THOUGHTS ON VALENTINE'S DAY

“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” John 3:11 (NIV)

          Practically since the day after Christmas we have been inundated with Valentine’s Day products on the store shelves. We are reminded each year of this special day for lovers. Once again as with Christmas we can CHOOSE to put a non-commercial spin on this day.

v We can CHOOSE to show others kindness and mercy every day.

v  We can CHOOSE to step outside our comfort zone and be nice to some sandpaper people in our lives.

v We can CHOOSE to smile at people as we pass them during our day.

v We can CHOOSE to ask an elderly or sickly neighbor if they need help getting groceries or a book from the library.

v We can CHOOSE to visit a neighbor we haven’t seen yet this winter.

You get the idea; Valentine’s Day should not be limited to a 24 hour period or to those in a romantic relationship. Let’s CHOOSE to make Valentine’s day a daily occurrence and spread our love to those beyond our inner circle.

The Translation Does Make a Difference

The verse for the day from Bible Gateway devotions quotes

1 John4:20-21 from the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION BIBLE. “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.”

          I went to http://www.biblegateway.com to find a few parallel translations.

1.      The KING JAMES VERSION, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”

2.    THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

3.    THE MESSAGE paraphrase, “If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.”

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          My question is WHY would they use such an exclusive translation? Really…hello!!…Did Jesus really say, “Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters?” Jesus was JEWISH—not CHRISTIAN! Jesus message was for everyone. Jesus preached often to Gentiles and those thought worthless by the Religious Jewish community.

          If we want to be a light to others and bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth then we must start thinking inclusively. We must stop the mentality of THEM vs. US! We are ALL God’s creations; let’s follow the way of Jesus and love all people.

Let’s be aware of the language we use and seek to find loving words, not separatist words.

ANGER IS NOT A SIN

          We are often told of the evils of anger, yet anger is a God given emotion, and in itself is not a sin. How we react to our anger is what makes the difference.  Admittedly for me especially in my younger years, my reaction to anger was volatile. In recent years, with God’s help, my reactions have generally changed to responses. 

          Yesterday one of my devotional readings was Psalm 4:4-“Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” (NLT) I looked up The Message paraphrase of the verse, “Complain if you must, but don’t lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for His* verdict.” [*capitalization mine]

          How I wish I had read this verse early in my marriage. Instead I heard the adage, “Don’t go to bed angry”, which to me meant to resolve the problem before going to bed. This of course usually led to a heated confrontation with no resolution.

          When I thought about writing about anger I decided to try to find the origin of that old adage. Interestingly I found the cite, “Ask Moses” which cites the Talmud (an ancient compilation of Rabbinic law, commentary and analysis, 200 BCE-427 CE). “The Talmud¹ relates that Rabbi Nechunia Ben Hakanah and Rav Huna never went to sleep before forgiving anyone who wronged them.” They go on to cite, “the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Abridged Code of Jewish Law) it says:

"...a person should forgive any colleague who wronged him, so that no other person will be punished because of him… One should repeat three times: "I release all those who caused me distress." Afterwards, one should recite the prayer: Ribono shel olom, hareini mochel... (Master of the world, behold, I forgive...)."²

          I admit, I love research and history, but that is not the only reason I cited the above. I found these quotes significant because it helps me understand the context of Paul’s words to the Ephesians, ““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”

          I loved the idea of my bedtime routine including, “I release all those who caused me distress.” Releasing those who caused me distress at the same time releases ME from the distress of carrying grudges.  But read on to find the beautiful prayer whose first words are cited above.

“Master of the world; Behold, I forgive anyone who angered or antagonized me, whether it was directed toward my body or my money or my honor or anything which belongs to me. [I forgive them] Whether the action was performed by total accident or willingly or through neglect or through premeditation, whether it was done through speech or physical action... may no person be punished because of me."

          May we all learn to respond to our anger rather than react. May we also learn to release those who cause us distress, allowing the Lord’s peace to take the place of that distress.

