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Don’t Worry… Be HOLY…

Don’t Worry… Be HOLY…

Our best response to COVID-19: stay focused on God

by Ellsworth Johnson, Guest Contributor

Those of us old enough to remember the late 1980s can recall Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. In it, he urges the listener to stay positive and upbeat through a litany of troubles, yet offers no hope or framework to support this approach.

Additionally, many people, including Christians, have been heard to say “God just wants me to be happy.” The trouble is… there is no place in Scripture where this claim is made. Our happiness, arguably, is not one of God’s explicit priorities, but our holiness is:

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1

In the age of Coronavirus, our heavenly Father wants us Christians to stop wasting time agonizing over things we cannot control, and instead turn to Him as our first response when faced with trouble or fear.

Worrying, Past and Present

“Worrying big” is nothing new.

King Jehoshaphat of Judah faced a joint invasion from Moab and Ammon, an attack he had no hope of repelling. Two centuries later Hezekiah took part in a celebrated encounter with the Assyrian army, the most advanced (and brutal!) military in the world at the time, which was massed outside Jerusalem, poised to strike.

Both kings did the best thing they could have done under the circumstances: they turned the problem over to God, and let Him fight the battle instead.

Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast and prayed before the nation of Judah, the essence of his prayer captured by this verse:

“For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

2 Chronicles 20:12b

Similarly, Hezekiah was terrified by the horde massing outside his gates, taunting the Israelite soldiers on the city walls with boasts about the superiority of the Assyrian gods, and gleefully recounting all the powerful nations they had defeated.

Hezekiah, too, went before Jehovah:

“Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”

2 Kings 19:19

God answered the prayers of these kings of Judah in powerful ways. In the case of Jehoshaphat, the attacking enemy was divinely confused and ended up killing each other. For Hezekiah, He released the Angel of Death, who “breathed in the face of the foe as he passed” ¹ and exterminated 185,000 soldiers in a single night.

Pandemic of the Century

Sadly, large-scale pestilence has an equally long track record. The Black Death, the most fatal outbreak of all time, killed up to 200 million people on three continents from 1347 to 1351. In 1453 Constantinople was decimated by the bubonic plague as rats carried the disease to the rest of Europe. More recently, the worldwide influenza outbreak of 1918 was characterized by the Center for Disease Control as “the most severe pandemic in recent history,” infecting one-third of the world’s population and taking an estimated 50 million lives, with about 675,000 of those casualties in the United States.

And now… this.

“Don’t worry” is the overwhelming message from the pulpit around the country as COVID-19 rages on around us. We get daily counts as to confirmed cases and fatalities, but, as during the Tenth Plague in Egypt, when the first-born of each household was killed, we are to trust God that those whom He has chosen to spare will be kept off those lists.

Oh, what miracles are possible if our leaders would only overcome their collective pride and arrogance, and lead us in bowing down in submission to the true King of the universe?

Holiness, Explained

What does it even mean to “be holy”? When I was a kid attending Catholic Masses I thought it indicated you had a halo around your head, like in all the paintings and on the stained glass, which somehow marked you as “holy”… whatever that means…

There is no shortage of available answers; countless books have been written on the subject, and advice is all over the Internet – there is even a WikiHow page on the subject of holiness!

I have a feeling I am not the only one out here with a distorted idea of what holiness is. For all of us, that ends today, right here, right now!

Q: What does it mean to “be holy”?

A: Looking it up in the dictionary, and synthesizing from the many sources I consulted, I came up with:

holy: set aside by or for God, for Him and His purposes

So the holy water at Catholic churches is “holy” because it was blessed and set aside for its part in Masses. Similarly, the wafers and wine used at Communion, as well as the vessels which contain them, are “holy” because they are reserved specifically for use during The Lord’s Supper, and used only then.

Q: What can be holy?

According to Christianity.com, time, space, objects, and people—all can become holy if they belong to God. The temple in Jerusalem was considered holy space, and the objects used in worship holy objects. The Sabbaths and feasts of Israel were considered holy days or seasons. And the Israelites were called God’s holy people by virtue of belonging to [H]im. ²

Q: That’s all well and good, but let’s focus on people. What makes a person holy?

People can be holy when they are set aside by or for God. Samson was holy because an angel of the LORD told his mother “the boy will be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.” King David was undoubtedly holy because he was “a man after God’s own heart” and sought to do what God ordained. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul was used mightily by God in spreading the Gospel and writing numerous letters to churches in Asia which became part of Christian canon.

Q: Why does holiness matter?

The main benefit of holiness is a close relationship with God, and the bounty which follows from it. Kathy Howard describes such closeness in her essay “5 Benefits of Living a Holy Life”:

Would you like to sit next to God and snuggle up against His side? To be so close you could hear Him
breathe? There would be no distance between the two of you, no barriers to prevent you from drawing
near. You could linger in His presence and rest in the circle of His embrace. ³

Howard’s list of those five benefits:

1. Holiness fosters intimacy with God and builds spiritual strength and stability (Psalm 15:1-6)

2. Holiness makes us useful and effective for God’s purposes (2 Timothy 2:20-26)

3. Holiness in your life causes people around you to glorify God (1 Peter 2:9-12)

4. Holiness builds peace with God (2 Peter 3:10-18)

5. Holiness pleases God and produces “fruit” (Ephesians 5:1-17)

Another aspect of holiness is that God gets rather protective of holy people and things, and visits vengeance on those who would attack, abuse and defile them.

God said to the Israelites in Leviticus 19:2: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” In turn, the Old Testament is replete with cases where foes like the Moabites, Ammonites and Amalekites are vanquished before the LORD.

In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar commanded that the golden vessels his father Nebuchadnezzar plundered from the temple in Jerusalem be brought forth so that he and his nobles, wives and concubines could drink from them while praising their false gods. God responded by bringing the Babylonian kingdom to an end that very night, and Belshazzar was killed by the conquering Medes.

Q: Well, I’m not one of those giants of the Bible, yet Scripture urges me to be holy anyway. How can I do that?

A sentence I found in an online commentary pretty much nailed it:

You are holy to the extent that your life is devoted to [H]im and your actions reflect [H]is character. ⁴

Yes, imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery! Perhaps the most profound way to glorify God (enhance His reputation) is by mirroring His temperament.

Q: So what can I take away from all this?

Holiness is how we manifest God’s nature in our own behavior. We make ourselves holy by setting ourselves apart for God and His purposes, and rejecting the way the world acts and thinks. It’s a “win-win” all around: God gets glorified (His reputation enhanced), we individual Christians enjoy a closer and protective relationship with Him, and the lost world witnesses His goodness and love through us.

While contemplating what it means to be holy:

1) holy: set apart for God

my mind drifted to this sound-alike phrase:

2) wholly set apart for God

Is this not a strong description of holiness? It’s also a great way to remember the definition given above.

Another good memory device for discerning holy behavior is an acronym popularized in Christian circles during the waning years of the 20th century. In a given situation, ask yourself:

WWJD → “What Would Jesus Do?”

The answer you get to that question will guide you toward an appropriate response.

What Did Jesus SAY?

Jesus eloquently captured this message on personal holiness during the Sermon on the Mount, specifically in Matthew 6:26-34:

“… do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

In other words: “Don’t worry… be holy.”

Bible Verses

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:6

[If] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.

Exodus 12:22-23

[W]e also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 (NIV)

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Hebrews 10:12-14 (NIV)

Prayer

Yes, Father, those of us with ears to hear do indeed receive the loud warning You are proclaiming; You have our attention.

You have once more allowed pestilence and death to stand up against this world, to dim the distractions around us and focus our sights on our need for salvation, both physical and spiritual. For these, we look to You.

I believe You are showing us the cracks in the foundation of our way of daily life, as a first step in addressing and, hopefully, repairing them. You let us see our limitations and our biases, the gross inequalities which exist in our nation, and the stark choices we make when lives are at stake.

Shine a light on our corrupted values, and convict us where they have been compromised.

Bless and protect those who put themselves in harm’s way to safeguard our collective health and keep the essentials of this society functioning.

I pray that our leaders humble themselves, get the messages You are sending us through this pandemic and act on them; if they don’t, replace them with Godly men and women who will.

We fear not, because You promised to take care of us. “We are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture.” We remain set apart for You, a light by which this country and this world may navigate these dark times.

Our source and guide in all this is Your Son Jesus, the bright and morning star, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Works Cited:

¹ Byron, Lord. “The Destruction of Sennacherib.” epic poem by Lord Byron, 1815.

² Christianity.com Editorial Staff, “What Is Holiness? How Can We Be Holy?” https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-holiness-what-can-be-holy.html.

³ Howard, Kathy, “5 Benefits of Living a Holy Life” https://www.kathyhoward.org/ November 2, 2017.

⁴ Gumbel, Nicky, Bible in One Year, Day 58, February 27, “Six Characteristics of a Holy Life”,
https://www.bibleinoneyear.org/bioy/commentary/2461.

All Bible verses come from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

*The content of “Guest Contributor” posts are at the discretion of the contributor. While only those with similar beliefs are asked to contribute, their content may or may not represent the views of this website.

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God’s Vision

God’s Vision Statement

God knows what He would like us to achieve and accomplish in our lives. His vision statement for us would include a description of what He wants for us, both in the near-term and long-term future. He knows which course of action He would like us to choose.

Companies provide their employees with clear directions and give them a mission to complete within a certain time. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—a time to give birth and a time to die.” God’s vision statement—also known as His mission statement—includes His ideas for how He wants us to live our lives from birth to death.

John Nuyten, author of Different Spirit, a non-denominational Christian Bible-teaching ministry, states “The only goal or vision that counts in the Christian life is that His Kingdom comes in the hearts of all people and His will be done.” (Matthew 6:10, 2 Peter 3:9) ¹

God’s Vision

Hence, when I talk about God’s vision, I am not talking about what God dreams or strange visions that occur in His head. I am talking about the all-knowing desires He has for our lives.

God’s major vision for us is He wants us all to be saved. Because He loves us, He gives us free will so we can decide for ourselves to be part of His vision.

Our heavenly Father wants us to be part of His vision. He plans our lives with His wisdom and love. God loves us so much that He has a vision for every believer. When we trust Him and allow ourselves to get quiet in His presence, God’s vision becomes clear to us.

It isn’t always easy, but He won’t show us how to live like Him without also showing us how to execute that vision, so we can reach our full potential for Him.

Winston Churchill

Remember Winston Churchill, the man who, during World War II, led Britain and the Allied powers to victory against the Nazis? Churchill had a vision and he finally became the Prime Minister of Britain—twice. He won a Nobel Prize for Literature. But, did you know that Churchill suffered from depression? Even through his struggles, he was motivated to continue.

God’s vision for us is even stronger than Churchill’s vision to succeed. He wants us to become all He intended us to be for His glory. But, how can we, as mere humans, get God’s vision?

Eyes Give Vision

Vision is a funny thing. We usually start life with good vision, but as we age, it becomes harder and harder for us to see. Having a normal 20/20 vision means no glasses, no contacts, and no surgery. In WebMD’s How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy, it says we should eat well, quit smoking, wear sunglasses, use safety eyewear, look away from computer screens and visit your eye doctor regularly.²

When we develop God’s vision, He will carry out His vision.

God Views Everything in the Spiritual Realm

Our Heavenly Father wants us to be part of His vision.  He does not give us His vision without showing us what to do. So, if you want His vision, pray for it, desire it with your whole heart. Ask Him to take away any distraction from seeking Him with your entire heart. He wants us to live in the spiritual realm.

