Praying Pint

 

 

A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends.

–Proverbs 16:28

Putting Christ first in your life means transforming your actions, attitudes, and affections to those of Jesus Christ–and that includes learning to speak like Jesus would speak. Paul gave us some insights on how to do that. In Colossians 3:8, he said we are to lay aside slander.

What is slander? To slander is to openly speak negatively about another person. In the Bible, slander is not about the truthfulness of the statement but the intent of the statement. For example, in the Old Testament, one of the Hebrew words translated as “slander” sometimes means a bad report. Joseph gave his father a “bad report” about his brothers in Genesis 37:2. He was telling the truth, but it was with the intent of hurting his brothers.

Why does the Bible warn against slander? First of all, slander is divisive. Proverbs 16:28 says, “A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends.” Nothing will divide friends, families, and churches more than public, negative communication.

Second, slander requires making judgments about other people that we are not qualified to make. When you openly criticize another person, you are saying, “I am the judge, jury, and executioner of this person’s reputation. They deserve to have their reputation destroyed.” But no human can make that judgment. James 4:11–12 says, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. . . . There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” The kind of judgment James was talking about here is a pharisaical judgment, meant to elevate your own righteousness and denigrate another person’s reputation. It’s a final condemnation against that person, saying they are beyond redemption. But only God can make that kind of judgment.

Third, slander causes irreparable damage. There’s an old folktale about a young man who went to a monk and said, “I have sinned by telling slanderous tales. What should I do?” The monk said, “Go and place a feather on every doorstep in town.” The young man did so; then he returned and asked what he should do next. The monk said, “Retrieve all the feathers.” The young man said, “That’s impossible! The wind has blown them away.” The monk replied, “So it is with slanderous words–they are impossible to retrieve.” That’s the main problem with slander: it is impossible to take back the damage that is done. If we’re going to become like Christ, we have to lay aside slander.

 

 

2Ch 7:14  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 and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Proverbs 28:13     Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Isaiah 55:6-7    “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;  let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Isaiah 63:19    We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who are not called by your name.

Psalms 79:6    Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!

Jeremiah 10:25    Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name, for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

Acts 14:16    In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

Ezekiel 18:27-30    Again, when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life.  Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.  Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?  “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.

2 Chronicles 33:12-13    And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.  He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

Leviticus 26:40-41     “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,  so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,

James 4:9-10     Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Ezekiel 33:11     Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways,

Deuteronomy 4:29-30    But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.  When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice.

Deuteronomy 30:1-6     “And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you,  and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul,  then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.

2 Chronicles 6:30    then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind,

2 Chronicles 6:39    then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you.

Isaiah 65:1    I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.

There is much to say concerning the voices shouting out various claims, lies, boasts, slander, division, promises, blame, anger, hatred, etc….. in news outlets, social media, podcasts, and the radio.

Sports, movie, and music celebrities are shouting their election opinions.  They live in a world none of us have access to. Their wealth comes from those who watch them perform and for some reason, they have a very high and elevated opinion of themselves. Their opinions are not based on Godly wisdom or honor of Jesus Christ. No, their opinion is based on worldly and fleshly pursuits of money and fame. Most live with no regard for God.   

News outlets, radio shows, and various podcasts all proclaim value in their opinions and views on the candidates. They distort what is being said, openly lie, misinform, and make predictions about the future of our country based on one or the other candidates. They promote division, anger, hatred, fear, worry, confusion, and give no thought to God. I am amazed at how many people buy into this garbage. People on both sides buy into what these people are saying. They watch and listen to these various agents of Satan and then form like-minded worldly views based on what they have heard or read.

Both sides claim they will bring some form of justice and prosperity and peace to their base all the while bashing the other side. I hear family and friends who say things that are just regurgitated views from the Satan tools speaking. these are not the views of someone who is thinking with a clear bible-focused, God-honoring, God-glorifying, God-trusting, God-reliant, God-obeying, and God-following mind.

What is it that people seek after? Peace, joy, kindness, hope, love, gentleness, justice, prosperity, and fruit of their labors.  Void of God’s Word people will seek to find these in their elected president and congress, both federal and state. They believe with the right person or party in office all of these will manifest in this country, state, and their lives. Imagine the foolishness of believing any candidate can bring about what they desperately seek.

It is hard for me to understand how Christians can be so misled, and misinformed, and not see the worldly (satan) influences at work. Scripture is very clear. God will not honor or bless a country that does not honor and glorify Him alone. When you take this one step deeper, He will not honor or bless a person who does not honor and glorify Him. Hanging hopes on candidates for that which only God can provide is not God-honoring or God-glorifying.

