We are not Abandoned

(click on the image above to view the flashmovie)

God has said, "Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

I heard Steve Brown on the radio telling about the ugliest car he had ever seen. It had a large gash on its side; the door was held together with bailing wire; many places on the car were rusted out. The muffler was loose and, with every bump, was hitting the street sending sparks in every direction. It was hard to tell the original color of the car. The rust had eaten away much of the original paint, and so much of the car had been painted over with so many different colors that any one of them, or none of them, could have been the first coat. The most interesting thing about the car was the bumper sticker. It read: "This is not an abandoned car."

We live in a fallen world. It is ugly and depressing. Everywhere we turn we find tragedy and heartache. We are sitting on the verge of disaster. But it is not just the world. It's us. Sometimes the effort to keep on keeping on doesn't seem worth it. Guilt, loneliness, hurt and fear become constant companions. One wonders sometimes if any of it makes any difference. One wonders if anyone, especially God cares. But a long time ago, in a manger, a baby was born. It was a sign. It read: "This is not an abandoned world."

When Jesus came, God gave us the assurance that he had not abandoned us. He visited our planet letting us know that he was involved and that he cared. What the angel said to the shepherds was the same thing God is saying to us today, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11 NIV).

Even though we may not understand all that is happening to us and to our world, we are in good hands. God is not in a panic; he is still in control of our world. While circumstances may indicate panic at every turn, God came to us to say that he can understand the complexities of humanity and will touch people where they hurt the most.

From "Sightings of the Savior" © 2003 by Rick Ezell, sighted in Rick's "One Minute Uplift" weekly email devotional of March 1, 2007 (Please include this line to forward the message).

Seeing Through God's Eyes

 

They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. (2 Samuel 1:12)

How would you respond if you heard something bad happened to someone who had been trying to cut off your head for several years? King Saul had been seeking to kill David for many years before Saul was thrust into battle against the Amalekites. In this final battle, a sword killed Saul. When the news reached David, instead of rejoicing that his enemy was no longer a problem for him, he responded in a totally different manner. He mourned. Imagine that; he mourned for the one who sought to kill him.

This is a sign of one who can look past an individual who is the source of pain and consider how God views him. God looks on that individual and sees his needs and knows why he responds the way he does. When we begin to see people as God does, we'll no longer look at them as enemies, but as souls in need of grace. This is how Jesus could give of His life for us. He saw our great need, not what we did to Him. When someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand the need behind the offender's actions? For several years a person was a source of constant pain and retaliation toward me. There was nothing I could do to change it. God allowed me to go beyond the person's actions to understand what was the source of his need. When I gained that understanding, God gave me a picture of this person inside a prison cell and in bondage. This bondage made him respond to life in this way. I was able to pray for him and genuinely love him in spite of the fact that he persecuted me. This is the kind of love Jesus wants us to have when He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us.

I believe God does a special work of grace in those who go beyond the realm of normal response to persecution. He brings us to a level of grace we never thought possible. Describing how God worked in Joseph's life, Francis Frangipane reveals what happens when we tap into this grace:

God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful. Consider, even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area, God will make you fruitful in such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied, and God's heart fully glorified. God has not promised to keep us from valleys and sufferings, but to make us fruitful in them. [Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1996), 93]

TODAY GOD IS FIRST by Os Hillman © 2001 - 2007. All rights reserved. Click here for personal prayer and counsel. (Please include this line to forward the message).

Rescue Heroes

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV)

I was looking through the clothes rack when my then two-year old son, Joshua, walked up to me with tears streaming down his chubby cheeks. He'd been playing in the children's area of the small consignment store, but now he was pulling my hand and leading me to his injured friend - a clothes mannequin.

"Look mommy," Joshua cried, as he pointed to the stand and the metal rod that was shooting up her back. Then he whimpered, "Ouch, that hurts."

Overwhelmed by Joshua's tender mercy, I almost started crying. I knelt in front of him to explain that his friend was okay. She just needed a little extra support.