Plead for Him to strengthen your faith, show you your sins, confess your weaknesses, and so desire your life to conform to the will of His Son, Jesus Christ. God uses our sins, our weaknesses, our pressures, our spiritual growth, our achievements, our character, and our integrity to mold us into His Son’s likeness.

Our Heavenly Father wants us to be part of His vision.  He does not give us His vision without showing us what to do.
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Moses

Moses wasn’t quite ready to accept God’s vision for him as the spokesperson for the chosen people, so God used his brother Aaron to speak for Moses, but that wasn’t the original intent.

As with Moses, God’s vision occurs with or without our help.

Knowing Christ puts us in the position where we can want and desire Him to use us as His delight. Furthermore, we must count the cost, get prepared and be intentional in loving God and desiring to be more like Him.

Gifts of the Spirit

One way the Lord allows us to become like Him is for us to learn, use, and desire the Gifts of the Spirit.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. (1 Corinthians 12:1)

 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;  to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12-14)

Doing His work and allowing the Holy Spirit to use you for His Kingdom is necessary to fulfill God’s vision.

Teaching a Prayer Meeting

During the summer of 2014, I felt a deep yearning to have a Ladies Prayer meeting at my apartment since our regular Bible study was off for the summer. I recall being nervous about asking the Ladies Ministry leader if I could do that.

One Sunday, that lovely woman sat behind me in the church service and the tugging on my heart became so strong I knew I couldn’t leave the church without asking her about it. I will never forget her gracious response. She said, “That sounds wonderful, but I can’t lead it.” God is good and had already prepared me to answer her that I would do everything. I encouraged her to come and enjoy the Word and prayer time as a respite from her spring and fall ministries. If I had not asked her and obeyed that tug, there would not have been any ministry for the women that summer.

God showed me His vision. I asked permission. And with permission, I received the confirmation to serve. That is how having God’s vision is accomplished. OBEDIENCE.

How Can We View Life As God Does?

When we desire to have our vision mingled with the Lord’s vision, we must prepare ourselves. Be intentional in living for God. As believers, when we have been in the Word, praying, and seeking His face, we may be led to a specific Bible verse leading us to do or say something. We might be presented with opportunities that sound interesting and/or we might have a tugging in our hearts that God is impressing us to do something for Him. If the feeling does not go away, it is most likely the Lord is prodding us to join Him in His work and vision.

Seeking His Face

We seek God’s face by being consistently in His Word, praying daily, meditating in His presence, and being obedient. Submitting totally to God is very difficult, but don’t ever give up. I have noticed as I have gotten older that I wish for the thrill of living in Heaven more and more than desiring the earthly things in life. When God starts impressing things on your heart, pray for it (if it is within the instructions, He has shown us in His Word), and write “the vision” down.

Vision is God sharing Himself with you. However, sometimes we misread the vision. Maybe the vision is for a later time. And, not all impressions or visions are God-breathed or even meant to be shared.

Within a church or ministry setting, when you feel that wrenching pull that God is wanting you to participate in a ministry for Him, share it with a church staff member or leader. Don’t expect ministry leaders to “have osmosis” about your leading. Share your idea, pray, and wait on the Lord. It could be the Lord is saying, “Great idea, but not yet” or He may have already planted that idea in the minds of those who can see what you think is God’s vision for you, and guide it into fruition.

This Little Light of Mine

There is an old peppy toddler song named “This Little Light of Mine.”

The lyrics state . . .

This little light of mine,  I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no!

I’m gonna let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel, no!

I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine, let it shine. ³

Let’s keep our God-given visions at the forefront of our minds and let’s not hide them under a bushel. Let them be known at the right time, in the right place, and to the right people. Our obedience to seek out His will and vision for our lives is what keeps the light for Jesus alive in our hearts.

Obedience

I don’t understand how it all works, and it sounds rather presumptuous to say, “God told me to go and buy a puzzle and work on it.” That conjures up so many questions from others, such as:

  • How did God tell you?
  • How did you know it was God? and
  • Why would God do that?

I prefer to just say I felt impressed that God wanted me to buy a puzzle. So, when last month I felt “impressed” to buy a puzzle, my first thought was, “I hate puzzles.” I hate them so much that I never even bought puzzles for my kids unless they had 6 pieces with a knob on the end to fit them in the obvious opening. Hmm, not quite right. I did buy my kids a puzzle of the 50 states and the world, but that was due to the educational side of me.

Buying a Puzzle

I looked up and prayed, “God, I want to be the kind of Christian that follows You to the tee, so if you want me to buy a puzzle, I will.” Searching Amazon for a pretty brain-teaser was quite challenging, but I was not going to do an ugly puzzle for God, and I found a gorgeous assemblage that fit the bill—complete with flowers, a city scene, a balcony, and an inviting bench!

Not being used to doing puzzles, I spread out all the pieces on the coffee table right-side-up—only to discover I did not leave any space to work the puzzle. That was my first mistake. I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of this project. However, I knew to try to work on the border first. Unfortunately, that took me three days to complete.

After a few more days, I added a few pieces here and there to the puzzle.

And finally, on Day 5, I bought a white poster board and I slid the border I worked so hard on onto the poster board, packed up the puzzle pieces into little baggies by their color or design, and said, “Enough is enough!”

Then, I brought the puzzle to my closet to work on it ANOTHER DAY—or ANOTHER YEAR!

Refreshment

Did I feel like a failure in God’s eyes for not completing the puzzle? No, because God impressed upon me to buy the puzzle — not finish the puzzle — and I did that.

With what I did accomplish, I was refreshed with the insights God wanted to show me from this endeavor. His words were like drops of honey from Heaven. I began to see His vision for me more clearly as He addressed them all with my name!

Patti…

“Being obedient is the key—and you did that when you bought the puzzle that I impressed upon you to purchase.”

“There are a lot of different people in this world—just like there are lots of different puzzle pieces.”

“Life is hard–so are puzzles.”

“Reaching My goals in life can be time-consuming—just like putting this puzzle together.”

“At times, plans seem to fit together, but they don’t—just like when you thought that one piece fit perfectly, until you found that puzzle piece that really fit.”

“Sometimes you can’t figure out how all the pieces of your life fit together—just as you didn’t understand how to put the puzzle pieces in order.”

“On occasion, life looks like an impossible mess—just like your coffee table looked filling with 500 mismatched puzzle pieces.”

“Occasionally, you might have to put away your dreams either forever or for another day—just like you did when you put the puzzle in your closet.”

“Once in a while, you have to obey me even if you don’t understand why—just like you did when you searched for the right puzzle on Amazon.”

Without obedience, the insights I received may never have come—as simple as they seemed. Simple, but needed.

Conclusion

God may not ask you to buy a puzzle. But He might ask you to go to church, serve in a Sunday School class, smile at your waitress, or a multitude of other things. The important thing is for us to wake up each day desiring His vision and committing ourselves to be our best for Him—through daily repentance, prayer, reading the Bible, meditating in His presence, and determining to be obedient in all He calls you to do. And, before too long, we will smile at ourselves knowing that we are changing into the image of God and His vision is becoming our vision.

I’m not there yet, but maybe, just maybe, I am getting closer.

Bible Verses

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)

As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. (Exodus 14:16)

You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. (Joshua 6:3-4)

Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing; (Genesis 12:1-2)

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart. (1 Peter 1:22)

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Prayer

Dear Jesus, I love more You than You will ever know, but I find it hard sometimes to know Your will and what You want from me. Lord, show me how to find Your will; Show me how to find Your vision. Teach me to walk in Your footsteps in all I say and do. I feel unworthy to be used mightily for You, but I know You desire me and my obedience above all things. Please help me. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Edited by E. Johnson

Bibliography

¹ Nuyten, John. How important is it for Christians to have a vision? Different Spirit. Accessed 16 Feb 2020.

https://www.differentspirit.org/opinion/christian-vision.php/

² Vision. WebMD. Accessed 13 Feb 2020. https://www.webmd.com/

³ Loes, Harry Dixon. “This Little Light of Mine.” Hymnary Organization. Accessed 20 Feb 2020. https://hymnary.org/text/this_little_light_of_mine_im_gonna_let/

All Bible verses come from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

Patti Greene’s Bio

Patti Greene is a fun-loving (but serious) coffee drinking wife, mom, and Grammi! She serves as a Bible teacher and Sunday School helper in her home church in Katy, Texas. She writes and speaks with the sole purpose of leading and maturing others in Jesus Christ and His everlasting love. To receive blogs from GreenePastures.org delivered straight to your email, please sign up from this blog or email her at Patti@GreenePastures.org with your email address, and you will be added to the email listing. You will need to confirm your decision to be added to the blog by email. You can also catch up with her on her Twitter feed at (@PattiGreene13) or her Facebook Patti Greene-Pastures page at (https://www.facebook.com/author.greene).

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13 #PattiGreene13 #bgbg2

 

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, People in the Bible, Testimonies, The Bible

Wanna Banana?

Driving: A Common Life Experience

One day at a busy intersection in Houston, I geared myself up to hit the gas pedal—holding tightly to the steering wheel waiting. However, my deep desire to accelerate quickly was held back by the red traffic light staring right at me.

While sitting at this busy juncture, I was also trying to psyche myself into a spiritual high by listening (and fake singing) to the blaring voice of Andre Crouch singing My Tribute—a popular Christian song from the ’70s!

Immobilized by the traffic light, I was situated as a prime target for an aged homeless man who was only a few feet away from me, resting on an old overturned white paint bucket.

Experience: Provided by Our Culture and Beliefs

When we lived in Nigeria a few years ago during our temporary relocation to that country, I was trained not to open our car windows to the beggars and to only look straight ahead. My husband’s company security regulations drilled into us that, as expatriates, we should never have eye contact with the street people—the “down-and-outers”.  I did understand the strict company policy was in place to keep us safe! But now I was here in the United States. Expatriates are people who live outside their native country, but now I was on my home turf!

My mind rewound to my pastor’s recent sermon about how valuable people are. While I can’t exactly quote what he said, I do remember the gist of his sermon that addressed how un-Christlike it is if we can’t even look a homeless person in the eye—which was exactly what I was doing!

Making the matter worse was I was trying to soak up His blessings while listening to such “Godly music”:

With His blood, He has saved me; with His power, He has raised me; to God be the glory for the things He has done . . . Just let me be, pleasing Lord to thee and if I gain any praise, let it go to Calvary.

A Banana: Provided by a Reluctant Believer

How could I not look this homeless man in the eye while listening to those Christian music lyrics and not give him something?

Just let me live my life; Let it pleasing, Lord to Thee

I had no cash—and if I did, it would take longer than the red light gave me to dig through the bottom of my purse to find some loose change.

Wait! I had a banana that I had just put in my purse for my lunch. Not just any banana. It was a beautiful, large yellow banana—perfectly shaped and ripe for a luscious eating experience!

I pulled that banana out of my purse, rolled down my window, and asked the man, “Wanna banana?” I gave him the only thing I had.

His blood-shot blue eyes sparkled, and he looked right into my eyes.  On top of that, his “larger-than-life” smile contained more gratefulness and sincerity than I had experienced in a long time, even among my Christian acquaintances. If only his eyes could talk.

Conviction filled my heart as I thought that just a few seconds earlier I couldn’t – possibly wouldn’t – even turn my head to look at him.

Meat: Provided to the Israelites

After two decades of being captive in Egypt, Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt to enter the Promised Land that was given to the Israelites by God. Unfortunately, that generation did not make it to the Promised Land due to sin: rather, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Early on, the people complained about the lack of food. But God, in His goodness, provided water and food for them. He took care of His people.

