“You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19.14; ESV)
Most will read over this verse and never pay it much thought, but upon considering the ramifications of this verse, the eternal nature of the Lord is clearly seen in the actions of the obedient.
Consider this, if you curse a deaf person, will he even hear it?
The answer is, “No.”
Leviticus 19.14 is a relationship verse; both our relationship to God as well as our relationship to each other.
Clearly a deaf person will not hear a cursing from your lips, but the Lord will. The Lord will see when you do not respect your fellow man and when you are not doing what is right before Him. Our words regarding others when they are not around is nothing more than a reflection of our hearts.
Our words are a reflection of our relationship with the Lord!
God is clear in His word about how we are to treat others. Gossiping and speaking behind others backs does nothing but fuel the fires of negativity and destroys everything. Yes, I said everything.
Each of us know relationship which have been utterly destroyed because of gossip and backbiting. I am sure some can name families that have split, marriages divided and congregations destroyed over gossip and backstabbing. Even King Solomon knew this when he said, “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases” (Proverbs 26.20; ESV)
Questions for a lifetime:
1. Each day, do you spend more time talking about people or to people?
2. When you pray, do you spend more time praying about others or more time praying for others?
3. Do you spend time tearing people down with gossip or building them up with exhortation?
Remember, a “true friends says nice things behind your back.”
A few days ago, I found some notes on my computer containing some words from Karen Burton Mains. Mrs. Mains wrote these well-phrased admonitions about worship in the preface of the hymnbook, Sing Joyfully:
“Worship has been defined as being preoccupied with God. How do we learn to become preoccupied with God? By cultivating intentionality. By deliberately turning our minds toward divine preoccupation. By developing worship habits and working on them. Intentional worship means a worshipper is not going to church expecting that worship will just happen; but intentionality means that a worshipper is going to church determined to make worship happen.
A church bulletin aptly (said): ‘Too many Christians worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship.’ We must learn to work at our worship so that preoccupation with God becomes delightfully habitual.
We must remind ourselves, over and over, that the focus of Sunday worship must be upon the living Christ among us. In truth, if Christ were bodily present and we could see him with more than our soul’s eyes, all our worship would become intentional. If Christ stood on our platforms, we would bend our knees without asking. If He stretched out His hands and we saw the wounds, our hearts would break; we would confess our sins and weep over our shortcomings. If we could hear His voice leading the hymns, we too would sing heartily; the words would take on meaning. The Bible reading would be lively; meaning would pierce to the marrow of our souls.
If Christ walked our aisles, we would hasten to make amends with that brother or sister to whom we had not spoken. We would volunteer for service… If we knew Christ would attend our church Sunday after Sunday, the front pews would fill fastest, believers would arrive early, offering plates would be laden with sacrificial but gladsome gifts, prayers would concentrate our attention.
Yet … Christ is present.
I would say these are very interesting thoughts from Mrs. Maines.
“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
When you think about those words, they are untrue.
We think we fool ourselves by saying them; but the truth is, words hurt.
There are words of encouragement, but when do we use them? God’s revealed word informs us to continually encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13).
Not only do words cut our heart, they influence others.
Think of all the religious names in your community. Chances are they number more than the fingers on your hand and the toes on your feet. There are too many!
All those names hurt everyone. It is a shame each group cannot throw down their name, their creed, their doctrine and abide in the doctrine of Christ.
Think about this quote from John Wesley:
“Would God that all party names and unscriptural phrases and forms which have divided the Christian world were forgotten and that we, as humble loving disciples, might sit down at the Master’s feet, read His Holy Word, imbibe His Spirit and transcribe His life into our own…With regard to the name Christian, I would say, there is none like it; give it to me, and in life and in death I would glorify God in this name.”
It was one of those Sundays where leaving services you felt great. The preaching was good. (Amen?) The singing was great, the prayers touched the garments of God and the fellowship with God and each other was tremendous.
Everyone leaving the assembly seemed joyous until…
Have you ever had one of those moments where it made you sick as sick can feel?
The pit of your stomach turns with the force of ten roller coasters. You feel sick and angry.
Well, it happened to me! I tried to shrug it off with a laugh and a grin, but I had seen it before, and I am sure I would see it again.
