Adultery, Divorce & Vows – The King’s Speech Pt 6

Listen or watch this sermon and series here VIDEO/AUDIO

Today I want to begin by recapping the basis of Jesus’ teachings in what is called the Sermon on the Mount. Here it is: God’s greatest concern is and has always been relationships – God’s relationship to each of us, our relationships to one another, and our relationship to creation/the world around us. God values relationships above all else. God loves community. In His very being God is relationship and community – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When God created human beings the Bible tells us he walked and talked with them every day. This was why we were created in the first place – to have relationship with God and with others. That is the fullness and beauty of understanding the existence and purpose of God. It also should help us understand our own existence and purpose, not something selfish and ego-centric, but rather life at its best in the context of relationships. This is why we exist.

Last week Pastor Angelo taught us about the Law of God and how Jesus came to fulfill the “letter of the law” with a more relational approach. We will learn this throughout the summer as we explore all of the different teachings of Jesus. The Law, including the 10 commandments, was not given as a way to force people who didn’t care to obey a God they didn’t know. The Law was given by a loving God who wanted the best relationships for the people He loves – you and me. He gave these commands so we would be spared the grief of damaged relationships and the chaos that ensues. 

The Jewish people did not understand this. Many people today do not understand this, even though Jesus was very clear when he said, “All the Law and prophetic saying are fulfilled in this…Love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself.” “Love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you.”

These are obviously relational directives. They are not simple do this, don’t do that, and you will be fine. These commands speak to the heart of human existence – relationships. They call us to a deeper sense of what it means to be a part of the “family” of Jesus followers. And they are also not easy. It would be easier to keep the 10 commandments and follow the laws of justice than to love our neighbors and do good to our enemies. But Jesus never calls us to the easy route – he calls us to the best route through life. And, as we discussed before when we talked about the Holy Spirit, Jesus does not expect us to be able to live this way by our own will power. We have the Holy Spirit who lives within us who believe and follow Jesus – the Holy Spirit who lives through us when we submit our will and our heart to Him by listening and acting in His power.

All of these ideas and understandings of God are necessary given our topics of today. These verses are some of the easiest to understand, yet the hardest to put into action. They touch our lives at the center of our heart – our selfish, deceitful, wicked heart – and tend to draw us away from deeper and more meaningful relationships. I want to teach us a new way to see them – a way to live relationally that enlivens our relationship to God and others. 

Also, given my current life situation and some family choices that have been made, this topic is very close to me emotionally and spiritually today. I will be sharing some things that may make you wonder, “what’s he really thinking” or “what is he NOT saying?” But there is none of that here. I’m laying it all on the line. I want us to hear, see and understand the Truth of God no matter what. It will not be easy. But few things that can change our lives for the better are. So let’s turn to Matthew chapter 5 starting in verse 27. 

Matthew Mateo馬 太 福 音 5:27-37

²⁷ “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’
 ²⁸ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 
Adultery by every definition involves one or more married persons engaging in physical, intimate acts with someone to whom they are not married. I think we all would accept that as the standard. Few people would say adultery is okay. Very few affirm those who are committing it. Some do. But Jesus, who is fully aware of the importance of pure and honorable relationships, is not willing to stop with this basic definition. Jesus knew that anytime a person focuses their attention on something that was not ordained of God it could lead to relational damage. It’s not just a matter of an act but rather a matter of the heart that can destroy the beauty of marriage. Think about that for just a minute. It’s not just an act, it’s a matter of the heart. Consider your own life and the thoughts you’ve had of your spouse or against them. Our hearts are so easily swayed by emotion and deceit.     What of your intimate thoughts about other people? Was it or is it ever healthy to think in intimate ways about someone other than your spouse? Jesus would say, “No,” because it violates the heart of God’s love for pure and honorable relationships. Jesus pushes us to a higher level of love and commitment because life is not about the letter of the Law. It’s about living out God’s love for others.

