Holy Spirit speaks for us

Romans 8:26-27 (NLT)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

In these verses the apostle tells us how the Holy Spirit speaks out for us on our behalf. There are times when life is so frustrating or when we are so confused about life -- we don’t even know where to start with our prayers to God. So in our silence the Holy Spirit prays for us in ways that cannot even be expressed. The Holy Spirit pleads on our behalf for those good things that are in accordance with the will of God.

 

 

In Max Lucado’s, Cure for the Common Life (Thomas Nelson, 2008), pp. 69-70, he writes --The bank sent me an overdraft notice on the checking account of one of my daughters. I encourage my college-age girls to monitor their accounts. Even so, they sometimes overspend. What should I do? Send her an angry letter? Admonition might help her later, but it won't satisfy the bank. Phone and tell her to make a deposit? Might as well tell a fish to fly. I know her liquidity. Zero. Transfer the money from my account to hers? Seemed to be the best option. After all, I had $25.37. I could replenish her account and pay the overdraft fee as well. Since she calls me Dad, I did what dads do. I covered my daughter's mistake. When I told her she was overdrawn, she said she was sorry. Still, she offered no deposit. She was broke. She had one option, "Dad, could you…" "Honey," I interrupted, "I already have." I met her need before she knew she had one. Long before you knew you needed grace, your Father did the same. He made an ample deposit. Before you knew you needed a Savior, you had one. And when you ask him for mercy, he answers, "Dear child. I've already given it."

God is listening and watching out for his children. God responds to our needs often before we even become aware of what we need. Romans 5:8, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners". Many of us didn’t realize the sins of our life, but God did and God covered the debt for us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus our advocate

1 John 2:1 (NLT)
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

The apostle John writes to encourage us against sin, yet if we do sin we have an advocate who pleads for us. Matthew Henry in his commentary writes, “We have an Advocate. The original name is sometimes given to the Holy Ghost, and then it is rendered, the Comforter. He acts within us; he puts pleas and arguments into our hearts and mouths; and so is our advocate, by teaching us to intercede for ourselves. But here is an advocate without us, in heaven and with the Father. The proper office and business of an advocate is with the judge; with him he pleads the client’s cause. The Judge with whom our advocate pleads is the Father, his Father and ours. He who was our Judge in the legal court (the court of the violated law) is our Father in the gospel court, the court of heaven and of grace. His throne or tribunal is the mercy-seat. And he that is our Father is also our Judge, the supreme arbitrator of our state and circumstances, either for life or death, for time or eternity.

 

Yesterday I sat in traffic court along with many other people to face a traffic ticket I had been issued. Most people were representing themselves, but I was blessed to be represented by an attorney.  As the judge called each name every individual had to stand and proclaim their innocence or guilt. If the judge asked questions they had to respond. Some were taken off guard as the judge questioned their innocence and they had a difficult time answering.  When my name was called the attorney, my advocate, stood up for me. The attorney explained the circumstances and made the appropriate legal pleas to the judge.

In heaven Jesus Christ is our advocate. When Satan hurls charges against us towards God—Jesus stands up to defend us. Jesus speaks on our behalf to God the Father and pleads our defense. If judgment demands a price to be paid Jesus steps forward and says, “I have already paid the price for their sin.” Case ended, nothing else need be said. Jesus is our savior, our redeemer, our hope, our advocate, and the defender of our soul. Give praise to Jesus for all He has done in your life.

Loving God

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NLT)
5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This verse tells us our primary duty to God. We are to love God with all our heart. In Hebrew the word “leab” is used for heart and it means we are to love from our most inward part, our conscience, our mind, our will and our understanding.  In Hebrew the word soul is “nephesh” meaning our life that breathes, contains desires, and is the seat of our appetites, the seat of our emotions and passions.  Finally there is our strength or might, which is “m@’od” in Hebrew. We are to love God with all our might in abundance, to a great degree, and exceedingly.

Robert Chesebrough believed in his product. He's the fellow who invented Vaseline, a petroleum jelly refined from rod wax, the ooze that forms on shafts of oil rigs. He so believed in the healing properties of his product that he became his own guinea pig. He burned himself with acid and flame; he cut and scratched himself so often and so deeply that he bore the scars of his tests the rest of his life. But he proved his product worked. People had only to look at his wounds, now healed, to see the value of his work--and the extent of his belief. -- [Ralph Walker, Concord, North Carolina. Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 1.]

