Hidden Dangers

Matt 13:24-26 (New International Version)

"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared."

Along the European coastal community after World War II, there is a warning about the dangers of picking up objects in the dunes. Although the dunes had been thoroughly combed for explosive devises, every once in a while you will hear horrible stories about children who picked up what they thought was a toy, only to trigger a deadly explosion. As a result, there were signs posted everywhere warning of the danger, planted by the enemy hand, that potentially lurked in the quiet dunes.

Even today, landmine damages still occurs, especially in countries such as Colombia, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Angola, India, Cambodia and many others, for a total of 117 countries in all! In fact between 1999 and 2010, more than 82,000 people have been killed or incapacitated by landmines!

The enemy is actively at work. Take, for example, the Khmer Rouge. In the mid-70s they took children as young as five and trained them to camouflage and set landmines in Cambodia.

The only purpose of these landmines is to bring devastation and discouragement among the people of certain countries. Not only do they kill and maim civilians and soldiers alike, they also cripple the livelihood of many farmers who can't earn income due to the fact that their fields have been mined.

We need to remember that the evil one is exactly the same. His purpose for our lives is "to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10), or in other words, to completely discourage us. He, too, has laid landmines, not in fields or lakes, but in the very core of the church itself.

  

What better way to discourage Christians than to sow seeds of discord among them! Some of these seeds specialize in promoting salvation by works, which will only lead to total disheartenment because we will never truly measure up. Others specialize in criticism or in Luke warmness, and other tools of discouragement. As a result, it is often our fellow-churchgoers who lead us to believe that we cannot be forgiven. If believers cannot encourage one another, what good is religion?

What we tend to forget, however, is that Christianity is not about religion. Instead, it's about us being in a relationship with our Maker and Savior! Jesus is the One who came to earth to save us, not the other way around. He is the One who paid the price so that we could experience real life, forgiveness and eternity with Him!

Sooner or later someone will notice: "Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?" (Matt 13:27 NIV)

The answer is clear: "An enemy did this" (Matt 13:28 NIV)

Discouragement never comes from God, for our God is a God of love and encouragement: "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry …" (Ps 10:17 NIV)

Naturally when we find out that the enemy is the source of strife among us, we will wonder: "Do you want us to go and pull them up?" (Matt 13:28 NIV)

God's answer though is clear: "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'" (Matt 13:29-30 NIV)

It's not for us to discern who is a child of God and who is not. This is not our worry. God will deal with these "weeds" among us. We are to shine like Jesus did, we are to love anyone around us, without exception, just like Jesus did: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34 NIV)

Dear Lord we pray that we wouldn’t let the mines that Satan plants discourage us. We pray that we would stand strong against the schemes of the devil. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Lessons From the Dandelions

1 John 1:9 (NASB)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Aren't dandelions a bright pretty flower in the springtime? They tell us that spring has arrived. Children love bringing bouquets of them to their mothers, and mothers are delighted with the thoughtfulness of their children.

If left unattended, though, dandelions can cover the whole lawn and spread very quickly throughout the neighborhood via thousands of blown seeds. Once there was a lady that attacked her dandelion problem. Rather than use chemicals, she chose to dig out each root. Morning and night, she was out there digging and digging. It took her most of the summer to complete her task. The next spring, there were no dandelions to be seen in her yard. It was beautiful.

In our lives, sometimes sin creeps in -- like the dandelions in our yards. If left unattended, sin spreads -- like the dandelions. God is so willing to forgive us and get rid of the sin, if only we will confess our sin to Him. Will we sin again? Of course! Every time God reveals sin in our hearts to us, He is waiting to forgive us and cleanse us, to get rid of that sin. It is a life-long process -- just like my neighbor digging the dandelions from her lawn.

Dear Lord we pray that you will reveal to us the things in our hearts that make You sad. We do indeed want our hearts to be cleansed. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Climate of Forgiveness.