This reminded me that God still takes care of people today—whoever they are. In this case, even the homeless man in Houston merited divine favor. Who was I to judge whether he was deserving or not?

8 Moses said, “This will happen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and bread to the full in the morning; for the Lord hears your grumblings which you grumble against Him. And what are we? Your grumblings are not against us but against the Lord.”

9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your grumblings.’” 10 It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

13 So it came about at evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. 15 When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. (Exodus 16:8-15)

Bread and Fish: Provided to Five Thousand

Our needs are known by God. In the gospels when 5,000 people were hungry, Jesus’ compassionate nature responded with action. He did not send people away hungry. He fed the entire multitude with a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish. Many commentaries propose that this miracle — which is recorded in all four of the gospels—suggests that our Lord really wants us to understand that we should be loving and benevolent to the hungry and hurting people we encounter.

13 Now when Jesus heard about John [how John’s head was brought on a platter and given to the Herod’s daughter, and how she brought it to her mother], He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. 14 When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.15 When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” 17 They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, 20 and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. 21 There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)

Acknowledgment: Provided by God

As he took my banana and started to peel it, the homeless man said something. I know it was more than a “thank you.” But because of my blaring Christian music, I couldn’t hear him.

I wish I knew what he said, but within my soul, I heard, “Patti, you’re my good and faithful servant. You just practiced kindness. Thank you.”

Bible Verses

He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor. (Proverbs 22:9)

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.” (Matthew 6:22)

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:21)

But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” (Acts 3:6)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, teach me Your ways. Let me never look down on anyone. You have made everybody in this world. Continually remind me that sharing Your love with others through my words and deeds is what You desire from me. As Titus 3:14 prompts us all, let me learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs so that my actions will be fruitful. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member; BibleGateway Blogger, Member; SBC, Church Member

Edited by E. Johnson.

Works Cited

New American Standard Bible. BibleGateway.com. Web. 5 Sept 2019.

To receive blogs from GreenePastures.org delivered straight to your email, please email me at Patti@GreenePastures.org with your email address, and I will add you to the email listing. Thank you.

Books by Patti Greene [Order today for Christmas]

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13 #PattiGreene13 #bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, GreenePastures.org, Jesus Christ, Life Issues, Medical, Most Recent Post, People in the Bible, Sin, Testimonies, The Bible, Uncategorized

Targeting Sorrow

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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines sorrow as “deep distress, sadness, or regret, especially for the loss of someone or something loved.” ¹

Admit it: we all face sorrow at one time or another.

Sorrow fills our hearts at different times and under different circumstances throughout our lives. We may be distressed over a divorce, disappointed we didn’t get accepted into the college we desired, or regretful because of a poor decision.

King David Faced Sorrow

Old Testament King David experienced both joy and sorrow.

Joy filled his heart when he dedicated and devoted his life to God. Furthermore, on the battlefield, David’s military power and strength exceeded that of all other leaders, earning him the admiration of his God-given abilities and gifts.

However, at other times, David resembled a godforsaken failure. As a child, David lived in obscurity compared to his older brothers. Later in life, though, he defeated Goliath! In his youth, he was constantly running away from King Saul because Saul became jealous of David’s success. As an adult, he lived with harsh consequences due to his sexual lust for (and relationship with) Bathsheba and then his subsequent murder of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah.

As to be expected, David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba caused him extreme grief and undue sorrow.

David’s Success Plummets

David, who once held a familial relationship with King Saul, escaped from Saul’s horrific wrath by reducing himself to hiding in a cave. David’s psychic characterized his enemies as snarling dogs waiting to attack. All the while knowing that his refuge was in the Lord. David acknowledges his disdain for his enemies in Psalm 59:13-15, where he writes:

13 Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;
That men may know that God rules in Jacob
To the ends of the earth. Selah.
14 They return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And go around the city.
15 They wander about for food
And growl if they are not satisfied.

We can glimpse more clearly the heart of David as he pleas for God’s help in Psalm 56.

¹ Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me;
Fighting all day long he oppresses me.

2 My foes have trampled upon me all day long,
For they are many who fight proudly against me.

3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.

4 In God, whose word I praise,
In God I have put my trust;
I shall not be afraid.
What can mere man do to me?

5 All day long they distort my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They attack, they lurk,
They watch my steps,
As they have waited to take my life.

7 Because of wickedness, cast them forth,
In anger put down the peoples, O God!

8 You have taken account of my wanderings;
Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?

9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is for me . . .

13 For You have delivered my soul from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of the living. (Psalm 56:1-9;13)

David’s pure and unadulterated prayer to God exposed his dilemma, pleas and desires.

  • His dilemma: He tells God His foes were fighting him (Psalm 56:1-2);
  • His plea: He asks God to put his tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8) and;
  • His desire: He asks God to be gracious to him and to cast his enemies forth, so he may walk before God. Psalm 56:1, 7, 10.

David approached God in confidence—all the while knowing that God knew the true state of his circumstances and heart.

God knows the true state of our hearts as well. When the walls are closing in around us and when we cry out to the Lord, the prudent thing to do is to follow David’s example by sharing everything that is on our heart with Him. At many times, our thoughts and desires are meant only to be expressed to God. Some say, “Why should we tell God? He already knows everything.” But, when we share our inner thoughts with Him, He is pleased to see us entrusting our lives to Him in prayer and conversation.

Only God knows the true state of our hearts—not the person sitting next to you, your parents, or your spouse.

What Thoughts Should Fill Our Mind When We Are Sorrowful?

Deal With Sorrow

My sorrow is beyond healing. My heart is faint within me! (Jeremiah 8:18)
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We all experience sorrow at some point in our lives: the death of a parent, a divorce, an unfulfilled desire, a jealous spirit. If you haven’t experienced sorrow yet, it will come.

The emotional pain from our circumstances can linger for years or decades. Some carry grief, regret or sorrow their entire lives by ignoring the pain and blocking their sorrow. Be that as it may, blocking our sorrow can cause serious problems, such as suicidal thoughts, hate and physical illnesses.

To illustrate this point, let’s look at the agonizing pain of a broken heart—medically called takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Broken hearts can affect men and women,  and young and old. Doctors now say that having a broken heart is real: it mimics heart attack symptoms and can lead to heart failure. ²

I know it’s real. I experienced it as a young adult due to a boyfriend-girlfriend breakup—although at that time there was not a medical term for what one experiences with undue pressure, stress and sorrow. It took six months to finally release the severe heaviness stirring in my heart. Then decades to release the emotional pain!

Let’s take care not to dismiss the extreme pain many high school students and young adults feel when losing a relationship or any desire of the heart. God knows and cares about all these types of experiences.

We need Him to hold our sorrows and tears so we can move on and be useful to Him, and when we are being used by Him, we will flourish in our Christian walk.

Cry: Tears – Chasing a Rabbit

You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. (Psalm 56:8)
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God loves us so much that He puts our tears in His bottle. Some Hebrew Bible scholars use the word wineskins or containers in place of the word bottle. The opening of a wineskin is so small that liquid can be poured in carefully resulting in very little evaporation. Either way, David asks God to look at his tears of fear and pain. David’s tears were so precious that He preserves each one. He does the same for us.

There are three types of tears: Basal tears, irritant tears, and emotional tears.

Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated. These tears are needed to prevent damage from the sun, air, or debris.

Irritant tears occur when we are hit by the wind, sand or even an onion.

Emotional tears show up in moments of intense feelings; sometimes joy, but more often sorrow. They contain stress hormones.

Our eyes generate tears under all these circumstances. This is one reason that crying is therapeutic when we are under a lot of stress. ³

In Here’s Scientific Evidence That Crying Can by Therapeutic, Anna Almendrala states, “new research shows that while shedding a few tears leads to a dip in mood immediately after the crying jag, about 90 minutes later people report feeling even better than they did before they had reason to cry.” ⁴

In Psalm 56, David was experiencing emotional tears. When we are going through an emotional crisis, our emotional tears pour out and are collected by our Heavenly Father as were David’s tears. Then when God has prepared us, trained us, and is ready to use us, He will use those tears. He will tilt that bottle or wineskin until the tears that you have shed can be used for His glory.

Jesus was not ashamed to shed tears. He wept at the raising of Lazarus. He wept over Jerusalem. And, He wept in agony at Gethsemane.

The Lord is aware of our suffering and sorrow.  Crying is a gift from God, and He wants to bottle up our tears and record them in His book. (Psalm 56:8c)

Remember, Life Happens

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
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Toilets break, dates are broken, jobs are lost, children have life-long illnesses, parents disown their children, young couples encounter infertility, spouses die, malignant tumors appear out of nowhere. I love what my pastor recently said when he said, “anything that can happen to anyone else can happen to us.” So true!

It is vitally important that we know what to do when “life happens”—this includes emotional, mental, physical or spiritual misfortunes. Often times, we see our trials as solely physical, but trials can be emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual in nature.

The problem is we insist on running our own lives when we really need to be still and set our sights on God. Sometimes our pain is so deep, we can’t even talk to others about it, but we must talk to God. When life happens and tears fill our eyes, we must remember that God is right there with us as we cry, mourn and seek peace.

Jesus guides believers through life. Unfortunately, sometimes we act like we are “La-Z-Boy believers”,  i.e. too lazy to be still before God; too lazy to read our Bible; too lazy to pray; too lazy to make some Christian friends. Let’s change that today!

In Our Sorrow, God Always Has a Plan For Us

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
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Our Lord deeply desires to give us peace when we encounter sadness and sorrow. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could bank on the fact that God knows our future and the future of our family? Well, we can!

Most of us don’t want to go through any circumstances that would refine us to be all God wants us to be. We take our wounds and try to hide them, so the same wounds keep coming up time after time; marriage after marriage; job after job. Then, bitterness sneaks in.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Folks, life throws us curves.  We need to anticipate the curves. We need to be” pre-prayed up” so we are ready when those curves come speeding toward us. We must learn to trust God always, even when we cannot understand what is happening.  If you are anxious about the future, turn to God. When you are confused, take refuge in Him because He has a plan for our lives.

Look at your afflictions and sorrows as a means God has chosen to refine, purify and mold you into the image of His Son Jesus Christ.

“God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them.”   — C. S. Lewis

God Uses Our Sorrow and Suffering for His Glory

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.(Hebrews 2:10)
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God is doing a great work in us that can only come to fruition as we learn to trust Him, no matter how dark and dreary our life may seem. When we stop asking God why we are experiencing sorrow, and instead start applying our pain and sorrow for His glory, a milestone in our Christian life has been reached!

Pastor Tony Evans compares our sorrows to “The Temptations” hit song My Girl. When the song lyrics say, “When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May,” Evans says, [Look! My external circumstances are bad, but what can make me feel this way—My girl. He had a love relationship. You may be in a cloudy situation, but when it’s cold outside you can still have the month of May. My God can change your emotional strongholds]—when you have a relationship with God. ⁵

Every person must make the crucial choice to choose God or not choose God. By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead our lives, we develop trust in Him knowing He will control our lives way better than we can. Why? Because He knows the big picture, and we don’t!

Most often, those who have had the deepest spiritual impact in the world are those who have endured the most suffering because suffering produces holiness, strength and endurance.

Looking back over your life, where have you come from? What circumstances have happened in your life? Have you asked God what He wants you to do? He probably won’t show you the big picture of your life—even though He knows it! But we have the joy and privilege of asking Him to show us one step at a time.

Ask the Lord the following questions:

  • What needs to be refined in my life?
  • What areas do I need to improve upon? [My sins and logs]
  • Then repent, move on, and ask Him how He can use you.

