Tag: Courage

Today’s Word Is UNLIKELY

Tue-Jul-21-2020

There are times you are going to be called on to accomplish something that you don’t think you’re suited for. God doesn’t use our normal criteria to pick someone for a job. You or I would choose someone with talent in the desired area and available time to commit to the project. We might also go for someone with high self-esteem who is well respected, someone who would answer “yes” with great confidence.

Not God … He has a flair for performing the impossible with the unlikely! In the Book of Judges, the land of Israel is being harassed by the Midianites. The Israelites could be overrun and destroyed if something didn’t turn around and soon. I’ve been there a few times, things are falling apart, and I feel hopeless. How about you?

But God had a plan and sent an angel to tell Gideon he had been chosen to pull off the necessary turnaround. Of course, to Gideon this didn’t seem like divine orders, it seemed like nonsense. He thought this angel was a strange traveler who didn’t know what he was talking about. So, his response was two-fold … “I don’t know what makes you think God cares about us; he has abandoned us!” … and then … “Even if this could happen, you’ve got the wrong guy! I am not a leader or a warrior.” Judges 6:15… “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

So here is the take-away for today. God uses willing people, regardless of their strengths or weaknesses, their high or low station, or their level of confidence to accomplish the following purposes:

First, he comes to resolve a serious need and accomplish a kingdom purpose, especially if it seems impossible to us. He wants to achieve the victory, and to create joy, thanks, and celebration.

Second, he wants to do it in a way that creates faith in you and others. Sometimes that means using the seemingly least qualified candidate, otherwise we would all praise that person for the success. God wants us to know that we can’t do it without his divine help. That way the praise goes to God, not any of us.

Finally, God wants to demonstrate that he can use you to do amazing things with his help. This requires humility plus faith plus courage.

If God is tapping you on the shoulder about something that he wants to accomplish, listen up. It might be simple … help one person in your world (at home, at work, wherever) to experience a turnaround that they desperately need. Or perhaps he sets your sights on something much bigger and intimidating. If you list all the “worldly” reasons you’re the wrong person for the job, you could miss a chance to bless one person or many.

If you think you’re the least qualified, the least likely candidate … well, there you go … it wouldn’t be the first time God took that approach! You could draw out the argument for days and days, like Gideon did, or you could go for it!

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is SERENITY

Fri-Jul-17-2020
It’s Humor Day!

I hope you have heard of the “Serenity Prayer,” which is something worth posting on your mirror, bulletin board, or refrigerator.

First, I will give you a humorous remake called the “Senility Prayer” (author unknown), which applies to the aging process and how to deal with people whom you like or do not like. This is helpful for people of my age … ha-ha-ha …

THE PRAYER OF SENILITY
God grant me the senility
to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones I do,
and the eyesight to tell the difference.

The original “Serenity Prayer” was written by Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971), an American Reformed theologian, author of books on ethics and other topics, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Many groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, use the shortened version of his “Serenity Prayer,” (the first four lines) as a theme or tool of encouragement.  The full version goes like this …

THE PRAYER OF SERENITY

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

Have a blessed weekend, including rest, family, and worship,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is SURE-FOOTED

Mon-Jul-13-2020

The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19)

The concept of “hinds’ feet in high places” was impressed upon me many years ago by a profoundly wise and kind pastor named Rev. Harper Sasser. He loved the idea of being sure-footed when negotiating the difficult times of life. He could minister to those who were distressed and help them to calm down simply by his presence and encouragement. He was a living example of what it looked like to be sure-footed, and he could help you to understand and believe that you could do the same!

A hind is a female deer that can place her back feet exactly where her front feet stepped while bounding along at a quick pace. Her feet landed not one inch off of the best place to step next! She can run with abandonment in rocky terrain that makes us humans nervous just to watch it! In times of danger, she can move quickly to avoid danger and not get “off track,” while scaling unusually difficult rock formations to elude predators or to reach feeding areas that looked impossible to access.

I have watched enough National Geographic shows to have seen Rocky Mountain settings where these sure-footed animals run and jump around on rocky cliffs. It makes me nervous, thinking they could slip and fall 1,000 feet. But they maneuver perfectly every time.

The message of Habakkuk the prophet was written at the time of the Israelites’ captivity by Babylon. What could be worse? These were frightful times. There was a sense of hopelessness. But Habakkuk told God’s people that even in such a calamity, they must trust God above all else. He was going to keep them on their feet, helping them to endure and to overcome. Sounds a bit like some of the troubles we are facing today.