Colossians 3:13 (New International Version)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

In his tape Living Faith (Random House Audio Books, 1996), President Jimmy Carter shares that forgiveness is fundamental to his life. He says that without the knowledge that he can be forgiven, it would be impossible for him to face his own shortcomings. This even includes forgiveness of himself.

He relates that both he and his wife, Rosalynn, are "strong-willed" persons who find it difficult to admit being at fault.

One day, after a particularly disturbing argument, Carter decided that he would never let another day end with each of them angry with the other. So he went out to his wood shop and cut a thin piece of walnut, a little smaller than a bank check. On it, he carved the words, "Each evening forever this is good for an apology or forgiveness, as you desire." That evening, he gave the plaque to Rosalynn. He reports that, so far, he has been able to honor it each time Rosalyn has presented it to him.

With his plaque, Carter created a climate of forgiveness between the two of them. Without the knowledge that we will be forgiven, how quickly will we admit our own faults? And how can our closest relationships be healthy if we are each afraid to apologize or unwilling to accept an apology? A climate of forgiveness is a necessary part of happiness.

Dear Lord we pray that we would have a forgiving heart today. Help us be the one to create a climate of forgiveness around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Forgiveness Equals Peace.

Mark 11:25 (New International Version)

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Photographer Nick Ut received a Pulitzer Prize for a dramatic war-time picture taken in Viet Nam. You may remember seeing it. The picture shows a little girl in agony walking naked down a country road amongst other weeping children. Dark smoke hangs heavily in the sky behind the fleeing group. The child's arms are painfully outstretched and her face is contorted in an expression of terror and misery. A Napalm bomb, dropped on her village, seared off the little girl's clothing and severely burned her skin.

The date is June 8, 1972. The child, Kim Phuc, was carried by Nick to a truck and transported to an area hospital. She cried over and over, "Non'g Qu'a. Non'g Qu'a," which means "Too hot! Too hot!"

Kim hovered between life and death. She required 17 different surgical operations and months of rehabilitation. Today, she lives in Canada and has become an important spokesperson on issues of peace. "Pain never disappears," Kim says. "You just learn how to deal with it."

In 1996 she was asked to say a few words at the Viet Nam War Memorial in Washington D.C. Kim talked about forgiving those people who were responsible for all the misery and suffering inflicted that tragic day. She said, "Even if I could talk face to face with the pilot who dropped the bombs, I would tell him we cannot change history but we should try to do good things for the present and for the future to promote peace." It was a message of forgiveness. She knew that her acts of reconciliation were the bricks that could pave the only true road to peace.

Kim could easily spend the rest of her life blaming others for her suffering. She could have grown up a bitter and resentful woman. Instead, she made a courageous choice - a choice for peace.

It's a choice none of us can escape.

Dear Lord we pray that we would be forgiving to those around us. We thank You that when we don't hold a grudge we can have peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

He Has Signed the Check.

1 Peter 2:24 (New International Version)

 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

A beggar stopped a lawyer on the street in a large southern city and asked him for a quarter. Taking a long, hard look into the man's unshaven face, the attorney asked, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" "You should," came the reply. "I'm your former classmate. Remember, second floor, old Main Hall?"

"Why Sam, of course I know you!" Without further question the lawyer wrote a check for $10,000. "Here, take this and get a new start. I don't care what's happened in the past, it's the future that counts." And with that he hurried on. Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he walked to a bank nearby. Stopping at the door, he saw through the glass well-dressed tellers and the spotlessly clean interior. Then he looked at his filthy rags. "They won't take this from ME! They'll swear that I forged it," he muttered as he turned away.

The next day the two men met again. "Why Sam, what did you do with my check? Gamble it away? Drink it up?" "No," said the beggar as he pulled it out of his dirty shirt pocket and told why he hadn't cashed it. "Listen, friend," said the lawyer.... "What makes that check good is not YOUR clothes or appearance, but MY signature. Go on, cash it!"