Joshua's heart was so full of compassion. It was a picture of God's love for me that day – love that shows concern, not just with words but with actions. Joshua saw someone who was hurting, or so he thought, and he came to her rescue.

Joshua's love-in-action reminded me of a story Jesus told about another rescue hero. There was a man who was traveling down the road one day when he noticed a hurting neighbor who had been robbed, stripped of his clothes and left for dead. Unlike others who ignored him as they passed by, this man saw the injured victim and was moved with compassion. He bandaged his wounds, took him to an inn and got him the care he needed (read the story of the Good Samaritan in Matthew 10:23-27).

Jesus told this story to show what compassion looks like. But, it was more than a story He told, it was a story He lived.

With never-failing love and compassion Jesus became our rescue hero. He had an aching awareness of our injured hearts, our sin-wrecked lives and our need for His forgiveness. He couldn't just walk by. Instead, He came to our side. With outstretched hands He offers to heal our wounds and give us the care we need.

Today's verse tells us that even when our hurts and our stuggles consume us, or our responsibilities, jobs and failures overwhelm us, God's love is greater. His compassions never fail.

I love that Jesus didn't just tell us to love, He showed us how to love -  by loving us first. He told us to love sacrificially. Then He demonstrated by sacricing His life for ours. He told us to be there for others, because He was and is there for us.

So, whether you need more of His love or feel called to give His love away, remember the same compassion that brought Jesus near over 2000 years ago moves His heart toward you today.

No matter what you need, He offers healing for your hurts, comfort for your concerns and rest for your wearied soul. No matter what you face today or tomorrow, His compassions will never fail. They are new every morning!

Application steps:
Are there areas in your life that are hurting (marriage, work relationships, parenting, financial stress, etc.)? Tell God about them and ask Him to be real to you, to care for your needs, to be your rescue hero. Then look for evidence of His active love in your life - a song you hear, a sunset you see, a friend who stops by unexpectedly, or a stranger who simply smiles and asks how you are doing today.

Soak up the truth of today's devotion. As you experience God's love for you, look for ways to give His love and compassion to those who are hurting around you.

Try to remember different times when you've needed help, when you've been a rescue hero, when you've been like the inn keeper who helped someone care for another, or when you've been too busy or bothered to help. We have all been in each person's place. Ask God to show you what character you are most like today.

 

Prayer,
Dear Lord, thank you for seeing my greatest needs. When I fail or feel failed by others, remind me that your compassions never fail me. Thank you for loving me with Your Words and Your actions. Help me do the same – love you and others with my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Power Verses:
"As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him."   (Psalm 103:13 NRS)

"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins." (Psalm 51:1 NLT)

"But the Lord still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion." (Isaiah 30:18 NLT)

PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES by Renee Swope © 2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

Idolatry Through Offence

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? (Mat 7:1-4).

 

Why does Jesus say that we will be judged by our standard of measure? Why does He speak of specks and logs? What is so evil about judging? It is the measure.

 

The measure is that standard of correctness that is applied to what is measured or judged. It presumes a standard of truth in order to be reliable. In order to measure fault, we have to have a standard of fault that is reliable. It must itself be clear of fault or it cannot compare fault against anything. In order for me to know if I am right and you are wrong I have to be always right. Or else how can I know that this time I am right if I have been wrong before?

 

Only One Being is always right or always correct. That being is Light Himself in who there is no darkness and therefore He can judge the darkness. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. (1Jo 1:5) God alone is capable of judging how much darkness is in an individual. He alone has the correct measure, pure light, pure truth.

 

When we get hurt in an area and begin to make conclusions, judgment about people and how they have "hurt" us, we are taking the place of God. We are judging within the standard of hurt, offence. This is pure idolatry. We have placed ourselves and the others in the place of God and have given the enemy his favorite diet, death.

 

Love dies and pain is born or more accurately re-released causing separation and a dulling of life. We become the walking dead and the only thing that feels alive is the hurt and pain. This is the death of idolatry through offence.

