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Have you ever felt overwhelmed when seeing the needs of others around you and wondered how their needs could be met? The Lord’s disciples felt that way at times. In Mark 8:1-9 we read about a crowd of thousands of people who had followed Jesus to a remote place to listen to His teachings, but there was a problem. There were no grocery stores or fast food places nearby where they could get nourishment. Jesus told His disciples He had compassion for these people and their families and said, “If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”
What can we learn from this Biblical account that can help us when we are overwhelmed while seeing the spiritual, emotional, or physical needs of people we care about? The Lord Jesus saw the need and knew how to meet the need (v.2-3). He had compassion on these people and truly cared. We, who are followers of Christ, also see the great needs of broken people with broken hearts around us. The compassion of Christ within results in our caring. However, disciples saw the same need and were overwhelmed by the size of the task of meeting the needs of the people. They didn’t have a solution to this overwhelming need, but Jesus did. Perhaps you are overwhelmed by a need or burden today. You too may be wondering how can this need be met? What did Jesus do to meet the need, and what were the disciples to learn in this difficult place? Jesus asked “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They had found 7 loaves and a few fish, but what was this compared to the great need? However, in faith and obedience they brought what they had to the Lord Jesus. He multiplied it and then gave it back to them to distribute to those in need. There have been many times in life when my wife and I have found ourselves facing overwhelming needs to care for God’s people, whether a hurting congregation, hurting individuals, couples, and families. The needs that come to our attention often seem overwhelming. God continues to remind us that He doesn’t ask us to bring to Him what we do not have, but to bring to Him what we do have (the gifts, abilities, resources, life experience and wisdom, what God has taught us, etc., ) and put it in His hands and let Him take it, bless and multiply it and then trust Him to work through us to help others. In summary, I have to ask myself and I would ask you to consider a question. Are we going to look at the great needs of the great crowds of broken people around us and be overwhelmed and discouraged, or are we going to give what we have to our great Savior and trust Him to work through us to meet the needs of others? Jesus never asks us to give what we don’t have, but to bring what we do have and surrender it to Him and He’s able to take that and work through us to meet the great needs around us.
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Last Friday reporters began breaking the horrific reports of 20 children and 6 adults murdered at a school in Newtown, Conneticut. More and more details are coming out of how and why a disturbed young man would kill his mother and then commit such a horrific crime.
At times like this it's easy for people to look for someone or something to blame, or to make rash statements of what needs to be done by our govern-ment to curtail such violence. Perhaps it would be good for us to take a step back and remember the words of our Lord Jesus who said, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." (Matt. 15:19) It's what goes on in the heart of a person that produces their behaviors. Scripture reveals that murder began in the heart of Satan. Jesus said, "He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him," (John 8:44b). Satan used the murder weapon of sin to bring death into the Garden of Eden, and inspired Cain to kill his brother (Gen. 3:1-6,4:8, 1 John 3:12). We ask why would anyone want to kill innocent children? When we walk through the pages of Scripture and of history we find accounts of Satan working through people to kill infants and children. 1. Pharoah, motivated by fear and hatred, gave the order for all Israelite male babies to be murdered by the midwives when they were born. However, the midwives feared God and loved life and disobeyed Pharoah. He was so angry he ordered all the Egyptians to murder baby boys to throw them into the Nile river. (Ex. 1:15-22). 2. King Herod was motivated by jealousy and a fear of losing power and tried to find out where the Christ child was born so he could murder Him. The wise men and Joseph were warned by God of Herod's intent and acted to protect the baby Jesus so Herod didn't succeed in murdering Him. However, in a rage inspired by Satan, "he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethelehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under," (Matt. 2:16b). The prophet Jerimiah had pro- phecied this murderous event in Jer. 31:15. The weeping and mourning of parents and loved ones in that community was like the weeping and mourning of parents and loved ones in Newtown, CT. 3. Ancient and modern history has recorded many atrocities against humanity that include the killing of children and even the unborn. a. When Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. multitudes of children were among the murdered. b. Hitler rounded up over 6 million Jews and had them murdered. Many of them were children. Today, President Assad in Syria is unleashing his military on his own people including children. c. Muslim terrorists kill innocent children as a part of the "holy war" they are waging against "unbelievers" (Jews and Christians). d. Mass murders in recent years at schools such as Columbine in Colorado, and Virginia Tech, and Red Lake High School in Minnesota, or the Amish schoolhouse massacre in Pennsylvania, and now 20 children at Sandy Hook elementary in Newtown. e. Let's not forget to mourn the millions of abortions that have taken place since abortion was legalized. Over 1 million legalized abortions take place in the U.S. every year. That is over 2800 per day. Oh that our leaders and nation would mourn for the babies that died by abortion each and every day as we mourn the tragic deaths of the 20 children in this