Fear is a Bully

Have you ever noticed what a bully fear is?  It keeps me from stepping out in faith and trying something new.  It makes me doubt my experience and abilities.  It reminds me that “I’m not good enough” and never will be.  It keeps my focus on the past and not the present, much less looking with hope toward the future.  It make me doubt my ability to learn, grow and improve.  It makes me hesitant to take a risk because I might fail and look really stupid.  An unhealthy fear makes me doubt God.

Fear keeps the focus on me, not God.  Seeing fear at work in a loved one is painful.  The encouraging words I try to speak are not heard, they are drowned out by fear. 

So how can I combat that bully fear?  Beat down with the truth from God’s word.  Truth about who God is and what He has promised in the Bible.  Truth about who I am in Christ. 

Defeating a bully make take time.  Defeating fear is worth all the hard work and effort.  

The fear that we should retain is a holy reverence and fear of God.  That is a wise and prudent fear I want to retain. 

What would life without being bullied by fear look like?

The Destruction of a Gossiping Tongue

Woe is the destruction that comes

From a gossiping tongue

Like the devastation wrought

By an out of control wildfire

So too when the gossip’s tongue speaks

A match is lit and many will be burned

Like the person who rolls down the window

Carelessly tosses out a lit cigarette

It will ignite flames of fire

And quickly be driven by the wind

Nary is a thought given

To the damage that will ensue

Wounds inflicted

Burns and scars that may take a lifetime to heal

What pride and arrogance

When words of judgment and condemnation are spoken

The unbeliever hears and declares “hypocrite”

I don’t want to be like that Christian

It breeds mistrust, anger and bitterness

The wounded soul struggles to forgive

Souls for whom Christ died are hurt

The body is divided

God dishonored

Reproach brought upon the body of Christ

Remove the log from your own eye

Be broken over sin and seek forgiveness

Instead may you use your tongue

To praise and worship God, bring Him honor and glory

Now may you pray for the brethren

Speak words of encouragement, life and truth

Susan Wachtel

February 5, 2015

Solace in the Face of Evil and Questions for Followers of Islam

Yesterday, when I heard the news of the latest atrocity committed by ISIS, aka the Islamic State, I felt a mix of emotions: horror, anger, rage, grief and profound sadness.  How can a rational human being understand the utter depravity of the human heart that would lead them to burn a living human being to death?  A person created in God’s image.

I will not watch these awful, obscene videos that Islamic monsters have put out.  I don’t want the images seared in my mind.  Yet, how can I not ponder and imagine what the Jordanian pilot suffered? 

As I tried to sleep the one solace that I found in the face of evil is the promise and assurance from God’s word that He will punish evildoers.  The Jordanian pilot suffered unimaginably in the last moments of his life.  But I am comforted by the thought that the unrepentant evildoers will be punished by God who is sovereign, just and righteous.  Vengeance is God’s and He will repay.  He will do so in His perfect timing. 

The unrepentant sinner’s suffering will begin the moment they die.  They will be punished, not for a few years, not for a lifetime, but for eternity.  Forever…it will never stop.  Ever!  He will be in a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  In a place where the fire is not quenched.  In a fiery furnace he will be burned, but not consumed.  It’s a place of everlasting shame and contempt.  A place of torment, gloom and utter darkness. 

I thank You God for the day of justice which will one day come…when the wicked and unrepentant sinners will be punished.

What’s equally hard for me to comprehend is that God’s desire is that sinners repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved (even the people who have committed unimaginable atrocities).  Jesus bore their sin on the cross, He paid the penalty in full for the horrific crimes they have committed and the “little sins” that only the God knows about.  And the Father stands ready to embrace and forgive the genuine repentant sinner who comes to Him through Christ. 

God’s forgiven all my sin.  While I may not have lobbed off someone’s head, I have sinned greatly against the Father.  There’s not a day that’s gone by when I haven’t sinned in thought, word or deed.  I’ve hated people and in my heart committed murder.  But in Christ Jesus, God the Father has forgiven me and He will do the same for all who repent, confess with their mouth and believe with their heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and they will be saved. 

