Win-Win

Have you ever been in a win-win situation? Have you had an opportunity to choose one thing or another and either one was a good choice? Did it make it hard for you to choose one over the other? Were you happy with your choice? Do you know we live in a win-win situation?

It is not often we have an opportunity to choose between two options and both are good choices. It seems like we often must choose between two not-so-good choices. We even say we are choosing the lesser of two evils. We make choices every day.

We don’t necessarily get to choose whether we live or die. We do get to choose how we live, which impacts what happens when we die. When we live for Christ, we have no doubts about what happens when we die. This is the point the Apostle Paul is making to the church in Philippi.

Whether we know it or not, acknowledge it or not, we live in eternity. Paul is implying that point in today’s passage. As we live in Christ, we are living in eternity because Christ is eternal. Sure, this physical life is not the perfect life we will experience when we pass from this world. But it can be much better and is much better when we live in Him rather than for ourselves.

Paul goes on to say that dying is gain. Why? It means moving on to the perfect life where there is no more sin, no more tears, no more sadness, no more dealing with the ugliness of this world. Therefore, though our lives can be much better living in Christ, we can look forward to the perfect life when we pass from this one.

Having this mindset on life can change our attitude, disposition, and the way we live this life. It also eliminates the fear of death. Knowing we already live in eternity; we also know dying is merely passing from an imperfect world into a perfect one. It puts us in the mindset of looking forward to the perfect life while also desiring to stay in this one for others sake, not ours.

I pray we all come to understand we live in eternity. I pray we take on the mindset of Paul. I pray each one of us look forward to the perfect life while desiring to stay in this one for others. Know you are eternal. Know this life will end. Do not fear death. Know the perfect life is in your future. Live for Christ.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

Mysterious Ways

Have you ever experienced God providing what you needed in an unexpected way? Were you surprised when God provided exactly what you needed? Have you ever been used by God to provide for someone else in an unexpected way?

God does some amazing things in some amazing ways! I have been witness to a few of those and perhaps you have been, too. Think about a time when you saw God do something amazing. Think about a time he used you to do something extraordinary for someone else.

I remember a time when God did something amazing through the church membership several years ago. A lady came into the church one Sunday morning and told the elders she needed help paying her mortgage. Her husband had been sick and unable to work for a few months. Her job was not enough to pay the bills and they had used up their savings.

At the end of the worship service, one of the elders went before the congregation. He simply stated a member in our midst needed help. He asked the congregation to contribute what was on their hearts. He prayed. The baskets were passed. The money was counted. The collection was exactly twenty dollars more than her mortgage.

God did something amazing through his church. The members had no idea who was in need. They had no idea what the need was. They trusted God. They gave as the Holy Spirit led them. God did the accounting and computation for them. He certainly works in mysterious ways.

God also provided for the Israelites while they roamed the desert. He sent quail to them in the evening after they complained of being hungry. He sent bread to them the following morning. They continued to receive the bread for forty years. God worked in a mystery way for them and continues to work on our behalf in mysterious ways today.

I pray we all learn to trust God. I pray we go to him with our needs and stop worrying about them. I pray each one of us also take our needs to the church, the body of Christ. Trust God. Take your needs to him. Leave them with him. Stop worrying. Know that God works in mysterious ways.

Exodus 16:13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

Impossible Situations

Have you been so down in the dumps you just wanted to give up? Have you faced a situation that seemed to be impossible, and you wished you could go far away? Are you in a situation like that now? Are you blaming someone else? Are you blaming God?

There may be times in our lives we feel like we are in a hopeless situation. We may be facing bills we cannot pay. We may be facing a list of overwhelming tasks with a looming deadline. A relationship may be breaking apart. Fill in the blank for a situation you have faced or are facing.

The ultimate question we face when we are in those impossible situations is, where do we turn for help? Far too often we feel as though there is nowhere to turn. That is why the situation appears to be impossible. But for us as Christians, that is not true. We can always turn to God. We may turn to him in desperation. We may turn to him in faith. We may turn to him in anguish. We may ask him why. We may ask him where he is.

