"I Don't Understand"

"Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?" Psalm 119:82

How often have we wondered and said the same thing the Psalmist did-- "When will You help me, Lord?". Sometimes it seems as if His help is far away or as if it will never come. I am sure Joseph felt this way when he was in the pit, Potiphar's house and the prison. Surely these question went through his mind on more than one occasion- Have You forgot about me, Lord? Will Your promise ever be fulfilled in my life? Is this all there is? Where are You? Why is this happening?

These question are common to all of us especially when we are in situations that we don't understand. We are at a disadvantage, humanly speaking, because we can't see past the moment or into the future; we can't see the whole picture behind what is happening; we can't see past the natural into the eternal. Therefore, the questions are always present. But having said that, I should also say that on the other hand when we face these times, we also have an advantage. The advantage is that though we don't understand, we can still have peace. "My peace I give to you". (John 14:27)

We have access to the peace of God that passes understanding when we are going through trials and difficulties. We aren't totally at the "mercy" of our inability to understand what is happening to us. Not understanding is often worse than actually going through the situation. The questions plague us and we reason within ourselves that if we could just get an answer it would seem to make it easier to bear.

Some things we will not understand until we get to heaven. But whether we understand or not we can still say, "It is well", because the peace that God gives to His children can and will overshadow the questions and lack of understanding if we will draw from it.

There will always be things that we go through that we may not understand at the moment, or ever understand, but the peace of God will be there for us. It will be like a blanket on a cold winter's night. It may still be cold, but under the blanket you'll be warm and comfortable. The questions may still be there, but your heart and mind will be established in peace.

Have a great day. We will always have questions because we will always go through things that we don't understand, but God's peace is available to bring comfort even when we don't have the answers we want. His peace will be our answer.

For further reading:
John 14:27
Philippians 1:2; 4:6-8
Psalm 29:11
Colossians 3:15
2 Thessalonians 3:16

"Think About What's Above"

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

This verse is pretty plain, to the point and easy to understand. Set our affections, which in the original text means to set our minds or thoughts on things above- or in other words, "think about what is above and not on what is here below."

Most of our thought life is consumed with the cares of this life. We spend our time thinking about tomorrow, the future, our jobs, our problems, our financial situation, what we will eat and drink, what other people think about us and what we are going to do next.

Let's look at what this verse is saying to us:
"Set your affection/thoughts"... To set yourself to do something means there is a deliberate action involved. You don't just "happen" to think about the things above, you must make yourself and discipline yourself to do so.

"Set your affections/thoughts"... To set your mind means to become firm, solid, or permanent, as mortar, glue or cement. It doesn't mean we occasionally think about the things above, or just when we are in church, or only when we need help. Our thoughts about the things above should not be passing, momentary thoughts only but permanently set on the things above.

"... on things above..." What is above? The eternal; the abiding place of God; the Kingdom of God; heaven; the place of God's rule; our future home if we have accepted Jesus as Savior and are following Him as Lord.

"...above, not on things on the earth." Our thoughts should be focused above- on a higher place- not on a lower one. Am I saying we should never think about what we are doing or have to do here on earth? Of course not. But I am sure we spend too much time consumed with the daily affairs and tasks of this life without regard or thought to what is above. What is above is eternal and what is here below is temporal. We need to be setting our thoughts on what is eternal, because this being temporal means it is temporary- and it could be gone tomorrow.

Have a great day. Where are you setting your affections/thoughts? On things above or on what is here below?

For further reading:
Matthew 6:25
Luke 21:34
Romans 12:2
Philippians 4:5-8

"Snaky Area"

"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Genesis 3:1

When my granddaughter was a little girl, she was at my house and we were playing with her bouncing ball outside. A couple of times the ball rolled into an area that was around some taller grass. When this happened, she would tell me, "You, get it, that's snaky". We have lots of snakes in our part of the country and evidently her mother had taught her to be careful of certain areas around the yard that are grown up with weeds and grass because they are "snaky" areas. (This means that they are good places for snakes to be and hide.)

The Bible refers to satan as a serpent/snake. He likes to "hide" in certain places waiting for us to get within a close enough distance for him to "strike" at us. That being the case, we should have the same kind of spiritual awareness that my granddaughter has physically. When we see a "snaky" area, we should stay away from it or turn and go in another direction.

Let me clarify what I mean. Those "snaky" areas are areas of temptation where the devil would like to deceive us or entice us into partaking in order to destroy us. Eve was in a "snaky" area- in the presence of the tempter. She should have turned and gone from that spot instead of staying there and engaging in conversation with the "serpent". The end result-- she was "bitten" by his lies and disobeyed God.

We don't have to fear the devil. We have power over his powers through Jesus. The greater One lives in us. But that doesn't mean that we should stay where it is obvious that he is. Joseph was in a "snaky" area when being seduced by Potiphar's wife and he ran from that area. When Jesus was in a "snaky" area while in the wilderness, He took out the sword of God's word and "chopped" the serpent up.

We need to watch out for "snaky" areas- those areas of temptation, the snares and traps the enemy has laid for us- and when we see them either pull out our "sword" ready to destroy his lies or look for the way of escape that has been provided for us out of the temptation and take it.

Have a great day. Watch out for those "snaky" areas and stay away from them.

For further reading:
Genesis 3:1-6
1 Corinthians 10:13
Matthew 4:1-10
Luke 10:19
1 John 4:4

"Keep It Up"

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Galatians 6:9

There comes a reaping time once we have sown. It is a natural law and a spiritual law. Depending on what you sow will depend on what you reap. There are things that we sow that we reap from immediately, others take a little time before they are reaped, but then some reaping doesn't come until eternity. That is where I want to focus this morning.

I want to encourage you to not grow weary in your walk with the Lord. Don't quit, don't give up. Keep persevering, keep pressing toward the mark, keep following Jesus. I truly believe we are so close to the end of time as we know it- the last of the last days. Since we have come so far and are so close, it is not a time to be getting weary, distracted or side-tracked.

For those who will continue on there is a "crown of righteousness" that is laid up for them in eternity. It is for those who have remained faithful and have not given up. That crown will come, not while we are on this earth, but we will receive it in eternity- once we leave this life.

Even though there are things that we do reap while we are on earth-- blessings, the answer to prayers, etc.-- the greatest reaping will come when we leave this earth-- eternal life, a new name, a crown of righteousness, a pure white robe, and the greatest of all will be when we see our Savior face to face and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord."

Have a great day. Don't grow weary or faint because there is an eternal reaping that will make it all worth it. ("He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.- Revelation 21:7)

For further reading:
2 Timothy 4:7,8
Matthew 25:21
Revelation 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21

"The Empty Tomb"

"And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." Luke 24:3

What a dark time for the disciples. The one they thought would save them had been crucified and now His body was missing from the tomb. How confused and hopeless they felt. Scriptures even talk about the emotions that were high and the disbelief that was shrouding them. But what appeared to be defeat and a hopeless situation was actually just the opposite.

The fact that the tomb was empty was "a good thing"- though they didn't realize it at first. It meant that victory was achieved. It meant that our salvation was accomplished. It meant that there was now hope and the opportunity for eternal life. What they perceived as hopelessness was instead the greatest victory.

The tomb had to be empty in order for the whole plan of God to redeem mankind to be fulfilled. Often, what we perceive in life as defeat may very well be victory. What looks hopeless may actually be the answer to the situation.

If you are feeling as if there is no hope; if the situation seems overwhelming; if it looks like defeat, remember the empty tomb. Had it not been empty then there truly would have been no hope.

Have a great day. What appears to be hopeless may actually be the avenue of hope.

For further reading:
Luke 24