When We Surrender Our Lives to Jesus Christ, He Will Give Us Peace

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
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Let God carry your earthly burdens and concerns.

In addition, one thing I have learned in life is that “surrendering all to God” can be the most painful task we can undertake. It is painful because we have to confess our sins, give up all our earthly desires and trust solely in Him. It may not come all in one sitting. It may come over time. But through the pain, God is refining us, maturing us and making us more Christ-like. And as believers, that should be our ultimate goal, even if it is a grueling task, because our job is to joyfully endure to the end of our earthly life.

As I have grown in my walk with the Lord, I know the more time I spend with God reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on His Word, and releasing my cares, sorrows, and trials to Him, the more I want to obey Him and His Word.

Conclusion

Moreover, as we each move through our earthly life, let’s not forget that, in that life, we all experience sorrow in the form of deep distress, sadness, or regret. We will all make mistakes and blow it—just like David did. But, let’s not dwell only on David’s failures. Let’s look at how He chose to sum up the lessons learned as he imparts his wisdom to his son Solomon.

“As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.” (1 Kings 2:1-3)

Bible Verses

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:3)

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Prayer

Oh, my dear Jesus. When times of sorrow fill my heart, let me remember You foremost. Let me come to You and share my sorrows, concerns, and trials. Let me lay them at Your feet. You are my comforter. It is in You whom I want to always depend upon and trust. Help me to be all I can be for Your honor and glory. I love you. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

Central Houston Inspirational Writers Alive! Associate Member

BibleGateway Blogger, Member

SBC, Church Member

Works Cited

¹ “sorrow.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2019. http://www.merriam-webster.com (1 July 2019).

² Q13 News Staff. “Doctors say having a broken heart is real: Here are the symptoms.” Web. 14 Feb 2018.

³ Roizen, Michael. “What are the three different types of tears found in our eyes.” Sharecare. Web. Accessed 1 July 2019.

⁴ Almendrala, Anna. “Here’s scientific evidence that crying can be therapeutic.” Web. 25 Aug 2015.

⁵ Evans, Tony. “Overcoming Emotional Strongholds.” Podcast. One Place. Web. Accessed 29 June 2019.

Edited by E. Johnson.

All verses are from the New American Standard Bible unless noted otherwise.

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

@PattiGreene13

#bgbg2

#bgbg2, Bible Study, Christian Living, God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, God's Will, GreenePastures.org, Life Issues, Missions and Evangelism, Patti Greene, People in the Bible, Prayer, Testimonies, The Bible, Writing and Speaking

Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

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Of Course! Women Can WRITE Sermons

Introduction:

For those of you who read my blog, you can tell that my life has been a journey. During my 48 years of being a believer, God has revealed things to me about my faith, about my love for Him, about my struggles and about my writing. From the beginning of my journey, the Lord has kept me in His Word—loving Him through thick and thin.

We all have beginnings. We have beginnings when we start to write; we have beginnings when we learn something new, and we have beginnings when we become a believer.

Today, I would like to reveal part of my journey by sharing a semi-UNEDITED* version of the first “sermon” I ever wrote. You might ask, “Why would you want to write a sermon?” And my best answer is, “Because I can.”

My Story

The other day I was at my house going through old things and I found a folder I had saved from 1993. In it were all my notes from a class I took at First Baptist Church in O’Fallon, Missouri. The leader of the church at the time was my wonderful pastor—Gary Taylor.

In case you are interested, I do believe in supporting ministries that my church offers, and at that time Pastor Gary (mostly known as Brother Gary) was offering a PREACHING class on Sunday evenings. While I am not a fan of women preachers, I wanted to learn. I love to write (although sometimes I debate my effectiveness), so I asked Brother Gary if, as a woman, it was okay if I took his class. He said, “Of course.” So, I took his class and as I recall, I was the only woman in the class!

During his lectures, I took notes—lots of them. One of the projects, at the end of the class, was to write a sermon. It was in my old dossier that I found the sermon I wrote on Jonah.

On a Journey

As believers in Christ, we are all on a journey. We are on a journey to learn more, to love Jesus more and to share our faith with others. I’ve been on this journey for a while, picking up various classes, listening to various preachers, doing individual studies, reading books, and reading different versions of the Bible.

In my young Christian walk, I attended seminary. At the time, my interests laid more in the theology classes than the education classes, and I guess this desire has followed me all throughout my life. So, this class was my cup of tea!

Today we are going to look at Jonah. Jonah refused to obey God. It was only after a time of trying to run away from God did Jonah pray and decide to do things God’s way, just like Helen.

================

MY FIRST SERMON: JONAH (ORIGINALLY TYPED ON A TYPEWRITER)

Jonah, son of Amittai, is the historical character and author of this book. Jonah was a prophet, but this book is not a book about prophecy—meaning there is no prophecy of the future recorded in it. The book of Jonah is about a personal account of a major event in the life of Jonah. Jonah probably ministered between 800-750 B.C. which during that time King Jeroboam II restored her traditional borders. This ended the conflict between Israel and Damascus which went on for almost a century. Most scholars say the book was written after the destruction of Nineveh in 612 B.C. The book of Jonah is often questioned on its credibility. It has been ridiculed by Christians and non-Christians. The book of Jonah is not a fish story. It is about God’s sovereignty and however God may plan his own life, it is God who is working all things out in such a way as to bring glory to His name.

I. God reveals His will to us; Bible – Jonah 1:1-3

God is calling Jonah to go someplace for him. He is asked to go to Nineveh. Nineveh is called “that great city.” It was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was located on the Tigris city. It was the world power in that day. But it is a great city—great in wickedness. It was so wicked that God has decided He will judge the city if the city does not turn to him. Jonah is told to go to Nineveh, but he goes down to Joppa and buys a ticket for the 1st boat to Tarshish on the S. coast of Spain. We may ask why Jonah did this—Some possibilities include:

  1. Jonah hated the Ninevites and he did not want them to be saved. There was a basis for his hatred. The Assyrians were the most brutal people in the ancient world. They used very cruel methods of torture. One of the procedures the Assyrians used was to take a man out to the desert sands, bury him up to his neck, they would put a thong in his tongue and leave them there to die while the sun beat down on their heads. They’d go made before they died.
  2. He knew God well enough that if he went to Nineveh with a message of judgment and the people accepted God through repentance, God would not judge them, and he would save the city. That was something he did not want to happen.
  3. He was a disobedient prophet of God. He was out of God’s will. He didn’t want to live under the will of his father.
  4. In Jonah’s day, the method of sending missionaries out was for people to come to the nation of Israel to hear about God. Queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to Israel to hear about worship. During that period of history, Israel witnessed to the world not by going out as missionaries but by the world coming to them. It wasn’t the method of Jonah’s day to go to a foreign country as a missionary.

Jonah hears God’s call and heads in the opposite direction. He goes down to Joppa, finds a ship, buys a ticket, gets on board and goes to sleep.

A. Application

God may not show you his will like he did Jonah, but he will show you his will. It may be direct like Jonah’s, but many times it is more like a step by step, day by day obedience to God. Some steps to knowing God’s will are:

  1. Read your Bible—It is our guidebook.
  2. Pray—Communicate with God. Ask him what his will is. Pray for wisdom. James 1:5 states, “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him, and he will gladly tell you, for he is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask him; he will not resent it.” (Living Bible)
  3. Depend on the Holy Spirit—An inward urge can be just as clear as an audible voice. John 16:13 states, “He will guide you into all truth.”
  4. Normal circumstances—If you can’t sing a tune, you probably don’t need to sing the church solos.
  5. Godly advice—Discussion with people of a wise and godly character

B. Illustration—Personal

[One day] when I worked in downtown Houston, I felt the Lord wanted me to walk in the downtown tunnel, which I rarely did, during the lunch hour. At the exact same time, a construction worker fell from a building they were working on 56 floors to his death. God spared me the horror of that tragic situation.

II. We cannot hide from God; Bible – Jonah 1:4-7

In verse 4, the Lord sent out a great storm. This storm is not a natural storm—it is a storm sent from God. God is using this storm for a good purpose. God wants to do 2 things with this storm: Save a city and turn around a prophet who was going in the wrong direction.

In verse 5-7, the Mariners knew this was not a natural storm. They are sailors accustomed to the Mediterranean sea. Some commentaries say Jonah was able to go down into the sides of the ship and fall fast asleep believing that he was confident everything was all right. Or could it be possible Jonah fell into a deep depression and fell fast asleep? Psychologists and psychiatrists say that deep sleep can be a sign of depression. He was sleeping although the pagan sailors are worshipping all kinds of gods.

The shipmaster asked Jonah to call upon his God, so they won’t perish. They then cast lots. It appears that God was in the casing of these lots, but it doesn’t mean that God approves of the practice. The men on board were superstitious. The lot fell on Jonah. J. Vernon McGee says, “that God will make the wrath of man to praise Him and God can also make the superstition of men to praise him.” ¹

A. Application

Jonah tried to escape from God. We cannot escape from God. In Psalm 139:1-8, David says, “Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise…Where can I go from your presence: If I go up to the heavens you are there, if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” We cannot escape from the presence of God. We must read our Bible and pray daily for the strength to follow God when he speaks.

B. Illustration

Escapism is the or order of the day. We escape by traveling, we go to another city or another country, we escape with drugs or alcohol, we escape with pre-marital or extramarital sex, we escape into our hobbies, work or television. When we try to escape from God’s will, our thinking and lives will be blurred.

III. God uses people to accomplish his purposes; Bible – Jonah 1:8-10

At this point, Jonah hasn’t revealed much about himself to the sailors. Jonah hasn’t told anybody he is a prophet. He hasn’t told them he is from the Northern kingdom of Israel. He hasn’t said he belongs to the Israelite people who know the true and living God. Why? He is a man out of God’s will and a man out of the will of God can never be an effective witness for God.

Finally, in v. 9, Jonah tells them he is a Hebrew. From that, the sailors knew he worshipped one God and never an idol. He says he “fears the Lord the God of heaven.” In v. 10, these sailors knew he had fled from the presence of God. They ask him what he has done. At this point, Jonah is presenting a bad witness to these pagan sailors.

A. Application

God will use our spouses, our friends, our children, or our parents to point us in the right direction. However, there are also people who lead us to live our lives unpleasing to God. We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes.

We need God’s wisdom as we allow Him to use His people to accomplish His purposes. GreenePastures.org
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B. Illustration

A friend gave John, my husband, an ad for a job in St. Louis. We moved there for that job! God does use other people to accomplish his purposes

IV. God provides a way of escape amid disobedience; –  Jonah 1:11-17

  • v. 11—Jonah is asked “What shall we do to you so that the sea may be calm for us? They asked straightforward question and Jonah proceeds to give them a straight forth answers.
  • v. 12—Jonah decides his own fate. He recognizes the hand of God in all this. He knows the only way to stop the storm is to get off the ship going to Tarshish and go to where God wants him to be…Nineveh.
  • v. 13—These pagan sailors are seen in a good light here. They do not want to throw Jonah overboard. They try their best to get out of the storm by rowing to land, but they can’t do it.
  • v. 14—We can’t know for sure if the sailors accepted God as they cried out to him, but we can tell that their hearts responded to the mercy of God who delivered them from the storm.
  • v. 15—So they threw him into the sea and the seas calmed down. This reveals that it was truly a supernatural storm under God’s control.
  • v. 16—Did these men fear their gods? No. They feared the Creator of the sea and land and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord—that sacrifice points to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no alternative.
  • v. 17—What about Jonah? The Lord had prepared a great fish. That means a “huge fish—ketos in Greek. The importance is God prepared this fish for this special event. Jonah is in the belly of the fish 3 days and 3 nights—symbolic of Christ’s 3 days in the grace before his resurrection.