 

The Excerpt from "Offense:The Road to idolatry written by David in Israel.  Shared by VISIONARY ADVANCEMENT STRATEGIES (Please include this line to forward the message).

To Be Clothed with Humility

... clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:5-7)

 

When we find ourselves in pain, we need to remember that we gave our heart to the Lord and no other person has the right to be lord of our heart and emotions including ourselves.

 

We need to be clothed with humility.

What is humility? It is the attitude toward one another of tenderness and preferring one another. It is the opposite of pride. When we clothe ourselves we are covering a nakedness or shame that comes from the sin of self will. We are asking the Lord to be our covering, to let His love cover the multitude of our self willed sin. We have to realize that being offended is SIN. It is rooted in pride and self will and it is SIN. I don't like that it is SIN, but the Word tells me that it is SIN. Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! (Luke 17:1).

Clothing ourselves in humility when we have taken offence at our brother is really coming into the secret place under the shelter or cover of the Most High. We come under the mighty hand of God, that He might exalt us at the proper time, casting all anxiety on Him because He cares for us. In humility, His Hand is upon us. He opposes our pride but gives His Grace to us in our humility. This grace is His Mighty Hand.

 

What does it mean that He exalts us? We humble ourselves, a kind of death and then He can resurrect us or exalt us. The "us" that is exalted is NOT the "us" that is offended. It is the new man, the one new man. It is the result of His Glory in us.

 

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; John 17:22. This is the exaltation, Him in us. We cannot humble ourselves to be exalted. It just when we humble ourselves, we are resurrected in Him. This is the place of casting the cares on Him, onto the cross. We allow the offence to pass through us into death on the cross. In that place is the provision of His care for us, His Love for us.

 

The Excerpt from "Offense:The Road to idolatry written by David in Israel.  Shared by VISIONARY ADVANCEMENT STRATEGIES (Please include this line to forward the message).

Courage

 

All you who put your hope in the LORD be strong and brave (PSALM 31:24)

A legend from India tells about a mouse who was terrified of cats until a magician agreed to transform him into a cat. That resolved his fear... until he met a dog, so the magician changed him into a dog. The mouse-turned-cat-turned-dog was content until he met a tiger--so, once again, the magician changed him into what he feared. But when the tiger came complaining that he had met a hunter, the magician refused to help. "I will make you into a mouse again, for though you have the body of a tiger, you still have the heart of a mouse."
 
Sound familiar? How many people do you know who have built a formidable exterior, only to tremble inside with fear?... We face our fears with force… or… we stockpile wealth. We seek security in things. We cultivate fame and seek status.
 
But do these approaches work?

Courage is an outgrowth of who we are.

Exterior supports may temporarily sustain,

but only inward character creates courage.

OAKHILLS CHURCH by Max Lucado © 2000-2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

The Cure for Disappointment

When God doesn't do what we want, it's not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and He will get us through it. Remember, disappointment is cured by revamped expectations.

I like the story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it. The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed the bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg. He felt cheated that he'd been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained. "What do you want," the store owner responded, "a bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?"

Good question for times of disappointment.

OAKHILLS CHURCH by Max Lucado © 2001-2006 All rights reserved.

Excerpt from "He Still Moves Stones". (Please include this line to forward).

When You and Your Kin Can't

"My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants" (Mark 3:35).

Does Jesus have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes, there is. His own. It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a difficult family. If your family doesn't appreciate you, take heart, neither did Jesus'.

"His family... went to get him because they thought he was out of his mind" (Mark 3:21). Jesus' siblings thought their brother was a lunatic. They weren't proud - they were embarrassed! It's worth noting that he didn't try to control his family's behavior, nor did he let their behavior control his. He didn't demand that they agree with him. He didn't sulk when they insulted him. He didn't make it his mission to try to please them.

Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Waltons, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn't have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: "My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants" (Mark 3:35).

