Forgive And Forget?

Philemon 8-21

Do you believe in forgiveness? Better yet, do you possess a knowledgeable understanding of what forgiveness truly is? Forgiveness is a term that’s understood in parts. For example, when a man commits a sin, he must first be aware that his action was indeed wrong, and demands justification, so that he won’t be bound by his error the rest of his life. After realizing that you’ve fallen short of God’s glory, and are wise enough to know that only the blood of Jesus has the power to cover a multitude of faults, you must then ask to be forgiven, believe that you are forgiven, then live as if you are free from the sin that once held you captive.

Every man has sinned at some point in their lifetime, and needed to be forgiven, so it’s important that we treat all men fairly, even though their past, or present faults may linger in our minds for a season or two. God never stopped loving us, despite all the ungodly things we did willingly in His sight. Instead, He continued to shower us with life, health, love, and protection, even while we wallowed in our iniquities. When we get to the point where we start judging men for their faults, after they’ve been forgiven, we are in danger of receiving a lesson in humility from God the Father.

Throughout the New Testament, the apostle Paul had been a great role model for many young men seeking to walk after the Spirit. One man, in particular, was Philemon. Paul had found Philemon to be a man of kindness, love, and compassion, who was sincere in his walk with God, and had committed himself to the call of the Lord. Paul trusted that Philemon was mature enough to teach the Word of God to those under His watch, so he sent a young man to serve under him, and offer assistance wherever it was needed. Some time after serving under Philemon’s watch, something happened which caused young Onesimus to run away. This act undoubtedly left a bad vibe with Paul’s disciple, and caused him to wonder what could have caused this to happen. A while after his act of neglect and rebellion, Onesimus found his way back to Paul, who took the time to rebuild the faith and hope of the once reliable lad. Paul refused to hold a grudge against Onesimus, because of his act, but chose to edify him instead, so that he could be better prepared in his service to Philemon. Yes, Paul sent the runaway back to the place he fled from.

The average person would turn their faces from one who had abandoned them, but Paul knew that Onesimus was now ready to minister with Philemon, not as a servant, but as a beloved brother. Do you hold grudges against those who’ve made mistakes, or caused you grief at some point in your life? Are you able to forgive, and eventually forget about the errors of those who have wronged you? Use this lesson as an example to motivate you to be strength to those who may have fallen in sin, because at any moment (when you least expect), you could fall too.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Wayward Children

Hosea 11:3-6

How far would you go (or have already gone) to provide for children who are willingly ignorant, disrespectful, and disobedient to your parenting? Do you faithfully care for your sons and daughters, knowing that they are ungrateful for all the love you give to them? When your kids boldly do the opposite of what you command them to do, are they promised to have food and shelter the next day? Loving wayward people is extremely challenging, especially when those persons live under your roof, but take a moment to understand how God felt when the children of Israel consistently went against His commands in the Bible, and performed unpleasant acts in His sight.

God loved the children of Israel, even before they were chosen as His people, but despite continued efforts to guide them in the right direction, Israel respected the call of evil, more than the call of their heavenly Father. When they burned incense to graven images, God still provided healing, stress relief, and nourishment for them. Place yourself in God’s shoes, and allow His feelings to marinate in your soul for a moment. God is love, and gracious to all men, but although His love is forever, His patience eventually runs out.

Despite all of God’s efforts to gain the attention of Israel, their continued disobedience caused Him to eventually cut of His blessings for a season, until certain who were unwilling to repent, were no longer in the earth (and their branches, or offspring).

The next time you perform a self-evaluation, consider all those things that receive most of your attention. If those things bring glory and honor to the name of the Lord, then AWESOME, WOOPTIDOO! But, if you gain no spiritual enlightenment, or grow in the knowledge of God from those habits that consume majority of your time (me and video games… don’t judge me), then reconsider your activities, and commit your ways unto the Lord; trust also in Him, then He’ll bring to pass great things in your life.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Protect Your Purpose

Matthew 2:13-15

Have you ever had a thought or idea, that seemed right in your own mind, but when you shared it with others, they made you lose interest in making your objective a reality? While God may not write our plans for life on stone walls or tablets, nor speak to us in the same way He did with Moses through a burning bush, the Spirit of God can plant seeds of purpose in our minds, that when properly protected and cultivated, can change our lives forever.

