Today I was spending some alone time with the Lord and I suddenly had the most random thought: “ If a Bombardier new his bomb would kill innocent people would he push the button to drop the bomb?” This is of course a rhetorical question, for I am convinced that every Bombardier is instructed and trained as to how to handle and justify the probability of innocent lives being lost, after all war is not fair. However I began to ponder this question with a rather different take on it; I began to think of the bombs that each one of us drop on people every day with no thought of their consequence or action. What bombs you ask? The ones that are birthed in our heart, that pass through our lips, and pour out onto others with all too often permanently devastating consequences. Matthew 15:18-20 records Jesus speaking these words: “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication's, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” In this section of scripture Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders, those who stand in self righteous judgment based upon the law. Jesus on the other hand says that judging one for breaking the mosaic law is not an action we take in our self righteous indignation. But rather h we are to control ourselves by testing our thoughts with the word and tempering our actions by the Holy Spirit. All too often we (myself included) spew out our opinions, which are all to often based upon opinion, experience, or knowledge, tor are tempered by a filter of emotion, passion, or even anger, and what comes out of our mouth is nothing more than an emotional bomb that destroys and wounds innocent people. The book of James says this this about the tongue in chapter three verses 4-11: “Look also at ships; although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the whole course of nature, and is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be so. Does a spring set forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
I read these two passages and my heart aches for the innocent blood I and all to many other believers have shed with the words that have come from our mouths. I envision far too many of us believers as bombardier’s lying in the belly of a great flying ship randomly dropping bombs of destruction on the children of God with no regard as to the outcome. in our own self righteous indignation we justify our judgment and seek to purge the perceived sins or actions of others by inflicting upon them permanent emotional scars all in the name of righteousness.
If the body of Christ truly is a body then what purpose do we serve when we inflict pain and injury upon ourselves? We surely are not serving ourselves or the one who made us well, we are truly in fact only serving the one who has set himself against all things of God. Matthew eighteen gives us a very clear view of how to handle conflicts amongst ourselves as well as the judgment that awaits those who sit in judgment and forget the grace and mercy that is given to them by the Father. The same grace and mercy that we are to pass on to one another. My heart aches today as I think of those in my life whom I have bombed, those who I have hurt and even scarred, I pray for them to be healed, I seek their forgiveness, and I now do all I can to avoid speaking before seeking. “He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” and I for one want to be a tool of God used for building His kingdom and bringing Him glory, not one who drops bombs of destruction upon His children hoping to somehow purge them of their so I have judged evil actions. I will end with this, a challenge for all who believe to read 1Corintians the 13th chapter and remember that this is the love the Lord has for us, and the same love is what He calls us to have for one another, no matter how difficult it may be or how much pride we must swallow. My sleep is much better these nights, and my days are filled with joy, for now the problems of this world they are His and my thoughts are no longer cluttered with worry, judgment, or accusation. I pray the same for you, I pray that the freedom of loving unconditionally will fall upon is all for when it does the greatest revival of all will fall upon all mankind. You see when we walk in freedom and not in judgment who we are truly becomes attractive to those who are seeking love and acceptance and isn’t that really what we all are truly seeking? If not, why not?
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Shasta Lake Church
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Ninety Nine Dollar Jeans
Ninety Nine Dollar Jeans
What I am about to write will know doubt stir many emotions in a variety of ways, I do however trust that the point of God’s great love will be made. Last night after dinner we took a trip to the mall, Michaela was in desperate need of a new pair of Jeans. Michaela is one who is quite happy to have twenty dollar jeans as long as they fit, she is a very practical and frugal young lady. Yet after a number of stores and rather frustrating dressing room trips it became rather obvious that the Jeans we were looking at either just did not fit her well, or that the size was not available. I cannot say that the Lord told me to take this next step, however I can say that He has given me great peace this morning about my actions. Hence I recommended we check one of those trendy shops, you know the ones with the hundred dollar jeans. Immediately Michaela responded with daddy those jeans are too expensive, we can’t afford them! Needless to say I won out and we left the mall with the ninety nine dollar jeans. Michaela new the cost was great, she knew that there was a sacrifice involved in my actions, and as a result she was so grateful and so appreciative of what her daddy did for her. She felt validated, appreciated, cared for, loved.
This morning in my quiet time the Lord reminded me of those ninety nine dollar jeans, He reminded me of what I felt when I saw Michaela’s smile. He reminded me that even though my daughter was willing to settle for jeans that didn’t quite fit right, or look as cute, I was unwilling to allow her to do so. Why? Because of my great love for her, because of my desire to see her feel good about herself, about her life, about her father, and ultimately to see the Fathers love modeled out by her earthly father. As always there was a lesson in this for me as well, the very same lesson I taught my daughter He wanted to teach me. You see I have struggled in my mind almost nonstop about my relationship and love for Deborah. I have asked the Lord, “is it right to love this much again, so soon?”, “can it be true that she is such an amazing gift from You Lord?”, “Am I blinded by love, loneliness, grief?” Yes these and many more questions have plagued me, and yes I have had to address them, both in my own heart and publicly at times, all to the same conclusion, and now once again set at peace in my heart by a ninety nine dollar pair of jeans. The Lord showed me again this morning that He truly has brought this new love into my life, that He chosen to bless me, that He had other plans. While I would have settled for a life of loneliness and grief, while I would have settled for being a single dad, and so much more, He had other plans. He has chosen to give me and my children the very best that He could for us, that His children need not settle for anything less than His very best. In Matthew twenty six Jesus is anointed by a woman with a very expensive oil, and the ridiculed followed with many saying the oil should have been sold and given to the poor, and Jesus responds with “the poor you will have with you always” and that her deeds will be recorded as a memorial to her as the gospel is preached.