Robert Chesebrough had extreme faith in his product and went to great depths to demonstrate his belief and faith. What if we put the same effort in our belief and faith of God and Christ? What if we bore Christ’s scars by our love for Him? We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength. Let us show our love for God by living for Him, demonstrating His love for others and giving our life to Him.

Troubles are an opportunity

James 1:2-4 (NLT)
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Here the half-brother of Jesus writes to Christians saying we should consider it an opportunity when we face difficulties in life. For when we face those difficulties our endurance is developed, perfected and completed.

Dustin Armstrong writes in “My Faith is My Witness”, Ignite Your Faith (June/July 2006) pg8 - Before I decided to live for Christ, I'd party with friends. As a guy who wanted to be a "cool and popular jock," I thought it was the thing to do. I'd drink, act stupid, and end up making a fool of myself. But I didn't care, because I was popular and one of my school's top athletes. As for God, I thought he was for weak people. If Christians tried to tell me about Jesus, I'd make fun of them. I thought Christians who always talked about God were crazy. Then something happened my sophomore year that changed everything.

My little sister Ashley, who was a freshman at the time, was riding in a car driven by one of her friends. Worried about getting home late, Ashley's friend started speeding. The car hit a rough railroad track and flipped over. Ashley soon lay in a hospital on life support, in a coma, very close to death.

At first, I was angry with God for what happened to my sister. I shouted to heaven, "If you are who you say you are, how could you let this happen?!" As angry as I was at God, I began to think about how much I really loved my family. It wasn't like I hadn't cared about them before, but all the pain—all those trips to the hospital and all those times we cried together—just began to bring us much closer together. My family suddenly seemed more important than anything else in the whole world.

Even though my sister managed to survive, we were told her brain injury was so severe she'd probably never walk or talk again. But in the months that followed the accident, I helped coach her along as she struggled to stand, and then, eventually, take a few tiny steps. I also listened in amazement as she began to put words together and form sentences. Slowly, very slowly, she was getting better. And slowly, very slowly, I was starting to change.

Along with realizing how important my family was to me, I also thought a lot about God and his place in everything that had happened. Instead of blaming him for it all, I began to thank him for my sister's life and for my whole family. I also began to see that all those things I'd lived for—like partying and acceptance by the popular crowd—weren't really important. Even sports no longer seemed as important as they used to.

Instead, I started going to youth group and really enjoying it. I liked having conversations with my friends about God and Christianity. I wanted to know as much as I could about following God. During my junior year, I committed my life to Christ. ------

Justin was pulled to God and Christ through a hardship in his life. He found strength in God. What he thought was important faded and suddenly what had seemed weak and crazy became his desire. God can pull you through the rough moments of life and make you stronger if you will just let Him just like He did for Justin.

Let love reach out to you

Proverbs 27:5 (NLT)

5 An open rebuke is better than hidden love!

It is good for us to be told of our faults and what we can do to better ourselves. One may think it is love to keep secret a sin that a friend commits, but it better the sin to be pointed out in love so the wrong might be made right. Love should not be hidden, but should be like a light revealing that which is wrong, while providing comfort and security.

 

 A single man in our congregation was behaving inappropriately toward women. He badgered some women with unwanted phone calls. His conversations were reportedly marked with sexual suggestiveness. The situation required rebuke, and, if that was not effective, discipline. I asked this man to meet with me.

"I have been made aware," I said, that a number of women in our congregation are offended, some quite angered by things you have been doing. Let me be specific. You have raised inappropriate sexual subjects in conversation. There have been women who have reported that you have phoned them in a manner that they consider harassment. I'll be glad to give specific examples if you feel you need them."

The man cautiously admitted that there was substantial truth to the reports. Then I went on.

"I want you to hear me very carefully so there is no misunderstanding between us. I have thought about this for several days. I have asked God to give me wisdom, and I want to speak in Christian love and respect to you.

"But I want you to know that I am one who has a responsibility for the spiritual leadership of this congregation. Your behavior has been unacceptable according to Scripture and according to the covenantal life of this church. People have been hurt, and you have lost your credibility in their eyes.

"Christian men do not, as they say, 'hit' on women. They treat them with respect and honor. And if you do not understand how this is done, I will be happy to team you up with a man who can provide instruction for you.

"If there is one more instance of inappropriate behavior of this kind, I will immediately bring your name before the board of elders and ask them to put you under discipline. Have I made myself clear?"