Have you developed a depth of faith that enables you to cope with difficulty better than many of the secular folks around you? I have been asked on occasion how I made it through a particularly troubling situation. The answer … God has given us “hinds’ feet.” He has taught us and blessed us enough that when we are negotiating those rocky cliffs of tribulation in life, we are able to maneuver without fear. By the amazing grace of God, we seem to land on our feet in situations where others might fall apart or fall down.

Are you experiencing any trials or tribulations? Is the enemy trying to run you down, hoping you will slip and fall? Use the sure-footed ability that God has given you and you will find yourself landing safely on the spots God has provided to preserve you.

What a gift and a blessing … to handle tricky times with the nimbleness of a deer on a dangerous mountainside. It is a matter of trust.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Prayer for the Day

Almighty God, maker of all things, we honor you today and give thanks for life itself and for the amazing journey of faith you have given each of us. Thank you for family and friends, for daily guidance, and for your Word, which is “a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). In the challenges of life, we are thankful for each step along the way that keeps us securely anchored in you. In Your Holy Name we pray, AMEN.

Today’s Word Is COURAGE

Thu-Jul-9-2020

“It often takes more courage to change one’s opinion than to stick to it.” – Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1790) Physicist and Philosopher

Sometimes you need to change your opinion and sometimes you need to stick to it. A great feat of maturity is to learn when and how to do both. Many people are out of balance and are far better at one than the other.

At one extreme are folks who are good at making decisions and sticking to them … but pride will not let them admit they might be wrong … thus they lack the courage to admit a mistake or to change their opinion. From the perspective of others, it is hard to respect someone who will never change their mind. Why do people remain adamant and unchanging? Sometimes they are bullies. It may also be to avoid intimacy in relationships. Never changing your mind is a good way to keep people at a distance or under control.

At the other extreme are those who are humble and honest enough to admit their mistakes … but often will fold easily when challenged about an opinion they truly believe in … thus they lack the courage to stick to their opinion. From the perspective of others, it is hard to respect someone who wavers on nearly everything. Why do such folks as these give in so easily? It might be fear of conflict or failure, possibly a poor self-image, not understanding who they are in Christ. But again, it is also another way of avoiding intimacy in relationships or of having the need to protect oneself.

Jesus had a better way … a way that requires courage, honesty, and humility.

“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:37)

Making yes be yes, and no be no, is in one sense about removing the playing of emotional games from our conversations. It is much more enjoyable to converse with someone who does not have a hidden agenda. It works well when both have the courage to be honest … honest about their true convictions, but also courageous to admit when they need to change their mind about something.

(If you believe there is nothing you ever need to change your mind about, your name would be “God” … just sayin’ … don’t mean to sound harsh. None of us has perfect theology or doctrines or opinions or knowledge. Surprise, surprise.)

The takeaway is this … ask God for what you need.

If you need courage to stick to your opinion … ask God. (Many folks who need the courage to be bolder are painfully aware that they need it and perhaps too afraid to try it.)

If you need courage to admit when you are wrong … ask God. (However … Many folks who need the courage to be humble are blissfully unaware that they lack humility or are too proud to try it.)

Choose to be balanced, to be able to say equally well, “I’m right this time,” or “I’m wrong this time.” This requires courage, honesty, and humility. Making it more complicated than this involves offering excuses for our behavior, and is, as Jesus said, “from the evil one.”

It takes courage to be honest, bold, and humble all at the same time!

Chaplain Mark

(NOTE: If you are in a relationship where the other person is virtually always right and certainly never wrong, and where you feel the pressure of conformity, this is a red flag. Seek some godly advice from a trusted pastor or friend.)

Today’s Word Is INTIMIDATION

Tue-Jul-7-2020

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” – The Apostle Paul (2nd Timothy 1:7)

Sometimes fear serves a useful purpose, right? For instance, … Fear could keep you away from the edge of a dangerous cliff. … or … Fear could cause you to keep your distance from a poisonous snake. … or … Fear could cause you to run out of a burning building.

Those, of course, are things God designed into our nature to protect us. What we are not supposed to have is the type of fear that debilitates us, keeps us in misery, or prevents us from being the person that God calls us to be.