Of course you might be thinking, “Then we are all in big trouble.” And that would be correct. Very few people in the world have never had a lustful thought about someone other than their spouse, especially in our day of technology and moral depravity. If it’s not our eyes and minds wandering through magazines it could be the enticingly dressed person at the office. If it’s not the readily available pornography on the internet, it’s the buff man or woman at the gym with clothes so tight you don’t need an imagination.
There are times when I am so thankful for how blind I am, because, if I’m at the gym or at a pool the only thing that stands between my mind and purity is my glasses. And if I can’t control my deceitful heart at least I can control my blinded eyes.
Maybe the only thing that stands between your natural, God-given desires within you and the self-indulgent lust of the internet is accountability and a healthy relationship to your spouse. Jesus’ desire for us is that we live in relationships that bring him honor.

Culture doesn’t care and in fact promotes the impurity and promiscuity. Just look at the popularity of the “50 Shades of Grey” novels and the “Magic Mike” film. Men were already gripped by lust and sin, but these are aimed at women. It’s a terrible thing. Remember the old computer adage – garbage in, garbage out? It’s true. Remember the motto for our Destinations series? “Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination.” You will steer to whatever captures your attention. Don’t let culture tell you what you should believe and how you should act. Follow Jesus.

These are not legitimate ways to deal with your natural desires.  God’s solution to these issues, for those of you who are married, is to have a vibrant, growing and accountable relationship with your spouse. It’s just like we talked about for so many weeks in the “Guardrails” series. Some of you need to go back and listen to those over and over again. A solid relationship with God and a committed, intimate relationship with your spouse can provide enough stability and resolve to avoid adultery – whether the dictionary type or the more difficult definition of Jesus. Nothing good comes from adultery.
And the solution for you singles is to “guard your heart,” make a “covenant with your eyes.” Find fulfillment in the purity of the relationship that God wants for you. Your time for the rest will be in the future.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the last part of this verse. It meant something significant to them because in that day and under their laws there were some significant, physical consequences to adultery, stealing, etcetera. Verse 29

²⁹ So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 
³⁰ And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

What Jesus is simply saying to us today is this – do whatever you have to do to have a healthy, pure and God-honoring relationship. It’s that plain.

Now we move on to the next thoughts Jesus had about relationships – divorce. This was in a day and time when marriage was for life most of the time. But God had given the children of Israel a way out of a marriage way back in the wilderness. The Apostle Paul, I think it is, wrote later that God did this because of their hardness of heart, not because God sanctioned divorce. In fact, the Old Testament records God saying plainly, “I hate divorce.” God didn’t say that he hated divorced PEOPLE, just the act of divorce itself. Why is that? Again we have to go back to the whole “God loves relationships” theme. In Godly relationships there is always room for repentance, redemption, reconciliation and restoration. God did that and does that for us, and I believe God wants us to live that way as well. So divorce without biblical cause, which we will get to in a moment, goes against everything that is in the character and nature of God. It’s not repentant, it’s not redemptive, it’s not reconciliating and it’s certainly not restorative. Let’s read verses 31-32

³¹ “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’
³² But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
So here we go again. We have the Law – ‘A man can divorce his wife…,’ (no fault divorce). Then you have another, “But I say,” that Angelo mentioned last week. And the “But I say” of Jesus far outweighs and overpowers the letter of the Law. Jesus is God – in the flesh. Jesus has God’s character and knows God’s nature and has God’s nature. And Jesus says, “There is no legitimate reason for even considering divorcing someone unless they have been unfaithful.” And this word unfaithful does not mean “to look at another person with lust,” or to “irritate someone,” or to “have irreconcilable difference.” This word means that a married person has engaged in a relationship that crosses the line of intimacy…it may not be full blown intercourse, but it has crossed the barriers of activity that are reserved for marriage. THAT is unfaithfulness. There’s not much more to say about that. It’s pretty clear. 

But, now, I want to add to this an explanation that I think is reflective of the heart of God, that is not the letter of the Law even in this instance, but is the heart of Jesus’ commands to love God and our neighbor. Notice that Jesus never tells the crowd that they MUST get divorced or that they SHOULD divorce a wayward spouse. He says that unfaithfulness is just cause to divorce your spouse but he does not say you MUST do it. Many people get divorced initially over such things and some get back together afterwards. That’s beautiful if neither spouse has remarried. That is the heart of God’s character – repentance, redemption, reconciliation and restoration. This is what I pray for in my own family. I long for this and am committed to this if God allows. But Jesus never suggests that divorce is a good option, just that there are circumstances that make it allowable in the eyes of God.

