Standards for Forced Situations

We all rooted for Cinderella. You remember the story.  A young girl's mother died and her father remarried.  He was a loving father but the stepmother, well, not so much.  Tragedy struck.  The father died too.  Cinderella was left with a stepmother and stepsisters who treated her horribly.  By no fault of her own, Cinderella was stuck in cruel situation. We can all relate to having our lives negatively impacted by situations that are out of our control.  So we read Cinderella's story to the end with great anticipation needing the fairy tale ending for what it speaks to our lives.

 

How do we handle forced situations?  What do we do when we have tried to handle things God's way to the best of our ability, but other people purposely do things to bring us down.  Well, the Bible is full of examples of people dealing with situations like this. In Genesis, we can read the story of Joseph.  Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him. Instead they sold him away.  Joseph was forced to leave his country and family and be treated as a slave by no choice of his own.  Joseph overcame that and became a prominent person.  He was so excellent that he caught the eye of his master's wife.  Joseph refused to dishonor his master by sleeping with his wife.  She accused him of attempting rape and Joseph was sent to prison.  He was forced into another unjust situation that had brought him down. 

 

I could go on and on with other accounts in the Bible much like Joseph's.  I believe there are so many instances of forced situations in the Bible because God knows that we deal with so many instances of it in everyday life.  I am sure we each have a story of our own we could tell about how we were hurt or brought low because of something someone else did to us. What's more is the story we have will probably not be our last.  That being said, it is important that we know how to handle times in our lives like these.  The Bible demonstrates some standards for dealing with forced situations and I want to share what I've noted with you.

 

Standard One: Honor God

No matter what has happened to you or how, we can never allow it to affect our love and reverence for God.  Through all that Joseph went through, Joseph remained connected to and faithful to God.

Standard Two: Respect Authority and Trust God

Sometimes the people who harm us are people in authority over us.  When we are making efforts to rectify the situation, we should maintain a level of respect for those in authority over us.  The Bible says that God sets people in positions of authority.  When they wrong us, it is God's job to get them in line not ours.  We have to trust that God will defend us.  God says he is our defense.  He doesn't lie.  When we take situations into our own hands in a disorderly, disrespectful way, things are guaranteed to get worse. Joseph had every reason to go head to head with his master and his master's wife , but he humbled himself.  He trusted God to fix it.

Standard Three: Keep Going To Sleep and Waking Up

That just means don't stop. Don't give up.  Keep going to sleep and waking up and the day will surely come that you will be vindicated.  Joseph kept going to sleep and waking up. Joseph had been in prison for more than two years and then one day he woke up and the king called for him because he needed him.  Joseph went before the king and gave the king an interpretation of a dream God had sent the king.  The king was so impressed with Joseph that he made him second in charge after him. 

If you are dealing with a forced situation, remember Cinderella.  The position of honor she deserved surely did come to her.   Too much of a fairytale?  Then get in the Word.  God shows us time and again in the Bible that he has a history of bringing about justice for the sake of his own.  Research  David, Daniel, Esther, and Ruth in the Bible.  Notice how they follow the standards for forced situations. Then take note of the outcomes. God brings his people out.


Scripture: Isaiah 54:17    
No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.

Prayer:
Lord vindicate us when we are wronged. May our faith always rest in you.

Why Wait

Have you introduced your children to our Savior?  It's good for them to know that there is someone who loves them even more than you.  We, as parents, will fail our children at some point in time.  It will not be intentional.  It will simply be the result of our humanity.  There will also be times when our children just won't feel comfortable addressing certain concerns that they have with us.  Even if they did share everything with us, we still wouldn't be able to help them with everything.  So they need to understand that they have a Father who is able and willing to attend to all of their needs.  Introduce your kids to God.  When you wake Sunday morning and prepare to go to church, get them up and take them too.  Let them witness your worship.  When you make choices in your life in the interest of honoring God, share with them why you make the choices.  Don't just expose them to religion and ritualistic Christianity.  Show them that you are a friend of God.  When you hum a tune of worship while riding in the car, they'll hear.  When you are cozy in bed holding the Bible as your reading choice for the night, they'll notice.  When you take time to pray with your kids, they'll remember.  They may not understand or acknowledge the example that you are setting while they are young (some will), but wait and watch.  Time will march on and it will become apparent in the lives of your children that you have left a legacy of involving God in everyday life.  So don't wait.  Invite Jesus into your kids lives now so later they can choose to invite him into their hearts.