When Jesus' brothers didn't share his convictions, he didn't try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didn't. If Jesus himself couldn't force his family to share his convictions, what makes you think you can force yours?

Having your family's approval is desirable but not necessary for happiness and not always possible. Jesus did not let the difficult dynamic of his family overshadow his call from God. And because he didn't, this chapter has a happy ending.

What happened to Jesus' family? Mine with me a golden nugget hidden in a vein of the Book of Acts. "Then went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives... They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers" (Acts 1:12, 14, emphasis added).

What a change! The ones who mocked him now worship him. The ones who pitied him now pray for him. What if Jesus had disowned them? Or worse still, what if he'd suffocated his family with his demand for change? He didn't. He instead gave them space, time, and grace. And because he did, they changed. How much did they change? One brother became an apostle (Galatians 1:19) and others became missionaries (1 Corinthians 9:5).

So don't lose heart. God still changes families!

This passage excerpted from "He Still Moves Stones," Max Lucado C1999.
http://maxlucado. net/pdf/when. you.and.kin. pdf

A Prayer That God Cannot Answer

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)

Perhaps you've heard yourself praying this prayer in a moment of exasperation when dealing with people: "God, I can't deal with all these people anymore! Please remove all the people from my life who make me lose my peace and joy!"

As long as you live in this world, you will have challenges in your relationships with people. That's just a part of dealing with human beings. The only way you can be free of challenges with imperfect humans is to die prematurely and go directly to Heaven. But if you intend to live a full life here on planet earth, part of the package includes living with people who are far from perfect and who do things that occasionally surprise and disappoint you.

 

Paul had prayed to be delivered of problem people on three different occasions during his ministry.

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me."(2 Cor 12:8).

The word "besought" or "parakaleo" in Greek, lets us know that Paul had passionately asked God to answer this prayer. Paul had drawn as near to God as he possibly could; then once he was in that close position, he earnestly pleaded with God, asking Him to deliver him from that thorn in his flesh and from the messenger of Satan that buffeted and constantly harassed him.

 

The word "depart" is Greek word "aphistimi", Paul tells us that he asked God to cause this thorn in the flesh to  depart or to remove and as a rule it is used to refer to people rather than things. Paul was praying to be freed of problem people! He was literally saying, "God, I don't want to deal with these people anymore. I earnestly ask You to please remove them from my life!"

But here is why God cannot fully answer this kind of prayer: Even if God did remove this particular group of people that caused Paul such trouble, it wouldn't be long until another group of problem people showed up! As long as we live in this world, we will have to deal with people whom we don't enjoy or whom the devil tries to use to steal our joy and peace. If we constantly focus on getting rid of people we don't like or enjoy, we'll be praying to be delivered from people for the rest of our lives.

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9).

The word "sufficient" is Greek word "arkeo" that means to be sufficient; to be satisfactory; and to give protection, power, and help. This is precisely the word the Lord used when He told Paul, "My grace is more than enough to protect you, empower you, and help you deal with the problem people you encounter in life.

The word "strength" is Greek word "dunamis", the word for dynamic power. This is a strength that always releases sufficient power and possesses the ability to make needed changes. God knew that Paul needed a new surge of divine power that would change his perspective and empower him to successfully overcome his struggles with people.

The word "weakness" is Greek word "astheneo", which describes a person who feels weak, distressed, unsettled, or needy. If Paul was referring to physical sickness, as some assert, he would have used the word asthenes, which actually describes physical ailments. However, because Paul used the word astheneo and not asthenes in this verse, he confirmed to us again that he was not talking about physical sickness; rather, he was referring to the distressing, unsettling emotions he experienced as a result of the people who were a constant source of conflict for him. The Lord knew that Paul felt insufficient in his own strength to successfully deal with these people.

 

The word "perfect" is the word teleo, which means perfection, completion, or something that is mature. But the Greek tense used in this verse accentuates continuing action, which is a very important point! It means that this inflow of supernatural, strengthening power is not what God only does sometimes; it is power that God makes available at all times if we will only receive it. The verse could be translated, "My grace is more than enough for you. If you'll receive it, you'll find that it will sufficiently endow you with more than you need to deal with any situation. My power is always on hand, available to help you in moments when you are weak and needy."