Isaiah described the sinful condition of man in a very descriptive and truthful way: "ALL of us have become like one who is unclean, and ALL our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we ALL shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away" (Isaiah 64:6).

The Good News is... that Jesus has “written a check” to cover our debt of SIN. The payment for OUR SIN cost Jesus HIS LIFE. He bore our sins in His own body on the cross, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness. We can be healed of our sinful condition because He PAID THE PRICE for sin (1 Peter 2:24).

As we look at OUR filthy rags, however, we may feel unworthy of “cashing the check.” Ashamed at our fruitless attempts to live the way that we should, we don’t feel like we deserve a fresh start. That’s the beauty of grace: we DON'T deserve it, BUT because of His love and mercy, God wants to give us a NEW BEGINNING. We will NEVER be able to earn this new life; we must simply “cash the check.”

What makes God’s “check” of salvation good is not YOUR clothes or appearance, but HIS signature, written with the cleansing BLOOD of Jesus!

To “cash” God’s check of salvation... we must place our faith in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of our sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38), AND dedicate the rest of our lives to faithful obedience to His will (1 John 1:7).

Dear Lord we thank You for signing the check. We pray that we would completely keep our trust in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are Questioning the Ability of the Blood of Jesus?

Ephesians 1:7 (New International Version)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.

It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son.

The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.

The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this:

" My fiancée's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?"

The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus....end of case!!!

Dear Lord We thank You for Your blood that has taken away all of our sins. We pray that we would not judge other but that we would forgive like You have forgiven us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bound to Forgive

Matthew 6:14-15 (New International Version)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Writer Norman Cousins said that life is an adventure in forgiveness. I think Fr. Lawrence Martin Jenco would agree.

In 1984, Fr. Jenco traveled to Beirut, dedicated to help the poorest of the poor. On January 8, 1985, he was kidnapped by Shiite Muslim extremists and held hostage for 564 days. He endured imprisonment, beatings, illness and heartbreaking periods of sorrow and loneliness. Several years after his release, he wrote a book (BOUND TO FORGIVE, Ave Maria Press, 1995) about his experiences in captivity and, more importantly, about the power of love and forgiveness.

Fr. Jenco tells about being taped like a mummy from his ankles to the top of his head each time he was transported from one place to another. He described being forced to breathe only from his nose as his mouth was stuffed with a cloth and taped shut.

He tells of times when his captors said they were going to kill him and he waited for the bullet to go through his head. Other times he was dressed up and told he was going home, only to have his spirits dashed when he was later informed they were just kidding.

He remembers being chained hand and foot, donning a plastic bag on his head, and left in a two-foot by six-foot closet. And he remembers his stench when he was denied washing for over four months.

He was later asked what lesson those of us who haven't been in such a position can learn from his experience and apply to our daily living. He said, "Just look at the madness that goes on in the world today. We lug our hates and our bigotry and prejudices from generation to generation and we pass [them] on.... We [must] stop and look at each other and say, 'I am so sorry for the hurt I caused you. I ask your forgiveness.' And then [we must] extend forgiveness and...receive forgiveness. Somewhere along the line we are going to have to do that. We're all bound to forgive."

Fr. Jenco has forgiven and can attest to the power of forgiveness. And though our hurt may not be the same as his, it is no less real. We, too, are "bound" to forgive. For when we covenant with life to earnestly forgive whatever hurts come our way, we see amazing results. We find inner peace and, often, improved physical health as well. As Dr. O. A. Battista says, "One of the most lasting pleasures you can experience is the feeling that comes over you when you genuinely forgive an enemy -- whether he knows it or not."

Genuine forgiveness is crucial if we are to be at peace. Whether or not it restores a broken relationship, it sets our own hearts free. Those who will be bound by the promise to sincerely forgive, will be freed from the bonds of the past. Bound by love, they are bound...to be happy.

Dear Lord we pray that we would be forgiving. Help us not hold grudges with those around us. We pray that we would show Your love in the way we respond to those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.