Are You One of the Wicked?

Does it offend you to even be asked that question?

“The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.” Ps. 37:21

When we read this verse our first thought concerns money.

However, we may also borrow from others…time, energy, resources, prayer and other forms of help.

How willing or generous are you to give your time, energy, resources, and prayer to others?

What if…?

What if you REALLY, REALLY, REALLY didn’t care what other people think?

I’m not talking about anything immoral or illegal.

What if you didn’t live your life for the sake of presentation (how you look to other people), for pleasing others or in order to manipulate others?

What would you do?

How free would you be?

Digging, Searching & Casting

Just some notes from my quiet time this morning. In seeking God's direction, these parables give some insight into God's methods for us:

Digging, Searching & Casting

Matthew 13:44-47

1. "The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field." (44)

Sometimes the things of God requires us to go digging. This man was on a mission to find a treasure. Not sure if the land (which he did not own) contained it or not, he began digging. To his delight, a treasure was found. Was it Holy Spirit discernment that lead him to dig in this field?

2. "Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it." (45-46)

This man went searching. Waiting for something to drop or fall into his lap was not good enough. He realized that he must go searching. It's easier for God to lead you if you've moving, rather than stationary. He also knew what he was looking for (precious pearls). His vision was clear and he would keep searching until he found one.

3. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was cast into the sea and gathered in fish of every sort."

It would be hard to catch fish if your plan was to wait for them to swim into your boat. There are flying fish which could accomplish this, if that's the kind of fish you desire. Otherwise, to catch fish you must cast. Whether it's rod and reel or a net, it's in casting that you make an effort to catch the fish. Again, where to cast is just as important as the casting itself. No need to cast a net in a parking lot, it must be cast into the right body of water. The Holy Spirit can give direction, we must be willing to do the casting.

Default Mode

When faced with a crisis or difficult situation, what is your first response? In counseling a client this past week, he related that when faced with unpleasant news, his first response was to go to a bar and get drunk. Another client said that when she anticipated bad news, she would curl up in the fetal position on the couch and wait for the worst.

This is what I call the “default mode”. It’s the initial reaction to external negative stimulus. Maybe your default mode is to yell, stomp your feet or even get physical with the other person. The negative encounter causes you to react based on how you’ve reacted in the past when you’ve been in similar situations. This reaction happens in most cases without thinking and can be harmful to yourself or others.

If you anticipate a negative situation taking place in the future, take a moment and actually think through your options so that you can respond in the moment, rather than react. It’s also important to do a self check of your “default mode” when you’re not facing a crisis. Ask yourself if your “default mode” has worked for you in the past. If you discover that you have a faulty “default mode”, then you will need to reset it.

The Bible gives us a wonderful example by way of King David. In Psalms 139:22, he writes:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

And then in Psalms 51:10 he asks:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

To change your “default mode”, take time to think about any possible reactions to negative situations and every day, ask God to search your heart so that you may walk with a clean heart for yourself and toward others. DW