 

Just like Paul, we may occasionally feel exasperated and incapable in our own strength to victoriously cope with troublesome people; nonetheless, the Lord gives us His promise: "My strength is made perfect in weakness."

So the next time you feel exasperated with people and are tempted to pray to be delivered from them, remember that this is a prayer you really don't want God to answer exactly like you asked. If He were to permanently remove you from "problem people," He'd have to take you home early! That is the only way you could ever be permanently freed from people who cause challenges for you. It's all right to pray for others to be changed, but never forget that God wants to do a work inside you as well! He wants to change you so that you can successfully live in the midst of imperfect people.

 

If you'll open your heart to receive what God has for you, He will fill you with His dynamic, supernatural power - divine power that will transform your thinking and inwardly fortify you to live successfully in this world. You'll be able to cope with the problem people you have to deal with - and you'll do it all with joy, peace, and victory! God will strengthen you and help you overcome your own weaknesses, making you sufficiently strong to handle every people challenge that ever comes your way!

PRAYER,
Lord, I realize today that I've been praying the wrong prayer! I've been asking You to remove all the problem people from my life; meanwhile, You've been wanting to reinforce me with sufficient strength to live with these people victoriously. Forgive me for wanting to run from my challenges. Help me face them bravely and confidently in the power of the Holy Spirit from this day forward. I know You want to give me this power, so I open my heart to receive it right now! I pray this in Jesus' name!

A Prayer That God Cannot Answer by Rick Renner www.renner.org

Gaining a Positive Attitude

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I once counseled a young wife who had been sexually attacked when she was a young girl. I could see by the expression on her face that she was still discouraged and distressed about the incident and embarrassed to talk about it. Feeling she had been cheated in life, she was somewhat resentful that God had allowed such a horrible thing to happen. Still unable to eliminate her deep feeling of shame over the situation, she began to discuss how she felt about it now as an adult.

 

I began by telling her she would never be free from the resentment, shame, and negative attitude resulting from her experience unless she could first see the benefits which resulted from the attack. She looked at me like I was crazy and she asked, "What benefits?"

 

"I'm going to ask you a very difficult question based on two Scriptures—1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Romans 8:28. Do you think that right now you could thank God that this happened to you?"

 

"You've got to be kidding me," she said. "I could never thank God. The only thing I could ever by thankful for is that I didn't become mentally ill because of the attack. I'm thankful for that."

 

"I'm not asking you to be 'thankful' that it was a terrible experience. I'm just asking you to be willing to say, 'Thank you, God, for that attack because I know You can turn it into good. I just can't see the good now'" (Isaiah 61:3; Rom. 8:28).

 

She didn't think she could do that, which was understandable. However, I told her she could work through her feelings, and then I asked her if she would like my help. She responded, "By all means."

 

"First, let's look at your dating life before you got married. Did you ever let anyone take advantage of you sexually when you were dating?"

 

She replied, "Absolutely not! When that man did that to me, I said no other man would ever take advantage of me again."

 

"So in other words, because that happened to you as a child, you never got involved in any immorality in high school or college. Consequently, you have been spared the hurts that can come from an illicit relationship. It may have even saved you from the consequences of pregnancy before marriage. In essence, the man gave you a vaccination that may have saved you from worse problems," I said.

 

"Yeah, I never though of it like that, but that's exactly what happened," she replied.

 

"Now I'm going to show you the most important thing of all. You received a gift at the very time the attack took place. Do you know what I'm referring to?"

 

"No, what is it?"

 

"You received a priceless quality that will enable you to better love others in a genuine way. That is, greater sensitivity. How alert are you to your children's needs and your husband's needs?"

 

"Very alert!"