I ran across the term, “dream killers”, many moons ago, and understood it as a way to describe those who find pleasure in destroying the purpose of men and women, rather than support their dreams. The devil can do no more to us, than what God permits, but we are responsible for limiting negative speech which he uses against us, in efforts to put our visions to rest. It’s vital that we guard and protect the purpose the Lord sets in our hearts, so that we can prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God, in this life.

Not only is guarding our own purpose a priority, but protecting the purposes of others is also of great importance in the body of Christ. This was proven true in our text, as Joseph was tasked with keeping baby Jesus safe from the evil king Herod, who sought to destroy Christ, before His purpose was set in motion. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (as it did once before), to warn him of the king’s plan to destroy the young child, and to give him instruction on where to find a place of refuge. Joseph’s obedience to God was essential in keeping the dream killer from destroying a purpose that eventually changed life forever.

Has God placed you in the life of someone who is at the point of giving up on their dream? If so, be their strength, and support them in their purpose, because what God has placed in them, could possibly change our world forever.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Conditional Blessings

Deuteronomy 28:1-6, 15-19

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV). God will never place obstacles in your life, that are impossible to overcome. Whether you’re stricken with sickness, pain, hurt, debt, trapped between a rock and a hard place, or feel like you’re down in the dumps of life, God prefers to see you blessed, rather than suffer.

The average disciple knows, suffering comes as a package deal with salvation, because the war between good and evil persists, even today (it’s apparent that the victory is already ours, but we must endure to see it manifest). God wants His people blessed abundantly, so that they’ll be able to sustain a balanced life naturally, as well as spiritually. In addition, God blesses those who obey His Word, and our text lists in detail, how God promised conditional blessings to the ancient Israelites.

As long as the children of Israel obeyed the voice of the Lord, they would receive blessings no man could render, nor duplicate, but if they preferred to follow after disobedience, then they would receive curses, instead of blessings. If I promised to give you a debt-free house, car, yacht, paid in full car and yacht insurance, food for life, free health insurance, and free airline flights anywhere in the world, in exchange for a verbal agreement that you’ll be nice to everyone you meet in life, would you take that deal? That almost seems unfair to me, but it’s an offer I doubt anyone would turn down. God offered a similar proposal to Israel, of bountiful blessings and provisions, in exchange for their simple obedience, and He asks the same of us today. It’s obvious we’re not in the same position as the ancient Israelites were back then, but we can still receive God’s best, if we can endure life’s tests.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Disconnected From The Father

Genesis 28:10-17

I’ve been having issues with my right shoulder for nearly 20 years, that dislocates whenever I extend it in certain ways. Even after surgery, I struggle to avoid experiencing another scary moment while working, exercising, or sleeping. When my shoulder dislocates, and is out of its proper position, my entire body reacts, and is affected by the problem area. No longer can I function properly, nor complete my daily duties, until my shoulder is set back in place, and the pain subsides to reasonable levels. My entire way of doing things is affected when I experienced a dislocated shoulder, but when I consistently avoid over-extending it to prevent injury, all things continue as they should.

God does His best work through His people, when they are in the right position. When we walk according to God’s will, it’s easier for Him to give us those things He desires for us to have, so that we can continue to produce fruit meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8).

In our text, God promised to bless Jacob, and his seed, even though he had been out of position for many years. Jacob was a trickster, and a master at deceiving others, in order to get what he wanted. God knew that in time, Jacob would use the same energy he exerted into manipulating men to succumb to his will, and amplify it while eventually fulfilling the will of the Lord.

All who are connected to God, have access to His divine glory, power, wisdom, protection, and provision, but when we are out of position, those things we so desire are stored up, until we get back on track. God is jealous when we desire things other than Himself, but His mercy is so unique, until He’ll wait a lifetime for you to come back to Him, and bless you abundantly when your heart is in His hand.