The normal Greek word for fear is “phobia,” which is used 150 times in the New Testament. Another New Testament word for fear is “deilia,” used only once by Paul in this passage, and once by Jesus (Matthew 8:26 and Mark 4:40), on the occasion where a frightening storm came up while the disciples were in a boat with Jesus. “But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

This use of the word fear can also be translated as “intimidation.” Why would Paul tell Timothy not to be intimidated? Interestingly, the name Timothy comes from the same root word, as if describing someone who is easily intimidated. Timothy was a young man with great potential in ministry, but how easy it is to let yourself be intimidated, being a young person teaching people older than yourself, and often much wiser. I know. I pastored my first church at age 19.

Also notice that Paul didn’t say, “we are not given fear.” He said, “We are not given a SPIRIT of fear.” This is a spiritual issue. There are evil spirits that have certain characteristics or tactics, and yes, there is a spirit of fear, whose strategy is to intimidate you out of your destiny.

In the 6th grade my first male teacher, Mr. Webb, was a combination of caring, wise, and tough. We would go to the playground and the whole class of 30 kids played softball. He divided the class in half, and we scattered all over the field to play, lots of infielders and outfielders. Mr. Webb was the pitcher.

One day I hit a ball past the outfielders, a “for sure” home run, rare for me. I rounded first, second, third and looked back over my shoulder as I was halfway to home. And, oh no, Mr. Webb was standing in a throwing position with his arm back over his shoulder, ready to throw the ball. I stopped and froze in disbelief! How could they have retrieved the ball so quickly!? As I stood there staring, waiting for him to throw me out, the ball came bounding in from the outfield and stopped at his feet. He smiled, leaned over, and with his empty hand, scooped up the ball, and threw me out. He had bluffed me … intimidated me … out of a home run. I was so focused on Mr. Webb that I didn’t see where the ball really was. I could have had a home run! I will never forget that lesson.

Think about it … this is what your “enemy” wants to do to you … bluff you into thinking you’re not good enough, smart enough, innovative enough, persistent enough, or enough of whatever you may need to succeed. He has no weapon to harm you, so he intimidates you into giving up. I thought Mr. Webb had the ball in his hand … nope. I was not robbed by the power of the enemy, but by being intimidated out of claiming what was mine.

If you have a spirit of fear, God didn’t give it to you. I repeat … If you have a spirit of fear, God didn’t give it to you! And he wants to replace it with power, love, and a sound mind. Suppose you just “spoke” to this spirit of fear you’ve been burdened with and served it an eviction notice! I will no longer be intimidated out of my blessings! Then ask God for his three replacement gifts … power, love, and discipline.

Power – that’s like the engine of a car. The Holy Spirit will give you his kind of power.

Love – that’s the proper fuel. It will help you to do things with right motives. If you are fueled by anger, for instance, things will often not turn out so well.

A Sound Mind (or Discipline) – that’s the steering wheel. It means guiding how you apply the love and use the power God has given you. Not too fast or slow, staying on track, waiting sometimes, proceeding at others.

The experience of ridding myself of the spirit of intimidation, with God’s help, created a quantum leap forward in my faith. I still get intimidated occasionally, but I am quicker to rebuke it now.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is TRUTH

Thu-Jun-25-2020

This coming Sunday marks the 4th anniversary of the death of well-known Tennessee Women’s Basketball Coach Pat Summitt. Her premature death was due to early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. If you recall, I quoted her just recently in a devotion called “Today’s Word Is Team.”

Here is another great quote from Coach Pat Summitt:

“The absolute heart of loyalty is to value those people who tell you the truth, not just those people who tell you what you want to hear. In fact, you should value them most. Because they have paid you the compliment of leveling with you and assuming you can handle it.” – Pat Summitt

If you are going to value those friends who tell you the truth, you will need to value yourself first. And you can do that because God values you first and most.

If you do not accept and value yourself, you will not be able to …

  • Properly value those who are honest with you,
  • Handle the truth when it is painful,
  • Speak the truth to others without flinching,
  • Care about and value friends enough to speak the truth openly.

The Apostle Paul talks about “speaking the truth in love.” It takes maturity to do that. Some folks think that they should just “tell it like it is,” but end up leaving a trail of wounded people. While others think that their job is to soothe people, to the extent that they don’t “level” with anyone because it might “hurt” them.

Somewhere in the middle of that is “the way.” If someone who cares about you tells you a painful truth, then as Coach Summitt says, they have actually paid you a compliment … they believe in you, that you can hear what is difficult to hear and be able to “handle it.” And not just be able to handle it, but to be inspired by it, challenged to change, to grow, to improve, to succeed. And as Coach Summitt also says, if you can find someone who will treat you that way … both truthful and caring … you should value that person with your loyalty.

