Author: Seth Durham

Rescued!

The Bible is full of stories of God rescuing His people. He rescued Israel from Egypt, Daniel from the lions, Elijah from Jezebel… and on and on it goes. Psalm 107, tells us that God continues to rescue people from all sorts of circumstances.

The lost.

Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless.

Hungry and thirsty, they nearly died.

~Psalm 107:4-5

These represent people in dire straits. They are aimless and filled with despair. The drug-addict. The alcoholic. The destitute and broken. The people we are tempted to deem beyond all help.

But these are not beyond redemption. God loves them, and if they sincerely turn to God for help, He will answer.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress.

~Psalm 107:6

The rebel.

In Psalm 107:10-22 we read about those who have rebelled against God. These refuse to acknowledge their Creator. They mock, and curse, and blaspheme. They defy God to His face.

God knows this path ends in their destruction. Through hardship, He causes them to see the foolishness of their ways. For some, this takes the form of “iron chains of misery” (vs. 10) and “hard labor” (vs. 12). For others, severe illness (vs. 18).

The ultimate purpose of these hardships is not to punish, but to bring the rebel to repentance. And when the rebel turns to God for help, God is there to rescue them.

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

~Psalm 107:13 & 107:19

The self-sufficient.

Some went off to sea in ships, plying the trade routes of the world.

~Psalm 107:23

These are rebels of a different sort. They might even pay lip service to God, acknowledging His authority, but their hearts are far from Him. As long as life is good, they are content to go about their business and leave God out of it.

But when trouble comes…

Their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths; the sailors cringed in terror.

~Psalm 107:26

You can probably guess their response:

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves.

~Psalm 107:28-29

Thank God for difficulty.

We have a tendency (as a result of our sin-nature I believe) to misprioritize God. That is, we place Him somewhere other than first in our lives. God often uses trouble and pain to get our attention. Oh that He could get our attention as quickly with blessings, but we often take those for granted.

Trials and tribulations are an opportunity to refocus on God and His plan for your life. God doesn’t want to break you, He wants to mold you. In times of difficulty, you have two choices: harden your heart and resist God every step of the way, or surrender to Him and cry out, “Lord, help!”

If you haven’t already, read all of Psalm 107. How does it speak to you? Do you need rescuing? God is willing and able!

In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free.

~Psalm 118:5

Which Wolf Are You Feeding?

Have you heard the story, The Two Wolves? There are many variations of it, and I couldn’t find a definitive answer on where it originated, but here’s a version that I like:

AN ELDERLY CHEROKEE BRAVE TOLD HIS GRANDSON ABOUT A BATTLE THAT GOES ON INSIDE PEOPLE.

“MY SON,” HE SAID, “THE BATTLE IS BETWEEN TWO ‘WOLVES’ INSIDE US ALL. ONE IS EVIL. IT IS ANGER, ENVY, JEALOUSY, GREED, ARROGANCE, SELF-PITY, RESENTMENT, LIES, PRIDE, AND EGO.

THE OTHER IS GOOD. IT IS JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE, HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE, EMPATHY, GENEROSITY, TRUTH, COMPASSION AND FAITH.”

THE GRANDSON THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE, AND THEN ASKED HIS GRANDFATHER:

“WHICH WOLF WINS?…”

THE OLD CHEROKEE REPLIED, “THE ONE YOU FEED.”

This story came to mind as I was reading Romans 8.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

~Romans 8:5-6

The flesh and the Spirit are the two wolves. When we fulfill the desires of the flesh, we feed the evil wolf. When we fulfill the desires of The Spirit, we feed the good wolf.

Which wolf we feed is no trivial matter. The stakes are literally life and death! I don’t know about you, but I want to choose the path that leads to life and peace over the path that leads to death. Let’s look at some ways that we can feed the Spirit and starve the flesh.

What we look at.

Every day we make important choices about what we allow into our minds via our eyes. Which T.V. shows and movies are you watching? What internet sites are you visiting? What books are you reading? These choices have a massive impact on your life.