The man assured me that he understood. I concluded our meeting with prayer, acknowledging God's presence in the conversation.

Later he took me up on my offer to connect him with a mature man who could provide guidance that he clearly had not received from other sources. I never got another adverse report about him again.

[Gordon MacDonald is editor-at-large of Leadership and chair of World Relief.]
 

The key sentence above was “I have asked God to give me wisdom, and I want to speak in Christian love and respect to you.” When we deal with the issues of others we must do it in wisdom and love. We are not there to hurt or offend, but instead teach and educate the person about their wrong. In love we guide in the right direction that they may no longer sin. If there are any of you struggling with sin ask someone you trust to hold you accountable so that love can reach out to you!

Follow His ways of goodness

Proverbs 24:12 (NLT)
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

In this proverb we are told ignorance is no excuse for not understanding what we should do. It goes on further to say God sees your every action and understands the intent of your heart. God who guards your soul knows you knew. We are told God renders to every man according to his works, not only the commission of evil works, but the omission of good works.

 

What are the first words you will probably hear if you get caught for speeding and then say, “I didn’t know the speed limit.“ We have heard the response many times on TV, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” If we are not sure what the speed limit should be there are rules we can apply and even then we should make an attempt to find out the speed limit.

When Christ died on the cross a new covenant was established. Christ paid for all the sins of the world through His death therefore justifying us before God. Still it is our duty to avoid that which is wrong and do that which is good. Hebrews 10:16 says, “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” There is no excuse for the ignorance of God’s laws for they have been places on our hearts and minds.

Most of us know when things are right and wrong. There is usually a still quiet voice speaking to us. Listen to God’s voice as He speaks to your heart and follow His ways of goodness.

Search for what should be normal.

1 Samuel 25:40-44 (NLT)
40 When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, “David has sent us to take you back to marry him.” 41 She bowed low to the ground and responded, “I, your servant, would be happy to marry David. I would even be willing to become a slave, washing the feet of his servants!” 42 Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife. 43 David also married Ahinoam from Jezreel, making both of them his wives. 44 Saul, meanwhile, had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to a man from Gallim named Palti son of Laish.

These verses follow a confrontation with Nabal, Abigail’s husband. David’s men need supplies as they were on the run from Saul’s army. Nabal rejected David’s request for aid and insulted David. In his anger David was ready to put Nabal to death, but Abigail interceded by taking supplies to the men. David thankful spared Nabal. When Abigail told Nabal of his near fate he had a stroke and died several days later. In the verses above David decides to take Abigail as his wife, along with one of her servants, Ahinoam as a second wife. In the meantime Saul, David’s father-in-law had given David’s first wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, who loved David, to Palti son of Laish.

 

Anyone reading the story of King David’s life would think they were following a soup opera. So far we have David on the run. David’s first wife has been given to another man because David abandoned her. David marries not only the woman who helped him, but also her servant. And we haven’t even gotten to the story of Bathsheba or the rape of David’s daughter by one of his sons. You can pretty much say David had lived a very dysfunctional life.

The sad part is the dysfunction carried over into the life of King Solomon, David’s son. King Solomon had over 600 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon followed much of the same pattern as his father taking on new wives and allowing himself to be led away from God. Many today might see this as an addiction, since their uncontrolled behaviors had serious consequences.

In today’s world, the reliable figures for the number of diagnosed sex addicts are difficult to come by, but the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health, an education and sex-addiction treatment organization, estimates that between 3 and 5 percent of the U.S. population—or more than 9 million people—could meet the criteria for addiction. Some 1,500 sex therapists treating compulsive behavior are practicing today, up from fewer than 100 a decade ago, say several researchers and clinicians, while dozens of rehabilitation centers now advertise treatment programs, up from just five or six in the same period.

Unfortunately many dysfunctions get passed down from generation to generation until someone decides they need to end the family problems. You may not even realize your family has dysfunctional issues until you talk to someone outside the family. Often people think what they are dealing with is normal. They may think abusive actions are normal. They may think alcoholism is normal. They may think addiction like gambling, sex, and drugs are normal. The problem is they are NOT NORMAL, but they person thinks they are normal because that is how they lived within the family.

Pray God would let you see areas in your family’s life that could be improved and changed. Pray God would show you a route of escape and a hope for the future. Pray God would bestow his love, mercy and grace upon you and your family. Search for what should be normal.