“… but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ …” – Apostle Paul (Ephesians 4:15)

As Paul points out, Jesus was the best at doing this … at speaking truth, and at loving others. It should cause us to want to “grow up” to be like Jesus, who is the head of our faith.

Carry this thought with you always … “Speak the truth in love.” You will know you are fulfilling this Scripture when you can do this without unnecessarily hurting others while you love them enough to speak to them the truth they need to hear.

Sometimes people get hurt by the truth. But hurt is not always a bad thing. It is through processing the hurts in life that we grow. They will make you “bitter” or “better” … your choice. But our reaction need not be to blame the person who had the courage to tell us the truth we needed to hear. Rather our response should be to turn to God in humility and ask how we may use this opportunity to grow forward into Him.

Good stuff!

Chaplain Mark

NOTE: The BEMA Podcast is a great Bible Study tool from a Messianic Jewish perspective, which I highly recommend. It is a long-term study which will increase your understanding of the Scriptures in a new and deeper way. You can also get it on your other devices by going to the Google PlayStore or Apple App Store.

Today’s Word Is COURAGEOUS

Mon-Jun-22-2020

((If you haven’t already, you should watch the movie Soul Surfer.))

On October 31, 2003, Bethany Hamilton, age 13 at the time, went for a morning surf along Tunnels Beach, Kauai, Hawaii, with her best friend Alana Blanchard, Alana’s father Holt, and brother Byron, when a 14-foot-long tiger shark attacked her, severing her left arm just below the shoulder. The Blanchards helped paddle her back to shore, then Alana’s father fashioned a tourniquet out of a rash guard (protective swim clothing) and wrapped it around the stump of her arm. She was rushed to Wilcox Memorial Hospital. By the time she arrived there she had lost over 60% of her blood and was in hypovolemic shock. Her father was already at the hospital to have knee surgery that day. Instead, his surgery was cancelled, and Bethany took his place in that operating room, where her wound was closed.

Despite the trauma of the incident, Hamilton was determined to return to surfing, and one month after the attack, she returned to her board. Initially, she adopted a custom-made board that was longer and slightly thicker than standard and had a handle for her right arm, making it easier to paddle, and she learned to kick more to make up for the loss of her left arm. After teaching herself to surf with one arm, on January 10, 2004, just 10 weeks after her accident, she entered a major competition.

Since the attack, she has appeared as a guest on numerous television shows, as she was transformed from shark attack victim to inspirational role model. The television shows she has appeared on include The Biggest Loser, 20/20, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, The Tonight Show and Dude Perfect, as well as in magazines People, Time, and American Girl. Additionally, she was the cover story in the premier issue of niNe magazine.

In 2004, she won the ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete and also received the Courage Teen Choice Award. Also that year, MTV Books published Hamilton’s book, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, which describes her ordeal. Her story is also told in the 2007 short subject documentary film Heart of a Soul Surfer. Described as a “faith-based documentary,” the film addresses her devout Christianity and her courage and faith in Jesus Christ in the aftermath of the shark attack and follows her quest for spiritual meaning.

Thank you, Lord, for courageous, inspirational people! Give us courage as well. Help us to believe in your healing and restorative power.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is SWIM

Mon-Jun-15-2020

The prophet Ezekiel lived in Jerusalem in 590 BC, as one of the Jews who had not been taken into captivity and carted off to Babylon. And he had a prophetic vision (Chapter 47) of a stream flowing out from the Temple, which was a message of hope for those being held in exile. The river in his vision flowed eastward for about 1,500 feet and was ankle-deep. As the Lord took him further, the water became knee-deep for another 1,500 feet, and then waist-deep for another 1,500 feet. (That’s a little over a mile so far. Then …

He [the Lord] measured off another fifteen hundred feet. By now it was a river over my head, water to swim in, water no one could possibly walk through. He said, “Son of man, have you had a good look?” (Ezekiel 47:5-6)

Have you ever been in “over your head”? That’s where the Lord was taking Ezekiel. This is the Christian life of faith. This is when we truly begin to trust in the Lord with all we have, in a state of total dependence.

Here are some things we learn from this. First, the Lord is gracious – He starts us out in ankle-deep water. If not, we might chicken out! And it keeps us going, because there is more. I do think, however, that some of us are still in that ankle-deep water. Some of us kept getting deeper and deeper into faith, until our feet didn’t touch. Some of us have succumbed to fear and stopped moving forward in order to stay where our feet can touch the bottom.