A. Application—Combined with an invitation

As you look at your life, are you wanting to run away from God as Jonah did? Is God trying to show you His will? Are there areas in your life, that He just can’t get through? Are you burdened by sin in your life?

A cartoon was once published in three parts. In the first scene, there was a young man seated at a desk at his shoulder stood Jesus Christ, inviting him to be saved. Politely he told the Lord that he was just launching his career and had no time for anything else.

The second scene showed a middle-aged man. He was heavier and well dressed, and his large desk was covered with papers and reports. Again, Christ stood at his elbow. But again, the man replied with the same answer—no time, busy, tomorrow.

The last picture showed an old and graying man at his desk. At his shoulder stood not the Savior, but the gaunt, bony specter of Death. Death, speaking in hollow tones, declared, “I have come for you.” The businessman, with frightened eyes, replied, “Go away, Death, I did not send for you.” But Death refused to be sent away, and the man was ushered into eternity without God. ²

B. Illustration

God does provide a way of escape. An old Scottish clergyman said the devil has two lies that he uses at two different stages. Before we commit a sin, he tells us that one little sin doesn’t matter— “no one will know.” The second lie is that after we’ve sinned, he tells us we’re hopeless. The good news is because Jesus Christ came and died on the cross and rose from the dead, we are not in a hopeless position.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and accept Him into your life, today is the day to get things right with God. Perhaps, God is calling you to a specific ministry or task? Perhaps you need to commit your life anew to God? Perhaps he is leading you to be a part of this church fellowship? As you come, God’s arms are open wide for you.

================

My Impression

My first impression is that I wrote a pretty good sermon way back when, but the errors, which you probably noticed, are astounding! Bad punctuation, wordiness,  incomplete Works Cited, and more. However, I could teach from this sermon. Add some prayer, tone, possible repetition, and I could use this as a lesson today!

Recently I read a book titled Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines and Adam B. Dooley. I don’t read these types of book to learn how to be a preacher, but I was reminded when I found this folder that I have always been interested in learning more about preaching techniques and the best way to share my faith with others.

I’m not there yet at all, but when I read the book the other day, it reminded me, “Yes, we can read preacher books—even if we are a woman,” not because we want to be a preacher, but because we want to learn how to present our thoughts in a meaningful, theological and systematic way.

Unfortunately, many would wonder (maybe even criticize me) for picking up and/or buying a book about preaching. I don’t aspire to be a preacher, but I do aspire to be a better teacher. In this book, I learned about:

  • Genres;
  • Vocabulary;
  • Syntax;
  • Examining a word exegetically (meaning: “studying for a critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially the Bible”);
  • Gauging audience reactions;
  • Authenticity; and
  • Verbal, vocal and visual strategies.

Conclusion

It has been 26 years since I wrote my one and only sermon although many people have called some of my blogs sermons! I guess I have that “sermon-writing bug” in my DNA!

Furthermore, I hope I write a little better than I did 26 years ago, but if not, maybe my current pastor will teach a class on preaching someday! And, I hope when I ask him if I can take the class, he’ll say, “Of course.”

God Bless.

Bible Verses:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving me gifts and talents. Thank You that You can use me to work for You within my church and in my community. I may not do it correctly, but Lord, use whatever You need to further Your kingdom. I praise You for allowing me to be a part of Your eternal kingdom. Show me Your power and how my life progresses into a deeper maturity when I am following Your plan. I love You. Amen.

¹ McGee, J. Vernon. The Prophets: Jonah and Micah. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1991.

² Sweeting, George. Tomorrow May Be Too Late! Good News Publishers. Tract.

Partially Edited by E. Johnson

All verses come from the New American Standard Version.

* Okay, I did run my 1993 sermon through spellcheck. I just couldn’t stand to have misspellings in my article. But all else has been unedited.

———————————

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

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Habakkuk: Watching and Waiting on God

Habakkuk: Watching and Waiting on God by Patti Greene, 28 April 2019

As a new believer, one of the first Bible jokes I ever heard was about Habakkuk—a great prophet in the Old Testament.

Q: What Bible character stood on his watch?

A: Habakkuk, because he said, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” (Habakkuk 2:1)

I’m not sure why I thought that joke was so funny, or whether I was thinking the ancient prophet really stood on a wristwatch. However, it caused me to read The Book of Habakkuk for the first time. And what I learned was a valuable lesson in how God works when we come to Him with heartful prayers during times of stress and anxiety.

About Habakkuk

The author of the book is the prophet Habakkuk. Written between 615-605 BC, we see the prophecies declared during this time come to fruition in the decade to follow.

In Books of the Bible: At a Glance, a short summary of the book’s three chapters states, “Habakkuk cried out to God during a very dark time in Israel. [He] likely prophesied in the first five years of King Jehoiakim’s reign…The Assyrians had control of the Northern Kingdom (Kingdom of Israel) after a brutal invasion more than 100 years earlier. Habakkuk preached from the Southern Kingdom (Kingdom of Judah), which was still intact but less than 50 years away from its own invasion by Babylon that destroyed the Temple.” ¹

In Chapter 1, Habakkuk questioned God when he saw injustice and violent behavior unpunished. Furthermore, he could not understand why evil Chaldeans were being used to punish Judah. His complaining to the Lord, and God’s reassurance to wait for an answer, led him into Chapter 2, where God is revealed as a righteous God with a purpose for doing what He was doing. In closing, the book’s final chapter consists of a faithful prayer by Habakkuk that contains a compelling argument that, with faith, God can work in any situation or circumstance.

Besides my personal favorite verse of Habakkuk 2:1 which is noted above, there are other vital and Spirit-led verses that walk us through the book of Habakkuk. Henceforth, the following verses should give you the gist of what transpired in the book.

Habakkuk and God’s Dialogue—Chapters 1 and 2

Habakkuk: How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. (Habakkuk 1:2-3)

God: Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told. (Habakkuk 1:5)

Habakkuk: Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look on wickedness with favor.
Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they? (Habakkuk 1:13)

Habakkuk: I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (Habakkuk 2:1)

God: For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

God: [God continues with how the righteous will live by his faith. Furthermore, God communicates five “WOES” against evil people.] (Habakkuk 2:4-19)

Habakkuk: But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him. (Habakkuk 2:20)

Habakkuk’s Prayer—Chapter 3

Habakkuk: Lord, I have heard the report about You, and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:1-2)

Habakkuk: Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. (Habakkuk 3:18)

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

Habakkuk is like many of us. We ask, “How can a holy God stand by and watch evil continue?” God assures Habakkuk that He has everything under control and that He knows what He is doing. All the time while possessing a complaining spirit, Habakkuk continues to dialogue with His Lord God. As their communication continues, we eventually see that their discussion finally leads Habakkuk to a faith in God’s plan that, in His timing, God will deliver His people.

What Truths Can We Learn from Habakkuk?

  1. Communicating with God is beneficial.
  2. Realize God answers us when we pray within His will.
  3. Understand that you can talk to God about anything.
  4. Have faith while waiting on God.
  5. Accept that sin will be punished in God’s timing.
  6. Continue to rejoice during periods of hardship and suffering.
  7. Trust in God to protect us from calamity.
  8. Rest in the LORD while awaiting His answers.
  9. Turn to prayer and praise when frustrated.
  10. Know God is still working out all things for our good even when He is silent.
  11. Be strong when encountering hard circumstances.
  12. Recognize that God is working even when a situation seems dire.

Conclusion

While starting with “What Bible character stood on his watch?” I conclude with another Bible joke.

Q: What Bible character is a locksmith?

A: Zaccheus. (pronounced “za-KEY-us”)

Maybe we will study him next! We shall see.

Bible Verses:

But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)

But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. (Psalm 5:11)

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I see so much sin and evil in this world. I wonder why You allow it to exist, and to continue indefinitely. Let me remember that You always know exactly what You are doing. Let me trust in You as I patiently wait on Your timetable. And, as I wait, let me rejoice, knowing that Your timing and Your ways of handling what we face in life is best.

God Bless,

Works Cited

¹ Books of the Bible: At a glance. Teach Sunday School. Accessed March 2019.

All verses are taken from The New American Standard Bible.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

.@PattiGreene13

 

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Test Your Knowledge [Major and Minor Prophets Trivia Quiz]

When I sat down to write a blog today, I already had a few intriguing topics running through my mind. These topics will make awfully good blogs someday, but not today!

There was a fight going on between MY INNER-SELF that said, “Write a blog!” and my ENJOY YOURSELF persona that shouted, “Make up a test!”

I love testing people’s knowledge.  Making up tests was my favorite activity when I taught school. It never mattered whether I prepared True/False, Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, or Essay Questions. I LOVED and still LOVE writing exams that assess one’s knowledge.

So, my ENJOY YOURSELF me won out and I have written a multiple-choice quiz relating to the major and minor prophets of the Bible and the Old Testament books where they make their appearance.

Best of luck as you give your best shot on this “Test Your Knowledge” multiple-choice quiz. Give yourself 5 points for each question you get right. Answers and explanations follow the quiz. Just scroll all the way down.

And as I would tell my students, “Grab a piece of paper. Put your name on your paper. Number from 1-20. No cheating. And, start your quiz!”

Test Your Knowledge [Major and Minor Prophets Trivia Quiz] – “Grab a piece of paper. Put your name on your paper. Number from 1-20. No cheating. And, start your quiz!” GreenePastures.org
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Questions

1. Bible prophets were?

a. Descendants from the temple servants who returned from exile with Nehemiah;

b. God’s messengers in the Old Testament;

c Mercenaries for the Philistines during King David’s reign;

d. Managers of Herod’s household.

2. Who is Elijah?

a. Phoenician princess;

b. Moses’ spokesperson;

c. A man whose miracles called many in Israel back to faith in God;

d. One of the leaders of the tribe of Manasseh who defected to David at Ziklag.

3. The terms Major Prophets and Minor Prophets are simply ways to divide

a. The Old Testament prophetic books;

b. The good prophets from the bad prophets;

c. The descendants of King David from those who were not descendants of his;

d. Those who were good archers from those who weren’t.

4. How many major prophets are there?

a. Two;

b. Five;

c. Eight;

d. Twelve.

5. How many minor prophets are there?

a. Four;

b. Ten;

c. Eleven;

d. Twelve.

6. Which person is considered a minor prophet?

a. Jeremiah;

b. Isaiah;

c. Jonah;

d. Ezekiel.

7. Jeremiah was plagued by feelings of

a. Inadequacy;

b. Depression;

c. Despair;

d. All the above.

8. The Book of Ezekiel starts with

a. King Jehoiakim describing his intelligence and wisdom;

b. How God called him to preach at Israel’s royal sanctuary at Bethel;

c. The LORD telling him to arise and go to Nineveh;

d. A clear description and his call and commission.

9. What book of the Bible says, “The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places”?

a. Zephaniah;

b. Daniel;

c. Habakkuk;

d. Joel.

10. When Ezekiel spoke of the Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, the bones were referring to

a. The angel Gabriel;

b. The temple;

c. The whole house of Israel;

d. The death of Babylon.

11. What book of the Bible says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”?

a. Hosea;

b. Zechariah;

c. Malachi;

d. Isaiah.

12. The Book of Daniel is quoted or alluded to in what other book of the Bible?

a. Psalms;

b. 2 Kings;

c. Revelation;

d. Ephesians.

