Let's Take Off Our Masks

 

Last week my ninety-one-year-old mom took a fall landing face-first on her driveway. Thankfully, no bones were broken. However, she ended up with four stitches in her forehead, along with significant bruising around her nose and eyes. Afterwards she joked that she was simply creating herself a scary mask in preparation for Halloween.

It isn’t unusual for people to create masks to hide behind. I am not referring to the kind some people wear for one night as they go trick-or-treating or attend a costume party. I am talking about those fronts we tend to put on in order to hide our real selves. Usually those masks are the opposite variety from what we wear at Halloween. Instead of a mask trying to make ourselves look strange, ugly, or frightening, we attempt to hide our flaws and make ourselves look better than we really are. Maybe it isn’t as obvious as the lady on the exaggerated TV commercial who walks around holding a sign with a smiley face in front of her as she goes through her day in order to hide her depression. But we might also hide our true feelings or our genuine condition behind masks of fake smiles, forced efforts, and comments of “I’m fine.”

Genuineness is an important quality for us to seek to possess. It is helpful for us to be genuine with other people in order to build strong, trustworthy relationships. It is important that we be honest with ourselves about our true condition. Too many people are accepting their deceptive facades about themselves as being reality rather than looking behind the mask. And it is essential that we be genuine when it comes to God. Our masks aren’t fooling Him anyway. He sees behind all the pretense. He knows our hearts and our thoughts. He can see the pain and scars that we try to hide from others. He knows our weaknesses and faults. And, yes, He can see those sins that we try to deny exist or that we make excuses for or that we cover up with make-up so as to make them not appear so ugly.

Hypocrisy is one of the traits Jesus often condemned in the religious leaders of His day. They were pretenders. They weren’t living in reality. They put on the costume of being holy people or of being those who had a special connection to God, but in truth they were more out of touch with God than many of the “sinners” they looked down on and despised. Let’s be sure that we aren’t guilty of being in a similar condition. We can put on a religious face and attend church meetings yet still be far from the kingdom of God. We can be involved in religious activities but our hearts not be right with the Lord. We can wear a mask of light and love while darkness and selfishness rules in our souls.

Let’s take off our masks and be real with ourselves, with other people, and with God. It might be hard. It can be painful to come to terms with our weak and flawed selves. We might lose a few acquaintances who are more comfortable with our pretend selves rather than the real ones. However, our genuineness will strengthen our ties with true friends. And we must be genuine if we want to cultivate a close relationship with the Lord. Salvation and spiritual healing come through humbling ourselves and confessing our sins, not by denying our wrongdoing.

Maybe our real selves are bruised and broken. That is okay. God knows. And He is ready to receive us and to help us if we will come to Him just as we are.      

Dealing with Traumatic Situations

 

It is hard to imagine being someone who had to experience one of the traumatic events which have occurred in recent days. To be a student where there was another deadly school shooting. To be riding on a rollercoaster when someone fell off the ride and plunged to his death. And then there are those tragic situations that don’t always make the news – a car accident, a drowning, a house fire. It is not only the victims, their families, and witnesses who have to deal with those events, but also first responders and medical personnel. Likewise, those in the military in times of war have to live with images of what they encountered. It is easy to tell people to move on and to put the past behind them, but some things we see can’t be easily unseen or forgotten.

How do we deal with traumatic events that can haunt us? There are no simple answers. Some people need to seek professional counseling to assist them. Time can sometimes lessen the effects, but it doesn’t always resolve the issues. Does the Bible give us any guidance in this matter? Certainly, there are general principles we can look to, such as faith, trust, and hope in the Lord. But can we draw any more specific wisdom from the pages of scripture to address this particular issue?

As I considered this, I thought about the disciples of Jesus. They certainly faced a traumatic experience when Jesus was arrested and executed. Not only did they experience the loss of a close friend, a mentor, and the One they believed to be the Anointed One of God, but they had their hopes and dreams dashed to the ground. Additionally, one or more of them actually witnessed the horrific suffering and death that Jesus endured. If they didn’t see it firsthand, they knew about the cruelties of being crucified from previous encounters. No doubt they were heartbroken to think of Jesus having to go through such pain and suffering.

How did the disciples come through this trauma? We can look not only at what they did immediately after the crucifixion, but later on as well, after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension had somewhat softened the blow. But even at that point it was still traumatic to face a world in which everything had changed and Jesus was no longer present with them. What did they do? They stuck together, finding support from being with others who had gone through the same experience. Maybe some of us could benefit from support groups or from talking to others who have had similar experiences as ourselves. Additionally, those disciples prayed and looked to God for help and guidance. The Lord is near to assist those who will call on Him. He can give us strength that we can’t get anywhere else. The disciples also continued to do what Jesus had instructed them to do. They waited in Jerusalem until they received the empowerment they needed from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They took it one step at a time, one day at a time. They couldn’t see everything ahead, but they just put one foot in front of the other and kept going in the meantime. Maybe that is what we need to do too. It is easy to isolate ourselves or to pull away from our responsibilities when we have been traumatized. However, with God’s help, we need to keep living and doing. We may not be able to see very far up the road, but we just keep taking the next step and trust the Lord to help us take the next step after that, and the next.

Tragedies occur in this fallen world. And they can greatly affect us. But the Lord can be with us and help us make it through.   

God Is Working All Things Out

 

My oldest daughter and her family took a recent vacation to the Florida panhandle. They had originally thought about staying a full week, but had decided to cut that timeframe short by a couple of days. It turned out to be a good decision or else they would have been facing the onslaught of hurricane Isaias. Meanwhile my other daughter and her family likewise had a trip planned to that area. They would normally have left on the Saturday when the effects of that storm were being widely felt. However, due to someone else using the condo, they had been forced to wait a few days later to begin their vacation. Again, this resulted in their missing being in the middle of that messy weather event.

Delays, changed plans, or circumstances not working out the way we had hoped can be frustrating. However, sometimes God gives us glimpses into how He may have been protecting us or otherwise working situations out for our good when we didn’t realize it. Maybe, like me, you can think of times when you were unable to get started on a trip at the time you had wanted. It may have irritated you at the time. But when you got down the road, you came upon a bad accident. It made you wonder that if you had left your home when you had planned and desired, might you have ended up in the middle of that accident? Had that frustrating delay actually been a God-directed blessing? Some such scenarios we can only speculate about. We don’t really know. Yet in other cases we can look in hindsight and clearly see how the Lord was watching over us.