It is interesting that while we are in the shallower water, it is easier to see what’s under there! Sometimes, that’s why we don’t go deeper. Fears can arise when we are unsure of what might happen next or how we would handle difficult moments. However, we should know that God knows everything that is under there, and he will not let us sink — or be eaten alive — or suffer mortal wounds. Being unsure of ourselves might just be a sign that we are also unsure of God’s faithfulness. Trusting in God creates courage and confidence.

This vision teaches us that God wants us in those deep waters – he wants us to swim! After all, that is where we really learn to trust! And the waters of God are fresh water. They are healing waters. The Lord told Ezekiel, “Where the river flows everything will live.” (v. 9)

If you are nervous reading this because you are someone who fears swimming, remember that this passage is about your spirit swimming in and with the Holy Spirit. It is a life of adventure and trust. In a sense, we are out of control, because the current of a river is too strong for us to go wherever we want to. God wants us to go with the flow – not to swim upstream trying to get back to some false feeling of safety. Going with the flow means following the Spirit. We don’t necessarily go where other people are going, or even where they think we should go – we go where God goes!

Have you ever been whitewater canoeing? I did a lot of that in my younger years. There are three types of experience that stand out to me. First, there are “floats.” The river moves quietly and steadily along. You can paddle and make good time, or if you like you can rest and let God carry you. Then there are “pools.” These are places where the water is deeper and calmer. You can get out of the boat and not get carried away by a strong current. It is a time to stop and play! You can empty the boat of any water you took on. And while you have the boat flipped over, you can swim underneath as you laugh and play. You can also sit on the shore and relax.

But the other experience is when those “rapids” come. There are dangers, hard work, crashes, and disasters. You may get stuck or fall out. But to a canoeist, this is the best part of the trip. Who wants to go canoeing if there are no rapids!? The hard part is also the most fulfilling part of the adventure.

Regarding the river of your life … do you spend your time trying to avoid the rapids? Do you decline the difficult things? People need us, and it isn’t easy going. And furthermore, do you fail to stop and play when God provides the opportunity? Stop struggling in the river and relax. Be ready for the rapids when they come, don’t fight them, use them.

Are you ready to head for deeper water… meaning a deeper life? Are your feet still touching the bottom? Are you all in for Jesus enough that you will go where the Holy Spirit takes you and enjoy the great adventure that he has for you?

A final thought … the Israelites in captivity were surely wondering if God had abandoned them. They were no longer in their homeland. They were enslaved with little hope of being free. And the Temple that housed the presence of the Holy Spirit of God was far away. But Ezekiel’s vision was a clear message that God leaves the Temple to come to his people. Babylon was east of Jerusalem, and the waters in the vision flowed east out of the Temple. God was reaching out to his people, heading their direction, bringing his river of love to engulf them, support them, and carry them.

You are not alone or abandoned. You are not without help. God is with you and he wants you to swim in the waters of the Spirit that he brings to you. Trust him. Enjoy him. Enjoy the adventure. Go with God’s flow. Play in the pools. Battle the rapids. Together we will make it. The river of life is a great place to be.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is IDEA

Fri-Jun-12-2020
It’s Humor Day!

Frank and Beulah don’t get out much at their age, but one day Frank gets this idea that he is going to ride horses with his best friend, Ralphie. Beulah thinks this is a bad idea. “Frank, you haven’t ridden horses in decades! You’re going to get yourself hurt, and then you’ll be out of commission for weeks!”

Nevertheless, the next day Ralphie comes by to pick him up and off they go to ride horses. After two or three minutes of riding, Frank falls off! “Oh my gosh!” Ralphie exclaims. “Are you OK?”

“Sure, I’m fine,” replies Frank. “Just a little shaken up. I’m a little rusty, you know.”

“Let’s quit and go home,” Ralphie suggests. “Maybe Beulah was right. This was a bad idea.”

“No way,” insists Frank. “You know we did this a lot when we were younger, and we always got back on to show the horse who’s boss. I can do it. I know I can.”

So, Frank gets back on and rides some more. But wouldn’t you know it, he promptly falls off again! Ralphie is concerned, of course. “Frank, that’s enough. You’re going to really hurt yourself, just like Beulah said. She will never let you hear the end of this!”

“Now Ralphie,” Frank starts. “I know this is a little unusual, but I used to be so experienced at this. I am going to try one more time. I just know I can do it.”

Back on the horse, Frank holds on tighter this time. It looks like he might last longer than before, but no, off he goes again. “That’s enough, Frank,” Ralphie says firmly. “We’re going home!”