We must remember that God is always there. He may not miraculously wipe away the situation. He may allow us to go through a trial by fire. He may simply give us just enough of his strength to get through it. It may be a trial to increase our faith, increase our strength, and increase our dependence on him.

God may send someone to our aid. He may remove us from the situation. Or he may perform a miracle. What we must remember is, God knows what he has planned and what comes next. Our task is to continue to trust him no matter the situation.

The Israelites complained about being hungry while wandering through the desert. God sent them bread from heaven. He didn’t miraculously transport them to the land he was going to give them. He gave them what they needed to survive the winding route they would take to it.

I pray we all trust God in all situations. I pray we turn to God when we face trials in our lives. I pray each one of us know that God is always with us, and he will provide for us. Turn to God. Trust God. Know he is always with you. Face the trial with God. Trust he will provide.

Exodus 16:13 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Forgiveness Ultimatum

How are you at forgiveness? How easy is it for you to forgive someone who has sinned against you? Do you forgive from your heart, or is it simply lip service? Do you continue to hold a grudge long after you said or thought you had forgiven them?

Forgiving someone of a sin they committed against us is not easy. It requires us to take on the character of Jesus Christ. Many of us are unsure how to even begin. Others have no inclination to forgive. They desire to hold on to the grudge, allow it to burn them up from the inside out.

Jesus teaches us a hard truth. One that we often don’t want to hear. One that is very hard to execute in real life in some circumstances or situations. But Jesus doesn’t give us an easy out. He doesn’t say to do this unless in a certain situation. That’s what makes it so tough to comprehend and do.

Jesus gives us an ultimatum. He tells the parable of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. One of his slaves owed him a lot of money. The slave asked to be given more time. The king, in his graciousness, forgave the entire debt. Yet the slave went to a fellow slave who owed him a pittance and demanded he pay or be thrown in jail. His behavior was reported to the king who then had him tortured. Jesus says if we do not forgive as He has forgiven us, we will be in the same boat as the slave in the parable. That is no place I want to be. How about you?

I pray we all are willing to forgive as Jesus has forgiven us. I pray we graciously accept His forgiveness. I pray we pass along forgiveness to those who sin against us. Forgive to be forgiven. Forgive others. Accept forgiveness. Jesus will forgive you. Follow Jesus’ example.

Matthew 18:34-35 “And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Unlimited Forgiveness

How often are you willing to forgive someone who does something wrong? Are you willing to forgive them over and over? Is there a point at which you will no longer forgive? How often do you need to be forgiven for doing the same wrong again and again?

Forgiving someone who does something wrong over and over is an extreme challenge. We want to say to them, “Hey, grow up! Stop doing that!” However, we know that won’t really work. It doesn’t work with us either. Just because we are told to stop doesn’t mean we will.

Forgiving the same thing multiple times just doesn’t sit well with us. If someone borrows money and continues to fail to repay is hard to forgive. Someone who borrows a shirt and never returns it, then borrows another one is difficult to forgive. Someone who borrows tools and never returns them or returns them months later is hard to forgive.

Peter asked Jesus how many times he was to forgive. He thought he was being generous by offering to forgive seven times. Jesus point blank told Peter that was not enough. Depending on the translation you read or how the Greek is translated, Jesus either says seventy-seven times or seventy times seven. In either case, Jesus meant it to have no defined number. He meant we are to forgive each and every time.

Forgiving someone every time they sin against us is extremely challenging. How can we do that? The first thing we must understand, not just intellectually but deep in our heart, is that nothing in this world is eternal. We are the only ones who are eternal beings. Everything else will go away. It is temporary. In relation to the eternal, all of this world is meaningless. When we understand that, we can truly forgive each and every time.

I pray we all learn to forgive all wrongs. I pray we realize nothing in this world is eternal. I pray each one of us will forgive our brother and sister as many times as needed for our own sakes. Forgive as Jesus forgives. Forgive every time. Forgive all wrongs. Be like Jesus. Know you have eternity.