I enjoy movies and T.V. as much as anyone, but it’s important to be selective in our entertainment choices. Much of what Hollywood produces is designed to cater to the desires of our flesh. Choose wisely.

What about benign entertainment, like watching sports? Nothing wrong with that, but its like consuming empty calories. We should be careful not to “fill up” on things that have no spiritual value. When it comes to neutral entertainment, moderation is key.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

~Mathew 6:22-23

What we listen to.

The music you listen to has a powerful influence on you, for good or bad. Talk radio and podcasts can be uplifting or discouraging. The messages you listen to every day feed one wolf or the other.

If you want to feed the Spirit, choose carefully who and what you listen to. Test what your favorite podcaster says against scripture and see if it holds up. Pay attention to the lyrics in the songs you listen to, and ask if they are in line with biblical teaching.

Then [Jesus] added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. 

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

~Mark 4:24-25

The company we keep.

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” ~Dan Peña

Who do you spend most of your time with? We become like the people we hang around. Do your friends move you closer to God or farther from Him?

We humans are social creatures. We need each other. But it’s vital to surround yourself with people who lift you up, encourage you, and who care about your spiritual growth.

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

~Proverbs 12:26

Take stock.

The choices you make every day matter. Take some time this week to assess how you spend your time and who you spend it with. Is there room for improvement? Are there changes you need to make regarding what you watch and listen to? Do you need to make adjustments in your social life? Ask God to help you make changes that will draw you closer to Him. Choose carefully which wolf you feed every day!

From Despair To Hope.

At one time or another, every believer struggles with the questions, “where is God when I’m hurting?” and “if God loves me, why does He allow me to suffer?” These are difficult questions. Thankfully, the Bible isn’t silent on this topic. God’s Word fully acknowledges human suffering, and doesn’t minimize it.

Let’s look at some examples of people in the Bible who suffered greatly, and see what we can learn from their experiences.

Utter despair.

In the book of Job, the following verse really grabbed my attention:

God hates me and angrily tears me apart. He snaps his teeth at me and pierces me with his eyes.

~Job 16:9

Wow, Job. Tell us how you really feel!

He goes on…

But it is God who has wronged me, capturing me in his net.

~Job 19:6

With a strong hand, God grabs my shirt. He grips me by the collar of my coat.

He has thrown me into the mud. I’m nothing more than dust and ashes.

~Job 30:18-19

Clearly Job felt unloved, abandoned, and abused by God. He had a valid reason for feeling this way. Virtually every good thing in his life had been taken from him in the blink of an eye.

King David also had times in his life when he felt that God had forsaken him.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.

~Psalm 22:1-2

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

~Psalm 13:1-2

Then there’s the Psalm writer, Asaph. He wondered why he had nothing but trouble and pain, while the wicked men around him prospered. Read Psalm 73:1-16, and you can feel how he struggled to make sense of his suffering.

Can you relate to these three guys? Has God ever seemed distant, cold, and uncaring? Have you felt abandoned or even mistreated by God? I have. But our perception of the situation isn’t the reality. As we’ll see shortly, God does care, and He has not abandoned you, nor me.

The importance of a proper perspective.

Before we look at how God ultimately dealt with the pain and suffering of Job, David, and Asaph, let me offer an important reminder concerning who we are in relation to God.

When we’re suffering, it’s tempting to think, “God, You’re not being fair!” But be careful. When Job voiced that complaint, “you forget your place.” was the essence of God’s reply (see Job 38-41).

We must recognize and acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of God. He is the Creator, we are merely His creation. His ways are higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

~Romans 11:33

We don’t always know why God allows us to suffer. When that’s the case, the smartest thing we can do is pray humbly, “God, I don’t like this, and I don’t understand it, but I trust that You know best. I trust that You will see me through.”

That’s what Job, David, and Asaph did.

Glorious hope.

We’ve looked at three men who endured great suffering. Now let’s look at how they went from despair to hope:

Job

Job ultimately accepted that he was ignorant and foolish to question God.