May I suggest that each of us consider the areas we have settled in, those areas of righteous indignation that truly are not the will of God but rather a place where a false sense of pride and humility has taken hold. No I am no suggesting that everyone purchase designer jeans and spend money they don’t have on things they do not need. I am however suggesting that our God wants the very best for us and all too often we allow ourselves to be content, when He is wanting us to have more. I am saying to you that in my own life I could have loved one woman (Dawn) for thirty five years and more. I could have gone on muddling through life never again being complete, living in the past, and allowing all of my hopes and dreams to be lost just as I had lost Dawn. Not because that love or those memories was not enough for me, no because that was not God’s plan for me or my family. We do not understand why Dawn is gone, or why the Lord took her home, no more than we know why God took Deborah's husband home, all we know is that He is sovereign. If God loves us enough to bring love again, with a love that restores dreams, hope, faith, fresh vision and so much more. If God allows my family and I to be used for His glory then why won’t He do similar things for you? No it is not the same, yes it is different, and yes my love is deep, it is fresh, it is new, and I am so grateful for God’s faithfulness in bringing Deborah into our lives. Will you allow Him to do similar things for you, or are you satisfied with settling for less than His very best for you today even if it looks different than you thought it should? Allow Him to be Lord of your life not just Lord, not just God, allow Him to lead and He will never fail you.
Gene Burroughs
Pastor Shasta Lake Church
What I am about to write will know doubt stir many emotions in a variety of ways, I do however trust that the point of God’s great love will be made. Last night after dinner we took a trip to the mall, Michaela was in desperate need of a new pair of Jeans. Michaela is one who is quite happy to have twenty dollar jeans as long as they fit, she is a very practical and frugal young lady. Yet after a number of stores and rather frustrating dressing room trips it became rather obvious that the Jeans we were looking at either just did not fit her well, or that the size was not available. I cannot say that the Lord told me to take this next step, however I can say that He has given me great peace this morning about my actions. Hence I recommended we check one of those trendy shops, you know the ones with the hundred dollar jeans. Immediately Michaela responded with daddy those jeans are too expensive, we can’t afford them! Needless to say I won out and we left the mall with the ninety nine dollar jeans. Michaela new the cost was great, she knew that there was a sacrifice involved in my actions, and as a result she was so grateful and so appreciative of what her daddy did for her. She felt validated, appreciated, cared for, loved.
This morning in my quiet time the Lord reminded me of those ninety nine dollar jeans, He reminded me of what I felt when I saw Michaela’s smile. He reminded me that even though my daughter was willing to settle for jeans that didn’t quite fit right, or look as cute, I was unwilling to allow her to do so. Why? Because of my great love for her, because of my desire to see her feel good about herself, about her life, about her father, and ultimately to see the Fathers love modeled out by her earthly father. As always there was a lesson in this for me as well, the very same lesson I taught my daughter He wanted to teach me. You see I have struggled in my mind almost nonstop about my relationship and love for Deborah. I have asked the Lord, “is it right to love this much again, so soon?”, “can it be true that she is such an amazing gift from You Lord?”, “Am I blinded by love, loneliness, grief?” Yes these and many more questions have plagued me, and yes I have had to address them, both in my own heart and publicly at times, all to the same conclusion, and now once again set at peace in my heart by a ninety nine dollar pair of jeans. The Lord showed me again this morning that He truly has brought this new love into my life, that He chosen to bless me, that He had other plans. While I would have settled for a life of loneliness and grief, while I would have settled for being a single dad, and so much more, He had other plans. He has chosen to give me and my children the very best that He could for us, that His children need not settle for anything less than His very best. In Matthew twenty six Jesus is anointed by a woman with a very expensive oil, and the ridiculed followed with many saying the oil should have been sold and given to the poor, and Jesus responds with “the poor you will have with you always” and that her deeds will be recorded as a memorial to her as the gospel is preached.
May I suggest that each of us consider the areas we have settled in, those areas of righteous indignation that truly are not the will of God but rather a place where a false sense of pride and humility has taken hold. No I am no suggesting that everyone purchase designer jeans and spend money they don’t have on things they do not need. I am however suggesting that our God wants the very best for us and all too often we allow ourselves to be content, when He is wanting us to have more. I am saying to you that in my own life I could have loved one woman (Dawn) for thirty five years and more. I could have gone on muddling through life never again being complete, living in the past, and allowing all of my hopes and dreams to be lost just as I had lost Dawn. Not because that love or those memories was not enough for me, no because that was not God’s plan for me or my family. We do not understand why Dawn is gone, or why the Lord took her home, no more than we know why God took Deborah's husband home, all we know is that He is sovereign. If God loves us enough to bring love again, with a love that restores dreams, hope, faith, fresh vision and so much more. If God allows my family and I to be used for His glory then why won’t He do similar things for you? No it is not the same, yes it is different, and yes my love is deep, it is fresh, it is new, and I am so grateful for God’s faithfulness in bringing Deborah into our lives. Will you allow Him to do similar things for you, or are you satisfied with settling for less than His very best for you today even if it looks different than you thought it should? Allow Him to be Lord of your life not just Lord, not just God, allow Him to lead and He will never fail you.
Gene Burroughs
Pastor Shasta Lake Church
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