Dishonesty Leads to Prosperity?

Romans 8:28 tells us:

For we know that all things work together for good, to them who love God and are called according to His purpose.

That sometimes is hard to understand, especially when we see our enemy spreading like a bay tree, and we seem to be losing ground. Everything seems to be working out for the good of the bandit, the coke dealer, the drug barons, those who steal from the Treasury, the corrupt politician, the don’t-care-a-damn person, et cetera, et cetera. But the goodly, honest, lowly, humble citizen, God-fearing person seems to be getting a raw deal in life.

The psalmist David had his struggles with this state of affairs. The Bible records that he was like a beast before God, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73: 1-16 (NKJ)

Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…

They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men...

Therefore pride compass them as a chain; violence cover them as a garment

Their eyes stand out I fatness; they have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression

They speak loftily (arrogantly)

They set their mouth against the heavens…

Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches…

When I thought about this, it was too painful for me…

As I listened to the 2016 budget debate and I heard the excesses of many government officials, I wondered whether there was some truth to the old say, “dishonesty leads to prosperity”. I was angry, hurt, upset all at once. How could God allow this travesty?

But I like the psalmist had to seek God in prayer for answers. If I did not trust Jesus, I would hate the people who did wrong and appear to get away with it.

Psalm 73 did not end with David being angry. He sought the Lord.

Verses 17-19

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Surely you set them in slippery places; you cast them down into destruction.

How are they brought into desolation; as in a moment, they are utterly consumed with terrors.

The wicked will not go unpunished. Their judgment is sure; they will pay for their wrongdoing, unless they repent. We have to trust God in this.

The psalmist concluded:

Verses 21-28

My heart was grieved, and I was pierced within my heart.

So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before you. Who do I have in heaven but you God?

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever…I will put my trust in the Lord God.

With all we are seeing and hearing about those who seemingly raped the nation’s purse for their own selfish means, we too can hold fast to Jesus’ word, knowing that He will not let those who perpetrate nefarious deeds, the wicked, go scot-free.

Mercy Me!

Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy

Some time ago when exiting the Costaatt compound in San Fernando, I accidentally drove my car into an old model white vehicle parked right next to mine. The owner was not in the car at the time but I left a note on the windscreen with my contact information. I prayed that the cost to repair would be what I could afford.

One week later the owner called me and said that there was no charge for the damage. I leapt in thanks to God for such mercy and favour. She forgave me my debt.

One month later, I went into Princes Town to shop. I parked my car in a safe enough space and was gone for several hours. When I returned to my vehicle I immediately noticed a scratch on my bumper. 

I was livid. I railed with the attendant who was on site, shouting to her that I was going to the police station to make a report. The person would have to pay to fix the damage, I insisted; he was not getting away with this.

The attendant calmly assured me that the person who scratched my car was well known to her and she gave me his phone number.

When I called the perpetrator he sounded so frightened, and I, in a most cold and condescending tone, told him I was awaiting a call from someone to give me the cost for repairing the damage and I would let him know how much he had to pay. 

While waiting for the straightener to call me , God brought to my mind the incident of one month before. I remembered that I had been forgiven for my "transgression". Someone acted mercifully towards me, therefore, what should my response be to this gentleman. 

Talk about a turnaround. I humbly called the man back and told him he would not have to pay since I did find out that it was something a good compound could erase. I forgave him any debt owed to me. He was overjoyed and so very relieved. It is easy to ask for mercy when we are in dire straits, but when the shoe is on the other foot, it's another story.

So, how will you be merciful today, this week, this month, this year?

Be patient with people’s quirks. Who is that person in your life who has irritating quirks? How can you practice patience with that person this week?

Help anyone around you who is hurting. Who around you is obviously hurting that you can help this week? If you can’t think of anybody, then you’re not paying attention. Look closer!

Give people a second chance. Who do you need to give a second chance to? How can you show that person mercy and compassion this week?

Do good to those who hurt you. Maybe you’re suffering from an old wound that you have not been able to let go of. You need to forgive and then turn it around for good. Who is that person in your life? Will you make a phone call or a visit this week?