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”

Facing Judgment

Do you consider yourself to be a judgmental person? Do you pass judgment on people by the way they dress, their accent, their personal preferences, or their cultural background? What are your reasons for passing judgment? Have you taken time to evaluate your own life?

We like to say we do not judge others. We may even say, “It is not my job to judge someone else.” Yet, we judge others, even if we do so unknowingly. Sometimes, we purposely pass judgment on others. Judging others is as ingrained in us as though it were a sixth sense.

Let’s look at what the Apostle Paul tells us about judgment. First, he is speaking specifically about judging our brothers and sisters in Christ. Second, he uses knowledge and logic to make his point. We all know that one day we will stand before God. We all know our own faults and failures. The logical question is, “Who are we to judge our brother or sister?”

I know, I know, some of you may say, “But my sin is not as bad as someone else’s.” Sorry, but that is not a solid rock to stand on. In fact, it is quicksand. The smallest of sins required Jesus to go to the cross to save us. The mere fact that we took an ink pen from our place of work to use in our personal checkbook required Jesus to go to the cross. So, even though we, being human, may look at a particular sin as being more egregious, God doesn’t. Each one of them caused his Son to die for us.

Paul’s logic makes perfect sense when we realize each one of us would be doomed if it weren’t for the act of Jesus. Rather than judging our brother or sister, we should show compassion, mercy, and forgiveness. That is how we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. That is how we progress toward perfection. That is how we show our love for Him.

I pray we all seek to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. I pray we demonstrate compassion to our brothers and sisters. I pray each one of us think before we judge one another. Follow Jesus. Know He went to the cross for you. Show compassion. Be forgiving. Show mercy. Show Jesus’ love.

Romans 14:10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Honor and Respect

How do you view the days of your life? Do you observe some days as special? Are they the same special days that others observe? Do you view every day to be same? Do others celebrating special days upset you? What can or should be done about it?

Many of us like to celebrate special days. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day to name a few. Some of us celebrate other special days. The celebrations range from mild to over the top.

Celebrating special days are not bad, so long as we remember why the day is special, which has become a challenge. Many of the national holidays have become nothing more than a day off work for many. Christmas has become chaotic for many, meaning they run from one gathering to another for a week or more.

We have special days within the church as well. We honor different times of the year. Two that many honor are advent leading up to Christmas and lent leading up to Easter. For some, those times are very special, and they have certain routines they do to honor them. For others, they recognize the season but do not have specific routines. Is one viewpoint better than the other?

The Apostle Paul gives us the answer—no. Both are correct, as long as the person is fully convinced in their minds. The key is that we all honor the others’ viewpoint. We are to love one another and treat one another with love, honoring one another’s viewpoint. Paul uses the example of eating certain foods, but the principle applies for all days. In all that we do, we are to honor God, regardless of how we view a specific day.

I pray we all honor God every day. I pray we honor one another’s viewpoint of special days. I pray each one of us treat one another with love and respect. Be fully convinced of your viewpoint. Understand why a day is special. Honor God in all things. Love one another. Be respectful of one another.

Romans 14:5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.

Welcome the Weak

Do you like to argue? Do you like picking on other people? Do you enjoy debating, even if you agree with someone? Do you look for faults in others? Do you like to point out where you are better than someone else? How do you think God looks at those things?

Many of us like to argue. We will argue over the least little thing. We are especially adamant in our argument when we know, or think, we are right. We like to pick on others sometimes, or a lot. We like to point out areas in which we are better than others. It makes us feel good.

On the other hand, we don’t care much for someone picking on us. We don’t like admitting we have weaknesses. We especially don’t like it when someone else laughs at us because they are better at something than we are. We feel embarrassed, degraded, and belittled. So why do we do that to others?

Paul tells the church in Rome to welcome those who lack the faith we do. But he gives a word of caution. We are not to do just so we can belittle them or argue with them. We are to welcome them and help them grow in their faith. He goes on to discuss how we may have different opinions, likes and dislikes, or different viewpoints. Those are not a reason for arguing or getting angry with one another. Rather, they are reasons to learn from one another.

