God Says, " Vengenence Is Mine, I will Repay"

 

Seems Like the Bad Guys Are Winning

Mark Burnett – Movie & TV Executive

This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. Psalm 73:12-13 (NIV)

One of the great spiritual questions many people wrestle with is the issue of why good people sometimes suffer, while so many bad people prosper. It is not a new question. Our verses today are from a psalm written by a man named Asaph. He was one of King David’s chief musicians, who wrote this psalm after struggling with this very issue!

Earlier in the psalm, Asaph tells us he found himself envying the prosperity of those he identifies as “the wicked.” As he looks at what appears to be the lack of fairness in the world, he becomes discouraged about trying to live a righteous life.

His conclusion about those who thumb their noses at God is that “the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.” And yet, he observes, “always carefree, they always increase in wealth.” Consequently, he reaches the conclusion of today’s text: “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure.”

What does Asaph do to get his head back on straight? He steps back and looks at the “bigger” picture. He goes to “church.” There he remembers some of the good things that we can’t see in the visible world: God is always with us. God guides us and gives us strength. When our life ends, God takes us into his presence. As a result of getting his perspective straight, Asaph can say to God, “In this life, I don’t need anything more than to be with you!”

When you try to live in a way that is pleasing to God, it is not in vain. If it seems as though the “bad guys” are always winning, remember that we have a very limited perspective. As did Asaph, we need to get ourselves into a place where we can get some perspective. It can change our discouragement to joy! We can go from victims to victors!

What Do Scary Things Do?

 

 

Mary Holloman  cbn.com

“I’m afraid of spiders.”

My almost-four-year-old eyed me and then quickly redirected his gaze to his toys. His tone was apologetic.

Benjamin’s fear of spiders wasn’t new to me. For a while, he had recurring nightmares involving spiders — the kind of nightmares that would terrify the most fearless adult.

“I don’t blame you, B,” I said. “I think spiders are creepy, too. And you know, everyone is afraid of something. Except for a special someone. Did you know there is someone who’s not afraid of anything?”

Benjamin smiled at the familiar question. “God!”

And then his eyes narrowed in concentration. “So, what do scary things do when they see God?”

I blinked. When is this kid going to start asking me easier questions?

I imagined a gathering of all the things my children might fear: Spiders. Monsters. Darkness. Storms. Snakes. Strangers. The things that my children shrink back from, or that make them cry out in the night. All things that represent insecurity or the unknown.

And then I imagined those things cowering in fear before a holy and all-powerful God.

I told Benjamin that everything God has created submits to Him and obeys Him. Which means even the biggest, creepiest spider is no match for our God.

“And the coolest part,” I said, “is that if we know God, the Bible says we don’t have to fear Him. He is on our side and promises to protect us and fight for us.”

Benjamin considered my response. “Oh,” he said. “That’s pretty cool.” Satisfied, he went back to his toys.

But I couldn’t get his question out of my head.

What do scary things do when they see God?

I once again pictured the Gathering of Fears. The spiders and snakes are huddled together in one corner. Monsters lurk in the shadows as their rattling breaths pierce the thick silence. Storm clouds churn overhead while strangers with their darting eyes roam nearby.

The mental image was creepy, one that I knew would terrify my son. And then I wondered — what terrifies me?

The Gathering paraded before my mind’s eye again. Only now, in the dark corner where the spiders and snakes once lived, the terror of losing my children hovers. Where monsters once lurked, there is now the anxiety of the unknown. And where storm clouds churned, there is now a thick fog of loneliness and depression that threatens to choke the air from my lungs and the light from my eyes.

What do scary things do when they see God?

My reassuring words to Benjamin were enough for him. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were enough for me.

Romans 8 makes an astonishing claim about God’s relationship with his children:

“If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:31,35,38-39 (ESV).

Everyone’s afraid of something. But if I am in Christ, my fears have no dominion over me because my heart and my eternity are sealed by the blood of Jesus.

No loss, no anxiety, no loneliness, no depression — and no spiders — can ever separate me from the love of Christ.

What do scary things do when they see God?