Let me make it clear that I am not referring to some vague sense of fatalism or of some unnamed cosmic force at work. It is more than just the often-heard sentiment that “I believe everything happens for a reason.” It is good to be aware that there are powers beyond us that are at work in the world. However, we also need to recognize who that power is and give Him the credit He is due. There is a personal God who is in control. And at times He graciously chooses to act in ways that protect us from harm. He may frustrate our plans or allow obstacles in our path as a means of helping us to avoid some harmful situation.

I wonder if Joseph ever felt frustrated about his circumstances. I imagine that he must have. He didn’t deserve being sold into slavery by his envious brothers. Later, when trying to do the right thing in relation to his master and the inappropriate advances being made to him by his master’s wife, Joseph ends up being thrown into prison. Even there, after helping out one of the king’s officials and asking for assistance in return, Joseph was forgotten by the man and left to continue to suffer in confinement. However, God was working through it all to get Joseph to the place where he would be made a ruler in Egypt and be the means of saving his family. What Joseph later told his brothers could have applied to all of his challenging circumstances he had faced: “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

What frustrating challenges or delays are you experiencing? When our plans are changed, when our hopes are delayed, when our situations aren’t going the way we had wanted, let’s keep believing that God has a reason for it all. He is working all things out for the good of those who love Him. We can trust Him.

Be Careful about Attacking Your Attackers

Recently I took a trip out of state to attend the funeral of a longtime ministerial colleague. This region is known for its rice farming and duck hunting. So it was appropriate that one evening I ended up eating at a local restaurant with an obvious outdoorsman theme. The walls were lined with stuffed hunting trophies – not only numerous typical deer heads, but also fowl, squirrel, and practically any other creature you might imagine that is the frequent target of hunters. The name of the establishment was Open Season, referring to the period of time when it is legal to hunt or fish. That term is also sometimes used as a slang expression to refer to a time when someone or something is vulnerable to unrestricted criticism or attack.

At times it can seem like it is open season on followers of Jesus, especially those who are trying to faithfully uphold Christian values and who still view God’s Word as being the uniquely reliable and authoritative revelation of truth. In a day when it seems that culture is open to almost any ideas as being valid, even the most outrageous or unorthodox views and practices, the one worldview that doesn’t seem to be tolerated is that of the Christian who stands for the eternal truths of scripture. Such believers are often targets of hatred, lies, accusations of being extremists, physical attacks, and other various degrees of what could be called persecution.

            This should not surprise us. This is not a phenomenon unique to our day and time. In a sense, it has always been open season on faithful followers of the Lord. Jesus warned His disciples that this would be the case. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you…If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:18,20). “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service” (John 16:2). And don’t forget that the last of those well-known “Beatitudes” Jesus declared in His Sermon on the Mount dealt with this subject: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). The Apostle Paul added his own definitive declaration: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12). Therefore let’s not think of it as being unusual or strange when we face such opposition or attacks. It comes with the territory of being a follower of Jesus.

            However, as we experience these things, let’s be careful that we don’t turn around and declare open season on others. As we are being attacked, let’s not lower ourselves to the same level as those who are lashing out at us. It can be tempting to “return fire” and treat others in a similar fashion as to how we have been treated. We can consider it open season on liberal politicians, biased media, hostile social activists, ungodly social media trollers, and others who misrepresent us or attack us. Don’t get me wrong, we need to stand up for truth, point out error, and expose those with faulty views and antagonistic motives. Nevertheless, we need to avoid taking on the role of an avenger. “Repay no one evil for evil” (Romans 8:17). “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45).

            Just because others may consider it to be open season on Christians, it doesn’t mean we should consider it to be open season on them. Fire back, but with love, truth, and goodness.

Temptations Can Be Resisted

     

I knew better. I was aware that there was a risk involved. I thought I could be careful and avoid any negative consequences. I was wrong.

No, I am not confessing to some great moral failure. However, I did use poor judgment and had to deal with the result when it came to a recent situation I faced. It involved a temporary crown that the dentist had placed on one of my teeth while I waited to receive the more permanent version of that device. Meanwhile I knew I needed to be careful about what I ate. There were certain hard or sticky foods that were to be avoided. However, when someone gave me a jar of mixed chocolate, peanut butter candies, and cashews for my birthday, I found it hard to resist. I reasoned that I wouldn’t eat much – just a bite or two. Additionally, I could chew the cashews on the opposite side of my mouth from where the crown was located and be all right. I wasn’t. The crown became dislodged, and I ended up spending part of my birthday back at the dentist’s office.

We tend to act similarly when it comes to the more serious temptations we face in life – the ones that don’t just inconvenience us, but those that carry spiritual implications and that can affect our relationship with the Lord. In many cases, we recognize the temptation for what it is. We know better than to go that direction. We are aware that it could put us at risk of falling out of God’s favor. However, we don’t run from it as scripture encourages us to do. Paul told Timothy to “flee youthful lusts” (II Timothy 2:22). He encouraged other believers to “flee sexual immorality” (I Corinthians 6:18) and to “flee from idolatry” (I Corinthians 10:14). No matter what the temptation may be, we are opening a door to let it in when we don’t immediately turn away from it and run the other way.

Rather than flee, we sometimes try to reason with ourselves about why it might be acceptable to do this under our circumstances. Or we might deceive ourselves with the idea that we will just take a taste and not indulge any further in that activity. Or we might tell ourselves that we will be careful so as not to cross the line into anything that would be wrong or immoral. Or we sometimes assure ourselves that we are smart enough or strong enough to avoid any of the possible repercussions of participating in that behavior. Granted, sometimes we might be able to walk along that edge without falling off into something sinful or immoral. God might show us mercy and protect us from the actions resulting from our poor decisions. However, it is best not to even put ourselves in that position. It is better to resist the temptation, to go the other direction, and not even put ourselves at risk of taking a spiritual tumble.