 

"I can believe that. It's only naturally that when something terrible happens to us, we become even more aware of and sensitive to the sufferings of those around us. Awareness and sensitivity then become the basis of genuine love—being able to detect another person's need and having the motivation to meet that need in an effective way."

 

I continued by asking what kind of man she had married. Was he calloused or gentle? She said her husband was a very loving, tender, gentle man. She considered him a wonderful husband. It became increasingly obvious to both of us that because she had been abused by a man, she had become more aware of her need for a gentle and compassionate husband. She realized how the experience had "sensitized" her to the type of husband she really needed.

 

By the time she left my office, she had all the reasons she needed to thank God for her past. After being in bondage to negative feelings for years, she was set free simply by thinking through the positive factors involved.

 

The first step to gaining a positive attitude is to discover the benefits of the negative situations. (Incidentally, I haven't heard of a situation yet that lacked positive benefits.) It often seems that more tragic the situation, the greater the positive consequences. I am not saying that as we recognize the positive side of a negative situation, we can be liberated from the chains that tie us to guilt, resentment, despair, and any other negative feeling which has held us captive.

 

With this principle, I must include two cautions: First, I am not providing an excuse to do something wrong, with the rationalization that something good will come of it. I believe that such reasoning is shallow and perverted in that the wrongdoer is always the loser (Luke 17:1-2). Second, people who are suffering from tragedy don't need a flippant statements such as, "I know you can find some good in this if you really try." So first be sensitive to their emotions and their immediate needs for comfort. When the time is right, after empathic comfort has been extended graciously and gently, then you can begin to help them see the benefits of their problems.

The more you discover the inherent benefits of your own problems, the more positive your attitude will become.

Gaining a Positive Attitude by Dr. Gary Smalley

Are You An Outcast? Overcoming the Wounds of Rejection

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:1-3)

I was watching a television program this week with the woman who won The Swan. The Swan is a reality television program based on the classic story of The Ugly Duckling. The ugly duckling was really a swan. But before his metamorphosis into a swan he was unsightly to the other ducklings. And because of the way he looked, the other ducklings despised him and rejected him. He was an outcast. And nobody wanted to play with him until he went through a radical transformation and became a swan. This story is a metaphor for the superficial, looks conscious, lust driven, competitive popular culture in which we live.

The woman who won The Swan was plain and average before she underwent four months of cosmetic surgeries. But after her transformation she was beautiful and stunning. However, she never got over the hurt and the pain of the rejection she felt when she was plain and average. Even though she went through a radical external transformation, her internal communication was still the same. "I'm ugly. Nobody wants me for me."

Consequently, she was rejecting potential relationships. She wasn't giving them a chance to get to know her and wasn't giving herself a chance to get to know them. Her internal wounds were so deep that her rejection manifested into rejecting others. Rejected people reject people. And although her body image had changed, her self-image remained the same. She may have looked like a swan on the outside, but she still felt like an ugly duckling on the inside.

Many times when we come to Christ we get saved, but we still have some deep wounds that need to be healed. Rejection is a part of life for every human being. And for most people the wounds are quite difficult to overcome. Why? Because rejection is a demon spirit that Satan releases to destroy your life and systematically breakdown your mind, will, and emotions, until you cease to effectively function in society.

And even once you get delivered from rejection, you still have to be able to handle rejection in life. Deliverance from rejection does not mean that you get so delivered that you never feel the sting of rejection again. Deliverance from rejection means that you got delivered from a demon of rejection and now you can experience and encounter rejection, but not live your life being controlled and dominated by it.

And not only must we overcome the demon of rejection, but we must learn to love rejected people.

The spirit of rejection works two ways. It causes you to feel hurt, because someone is doing something and acting a certain way that is rejecting you. Or it causes you to feel hurt, because you are doing things and acting a certain way that causes people to reject you.

Many times we're too caught up into our relationships with people and what they think of us that we don't have a healthy and balanced walk with God. You've got to have a daily prayer life, a daily Word life, and a daily worship life. You've got to be so connected to the Father that no matter what comes your way you know that He loves you. The closer you get to God the less rejection will bother you.