Be kind to those who offend you. Who offends you? Maybe it’s a politician or a comedian that you can pray for. Maybe it’s a Facebook friend who has different views and says some pretty offensive things. How can you be intentional about showing kindness to that person this week?

Build bridges of love to the unpopular. Who is the first person who comes to mind when you think of an outcast? Who spends their lunch breaks eating alone or doesn’t seem to have any friends at soccer games? What specific thing will you do this week to bridge the gap between you and that person with love?

Value relationships over rules. Who is an unbeliever you could invite over for dinner in the next few weeks? Will you then step up and invite that person to church? This is your ministry of mercy.

Deep Water Experiences

This devotional pointed me to something that all human beings experience at some time in life: Adversity. The Bible is not silent on this subject and gives us many great and exceeding promises to comfort us in our time of dismay. 

O LORD, when you favoured me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed" (Ps 30:7).

It is often difficult to recognize the hand of God when we are in the midst of adversity. We often feel God has hidden His face from us. When the Lord takes us through deep valleys, there will be fruit from the deep valley that we cannot see. You must press into Him with all you have during this time.

God uses the deep valley to frame our lives to create a change in our nature, not just a change in habits. The depth and width of our valley is often an indicator of the level of calling and influence we will have on others in the future. Our adversity is not just for us, but others who will be in our future path of influence. This is not very comforting when you are in the middle of the valley, but know this is a truth in the Kingdom.

It is often years later when we discover the wisdom of God and why He intentionally led us through the dark valley. Life is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back at through valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life while we were there. "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light" (Job 12:22). 

When you begin to realize this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.

Do you find yourself in the valley? Now is the time to fully trust Him to guide you to higher ground.

Exercise To Open Your Appetite.

Whatsoever things are true…whatsoever things are lovely…whatsoever things are of good report...Think on these things.  This devotional from Ric Warren is worth thinking on today. It speaks of maintaining an appetite for the things of God. With the hurly burly of life, sometimes it's hard to keep my appetite for spiritual food healthy. These tips are quite helpful.

 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.” 1 Peter 2:2 NLT

Remind yourself how much God loves you. The more you understand how much God loves you, the more you’re going to love him. The Bible says in Ephesians 3:18-19, “May you have the power to understand … how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (NLT, second edition).

Stop filling up on junk food. You are a spiritual being with a God-shaped hole in your heart that only God can fill. When you try to fill it with salary, status, success, passion, possessions, power, prestige, or anything other than God, it’s not going to be fulfilling. Proverbs 15:14 says, “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.”

Make knowing God your number one goal. Happiness is a by-product of knowing God. Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well” (NCV).

Get into God’s Word every day. The Bible is food for your soul. Eating a meal once a week won’t keep you healthy. In the same way, you need to feed on God’s Word every day. “You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT, second edition).

Appetite is influenced by association. If you hang out with people who only care about politics, that’s all you’re going to care about. If you hang out with people who only care about sports, that’s what you’re going to care about. Join a small group for support, because whatever you talk about when you’re with others is what you’re going to be hungry for. Proverbs 2:20 says, “Join the company of good men and women, and stay on the paths of the righteous” 

 You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.” 1 Peter 2:2 NLT

Whatsoever things are true…whatsoever things are lovely…whatsoever things are of good report...Think on these things. This devotional from Ric Warren is worth thinking on today. 

You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment.” 1 Peter 2:2 NLT

Remind yourself how much God loves you. The more you understand how much God loves you, the more you’re going to love him. The Bible says in Ephesians 3:18-19, “May you have the power to understand … how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (NLT, second edition).

Stop filling up on junk food. You are a spiritual being with a God-shaped hole in your heart that only God can fill. When you try to fill it with salary, status, success, passion, possessions, power, prestige, or anything other than God, it’s not going to be fulfilling. Proverbs 15:14 says, “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.”

Make knowing God your number one goal. Happiness is a by-product of knowing God. Jesus says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well” (NCV).

Get into God’s Word every day. The Bible is food for your soul. Eating a meal once a week won’t keep you healthy. In the same way, you need to feed on God’s Word every day. “You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT, second edition).

Appetite is influenced by association. If you hang out with people who only care about politics, that’s all you’re going to care about. If you hang out with people who only care about sports, that’s what you’re going to care about. Join a small group for support, because whatever you talk about when you’re with others is what you’re going to be hungry for. Proverbs 2:20 says, “Join the company of good men and women, and stay on the paths of the righteous” 

 v

I'm Hurting. Help Me Please!

Corinthians 4: 17-18: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I got a call at 4.00 a.m. this morning from a very distressed and crying relative. Her tears obviously came from a place of much grief and sadness. 

In trying to comfort her, I tried to avoid ramming down her throat the plethora of Bible verses normally used in situations like this, lest they come across like clichés.

I listened while she sobbed almost uncontrollably, and I prayed that I could find the right words to make her feel better.

After the crying stopped, we chatted about little nothings and she even laughed at some of my goings on with my Stat classes and the like. Her mood lightened and the emotional weight lifted somewhat. She sounded lighter.

Because of the listening-and-not-giving-advice-at-first approach, when she finally settled down emotionally, she was so open to hear what the word of God had to say about tragedies like the one she was going through.

Sometimes our first response to cries for help, might be the temptation to dispense counsel and expect the victim to take it on board immediately, but I’m learning that when someone is in pain, they might only want a listening ear, a hug, a napkin to wipe away the tears.

Rushing in with countless quotes from the Bible might seem like the spiritual thing to do. But we have to wait a while, feel the emotional psyche of the person and then gently reach out to give what we can to help at the moment.

Trials do come at the worst times it seems, but come they will. Keeping an above-looking perspective as the verse on top encourages us, really lightens the burden at the rightest time. If it depends on human will alone to feel good in a bad situation, it would all seem hopeless.

To keep hope alive, it takes the God of all comfort to strengthen, heal and impart the rightest balm to our wounds.

When I am Weak

i came upon this devotional that spoke about something of a puzzle in scripture. How can I be stronger when  I'm at my weakest?

“You bless all who depend on you for their strength.” (Psalm 84:5a CEV)

Are you tired? Some of you are running on steam. You’re tired a lot. At the end of the day, you’re worn out and you’re running out of energy, and the reason why is real simple: You’re a human being.

Your strength is limited. God’s strength is unlimited. Your strength is finite. God’s strength is infinite. Your strength is exhaustible — that’s why you get exhausted! But God’s strength is inexhaustible. God never runs out of energy. God never gets tired.

Psalm 84:5 says, “You bless all who depend on you for their strength” (CEV). Do you want God’s blessing in your life? Then you need to depend on God for your strength.

Sometimes in your life you’re going to be so weak you can’t even pray, read the Bible, or go to a Bible study. You can’t work. You can’t do anything. What do you do in those moments? You rest in the strength of the Lord, in his arms like a little child, and you trust.

Weakness can actually be a good thing in your life if it causes you to depend on God. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (NLT, second edition).

That’s the paradox of depending on God — the more you’re weak, the more you depend on God. And the more you depend on God, the stronger you get.

When I am weak, then am I strong

Waiting on God

This devotional really encouraged me today:

I trust the LORD God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer.” (Micah 7:7 CEV)

The Bible is clear that there are seasons in life, and one of the seasons that God talks about again and again is the season of waiting.

While you’re waiting, God is working. Don’t think that the season of waiting means that God has stopped working. He’s just taking you through that season because he’s using the time to work in your circumstances for your good.

You’re going to spend a lot of life waiting. If you don’t figure out how to trust God while you’re waiting, you’re going to spend a lot of your life not trusting God.

God is never in a hurry. He’s eternal! He is watching; he is working. He is seeing how and when you will trust him as you’re waiting. You’re saying, “When, Lord? When is it going to happen?” And God’s saying, “You can trust me with this.”

The problem with waiting is that our human nature and our culture say, “Don’t wait! Get things as quickly as you can.”

That’s the way our culture is wired, but it goes against God’s blessing in our lives because God’s blessing comes through these times of waiting. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “[God] has set the right time for everything” (TEV).

You might be in a time of waiting. Maybe it’s for school to end. Maybe it’s for a man or a woman to come into your life. Maybe it’s for a marriage to happen or a baby to come. And you may be frustrated with how slowly things are happening. We’ve all been there.