They bow on bended knee before my Heavenly Father.

And in the words of a certain almost-four-year-old:

“That’s pretty cool.”

The Peace Strangler

 

 

Gene Markland, cbn.com

Mary was a struggling young businesswoman who was brought up in a Christian home and had a deep faith in the Lord. She began to feel an emptiness and loss of connection between her, her church, and her Lord. She struggled for months and could not find an answer to what seemed like a tall brick wall between her and God. Maybe she was too busy. Maybe her life was too hectic and the stress of her job requirements, competition, late hours at the office, and social activities were just getting to be too much.

So, she decided to take a break. She would go visit her Grandmother in the mountains of Tennessee in a little town near Gatlinburg, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Besides, she was due a vacation anyway.

She loaded up her car and drove to Tennessee. It was good to see her Grandmother and Grandad again, to sit on the front porch on that old porch swing and enjoy the hills, trees, blue sky and peace that nature brings. The second day of her visit, her Grandmother sat beside her on that porch swing, patted her lightly on the hand and said, “Dear, what is it that is bothering you?”

“I don’t know Grandmother,” She replied. “I feel empty. And the closeness I used to feel with the Lord just isn’t there anymore like it used to be. There is no time for anything for myself and I don’t know what to do about it. How did this happen?”

Her Grandmother looked out and surveyed the surrounding countryside, took a sip of her steaming hot coffee and said, “It’s very simple, dear. You’re too busy. That old enemy, the devil, has used his strategy on you.”

“What are you saying? I’m living right. I’m not out sinning and carrying on.”

“I didn’t say you were, honey. That’s not the strategy of the strangler of peace. His strategy is much more subtle. More sneaky, but very devastating. Devastating to your life, your peace, and ultimately to your soul.”

“You see, we live in a world of noise,” she continued. “Our televisions take up half a wall in our homes and broadcast 24/7. If we’re awake, and even in our sleep, they broadcast into our ears, through our minds, and into our hearts. What are we allowing to stream into our consciousness? In our cars, we have AM and FM radio, CDs, iPads, and various other devices — and now, satellite radio. Noise inescapable. How wonderful and marvelous are all these devices bringing streams of noise which enter into our ears, through our minds, and into our hearts. And just in case we might have a peaceful moment as we walk from our home to our car, we have another miracle device which masquerades as a telephone that we plug directly into our ears, sending noise straight through our minds, and into our hearts. And yet we cry, Why can’t I have any peace in my life? Why can’t I ever hear from the Lord? The answer is simple … noise. The cares of this life. Remember what the Apostle Paul wrote,

‘Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.’ (Romans 8:5 NIV)

Dear, I would like to introduce to you an old concept that is foreign in our world today, a concept which many people can’t conceive of. That concept is silence. Yes, silence. There is a reason why Jesus made the statement,

‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matthew 11:15)

How can we ever expect to have peace or hear from the Lord if we constantly dunk our heads into the cauldron of noise, that cauldron of news, weather, sports, and music? Now, make no mistake, I love all those things as much as you do but sometimes we’ve got to take a break, pull our heads out of the noise, and be still. Be still And listen. Listen to the silence which is available to He who has ears to hear.

Try to sit still in total silence for 10 minutes. Just listen to the silence. Do you want to have peace? Do you want to hear from the Lord? Here is your starting point. Now I’m going to leave you and go inside for a while but you sit here and just listen with your ears to the silence around you and the Lord’s spirit within you. And be at peace.”

Mary found her peace, and a new and vibrant relationship with her Lord, right there on the old porch swing at her Grandmother’s house.

What Are You Drunk On?

 

By Shawn McEvoy, cbn.com

And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.” – Acts 2:12-13

“These men are not drunk, as you suppose,” Peter told the bewildered crowd at Pentecost. “This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel.” The Holy Spirit had been poured out, and I’ve always found it fascinating that its effects could be mistaken for the pouring out of, shall we say, less holier spirits.