I liken it to encouraging us to be big brothers or big sisters. See the person who may lack a little faith or understanding and coach them along to a deeper faith. Teach rather than scold. Exchange viewpoints calmly rather than argue. Understand the reasons for someone’s beliefs and calmly explain yours. We can learn a lot from one another if we will simply stay calm.

I pray we all seek to learn from others. I pray we seek to help others by teaching them. I pray each one of us will calmly listen to other and calmly explain our own understanding. Welcome all. Listen intentionally. Calmly exchange viewpoints. Teach those who lack understanding.

Romans 14:1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.

Be Observant

How do you view God? Do you see God as all powerful, omniscient, and omnipresent? Do you see God as the Creator of all things? Do you believe God is in control? Do trust God’s plan for your life? Are you in awe of God? Do you tremble before God?

Each of us has our own viewpoint and belief about God. Our view of him is often based on our experience with him.  Yes, we read of what God has done in our Bibles. We hear lessons and sermons about God. We may discuss God with others.

Yes, we can read and hear all about God, but what do we believe? The Bible is our primary source and takes precedent over feelings and emotions. Yet, our experience with God is key to our belief. It is through experience with him that we come to know that he is real. It is no different than our human interactions.

We see people on our televisions. They are nothing more than figures we see in glimpses. We do not really know any of them. We may understand a character they play. We may think we know them based on snippets we hear from them. But we do not really know them. Perhaps that is why we are so excited when we encounter one of them in person.

We must encounter God to fortify our belief. To encounter him, we must ask him to come into our lives. We must get beyond intellectual knowledge and experience him working in our lives. We can only do that if we open our eyes and be observant of what is happening around us. As we observe what is happening from a broader perspective and see God at work, we begin to have a deeper understanding of God. As our view continues to widen, we are overwhelmed by his works. It is then that we will tremble before God and fall to our knees in awe.

I pray we all seek to observe God working in this world. I pray we open our eyes to a broader perspective. I pray each one of us will experience God working in our lives and be in awe of him. Set aside your feelings. Set aside your emotions. Observe God working. Widen your perspective. Experience God. Be in awe of God.

Psalm 114:7-8

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, 

at the presence of the God of Jacob, 

who turns the rock into a pool of water, 

the flint into a spring of water.

The Way Provided

Have you felt God was leading you and suddenly it appeared you were caught between a rock and hard place? Has it ever seemed as though you were led into a trap? Have you wondered where God is in that moment? Did you rely on God to provide a way out of it?

We often find ourselves backed into a corner. More times than not it is due our own bad decisions. Sometimes those decisions do not reveal their negative results until much later, maybe even years. It is only in hindsight we can see the error of our ways sometimes.

Yet, there are other times when we feel God leading us. We follow along believing he is fully in control, and nothing can go wrong. Then…we run into a brick wall. We don’t even know where it came from. Our options are to continue believing God is leading us and trust him or take matters into our own hands. If we have truly been following God’s guidance, option one is our best choice.

You see, if God leads us to the brick wall, he will provide a way through it, over it, or around it. How do we know this? First, God has promised to never leave us alone. Second, we have the example of the Israelites. God led them to the Red Sea. He knew Pharoah was going to chase them, just like he knows Satan continues to chase us. God had a plan for Israel, and he has a plan for us. He parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could walk across on dry land. If he has led us to a place, he will lead us out of it. It may just be a trial of our faith.

The Israelites were fearful of Pharoah and his army. We are often fearful of other people. However, Moses trusted in God, and we need to trust him as well. When we are following God’s will in our lives, God leads us where he wants us to be. We must trust he is always with us. We must lean on him to pull us through the situation. God always will.

I pray we all follow God’s lead. I pray we put our faith in him at all times and hold onto our faith tightly. I pray each one of us will allow God to take away our fear and lead us to where he wants us to be. Put your trust in God. Follow his lead. Hold onto your faith. Trust God to provide a way.

Exodus 14:26 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them.