Where are you looking for joy and pleasure?

Psalm 16:11 (NLT)

11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 16 is a psalm of thanksgiving penned to review the many generous times God delivered him from troublesome times. David gives thanks to God for all He has done. In verse 11 above David says God will show him the way of life. It will be God who grants him joy when he is near God. And most important David says the true pleasures of living are found within God for eternity, not just for the moment, not just for today, not for tomorrow – BUT ALWAYS.

Many of you remember Pat Summerall, a well-known sports announcer and spokesman for Timex watches. What you might not know is Pat struggled with alcoholism. In his book, Summerall: On and Off the Air by Pat Summerall (Oct 14, 2008), Summerall gives us some insight into his life. ““The intervention really opened my eyes about what life is all about, who was accountable and who wasn’t.” “Where the advice or the message or wherever the consideration, the choices that I made, who told me what was right and who told me what was wrong; I finally discovered that there was a higher power.”

His real understanding came “When I was at the Betty Ford Clinic there were two books you could read,” remembers Summerall.  “One was the Holy Bible and the other was Alcoholic Anonymous Bible – every chapter is about a drunk in the AA Bible.  So, I started reading the Holy Bible, started in Genesis.  The more I read, the more inquisitive I got, the more I wanted to know about the Bible and what it was all about.  It gave my conscious information about making the right choice.  And when I got out I never had a craving.  I have never had another desire to have another drink.”

Summerall found Christ and requested to be baptized at the age of 64. “It was such a magnificent feeling,” smiles Summerall.  “After the baptism I felt so clean I knew what people were talking about when they talk about being born again.  I had that feeling. I had a feeling of peace.  I felt smarter, lighter, quicker; it was a feeling like I’ve never had before.”

From Psalm 16:11 we understand God is the true source of our joy and our pleasure. When we look for joy and pleasure in other things, such as alcohol, drugs or sex -- all we are going to find is disappointment, misery and painful life experiences. We need to put aside all foolishness and turn to God first to meet all of our needs. Thankfully Pat Summerall found out before it was too late. Alcohol had damaged his liver and he was within 18 hours of dying when they told him they found a donor. “Eighteen hours they told me I had,” says Summerall, shaking his head in disbelief.  “But now I have a new life.  That’s why I decided to write the book.”

Where are you looking for your joy and pleasure because you may want to reconsider your choice? There is no one like God and Christ!!

The way they should go

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

This proverb speaks to parents, guardians and instructors of children about the propagation of wisdom that it might not be left only to past generations. The proverb says to train children in the way they should go, not the way they might be tempted to go. With good impressions left upon them hopefully the child as an adult will follow the wisdom given to them that they may discern and choose the correct paths of life.

There was a family in the San Francisco Bay area that grew up with that kind of commitment [stated in Proverbs 22:6]. The son's name was David Kraft. His father was a pastor, a godly pastor in the South Bay. David Kraft grew up with a father who constantly remembered God's faithfulness in the past so that David might trust in God in all of his tomorrows. David grew up in love with Jesus, and he felt the call of God into the pastoral ministry. He went to Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary. David was a big, athletic young man. At the age of 32, he was six feet two inches tall and weighed two hundred pounds. He worked with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. That dear young man was diagnosed as having cancer. It wracked his body, and, over a period of time, he dropped from two hundred pounds in weight to eighty pounds. When he was about ready to pass from this life into eternity, he asked his father to come into his hospital room. Lying there in the bed, he looked up and said, "Dad, do you remember when I was a little boy, how you used to just hold me in your arms close to your chest?" David's father nodded. Then David said, "Do you think, Dad, you could do that one more time? One last time?" Again his father nodded. He bent down to pick up his 32-year-old six-foot two-inch, eighty-pound son, and held him close to his chest so the son's face was right next to the father's face. They were eyeball to eyeball. Tears were streaming down both faces. The son said simply to the father, "Thank you for building the kind of character into my life that can enable me to face even a moment like this." ["Introducing Christ to Your Child," Preaching Today, Tape No. 92.]

We hope we never have to face what David’s father had to face, but at least he had given his son a gift to face life no matter how harsh it might be. David’s father gave him hope of an eternal life. David’s father had taught David that when he needed his father he would be there to hold and comfort him.

It is comforting to know we have a Father in heaven that passes his wisdom to us. Our Father in Heaven is always available to guide us and show us the right way to go. Our Eternal God is always present with us, comforting us and keeping us close to Him.

