NEVER WASTE PAIN

GOD NEVER WASTES PAIN

For men are not cast off by the Lord forever,

Though He brings grief He will show compassion,

So great is His unfailing love,

For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the

Children of men.

-Lamentations 3:31-33

God does not willingly bring affliction or grief to us. He does not delight in causing us to experience pain or heartache. He always has a purpose for the grief He brings or allows to come into our lives. Most often we do not know what that purpose is but it is enough to know that His infinite wisdom and perfect love have determined that the particular sorrow is best for us. God never wastes pain.

-jerry bridges

TRUST GOD TO RULE OVER HEARTS AND MINDS

TRUST GOD TO RULE OVER HEARTS AND MINDS

It seems apparent that the conditions in our lives are often determined by the actions and decisions of others. While we do not overlook our own efforts, ability, competence, and responsibility, situations usually present themselves where we are dependent upon the actions, in-actions, or at the behest of others who are in positions either to grant or deny us favor or what we require or desire to accomplish. They may be our employers, superiors, teachers, supervisors, or any other functionaries or a host of others with whom we practically interact with and happened to be placed in a position to do or give what we desire.

In short, we are, from the human point of view, at the mercy of the decisions or volition of others. And there is no question that in this dynamics, we are affected by them for good or ill.

How are we to respond when we find ourselves seemingly in the hands of somebody, when we desperately need something, or some favorable action, from him?

Can we trust God that He can and will work in the heart of that individual to bring about what we desire according to God’s will and purpose in our lives?

The Bible, God’s Word, gives us the answer. Yes we can trust God.

God sovereignly intervenes in the hearts and minds of people so they make decisions and carry out actions to accomplish His purpose for our lives. God does in fact intervene in the minds of people so that they decide and act in a certain way to accomplish God’s plan for us. This is evident in the lives of God’s people like Moses, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, Esther, Peter, Paul and all the others, heroes of faith.

Proverbs 21:1 New International Version (NIV): In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
    that he channels toward all who please him.

Proverbs 16:9: The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:33: The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Human beings decide all kinds of ways to make a decision. They try rolling dice, and they draw lots, and they put out pieces of cloth on the ground — whatever. The point here is whatever means they use, it’s going to be God’s will in the end. Every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs 19:21: Many are the plans in the mind of man, but is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15)

God does move in the hearts of people- either positively, to cause them to do His will or negatively to restrain them from doing what is contrary to His will. God is sovereign over all people and we are encouraged by the knowledge that God exercises His sovereignty for our good.

So if we find ourselves in a place where our plans, needs, requests or requirements would depend upon the actions of other people, we should entrust them to God and pray that God will work out His will in their hearts, to accomplish his purpose and plan for your life.

THE BADGES OF BAD ATTITUDE

THE BADGES OF BAD ATTITUDE

1 Peter 1:1-2:

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

In this passage the great Apostle Peter speaking to the believers who were living as foreigners in the Roman provinces exhorted them by laying aside or getting rid of evil behavior which was the natural bent of unbelievers before they were converted and regenerated by their faith in Christ.

Peter mentions specifically malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking. We need not look far to prove the reality of this human behavior described by St. Peter, since these are all too common in human relationships.  A true Christian would stand out as a gem, if he succeeds to be rid of evil behavior mentioned by the Apostle Peter, which obviously are the marks of the unregenerate man.

Let’s look at them. Malice is the intentional desire to do wrong or evil. Deceit is fraudulent action or deception. Hypocrisy is false pretenses, pretending the kind of person of which he is not, displaying false appearances, especially with respect to religious or moral beliefs. Envy is the desire to have or possess the qualities or virtues which another has. Evil speaking is attacking another person’s character, by false accusation, backbiting, slander, gossip rumors, and ill speaking against another.

There is something remarkable in the Apostle’s exhortation which I would like to add as a footnote. Lawyers would agree that malice,  deceit, and evil speaking are recognized in our civil and penal laws as elements of a crime or violation of a right. Slander is an offense under our penal law. Envy is  subjective, but when it manifests itself and results in overt action, which would violate the rights of another, it might be a legally actionable wrong.

What I am saying is this. It is amazing that the principles we derive from God’s word are remarkably foundational and could be found as legal precepts in the secular legal system. It is my prayer that lawyers and judges should study God’s Word, for wisdom and direction. It is also my prayer that lawyers should not use the “law with an evil eye or uneven hand.”

St. Peter reminded the Christians that as followers of Christ they have been cleaned of this human faults,  and must show perfect love for each other. (1 Peter 1:24).

The badges of evil behavior should be removed and replaced with love and kindness.