I have to say this so as not to lay guilt and shame on anyone. Does marrying another person who is divorced, whose divorce was not caused by infidelity, really cause them to commit adultery? The simple answer is “yes.” It’s right here. This is not God’s ideal. God doesn’t even like the idea. But – does God hate people that are divorced and remarried? NO! He loves us. Does God count this sin of illegitimate divorce against them forever? NO! He forgives us. God is in a relationship with you forever and ever and ever. God will not condemn you guilt you when you repent of any sin, of any kind. You may live out some consequences that are less than ideal for you life, but God forgives you and will make the most beautiful thing possible out of your life no matter what. God wants you to reconcile to your spouse if possible, but God is also not ignorant of the human condition and of our frailty. And God will “cause all things to work together for the good of those who live out His purposes.” God doesn’t want divorce to happen, but He knows it will. God wants the best relationships possible for your entire life.

This is my final point about divorce. It’s also a personal opinion that I cannot back up with a biblical text, yet I think it is the nature of God. You should not stay in a relationship that involves physical violence or severe mental/emotional abuse. You should remove yourself physically from a situation that involves these things – just my opinion. I’m not saying you should give up and get divorced and move on, but none of us deserve to be beaten or abused by anyone. Get out, be safe, involve the authorities if necessary, and then decide “can this work out? Will counseling help? Or is this over?” God would never ask someone to put their life and health on the line for anything other than the Gospel. And most of us will never face that plight of defending our beliefs to the death. So, protect yourself and your kids. Be safe. And then decide with the help of wise, godly counsel, if the marriage should be saved.

Compared to those two teachings this final one might seem like a piece of cake. It’s Jesus’ teaching about vows. It’s related to this first two for sure. Because we take vows at our weddings as well as promising to do other things in life. It is much broader than just marriage, but the principle is the same – God values honorable relationships above all things. So here are verses 33-37:

³³ “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ 
³⁴ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 
³⁵ And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 
³⁶ Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black.
³⁷ Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Jesus is not telling the people “Don’t make any promises.” That’s not it at all. But what he is saying is “stay true to your word.” Don’t manipulate people. Don’t try to get out of a commitment. Don’t couch your promises with flowery speech or grand guarantees by God or heaven or your own body. If you say, “yes,” Then mean and execute “yes.” And if you say, “no,” then mean and execute a “no.” This means in marriage, don’t’ make the vows and then walk around them. Do everything in your power to live them out. Be the right person, take the right actions, put God at the center. With your children – don’t raise them to be confused by your inconsistency. Don’t manipulate them or let them manipulate you. Work in ALL of your relationships to be honest and upright. That is God’s ideal. That is God’s nature. That is God’s plan.

So those are Jesus’ teachings on adultery, divorce and vows. I hope you have heard the heart of God. I hope you can live a life with these principles in mind: repentance, redemption, reconciliation and restoration. These principles are what God does for us over and over again. And they are how we will have the most successful relationships in every area of life. But let me ask you – where are you in dealing with these issues in your life? Are you fooling yourself into thinking “everything is fine, I/we don’t have a problem?” Do you need to commit yourself to living out your relationships to Jesus’ standard rather than just the letter of the Law? It’s harder, but isn’t it better?

Or maybe you are considering an affair, maybe even divorce, because you’re just tired of the way your life has been. Please, hear the Truth of God’s Word today. Pursue your spouse with purity and humility. Pursue repentance, redemption, reconciliation and restoration. And if you need anyone to talk to about these things, please let me or one of the Pastors know. We will not judge you. We will listen to you and pray with you. We will commiserate and cry with you. And we will speak the Truth to you as God lays it out for us. Let’s pray.  

The Four R’s of God Pt 3 – “Reconciliation”

I started this series at the beginning of the year, promising to edit and add to the thoughts as I went. This week is a subject near and dear to my heart, especially given my life circumstances at this moment. I and you can find comfort in the study of God’s Word as it illuminates the desires of God for every person on earth. And this area, though difficult, is the key to a godly and joyful life. So our first two R’s were repentance and redemption. Look back at timmydou.wordpress.com to review those points. But today we are talking about “reconciliation.”