Jesus was the most rejected man who ever lived. Isaiah 53:3 says, "He was despised and rejected by men." Mark 8:31 says, "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." Jesus knew that He would be rejected, and that He would be betrayed, and that He would be crucified. But He never came under the power of demonic control. Jesus never had a demon spirit. He was sinless. Every time He ran into rejection, He ran to His father in prayer. And it was His connection to the Father that sustained Him during times of rejection.

Jesus loved rejected people. And here in Mathew Chapter 8 Jesus is ministering to a rejected person. This man was an ostracized outcast banished from society, because he had leprosy. To be a leper in the Bible was very traumatic. This man was rejected and discarded by his community, his culture, and his religion. He was despised and to be avoided. Everyone was afraid of him and nobody wanted to be bothered with him. He was a reject. He didn't belong. He had no right to expect acceptance, love, friendship or kindness. He was to be refused and thrown away like yesterday's garbage. He was a leper. And to be a leper was the epitome of rejection. The spirit of rejection was moving against him everyday of his life. He couldn't escape it. It was apart of who he was. You can only imagine how it undermined and destroyed his self-esteem, his purpose, and his potential.

And just as Jesus finished His big message, the Sermon on the Mount, and ministering to the multitudes with the cheers of the crowd still ring in His ears and everyone jockeying for some face time with the preacher. Behold this leper, a social outcast, a religious misfit comes before Him. A man rejected by society. A man rejected by the church. A man discriminated against by his community and his culture. And he's saying to himself, "He ministered to all of them, but will he minister to me? I'm a leper. He preaches to multitudes, but will He touch me? I'm a reject."

And he drops to his knees before Jesus in an attitude of humility and in a position of desperation and brokenness to worship the Lord. He heard the sermon and now he's responding to the altar call. Desperate for deliverance and risking rejection once again, he said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." You can hear the nervousness and the timidity and the pain of rejection in his voice. "Lord, I don't know if You want to, But if You want to maybe You could heal me. Maybe You could make me clean. Maybe you could remove this stigma, this shame, this disgrace from my life. I just want to be loved and accepted and received. Lord, if You're willing, You can make me normal. I just want to be normal and regular like other people. Will You receive me? Will You love me? Will You accept me?"

And Jesus reached out to the leper and touched him and said, "I'm willing, be cleansed." The despised and rejected Savior was willing to deliver the despised and rejected leper. Jesus was willing to take the time to minister to someone who nobody else wanted to be bothered with.

Why did this man come to Jesus? Something drew him. It was the love of God that compelled him. Jesus was willing to reach out and intimately touch someone who no one would touch. Compassion (love in action) will have you reach out to the rejects and love the unlovable and touch them with the mercy and the miracles of Christ. Once we can come to the knowledge and understanding that God loves us it breaks the root of rejection and draws us to Jesus Christ.

And immediately the leper was healed. Jesus touched an untouchable and in that moment, in that instant he was delivered from leprosy. One touch of from Jesus (love manifested in the flesh) removed his stigma and his pain. He was cured. He was cleansed. And he was free. All the external and internal wounds were a distant memory.

God is no respecter of persons. He loves the unlovable. He loves the leper. He loves the reject. And He loves you. Jesus loves you enough to reach out to you, to touch you, and to set you free. The ministry of deliverance has the power to pull you out of bondage and demonic control. In one moment this man went from being a reject to being recognized and received by Christ.

If you have a wounded heart or a broken spirit, Jesus loves you. He draws near to them that have broken heart and saves as such that have a contrite spirit. And nothing can separate you from His love. He's willing to heal you and make you whole. He that cometh to Jesus, He will no wise cast out. He won't reject you. You are accepted in the Beloved. You are received and loved in Jesus Christ. Remember that you are no longer an ugly duckling. You are a beautiful swan. If you can see yourself the way that God sees you, you can overcome.