SO GOD, WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

            At the start of the New Year it is customary to proclaim some resolutions for our lives. I am no different than others and I automatically started thinking about what I want to change about me. Then my pastor offered a message on New Year’s Day asking us to reflect on our past year and see what is working for us and what is not working for us. 

This got me thinking about how God has worked in my life this past year and what I have learned. One of the most important things I learned over the past year is busyness is not always what God wants. In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist tells us, “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God…’”Sometimes we are asked to be still not busy.

Our New Year’s Day reading was from Ecclesiastes 3:1-13—

A Time for Everything

¹ For everything there is a season,
      a time for every activity under heaven.
 ² A time to be born and a time to die.
      A time to plant and a time to harvest.
 ³ A time to kill and a time to heal.
      A time to tear down and a time to build up.
 ⁴ A time to cry and a time to laugh.
      A time to grieve and a time to dance.
 ⁵ A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
      A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
 ⁶ A time to search and a time to quit searching.
      A time to keep and a time to throw away.
 ⁷ A time to tear and a time to mend.
      A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
 ⁸ A time to love and a time to hate.
      A time for war and a time for peace.

⁹ What do people really get for all their hard work? ¹⁰ I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. ¹¹ Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. ¹² So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. ¹³ And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

I find this a good scripture to consider during the beginning of this New Year, this New Chance from God to follow His plan. So as I ponder how my limited energy will be spent, I turn to my Creator and ask, “So God, who do You say that I am?” I pray for the wisdom and clarity of mind to hear His answer!

Happy New Year, everyone!

YES INDEED, GOD WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD!

1 Peter 5:8-11 (NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

¹⁰ In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. ¹¹ All power to him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:8-11 The Message (MSG)

He Gets the Last Word

 ^8-11Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.

          Once again I find I get more from the paraphrase than the translation. The Message often gives me the positive outcome where translations leave us with a bold “get it together” type message. The Message tells us to keep our guard up and to keep a firm grip on the faith but it also tells us that God gets the last word. How great is that? It’s like turning the book to the last page in the middle of the nail biting sequence. Yes, indeed, God does get the last word!

Anyone Have a Pair of Scissors?

Psalm 27:14 (NLT)

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.”

I looked up “wait patiently” on Biblegateway word search and found 10 instances where we are told to wait patiently, or told about someone who waited patiently. I like Hebrews 6:15, “Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.” I like that because when I look back on the story of Abram and Sari, I see many times where they did NOT wait patiently, but took matters into their own hands. BUT God kept His promise; He was patient with the weak humans, constantly giving one more chance when asked. That gives me hope! My faith in God’s promises gives me hope!

          I am generally not a patient person and when things are tough I want to see the light at the end of the tunnel-NOW! I find myself doing as Abram and Sari did...using MY plan B, only to find myself farther from that light.

          Over the years, I have gotten better at this but there are still times when my old self wins over my new self. Maybe it’s that bungee cord thing again--giving the onus of impatience to the Lord in a suitcase strapped to my wrist with a bungee cord.

          Could it be that it is when I turn my back on God that the cord causes the impatience to come springing back at me, smacking me in the head? I know I have asked before but I truly would like a good pair of scissors that could cut through that bungee cord once and for all!

         

My God Looks at My Heart

1 Samuel 16: 7 (NLT)

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

          How blessed I am that my God, the Creator of the Universe, looks at my heart. I don’t have to worry about putting on my “twirlers smile” for Him. My God knows I am a weak human that is striving to be better. My God knows my love for Him. I am blessed that my God is a loving God, who looks for the best in all His children.

Thank You, God, for looking past my failings and peering into my heart!

MY PILLAR OF LIGHT

Exodus 13: 21-22 (NLT)

“The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night. And the Lord did not remove the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire from the people.”

          I am presently struggling and long to see that Pillar of God before me. The other day in our church Bible Study, as we were studying 1Kings, a young member of the group asked, “Why doesn’t God speak to people anymore?” A number of us came up with answers of how God speaks to His people today. But as I sat here clawing my way out of the mental pit of darkness I found myself in this morning, I realized he was asking why God doesn’t speak audibly to us.