On Mother’s Day evening my families’ life was rocked by the announcement of divorce. My wife had decided some weeks earlier that she was leaving but had waited to announce it until this time. My first reaction was shock, of course. I didn’t even know we were having issues. Our lives revolved around children, church, fitness and our small business. We were busy, but I didn’t think we were disconnected to this point. Can we get counseling? Can’t we work this out? As a Pastor of over 27 years my thoughts turned immediately to the Bible. “God hates divorce.” “Divorce is not justified unless there has been unfaithfulness.” “Elders should be the husband of one wife.” I wondered what this all meant in the context of my life – our lives!

It took a few days to shake off the initial shock. There was and is a lot of soul searching, Bible reading, counseling, praying, and crying. The hardest part was that reconciliation was not a part of the equation from her standpoint. In fact, neither were repentance or redemption. You just can’t get to the third without going through the first two. The door was shut to any of those. But I know what I believe about God. And I know what I believe the Bible says about marriage and commitment – God’s greatest goal for followers of Christ is to be reconciled to Him and then to others. I believe that is especially true regarding marriage.

My commitment to loving my wife did not end on Mother’s Day. My commitment to following Christ’s best and praying for His best did not end that day. In fact, if anything, these commitments became stronger. Because I know the heart of God. And I know God wants all things “to work together for those who are called to His purpose.” I know that “God through Christ is reconciling all things to himself, and he has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” And I know that God wants the world to see that His commitment to us is never exhausted by disappointment, fear, resentment, anger or bitterness. That is the example Jesus gave. And that is the testimony of the Bible over and over again. I choose to trust God and pray for His will do be done.

Relationships will rise and fall, they will ebb and flow. Resolve will strengthen and weaken; it will come and go as you walk through life. But God calls you to live on the high road. And, when you don’t, God calls you to your knees in confession and repentance, reminding us of His redemption of your sin through Jesus’ death and resurrection; calling you, as far as it depends on you to be at peace with all people, living a life of reconciliation. And we can’t do it on our own. And we can’t control other people. But, we can be willing to let God have control of our lives and work out reconciliation on our behalf. This is the hope He calls us to.

The Four R’s of God Pt. 2

Last time I wrote to you about the first of four things that I believe make up and grow our relationship with God. The first one was repentance. Repentance is changing our mind and our direction to follow God’s best for life. It is not easy, yet it is simple. The second part of our relationship to God and others I want to address today is redemption.

Redeem means to “buy back” or “relieve of debt” through monetary or sacrificial means. Since all relationships are sinful according to the Bible, all relationships require some form of redemption in order to grow. Our relationship with God was broken completely by sin, but God had planned to redeem our sin with the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus the Christ.

First Peter 1:18-19 says that we were redeemed with “the precious blood of Christ.” God paid off our debt of sin to Him by the only means possible. The implication of this is enormous. This means that the sins of the whole world, past, present and future, have been paid off; leaving only an individual’s acceptance or rejection of this truth to ensure a personal, eternal relationship with God. That’s why we sing about such things as “Amazing Grace.” It’s what God is and has done.

Redemption does not end with our relationship with God, however. The Bible also teaches us that we are to build relationships of redemption. We are to love others the way God loved us and offer them redemption. After all, whether we offer it or not, God has already offered it to them. So it’s to our benefit to live a life of redemption, because that reflects the nature and love of God and keeps our relationships focused on Him rather than on us. Try living a life of redemption this week. You will be amazed at what God will do.

Peace.

Destinations Pt. 2 – Looking Ahead

Watch or Listen Here:

Destinations Pt. 2 – Look Ahead 

         Last week we began this new series of messages with the hope that it would cause you to think about your paths in life. There are relational paths, spiritual paths, financial paths and emotional paths just to name a few. And we started with this premise that we call the Principle of the Path. Let me illustrate it this way, if you decide to go to South Padre for the weekend but you get on I45 north, then you will never get to South Padre. You may have intended to go south, you may desire to go south, you may even have a vision of a perfect southern trajectory, but if you head north on the road you will never get to your desired destination. That’s the Principle of the Path: your direction determines your destination – not your intention, not you hopes, and not your dreams – your direction determines your destination.