13. The angel of the LORD was speaking to whom when he said, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”

a. Zechariah;

b. Haggai;

c. Daniel;

d. Obadiah.

14. What book of the Bible says, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

a. Lamentations;

b. Amos;

c. Micah;

d. Jeremiah.

15. The shortest book of the Old Testament is

a. Micah;

b. Malachi;

c. Lamentations;

d. Obadiah.

16. Jeremiah was told to do what?

a. Take a scroll and write on it all the words which God had spoken to him concerning Israel and Judah;

b. Get a brick and place it before him and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem;

c. Go to Nineveh and proclaim the proclamation God was going to tell him.

d. Love an adulteress.

17. The Book of Malachi is known for the verse?

a. “The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, Before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.”

b. “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts, and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil.”

c. “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

d. “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings.”

18. Who wrote the Book of Lamentations?

a. King Belshazzar;

b. Jeremiah;

c. King Solomon;

d. Isaiah.

19. What is the last book of the Old Testament?

a. Zechariah;

b. Malachi;

c. Zephaniah;

d. Nahum.

20. Jonah said,

a. “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

b. “Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment.”

c. “If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will look after you; but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, never mind.”

d. “Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.”

God Bless.

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Prayer

Jesus, thank You so much for Your word. It guides me. It searches my heart. It points me to You. It shows me my sins. Without Your word, where would I be? I love You so much and I also love Your word and how it speaks to me. In Your precious and holy Name. Amen.

Edited by E. Johnson

Books by Patti Greene

Christian Caregiving: Practical Advice for a Happy Ending

Devotional Prayer Journals

Answer Me: Developing a Heart for Prayer

Anchor Me: Laying a Foundation in Bible Study and Prayer

Awaken Me: Growing Deeper in Bible Study and Prayer

To see more “Test Your Knowledge” Quizzes, click on . . .

Test Your Knowledge [Thanksgiving]

Test Your Knowledge [Women in the Bible]

Test Your Knowledge [Old Testament Trivia]

Your Knowledge [Men in the Bible]

Test Your Knowledge [Easter Quiz]

 

 

 

 

 

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Answers

 

 

 

 

  1. b
  2. c
  3. a; Some commentaries say the major and minor prophetic books are divided by their size.
  4. b; The major prophetic books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
  5. d; The minor prophetic books are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
  6. c
  7. d; Jeremiah showed strength in his devotion to the Lord, but he also was a man with deep inner struggles.
  8. d; Ezekiel 2-3 gives a clear description of Ezekiel’s call and commission.
  9. c; Habakkuk 3:9
  10. c
  11. a; Hosea 4:6
  12. c; Material from every chapter in Daniel is either quoted or alluded to in Revelation, and only two chapters are without some background in Daniel. [Hebrew-Greek Study Bible.]
  13. a; Zechariah 4:6
  14. d; Jeremiah 29:11; You might like to read Jeremiah 29:12-13 as well.
  15. d; Obadiah was written for the encouragement of the Israelites. It is only one chapter with 21 verses.
  16. a – correct answer–Jeremiah 36:2; b-Ezekiel 4:1; c-Jonah 1-3; d-Hosea 3:1.
  17. d;
  18. b; Lamentations is the work of one who had a broken heart. [Hebrew-Greek Study Bible]
  19. b
  20. a – correct answer–Jonah 4:3; b-Amos 3:3; c-Jeremiah 40:4; c-Isaiah 40:31.

 

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The Book of Ezekiel: An Obedient Prophet, Reprobate Sinners and Disobedient Overseers

Who’s Who?

An obedient prophet—Ezekiel

Reprobate sinners—sinful people of Judah;

Disobedient overseers—shepherds/leaders of Israel who were not properly leading their sheep;

====================

Three Sisters

The story has been told of three sisters who lived together.

Three sisters, ages 92, 94, and 96, live in a house together. One night the 96-year-old draws a bath. She puts one foot in and pauses. She yells down the stairs, “Was I getting in or out of the bath?” The 94-year-old yells back, “I don’t know. I’ll come up and see.” She starts up the stairs and pauses. Then she yells out, “Was I going up the stairs or down?” The 92-year-old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea and listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, “I sure hope I never get that forgetful.” She knocks on wood for good measure. She then replies, “I’ll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who’s at the door.” ¹

While these three sisters can’t remember very well, they still want to help each other. They want to live in peace and harmony with each other. They want to serve each other.

In the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel, we see three people groups mingling and occupying the banks of the Chebar River during the Babylonian captivity: an obedient prophet, reprobate sinners and disobedient leaders. Unfortunately, they were NOT attempting to live harmoniously at all, like the sisters were above.

Historical Fact: The Babylonian Empire exerted influence over Judah. In 586 BC, they destroyed Jerusalem.

Ezekiel tries to lead the people in a godly manner. The sinners are living in the depths of depravity. Likewise, the disobedient leaders are living merely for themselves and for their pleasures.

Ezekiel: An Obedient Prophet

Wouldn’t it be nice to be so attuned to God that we would hear the word of the LORD come to us daily? Many leaders in the Bible were obedient to the voice of God; others not so. Some obeyed for a while and then retreated into sin.

The prophet Ezekiel was an obedient leader! Over and over in the Book of Ezekiel, we read, “And the word of the LORD came to me” or “The word of the LORD came again to me saying.” And he obeyed every time God told him to do something, no matter how bizarre it seemed.

In Ezekiel 33:7, Ezekiel is appointed to be a watchman for the house of Israel to give the people a warning. Ezekiel, as a spiritual leader, proceeds to warn the people of their sin and the upcoming prophecy of Jerusalem’s capture.

He lays out what happens when a group of people are not being led in the way of righteousness, like what was happening in Judah at the time: Babylonian leaders were threatening to overtake the people of Judah.

Ezekiel was exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem during the second deportation of the Jews in 597 B.C.—one year before Jerusalem was conquered by the Chaldeans. This important time period occurred when many Jews were taken captive and similarly exiled by King Nebuchadnezzar II.

While the nation of Judah had sunk deep into sin, Ezekiel was called and commissioned by God to prophesize to an ungodly people about their many sins—idolatry, apostasy, and wickedness. Ezekiel’s boldness and dedication to the LORD gave him the power to predict the siege of Jerusalem, denounce idolatrous worship, lament over cities, and predict judgment. He was the instrument God chose to declare His verdict and reaffirm an individual’s responsibility to obey the Lord. Towards the end of the book, he joyfully shares about Israel’s eventual restoration and the glory which will fill God’s temple.

Historical Trivia: Sometimes the term “Chaldeans” is used to refer to Babylonians in general, but normally it refers to a specific semi-nomadic tribe that lived in the southern part of Babylon. ²

Historical Trivia: The House of Israel and The House of Judah are NOT the same people. Both are parts of the nation of Israel but reflect the division of the country into two different Kingdoms. Bible prophecies tell us that [the] Messiah will rule over a restored Kingdom during His millennial reign, as King David ruled over both Houses during his own tenure. ³

I’ve always thought of Ezekiel as my kind of prophet—he’s flamboyant and colorful. He wails, slaps his thighs, and has visions of dry bones. But his obedience to God’s call and willingness to do whatever God asks of him is what impresses me the most.

Sinners: Reprobates from the House of Judah, Including the Capital City of Jerusalem; 

Ezekiel 16 catalogues the sins of the people of Jerusalem. Many of the people were trusting in their personal beauty, and out of this hubris became prostitutes. They had sex with everyone who walked by. They took the gold and silver that the LORD had given them and out of it made idols for themselves. They covered their idols with embroidered clothes and offered God’s olive oil and incense in their presence. They similarly pledged all the fragrances and food that God had given them as well. They sacrificed their sons and daughters to their idols as sustenance. They had sex with the Assyrians, but they still weren’t satisfied, so they had sex with land merchants and the Babylonians (Ezekiel 16:15-34).

Leaders: Disobedient Overseers

Ezekiel warned the leaders as to what will happen if the people continued in sin due to a lack of leadership. Those in charge have a responsibility to lead their flock ethically no matter where they find themselves—in the workplace or in ministry. The overseers of the people were all about themselves: they became a stumbling block of iniquity to the House of Israel. They followed their idols far from God, thereby rendering them unable to lead the people. God’s desire was for them to be ashamed of their transgressions, but they weren’t (Ezekiel 43:10).

The leaders at that time were going to be punished for their sins. Leaders have a great responsibility to their people, as do ministers have towards their “sheep”—those that they have been given responsibility to lead within their churches or ministries. In each case, there will come a time when God says, “enough of all your abominations, because judgment will come!” (See Ezekiel 44).

What Happens To The People When Leaders “Run Amok?” 

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to them, the [spiritual] shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe (judgment is coming) to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat [the choicest of meat], and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the best of the livestock, but you do not feed the flock. You have not strengthened those who are weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bandaged the crippled, you have not brought back those gone astray, you have not looked for the lost; but you have ruled them with force and violence. They were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered, they became food for all the predators of the field. My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought them.”’”

Therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: “As I live,” says the Lord God, “certainly because My flock has become prey, My flock has even become food for every predator of the field for lack of a shepherd, and My shepherds did not search for My flock, but rather the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock; therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand My flock from them and make them stop tending the flock, so that the shepherds cannot feed themselves anymore. I will rescue My flock from their mouth, so that they will not be food for them”’” (Ezekiel 34:1-10 AMP).

Application to Leaders Today

The Drudge Report posted an article on January 15th, 2019 titled, “Staff at a Chinese company are forced to CRAWL on the street after ‘failing to hit their annual targets’” The article mentioned that a group of  female beauty company employees were made to crawl on their hands and knees through busy afternoon traffic in Zengzhou, China for failing to meet their company sales target. ⁴ I would classify their boss/leader as an uncouth, mean person. His flock wasn’t being led, or, to use a Christian term “fed” in an appropriate way.

The word of the LORD came to Ezekiel saying, “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people, and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land, and he blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.’” (Ezekiel 33:2-4).

We can extend Ezekiel’s analogy to all venues where leadership is established. Leaders such as CEOs, political leaders, teachers, pastors, prophets, and evangelists are put in the position of either following the Lord’s guidance in this area, or suffering the consequences.

Conclusion

Whatever God does with wicked individuals, leaders or nations, He is always generous in extending grace. His final goal is always the same, both then and now: God declares twenty times in the Book of Ezekiel that “they will know that I am the Lord.”

When the leaders didn’t do “their job”, God eventually stepped in Himself to restore Israel.  God said, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out . . . I will feed My flock and lead them to rest . . . I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:16)

No matter what kind of leader you are, obey God as Ezekiel did.

If you are in a leadership position, most likely you will not be carrying out a public humiliation upon your employees or congregants or forcing them to slap themselves in the face 100 times (which occurred recently in China), but you must remember you are accountable to God for how you treat people.

In the three sisters story above, the sisters were not fully able to remember each other’s call for help, but their love for each other was evident. That’s how God’s love for us is: let’s commit to obey Him and serve His people in whatever situation we find ourselves.

If you are not a believer, consider the love that Christ has for you and how you can be part of the Kingdom of God by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior.

Bible Verses:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22)

Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; (1 Peter 5:2)

So, whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)

For the LORD will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants. (Psalm 135:14)

Prayer:

My heavenly Father, with all my heart, I desire to do Your will. Give me the courage of Ezekiel, the strength to remain strong in You, and to lead in a way that is honorable to You. Steer me away from all things which can send me astray. Prune me so I can serve You more and more each day.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Bless,

greenenpastures.org

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Bible Links are from the NASB unless otherwise noted.