horrible shooting. This horrific act and those like it are inspired by Satan and demons gaining influence into peoples lives and their thoughts, so they become destroyers. The doors can be opened to demonic activity in a child's life through sinful and destructive influences. Parents, grandparents, and mentors of children must be vigilant. In view of Satan's desire to destroy children, what must we do? 1. Love the children in a way that helps them feel and believe they are trully valuable to God and to us. This means being involved with them as parents and grandparents so we are in tune with what is really going on within them and we express love in ways that result in them feeling loved and valued. God's love is always more powerful than hatred. The Lord Jesus loved children and interacted in a way that made them feel and experience His love (Mark 10:13-16) 2. Protect our children and grandchildren. We must do our part to be vigilant about the influences in their lives. Who are their friends? What are they watching, listening to, or playing? There are video games and movies, books and media that can open them to demonic influ- ences that distorts their thinking and will desensitize them so they lose their ability to feel and show compassion. The shooter at Sandy Hook hardened his heart long before beginning his murderous rampage. Scripture warns us "Do not give the devil a foothold." (Eph. 4:27). A person who commits such acts has been giving the devil and demons a stronghold in their lives so they begin to take on the nature of the evil one. We as parents must love our children enough protect them from influences that will open their minds to the influence of demons. 3. Pray consistently for God to deliver our children and grand- children from evil and the schemes of the evil one. One of the requests in the Lord's prayer is "deliver us from evil (the evil one)." My wife and I pray regularily for God to deliver our children and grand- children from the destructive schemes of the devil and his demons. 4. Trust God and look forward to the future with hope in Jesus Christ. The book of Revelation was written to encourage Christians when we are facing the evil of this world system. In it the Lord reveals a day is coming in which He as the Judge of the universe will judge evil and the evil one and those who have followed his murderous ways. I would encourage you to read through the book of Revelation, not fearing the future, but looking for the words of encouragement and promises the Lord gives believers living in difficult days. (Rev. 21:1-8, 22:1-17, 20b-21). In Rev. 22:20 the Lord promises, "Yes, I am coming soon." John's reply to that is "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people." There is hope for us and those in Newtown who put our confidence in the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior. In 1 John 2:18-23 and 4:1-5, the apostle John warns that there will be many antichrists in the last days prior to the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In view of that we are to "not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God." (1 John 4:1) John tells us that we recognize what is of the Spirit of God by what that person or group or belief system believes about Jesus Christ. Those who are against Jesus Christ will deny that He is the one true God come in human flesh to die on the cross to make a final atonement for sin. They also do not believe that salvation is through trusting in the risen Christ and His work on the cross for our salvation. When I saw this video contrasting the Quran with what the Bible teaches it was a reminder to me of how Islam will play a major part in deceiving multitudes prior to the Lord's return. I hope it will be insightful and informative for you. It's so important that we measure everything and every belief through the grid of the Bible. Are You Hiding In The Baggage?At a difficult time in Israel's history, God raised up Samuel as a priest and
prophet to lead them. God used Samuel's prayers for Israel to deliver them from enemy armies. (1 Sam. 7) As Samuel grew old, the leaders of Israel decided they no longer wanted Samuel as their leader. They wanted a king like all the other nations (1 Sam. 8:6). Samuel delivered God's warning that a king would tax and oppress the people and they would become slaves of the king they would choose, but the people refused to listen so God gave them what they wanted. Their first king was Saul. God would annoint him and use him to deliver the Israelites. However, when it came time for Samuel to anoint Saul as king, he was no where to be found (1 Sam. 10:17-21). The Lord was consulted as to Saul's whereabouts and the LORD said, "He has hidden himself among the baggage." (1 Sam. 10:22) Even though Saul had been equipped and empowered for the task, he was hiding in fear. The emotional baggage from his past fed a disabling fear and insecurity in his life that resulted in him repeated reacting out of fear which resulted in disobedience and bondage in his life. He never became the man God wanted him to be because he was "hiding in the baggage" of his unresolved past. Are you hiding in the baggage of an unresolved past? Is there an unresolved emotional wound or sin issue that keeps you from becoming all that God intends for you to become? In Matt. 11:28-30 the Lord invites us to step out of our hiding place and come to Him with our baggage . He promises "Come unto me; all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (peace). Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find ret for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." As we celebrate our nation's independence my mind goes back to our visit to Washington D.C. and Virginia last spring. We were humbled as we visited historical sites honoring George Washington, James Madison, and many other founding fathers, as well as civil war battlefields. We were reminded of the high price they and so many have paid to make it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms we have. Our nation's founders had a profound respect for God and His Word. Their sense of "liberty and justice for all" was based upon their respect for God and His truth found in Scripture.