         We all have goals, don’t we? We all have hopes and dreams. There is a desired future in our minds, but all of these things are null and void if we are on the wrong paths. Now if you get lost driving it’s no big deal most of the time. You waste a few minutes. But if you get lost in life…you can waste years. And I think everyone listening to this message knows exactly what I am talking about, don’t you? All of our paths have a destination. Our decisions are like steps down the path. Each decision is guiding us towards a predetermined end: a financial end, a relational end, or a spiritual end, whatever you’re dealing with. The issue with the path is actually not where you ARE. The real issue is where you are HEADED.

         So we ended last week with this question, “If you continue on your current path, where will you end up?” Hopefully you took it to heart and spent some time contemplating that very issue. I hope that it seeped deeply into many of us; it could be a matter of life and death. Today I want to try and answer the question, “How do you know which path you’re on and how do you change paths if you’re on the wrong one?” We are going back to the book of Proverbs today, to a more PG rated section. I told people before Easter, “You have never heard an Easter message quite like this before.” Was I right? Anyway, we are going to leave the young man from last week in the hunter’s snare and move on with some practical thoughts on how to know what path you are on, and, if you’re not on the right path, how to get to the right path.

         Life is full of distractions, isn’t it? No matter where you go, what you’re trying to accomplish, or who you are, you will find distractions. Things and people often cross our paths. Sometimes they are distracting. Sometimes they are promising or enticing. Some things or people seem to provide a shortcut to our destinations, our goals. But very often, there is danger lurking. There’s a trap waiting. There’s something you need to pick up on or pay attention to. So today we are going to learn a verse together that deals directly with these dynamics. Let’s say it together,

Proverbs Proverbio 箴 言 27:12

The prudent see danger and take refuge,

but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

El hombre prudente ve el mal y se esconde,

los simples siguen adelante y pagan las consecuencias.

通 达 人 见 祸 藏 躲 ；

愚 蒙 人 前 往 受 害 。

          This verse is pretty simple. It talks about two kinds of people, with two different responses, and two completely different outcomes, facing the exact same situation. And the real commonality we want to explore today is that on their paths there were things that hinted at danger. The difference is how they responded to them.

         Let’s start with the prudent – the wise. The wise person evaluates everything within the context of the future. In this case he “sees danger.” We started last year with a series called the “Ultimate Questions.” And this is a prime example of when to use this question. “In light of my past experience, my present circumstance and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?” Wise people look past the right here, right now, and see the larger context of destination. Wise people know that life is connected, that cause and effect exists. If I do “A,” then “B” will happen. If I move this way then this will happen. A wise person knows that there are no isolated events, relationships, or decisions. So, the prudent see danger and take refuge rather than charging forward. Not so with the simple and the naïve’. They are more like this -

         Have you ever been listening to someone tell their story and all the while you’re thinking, “You should’ve seen that coming?” I mean, you can see the end before they even finish telling you.  It’s how a counselor often knows the story your telling them. We can see where other’s paths are leading them better than they can. It’s because outcomes are so predictable, especially when you’re not over-emotionally involved in the path and the people and things on the path. In counseling people here’s what we hear quite often.

“Didn’t you know that driving while you were intoxicated was a bad idea?”                    

         “Yeah, but.”

“Didn’t you realize that cheating on your taxes would eventually catch up with you?”                         

         “Yeah, but.”

“It never occurred to you that spending more than you earn would someday bankrupt you?”

         “Yeah, but…I thought it would all just work out.”

         Simple people think that events are not connected. They have no broader context than “me,” “here,” and “now.” It will all work out tomorrow! What naïve’ people are saying is, “I know I’m driving towards the wall, but when I get to the wall I won’t hit the wall, because it will all just work out – like magic. The wise don’t hit the wall because they are looking ahead and making plans to change course. The simple, the ignorant, the naïve’ look ahead and ignore the danger. And, according to this verse, suffer for it. Why do they always suffer harm? Because this principle is like gravity, you can disbelieve it, try to overcome it, deny its existence but the cause and effect of your actions will not be denied. There are issues a person can’t deal with after a certain point. There are points of no return, after which it is too late. There are some situations that if left unattended become so complicated that there are no good options left. Does any of that sound familiar?