What if God’s plans were to allow the continued moral decline in our country and allow those who reject Him to experience the fullness of their rejection? What if God’s plans were to test the faith of Christians in and through this moral decline? What if God’s plans were to take us to a place of despair where our eyes would look up for the return of Jesus? What if God’s plans were to bring about a revival through this moral decline? What if God’s plans were to open the eyes of the lost to the foolishness of their ways?

I must confess that I get caught up in what is being said and proclaimed and promised in various News outlets. Praise be to God, He has sent His Holy Spirit to discern these wayward thoughts and keep my eyes focused on Him. We do well to confess our wayward focus, repent of it, and open our hearts and minds to the leading of the Holy Spirit in God-honoring and God-glorifying praise, worship, trust, reliance, and obedience. Nothing this world has to offer can compare to the love, grace, and mercy of God and the blessings of knowing the forgiveness of our sins, salvation, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Whatever God’s plans are, they are right, true, and just, and will bring about His plans and purposes.

 

 

Contrary to what many in our land cannot, will not, and fanatically refuse to admit, Christianity has always informed what it means to be an American.

Our first president, George Washington, set the standard and tone of America—a nation under God. Washington’s prayer journal from April 30, 1789, reads: “O most glorious God, direct my thoughts, words, and work, wash away my sin in the immaculate blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit, daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ whom You gave to die for me and hast given me the assurance of my salvation.”

We are a nation of individuals whose roots spread around the world. We might hail from Italy, Argentina, or Africa, but by taking this nation as our own, we agree to unite as Americans around the understanding and vision of equality and liberty found in the Bible.

 

In the early 1900’s President Theodore Roosevelt agreed, “In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is first predicated upon the person’s becoming, in every facet, an American. There can be no divided allegiance here.”

 

United we can stand, but a divided America is sure to fall. May we again be one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

 

 

• “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’” (John 11:25–26).
• “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. … I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1:21, 23).
• “He [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, ESV).

If you are walking through a time of grief, you know the agony of what it’s like to have a broken heart and to feel waves of despair wash over you. Grieving the loss of a loved one is a journey that each person must walk through individually, but God has promised to walk with you one step at a time.

Cycle of Healing

Grief and bereavement often come in waves of sorrow that recede only as the cycles of healing are allowed to occur. The following are all natural elements of the grieving and healing process.

• Initial shock of death: that intense emotional impact which sometimes leaves a feeling of emotional paralysis.
• Emotional release: a time often characterized by weeping.
• Loneliness and depression: a sense of loss, often related to the degree of dependence on the person who died.
• Guilt: a feeling characterized by second-guessing—“I could have done more” or “I should have done something differently.”
• Anger, hostility: asking “Why did God let him die?” “Why didn’t God answer my prayer?” or even, “Why didn’t she choose to live?”
• Depression: an overwhelming sense of apathy and a reluctance to pursue life’s activities. “I can’t get on with life” or “I don’t want to.”
• Discovering and processing the loss: realizing the many roles the person had in your life that may become evident only over time.
• Thankfulness: appreciating the good memories, the good gift that his or her life was.
• Gradual return to hope: a sense that life will go on. “I will be able to cope.” “God is helping me.” “I am not alone.” “She is better off now.”
• Return to normalcy: choosing to live the next chapter of life. This is not forgetting, but accepting.

A Universal Experience

It is healthy to mourn and grieve. God wants to bear our heartaches and losses with us and give us His comfort, hope, and encouragement.

If you know Jesus Christ and are trusting Him with your life, you can know that He will carry you through your grief. Trusting in Him means:

• We will live eternally though we die physically (John 11:25–26).
• We have everlasting life (John 3:16).
• We have a place assured in Heaven (John 14:1–6).
• We will take part in the bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51–52). And there will be a glorious reunion someday between us and other believers whom we hold dear.

Moving Forward for One Who Is Grieving

• If you have never explored what it means to find the deep satisfaction and purpose in a relationship with Jesus, do so now. If you have already turned your life over to Jesus Christ, make your relationship with Him primary in your life.
• Allow yourself to experience the grief and the cycle of healing.
• Recognize Christ as your constant companion. Look to Him for true comfort and peace in your life.
• Be honest about how you feel. You may express feelings of guilt, anger, confusion, or despair.
• Have a thankful heart for the years of love shared during the life of your loved one. Believe in the promise of eternal life to come.
• Reach out to help others who are hurting. This can be great therapy and will help you learn to live fully again.

Helping Grieving People

Many times well-meaning Christians feel the need to be a “cheerleader” to a grieving person or to say something spiritually profound. Instead of needing to have an answer for everything, we need to admit that we do not fully understand God and His ways.