Are you out of position in God? If so, consider all the things you’re missing out on, and the time you’re wasting while wandering about outside of God’s will. Rejoin yourself to the Lord, and allow Him to bless you while operating in the right position.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Justified Conditions

Jeremiah 22:1-10

IF you obey the Word of God, THEN you will be blessed in this life, and the next. IF you live right, THEN you will be daily loaded with benefits. IF you love your neighbor as yourself, seek first God’s kingdom, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you, THEN you will be granted unimaginable rewards when you enter into life eternal.

IF you disobey the Word of God, THEN you will not experience God’s love in its fullness. IF you choose to go after other gods, to serve them, THEN you will live in lack of the great things God had prepared for you. IF you hate your neighbor, and your enemies, place God’s business last on your agenda, curse those who curse you, do evil to them that hate you, and plot revenge on those which despitefully use and persecute you, THEN you will fail to inherit the beauty of the New Jerusalem.

God set conditions, not to cause His people to fall into temptation, but to allow them the opportunity to choose the path they deem worthy of walking. Many prefer to avoid the path of righteousness, because suffering, persecution, and all manner of evil awaits to make the way hard for the Saints. But, IF we trust God along our journey, THEN He’ll make sure to keep our feet firm, our faith focused, and our minds set on making it until the end. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

‘Ain’t Nothing You Can Do About It’

Jeremiah 22:24-30

The single-most greatest creation God brought into existence (next to man) was, the woman. Women are undoubtedly AMAZING creations, and unlike men who are simple-minded and nonchalant most times concerning a thing, women are fascinated with details, and prefer to understand a thing fully, before moving on to another subject. Women even have the mental capacity to multi-task at levels beyond human comprehension. For example, I witnessed my mother raise seven children, and at times she would be holding one child in her arm, have one of us sitting on her lap, while cleaning and making dinner simultaneously! What a gal!

When operating in their “creation role”, and not trying to compete with men, women can actually accomplish things that make tremendous impacts in the world, but there’s one thing that makes women quite unique; when they are fed up, there’s nothing you can do to change their minds. I don’t often quote secular narratives in my writings, but there’s a song written by R. Kelly entitled, “When A Woman’s Fed Up”. This song sums up the truth, that when a woman is pushed to her limit concerning something, there’s nothing a man can do to influence, or change her thoughts. For this reason, men wisely do their best to keep women smiling and positive in most of their dealings, while trying to avoid pushing the wrong buttons.

Women are beautiful, elegant, and royal creations, but this trait of being fed up, is a characteristic our loving God, and Father shares as well. God has patience beyond our understanding, but when we consistently disobey His Words, while basking in our sin, His patience eventually runs out. God loved king Josiah, and the life he displayed on the earth, but despised the life of his son so much, until He made certain that no offspring of the wicked king Jehoiakim would ever sit on the throne again. Talk about fed up; God didn’t want any trace of evil to have the opportunity to corrupt the mind of anyone else leading His people. Although the eventual king David made a few noticeable mistakes, he never allowed his sin to consume him.

Children of God do sin and error, but they don’t allow their flaws to define who they are. Meditating and studying God’s Word keeps Saints from falling into the same trap over and over, and plants their feet firmly into the will of God. The closer you are to God, the better you’ll understand His will for your life, but the more you choose to trust in broken and despised idols, the more you’ll position yourself to eventually be cut off from God’s favor.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

You Forced My Hand…

Jeremiah 22:20-23

When parents train their children during the early stages of their development, they are in essence, preparing them for life, when they get older. Oftentimes, children aren’t overjoyed when commanded to do those things that may seem unnecessary at first, but as they mature, they’ll eventually discover, all the hard lessons and training from their parents, will prove beneficial during their adult years. The more a child listens and obeys the teachings of their parents, the greater the chances their lives will benefit from a solid foundation of discipline and sound doctrine. Conversely, when children rebel, and assume they can progress through life without proper guidance, they’ll no doubt be in for a rude awakening. The Bible even teaches that when children honor and obey their parents, they’ll live long, and prosperous lives on the earth.

The theme of this lesson stems from the passage in the book of Jeremiah, which contrasted the lives of king Josiah, and his son Jehoiakim. While it’s ideal for respectable parents to raise children who also turn out respectable as well, there are unfortunate times when the children of good parents stray toward the ungodly path. Have you ever heard the phrase, “preacher’s kids are the worst”? Well, that’s not confirmed in every case, but there is truth in that statement. Typically, leaders are strong, firm, and committed to following God, so the devil tries to get to the leader, through their children. King Josiah raised his family to fear and reverence God, and led the people according to the same standard. But, his son chose to live his own way, and shun those things he was taught from his youth. Unfortunately, Jehoiakim’s rebellion forced the hand of God to bring his riotous living to an abrupt halt.

Can you recall a time when you literally cried while disciplining your child, because you loved them so much, but couldn’t make sense of why they continued to rebel against your teachings? God has no desire to punish His children, but when we deliberately, and consistently disobey His Word, we force His hand to judge us.

Love God, and keep His commandments. This way, you won’t be so easily distracted by the things of this world, and your life will represent the God who gave it purpose.

Keep your chin up.. it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Corrupt Kingdoms

Jeremiah 22:11-19

Self-righteousness has led to the demise of renowned men from ancient times, until today. When leaders prefer to abide by their own judgments, rather than place the needs of their people at the top of their agenda, they are inevitably set on a path that ultimately leads to death, destruction, or ruin. Throughout history, kings and those who have ruled, made certain to publish their own names throughout the lands, while striving to attain wealth and increase, on incalculable levels. Kings were originally set in place to judge their people according to right standards, maintain balance in providing provisions, and be the representation of their people, to other nations of the world.

In the past, God set judges to reside over His people, and this method worked very well, but the stiffnecked people preferred to be as others nations, and desired a king. God was totally against this request, but allowed the people to have what they yearned for. Things didn’t turn out well for their first king, because rather than lead by the hand of God, he allowed his pride and arrogance to supercede the standard he was purposed to obey. When leaders ignore God in place of their selfish motives, God schedules a time for their downfall. One of the reasons God takes the decisions leaders make so seriously is, every law or judgment they approve, has lasting effects on all the people under their watch. For this reason, it’s vital that leaders acknowledge God in all their ways, because He alone knows the consequences of every decision we make, even before the thought crosses our mind.

Our text mentions the downfall of the wicked king, Jehoiakim, the son of the great king Josiah. Although king Josiah was faithful to God, and ruled with a righteous hand, his son chose the opposite path, and sought to build his house by unrighteousness and wrong. Not only was the evil king prideful, but he would go so far as to abuse men for labor, without giving them wages.

Corrupt living never leads you closer to God, but draws you further away from Him. Many good leaders have died, and left great legacies for us to follow, but only when we live by God’s standard, will our leading offer any positive spiritual, or natural benefits to anyone.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell

Without Spot, Or Wrinkle

Psalm 15

The body of Christ consists of many unique members, fitly joined together by the Spirit of God, that operates to do the works required by God, so that His will can be accomplished in the earth. God’s way is right, and when the body walks that righteous path, they will be invited to inhabit the Lord’s tabernacle, and abide in His holy hill, on that glorious day!

Living in a world of sin, will present inevitable circumstances by which the righteous man can fall, and although God left man His unadulterated Word, the Holy Spirit, and hope of an eternity in His kingdom, the body of Christ must strive to live blameless, and avoid all things evil, in order to keep their heavenly reservation valid. God’s moral code differs greatly from the world’s, and His Word distinguishes His standard, from that of the world as well. The world considers a good man as one who does natural things like, giving money to charities, accepting all people as equal (supporting gays, lesbians, and the like), or other things that hold little, to no spiritual value, but God desires that our good begin within ourselves, and then be made manifest in the way we live. While there’s nothing wrong with doing good deeds, being blameless in God’s eyes requires that one walk upright consistently, perform only righteous works, speak the truth in your own heart, keep your tongue from evil (speaking lies, slander, gossip, etc), love and respect your neighbor, and honor those who fear the Lord.

Living by those standards will definitely keep the body of Christ blameless, and unspotted from the world, because when our attention is set on pleasing God, we’ll monitor our behavior, and check our lives daily, with a fine toothed comb.

Keep your chin up… it’s easier to see Heaven that way,

Ell