There’s a promise in the Bible that tells you not only that God is working but also how God is working, and you need to claim it while you’re in your time of waiting: “I am the LORD, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly” (Isaiah 60:22 NCV).

That’s how God worked when he sent Jesus into this world. The world waited thousands of years for Jesus to come the first time. And he came at just the right time.

We’ve been waiting 2,000 years now for Jesus to come again. When is he going to come again? At just the right time — God’s time. That’s when he’s going to come.

You need to apply this to your time of waiting and remember that a delay is not a denial. When you think God is saying “No,” he may just be saying, “Not yet. Will you keep trusting me through this?”

Micah 7:7 says, “I trust the LORD God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer” (CEV).

What's Your Trigger

The past few days have brought a variety of emotions my way through different experiences. Someone in my office who practises hateful behaviour towards me, added a new round of wickedness, childishness and downright "chupidness". At first I bristled with annoyance at her churlish mannerisms, and wished for some wind of adversity to snuff her away.

But somewhere in the midst of these vile thoughts, my theology kicked in and I wondered to myself whether this was not another ploy of the enemy to trigger sinful thoughts in my mind which would certainly affect my prayer life and of course my relationship with Jesus.

In the middle of regrouping after the attack, it dawned on me that every human being has something or things that cause them to rise up in anger, putting aside all rational thought processes and verbally reacting and/or engaging in regrettable actions. These are triggers. Those jabs that could cause World War III.

Hmmm! What are some triggers? A bad drive on the roadway, poor customer service at a public utility, a spouse using particularly odious words like “yuh always” or “yuh never”, someone in church commenting on your weight gain, weight loss, your choice of clothing, or a person criticizing your political or religious views. The list is endless, but triggers come like a dagger to the heart, and our response cannot always be measured and Christlike.

As I pondered on the whole concept of triggers, I realized that the secret to prevent them overtaking me when I least expect, is to identify them beforehand and if possible, count the cost of what would be lost when I react or retort in haste instead of first thinking things through. 

If you are a person who keeps a journal, write your triggers down and commit them to prayer. If you cannot think of any triggers, ask someone close to you if they recognize any phrase, word, words or behaviour that brings out the beast in you. I’m sure your “besties” all know what triggers you. You can even ask them for help, when they see you getting blue in the face, to point out that your trigger was pulled, and help you cool down.

Did Bible heroes have triggers? Of course: Moses lost his cool with the Israelites when they murmured about not having water to drink one more time. God told him to strike the rock once for water to miraculously flow, but  instead he reacted to his “complaint” trigger and beat the rock three times. His action cost him life in the Promise Land!

Remember Peter? He "cussed" the maid after she identified  him as being one of Jesus' followers

Do you feel a trigger coming on? Have a snack—The Word Snack—and overcome.

When The Pain Seems Greater Than the Gain

There are some situations we find ourselves in, where the pain is so great and seemingly so prolonged that we ask God why we must suffer this way, and we may even beg Him to take away the situation itself or perhaps the person causing the pain.

We mouth the scripture texts we know, we cry out to God, but the instant situation only grows worse: a tyrant boss, a hateful co-worker, a child making the wrong choices, a hurtful spouse, a terrible neighbour, an illness that suddenly overtakes us, and the list could go on and on. Why God? Why won’t you take this thing away? Why keep me in this situation for so long?

The night before Jesus was to be arrested and crucified, He cried in the garden of Gethsemane alone:

Lord, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.

Our Saviour experienced pain and suffering for something he did not do, but his love for us took him to the cross.

What is our cross right now? Sometimes we cause our own suffering. Sometimes we bring burdens upon ourselves. 

But for those times when we know it's not our fault, we have made the right decisions, we obeyed God and still painful circumstances overtake us, we have to reach deep inside our hearts and remember God’s promises:

Romans 8:28 (NIV):And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV): Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 43:2 (NIV): When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Our theology tells us that we will go through different seasons, but sometimes the winter drags on forever. We know that what God allows in our lives will bring everlasting gain in the end. We are called to hold on in faith. We are to surround ourselves with an inner circle, those folks who will stand with us, who we can call upon when we want to cry out, cuss out, vomit out, but yet they will not condemn us. They understand.

The victory will be ours; the gain will be worth the pain in the end.