If the person grieving seems overwhelmed with loss, help him or her to develop a support system. One’s energy levels and ability to plan ahead will often be sporadic. Re-establishing old contacts or hobbies, involvement in a church that lifts up Jesus and His Word, and participation in a grief support group can do a great deal to fill the empty places in a person’s life. In addition, encourage the grieving person to read the Bible daily.

If grieving people express guilt over some aspect of the loss, encourage them to not second-guess their situation. They need to take their regrets to the Lord. Remind them of God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). They should confess anything they feel necessary to confess to God, and then let it go.

Moving Forward to Help Someone Grieving

• Pray for him or her. Ask to do this when you are together. Do it privately as well.
• Encourage the grieving person to seek God. If this is a new concept for him or her, begin a routine together through Bible study and prayer.
• Encourage the person to maintain or develop a support system in a Christian community.
• Listen and be present in the person’s daily life.
• Do not avoid saying the name of the person who died, do not avoid bringing up memories, and do not be afraid of tears.
• If there are practical things that need to be done, such as writing a résumé or selling a home, help him or her to get started working toward that goal.
• Note the date of death. For the next several months, on that day of the month, let the person know you remember.
• Prepare a list of Scriptures that pertain to the person’s situation. (Consider Psalms 23, 25, 27, 71, and 91.)

 

The Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

–Psalm 84:11

Yesterday, I shared two principles for dealing decisively with sin in your life. Number one: refuse to allow immoral thoughts to take residence in your mind. Number two: amputate any immoral activity in your life. Let me close out our study this week with two final principles.

Number three: visualize the consequences of immoral behavior. My dad had an interesting habit: he posted newspaper clippings about politicians, religious leaders, and movie stars who had fallen into sin on the side of the refrigerator. As kids, we called it Dad’s Wall of Shame. It was the first thing we saw every time we walked into the kitchen. You might think that’s bizarre, but in a way, it was healthy for us to be reminded of the consequences of violating God’s rules.

Paul also reminded us in Colossians 3:6, “It is because of these things [immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed] that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.” In the Bible, the term “wrath of God” primarily refers to God’s judgment against unbelievers. If you’re a Christian, you don’t have to worry about God’s wrath, but you do have to worry about His discipline. Hebrews 12:6 says, “Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” God loves you too much to allow you to continue in sin without severe and painful consequences. If you’re involved in immorality and you haven’t experienced God’s discipline, it’s because He’s giving you one last chance to repent. Remember the consequences of disobedience.

Number four: learn to be content with God’s provision in every area of your life. Wanting something more or different than what God has planned for you is the root of every other sin. So it makes sense that the antidote to those sins would be contentment with God’s provision. In 1 Timothy 6:6, Paul wrote, “Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” Friend, as long as you are living obediently, God will give you everything you need for a satisfying life. Psalm 84:11 says, “The Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

Your job, bank account, home, family, and marital status are all part of God’s good and loving provision for your life. To want something more or different than what you have right now is to say, “God, I can’t trust You to give me what I really need.” Learn to be content with what God has provided for you.

 

 

Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

–Proverbs 6:27

How do we deal decisively with sin in our lives? What do we do if immorality, impurity, evil desires, or greed have taken root? Today and tomorrow, I’m going to share with you four practical principles for dealing decisively with sin.

Number one: refuse to allow immoral thoughts to take up residence in your mind. Imagine you’re awakened at night by somebody pounding on your front door. You stumble out of bed and look through the peephole. If you don’t recognize the person, you’re not about to open the door, are you?

You can’t control who knocks on your door, but you can control whether you invite them in. In the same way, you can’t always control the thoughts that come into your mind, but you can control how you respond to those thoughts: you can invite them to stay, or you can “[take] every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Don’t let immoral thoughts take up residence in your mind; instead, confront wrong thoughts with the truth of God’s Word and dismiss them.

Number two: amputate any immoral activity in your life. In Matthew 5:29–30, Jesus said, “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you. . . . If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” Imagine that your arm is mangled in a car accident, and infection has set in. The doctor says, “Either we amputate your arm, or you’re going to die.” You hate to lose the arm, but it’s better than losing your life. Jesus was saying it’s better to cut immoral activity out of your life, no matter how painful or inconvenient it is to do so, than to experience the consequences of sin.

Are there magazines, television programs, or websites that incite lust in your mind? You need to cut those things out of your life. Is something or someone at your job tempting you to sin? It would be better to quit your job than to fall into immorality. Are you in a relationship that is leading you in a dangerous direction? No matter how painful it is, you need to end that relationship. Proverbs 6:27 says, “Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?” If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. That’s why Jesus said you need to cut any immoral activity out of your life.