What Walls Have You Built?

“Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

As I read a post from a friend about her daddy bringing her coffee, I recalled my father’s love for the drink. That, of course, made me think about His many quotes and statements. How many times I’ve heard him quote to me as a youth, “Two wrongs don’t make a right”. The phrase simply means that it is never right to wrong someone, even if they have wronged you first.

From school yards to church pews, we’ve all had occasions to be wronged. When we’re little it could be a parent or teacher or schoolmate that we feel rejected by. We aren’t always the darlings of the rodeo, the first picked or the blue ribbon winners. We hold those little offenses in our hearts and keep them tucked away. The wall starts to be built that we think will keep us safe. Later on, it’s more mature things like relationships, fellowships and friendships in work in marriage in life. More rejection happens which breeds more offenses, whether it’s intentional or not. A higher wall is built to keep ourselves a little safer. We attend church and we want to fit in, but everyone doesn’t. Square pegs trying to fit in round holes causes more hurts when the fit won’t work. The preacher gives a message on sin and we think he points his finger right at us. Someone rejects you. Friends quit you. Spouses quit loving you. You can fill in the blank with your own hurts and anguish.

Pretty soon we’re full of offenses and the wall is all the way around us. Trouble is that wall that was keeping you safe has now fenced you in. You are now a captive of your own circumstances. What will you do? How will you live? Are you content to live in the shadow of your hurts, fears and isolationism?

God speaks to our hearts: I know every hurt you have ever experienced. I know every person who ever rejected you for anything. I knew you before you were born and you were never meant to build a wall around yourself. I knew what would happen, but I had a plan. I AM the plan. If you will let me, I will remove the wall you have so carefully build and you will see that the view is not about your hurts but rather about My plans. The shortsighted life you are now living will only continue to hurt and hide you. You may be out in public but the wall of offense will keep you from truly shining My light. You will never know real freedom until you let Me set you free.

Oh beloved, whatever it is that has held you captive in hurt, rejection, offense and fear you can let it go! In fact, you cannot hold onto the Father and hold onto those things at the same time. Whatever someone else has done, the Father will take care of you. His abilities are not shortened by others’ hands. In fact, even in the pain there is God’s plan for you. Jesus is with you now to help you remove the shackles and live in His liberty. He came to ransom you from everything that holds you back. As deep as the hurts are, let Him remove them today. That wall you built is no longer going to hold you prisoner. You will no longer walk in hurts but you will walk in forgiveness. You are an overcomer, a valiant child of God and the Light He shines on you will now be shining through you as you live in the Light of His Word. There may still be pain and hurts that come your way, but God can handle them for you. Walking in freedom means you give those hurts to Christ and He removes them. You cannot change the past by holding onto it. But you can change your future by letting the walls crumble around you. What a view of victory, love, joy and peace are yours as you let God do what only He can do.

God loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth living free all the days of your life! As you reconcile yourself to God’s will, as you let Christ set you free and as you let the Holy Spirit do His work in you and for you, you will see it all work out for your good and God’s glory.

Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a citadel.

Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free. NLT

I Peter 2:23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity]… Amplified

2 Corinthians 3:17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

You Will Not LIVE in that Valley!

We recently made a trip through the Boston Mountains in northwest Arkansas.  Normally I’m pretty worn out after the ride but this year it was nice. I like rolling hills and the not so big mountains in Arkansas.  We came home a different way to avoid construction and found ourselves going through a valley. Some valleys are pretty, fertile and green with slow moving cattle and the occasional deer. Other valleys are stark, treeless and without any green to speak of.  I find it hard to see any beauty in those valleys. 

God speaks to my heart: I’ve been through a lot of valleys. Some of you may be going through a valley right now. Some of them were valleys I chose to walk through. Other valleys showed up abruptly because of things that happened to me. At the hands of another, the valley can be especially hard. Can you relate? There are the valleys of decision, valleys of death, valleys of troubles, trials and emotion.

What do we do when we’re in a valley? What happens if a torrential rain of trials, hurts, agony comes? How do we escape? Where do we find solace? What if the sun is beating down so hard on us that we feel we’re going to burn up and die right in that valley? Will anyone find us? Will anyone help us? Where is the shade when you need it? Where are our friends? Why are we all alone in this huge valley? We don’t think we’re going to make it!