 

Scripture:

Mark 10: 13,14

 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

 

Prayer:

Lord draw our children into a relationship with you.  May our children know you, serve you, fellowship with you, and love you from generation to generation. Help us leave a legacy of worship.

 

A Gift

You've been walking around with your shoulders drooping, countenance fallen, and eyes blazing for about.....five to ten years now.  You've even managed to develop at least ten distinctly different frowning faces to display your precise level of dissatisfaction.  People are starting to wonder if you have a muscle disorder that prohibits you from smiling, because in the last few years they've known you your pearly whites have yet to surface.  Come on... you're a Christian. If anyone should have reason to be joyful, it's you.  You have a savior who put his life on the line so that you can have a better shot at living yours to the fullest.  The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and not just any ordinary life. He came so we could live life abundantly.  Don't waste your days being angry about things from your past or being upset over things that are out of your control in the present.  You're missing out on so much.  Seek out a trustworthy confidant that can help you work through the inner issues of your heart so you can get past them and really live again.  Prayer is a great for that. Then face each day with the intent of enjoying people and purposely enjoying the simple pleasures. Be resolved to embrace the hope and possibilities that come with each new horizon.  Each day is a gift.

Scripture:
Psalm 144:15 Happy is that people whose God is the Lord
Proverbs 16:20 whoso trusts in the Lord, happy is he
Psalm 35:9 my soul shall be joyful in the Lord

Prayer:
Lord help me get to the root of our unhappiness then steer me beyond it.  Please restore my joy.

A Fear to Desire

Fear has many faces.  There is a fear that warns.  This fear is a tool that indicates when something is out of place or that we are in over our heads.  It is helpful in that it comes only when necessary and its intent is to let us know that we need to seek out God's guidance/help in the situation. Then there is the spirit of fear.  This fear is not from God.  It is a vice of the enemy.  This fear often cries wolf causing one to be overly concerned and cautious when there is no need.  The spirit of fear stifles, hinders, and can be very damaging.  Then there is a third kind of fear.  This fear is beautiful and beneficial.  It is a blessing if you obtain it.  It is a fear to desire.

I know the thought of desiring any kind of fear seems wrong, but walk with me for a minute and I'll explain.  Have you ever been to court?  You go into the courtroom and you dress appropriately, you unplug yourself from your devices, and you behave yourself as professionally as you know how.  You address the judge as your honor, judge, or at the least sir/mam.    There is an element of fearing doing anything to disrespect the judge.  The fear is not about you being afraid.  The fear is a recognition of the judges authority.  You know that he can charge you fines or even sentence you to jail.  More than that you know that the ultimate goal of the judge is to keep everyone safe and orderly.  So you choose to honor and respect the authority of that judge.  This is the kind of fear of which I speak.   This is the kind of fear to desire.

We should desire to fear God. That is not to mean we should be afraid of him as though he is an unapproachable tyrant. No. Fearing God is holding him in the highest regard in recognition of the fact that he has all power and sovereignty. The Bible has many scriptures about the fear of the Lord and it is definitely something to want for.  In Psalm 111:10 the Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  We can gain all the knowledge in the world, but we need wisdom to know how to manage that knowledge properly.  The fear of the Lord  precedes that wisdom.  So if we don't fear the Lord, we are limiting our potential in a major way.  There's more.  In Proverbs 10:27, the Bible says the fear of the Lord prolongs our days.  Proverbs 22:4 tells us that the fear of the Lord brings riches, honor, and life.  In Psalms 25:14 we learn that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them His covenant.  Psalm 112:2 tells us that the descendants of those that fear the Lord shall be blessed and mighty in the earth.  In Psalm 25:12 it tells us that those who fear God receive great mercy.  