         The age of 60 is not the time to start thinking about saving for retirement. Being pregnant is not the time to start evaluating your relationships. Overdosing or crashing or killing someone in the car is not the time to start deciding if you have a substance problem. It…won’t…work…itself…out. You CANNOT escape the principle of the path. Many people ignore this and then they try to blame God. “How could you let this happen to me?” I know why, because God works off of principles – just like gravity. Rather than blaming God for your ignorant choices why don’t you DO something about them! Last week I said you can’t do it on your own – and you can’t. You need help from God, and that starts with a relationship with God. You need help from wise friends, but that starts with making some wise friends. You need help from Godly advice, and that starts with reading the best advice on the planet and actually putting it into action. Friends, we are all on paths to somewhere; and if you are wise you will see danger and seek out refuge.

         Here’s a warning for you religious people. Some of you today have been in church a long, long time. You’ve grown up with certain ideas about God and how things work. So please, take this warning from a fellow traveler. When you hear and feel conviction – and you will – don’t confuse that feeling of remorse or regret with taking action. I know how this goes.

         “I went to church and felt terrible about myself. The message really touched me today, I was really convicted.”

         Feelings do NOT equal actions. To avoid danger you must change course by taking action. To avoid the wall of relational damage, financial damage, emotional damage, you must take action! If God speaks to you…and you choose to do nothing…then you are simple. You are naïve. You are ignoring the inevitable. And you will suffer for it. Taking action is how you get off the wrong path and onto the right path.

         Last week I also asked you these questions,

“Has anyone tried to warn you lately?”

         “Are you ignoring where your current path is taking you because of people or things on the path that hold you captive emotionally?”

         “Are you making excuses why everyone else is wrong about where they see you headed?”

         Maybe you’re in a marriage and your spouse has been saying, “I think we need to get some help” or “You need to get some help.” That’s a good indicator that you’re on the wrong path.

         Maybe you’re married and you start getting too close to emotionally close to a person in the office…where is that going? That’s an indicator you might be on the wrong path. These aren’t events, they are paths.

         Are you in a lot of debt? Consumer debt? That’s not an event – it’s a path. Your spending habits, your savings habits, your giving habits – these are not events, they are paths.

         Apply this to your children’s friends, your dating relationship, your business partnerships and your spiritual well-being. “The prudent see danger and take refuge, the simple keep going and suffer, and suffer, and suffer… for it.” But there is a way out. There is a process that God will use to change your path. It’s a process that involves four things. Before we go into these four things, however, I want to tell you the story of Noah. Because Noah lived out this process to get to the destination he desired.

            Several thousand years ago, a man named Noah gathered his three sons together and announced that they were going to build a boat. This would have been fine except that the boat was to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high, one-and-a-half football fields long, and there were only eight of them. Noah said that God told him there was going to be a world-wide flood of rain. Now up until this point in human history there had never been ANY rain. The ground was watered only by a heavy dew each morning. Most people, including his family, didn’t really know what he was talking about. Some even thought he was crazy – and the taunted him along the way.

         For a long, long time, Noah and his family looked like absolute fools. They spent a lot of time and money basing their reputation on building the ark. Then one day God said, “Get in.” And nothing happened . . . but seven days later, the most foolish man in the world looked like the wisest. Why? Because he knew what was coming . . . and he had the courage to prepare for it. While the rest of the world died in the great flood, as recorded in literally every ancient civilization’s records, Noah and his family was safe – they had taken refuge.

         He went through this very process, these four things. Write these down. When you choose to get onto the right path you will go through this process:

1.  Action – You are going to have to do something; not pray about it, think about it or talk about it. And to refuse to act is a guarantee of disaster. If you wait until trouble arrives your actions will be almost meaningless. Take action.

2.  Sacrifice – You are going to have to give…something…up. There is no doubt about it, you will have to give something, or perhaps, someone up: that friendship which has become too close to the edge; that reputation that makes you look richer than, better than, more successful than, you really are. You may have to give up a lifestyle, a lifestyle of debt and consumerism or wastefulness. And that can apply no matter how much or how little you have.

 3.  Embarrassment – This process almost always involves embarrassment because we are living a lie, and we are NOT going to do that anymore. You may be teased and ridiculed for the decisions you now have to make – make them anyway; because you are no longer focusing on what IS, but rather on what WILL BE! People won’t understand. You’re friends might not understand. If it involves money, your children WILL NOT understand – but do it anyway. It’s the wise thing. Noah’s choices – do you want to be embarrassed or do you want to drown? It’s up to you.