To be sure, the Bible instructs Christ-followers to be “sober-minded” (Titus 2:6, 1 Corinthians 15:34). And there’s honor and maturity in a steadfast, stoic reaction to life’s trials. But then there’s this fantastic scene in Acts that just fills me with tiny bubbles of delight. There’s so much joy and power and overflowing involved with the Holy Spirit that, sometimes, well, we Christians just seem a little bit crazy. Flipped-out. Punch-drunk. Downright giddy.

And who wouldn’t like to see more of that side of us these days?

Reflecting on this kind of Spirit-trusting, God-leaning fun reminds me of my three summers as a Christian youth camp counselor. The labor was hard but not in vain. The purpose was evident. The craziness was everywhere. “Go nutso-Picasso,” our Director would say, and show these kids that being a Christian isn’t some droll, fun-killing existence, but something real, life-giving, sustaining, and joyous.

And indeed it was, and is. My closest friends and I had an odd high school experience, in that we had a hard time understanding why our peers found it so fun and/or necessary to involve alcohol – illegally – in their weekend plans. We were having more laughs and fun than we could imagine without any drugs. What were we filled with? Why didn’t we need anything else?

Later, when I worked at camp, one of the things we would do is create a video of each week for the students to take home with them. One of the features on each week’s video was a “blurb” from one of the counselors, an off-the-cuff, from-the-heart snippet of encouragement. I recently found the videotape from the week I was interviewed, and my response reminded me so much of what today’s verse means to me, what real life under the guidance and excitement of the Holy Spirit is about. Here’s what I said:

I think so many times in our youth groups back home we get tired of hearing the same things: don’t drink, don’t do drugs, don’t have sex. And that’s good advice to be sure, but why? So many kids here at camp and the ones I knew growing up weren’t doing these things anyway; don’t we have any more to offer them? Do we have any explanation for what is filling them, and what they can do with it? It just seems to me that those I’ve come across who are involved in these so-called “greater sins” are often engaging in them just to fill a void caused by, maybe, disobedience to parents, rebellion, lying, or a poor self-image. So what I like to do is show them that Jesus has given them everything they need to be content, secure, high on real living. And it takes a lot of energy to do that, but I find that the energy is there when I need it, and anyway, if it means leading a young person to the Lord or just reconciling someone to their parents, hey, that’s worth it.

How Thirsty Are You?

 

 

Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. cbn.com

Have you ever been so thirsty that you had “cotton mouth” and your saliva balled up like tiny balls of cotton? That happened to me all the time as a kid playing football. Back then, no one carried a water bottle. Cotton mouth is uncomfortable, but it’s no big deal — at least that’s what my football coach always said!

But what about becoming so dehydrated that your whole body gets the chills, aches, and is about to collapse with exhaustion?

That’s happened to me twice while hiking in the high sierras with my son. The first time, he was 16-years-old and we were with his Boy Scout troop. We had hiked 12 miles that day, climbed over 5,000 feet, and had set up camp close to Mount Langley, a near “Fourteener” (a mountain peak that was 20 feet under 14,000 feet high).

There it was, a great mountain peak just a few miles and 4,000 of elevation gain away — I felt I had to climb it. It was late in the afternoon and no one wanted to go with me. So, I filled my camelback with water, grabbed a couple of bars, and headed for the peak, planning to be back for dinner.

Well, it took a lot longer than I thought. I ended up hiking in the dark with just a flashlight and I got lost. And I got altitude sickness. I felt like I was going to throw up. I was so thirsty and weak I could hardly walk. When I got back to camp at 8:30 pm, just before a search crew was going to look for me, the first thing I did was drink water!

Thirst for God!
What if we thirsted for God like that? David did. He prayed:

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 ESV)

His prayer resonates with us because this world is a dry and weary desert with no water. I often use his prayer to remind myself of how thirsty I am for God. One way I’ve done this is to paraphrase portions of Psalm 63 into a “Thirsty for Jesus” prayer.

Remember Jesus’ wonderful invitation to us who are thirsty:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39, ESV)

Ahhh! Yes. When we open our hearts to Jesus we don’t just get a sip of water — his Spirit enters us and we gush forth with rivers of living water!