The promises of God go on and on in the Bible.  Fearing God gives us access to many of them.  Study the fear of God and I'll think you'll agree.  Fearing God is indeed a fear to desire.  

Scripture:

Psalm 147:11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those that hope in his mercy

Prayer:

Lord give it to us to reverently and worshipfully fear you and you alone.

Love Beyond Fear

How do you love without fear. The majority of us share a guarded love, because experience has taught us that people will mishandle our love.  We are talking about love in all forms: romantic, parental, friendly, or whatever the case may be.  There is a silent, inconspicuous fear present that the love we are experiencing will, sooner or later, cause us pain. If we are parents, we try to protect our kids from everything. We try to protect them from things that we really have no business trying to protect them from.  But we love them deeply and fear the love that we have for them would crush us if it were taken away.  We love our spouse.  We share ourselves with them. But we operate our relationship in a way that limits our acts of love for them out of the fear that they will damage our love.  We treat our friends the same way.  It is clear to us now that they are also human and will inevitably disappoint us.  So we will only go so far for them.  Why? We fear what bad things will come of our love.

 

In John 4:18 the Bible says that there is no fear in love.  Really? How can that be?  How can there be no fear in love? Well, let's start with what love really is. In I Corinthians 13, God gives us a clear picture of love.  Love is patience and kindness.  Love doesn't envy.  It isn't prideful, rude, and doesn't act selfishly. Love isn't easily angered. Love doesn't take pleasure in sin or evil doing. Love takes pleasure in truth. Love deals with a lot, believes in people, is hopeful, and stands up to everything. Love doesn't fail.  So then love isn't that warm and fuzzy feeling a person gives you. Love is selflessness. Love is putting the other person before ourselves.  Fear is quite different.  The root of fear is selfishness, or at the very least self-preservationism. Fear, any kind of fear, is in essence a sense of needing to protect one's self from something or someone.  Fear always boils down to us thinking of ourselves. So, if everything that is love is selfless, than fear has no part in love.

I believe that we do have moments that we love purely.  Once again it has nothing to do with our feelings. It's actions that we take that are love.  Fear may rear it's head, but we get past it and love beyond the fear. For example, you remain patient with a troublesome neighbor who is less than friendly.  You share a kind word and a warm smile with them though it will likely not be reciprocated.  That's love.  Or...you remain hopeful for a troubled child. You help them though they are undeserving and regardless of the fact that you may end up with the short end of the stick. That's love.  Or...your marriage has been difficult and has had some extremely rough patches. You both wanted to throw in the towel sometimes, but each of you never really wanted to hurt the other. You withstand the trials together and look out after each other no mater what.  That is love. Sometimes these selfless acts come easily and naturally. Sometimes they are a choice.  Either way you've put someone else before yourself. You have loved.

 

So, yes, we love and, yes, we fear.  We just don't fear while we are truly acting out of love.  When we act out of love, we cast out our concerns and love beyond the fear.  

Scripture:
I John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God. He that doesn't love doesn't know God; for God is love.

Prayer:
Lord, help us to get past ourselves and love beyond our fears.

Enough is Enough

People keep telling you that you should be satisfied.  After all, you have received blessing after blessing and you already have more than some could ever hope for.  Still, you are not satisfied.  There is a gnawing feeling of emptiness.   Something on the inside keeps pushing for more.  You try to suppress it because maybe it is greed.  But maybe it isn't greed, maybe it's God. It can be a hard thing to determine when enough is enough.

In the Bible there is a lesson that can help us with this.  A man named Samuel had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.  Peninnah had born children with Samuel, but Hannah had not.  Nonetheless, Samuel favored Hannah because his heart was with her.  The Bible says that when Samuel would give his offering, he would give Peninnah and their children portions, but he would give Hannah a worthy portion.  In other words, Hannah was loved and well taken care of and she had everything she needed and more.  Hannah, though, was dissatisfied.  Samuel could not understand why Hannah wasn't happy.  He had given her everything he could possibly give her.  When would enough be enough? Samuel's reaction can represent mistakes that we often make.  For one, Samuel was trying to impose his level of satisfaction on Hannah. He supposed that what would satisfy him, should also satisfy Hannah.  We must understand, though, that God has given each of us our own purpose.  Therefore, our needs will vary as our purposes vary.  Secondly, Samuel was making the mistake of trying to be Hannah's everything.  As much as we want to be and as hard as we may try, we will surely find that we could never be everything to any person. Only God can do that.