 4.  Relief – This process always involves…relief. What you gain by being prepared will turn all these sacrifices into investments for the future. There are no REGRETS for people who read the warnings and act appropriately. No regret! These investments into healthy relationships, healthy emotions and a healthy financial outlook will pay off for the rest of your life. That’s what the wise do to get on and stay on the right paths.

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            What are you thinking about your own paths right now? Be honest. Where do you see trouble coming relationally? What are you going to do about it? Where do you see trouble coming financially? Then what are you going to do about it? Ignore it? I hope not. Pray about it? Sure, but not too long without taking some action. Changing paths takes ACTION: build an ark; break up; fire him or her; sell the house; get rid of the internet; cut up your cards; see a counselor – whatever it takes to begin the process. Take refuge in the wisdom of God before you run out of options.

          On the back of the cards with our Bible verse for the day is a prayer. And while you are taking appropriate actions, I challenge you to begin praying this prayer and listening for God’s direction: “Heavenly Father, help us to see trouble coming long before it gets here. Then give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to do it.”

          One more thing – some of you may not be headed towards danger. In fact, your life is pretty good. But something inside of you is stirring and, like Dr. Robert, you think you may need to change your current path as well, not to avoid calamity, but to experience the BEST God has for you and your family. This kind of change takes the same process. This type of change takes a similar prayer, “God, give us the wisdom to know what to do…”

Whatever your situation today, I challenge you to trust God, step across that line of faith, and follow the direction God is calling you.

 Let’s pray together:

         God, I think we’d all like to be wise in our decisions. But you know how weak we are because of our emotional attachment to so many of the wrong things. Today we admit, we cannot make these changes, we cannot switch paths on our own. Please help us. Help us to see danger in all areas of our lives long, long, long before it gets here. And please give us wisdom, through your Word, through the Holy Spirit, through wise advisors, to know what to do. Then, we will need your strength, your help, your power to do it. And we will do it, God. We will trust your strength and we will do it. In Jesus name, amen and amen.

Blessing:

God grant you the wisdom to see trouble far ahead. God grant you strength to change the things you can. And may God grant you courage to endure the process for the hope of His destiny for you.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

 

The 4 R’s of God – Part 1

I’ve been developing a way to explain God’s plan and work in history for quite a few years now. What is it that is so important to God? What is God really all about? Deep, I know. I almost hesitate to write it down because that seems so…final. But, here I am, thinking it’s about time. So, I will. I will offer this theological treatise on God with the caveat that this, like all thoughts, ideas or notions of God, are at best flawed. And, since this is a work in progress, I will attempt to address each one of the four “R’s” of God separately before placing them together in summary. Here is part one.

#1 – Repentance – the changing of mind or course; a return to an original state of relationship; a repristination of the soul. This is the first “r” when considering what is important to God, our relationship with the same and the relationships of all peoples to one another. Repentance is kind of a loaded word. It is quickly attached to religion and theology, and rightfully so, but not limited to such. Repentance does not always have to do with turning from sin or changing ones’ heart towards God. In fact, in the Hebrew texts of the Bible, we could argue that even God “repented” from time to time. The nation of Israel should be grateful for such a change of mind, a return to the original relationship, on God’s part. How many times did the nation whine and complain? How many times did they start worshiping false gods? How many times did their political and spiritual leaders purposefully defy God? There are almost too many to count. And if God had not “repented” of His desire to destroy them, there would be no one left from the descendants of Jacob, including Jesus.

God’s change of mind was important. It defined God’s mercy in a way that helps us relate. After all, is it punishment that leads people to change their mind or their course of action? No. It’s kindness that draws them and us to change their minds and our mind about others and ourselves. God cared for Israel and all of us enough to begin with a personal example of repentance. It isn’t foreign then, that God called Israel to return and repent of their sins, or that God has continues to call ALL of humanity to change our minds, change our course and return to a pristine relationship with God, with others and with the world around us. I believe that is why repentance is the first baby step in restoring our relationship with God. If it was that important to God, then is should be that important to us. It is also the first step to restoring our relationships with others. Think about that for a while. Peace

(to be continued)