Let’s not forget that temptations can be resisted – not in our own strength but with God’s help. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13). Let’s not look for a way to indulge in that activity, rather let’s look for the way to escape. Run away from temptation, and instead run toward the God who can give you the guidance and strength you need to do what is right.

 

Don’t Shy Away from a Fighting Spirit 

One day recently I attended “Grandparents Day” at the Christian school where a couple of my grandsons are students. At one point during this gathering, the school used the occasion to premier its new fight song. Many educational institutions have such songs that are played to inspire loyalty to the school and to spur their sports teams to strive for victory. This particular song not only was appropriate for those purposes, but its words also pointed to the spiritual battles we face as followers of Jesus, encouraging us to strive against the enemies of our souls.

There is a place for a fighting spirit among believers. The church has recognized that over the years with its various fight songs. I won’t take the time to quote them all here, but you may be familiar with many of them. They are the songs with upbeat tunes whose lyrics speak in terms of battles, conquests, marching to war, and following our eternal King as He leads us to victory. While some people have contended that such songs are inappropriate and incompatible with the true spirit of Christianity, the Bible itself suggests otherwise. Many of those songs are making use of scriptural language and principles. God’s Word reminds us that we are fighting spiritual foes. Within its pages are found admonitions to “fight the good fight”, “wage the good warfare”, and “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”.

While we need to sing those wonderful songs about grace, love, the goodness of God, peace, and joy, we also need to be motivated by these other songs to stand up and march forward as we do battle against evil. We aren’t just to roll over and let evil win the day. We are to resist the devil. We are to fight against sin, injustice, corruption, immorality, and other evils, both in our own lives and in the society in which we live. We need to stir up and maintain a fighting mentality.  

At the same time, we need to guard against letting such a spirit so overtake us that we lose the spirit of love that Jesus declared to be the main quality found in His followers. We need to keep the true enemy in mind, the unseen spiritual forces at work. The people who are being directed by those forces are often victims themselves, deceived and blinded to the truth. They are lost souls for whom Jesus died. We may need to stand against them too at times, but always with the hope of their coming to see the truth and with their potential salvation in mind. We can stand against our enemies and still fulfill Jesus’ command to love our enemies. Let’s not get so set on fighting that we forsake opportunities to pursue peace, love, mercy, and reconciliation.

I read a story about a little boy who was attacked by one of the family’s roosters. Afterwards, his father took the frightened child back out in the yard to confront his attacker. He told the boy to kick the rooster. The boy did what he was told. And because the father was standing there, the rooster ran off and never attacked the boy again. I am not advocating animal cruelty. However, there are times when we need to kick back. With our heavenly Father standing with us and empowering us, we need to strike back at the enemy. We need to kick back at the fear, the worry, the pride, the lust, or whatever the sin or temptation might be. We need to kick back at the immorality and injustices in our world.

Maybe some of us need to revisit some of those old Christian fight songs and get inspired to do battle with the unseen enemy attacking us and our world today.    

 

The Mighty God Can Give You Strength 

I received another vivid reminder of the power of nature recently. I arrived at our church building one morning after a storm to find what I originally thought was the usual debris of twigs and small limbs in the yard. However, I quickly realized this was different. It was actually splinters of wood scattered across the area. As I investigated further, I discovered that lightning had struck a large tree on our property, peeling a strip of bark from top to bottom on its trunk. Additionally, it had blown some of its large roots out of the ground. Our security camera revealed quite a powerful explosion. The great force of that event was manifested in other ways as the bolt had entered the ground and shot toward our building, leaving a couple of small trenches in its wake. As it reached the church, it knocked out a box of wiring on the outside wall, cracked a metal frame on a door, and did significant damage on the inside where those wires entered the building. We are grateful to God that there was no fire and that our building is still intact.

Nature is powerful. We see it in lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. If God’s creation carries such a mighty force, what does that say about the One who created it? He must be even more powerful. In our heads we acknowledge that fact. When we list the attributes of God, we affirm that He is omnipotent. However, we tend to lose sight of that truth as we face the trials of everyday life, including dealing with the evil that is in the world we live in. Sometimes we overrate the power of Satan, sin, and wickedness while not giving enough credit to the all-powerful God whom we serve.

In that familiar portion of scripture in the book of Ephesians where we are warned that we are wrestling against evil spiritual forces in the world, it begins by telling us to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). It goes on to instruct us to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). I am afraid that too often we just hear the words “be strong” and “put on the armor”. We try to stand up to the evil around us in our own strength. As attacks come our way, we simply encourage ourselves to “be strong” and to “hang in there”. And there can be a place for that.

However, we need to remember that we can only keep standing as we depend on the Lord. We are to be strong in Him and “in the power of His might”. And the armor we are given is not ours – it is the armor of God. He has provided it and He empowers it. When you think about how great His power is, that is a tremendous resource for us to draw from. The One who can deliver more force than a bolt of lightning is the One who is giving us strength. Satan, sin, and evil may be manifesting their strength and influence in the world these days, and even in the circumstances of our own lives, but we know that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4).

What challenges are you facing? How is your spiritual enemy attacking you? What evil are you dealing with? Remember that the all-powerful God is with you to help you and give you strength. If lightning can do what it does, think what the Creator of lightning can do for you today.

 

What Are We Leaning on for Support? 

We found out that my elderly dad had been using a towel rack in the bathroom to hold onto and to steady himself as he recovers from a fracture in one of his legs. We recognized that this was not a good thing. Towel racks were not made to hold the full weight of a person. They were meant to support the weight of towels, even heavier wet towels, but not the burden of a human being pulling on it or leaning on it. Such pressure on that wooden bar might cause it to snap or might result in the brackets pulling loose from the wall. Therefore we made arrangements to replace that rack with a grab bar – a device that could still be used to hang a towel over if desired, but was also strong enough to support someone’s weight.

It reminds me of how people lean on various things for support when they are going through life’s journey, especially when they are facing overwhelming challenges and obstacles, or in a time of weakness. We often tend to grab hold of things that can easily break or let us down. They might hold us up at times, but at any moment they could crumble or simply disappear and not be there anymore. It could be a person, even a family member or friend on whom we have depended in the past. It might be an institution or a government agency. It might be a savings account or a job or some other entity we hope will provide the support we need. While some of those may be helpful at times, we often discover how unreliable they can be.

