, whispering to you - "You’re a failure. You cannot do anything right."

Those voices are not just from inside your head. They may be partially rooted in our own fears but the demons who work at neutralizing or defeating God’s work in this world are ever- present, too. Every person who takes seriously the call to live a holy life, who seeks to do God's will – whether they are a pastor or a plumber- will know that kind of attack.

St. Paul knew this sense of inadequacy. Of the calling to represent the Kingdom of God, he asks, "Who is equal to such a task?" and a little further on the text, "It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God." (2 Corinthians 3:5, NLT) The demons attempt to get the person serious about God and His call to focus on Self. Why? Because the one thing that is the key to doing spiritual work effectively is the Spirit in us. It is not our own strength, cleverness, or skills that provide success.

The Bible says, "For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore, you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." (1 Corinthians 1:5-7, NIV) What a joyful declaration! Christ’s Church is adequate for the task God has given her. We, who are filled with God’s Spirit, can live as a positive effective representative of Christ.

I love the ancient preacher’s inspired words to the people who were trying to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple centuries before the time of Christ. God spoke through him to say - "It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6, NLT) That is still TRUE and the principle is a key to our effective service for Jesus.

What strengths did God see in us that caused Him to choose us? Nothing!
But He called us, at His own initiative, because of His grace. Then He promised, "I will enrich you in every way!" Claim His strength.

Do not foolishly ignore your critics! Winston Churchill, Great Britain’s famed Prime Minister through the terrible years of World War 2 was frequently criticized. He wisely said “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things. If it is heeded in time, danger may be averted; if it is suppressed, a fatal distemper may develop.”

Be encouraged by the promise of God to use your strengths and weaknesses, to keep you steady, and to do ‘more than you can imagine’ through you.

Here's a Word to take with you today.
"God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.

As the Scriptures say, “The person who wishes to boast should boast only of what the Lord has done.” (1 Corinthians 1:28-31, NLT)
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A video of this devotion can be found at 
https://www.youtube.com/@JerScott55