Lessons from the Farm

 

 

Pauline Hylton, cbn.com

“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (Romans 5:4 NLT)

Ever felt helpless? Like you had no options and no strength?

I’ve felt that way on occasion. Most recently through 14 years of caregiving, and then a mid-life change of location and career.

My husband and I moved from sunny Florida to the foothills of North Carolina to farm on an old 66-acre tobacco farm Tom inherited.

Yes, you heard me correctly. Did we know how to farm? No. We couldn’t tell a squash plant from a sunflower. Were we enthusiastic? Yes. When we first arrived on the farm we got up early, planned like pros and laughed like kids.

Did we fail? Yes.

I didn’t see that coming. (Don’t laugh.)

One day stands out as a turning point for me. My assignment was to shovel manure out of the chicken coop in the mid-August sweltering heat. After about two hours of that, I cried out to God. Lord, why am I doing this? I used to be somebody! I thought I was too important to Him to shovel manure.

Over those next few years, my weakness forced me to fall on to my bruised knees several times a day singing the song “I Need You.”

And I did.

And I do.

This wasn’t a song of praise. It was a cry of desperation.

As I look back, you know what I discovered? That was an extremely hard time — but it was a necessary good time. The Lord used hardship, isolation, and weakness to draw me closer to Him.

It produced endurance. Dependence. Humility.

John 15:5 says this, “

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (NLT)

We cannot save ourselves. We cannot depend on ourselves.

In America, self-dependence and self-sufficiency are applauded. In God’s economy, it is useless.

The Lord — in His mercy took me through a time when there was nowhere to look but up.

I’m glad.

I also think it will happen over and over since I’m a slow learner.

What about you? Are you depending on yourself?

The Great Shepherd says to cast our cares on Him. Because He is good. Because He has provided eternity — and it is based on His economy, not ours.

Abiding Under God’s Wings

 

 

Karen Friday, cbn.com

She flew away when I opened our front door. Inside the edge of my wreath, I found the beginnings of her nest.

I realized our constant door activity was a risk to any eggs she’d lay.

So I acted quickly in taking my wreath down to force this mama bird to build her home elsewhere.

A few days later, high on the River Birch branch inside our courtyard, I spotted a newly built nest. I imagined her caring for her babies by protecting them from storms and predators under her wings.

As God’s children, we need a safe shelter. Because life’s storms and a predator (Satan) often put us in danger. Or maybe we wonder how to rest in the Lord and the best time to take flight and soar.

Look at Jesus’s words,

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (ESV)

Our redeemer wants to gather us under His wings—if we are willing. Then these benefits follow.

Refuge under His wings. The Lord’s wings provide protection and security during stormy seasons and the enemy’s harmful intent.

Psalm 91 describes our refuge:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” (Verses 1-2, ESV)

“He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” (Verse 4, ESV)

My research uncovered an astounding discovery. Pinions make up the outer part of a bird’s wing, including the flight feathers. Birds are unable to take flight while covering their babies. It simply is impossible.

The Lord never leaves us, never flies off during threatening times. And He never forsakes us. We remain secure under His wings.

David knew this security,

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.” Psalm 57:1 (ESV)

David prayed as he hid in a cave, fleeing from Saul who wanted to kill him. The cave wasn’t his refuge, but the shadow of the Almighty’s wings.

Rest in His care. We often fail to break from the busyness that leads to burnout, which depletes our soul of joy. Our weary bodies and hearts, our what-if’s and our anxious thoughts all contribute to this breaking point.

“For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” Psalm 63:7 (ESV)

To rest is an intentional position of the heart. Just like the sound of morning birds chirping in the morning sun, our joy is found in the Son.

The end result of resting under His wings? Joy!

Renewal from His shelter. Merriam-Webster defines renew as, “to make (something) new, fresh, or strong again.”

The heavenly Father restores us and makes us strong. And after each renewing under His wings, we really are ready to take flight and soar—until the next renewing season.

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Isaiah 40:31a (ESV)

Let’s resolve to remain under His wings for refuge, rest and renewal.

I’m nestled there now. Are you?