The Bible tells us about a time when the Assyrian army was besieging the city of Jerusalem. The Assyrian leader accused Hezekiah, the king of Judah, of relying on the ruler of Egypt to come to their rescue. He said, “You are trusting in the staff of this broken reed of Egypt, on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it.” In other words, Pharoah was like a towel rack that will break and not hold him up. This official continued on to point out how other nations who had depended on their various gods had succumbed to the Assyrian army. None of those so-called gods were able to save their worshipers who relied on them for help.

However, in his distress and time of need Hezekiah didn’t try to lean on another king or some other god. He reached out to take hold of the one true God. He earnestly prayed to the Lord for help. And in this case, God responded by miraculously defending His people. We are told that He sent an angel into the camp of the Assyrians, killing 185,000 of their soldiers, and resulting in the withdrawal of their army.

We can depend on God to hold us up too. He may not do something as dramatic or spectacular as He did in Hezekiah’s situation, but He will not let us down. He may choose to miraculously deliver us or change our circumstances. Or He might simply give us the strength to endure whatever hardships come our way. If we put our trust in Him, He will be with us, support us, and keep us from falling.

May we have the same spirit as the psalmist who declared: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help…Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help” (Psalm 146:3-5).

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

 

Do You Have a Before-and-After? 

Our youngest grandson recently received his first haircut. Such an event is often viewed as a milestone as it can seemingly transform the appearance of a youngster from that of an infant to boyhood. It tends to make the child look older, which can be an occasion for both a little nostalgic sadness and a measure of joy. So my daughter made sure to get some before-and-after photos of the event. Beforehand you could see his rather shaggy, long curls flowing on the back of his head. Afterwards it was replaced with a neatly-groomed shorter hairstyle. He looked great, especially as he posed for the picture with one of his cute facial expressions.

Hopefully we all have experienced a before-and-after transformation, not just in having some kind of physical makeover, but in our hearts and lives. I am referring to the change that Jesus makes in us when we come to put our trust in Him as our Savior. It constitutes a much greater milestone than a first haircut. It goes much deeper, affecting not only how we look outwardly but the kind of person we are inwardly.

The Apostle Paul makes reference to this significant change in our lives. “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another, But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7).

Notice that Paul didn’t just point to the “before” picture of others but of himself too. This description fits all of us to some degree before we came to know the Lord. Maybe some of us were more foolish than others. Some may have sunk into deeper disobedience and immorality than others did. Some may have given in more to the lusts and the hatred. However we all were guilty of sin and needed to be delivered from its bondage. And it was something we could not remedy through our attempts to be good or, as Paul describes it, by our “works of righteousness.”

I am thankful that the word “but” is in that passage. It signifies a change. God showed His love and mercy toward us in sending Jesus into this world to be our Savior. Through Him, we can be saved. It isn’t a haircut or makeover. It is a cleansing that takes place in our souls. And it is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is referred to in this scripture in terms of being a regeneration and renewal. Jesus called it a new birth. It is a significant change in our relationship with God, being forgiven of our sins, received into His family, and having the assurance of eternal life.

Can you point to such a before-and-after experience in your life? It will be more dramatic for some people than for others. However, for all of us there should be some recognition of a time when we experienced a transformation in our hearts and in our relationship with the Lord. It was more than simply joining the church, getting baptized, or going through a confirmation class. It involved an actual change in our inner being that affected the kind of person we were and how we would live our lives. Let’s make sure we have been saved and cleansed by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.  

 

It Is by the Grace of God 

One day recently I was watching a news report about the aftermath of a tornado in another part of the country. A firefighter was being interviewed about the damage that the storm left behind. He commented that it was only “by the grace of luck” that no one was seriously injured or killed. I wasn’t sure I had heard his statement correctly. Did I misunderstand? Didn’t he say, “by the grace of God”? I was able to go back and listen to the interview again. No, I wasn’t mistaken. He had said exactly what I thought he did. He attributed the lack of casualties to “the grace of luck.”

Maybe it is just me, but I had not encountered that phrase before. What does it even mean? I understand that there are people who believe in the random force of luck. Instead of giving credit to God for His blessings, they point to people simply being lucky. But where does grace fit into the picture? Grace suggests a personal being who shows us favor that we don’t deserve. It is appropriate to talk about the grace of a gracious God. However, luck has nothing to do with grace. It just randomly occurs. It reminds me of how many are increasingly using another phrase these days as a substitute for God. They talk about “the universe” doing this or causing that. They choose to acknowledge some impersonal entity instead of admitting to the existence of God and of His activity in the world.

I believe we as human beings know in our hearts that there is something beyond us – a “Higher Power” of some kind. While many may choose to call it luck, fate, the universe, or some other name to designate this impersonal force at work in the world, I am grateful to know that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is actually an intelligent being and a personal God. He is one who cares about us, who loves us, and is wanting what is best for us. He does show us grace or favor by blessing us in many ways. Some of those are common blessings that we all get to experience – the sunshine, the rain, breath in our lungs, and so much more. Others of us get to experience additional blessings from living a life in right relationship with Him. We have been saved by grace through putting our trust in Jesus as our Savior. And we experience His grace on a daily basis as He walks with us through life, guiding us, strengthening us, and being our constant companion.

So when something good takes place or we are spared from something harmful, it is appropriate to chalk it up to the grace of God. We don’t deserve it, but He blessed us anyway. That cannot be said about luck or any other impersonal force.

Maybe this is simply another indication of the direction much of our culture is trending. People are looking for something to give credit to or to place blame on, but they are steering away from God and going other directions. They are more willing to acknowledge something impersonal than to have to deal with the implications of a Creator who has revealed truth they don’t want to receive, a God who has standards of right and wrong, and a Heavenly Father who is calling for them to come back home to Him. They prefer to talk about luck rather than the gracious actions of God.

Let’s be thankful that the Power at work in our world today is not simply an uncaring force but a loving and gracious Father. Whatever good we experience, it is truly by the grace of God.  

 

What Do the Storms Reveal about Us? 