To read more about leadership, check out the following article.

https://greenepastures.org/leadership-part-1-nehemiah/  (From this blog, you can link to Leadership Part 2-Nehemiah)

Works Cited

¹ “Unjokes #1002.” Jan 17, 2019. Web. Unjokes.com.

² “Who were the Chaldeans in the Bible?” GotQuestions.org. Jan 17, 2019. Web: https://www.gotquestions.org/Chaldeans.html

³ “Are the House of Israel and The House of Judah the same people?” Blog Post WordPress. Bible Insights from Jerry. 17 Jan 2019. Web. https://bibleinsightsfromjerry.wordpress.com.

⁴ You, Tracy. “Staff at Chinese company are forced to CRAWL on the street after ‘failing to hit their annual targets.”’ Drudge Report: Daily Mail. 15 Jan 2019. Web. www.DrudgeReport.com.

Bibliography

“Ezekiel.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Web. Jan 16, 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezekiel.

Photo Credit: Lightstock.com

See Works Cited.

Edited by E. Johnson

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Our Motives, Intentions and Attitudes [Toward Others]—Part 2

I’ll never forget it. My first thought was, “What was his motive or motives for such a horrendous act?”

In 2009, the New York Times reported that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a military psychiatrist, shot and killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others at the Fort Hood Army base in Central Texas. ¹

Last week, I wondered about the motives of whoever was sending package bombs to media and political figures around the country.

Fortunately, the police and FBI arrested Cesar Sayoc, 56, of South Florida as the prime suspect in the bomb mailings. Based on evidence collected so far, his motive appears to be extreme hatred of left-learning politicians and public figures.

Being a sociology major, I am extremely interested in what makes people tick. Crime shows fascinate me. In these shows, the question of motives always comes up either in the show or within my own mind.

Why Do We Want to Know a Person’s Motive?

  • To indulge our curiosity;
  • To know how to prevent future civil or moral disobedience;
  • To judge others;
  • To know how we can help solve others’ problems through acts of kindness; or
  • To pray for them.

In my blog titled Our Motives, Intentions, and Attitudes – Part 1, we discussed how to analyze our own motives. In Part 2, we will be looking into how we judge other people’s motives and whether it is right or wrong to do so from a Biblical perspective.

As we approach this topic, let’s remember that as we look upon the motives of others, they are looking back at us with the same inquiring mind, wondering, in turn, what our motives might be. Sometimes it is obvious; other times it is not.

When we judge (or try to analyze) the motives of others, our own belief system, personal experiences, desires, and other peripheral factors always come into play—affecting our perception of others.

Are We Judging Others When We Look at Their Motives?

It depends!

Motives can be good or bad, so we must balance how we view motives very carefully: we can’t always determine the motives of a person just by their behavior, deeds, or talk.

I must admit, when I was in my early twenties, I went to Sunday School to learn about God, but I had a double-motive. I wanted to find some dating possibilities. My motivation was what most Christ-followers can accept—the desire to find and date someone with like spiritual beliefs. While not 100% pure motives were involved, most accept and understand my dual motives.

Scrutinizing others’ motives should entail looking at our fellow human beings with the goal of glorifying God. Our words and thoughts should be gentle and humble—always seeking the best outcome for the other person. In this scenario, we would be looking at others in a righteous manner.

When we look at motives in an unrighteous way, our judgments are usually inconsistent with the way Jesus looks at us. Rudeness, roughness, humiliation and deviating from looking at others through the eyes of our Lord is prevalent today. Just look at many of our current political debates where intolerance and a lack of respect exist.

In 1 Chronicles 19, David was fleeing from King Saul and he received help from the Ammonite King Nahash. Nahash and David teamed up and together took on Saul and his army. Nahash eventually died and David, who succeeded Saul as King of Israel, tried to reach out to Nahash’s son King Hanun, but Hanun and his advisors became leery of David’s motives.

David’s men tried to express sorrow for Nahash’s death. Instead of accepting David’s offer of peace and alliance, Hanun humiliated the envoys by shaving their beards and cutting off their garments in the middle.

If Nahash would have taken the time to confirm David’s intentions, things would have turned out differently. Instead of harmonious relations, war broke out between them, and Israel defeated Nahash’s kingdom in Aram.

It didn’t take long for Hanun to decide that King David was insincere in reaching out to give consolation regarding his father’s death. But, he was dead wrong in his analysis.

King Hanun was easily influenced by his princes. Just like Hanun, we allow our friends, spouses, employees and previous experiences to color our attitudes, knowing full-well that adhering to God’s Word should be the primary motive in guiding our actions. Hanun’s princes should have given him time to think through and evaluate David’s kindness.

Instead they asked:

  • Do you think that David’s servants came to Hanum in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him?
  • Did you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you?
  • Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?

In these questions, we see an unreliable group of people who probably had their own motives and agenda in mind to influence the King.

When we look at others, our mind, soul and spirit should be in alignment with the mind of Christ. Seeking God’s perspective on our psyche, spiritual life, and experiences guides us to a true discernment of a person’s motives; this helps us assist them in becoming in tune with God’s ultimate will for their lives.

Through prayer, the Holy Spirit’s guidance and a deep desire to live in the spiritual realm, we can gain an understanding of the intentions of others—most of the time!

The Bible says,

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” (Luke 6:37)

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (John 7:24)

What Does the Bible Mean When It Says, “We Are Not to Judge Others”?

In an article titled, What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others? by GotQuestions.org, it says:

  • The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean there should be no mechanism for dealing with sin. Christians are often accused of judging or intolerance when they speak out against sin. But opposing sin is not wrong.
  • The Bible’s command that we not judge others does not mean we cannot show discernment. Jesus is giving us permission to tell right from wrong. In Matthew 7:15-16, Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them”—the false prophets.
  • Jesus gives a direct command to judge: Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly. (John 7:24)
  • We are always to be gentle toward everyone. Harsh, unforgiving judgment is wrong. (Titus 3:2)
  • Self-righteous judgment is wrong. We are called to humility, and God opposes the proud. (James 4:6)
  • Untrue judgment is wrong. The Bible says to slander no one. (Titus 3:2)
  • Believers are warned against judging others unfairly or unrighteously, but Jesus commends right judgment. (John 7:24) ²

When sin is involved, discerning the motives of others might be the difference between leading a person back to the Lord or letting him continue in sin, thus having him miss out on God’s best for his life.

One time, a prominent member on the school board of the Christian school where I was employed either didn’t like me or misunderstood my motives. Unfortunately, it resulted in me losing my job. Being unjustly criticized (without recourse) by another purported Christ-follower was an extremely painful experience. In a situation like this, a discussion of the situation would have been very helpful in my understanding the member’s motives and, eventually, my forgiving this action. Instead, long years of speculation have occurred.

Another time, one of my best friends misunderstood why I did not congratulate her and her daughter when they “walked down the aisle” upon her daughter’s acceptance of Christ. I was oblivious to the hurt feelings my friend experienced and how upset she was with me. Providentially, my friend called me up and brought my attention to her hurt feelings; thus, reconciliation occurred immediately.

In the first situation, there was no room for discussion, and years and years have passed where I am still haunted about what happened regarding “being let go” because there was no resolution.

In the second scenario, motives were discussed, handled, forgiven, and we were able to move on to a life-long friendship which is deeper than ever because we learned the correct way to handle it.

Discerning the Motives of Others

Reading others’ motives is a skill.

It’s important to remember that not all people’s motives are bad. Many motives are downright positive, e.g. wanting to help someone be all the Lord wants them to be.

In How to Read People’s Motives by Western Mastery, this article discusses why we might want to discern the motives of others.

Their reasoning is because when we know the motives of others, it helps us to know their intentions, helps us to gain insight, how to respond, and how to address their behaviors; ³

When we want to help others to yield their lives to Christ and to His character, discerning their motives might be just the catalyst the Lord wants to use to change their lives.

Misreading the Intentions of Others

On the other hand, it is extremely easy to make a snap judgment about someone or their behavior. Misreading others’ intentions is quite probable. We can misconstrue why people are jealous, fearful, and/or lazy.

We must be extremely careful not to undermine a person or their behavior without cause.

For instance, jealousy can cause a person to question a comrade’s motives because they might feel that their comrade is taking a rightly-earned place or position which the person believes should have instead been his own. Tragically, misreading motives could lead to future scheming, avoidance or even feeling unduly threatened or resentful in the comrade’s presence. In the workplace, this could culminate in a co-worker believing they deserve the promotion or the higher-paying position when, in fact, they do not deserve either one.

What Should We Do When We Question the Motives of Others?

Let’s face it—we are human beings and we sometimes wonder about the motives of others. It may be a cursory glance or a scrutinizing in-depth evaluation.

Some tips are:

  • Don’t rely on a preconceived notion about others. People change. God DOES change people;
  • Don’t depend exclusively on first impressions or our intuition;
  • Find out all the facts before judging a person’s motives (and especially before addressing them);
  • Put yourself in someone else’s shoes; and
  • If you have misjudged someone, apologize and reconcile as soon as possible.

A person’s background, personality, and life experiences may clash with yours, but that doesn’t make you right all the time and them wrong.

Being raised for most of my formative years in London, England or in the northeastern part of the United States, I may not think like some of my friends who were raised in the deep South. My life experiences and spiritual experiences are different than others, but I hope and pray that my friends and acquaintances will look at me through the eyes of God—instead of through my idiosyncrasies.

And especially not in a judgmental way.

When we depend on the Lord, our thinking about others and their motives will be guided by His light and in His wisdom. When we pursue God, He will show us any behaviors or actions He wants us address. Christian love and compassion should rule in our hearts—not negativity or criticism.

In his blog entry about motives, Joshua Kennon warns: “A final word of caution: I would urge you to consider keeping your thoughts on another person’s motivation to yourself.” ⁴ Until Jesus gives you the spiritual wisdom to discern where a person is coming from, keep your ears and eyes open for when, how or even whether you should speak.

When God gives us His wisdom, He will also give us guidance to know how to spur a person to hear God’s voice and experience a deep passion to follow Christ’s will.

Now, that is not being “judgmental”. Far from it!

It’s being a servant of God.

Bible Verses:

All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives. (Proverbs 16:2)

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. (John 7:24)

A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word! (Proverbs 15:23)

I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds. (Jeremiah 17:10)

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

I am prone at times to wonder what the thoughts or motives are of others are. I also understand that people, even those I consider friends, question my motives every now and then. I occasionally need my motives questioned and confronted in love. God, please give me Your mind. Give me Your discernment. Give me Your patience. Give me Your ability to speak only when You have led me to do so. Let my life be a replica of You. Lord, I want to represent You in all I do. I really do.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Bless

Member of IWA-Inspirational Writers Alive!

Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

All Bible verses use the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

Edited by E. Johnson

Works Cited

¹ McFadden, Robert D. “Army Doctor Held in Ft. Hood Rampage.” The New York Times, 5 Nov 2009. www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/us/06forthood.html.

² “What does the Bible mean that we are not to judge others?” Accessed 8 Oct 2018. https://www.gotquestions.org/do-not-judge.html.

³ “How to Read People’s Motives.” Western Mastery. December 28, 2016. Accessed 2018.8 Oct 2018. http://www.westernmastery.com/2016/12/28/understanding-the-motivation-behind-peoples-actions/

⁴ Kennon, Joshua. “To Have a More Successful Life, Understand the Motivations and Motives of Yourself and the People Around You.” Accessed 20 Oct 2018. http://JoshuaKeenan.com/motives-and-motivations-matter.