Fortunately, Hannah was a wise woman.  With no disrespect shown to Samuel who had been a blessing to her, she sought out what she knew in the core of her being that she was missing. The wisest thing about Hannah'so decision was who she sought out for provision of her need.  She sought out God.  She went to God in prayer about the desire of her heart and he orchestrated events so that she received her desire.

So what can we learn about when enough is enough in this Bible lesson.  We learn that wanting more can sometimes be out of need, not out of greed. We learn that no other person should set the bar for what is enough for us.  We also learned that when we feel like there should be more, like something is missing...the one we should seek is God.  God is the only being that knows whether or not it would be best for us to have what we desire and he is the only one who is not limited in his power to make it come to pass. 

Scripture:
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart

Prayer:
Lord, you have created us for great things.  Teach us to seek you first in all things and help us to go for more with wisdom and purity of heart. Amen. 

 

Sometimes You Have To...

     

There are times when we have to leave.  Circumstances come about in our lives that require us to leave the people and places that we are familiar with.  In these cases, it is not about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence.  It is more of a situation in which you are existing in a grassless place that won't sustain you.  In these cases, staying means certain death.  If your dreams and aspirations are dying because of where you are...if your inner spirit is dying because of where you are...if danger is always looming over you where you are...then, yes, leave. Sometimes we have to leave.

      There are other times, though, that you have to go back. You may not want to deal with it, but it's true.  There are certain situations in our lives that require us to leave for a time. Then, after a while, God sends us back home.  Sometimes your entire purpose for leaving is for you to go out and acquire something that you need to take back to where you came from. 

      In the Bible there is a story about a woman named Ruth. Ruth was the daughter-in-law of a lady named Naomi. Naomi and her husband lived in Bethlehem Judah, but a severe famine hit their town. Staying home would mean starving. They moved to Moab. After a while of living there, it happened that Naomi's husband died. Then her only two sons died also. Only Naomi and the widows of her sons remained. For a time this new place sustained her, but now everything around her was dying. She couldn't stay in that place any longer. It was time to return home. It's hard to go back home when you have nothing to show from your leaving. Naomi was empty and bitter.  In spite of her shame, she returned home.  That's not the end of her story.

     Naomi didn't return alone. One of her daughters in law, a Moabitess woman named Ruth, insisted on leaving her home to go live in Bethlehem with Naomi.  Like Naomi, Ruth left the familiarity of her hometown and braved unknown outcomes.  It was a good choice.  In Bethlehem, Naomi connected Ruth with a family member that helped them rebuild their lives.  Ruth married that man and they had a child. That child was a great grandfather of King David and David was a forefather of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  My God.  These ladies probably never even knew the impact their leaving home had on the world and, equally important, the cruciality of Naomi's return home. Had Naomi never left Bethlehm, her son would never have met and married Ruth. She and Ruth would never have developed their close relationship.  Had Ruth never left Moab, she would never have met and married Boaz and given birth to Mary's predecessors. Like we said, sometimes you have to leave. 

     We also said sometimes you have to return.  Had Naomi not returned to Bethlehem from Moab, her entire purpose for leaving would have been negated.  When she returned home, she thought she had come back empty and broken.  Little did she know that she carried with her a key component of the world's destiny.  Sometimes you just have to go back home.  There could be something that people there need from you. There could be something that you are preordained to provide.

    Lastly, sometimes it's hard to tell which way to go, but the Bible says that God orders the steps of believers.  So, if you are contemplating leaving or thinking about returning, pray that God would make his will for the direction of your life clear.  When he leads, trust him enough to follow.  He will never steer you wrong. 

Scripture:
Psalm 37:23  The steps of a righteous man, are ordered by the Lord...

Prayer:
Lord, if it is your will for us to leave from where we are or to return to where we once were, your will be done.  Please order everything concerning it. Amen.