          I would love to say then I heard God say, “Debbie, get off that chair and sing my praises.” But that did not happen. What did happen was I began thinking about Joyce Meyers’ book, Battlefield of the Mind. That’s when I realized I had to call out to the Lord and ask for His help to release me from the negative thoughts that surrounded me. His peace surrounded me like a nice cozy comforter.

          As I look back to this morning’s sketchy start I realize God does audibly speak to us every day! Besides the Bible, God speaks to us through authors, speakers, pastors and most of all through the people with whom He surrounds us. We just need to sit still long enough to hear His voice.

          I praise God for the Pillar of Light He gave me this morning as I sat alone searching for His peace.

Give it all to God

Bitterness or Worry; which is the most destructive? 

Bitterness ruins relationships; worry causes paralysis.

God loves us and wants good for us, all we have to do is seek God's Kingdom first. So read over Matthew 6:33.

Remember to cut the strings on the suitcases filled with our faults and anxieties. If we don't they act like bungee straps and come back and smash us in the face!

Even if we make a wrong turn God has our backs!...Romans 8:28.

God Always Opens a Window

Matthew 22: 9-10

“… ‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.”

          This is the parable of the king’s servants being ignored and killed while presenting people with an invitation to the king’s son’s wedding feast. After the destruction of those that killed his servants the king sent out the invitation to anyone who would come to join him in his celebration.

          This parable is aimed at those that had ignored or killed the prophets that God had sent. The good news is that God then sent an open invitation to all of us to join Him at His eternal banquet. My mother used to say, "When God closes a door He opens a window." Thank you God for opening the window to allow sinners like me into Your banquet.

I am so thankful to have a merciful and loving God.

Focus on God for a Merry Heart

PSALM 63:1

“O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”

This psalm is said to be written by David while he was in the wilderness of Judah.  Although I live surrounded by mountains and have had more than our share of rain recently I can totally identify with this verse.

At times I have felt that desperate longing for God; some call it the “Dark Night of the Soul”. I think David describes it perfectly, because just as the body cannot survive without water, the soul cannot survive without God.

I used to have those desolate days where I seemed surrounded by darkness. Sometimes I screamed out to God seeking His comfort and heard nothing in return. Fully consumed with despair, all I can hear are the negative tapes spinning in my head.

Recently, the Lord put on my heart to develop a Bible Study about truly living as a citizen of heaven. The first part of the Bible Study involves a self-assessment; the second part involves making the appropriate attitude adjustments. These two steps have allowed me to see the folly of allowing negative thoughts to control my attitude. I have come to realize the self-assessment and attitude adjustment are lifelong processes. The third step of the Study is to develop a more intense personal study discipline of God’s Word.

Through the study of God’s Word I discovered a few appropriate truths. In Proverbs 15: 15, we are told, “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” (NLT) A few verses earlier in Proverbs 15:13, the writer states, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (NIV)

GOD IS MY ROCK

Isaiah 26:4

“Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

Recently I read a Christian Fiction Book where one of the main characters asked why she always had to hit the rocks and holes in the road of life.  When I was younger I often felt that way, because like the character from the story I felt I had to transverse these roads by myself.

Now I look at the rocks in the road differently. I read a book many years ago that asked if those rocks were stumbling blocks or stepping stones. It has taken me many years but I am much closer to using them as stepping stones. The image of a Rock is often used in the New Testament to refer to a safe, solid place or person of strong faith. For instance, the wise man built his house on a Rock (Matt. 7:25) and Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter-meaning Rock (Matt 16:18).

When watching Adam Hamilton’s, Journey to Bethlehem DVD, I learned that poorer people in Jesus time would sometimes form their homes out of the rocks. They used the rocks to provide safe shelter for their families.  I pictured the Pueblos in northern New Mexico when he was talking.

Now I know that I do not have to stumble over the rocks only to fall into the holes beyond them. I know God lives inside me (if I don’t shut that door). I know God provides people to help me use those Rocks as building blocks to shape a closer relationship with God. I know that God and the people He provides will help me sidestep the holes in the road of life. I know all this because over the years I have learned above all else to TRUST God; HE IS MY ROCK.