Share your love of God with your children. Let them see how you depend upon God. Let them see the wisdom God brings into your life. Let God be a part of your family, providing wisdom so you can train up your child in the way they should go.

The tool of discouragement

Psalm 73:21-26 (NLT)

21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

This is a psalm of Asaph that tells us of his battle with a strong temptation to envy people who were prideful and wicked; for they had much prosperity among them. The psalmist explains above how he eventually overcame the temptation that was discouraging him.

John Yates, in "An Attitude of Gratitude," writes -- I read once that the devil was having a yard sale, and all of his tools were marked with different prices. They were a fiendish lot. There was hatred, jealously, deceit, lust, pride—all at expensive prices. But over to the side of the yard on display was a tool more obviously worn than any of the other tools. It was also the most costly. The tool was labeled, DISCOURAGEMENT. When questioned, the devil said, “It’s more useful to me than any other tool. When I can’t bring down my victims with any of the rest of these tools, I use discouragement because so few people realize that it belongs to me.”

Asaph was fighting discouragement. He looked and saw people who were prosperous. They didn’t seem to face the problems most people faced. They were very prideful in their attitude. Asaph said they wore pride like a jeweled necklace. In their pride they spoke evil and sought to crush others with their superiority. Their pride even led them to boast against God saying, “What does God know?”

Asaph realized what these wicked people had could be taken from them at any moment. He says in verses 18-20, “Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.”  

In actuality what did these wicked people have – NOTHING. For everything they had could be taken from them in a blink of an eye. They had forsaken God - so there would be no one to comfort them; there would be no one to counsel them; there would be no one to give them hope.

Asaph knew having God as the strength of his heart was more important than pride, arrogance or wealth. Asaph had God who would hold his hand through any difficulty he faced.

Is God the strength of your heart? I pray you would put all your faith and trust in the Lord that no matter what you face God will be there with you. I pray when you become discouraged you will remember God is there holding your hand, walking with you and encouraging you along the way.

God knows and God cares

Psalm 139:1-6 (NLT)

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. 5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

In this Psalm King David asserts God is everywhere and knows everything. As our creator God knows and understands our most reserved thoughts. David goes on to say God’s knowledge is too great and wonderful for him to understand. God is truly omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.

 

Natalie Grant sings a beautiful song called “The Real Me” that asks the question in the following way:

   Foolish heart looks like we're here again

   Same old game of plastic smile
   Don't let anybody in
   Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break
   How much will they take before I'm empty
   Do I let it show, does anybody know?

Let me encourage you, if you are asking these questions:

-Does anybody know the heartaches I feel?

-Does anybody understand the pain I bear?
-Does anybody understand the difficulties I face?
-Does anybody understand the mask of frailty I hide behind?

Let me assure you there is an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God who understands. Yes, God does understand and is concerned about every problem you face and His desire is to love you through each of those issues. God is present with you every moment, knows the real you, and is just waiting for you to loosen your grasp on your fears and take His hand and trust Him. Let me encourage you today along with Natalie’s beautiful song to turn to God and ask for His help however great or small the problem might be. Let God love you through the process without hiding behind a mask. For God sees you as a beautiful and precious child of His.

Pride

Proverbs 13:10 (NLT)

10 Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.
 

Matthew Henry says, “Foolish pride is the great make-bate. Would you know whence come wars and fighting? They come from this root of bitterness. Whatever hand other lusts may have in contention (passion, envy, covetousness), pride has the great hand; it is its pride that it will itself sow discord and needs no help. Pride makes men impatient of contradiction in either their opinions or their desires, impatient of competition and rival ship, impatient of contempt, or anything that looks like a slight, and impatient of concession, and receding, from a conceit of certain right and truth on their side; and hence arise quarrels among relations and neighbors, quarrels in states and kingdoms, in churches and Christian societies. Men will be revenged; will not forgive, because they are proud. [However] those that are humble and peaceable are wise and well advised. Those that will ask and take advice, that will consult their own consciences, their Bibles, their ministers, their friends, and will do nothing rashly, are wise, as in other things, so in this, that they will humble themselves, will stoop and yield, to preserve quietness and prevent quarrels.”

There are decisions that will lead us away from a relationship with God.  Our choices may not just have negative effects on us and our own walk with Jesus, but it’s very possible that those choices will damage other people’s relationship with Jesus.