“Aw, come on, Ralphie,” Frank pleads. “Have some confidence in me. Just one more try. P-l-e-a-s-e.”

So Ralphie explains, “Look, Frank. I know I agreed to this, but we’re done. Besides, if you want to try one more time, I’m going to have to go back into K-Mart and get some more quarters!”

Some things are just bad ideas. Did you ever have one?

In Exodus 32, the Israelites, having escaped Egypt through the Red Sea, were camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, waiting for Moses to return from an encounter with God on the mountain. While Moses was in the presence of God receiving the Ten Commandments, the people below were getting restless. Moses had taken so long that they were beginning to think he might not be coming back.

So, they appealed to Moses’ older brother Aaron to take control of the leadership. They knew they were supposed to have an encounter with God. They knew they were headed for the Promised Land. So, an idea emerged.

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”  So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”  (Exodus 32:1-4)

Bad idea. Have you ever rushed into something because you couldn’t wait for God’s plan to play out? Theirs was a tragic mistake. And lo and behold … Moses showed up as they were dancing and celebrating the golden calf that was their new god.

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” (Exodus 32:21-24)

If it weren’t so tragic, this could but one of the most humorous statements in the Bible! In verse 4, Aaron is “fashioning” a golden calf with a tool. But in verse 24, Aaron says, ”and I threw [the gold] into the fire, and out came this calf.” Really? That sounds like an eight-year-old trying to explain something to an adult who knows full well, that’s not what happened!

There is a phrase in this passage that describes what their impatience with God really was. Aaron said, “You know the people, that they are set on evil.” True. And obviously Aaron was not going to shoulder any of the blame. It was their fault! If you are a believer, you know that the truth will prevail. Bad ideas are just that … bad ideas. And there are consequences.

Don’t go for the bad idea. And don’t be afraid to tell someone else, “That’s a bad idea.” Be patient. God’s idea is best.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BUILD

Thu-Jun-11-2020

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1st Thessalonians 5:11)

Suppose you have an area of your life where you want to “get better” or “get well.” You have been inspired by some person or event, perhaps a book you have read, a sermon you heard, a difficult experience you faced. You believe God is calling you higher, toward spiritual and emotional health, toward greater faith, deeper peace, higher joy.

So, being inspired you put better things into practice in your life. You start going back to church … or you quit a bad habit … or you apologize and fix a broken relationship … etc.

Then you discover that your choice to “get better” has caused some other person to have difficulty adjusting to the “new you.” That’s because all of us are part of a system of relationships. The basic ones are family connections, and some families are healthy to various degrees while others are perhaps slightly or severely dysfunctional. The same is true for friendships, co-workers, church family, or neighbors.

To the point … There is a theory in family systems that when one person improves, another person sometimes gets worse! That person begins to act out in negative ways. The more dysfunctional the family system, the more likely this is to happen. And why would someone get worse in response to your getting better?? … Because they want things to go back to the way they used to be. They have lost some feeling of importance perhaps. Their reaction is a temper tantrum of sorts.

Suppose, for instance, that you decide to start going back to church. And someone in your family tells you that “we always have family dinner at grandma’s house every Sunday at noon, and now you have messed that up! You’re causing a problem for the rest of us. See how selfish you are!” Any number of decisions could affect others in ways they resent.

They may even react so negatively that they become angry or spiteful. This behavior makes you think they are getting ready to wreck their life … or wreck your life … or damage the whole family. You consider abandoning your plan to improve your life and going back to the way things were. You say to yourself, “This was a bad idea. I had no idea so-and-so would be against it. I don’t want to hurt their feelings or lose their friendship, etc., etc.”

But you should consider that if you give up, you are in effect giving that person control over your life, even your faith life. You may realize that this person actually has control over the whole family system. They use their switching between good and bad behavior to manipulate and control everyone else.

Everyone’s situation is different, of course, but in general this is a time in your life to stick to it. If this is God-inspired, then you can go ahead with the plan, but also step up your love and encouragement of this person. Trust God for strength and believe that you will make it, and that the upset person will finally adjust, perhaps even improve just like you did.

As believers it is our job to encourage people in these situations and to build them up. So if someone is being bullied back into regression or belittled for trying to improve, it is our privilege and a command from the Word to “go to bat” for that person. Speak up. Offer encouragement.

And if you’re the one who needs the encouragement, a good thing you can do for yourself is to make it easy for others to support you, by being open. Don’t give up on the “better” things God is calling forth in you. He will provide a way for your future. Turn the naysayers over to God. He can help them better than we can anyway.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark