Pain is not necessarily a bad thing. None of us really go around looking for opportunities to experience pain either physical, emotional, or otherwise. In fact, many people do everything they can to avoid pain or mask pain they are experiencing. Much of the drug use and alcohol abuse in the world today is to cover pain... physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. People going through terrific pain in life will escape for a while through the artificial euphoria induced by drugs (illegal or prescription) or alcohol.
Proverbs actually describes the masking of pain by drinking wine. “Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. ‘They hit me,’ you will say, ‘but I'm not hurt! They beat me, but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?’" Proverbs 23:31-35 (NIV)
The truth is that God has given us pain as a warning sign, an alarm for us to pay attention to and discover the cause of the pain. It is a call to UNCOVER the cause of pain not COVERUP up the pain.
In, "Where Is God When It Hurts" Philip Yancey tells the story of NBA basketball player Bob Gross. He insisted on playing in a key game despite a badly injured ankle. Knowing that Gross was an important part of the game, the team doctor injected Marcaine, a strong painkiller into three different places of his foot. Gross started the game, but after a few minutes, as he was battling for a rebound, a loud snap! could be heard throughout the arena. Gross, oblivious to the break, ran up and down the court twice more, then crumpled to the floor. He felt no pain, and yet a bone had broken in his ankle. By overriding pain’’s warning system with the anesthetic, the doctor had caused permanent damage and ended the basketball career of Bob Gross. This doctor failed his profession. He had been trained to heal the cause of pain, but instead chose to cover it up causing irreparable damage.
Bob Gross brought his pain to a doctor and received what he wanted (please stop the pain so I can play) instead of what he needed (instructions to get off the foot so he wouldn’t further injure the ankle and proper support until it healed, followed by therapy to strengthen the ankle and minimize the risk of further injury). Here’s what I know... we can bring all our pain to Jesus and always be assured that we will receive what we need not just what we want. The pain may not go away instantly, but if we will take the counsel of the Word and others Jesus places in our lives to help us we will find the cause of the pain, treat it, eliminate it, and return to life healed and restored. Sometimes because of the pain of sin we have to sit out a few games. That’s not fun, but better a few games than the rest of our life.
So, don’t curse the pain in your life. Listen to it. It’s trying to save you more pain and possible even your life. Then there is a time coming when there will be no more pain. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for not listening to the pain in my life and bringing it to the Great Physician. I bring You my pain today to know its source and its cure. My heart and my ears are open to hear Your counsel to me. Thank you for Your faithfulness. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Behold and Beware
Someone said, “The two great words of antiquity are behold and beware. Behold the possibilities and beware the temptations and dangers.”
One of the great “beholds” of the Bible is in John 1:29 and 36. John the Baptist saw Jesus walking by and he stood and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The next day he saw him again and He stood and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The word simply means “look,” “be aware,” “don’t miss this moment.” It almost as if one is saying, “This is an opportunity of a lifetime... don’t miss it.” John wanted them to know that this was not just another man walking by. This was Divinity in flesh, and He was going to change everything.
The other word is “beware.” In the Bible you hear things like “Beware of false prophets” or “beware of the scribes” or “beware of the dogs.” It is a word of caution. It means, as well as “behold” does, to see it and not to miss it, but “behold” says, “Don’t miss it so you can embrace it” and “beware” says, “Don’t miss it so you can avoid it.”
One has to do with opportunities and the other with opposition that wants to keep you from the opportunities. We all have unlimited opportunities in life. We just don’t behold them. I challenge you today to look up and see, “behold” the opportunities that God places before you today. Opportunity is not always obvious. Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” It doesn’t often just jump out and grab your attention. You have to be on the alert, ready to see it.
On the other hand temptation jumps out in front of us to trip us up, to blind us to the opportunities. Did you ever ask yourself why opportunity knocks once but temptations bangs on the door constantly? I am not sure I have the answer but it sure is true.
Truthfully, opportunity and danger are pretty close. The concept of “crisis” in Chinese is represented by two words, "danger" and "opportunity." When we manage the crisis of our lives following the example of Jesus Christ, we are able to turn the dangers and disasters of life into opportunities to fulfill the will of God.
While we don’t embrace temptation or danger, when we are in the fire of temptation and danger we embrace (behold) God who can turn every crisis into an opportunity to bring glory to His name. So behold and beware today.
Zig Ziglar tells the story of boy that went with his mother to the old general store. He liked to sneak away from his mother and when no one was looking he would dip his finger into the large barrel of molasses.
The storekeeper caught him doing this and decided to teach the boy a lesson. He picked up the boy by his britches and dunked him head first into the barrel of molasses and then set him out on the front porch of the store. But instead of crying the boy was out there praying, ““God, give me the tongue to equal this opportunity.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me faith equal to the opportunities You will place before me today. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear the blessings and strength to resist the temptations that come to blind me to and keep me from the opportunities to bring honor and glory to Your name. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
One of the great “beholds” of the Bible is in John 1:29 and 36. John the Baptist saw Jesus walking by and he stood and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The next day he saw him again and He stood and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The word simply means “look,” “be aware,” “don’t miss this moment.” It almost as if one is saying, “This is an opportunity of a lifetime... don’t miss it.” John wanted them to know that this was not just another man walking by. This was Divinity in flesh, and He was going to change everything.
The other word is “beware.” In the Bible you hear things like “Beware of false prophets” or “beware of the scribes” or “beware of the dogs.” It is a word of caution. It means, as well as “behold” does, to see it and not to miss it, but “behold” says, “Don’t miss it so you can embrace it” and “beware” says, “Don’t miss it so you can avoid it.”
One has to do with opportunities and the other with opposition that wants to keep you from the opportunities. We all have unlimited opportunities in life. We just don’t behold them. I challenge you today to look up and see, “behold” the opportunities that God places before you today. Opportunity is not always obvious. Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” It doesn’t often just jump out and grab your attention. You have to be on the alert, ready to see it.
On the other hand temptation jumps out in front of us to trip us up, to blind us to the opportunities. Did you ever ask yourself why opportunity knocks once but temptations bangs on the door constantly? I am not sure I have the answer but it sure is true.
Truthfully, opportunity and danger are pretty close. The concept of “crisis” in Chinese is represented by two words, "danger" and "opportunity." When we manage the crisis of our lives following the example of Jesus Christ, we are able to turn the dangers and disasters of life into opportunities to fulfill the will of God.
While we don’t embrace temptation or danger, when we are in the fire of temptation and danger we embrace (behold) God who can turn every crisis into an opportunity to bring glory to His name. So behold and beware today.
Zig Ziglar tells the story of boy that went with his mother to the old general store. He liked to sneak away from his mother and when no one was looking he would dip his finger into the large barrel of molasses.
The storekeeper caught him doing this and decided to teach the boy a lesson. He picked up the boy by his britches and dunked him head first into the barrel of molasses and then set him out on the front porch of the store. But instead of crying the boy was out there praying, ““God, give me the tongue to equal this opportunity.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me faith equal to the opportunities You will place before me today. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear the blessings and strength to resist the temptations that come to blind me to and keep me from the opportunities to bring honor and glory to Your name. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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