Bitterness: best weapon against breakthrough

                                            

One of the greatest breakthrough killers is bitterness. It comes in any form from anyone. And the worst response during bitter attacks is to waste time in depression. Jesus has been judged by men but he continued loving them anyway. So don’t think that this is an isolated case because Christians from around the world are experiencing the same struggle. But this is what the Lord says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Right Medicine

Releasing forgiveness is the best thing you can do for yourself. Just open up and release all the pain it caused you. You have been used in the past and God allowed it to happen to test and humble you. Forgiving them is a step of faith, but move forward because God said so. Do forgive them and give them a second chance for the sake of your heart-peace. I know you have been struggling inside because of anger and hatred, but hurt only manipulates your heart.

Reality over the fact

But don’t give in to the devil. The real enemy is satan, and he will use someone to hurt you so you will sin. And after you sin, satan will condemn you up to death, until you’re out and are no more. But don’t listen to your emotions and to the voice that exaggerates the real issue. Let the love of God fill your heart. Focus on Jesus and embrace the power of the cross. It has enough grace to make forgiveness possible. For the sake of Christ in your heart, stop being childish and emotional, but learn to keep your promise even when it hurts. This is the best opportunity to exercise the word “move forward”. When you forgive them moving forward is already healing your heart. Get up! Be mature and understand that no one is perfect but God alone. Now receive the grace and let it flow in your heart by willfully giving grace. 

Stone: what does it mean?

Joshua 4:21-24 “Then Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘In the future your children will ask, ‘What does these stones mean?’ 22 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground’. 23 For the Lord your God dried up the river before your eyes, and he kept it dry until we had all cross over. 24 He did this so that all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

The twelve stones Joshua led to set up before Israelites’ camp are their landmark. Our walk in the Lord is not one-stop shop where you’ll go for panic buying to keep sufficient foods. We can’t compare Christian walk to instant noodles, adding hot water for fifteen minutes and having salt overdose afterwards. We have to go through a process. By first years, infant is expected to walk but it needs repetitive guidance from the parents. In fact it was the greatest delight for parents to see their child progressing for the first time. How much more with God?

 Landmark

During Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites were reset into new batch of people because the former generation didn’t believe God and were in constant rebellion. The Lord purged this unyielding generation away and made their offspring the promise Land entering people. So God performed a miracle by making them cross Jordan River on foot. This landmark can be compared to Israel’s Red Sea experience on Exodus 14. But Had Israel continued to believe by holding on to the Lord’s powerful hands during hard times, they could inherit the Land.

Stone Pillars

God doesn’t change the teaching plans. Just like what God intended to hone from the former generation, he told Joshua to inform Israel that they must testify God’s faithfulness. In our Christian walk, Pastors and Leaders can be compared to Levites that lead us across the land. We hear and obey from them, for God assigned them for this noble task. But notice that Joshua is pertaining to each Israelite men to explain the meaning of stone pillars to their children. Training, then, starts from the parents and are guided by the leaders. We can’t pass the responsibility to anyone, let the child grow ignorant, and blame someone for their “expected” ruined lives.

What does it mean?

The purpose of Jordan River crossing is not to amuse Israelites by relieving them with recreational activities. God is not a clown to entertain man. He doesn’t have to please anyone, but everyone must be pleasing to him. Time will come when we are down on the hardest battles, but the only thing we can hold on to is our personal encounter with the Almighty. This is the meaning of Landmarks and stone pillars; so faith can grow into full maturity. And this faith doesn’t need imagery as reminders because complete trust is finally established.

Today, look back on your spiritual landmarks and thank God for what he has done. Sometimes we don’t need to be dramatic to please God. But setting our self-evaluation aside, God is worth rejoicing for.

Mr and Mrs Sy

Jon Thurlow- Lord I know you love me Let Love Win

I just love the reality that God will be there for us.
Distance is not an issue –be it sin or unbelieving heart, God can restore his
people who opened their heart to him again. Sometimes during our hardest
battles were seasons when we willfully rebel against God. Moses was summarizing
God’s faithfulness in spite of man’s rebellion. Israelites made God angry after
disobeying his command to take the promise land. Instead of believing that God
will be with them and fight for them, they listened to the 10 spies with bad
report. According to them, Giants are far stronger than Israel so there is no
choice but to go back to Egypt or die in the wilderness. In fact desperation
grew so much that they agreed to stone Joshua and Caleb. However, the glory of
God came down and confronted Israel. This visitation proved that the 10 spies
are not connected to God’s will.

Deuteronomy 30:4 “Even if you have been vanished from the
most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather
you and bring you back.”

Sins and rebellion scatter Christians into slavery. One
time, you came to such spiritual excitement that you want to do God’s will on
your own. But a battle arose and drained the excitement out of you. So you
stumbled by sinning and going back to your old life just as Israel longed for
Egypt. But the grace of restoration is greater than anything else. No matter
how deep Israel failed, God restored the repentant.

Perhaps you lost the passion to serve Jesus with a pure
heart. But God is reaching the lost and He can bring them back again.