“During a 1923 training exercise, a naval destroyer called the USS Delphy led a flotilla of seven vessels down the California coast. The USS Delphy was captained by Lieutenant Commander Donald T. Hunter, an experienced navigator and instructor at the Naval Academy. Without warning, about half way on their training mission, a thick blanket of fog descended on the ships. In the midst of the fog (Hunter claimed it looked like "pea soup"), Hunter couldn't get an accurate evaluation of his location. Contrary to Hunter's calculations, the lead ship was headed right into Devil's Jaw, a scant two miles off the California coast. But that didn't stop Hunter from plowing ahead. That is not surprising, for Hunter was known for his self-confident decisiveness [pride] and what others called his ‘magic infallibility’ to guide his ship.

“Traveling at 20 knots, suddenly the USS Delphy smashed broadside into the rocky Point Arguello shoreline. The force of the massive collision of welded steel and jagged rock split the hull of the USS Delphy in half. One by one, the other destroyers followed the Delphy's lead and smashed into the rocks. Twenty-two naval men died. The accident resulted in the loss of all seven ships. It still stands as one of the worst peacetime naval disasters in history.” [Robert McKenna, The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy (McGraw Hill, 2003), p. 97; Charles Lockwood & Hans Christian Adamson, Tragedy at Honda (Naval Institute Press, 1986), pp. 29-49]

I’m sure someone on the deck was trying to give advice about ship’s course, which the captain falsely believed to be correct. In the end one man’s decisions lead to both ships and life being lost. The accident was one of the worst recorded and to this day no other ship has been named Delphy.

Listening to advice is a wise thing to do; and putting that advice to use ever wiser. Pride that holds back from listening to sound advice will often to lead to disaster and serious conflict in life. Are you taking time to listen wisely and make sure pride is not getting in your way?

Love others

Proverbs 10:12 (NLT)

12 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up for all offenses.

King Solomon tells us hatred is a great mischief-maker, always trying to stir up conflicts and add problems to circumstances. Hatred readily brings a person to do the devil’s work. Hatred takes pleasure in setting neighbors against each other with misrepresentations and lies that create sparks of contention. Love, however, is the great peacemaker and covers a multitude of sins. There are often occasions of discord, but when love enters the picture instead of aggravating the offence, love extinguished the flames of the argument and conceals the sparks of contention. Love will excuse an offense that is often a mistake or done without ill intention. Love recovers peace and quickly restores fellowship.

I started out this morning to write about hatred, but the more I looked at statistics on hatred and quotes and news articles on hatred I began to feel strife being stirred up in myself. I was actually beginning to get angry looking at statistics and news articles about hate. So I’m changing my focus and turned my devotion towards love.

Solomon tells us love makes up for all offences. It is hard to be angry with someone as they face you back in love. I have watched the TV show Intervention before and many times the person facing the intervention will become angry. They feel resentment and they fear what their family is trying to do to them. But as the family expresses their love for the individual the hatred and feelings of resentment often fade. There is nothing like love to quench the feelings that grow from hatred.

I love tell the story of how one day I was just having a miserable day. Every time I would say something negative my wife would just look back at me and say “I love you” and she would just smile. After a while I couldn’t complain any more, but instead had to smile back as she attempted to make me happy through love.

As I said earlier just looking at hate brought up strong emotions. We all should turn away from feelings that stir up hate and instead seek out ways to love people. People who focus on negative thoughts and feelings will often direct their frustrations at others. If the other person is not prepared they will eventually begin to respond to the hatred and a quarrel will break out. Let us all learn to love and seek out positive feelings that are good for us. Allow God to work in our lives to show us where we need to change and how we can love others.

The New Covenant

Romans 7:15-19 (NLT)

15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

In these verses the apostle describes his struggle with sin. He does not understand how he could want to do what is right, but doesn’t do it. The apostle knows there is a battle taking place within him – on one side he wants to do what is right and on the other side he is pulled towards sin. Verse 19 sums it up well, “I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.”

How many of you feel like the apostle? I know personally I do. I cannot number the times I have told myself I want to obey the Lord and then did the complete opposite. I remember telling my mother as a child “I didn’t want to be a teenager because they grew up and get into trouble.” She said she couldn’t stop me from being a teenager - and she was right. I eventually turned 13 and in those teen years I often sinned. Even as an adult I tell myself I want to do what is right, but I still catch myself committing the sins I so much wanted to avoid.

The apostle tells us in verses 9-13, “At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.”