I’m left with a question that I’ve really not heard answered.  What is it going to take for decent Muslims to stand up and speak out against these awful atrocities that these monsters are doing in the name of Islam?  Why aren’t you crying out loudly against them?  Condemning their actions?  Are you afraid, afraid they are going to do the same to you? 

Why aren’t you storming the talk shows and condemning ISIS and radical Islamic followers?  Why aren’t you writing to newspaper editorial pages and decrying what these people have done in the name of your religion?  Where is your voice speaking out against these atrocities that have now become an everyday event in the news?  Why aren’t you telling your friends, neighbors and co-workers that these people don’t represent your religion?  I don’t hear too many Muslim voices condemning radical Islam.  Why is that?  Why in the world don’t you loudly and publically condemn such actions?  Why don’t you rise up against them? 

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke

I hear a lot of silence! 

Don’t let evil triumph.  Speak up and speak loudly, unapologetically and bravely condemn the evil done in the name of Islam.  The time is now. 

Living and Powerful Word of God

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

This week I was reminded of the truth of Hebrews 4:12 when God used scripture to expose my sinful tendencies to be critical and judgmental.

In Community Bible Study this year we are studying the Servants of God which includes the books of 1 & 2 Samuel.  I had done this study a couple of years ago and was familiar with the people in the scripture, not only with how they started, but how they finished. 

Though the Israelites have rejected God as their King and desire an earthly king, so they can be like the other nations, God answers their request.  He gives them Saul as their first king, but not without ample warnings about the consequences of being governed by an earthly king instead of God.  Saul started out with promise, but his life took a left turn and he did not finish well. 

As I completed this lesson, listened to the lecture and read this week’s notes the Holy Spirit has convicted me and revealed my sinful tendency to be critical and judgmental.  When I read about Saul’s beginnings, I found myself doubting his good intentions and didn’t want to acknowledge some of the good things that he had done.  He demonstrated humility after Samuel had first anointed him as king.  He chose not to take revenge against naysayers who were against him.  He rose up to defend people who were being threatened by an enemy.  I didn’t want to see the good because I know what’s coming down the line and the left turn that Saul will take.  

To reinforce that conviction, early on in the lecture our teaching director Dave said, “Don’t dismiss or think you can’t learn something from someone who turns out to be a bad person.”  He also reminded us that this story isn’t about Samuel or Saul…its God’s story. 

When reading this week’s notes I encountered the same thing when it talked about some of the things that Saul did that were good and right. 

So how come I want to dismiss that or cast aspersions on his motives and think he wasn’t sincere?  The bottom line is that I don’t know the genuineness of Saul’s heart, only the Lord knows that.  He alone is the One who knows the thoughts and intentions of a person’s heart.  Unless God reveals someone’s motives in scripture then I am imposing my thoughts and interpretation on the text…eisegesis verses exegesis.   

Lord…thank You for revealing where my heart and attitude was not right before You.  Thank You for the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God which is true and unchanging.  Please forgive me for my arrogance in presuming that I could be the judge and jury against someone.  Help me to recognize and repent of a critical, negative and judgmental spirit.  Help me have a heart like Yours.  Thank You that You have given me a heart of flesh and have removed my heart of stone.  Keep doing Your mighty life-changing work in my life.  It’s in Jesus powerful and transforming name I pray…Amen!

A New Heart

Daniel Patterson – One Chance – This author knows how to write good Christian fiction

I came across author Daniel Patterson via an email suggesting that I might like his books.  I checked out them out and the reviews were promising.  So I selected his book One Chance and boy oh boy, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Daniel does a great job on developing the characters, slowly unveiling them as the story progresses.  One Chance was intriguing and I liked trying to figure out who done it in the midst of all the twists and turns.  I highly recommend this book.

The thing I appreciate most about Daniel Patterson’s writing is that this is a man who knows how to write good Christian fiction.  He gets it.  He knows how to weave Christian faith into his character’s lives.  He has ordinary people, dealing with trying or difficult circumstances and relying on their faith.  They grow in their faith or they may stumble, but their faith is an integral part of their life.  I found the characters very believable.

Not only is Daniel a gifted writer, he understands that he has the greatest message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to share with his readers.

I came away from reading One Chance encouraged and strengthened in my faith.  I very much look forward to reading more of Daniel Patterson’s books in the future.