What we’re really saying in all of our valleys is “where is God?” That’s who we really want!  When everything else is empty, when everyone else has walked away, driven on, ridden out of our life, it’s just us and we have a Savior. And His name is I AM. His name is Comforter, Wonderful, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and He is my Abba Father.

Oh beloved, God is God in everything you are going through. He has not abdicated His throne. He has not given away His Sovereignty, His Provision or His will. He is stepping into your valley as King of Kings and Lord of Lord. But He alone is King. He alone is Lord. If you will look up from this valley and look to the mountain of the Lord, look to Him alone, you will find Him to be the All Sufficient One.

Nothing else is true beloved. You are not alone. You are not abandoned. You are not lost. Because God sees the past, present, and future, He is able to know beforehand what our needs are and therefore make provision for all that we need. You are not at the mercy of the buzzards who want to circle your circumstances. You are not left to be eaten and destroyed.

The Lord Himself loves you and that love is everlasting, eternal and complete. He is on your side, already making provision for you! Rejoice as you live in the light of His Word!

Genesis 22:14 Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Jehovah Jireh)

Isaiah 33:6 In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

Psalm 42:11 Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!

Drop the Hurts and Pick up the Blessings!

I really enjoy a good cup of coffee.  As we were getting ready to head to our car the other morning, I grabbed one more for the road. It was cold and raining and I was holding onto Danny with one hand and my coffee with the other.  As I took off running to the car, the hot coffee began to splash! I decided the cup of coffee wasn’t worth burning my hand, so I dropped it!  Danny looked at me as I explained my predicament.  I laughed and so did he as we got into the car.

We are told by the Lord that He has given us freely all things to enjoy. But there are times when what we want to enjoy is going to burn us.  We can hold onto it and have the repercussions or we can let it go and get immediate relief. We cannot hope to be all that God has for us if we hold on to bitterness, anger, malice, wrath, or Unforgiveness.  Once we let those things go, we find such sweet relief. But we cannot merely drop them as I did the cup of coffee – we must hand them off to the Lord, where we find complete relief! He will give us something else to hold onto in their place.  Love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness and more.

Oh beloved, it’s a new year! Don’t you think it’s time to drop those things that you can do nothing about? Those things that are burning your heart and giving you more bitterness and sorrow? God knows what you’ve been through. God knows who has hurt you, antagonized you and betrayed you. But He has a plan, through it all! And, if you will hand off your troubles and anguish to Him He’ll make it all good in His time! He loves you, beloved, and because of His great love, He will watch over you and keep you safe all the days of your life. 

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Matthew 6:12  and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

Matthew 11:28
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

1 Peter 3:9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will bless you for it.

You Will Find Your True Value in God's Word

I love definitions. I like to look up synonyms and antonyms. I guess you could say I love words. To me they paint pictures that the heart can see. Definitions are incredibly important.  Without the proper usage of words, we could accidentally hurt someone.  We might even hurt ourselves.  We’ve got to know the difference between acetaminophen and arsenic. One cures, one kills.   Once we know the truth about something, the real definition of it, we can use it properly and for its intended purpose. 

I know some of you are hurting this morning because of words. Someone has labeled you and struggle as you might to remove the moniker, it wants to stay firmly planted in your heart and mind. You may have heard it so long that you now believe it to be the truth. You may only have heard it once, oh so long ago, but it stuck. People may have harmed you by telling you lies about yourself. The enemy of our soul is the ultimate liar and he loves to whisper those lies into our hearts.  Words to discourage, tear down, destroy.  To make you feel unworthy, unloved, unimportant.

Oh beloved! Run to the Ultimate Book of Definitions and find your true value inside its cover! All of God’s Words will speak life into your body and beauty into your soul. They always lift you up, they always encourage you. They will bring improvement and restoration.  God says to you this morning, believe Me for I speak the Truth to you. It is MY definition of you that counts. If you will begin to live in the light of My Word, you will see yourself as I see you. Then you will be able to go out and share with others what their true definition is.  Seek My Face, listen to My Words and let Me love you! Together we can destroy speculations from the enemy of your soul so that you can truly live loved! I will always love you, I will always desire your best and I am always on your side!

Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

John17:17 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. (Amplified)

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

Deuteronomy  33:3 Indeed, He loves His people; all His holy ones are in His hands. They follow in His steps and accept His teaching.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.