Sadly, we live at a time in which true liberty and justice is under attack in our nation. Many of us grew up reciting the pledge of allegiance each morning as we began our school day. It's embedded in my memory. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands , one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." There are leaders in our nation who are seeking to divide us instead of unite us , who are not respecting the God of the Bible and who are implementing policies contrary to God's truth so that we are quickly becoming a nation that is no longer a nation "under God". We are being divided and our God given liberties and freedoms are being lost and when that happens justice for all no longer will prevail. This is not a new problem. When the nation of Israel had departed from the Lord, Isaiah wrote "So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice." (Is. 59:14-15) In the next verse we read that the LORD saw and was appalled "that there was no one to intervene". He was looking for godly people to act under His direction and by His power, through whom He could work. He is looking for those who can intervene for Him today and begin making a difference where He places them. How can we intervene? May I make several suggestions? 1. Pray God will raise up men and women of courage and integrity to lead and stand for the truth no matter the cost. 2. Pray God binds the demonic powers being unleashed in our nation and that the Spirit of the LORD will raise up a standard against the enemy (Satan and his demons) through those who love and know the Lord Jesus as their Savior. 3. Pray believers in Christ will be set free from the bondage of sin and will choose to live and walk in the freedom of Christ, and experience His power and peace in their daily lives and proclaim the gospel and freedom through Christ. 4. Continue to make a difference where God has placed you by getting involved in lovingly upholding God truth and being obedient to Him in your daily life. Isaiah concludes this chapter with the promise of the Lord's return (v.20). Unltimately when He comes and establishes His Kingdom, truth, righteousness, liberty and justice will prevail. Until then we are to make a difference where we are. A couple I was working with recently went out for a walk on a nature trail in our area. After concluding their walk they realized there were a number of ticks crawling on them. They worked to rid themselves of the nasty creatures that sought to attach to them and begin sucking the blood and life out of them. The next day in a time of prayer the Lord prompted the wife with the thought that those ticks are like demons that had been oppressing her and her husband and it was time to let the Lord remove the footholds that had given the enemy room to work.
The devil and his demons are like ticks. In Eph. 4:27 we read, "Do not give the devil a foothold". In this passage Paul mentions a number of ways believers can give the enemy footholds in their lives. (Dishonesty, unresolved anger, stealing, unwholesome talk that does not edify, bitterness, brawling (unresolved conflicts that escalate), malice, sexual immorality, etc. Are you giving the devil or a demon a foothold in your life today that is allowing you to be oppressed and to have your life blood sucked out of you? If so it's time to surrender the foothold to the Lord and renounce the lies of the enemy associated with that stronghold. The Lord will help you get rid of the ticks as you yield to Him. James 1:17a - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights"
When Brenda and I were married 38 years ago today my Heavenly Father gave me a precious gift. That gift is my wife. Today a friend of our family buried her 43 year old husband after 15 years of marriage. Our hearts go out to her and her family. It's was a reminder to both of us that life is fragile and brief. It also reminded me that regardless of how many years God blesses a married couple with, it is so important to view our spouse as God's gift to us and to treat them accordingly. We want to encourage you to treasure your spouse and treasure each day God gives you together on earth to love and serve Him through your marriage. Don't forget to use these 2 communication tools to facilitate harmony and understanding in your relationship:
1. Kleenex Method of Communication - Based on Prov. 15:1 which tells us that harsh words stir up anger, but a gentle answer turns away wrath. Be sure to be gentle in your tone of voice, your words, your body languages and gestures. Using gentleness will help create an atmosphere where couples (people) can resolve their conflicts and come to mutual understanding. 2. Drive Thru Method of Communication - Based on James 1:19-20 The person who is talking gently with a kleenex in hand must make sure they are being understood. At a McDonald's the person at the drive thru shares what they are needing. The person receiving their order, listens intently, but before finalizing it, repeats it back to the person ordering for the purpose of clarification. If something is not understood, the customer has the opportunity to clarify what they said so that there is understanding between the two of them. Be sure to take the time to understand what is really being said and be careful not to jump to negative conclusions. I want to encourage you to remember these two communication tools this week. |
AuthorRoger and Brenda Daum have been involved in encouraging God's people to grow in Him and with each other since God brought them together. They celebrated their 38th wedding anniversary June 1st. Archives
June 2015
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