A Time to Heal

I was catching up with a good friend recently and we ended up sharing our stories of the problems and hardships we suffered over the last year. Yet at the end of it all, my friend declared that this year would be a year of healing in her life. And when I stopped to think about it, I realized that just as Ecclesiastes 3:3 says, this may very well be “a time to heal.”

Healing is a process of renewal. It is the way in which we are made whole or restored. For example, when we fall and break our leg, over time, it heals. Using that example, let’s keep in mind that the physical process of healing is not much different from the spiritual one.

First of all, at the point of injury, we cry out for help. Just as a broken leg can lead to an outcry of “Call 911!” an injured spirit cries out to the Lord in prayer (Psalm 6:9). Next, is treatment. Just as only a skilled healthcare professional can attend to a broken leg, we can only trust our personal crises to the master Healer who knows how to straighten out our situation (Proverbs 3:5–6). Then there is the recovery process. Our leg may be set in a cast and we may be instructed to go easy on it for a while. In spiritual healing, we may set aside a period of time for prayer and fasting. We may also need to do some forgiving and letting go of the past for a complete recovery (Colossians 3:13).

An often quoted scripture from Isaiah 53:5 reminds us of the connection between physical and spiritual healing. In speaking of Jesus Christ, the messiah, the passage reads, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Jesus paid the ultimate price and gave His life so that we may be healed from the ravages of sin. That’s why we have hope, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Just when we think we’re down, we are not out. We may feel dragged through, but we can make it to the other side. We may get beaten down, but we can get up again. And just when it seems like we’re run over, we find that we can overcome anything.

Let the healing begin!

Love Your Enemies

One of the most difficult concepts in the Bible is the idea of loving our enemies. Is it even possible to love someone who has done their best to cause us harm? Well, it is difficult, but it is not impossible.

Jesus himself said in Matthew 5:43–45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Wow. That’s pretty hard for most of us to swallow. There are those in the world who are simply out to emotionally and/or physically hurt us. And our instruction from God is to love them and to even pray for them! This goes against everything society tells us. We’re supposed to prove that we’re not punks, plot our revenge, get the upper hand, and make them pay! Right?

Well…not if we want to live God’s way.

First and foremost, prayer is essential. When we spend time with God, it helps keep us from focusing all our attention on the enemy. Praying for our enemies also demonstrates obedience to the Lord and a willingness to trust in Him to work out the situation. Loving our enemies is one of the best ways to show God that we love Him.

Jesus knew what it was like to be persecuted. While here on earth, He endured many attacks from enemies. He was talked about, insulted, ridiculed and beaten. But He gave us the example to follow. In Matthew 5:46–48, Jesus says, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

I’m going to love those who hate me, because I love Him most of all.

Seeing the God in the Bad

When we are faced with the trials of life, such as the loss of a loved one, a financial crisis, or a devastating disappointment, it’s easy to lose perspective. The hurt, the pain, or the sting can be so overwhelming that we may take our focus off God and, instead, put it on our situation. But when we learn to look for the presence of the Lord in our circumstances, we may begin to overcome the snares of depression, anxiety, and helplessness.

Jesus never promised heaven on earth. In fact, in speaking with the disciples—His loyal followers—Jesus warned them that they would face many trials and tribulations here on earth. Jesus says in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are not immune to the problems of life. But what separates us from the rest of the world is our hope in Christ, and the comfort we can find in the Holy Spirit.

So how do we deal with the trials of life? What do we do when a spouse walks out? When a child becomes lost to the streets and ends up in jail? After losing a job with no promise of finding a new one right away? When a poor choice leads to personal downfall? In Philippians 4:4–9, Paul outlines a perfect strategy:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” When Paul says “always,” he doesn’t just mean praise God for the good. We need to know how to praise God in the middle of the bad. He is still God and He is always in control.

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” Even when we are in the midst of a trial, we must remain humble and reflect Christ in our words and actions.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” When the fears creep in and our blood pressure rises, that’s when we need to immediately stop and take our concerns to the Lord in prayer.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Know that the Holy Spirit will comfort you during your trial so that even when it seems as though everything around you is falling apart, you can have the peace of mind to keep yourself together.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, we have to stop focusing on the negative aspects of the situation and see the hand of God at work—it is just as valid to look for what went right as it is to focus on what went wrong. Perspective is everything.

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Study the scriptures and learn from the examples of others. Know that the same God who delivered them can deliver you.

Things may be bad, but God is always good. I’m trusting in Him to get me through!

Clean House

“Out with the old, in with the new,” is a phrase you may often hear this time of year. It may be used in a material sense, as in getting rid of old items to make room for the new ones that came with the holiday gift-getting. Or, the term may be used spiritually, as in getting rid of old habits to take on newer, healthier ways of living. Either way, “out with the old and in with the new” is the first start to cleaning house.