“I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

~Job 42:6

Job realized that God had reasons for allowing him to suffer that were beyond his ability to comprehend. Eventually, “the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning (Job 42:12).”

David

As for David, let’s revisit Psalm 22. It begins with, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” but ends this way:

Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob! Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

I will praise you in the great assembly. I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.

The poor will eat and be satisfied. All who seek the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.

~Psalm 22:23-26

David realized that though he had felt abandoned, God had never left him. God had not ignored him, nor turned his back on him. As a result, he praised the Lord, and his heart rejoiced with everlasting joy.

Asaph

Finally, Asaph ended Psalm 73 this way:

Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.

I was so foolish and ignorant—I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.

Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.

Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.

But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

~Psalm 73:21-28

Here’s what we can learn from these three examples:

  • It’s ok to cry out to God when we are suffering and tell Him how we feel.
  • We should humble ourselves, and remember that our suffering has a purpose, even if we can’t see it.
  • We should trust that God is faithful and will see us through.

So, if you’re suffering right now, I encourage you to trust God, and lean on the following promises from His Word:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

~Deuteronomy 31:6

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

~Romans 8:18

God is with you. He’ll get you through it.

Process.

Most things in life require a process. For example, if you want to make a chocolate cake, you must go through a specific process. You have to gather the ingredients, properly mix and assemble them, and finally bake the mixture in an oven.

What would happen if you decided to leave some ingredients out, or add wrong ingredients in? What would happen if you didn’t mix the ingredients, and just threw everything into the oven? Would the end result be good? Of course not.

Like it or not, you have to follow the process or you won’t end up with a chocolate cake.

Instant gratification.

A lot of times we don’t like process. We want what we want… and we want it now! (Which is why many of us go to a bakery to buy our chocolate cake.) We’re always on the lookout for shortcuts. We like instant results. We want fast food, fast communication, fast travel… forget the process, just give me the end result! It’s the finished product I’m after.

Don’t get me wrong, I think modern conveniences are great, but I wonder if in our quest for instant gratification we haven’t lost something along the way. Sometimes the journey is as important as the destination.

Why does process matter?

Going through a process has many benefits. We gain knowledge, experience, and satisfaction that we just don’t get when we take shortcuts. Going back to the chocolate cake example, you can eat and enjoy a cake you buy from the bakery, but that won’t teach you anything about how to make a cake. To learn that, you’ve got to go through the process.

When we take too many shortcuts, we deprive ourselves of opportunities to learn and grow.

You’re probably wondering where I’m going with all this. It will hopefully make sense in just a moment, so bear with me.

At the bottom of my prayer list, there are five things I pray for everyday: wisdom, guidance, strength, patience, and courage. I thought the answer to my prayer was going to be something like: “**Poof!** Here you go, Seth!” Turns out, God had something else in mind. He’s answering my prayer through a process.

Process can be painful.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “no pain, no gain.” For our bodies to get stronger, muscles have to stretch and strain. It can be extremely uncomfortable.

Sometimes a process requires sacrifice. If you’ve ever gone through the process of losing weight, you’ve probably had to sacrifice some things (like chocolate cake).

The process I’m going through right now includes both pain and sacrifice. But God is helping me to develop strength, patience, and courage through it. As I trust in Him to guide me, He’s developing the very character traits I’ve been praying for! I wouldn’t say it’s a piece of cake (that’s my last cake reference, I promise), but I know that the end result will be worth it.

There is always hope!

Perhaps, like me, you’re in the middle of going through a difficult process. Don’t lose hope. Ask God what He’s trying to teach you through it. Trust that God can take your pain, your struggle, your difficult situation, whatever it is you’re going through, and use it for good.

I’ll leave you with five Bible verses that are helping me through my process. I pray they will encourage and inspire you as well:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

~Romans 8:28

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.

~Psalm 118:1

[God] You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

~Psalm 119:114

Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.

~Psalm 131:1

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

~Deuteronomy 31:6

Be Like Josiah.

You’ll find the story of king Josiah in II Kings 22 -23. Josiah was a good king. His story inspires me in many ways.

Josiah was his own man.

Josiah became king at just eight years old. If you look at his lineage, you will see that both his father and grandfather were wicked rulers. It would have been easy for Josiah to follow in their footsteps, but he chose a different path. He looked to his Godly ancestor David as an example, and did what was pleasing to God.

[Josiah] did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

~II Kings 22:2

Josiah’s story reminds us that no matter what circumstances we’re born into, no matter how bad the influences around us, we can still choose to do what is right.

Josiah had a tender heart.

In his mid twenty’s, king Josiah decided to restore the Lord’s Temple, which had been neglected for decades. During the restoration, the high priest, Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law (i.e. the first five books of The Old Testament).

Look at how Josiah responded when the scripture was read to him:

When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.

Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 

“Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”

~II Kings 22: 11-13

Josiah didn’t ignore God’s Word. He listened intently and took it to heart. We ought to do the same. We should let God’s Word convict us, guide us, and shape us.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Hebrews 4:12

Josiah took action.

James 1:22 says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

Josiah was a doer. When he realized that he and the nation of Israel were not following God’s law, he made sweeping changes. Much of what he did is recorded in II Kings 23, but here’s a summary:

  • He read the scripture to the people, and reaffirmed the covenant between God and Israel.
  • He had all pagan articles in the Temple removed and destroyed.
  • He got rid of all the pagan priests appointed by his predecessors.
  • He got rid of the shrine prostitutes at the Temple.
  • He banned priests who had served at pagan shrines from serving at the Temple.
  • He destroyed numerous altars and shrines to false gods.
  • He got rid of mediums, psychics, and household idols.
  • He reinstituted the Passover celebration.

That’s a pretty impressive list, no!?


I’m motivated to be more like Josiah. I want to be focused on God, even when the people around me are not. I want to listen carefully when God speaks to me through His Word, and let it transform me. Lastly, I want to be a “doer”, not a “hearer only.”

Four Promises In Romans 8.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been reading and meditating on Romans chapter 8. For those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior, there are at least four, wonderful promises of God in this passage of scripture.

1) Freedom.

We are all born with a sin nature. Sin enslaves us (John 8:34), and damns us (Romans 6:23), but there is freedom for those who come to Jesus.

In Romans 8 we see God’s promise that through Christ we are free from sin in two ways. First, we are free from the penalty of sin. Second, we are free from the power of sin.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

~Romans 8: 1-2

Christians no longer stand condemned before God because Christ took our punishment upon Himself. We are no longer slaves to our sinful desires because we have the Holy Spirit within us. We are truly free!

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you…

~Romans 8: 9a

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.

~Romans 8: 12

2) Life.

Worldwide, it’s estimated that two to three people die every second! Death is inevitable. One day, it will be your turn. Are you ready?

The Bible tells us that death is not the end. After death, we face judgement (Hebrews 9:27). Those who reject Christ will be condemned (John 3:18), but those who trust in Christ as their Savior will enjoy eternal life (John 3:16).

This brings us to the second promise found in Romans 8: Those who know Jesus will be resurrected with incorruptible bodies, never to die again.

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

~Romans 8: 10-11

the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

~Romans 8:21

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

~Romans 8:23

3) Relief.

Suffering is a part of life. The Bible never says that we won’t suffer (in fact, there are many places where it says we will suffer), but Christians are promised that our suffering is temporary, and that it pales in comparison to the glory that awaits us.

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

~Romans 8: 17-18

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

…

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

~Romans 8: 35 & 37

God also promises that He will take all things (including our suffering) and work them together for our good.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

~Romans 8: 28

Are you a Christian that’s suffering right now? Hold on! Relief is coming.

4) Security.

This fourth promise from Romans 8 is one of my favorites. Most things in life are fleeting. Youth, health, success, money, fame… all of these things eventually slip away or get taken from us. But there is one thing a Christian can always count on, and that is God’s love.