The more I think about it the more my stomach turns. It has turned so much that it was one gigantic knot.
The thoughts race through my mind, “Why would they do that?”, “Who were they serving?” and “Boy, they need to repent.”
I guess what hurt me most was other people saw it.
I did not see it myself, but I saw the ramifications of a Christian’s actions.
What happened did not happen in front of elderly Christians you had been a part of the church for decades. It happened in front of young couples with children.
As I walked past the young couples they stood in disgust. Several were laughing with the nervous, “unbelieving of what they just saw grin.” The others were torn between what to say and what to do. They wanted to laugh, but then they could not.
I do not know what the children saw. If they saw anything, they will remember. If they did not, they will hear about it later. I imagine it will be one of those stories that lives in the mind of those young couples for as long as their lungs can take a breath.
The story is an example how one should not act. The children, hearing that, will remember the individuals and wonder about the church.
I pray that I am wrong. But if you do not believe me, just wait and ask those young people years down the road. They will tell you.
I know the events will live in my mind and my heart. To be honest, they will live in my family’s as well. They are a great part of me. They will hear this example used in sermons and even in a book or two.
By now you are wondering what happened, I know you are. You are wondering of what could be so bad that it will affect generations.
The answer—the actions of a Christian.
Back to the event of the day…
The day was a gorgeous one.
The problem for some, not me, was election day was drawing near.
There are a couple things you never talk about, or at least I have been told you don’t: politics and religion. Countless numbers of people have informed me of the rules of conduct regarding speech seasoned with politics and religion.
Random Thought Moment: (Maybe that is why the church is not growing, no one talks about religion. I will save that for another article)
When I walked out of the church building, I noticed flyers on each car.
One member came to the door, saw them and ran out to see what they were. His disagreed with them but never complained. Several others asked me what they were, so I told them they were a flyer discussing abortion and the upcoming election.
I never watched who did what from that point on; I tried to greet most people as they flooded out the door. Just as in any other assembly of people, they always people want to talk. I had been waiting for certain new attendees to walkout when I got caught in a Biblical conversation. The conversation was deep, but I was watching.
I saw them sneak past me, so I caught them in the parking lot. I walked fast to catch up to them. As I was going across the parking lot, another member caught me. They wanted to talk for a minute, so I obliged. After a minute or two I made it to the couple I wanted to talk from the beginning.
After talking with them for a while, I began walking back down the parking lot to do the normal duty of locking up the building for the afternoon. I noticed several young couples were talking and giggling. As I got closer, I heard them talking about someone throwing one of the pro-life flyers on the ground and driving off.
“What?” I said.
Both couples began to explain to me that one member of the congregation walked to their car, grabbed the flyer, glanced at it, then threw it on the ground and drove away.
I laughed.
I could not believe that a member of the Lord’s church would act that way. Both couples saw this individual do it causing their shock and confusion.
“Why would anyone do such a thing? A member of the church?”
“What is the big deal with a small flyer?”
“I never thought I would see that.”
The young couples were confused and troubled that a member, and a long attending member, would do such a thing.
Maybe it is just me but to think a member of the church would throw a pro-life flyer on the ground is horrible! What a disgrace to those innocent lives taken away.
Abortion is rampant enough, now a member of the church throws a flyer on the ground. Absurd! Infuriating! Shocking! Not to mention Littering!
I grimaced and snickered a little but my heart broke.
Babies will die; millions each year.
The Bible says it is wrong, but a member throws pro-life to the ground in front of others.
The actions of a Christian are to show the glory of God, did the actions of this Christian show the glory of God?
Of course not!
Jesus said we are to let our lights so shine before men that they may see our good works and they will glorify God in Heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
Besides littering, tossing to the ground a paper describing the murder of thousands of lives a year is not glorifying God!
The image of a flyer being tossed from a member’s car as they drove away was the mental picture in mind of that young couple.
How can we glorify God when something like abortion is supported?
The answer—We cannot!
I am not trying to get political; I am trying to get Biblical. The way we act in front of people is a light to them. They should see God working in us.
I used to collect lighthouses.
It all started with Carrie buying me a collectible lighthouse for Christmas the first year we were married. Since then we have collected different lighthouses and placed around our living room.