As we begin to understand the Lord we find ourselves in a battle. I am aware God does not want me to covet and yet what do I do? I find myself desiring those things I do not need or do not belong to me. The laws made me realize those desires are present and against what God wants for me.

In the Old Testament God made covenants between Himself and man. These covenants were agreements mediated between God and man that said if you followed His laws God would bring blessings into your life, but if you disobeyed His laws there would be curses you must recon with.

The New Testament brought about a New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34 gave us a preview of this covenant. The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

In the Old Testament the people did not always follow God’s word so they had to deal with the curses brought against them. In the New Testament Jesus mediated a New Covenant with God for Man. Jesus paid the debt for sin for all time through his death on the cross. There was no longer a need for a system of curses and blessing. Instead God put the law on the hearts of man so they would know what is right and wrong. They would continue to battle against sin in their lives, but when we they failed it was not a permanent failure. They could ask for and receive God’s forgiveness and the sin was never remembered again. Jesus blessed us in a tremendous way. We were freed from the slavery of sin that we might live to please God without fear of retribution when we slipped and fell. The laws were not removed, but the law no long had a grip on us that said one failure meant condemnation. There may be consequences from our own actions, but the curses of God would no longer be upon us.

Looking for God's love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT)

4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

In these verses the apostle is writing to the Corinthians about the qualities of love. The apostle tells us what love is and what it is not. In John 13:34 Jesus said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” This was an additional command from the Son of God that we should love each other, so it is with importance that we understand love.

 

The famous and luxurious Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, was originally owned and managed by George and Edith Vanderbilt, an elegant couple known for their exceptional treatment of rich and famous guests. But today when people summarize the Vanderbilts' management of the Biltmore House, they don't just retell stories about how they treated their wealthy guests; they also point to the story of how George Vanderbilt treated a young employee named Bessie Smith.

Smith was a teenager when she began working at the Biltmore, and she was intimidated by its opulence. On her first day as a server, she walked into the house's grand banquet hall and, startled by the vastness of the room, dropped the tray of monogrammed china she was carrying. George Vanderbilt, a professorial figure with dark hair and a slightly curved moustache, rose from his chair as his guests looked on, their eyes begging: What on earth are you going to say about this distraction? But he didn't say anything. Instead, he got down on his hands and knees and helped her pick up the shards before saying, 'Come see me in the morning.'" Bessie Smith assumed she was going to be fired. Instead, George Vanderbilt promoted Bessie to chambermaid, so she wouldn't have to carry such heavy dishes. [Leigh Ann Henion, "Biltmore Insider's Tour," Our State North Carolina (March 2011)]

George Vanderbilt was not irritated with Bessie, but instead was patient. George could have stood prideful in front of his guests and rudely chastised this young girl, but he instead showed love to kindly help this young girl.

Do you understand the love, grace and mercy God extends to all? If not seek out God and His Son Jesus and find out the answers for yourself.

Do not bow to evil

Luke 10:3 (KJV)

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

In this verse Jesus tells the disciples they must set out on their duty with the expectation of trouble and persecution. Their enemies will be as wolves, vicious, cruel and ready to shred them into pieces. The enemies will howl as wolves trying to terrify, threaten and make them run away from their obligations as Christians. Yet they are to press forward as peaceful and innocent lambs.

I am often reminded of the story of Elijah who ran from Jezebel after she had slain the godly prophets around him. Elijah hid out in a cave in fear for his life; depressed over the murder of so many of God’s people. Elijah felt like he was all alone, chases by wolves, trying to stand up for God. Yet God called out to Elijah to encourage him and said, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” In other words Jezebel failed to kill all of God’s prophets because God had preserved 7,000 prophets who had devoted themselves totally to Him. Elijah was not alone after all, but had 7,000 others who would stand up with him.

Sometimes in our Christian walk we may feel like we are alone when we stand up for God’s word. However we must remember there are others who are willing to stand up with us. We must as Christians support one another and stand up in one voice to let others know what we believe about God. Our duty is not to attack individuals, but to speak up on morality and speak out against sin.

I am proud of the many who took part in standing up for the free speech of God’s word when they participated in joining thousands of others by going to Chick-fil-a on August 1^st. There was picture after picture showing crowds forming around Chick-fil-a buildings patronizing them. May we as Christians continue to support what God has ordained and stand up for His word. May we be like the 7,000 prophets who devoted themselves to God and did not bow to evil.