When you become a child of God you are forever secure in His love.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 

No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Through Christ we are promised freedom from sin, life everlasting, an end to suffering, and love that’s unshakable. Set aside some time a few days from now to read Romans 8 again, and reflect on these amazing promises.

Faith Misplaced.

People put their faith in lots of different things. Some put their faith in money, believing that wealth provides security. Others put their faith in charismatic leaders, trusting them to have all the answers. Many put their faith in science and technology. The list could go on and on, but the point is, we all put our faith in something. The question is, when that moment of crisis hits, will the thing(s) you have placed your faith in actually deliver?

A hard lesson.

In I Samuel 4:1-10 the Israelites learn the hard way what happens when you put your faith in the wrong things.

Israel is at war, and it’s not going well:

The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men.

~I Samuel 4:2

After this crushing defeat they asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?”

The Israelites had expected to win. Instead they were soundly beaten, losing thousands of soldiers. Why? Because they weren’t trusting in God to give them the victory, they were trusting in their own strength.

An incorrect correction.

The Israelite leaders realize they need a new approach. But rather than turn to God for help, they put their faith in an object: the Ark of the Covenant. At first it seems to work! When the Ark arrives on the scene, the Israelites are inspired, and the Philistines are terrified. The Israelites march forward, confident that this time they will be victorious. But things do not go according to plan.

So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents.

~I Samuel 4:10

Once again, the Israelites had misplaced their faith. They failed to realize that without God, the Ark of the Covenant is nothing more than a fancy box. Israel paid a heavy price: tens-of-thousands dead, and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant.

The details about what happens to the Ark of the Covenant are found in I Samuel 5-6, but the short version is that God forces the Philistines to return it to Israel.

It then takes twenty years before Israel is finally ready to acknowledge and remedy their mistakes.

The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

~I Samuel 7:2

Getting it right.

Finally, when the Israelites are ready to listen, Samuel instructs them:

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”

~I Samuel 7:3

Samuel issues a challenge and a promise to the people of Israel.
The challenge: put your faith in God alone.
The promise: God will rescue you.

Now read I Samuel 7:4-11 and see what happens when the Israelites turn back to God and put their faith in Him.

How about you?

Take a few moments to examine your own life. What are you putting your faith in?

Put your faith in God alone. Trust that He will keep the promises in His Word. When that moment of crisis hits, you can count on Him to deliver.

Your Words Matter.

In Ephesians 4: 17-32, the Apostle Paul gives instruction on how Christians ought to live. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are called to throw off our old sinful nature, and put on a new nature that is righteous and holy. Paul explains in detail what that looks like, contrasting the old nature with the new.

One of the things that jumped out at me was how our new nature impacts the words we say.

Truthful words.

 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth…

~Ephesians 4:25

Lies provide a short-term benefit at a long-term cost. The consequences may be mild or severe, but there will be consequences. Proverbs 19:9 says, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish.” 

In contrast, telling the truth may have short-term costs, but it provides long-term benefits. The truth is liberating and empowering. Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.“

Ephesians 4:15 tells us to “…speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ…”

The truth matters. As Christians we should commit ourselves to speaking the truth in love in all circumstances.

Gentle words.

If you want to say something you’ll regret, speak when you’re angry. Anger puts us into a kind of auto-pilot, where words are formed by intense emotion rather than logical thought. It causes us to utter words that are indelicate at best, and downright hurtful at worst.

Don’t use foul or abusive language…

—

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

~Ephesians 4: 29 & 31

Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

~Proverbs 15:4

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

~Colossians 4:6

We need to be mindful of what we say, and also how we say it. We should be careful not to lash out at others, even when we think they deserve it. When you’re angry, sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.

Encouraging words.

If we are careless with our words, they can do serious damage to others, but if we chose our words wisely, we can build people up. Use words that encourage and inspire; avoid words that tear people down.

…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

~Ephesians 4:29

So let us do all we can to live in peace. And let us work hard to build up one another.

~Romans 14:19

Imagine if everyone was committed to saying only things that were good, helpful, and encouraging. The world would change overnight. Obviously you can’t control what anyone else does, but you can make that commitment. I guarantee it will have a positive effect on your life.