Why do I like lighthouses so much? For one simple reason, they provide safety. Most of my life I have liked the ocean. (I say the majority because I once floated too far from the beach and could not get back because I could not swim. But I am over that now.)
Lighthouses provide safety to the ships that sail past during the foggy nights or a raging storm. They are a strength and encouragement to the sailors.
As a Christian your life is to be a lighthouse to the world. You are the light shining during their troubling storms. When the fog raises so much that is confuses man’s heart, your actions will be a guiding light to lead them to the Savior.
Paul tells the Philippian Christians they should not grumble or complain (Philippians 2:14) The reason? It is stated in the next two verses,
“… that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” (Philippians 2.15-16; English Standard Version)
Paul does not want the Philippian Christians to grumble or complain so they can become:
Blameless
Harmless
Children of God
Children of God without fault
Shining lights
People holding fast the word of life
Have you ever known a Christian to grumble and complain about anything and everything?
I have known some Christians with a lack of joy in their life. I am sure you have too.
One time, at a congregation where I was speaking, I mentioned living a happy Christian life. One visiting church member spoke up and said, “Some Christians have a face and attitude that they have been weaned on vinegar and baptized in pickle juice.”
When he said that I almost passed out from laughing! I can think of every pulpit I have stood in and there have been those who never look happy.
Before you think of someone else, think of yourself.
Ask yourself these questions:
Have I been baptized in pickle juice?
Do I sing songs like “Sing and Be Happy” with a smile?
Do I always have my arms crossed and a frown when I look at the preacher?
Are you the one everyone looks at when the preacher makes a strong point about bad attitudes?
Throughout our nation, people are celebrating their freedom.
As we celebrate our country’s freedom, it is a great time to be reminded of our spiritual freedom. This freedom that Christ provides has been discussed in thousands of pulpits across the country this week.
Without the freedom in Christ, not one of us is truly free.
Sin is a trap that ensnares us for a lifetime of physical punishment bearing the wrath of eternal consequences, but the blood of the Lamb of God (John 1.29) gives us the opportunity to achieve freedom. The opportunity present, but each individual mush clothed himself/herself with the Savior (Galatians 3.27).
Today the question for Christians may not be “do we have freedom” but a greater question of “what do we do with our freedom?”
Each person can recognize freedom, but the actions one takes because of freedom truly makes the freedom appreciated. Without actions as a result of freedom, we are still spinning our wheels searching for the answer that only resides in God’s words to mankind.
Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free” (John 8.32).
The truth of the Savior is the truth of the Father. The Son seeking to glorify the Father while on earth (and be glorified Himself) pray the powerful words of John 17. In the text of the beautiful prayer of John 17, Jesus said, “Sanctify them in truth; your word is truth” (John 17.17)
The Savior asked His Father (God) to sanctify them or set them apart by the truth.
Freedom is found in the words of truth; that is, the words of God.
As a Christian, you have found freedom and truth, but what are you doing with that freedom and truth today?
Are you sharing the message of breaking free from the bondage of sin to glorify your Father?
Are you sharing the message with those still ensnared by sins dreadful hold?
While we recognize freedom, let us act on that freedom and share it with the world!
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2.16; ESV)
A broken promise hurts. A broken promise can cut very deep, wounding our soul, spirit and outlook.
However, a kept promise gets us motivated to continue forward. Even knowing that a promise made by a caring, honest and promise-keeping person pushes us in the direction we need to go. It is motivation. It is a fuel to continue.
Below are Nine Bible Promises to give you some motivation to keep going forward.
Enjoy.
Nine Promises to Keep You Motivated
The Promise of a Gift— “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” (Ephesians 4.7; ESV)
The Promise of the Son — “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2.29-32; ESV)
The Promise of the Spirit — “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8.26; ESV)
The Promise of God — “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13.5; ESV)
The Promise of a Rainbow — “When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9.16; ESV)
The Promise of a Crown — “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4.8; ESV)
The Promise of Cleansing — “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1.7; ESV)
The Promise of Forgiveness — “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you…” (Matthew 6.14; ESV)
The Promise of Heaven — “And this is the promise that he made to us–eternal life.” (1 John 2.25; ESV)
What other promises from the Bible can you remember?
What other promises from the Bible keep you motivated to press toward the prize each day?