There is a show on the Style cable network called “Clean House.” On the program, people who are trapped in a lifestyle of clutter are given an opportunity to change their lives. The Clean House crew arrives to help the residents sort through the chaos of knick-knacks, dirty clothes, and whatnot that they have been living in. This includes a heart-to-heart talk to understand when the chaos began—which is usually after some traumatic life event, such as the death of a loved one. After a yard sale, some new furniture, and a fresh coat of paint, the residents return home to find everything clean and uncluttered. And they promise to lead a life that will sustain their clutter free, clean house.

At this time of year, you may hear folks make the resolution to clean up their act, or get their house in order for 2010. If the pledge is sincere, the result can be life-altering. In 2 Kings 20:1, King Hezekiah was told to get his house in order (or clean house) by Isaiah, a prophet of the Lord. Isaiah went further to explain that Hezekiah was going to die. However, the king wept so bitterly that God sent Isaiah with a new message—that He would add 15 years to Hezekiah’s life. God honored Hezekiah’s tears and had mercy on him.

Let’s get serious about cleaning up this year. Whether it’s a material or a spiritual matter, I’m ready to clean house and get on with better living!

Happy Birthday, Jesus

This is the time of year we set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is with great pleasure that this week’s blog presents the account of the birth of Jesus from Luke 1:26–38; 2:1–20. (You can also click on the link to visit biblegateway.com, where you can select “Listen to this passage” and hear Luke 1 and 2 read aloud.)

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[c] the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord's servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Merry Christmas, from the VOCAB, LLC family to yours!

What is Family?

We love our family. Of course, there are times when we disagree with one another, or become disappointed in our loved ones. But when the family bond is strong, the love never ends. My brothers and sisters in Christ—do we ever stop to think about the significance of being "brothers" and "sisters" in Christ? We are family!

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting a large number of family members that I had never met before. As a result, my perception of my family tree suddenly grew exponentially! Not only was I overjoyed to find these long lost relatives—I realized that in an instant, my heart was full of love and appreciation for each and every one of them.

At one point, I had to stop and ask myself: Was the love simply built on the premise of sharing the same last name? Was I genetically predisposed to love these people? Or was it simply the joy that comes with being part of a family?

This really got me to thinking…what if that notion of family was applied to other areas in my life? Take for example, my church family. Do I tell them I love them enough? Do they understand that I appreciate each of them for the talents, strengths, and fellowship that they bring to our place of worship?

And then it extended even farther. What about my work family? Or my community family? Aren’t we all connected in a special way, as well? If I thought of my neighbor as truly my sister or my brother, would I be a little friendlier and more thoughtful toward them? What if my neighbor thought likewise of me?

I really started getting excited about this thing, and then I realized—DUH!—that’s what God has been trying to tell us all along! Matthew 25:34–40 tells of the day that Jesus returns and gathers those who belong to Him. As He calls them, He mentions that they were faithful in showing their love to Him. How? By loving others! God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that WE may be part of the inheritance of His kingdom.

I’m so honored to be part of the family of God and I want to show it with a loving spirit toward all of God’s children!

Making Bricks Without Straw

“You have to do more with less!”
“We’re short-staffed, but we need you to produce twice as much!”
An interesting ramification of our current economic recession is the demand that’s being placed on the average worker. Many of those who were fortunate enough to avoid the axe of massive job cuts, are wondering if they were fortunate at all—now with longer hours, no increase in pay, and less satisfaction in the workplace.

“Due to the economic recession…” is a phrase that seems to be uttered quite regularly these days. In the workplace, it’s often used as justification for stripping away even the basic niceties that workers have become used to. And it’s leveraged as a threat against those who feel that they can do better elsewhere: “Due to the economic recession…no one else is hiring!”

But there is hope. While dealing with my own struggles in the workplace, I was led to Exodus 5. In this passage of scripture, Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh to petition for the release of the Israelites. Outraged by the request, Pharaoh sets forth an impossible ordinance: the Israelite slave workers were to continue making their allotment of bricks every day, but they were to do so by gathering their own straw for the bricks. (Basically forcing them to do twice as much with fewer resources.) Upon falling short, the workers were beaten mercilessly.

What I found most interesting about this scenario were the words of Pharaoh in verse 9, “Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.” Those “lies” that Pharaoh referred to were the petitions of Moses and Aaron on behalf of the Lord to, “Let My people go!” Pharaoh believed that with an oppressive burden of work on their shoulders, the Israelites would turn away from the Word of God.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, during these “hard economic times” have we become so burdened in the workplace that we have turned away from the Word of God? Are we becoming frustrated, depressed, and agitated or are we still leaning on His promises that we are the head and not the tail? Do we still believe that we are more than conquerors? Are we trusting in Him with all our heart and leaning not to our own understanding?

In the NIV version of the Bible, toward the end of Exodus 5, there is a header that precedes verse 22. That header reads, “God promises deliverance.” And as chapter 5 transitions into Exodus 6, the Lord promises to remove His people from their oppressive yoke.

Let’s not be like the Israelites who became discouraged and disgruntled in their oppression. Let’s rejoice and give God praise in advance for His deliverance!