The words you use matter. Are your words truthful? Are they gentle and loving? Do they encourage those who hear them? Put off the old nature, and put on the new. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you say only what is good, and helpful, and encouraging.

Love And Loss.

Yesterday, my wife, my daughter and I took our beloved dog to the vet to be euthanized. She was 15 years old. Her name was Hobo. We said goodbye with tears in our eyes, and held her as she took her last breath.

I’d like to share her story, and an important lesson I learned over these last few years with her.

“Hobo” isn’t a common name for a dog, but when you hear how she came to be our pet, the name will make sense. One morning, about 15 years ago, I was at work, and standing on the walkway in front of the store where I worked was a transient with a three-month-old puppy. I didn’t think much about it at first, but suddenly I heard the puppy yelp. I was horrified when I saw the transient physically abusing this little dog.

Standing idly by was not an option. I walked out of the store and told the man that if he didn’t stop hurting the dog, I would take it from him. He told me to F*&^ off. I went back into the store, but less than five minutes later, he was at it again, and the puppy was crying out in pain.

I kept my word. There was an altercation. I secured the dog, and my coworkers called the police. In the end, the transient went to jail, and the puppy went to the dog pound. I told my wife about what happened, and we decided that we wanted to adopt the puppy if we could. The dog pound released little Hobo into our care a week later.

The abuse she suffered as a pup impacted her for life. For the first year, if you tried to touch her tail, she would try take off your hand. She was fearful of people. But in time she came to understand how much we loved her, and she made amazing progress.

I don’t know what breed of dog Hobo was, but she was beautiful. She had a brindle coat, and was built like a greyhound. She could run like the wind in her youth, and one of her favorite things to do was to chase seagulls at the beach.

The later years.

As she got older, Hobo developed myriad health problems that got progressively worse. She endured two cancer surgeries. She went almost completely deaf. About three years ago, she started to stumble when she walked. She developed a tumor on her stomach that eventually grew to the size of a grapefruit.

Things got worse. Her back legs got weaker and weaker, to the point where she often could not stand without assistance. She lost all control of her bladder and bowels. Her stomach wouldn’t tolerate kibble any more. She got bladder infections, and developed a constant runny nose.

In spite of all this, she was full of life and love to the end. She was a fighter, and she just adapted as her health declined.

Love in action.

We knew that Hobo wasn’t ready to quit on life, and we were determined not to quit on her. And so, we got her pain medication and antibiotics when she needed them. We helped her up when she fell. We cleaned up her messes. Each night, we made her special dog food (chicken and rice mostly). We did this for nearly three years. We would still be doing it, but we finally hit a hurdle that no amount of money or effort could overcome. She developed a growth under her tongue that made it difficult for her to eat, and nearly impossible for her to drink.

Over the last three years, there were times when our home smelled like a sewer. There were trips we didn’t take and things we didn’t buy so that we could care for Hobo. We sacrificed time, money, and energy. And both my wife and I would do it all over again without hesitation. Why? Because we truly loved her. And we learned from this experience that the following is absolutely true: love is not a feeling; love is what you do.

Gratitude.

I am so grateful to God for bringing Hobo into our lives. She lived much longer than we ever thought she would, and I thank God for every second we had with her.

When it came time to make the call to have Hobo put down, God gave me peace that it was the right thing to do and the right time to do it. He is comforting me in this difficult time with His presence and His Word, and I am so grateful for both.

I also look forward to a time when grief and sorrow are no more. Praise God for the blessed hope He gives us through His son, Jesus Christ!

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

~Revelation 21:4

Jesus Said WHAT!?

There’s a passage in the book of John where Jesus shocks His followers. Here’s the passage:

 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 

But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 

Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 

I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me.“

~John 6:53-57

If you’re wondering what-in-the-world Jesus is talking about here, you’re not alone. The people listening to Jesus argued over what this meant, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? (John 6:52)” and “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it? (John 6:60).” In fact, many of Jesus’s followers “turned away and deserted Him (John 6:66)” over this very teaching.

So what’s going on here? What are we to make of it? Is Jesus introducing some radical, new teaching involving cannibalism? To make sense of this passage, we have to look at the context, and we have to look at it in light of other scripture.

Literal or figurative?

We can safely dispense with the idea that Jesus wanted His followers to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood. He never carved off pieces of Himself and fed them to His disciples, nor did He fill goblets with His blood for them to drink.

The questions that need answered are:

  1. why did Jesus use this shocking metaphor?
  2. what does it mean?

Context.

If we back up a little bit, we see that this passage takes place one day after the feeding of the 5000. Jesus has just fed a multitude with only five loaves and two fish, and the people are beyond excited (John 6: 1- 15). They have just witnessed a true miracle, and they want more.

Now, this is important: In regards to the feeding of the 5000, Jesus tells them they do not understand the meaning of the miracle. (John 6:26) Jesus is offering them something far better than perishable food; He’s offering them eternal life! They have failed to make a connection between the physical food He miraculously provided, and the spiritual sustenance He wants to give them.

The crowd just wants more miracles. They talk about how Moses brought down bread from heaven. Jesus tries again to get them to see that their spiritual needs outweigh their physical needs:

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 

The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

The crowd’s response is:  “Sir, give us that bread every day.”

This reminds me of the response from the woman at the well. When Jesus tells her that He has living water, she doesn’t grasp what He’s saying. She says, “Sir, give me this water… so that I won’t have to keep coming back to this well.“

These people are wanting Jesus to literally give them a magical loaf of bread, or a glass of magical water.

Once again, Jesus tries to help them make a connection between something they are familiar with (food and drink are necessary for the survival of the body), and a spiritual reality they don’t yet understand (Jesus is necessary for the survival of the soul).

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 

And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.“

~John 6:35-40

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 

Yes, I am the bread of life!

Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 

Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die.“

~John 6:47-50

Let’s return to the shocking text we started with. By looking at the verses leading up to it, it seems clear that Jesus is intentionally taking His metaphor to the extreme because His audience is thinking too literally. When He does, there is no longer a reasonable, literal interpretation of what He is saying. The audience is forced to either accept that Jesus is teaching a spiritual truth they don’t fully grasp, or abandon Him.

After a large portion of these “followers” decide to turn away, Jesus asks the twelve apostles, “Are you also going to leave?” To which Simon Peter replies, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:67-68).

Even the apostles did not fully understand what Jesus was teaching at the time, but they had faith that Jesus was the way to eternal life… and that was the essence of what Jesus was trying to teach them!

The Last Supper and the cross.

Obviously the “eat my flesh; drink my blood” teaching takes place prior to Jesus’s death and resurrection. It’s not a coincidence that Jesus revisits this theme with His disciples at The Last Supper.

When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.

Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 

For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 

For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.”

~Luke 22:14-20

Here Jesus makes it clear that His broken body and shed blood are what make salvation possible. Once again, He brings in literal food and drink (bread and wine) to help them understand a spiritual truth. Just as their physical bodies would perish without food and drink, so their souls would perish without the broken body and shed blood of Christ.

A key takeaway is this: when it comes to salvation and eternal life, it’s not enough to just believe that Jesus existed, or that He was a good man and a prophet. You have to personally accept the sacrifice that Christ made on your behalf. And that is what it means to eat His flesh and drink His blood.

Another layer of meaning.

There’s a poem by Walter de la Mare that begins like this:

It’s a very odd thing –
As odd can be –
That whatever Miss T eats
Turns into Miss T.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “you are what you eat.”

Our bodies automatically take the things we eat and drink, and transform them into… us!

In a spiritual sense, the same thing happens when we eat Jesus’s flesh and drink His blood. Not only does this sustain us and give us life, it also transforms us… making us more like Him.

To accept Jesus as savior, to be “born again”, is to invite Him to transform you.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

~II Corinthians 5:17

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

~Galatians 2:20

How about you? Have you received eternal life? Have you been transformed by the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ?

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