Last week one of those summertime afternoon thunderstorms briefly brought some hail and strong wind to my neighborhood. Afterwards I discovered that those gusts had caused part of a neighbor’s dead tree to topple over into my backyard. I was somewhat surprised because I had not noticed the unhealthy condition of that tree previously as it had been hidden within a cluster of other trees.

Sometimes storms cause problems. If it rains as hard and as much as it has in some areas of our country, there is inevitably going to be flooding. And if winds are strong enough, such as from a tornado, no structures are going to be able to withstand its destructive force. However, many times the storms don’t actually cause the problems - they simply reveal issues that are already there. The rains may reveal that there are leaks in our roof or around our windows. The winds reveal the presence of a hidden dead tree. Those issues were already there, but it was the storm that brought them to the forefront.

The same holds true when it comes to the storms of life which we frequently face. We are sometimes quick to blame those storms for the damage left in their aftermath when in reality the crisis simply shed light on a problem that was already present. It wasn’t the storm that caused me to lose my temper, to cower in fear, to sink into depression, or to give in to worry. It may have been the occasion that precipitated my reaction, but it wasn’t really the cause. Apparently my trust in the Lord had already sprung some leaks. That stormy circumstance that hit didn’t lessen my faith, but it revealed that my faith wasn’t as strong as I thought it was.    

While we don’t enjoy having to face those difficult times, we can often learn from those experiences. They can show us truths about ourselves that we had failed to see before or maybe had refused to see. When we didn’t stand strong when some winds of adversity blew, we may have realized that we were not as rooted and grounded in our relationship with the Lord as we had supposed. We all have areas in our hearts and lives that still fall short of Christlikeness and need to be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We still have much growing to do. The storms have a way of pointing those out to us.

It reminds me of Jesus’ story about the two men who built their houses. One house withstood the storm while the other was destroyed. The floods and wind hit both structures. The storm was not the problem. The cause of the fall of the one house was an issue that was already there before the storm hit. The house was built on unstable sand instead of on the solid rock.

What about us? Will our house stand when the storms come our way? The answer to that question may have little to do with the storm itself. Granted, some challenges we face in life are more difficult than others. Some tragedies are such that they can shake anyone. However, the main factor is not the strength of the storm but the strength of our house. Is it founded on the rock of a saving relationship with Jesus, steadfast trust in Him, and in our living in obedience to His will?

Now is the time to get our house prepared – before the storm hits. Now is the time to seal those leaks and to make sure our lives are still standing on a firm foundation. The storms will come. Let’s be ready for them.

 

Don’t Give Satan an Opportunity 

My daughter and son-in-law walked out of their house one morning to find the back windshield shattered in their truck which had been sitting overnight at the top of their driveway. While vandalism was their obvious first conclusion, upon closer examination they discovered a different cause. They realized that the window had not been broken from the outside but rather from the inside. And found among the many pieces of glass scattered in the bed of the truck was animal fur. One of the back windows of the truck had been left partially open by one of their sons riding in the backseat the previous evening. Apparently some animal had climbed in that open window and in a panic to escape had busted the back glass. What was it? From those who examined the remnants of the fur, they concluded it was a deer. Certainly a panicked deer could have caused the damage, but it was just surprising that it would have climbed through that small opening in order to get itself in that predicament.

Their situation reminds us how trouble can slip in on us if we leave any room at all for it to get in. But it is not just wild animals who innocently wander into places where they shouldn’t. It can be those who are intentionally seeking to do harm. And I am not just talking about vandals or other criminals. We have an adversary to our spiritual well-being who is always looking for some way to squeeze his way into our lives and cause trouble. The Bible warns us to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Peter 5:8).

One reason we need to be so watchful is because Satan doesn’t always just come announcing his presence and bursting through our door. He doesn’t always come pounding on the door like the big, bad wolf in the fairy tales, declaring that he is going to huff and puff and blow our houses down. He may simply sneak in through a window left open or a crack in the door. While he can be like a roaring lion, he can also act like a slithering snake who can find a vulnerable spot through which he can gain entrance into our lives.

Paul warns us not to “give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). Another translation says not to let the devil gain a foothold. The idea is not to give Satan any opening of opportunity. Don’t leave any room for him to be able to squeeze in and infiltrate your life where he can cause havoc. Keep the windows of your heart closed and the doors to your soul locked tight to this deceitful and deadly intruder.

How might we give the devil an opportunity to sneak into our lives? We might open that door by flirting with some sinful behavior or attitude rather than steadfastly refusing to have anything to do with it. We may open the door by seeing how close we can get to the edge of God’s will without falling off into some kind of immoral behavior. We may leave a crack in the window when we allow our minds to wander off in certain foolish directions rather than immediately resisting those thoughts or fantasies. In the context of that verse in Ephesians, we may be opening the door for Satan when we don’t deal quickly and wisely with conflicts and anger in our hearts. He can get in, incite explosive reactions, or encourage us to brood in our anger until it turns into bitter resentment.

Leaving a window open in a truck can lead to trouble, but leaving a door cracked for the devil can do much greater harm.

 

Being on Guard Against Deception 

Recently I was sent an email expressing appreciation for my devotional book, Be a Holy Man. I have received communications before from people claiming to be familiar with the book and wanting to help me market it. I easily recognized those proposals as deceptive attempts to get my money and ignored them. However, this correspondence was different. I told my wife that if this was a scam, it was a really good one. It claimed to be from an author whose name my wife recognized as having written numerous Christian novels. The letter of commendation was several paragraphs in length, going into considerable detail about the content of my book. It gave all appearances of being from someone who had read the book and was familiar with its contents. Additionally, there was no financial request involved, only an invitation to have further communication with this person in order to share how I had come to write the book.

It sounded legitimate, and frankly it was flattering to think that a noted author would appreciate my work. However, I knew in my heart that it likely was not genuine. There were a couple of little oddities in the email that stood out to me. Therefore I looked up the author’s website, found the contact information for her representative, and sent her a note to check it out. Not surprisingly, I received a reply thanking me for checking and assuring me that the email did not come from that author. I have concluded that it must have been an AI generated letter. At least I hope if a real person was as familiar with the content of a book on holiness as this person seemed to be, that she would not be going around deceiving people.

This is just another reminder of one of the biggest dangers we face today and will have to deal with in the days ahead. Deception. And with increased technology, such deception can be harder and harder to recognize. It is not just people trying to trick us into revealing personal information or to get us to send them money, but it is also those attempting to deceive us in connection with spiritual matters and truth. Deception and lies have always been a favorite tool of Satan. But the Bible warns that in the last days this particular danger will increase as “evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (II Timothy 3:13).

How do we guard against such sophisticated deception? Don’t accept things at face value. Check them out for yourself. Go directly to the source when you can, as I did with that author. And that includes going directly to the Bible to discover what it really says about subjects. Additionally, watch for those “little red flags” – those things that just don’t seem quite right – whether in someone’s words or actions. Pray for discernment. Know those whom you can trust and seek their opinions about matters. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He seeks to guide you into truth.

I am not suggesting that we need to become like a few people I know. They are overly-suspicious, often think the worst of people, and question the motives of others for no reason. However, we do need to be aware of the presence of deceivers and imposters in our world. We need to keep in mind that we can’t accept every word we hear even when coming from Christian leaders. Neither can we believe everything we see due to how images can be edited.

Jesus said that even His chosen ones could be deceived in the last days. Let’s not allow that to happen to us.

 

We Must Remain Vigilant 

One day I was observing a small flock of geese as they were foraging in a grassy area across from our church. Most of those birds had their heads toward the ground, diligently searching for something to eat. However I noticed that one or two of the geese on the outskirts of the gathering kept their heads up, looking outward to the surrounding area, as if they were making sure there wasn’t any approaching danger. Admittedly, I haven’t spent much time around geese, so I don’t know if this is a common practice or not. But for the short length of time I watched those birds, it always appeared as if at least one of them would keep itself in a posture of vigilance, as if it was guarding the rest of the flock.

It reminds me of the incident in the Old Testament book of Judges when God was intent on reducing the number of participants in the army Gideon had gathered to fight against the Midianites. Why would God choose to have less combatants in Gideon’s army? It was because He didn’t want Israel to be able to take credit for the victory. He wanted them to be so heavily outnumbered in this battle that when they won, they would know that it had to be God who did it. So one way God decided whom to exclude from the army was to have them go down to a river to drink water. Those who got down on their knees to get a drink were dismissed, while those who stayed more upright while scooping up water in their hands and bringing it up to their mouths were retained to take part in the conflict.

Why was that group chosen over the others? It may be that it was simply a random way to pick a smaller number of people with no merit attached to the way they chose to drink the water. However, some believe their actions revealed their vigilance. They didn’t take their eyes off their surroundings. Even as they took a break to drink water, they were still on guard against any attack from the enemy.

As followers of Jesus, we likewise should never let our guards down when it comes to the enemies of our souls. The Bible encourages us to be watchful. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus warned His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). At the close of his discourse on spiritual armor, Paul wrote, “being watchful to this end with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18). And the most familiar admonition regarding this matter is I Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

There are spiritual dangers and enemies lurking in our world. There are temptations that can arise not only from our surroundings but from the desires that can get stirred in our own hearts. Therefore we can’t afford to get so busy or distracted by what we are doing that we fail to be vigilant. We must always stay aware of the possibility of an enemy attack or a sudden temptation. Sometimes those events can occur when we would least expect them. Even when we have just experienced a great victory, have seen God work in a mighty way, or have enjoyed a fresh sense of His presence, those are times when we may be vulnerable to danger if we don’t stay alert.

Stay vigilant, not just over your own soul, but over your flock. Be a spiritual guardian over your children, your family, your friends, and your fellow believers. Don’t grow complacent or get distracted. Be the one who is always watchful for spiritual dangers.  

 

God Can Be Our Place of Safety 

In recent weeks it seems like floods have been in the news more than usual. I saw where one group of campers in another part of the country had to be rescued from rising waters by Black Hawk helicopters. I am sure they will always remember that experience. Even in our own region, there have been flash floods as some of our summertime thunderstorms have sat virtually stationary over one area pouring down heavy rain.

The psalmist wrote, “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed (Psalm 61:1-2). Does your heart ever get overwhelmed? That word “overwhelmed” is often used in scripture in reference to being overcome by floodwaters. Sometimes things pour into our lives and it can be a real struggle to keep our heads above water. But the psalmist wasn’t just talking about financial difficulties, extreme busyness, or times of sickness. He refers to when his heart is overwhelmed. You probably know what he is talking about – those times when there is such a burden or heaviness in your spirit and soul that it is hard to keep going. It is those times when the floodwaters of stress, grief, fear, or discouragement pour in on you. It may be in reference to what is going on in your own life, or in the lives of those around you, or simply in our troubled world.

So what did the psalmist do in that situation? First of all, he cried out to the Lord. We need to know where to go when our hearts are being overwhelmed. We need to pray and bring our burdens to the Lord. He tells us to cast our cares upon Him. He has given us a lifeline of communication and we need to make use of it. It may be as simple a prayer as, “Lord, help me!” Sometimes in our grief, we may not even be able to vocalize what we are feeling, but the Bible suggests that God can hear and understand the groanings of our hearts.

Then the psalmist makes this statement: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). When floodwaters come, sometimes people have to keep climbing up to higher levels in order to keep above the waters. Maybe you saw on the news as I did about a family getting rescued from their house in one of those floods in Texas. It showed that family being pulled out of windows from their attic. They had gone to the highest part of their house in order to stay safe. That is what the Lord provides for us when our hearts are being overwhelmed. He doesn’t just lead us to a rock, but to a rock that is higher than us. The floodwaters may be over our heads, but God has a place of safety for us that is higher than those floodwaters can reach. He not only provides such a refuge – He is that place of safety. He is our Rock.

I don’t know what may have your heart overwhelmed today, or what flash flood may pop into your life tomorrow. Maybe it is the grief, loss, or sorrow you or your loved ones are experiencing. Maybe it is the burden of some lost soul who hasn’t put his faith in the Lord yet. Maybe it is simply the heaviness of seeing all the evil in the world. I don’t know what the floodwaters are or will be, but I do know this: there is a Rock that is higher than you and I. We can cry out to the Lord and trust Him to be our shelter in the storm.

 

Let’s Challenge Ourselves Spiritually 

It was a recent hot, humid summer morning when I stepped onto a pickleball court with my teenage grandson. I was curious to see how I would do and how my physical stamina would be after not having been involved in that activity for many months. My grandson had gotten quite good at the game, so I took this as a personal challenge. I was pleased to see that I could still hold my own against a much younger opponent. We each won hard-fought games, although my victories came with a lot more huffing and puffing than my grandson’s. While my competitive spirit wanted to try to play a tie-breaking game, my body told me I had reached my limit. I paid the price for this strenuous activity later with stiff, sore muscles, but it had been a satisfying and enjoyable experience.

It can be good to challenge ourselves at times, to test our limits, or just to get out of our comfort zones. We may do that in certain areas of our lives, such as with our physical abilities, our work skills, or our relationships. However, do we ever challenge ourselves when it comes to spiritual matters and our walk with the Lord? If we are not careful, we can let ourselves grow complacent or we can get a little lazy in those spiritual disciplines that help us grow in our faith. We can take our relationship with the Lord for granted, or simply become a little slack in our service to Him. Our concern for the souls of others can wane. We can end up isolating ourselves from the needy world around us rather than getting out in it to be the light God calls us to be.

We need to exercise our spiritual muscles, not let them grow weak from lack of use. We need to face the challenging societal issues of our day with the truth of God’s Word, not try to ignore them or stick our heads in the sand as if those problems don’t exist. We need to take the initiative to be that Church Jesus talked about that would storm the gates of hell, not be the ones who simply sit back in perpetual defensive mode.

Maybe we can begin by challenging ourselves to be more active in those means of grace which will help us draw closer to God. Challenge yourself to make church attendance a more regular part of your life. Take that extra step to get involved in a Sunday School class or a small group Bible study or prayer meeting. Challenge yourself to make Bible reading and prayer a daily practice in your life, or to add a little additional time or depth to those practices. Look for a fresh way you can use your gifts and abilities to bless others and to serve God.

Let’s challenge ourselves to be better witnesses for Christ, both by the words that we say and by the Christlike lives we live. Let’s intentionally look for opportunities to show the love of God to someone who needs it. Let’s look for a chance to share His Word or our testimony or some truth of the gospel with someone who needs to hear it. Let’s challenge ourselves to plant those seeds of love and truth every day.  

There may be limits to what we can do, just as my physical strength limited me on that pickleball court. We need to step up wisely and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But let’s not allow apathy, complacency, laziness, or fear keep us from getting out onto the court. Challenge yourself to keep growing spiritually, to serve the Lord in new ways, and to be a better, more godly influence on your world.

 

You Have a Testimony to Share 

Recently part of our family gathered at a restaurant known for its New York style pizza. Having visited that city a few times, we fell in love with their pizza, but have had a hard time finding anything comparable to it in our area, even among restaurants which claim to offer it. My wife had discovered this particular establishment near her workplace. She had taken me there so I could try it for myself. She subsequently took a couple of individuals born and raised in New York there, including her mom. They also loved it and testified to its authenticity. Therefore we ended up there on this occasion with our daughters and their families for their evaluation and enjoyment. They weren’t disappointed.

Testimonies based on personal experience can carry a lot of weight. It was one thing for me to say that I liked the food at this place. However, it was even more impressive to hear native New Yorkers sing its praises.

The same can hold true concerning our experience with the Lord. Personal testimonies can be effective and persuasive. Granted, such accounts are very subjective. They don’t necessarily offer the same kind of proof as objective truth and facts. Nevertheless, they are useful to support those objective realties. For example, it is helpful for us to know about all the evidence that points to the fact that Jesus rose from the grave. But neither should we ignore the testimony that is expressed in a great gospel song, “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!” Our personal experiences aren’t proof. They could be mistaken. But if the objective evidence is true, then you would expect there would be individuals who can back it up by what they have seen for themselves. They know that Jesus is the risen Lord who can save souls and change lives, not just because the Bible says so or because there is an empty tomb, but because He has changed their hearts and lives.

I am reminded of the occasion when Jesus healed a blind man. Afterwards the religious leaders were questioning the man, trying to discredit him, and get him to disparage Jesus. They were disgruntled over the fact that Jesus had performed this act of healing on the Sabbath. As they drilled this man about who he thought Jesus was, the man finally responded, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). This man may not have been able to make all the theological arguments about Jesus’ identity, but he knew what he had experienced. Jesus had touched him, restored his sight, and changed his life.

If we have had a personal encounter with Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we too have a testimony we can share. While we need to know as much factual information as possible about Him, the Bible, and doctrinal matters, we don’t have to be seminary graduates in order to share our faith with others. Each of us has a story to tell. We can simply share how Jesus has touched us and made a difference in our lives. Every person’s testimony is different. Some involve dramatic conversions from the depths of immorality. Others are about moral people who realized they were also sinners who couldn’t ever be good enough to save themselves.

Whatever your experience may be, it is worth sharing. And there is someone who needs to hear it. Your testimony may be just the thing that will help someone realize the authenticity of a relationship with the Lord. So let’s tell others what Jesus has done for us.

 

250 Years Isn’t So Long Ago 

We are celebrating the 250^th anniversary of what most people consider to be the birth of the United States of America. It is a good time to give thanks for our nation and our freedoms, as well as to pray for our leaders and for a much-needed turning to God. So along with our cookouts and fireworks, let’s remember to pray for our country today.

At first thought, 250 years seems like such a long time. When I was a youngster studying about the American Revolution in school, it seemed like ancient history. However, as I have gotten older, my perspective has changed somewhat. The 1960s probably seem like prehistoric times to my grandchildren, but those days don’t seem so far away to me since I lived them. So consider the fact that someone who is eighty-three years old today can look back on their first years of life as if it was a short time ago. Someone who was eighty-three years old at the time that person was born could look back at their lifespan the same way. A third person who was eighty-three when that person was born could conceivably look back at their birth and it would have taken place around the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Only three eighty-three-year-old individuals separate our day from the birth of our nation. When I think about it in those terms, it really wasn’t that long ago since our country came into existence.

This realization should serve as another reminder to us of the shortness of life. The Bible describes this reality in numerous ways. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14). Even for those who live to be in their seventies, eighties, or older, life comes and goes relatively quickly. Eighty-three years can seem like a long time, but that lifespan can pass by before we know it.

Therefore, in light of that truth the Bible encourages us to live wisely. “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16). If life is so short, then we need to make the most of the opportunities we are given. Let’s not allow life to pass us by and suddenly realize all the time we wasted.

Think about how so much has changed in our nation over the last 250 years – from fledgling colonies to a world superpower – from a vast wilderness to great metropolises – from covered wagons to jet planes. And then consider how the world has changed just within some of our lifetimes – the advances in technology – the differences in our culture – the changes in values and morals, some of which is positive but much of which has gone in the wrong direction. We live in a very different world from the one in which many of us were born.

These truths should challenge us not to passively sit back as time goes by. Eighty-three years goes by quickly. So let’s be faithful to fulfill God’s purposes while we are here on this earth. Don’t waste these precious gifts of time and life that God has given you. Receive His loving gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus. Love Him, live for Him and seek to do His will during these few years of your life. Give priority to those things that will still matter 250 years from now. Be a light in a dark world, a godly influence on your family and friends, and a proclaimer of the gospel to those who need to hear it.

Time is short, even 250 years. But eternity is forever.

 

Christian Living Goes Beyond Imitation 

It was interesting to observe the actions of our youngest grandson recently. We were gathered with family at a restaurant when someone let him see their phone. The toddler proceeded to type letters on the keyboard when it appeared. He would also periodically swipe his finger along the screen as if scrolling. He wasn’t accomplishing anything through all his activity, but you wouldn’t know it from the serious look on his face. It looked like he knew exactly what he was doing, but the letters he typed were gibberish and his other actions were meaningless. He was simply imitating what he had witnessed his parents and older brothers doing with that gadget. And there were those watching him closely to make sure he didn’t accidentally do something he shouldn’t.

Imitation can be a good means of learning, including in connection with our efforts to follow Jesus. We have many examples in the Bible from which we can draw lessons on how to live and please God. In Hebrews 11, we are provided with a long list of people who exhibited faith in God in the various situations they faced. The Bible goes on to suggest that we should imitate them so that we can faithfully run our race on this journey through life. Additionally, the Apostle Paul encouraged fellow-believers to imitate certain aspects of his behavior. Of course, the greatest example we could seek to imitate is Jesus Himself. Many of us remember when that idea was popularized by asking the question, “What would Jesus do?”

Imitation is good, but it can also leave us lacking. As was the case with my grandson, we can do what we have seen others do, yet not be experiencing the reality of what they did. We can go through the same motions, use the same words, do what they did, but it all be without meaning. That especially holds true when it comes to living for the Lord. We can attend church, pray, and read scripture without having any real relationship with Jesus. We can even show love and kindness to people, help the needy, and seek for justice and still be lacking any connection to the God who encourages us to do those things.

Imitation is good, but it is not the basis of our relationship with the Lord. We get connected to Him through faith in who He is and what He has done for us through dying on the cross for our sins. It is through receiving God’s gift of eternal life in Christ and being born again that we come to know the reality of what it means to know Jesus and to follow Him. Without that basis of repentance, faith, and a new birth, all our other spiritual activity is simply like a toddler punching letters on a phone. It can make us look good. We can appear to be Christians. We can even fool ourselves into thinking we are involved in something meaningful. However, it gets us no closer to true knowledge of and fellowship with the Lord.

Don’t get me wrong. We can still seek to imitate those godly people in the Bible, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus Himself. But being like Jesus doesn’t result as much from our seeking to imitate Him as it does from letting His Spirit live in us and transform us from the inside out. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). It is not so much about us trying to be like Jesus. It is more about letting Him live through us.

 

Are We Faithful to Our Word? 

At the time of this writing another ceasefire agreement has been announced for the Middle East situation, including the opening up of the strategic waterway that has been shut down for a while. Hopefully, this one will become reality. Over the past months we have experienced so many mixed messages about this conflict from our government leaders that it has become a target of much ridicule and sarcastic humor. We have been assured at various times that peace was imminent, that enemy capabilities to retaliate were destroyed, that ships would be able to get back to normal traffic, only to face disappointment as those declarations proved to be untrue. For whatever reason – premature optimism, exaggerated claims, the difficulty of negotiating with different factions – what our leaders claimed often failed to materialize.

Aren’t you thankful that the One who is the Ruler of all things is more dependable than that? If God says something, we can depend on it. If He gives us a promise, we can be assured that it will come to pass. His character is such that He cannot lie. He is a good God who doesn’t seek to deceive us. Neither are there circumstances beyond His control. He is the all-wise God who is not surprised by anything that happens. While He gives people the right to choose, no one has the power to thwart God’s ultimate purposes for the world. We can choose whether or not we are going to align ourselves with Him and His will for us, but He will fulfill His plan with or without us. He can even take the bad things in life and turn them around to bring about something good.  

One of the clearest statements of this truth comes from the God-given prophecies of Balaam, that enigmatic figure in the Old Testament. “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). God will do whatever He says. And that includes whatever He says He can do in our lives. Right after the Apostle Paul prays for God to sanctify His people or make them holy, he declares, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (I Thessalonians 5:24). If God tells us to do something, He will enable us to fulfill His will.   

If God is dependable, if His word is sure, and if we are to be more like Him, then shouldn’t we be people whose word can be counted on too? Jesus talked about how we shouldn’t need to swear oaths. If we say that something is true or if we declare that we are going to do something, then that should settle the matter. Our word should be enough. He said, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

Can people count on us to do what we say? Granted, we still face limitations which could hinder us from fulfilling a promise. We may face an unexpected obstacle. We may be hindered by the resistance of other people who are involved. We may have miscalculated our capabilities. However, we should not be known as people whose words should be taken lightly. We need to be careful what we say. We need to take seriously the promises we make. Instead of becoming laughingstocks because of our mixed messages, we should be known as people of our word.

God is faithful to do as He says. Let’s be more like Him.