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Our Motives, Intentions and Attitudes—Part 1

Most people have encountered motives in varying degrees. In this blog, we will look at OUR MOTIVES, INTENTIONS and ATTITUDES. These terms will be used interchangeably throughout this post.

In a subsequent blog titled Our Motives, Intentions, and Attitudes [Toward Others]—Part 2, we will discuss how individuals judge and react to the real or perceived motives of others.

Introduction:

Five years ago, when my husband was entertaining the idea of taking a job in Lagos, Nigeria, he asked me if I wanted to go there. I answered immediately with a resounding, “YES!” How did I know to respond so quickly without researching and analyzing the situation in depth? It was because I know my husband, and I knew he always wanted to live overseas. Therefore, I didn’t have to question my motivation for the positive response because my motive was that I wanted to please him. My motive was clear!

Many times, it is the same way with God. By knowing Christ in an intimate way through our Bible reading, prayer and meditation, we can know His motives — as well as what ours should be — rather quickly.

However, at other times and in other situations, our motives may not be so easily discerned.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines motive as, “something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person to act.”

Our actions can be beneficial or destructive. A descriptive illustration is that “revenge was the murderer’s motive.” Here we see that because of the motive “revenge”, the action of “murder” occurred.

Motives create a lot of different scenarios. There are . . .

Personal Motives:

  • We wonder if our motives are right or wrong.
  • We know our motives are right.
  • We know our motives are wrong.

Other-Centered Motives:

  • Another person wonders if our motives are right or wrong.
  • Another person knows our motives are right.
  • Another person thinks our motives are wrong.
  • We wonder if another persons’ motives are right or wrong.
  • We know another persons’ motives are right.
  • We think another persons’ motives are wrong.

Hopefully, we can come to a consensus that searching for our true motives will create a deeper understanding of ourselves, others and God. Aligning our will with God’s will increases our spiritual growth, our maturity and our actions. Finding ourselves using more of the fruit of the Spirit is a beneficial outcome of getting deeper into the center of the Lord’s will for our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) GreenePastures.org
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Absalom’s Motives

In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom, King David’s son, decided to overthrow his father’s throne. Being a personable and popular man, Absalom persuaded many people to agree that he should reign as king in Hebron. Absalom recruited Ahithophel, one of King David’s loyal advisors, to pledge allegiance to himself instead. Absalom caused King David to flee Jerusalem to escape from Absalom—his own son! Remember, motives cause actions.

In this case, Absalom had two motives driving him:

  1. A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT to become king, and
  2. A DESIRE to achieve power

These motives caused him to disrespect his father’s authority and kingship. This is an example of bad motives leading to bad actions.

I wonder what would have happened if Absalom would have turned to God and asked the Lord to show him His motives. It could have changed history!

Bad Motives Lead to Bad Actions

Somewhere along the line Absalom consciously made the decision to end his relationships with his family and plot to backstab David so he could become king. Oh, how it must have hurt David to see his own flesh and blood turn against him!

It happens today as well.

  • Pride may ruin one’s relationship with God.
  • The desire for approval may cause one to lie.
  • A sense of entitlement may be the catalyst for unhappiness, ungodly behavior and stress.
  • Jealousy may be the basis for revenge.
  • Criticism may be the mainspring of hurt feelings and more.

We Can Use Our Personalities to Influence People for Evil

Absalom used his outgoing personality to get people to like him.

Let’s face it, making a first impression is important. When searching for a job, we dress well; we present an impressive resume; we learn how to shake hands the correct way, and we do everything to make a positive impression of ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with that, but in the case of Absalom, his ulterior motive in using his “kind and helpful persona” was to get people to like him so he could overthrow his father’s kingdom and take it for himself.

We see this same behavior in politics, churches, or movements. But, if we are truthful, we see it in ourselves also.

ASK YOURSELF:
  • Do you act differently at home than at church?
  • Do you volunteer for non-profit organizations to prove you are a good person?
  • Do you help people only to get a reward or recognition?
  • Do you attend church only to make business contacts?
  • Do you pay for others’ meals to show how well off you are?
  • Do you brag about your spiritual gift(s)?
  • Do you desire the limelight at home, church or at the office?
  • Do you spend money you don’t have to impress others?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions (and others not mentioned), our motives are something less than pure.

Acting differently at home than at church, for example, reveals that we are interested in pleasing people in church by adopting a false countenance, yet we “let our hair down” at home where we revert to our less-guarded “normal” behavior. Volunteering to show how “good” we are is a far less noble motive than imitating (and illustrating!) Jesus Christ’s example of servanthood.

In all the cases listed above, our motive is to influence what others think of us. Rather than reflect who we are as Christians, as these acts should, we instead appropriate these actions to manipulate man’s thoughts and take the glory God should receive for ourselves.

We may do these things without realizing that we are doing them, or why. Being unaware or unrepentant of our thoughts or intentions is common.

Reading or listening to God’s Word and spending time in prayer becomes imperative to turn your heart to the Lord. Knowing why we do things and what our motives are is important.

Absalom ruined all family relationships when he decided to spite his father.

DID ABSALOM ASK OR CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS?
  • How many cousin relationships would be destroyed?
  • How many marriages would break up over his actions?
  • What would his life be like estranged from his father?

We may not know the specific answers to these questions regarding Absalom, but be assured, evil decisions have consequences.

Godly Motives Lead to Godly Actions

First Corinthians 4:5 says, “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”

God wants us to live our lives with a godly attitude. He wants us to release our thoughts to Him regardless of what they are. If they are ungodly, He wants to help us get our motives, thoughts and intentions under His wing and protection. If our motives are already in line with His intentions, we are blessed as we move forward. Praise God!

When we share the gospel and Christ’s salvation to others with the right motive, God is pleased. Honoring our Lord and Savior by participating in the Great Commission is one, if not the most, godly actions one can undertake. If we give a large amount of money to the church with the sole purpose of giving out of our love for Christ and His church, our motives prove higher in the eyes of the Lord than someone who gives to impress the preacher or to influence the direction of the church.

Being in the presence of God allows us to trust our own motives more quickly and accurately. But, there will still be times when we question our motives. This is because we are humans. We are not God. We have the privilege of asking our heavenly Father for direction and clarification. When we pray in the name of Jesus, being led by the Holy Spirit, God will give us peace and direction—in His time and in His way.

How to Analyze Our Motives

Many times, in our lives, we want to know if our motives are allied with what the Lord desires for us. We wonder because we don’t want our actions to stem from ill-conceived motives. Another way to say that is that we don’t want to make fools of ourselves before God and people. When we question our own motives through prayer and inquiring of the Lord, a special union between ourselves and our heavenly Father is created because we are searching for God’s thoughts. We crave the very presence of God, so He can lead us on the right track in our thoughts, prayers, and actions.

How do we know what our motives are and what we should do?

  • Ask God to show you if your motives are pure (or not).
  • Ask God to show you your real motive.
  • Ask God if your thoughts are from you or Him.
  • Ask God if it is time to stop praying about whatever is your concern.
  • Ask God for wisdom, character, sincerity and humility.
  • Ask God for you to have the strength to give up your motives, intents, and desires and replace them with His will for you.
  • Ask God to continually remind you that He knows what’s best for you because He sees the big picture of your life—NOT YOU.

Seek God’s Input

Seeking God’s input as to our motives is a fantastic place to start—but it is usually extremely difficult. We live in our dreams and desires; they are hard to replace.

Before anything, God wants us to put Him above all else. When we reach the place of total surrender to the Lord, we must move on in pleasing Him in our lives. We don’t know sometimes whether God is going to say YES, NO, or NOT NOW when we pray, but no matter what, know that He is working to perfect us, and He knows what is best.

We may feel that no one else can understand the extent of what we are undergoing. We may wonder if our thoughts are from our intellectual brain or from God. We may wonder if we are operating according to our fleshy desires. We may agonize over our motivational reasons, causes, purposes, intentions and even our spiritual aptitude to discern. Discovering our true intentions can be hard. We may be dealing with strongholds in our life, i.e. idolatry.

Motive Tip: If you are wondering if your motives are in line with God’s will, study the Ten Commandments. If your motives conflict with any commandment, it is not within the will of God. GreenePastures.org
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Even Strong Spiritually-Minded Believers Pray About Their Motives, because . . .

  • They want their time spent in the presence of God to be productive.
  • They don’t want to be praying about something if their motives are not in tune with God.
  • They can’t move on until they know if their motives are acceptable to God.
  • They want to grasp what God wants to say to them.
  • They want to submit to God’s plan for their lives.

Occasionally, a believer’s heart becomes so impressed with a passage of Scripture that he feels God is declaring His plan or words just to him. If that is your case, take that verse, meditate upon it, look at the context, talk to the Lord about whether it is really meant for you and this situation.

“Dear God” Letter

I write “Dear God” letters when I really have something I want to articulate to the Lord. I’ve been doing this since 6th grade. One deep-rooted and totally honest prayer stated,

Dear God,

Why am I praying this prayer over and over? What are my motives and what are Your motives? Lord, it sounds crazy to pray that this could come true, but I hope for it. I am waiting patiently. If it isn’t Your will, I ask You to take away the desire and correct my prayer. I am at wit’s end trying everything to know Your will. I don’t know if it is a sin, a glimpse into the future or a thought from Satan. Lord, I don’t understand my own motives. Correct me, Lord. I don’t understand. I need relief. Is it time for me to stop praying about this? Lord Jesus, my spirit is heavy. Search me, O Lord. I want to be in Your absolute will but how can I be until You answer this prayer?

I love you.

Patti

I share this letter with you because many times there comes a point where we need to just stop saying the general prayers that we so often pray and start praying in total honesty to God. Tell Him you don’t understand. Tell Him you don’t know why you are experiencing this conundrum. Tell Him you need His wisdom and discernment. Tell Him you need His power to know His motives. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Always remember—He knows the plans He has for us. Plans for welfare and not for calamity give us a future and a hope. (See Jeremiah 29:11)

Conclusion

Our motives matter!

The next time you question your motives, get honest with God. I mean totally honest with God! Talk to Him like no other. Be specific. Be bold. Inquire. Then commit to seek Him daily for direction and understanding; tell Him you don’t want to misinterpret your motives. He will show you how He wants you to proceed—or how not to proceed.

As with all requests we make to the Lord, our obedience to His already-established commands is imperative. When we follow God in obedience, He will answer our questions, concerns, and intentions. Our Lord does not want His people to proceed with an unsettled or perplexed mind, but with confidence and clarity of spirit.

It is hard to imagine what life would have been like if Absalom developed a godly camaraderie and alliance with King David.

But I daresay that if Absalom’s intentions were completely surrendered to God, which is always the preferred method, our World History books would be different.

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (Hebrews 10:35) GreenePastures.org
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Bible Verses:

The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
But the Lord weighs the motives.
Commit your works to the Lord
And your plans will be established.
The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,
Even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:1-4)

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37:4-5)

Prayer:

Jesus, I love you. I want to know Your will for my life. Please search my heart. I want all my motives, intentions and attitudes to be shaped by Your hand. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me to Your plan and agenda for my life. Again, search my heart. Show me my sins, so I can repent. Teach me Your ways. Let me learn more about You every day. Let me adjust to Your timetable and accept each and every step along the way. You are my triune God. Lord, thank you for loving me so much. I really do love You. Amen.

God Bless.

greenenpastures.org

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Member of Biblegateway Bloggers #bgbg2

Edited by E. Johnson

All Bible verses use the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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