Yours for Acceptance in the Beloved, Apostle Brian S. Lewis email: apostleblewis@ancla.info phone: (310) 348-8180 web: http://www.ancla.info

When Life Doesn't Make Sense

'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'" (Is 55:8-9).

This seems tragic to me, because although God sometimes lets us in on some of his reasons for allowing things or doing things, most of the time he doesn't. We must realize that we are the created beings and God is the Creator. How could we understand his reasoning? Trying to analyze His omnipotence is like an amoeba attempting to comprehend the behavior of man.

When disasters strike, we feel like children at God's feet, tugging at his coat with the question, "Why?" It is human nature for us to want to understand each significant event in our lives. We feel that if we could just grab hold of a reason for each painful event then we could make it through to the other side. This pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps mentality has one major flaw: If we always have a reason for things, we will be tempted to rely on ourselves during our pain rather than turning to God. We are not meant to understand; we are meant to trust.

God's reasons are beyond our created minds. He does not promise us any explanations on earth, but one day in heaven we will understand our pain. "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Cor 13:12).

How to Respond When Life Doesn't Make Sense
As with every disappointment, we have a decision to make when trouble or disaster strikes. How will we respond? The first part of responding correctly when life doesn't make sense is keeping our focus on God. At some point in our lives, we will all spin out of control. We won't know how and we won't know why. How we attempt to steer our out-of-control lives, however, is up to us. We can choose to focus on exactly why God has allowed this situation and how it came about, or we can focus on trusting God for the next step.

In addition to keeping our focus on God, it is important to remember his infinite love for us. The presence of pain and disappointment in our lives does not mean that he does not love us. It actually means that he loves us all the more. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend, and because he loves us, he knows the people and things that are precious to us.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Michelle McKinney Hammond describes his care for our concerns: Just as single women can believe in God for everything except a mate and mothers can believe God for everything except their children, the same principle prevails here. We have trouble releasing our most precious things into the care of God. For some reason, we do not believe that what we view as precious is even more precious to God and that He is well able to keep those things we hold dear. How it wrenches our hearts when we have done everything we can think of, yet to no avail, and we are forced to release our dreams, our mates, and our children into the hands of God, stand still, and see His salvation.

If God loves us as much as he promises in his Word (see Jn 3:16), then he also is capable of taking care of those things we hold dear. When life doesn't make sense we should focus on God, remember his love, and finally take the next step in our growth. There are lessons that we must learn through painful circumstances that we could learn only by going through them.

Remember the story of Job? He lost his family, his wealth, his health, and his friends but grew closer to God. Ultimately, for Job's faithfulness the Lord blessed him with a larger family and more wealth than he'd had before. We must look for the lessons that God has in store for us during our trying times. It is all part of growing.

Trust Is "A Must" As children of God, it is crucial for us to trust God and all his ways. If we don't want to be driven crazy by the question of "Why?" we must realize that sometimes there are no answers. Dr. James Dobson shares from his book, When God Doesn't Make Sense: "If we truly understood the majesty of the Lord and the depth of His love for us, we would certainly accept those times when He defies human logic and sensibilities. Indeed, that is what we must do."

Though this kind of trust is against our nature and contrary to our logic, it is our only choice if we are to truly rest in God.

Prayer,
Dear all-knowing, all-loving Father, I am facing one of the hardest battles of my faith. You don't make sense to me right now, Father. I don't understand why things happen that you could prevent. My mind and my heart cry out for reasons and answers, yet I know that may not be for me to know right now. Everyone around me thinks I am crazy to remain faithful to you, but I know that it is my only choice. Either you are God in control of the universe or you are not God at all. I believe that you love me and want what is best for me, even when it doesn't feel that way. Give me strength and grace to fight this battle. Help me to focus on you, remember your love, and take the next step. In your almighty name, Amen

Prayers for When Life Doesn't Make Sense written by Brittany Waggoner. Brittany Waggoner is a student at Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio, majoring in Broadcasting. She enjoys public speaking and has hosted shows on both radio and TV.