Tuesday, August 21, 2018

August 21 Thought for the day...don't start stinking


We have all been around them, people who have been hurt by someone, it may have been a month ago or twenty years ago but rather than dealing with the pain they wallow in it. The writer of Hebrews tells us there are those who once were believers but are wallowing in their pain

Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10: 38,39

When our expectations are not met, we feel hurt. The problem is that often our expectations are not God's so when we bring our hurt to the Lord, He gently tries to show us that we had false expectation and to refocus on His expectations. Sadly, many choose to be disappointed rather than listen to the Lord. Their disappointment can easily develop a disgruntled attitude, which leads to backing away from the Lord and their church family, which leads to a bitter heart. I have seen this many times in my 36 years of ministry.

God desires to give us hope. The challenge is faith requires patience (look at Abraham). Jesus made it very clear in John 15:7 when He said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." The word for "abide" literally means having faith and patience. 

So what happens when we walk away from the patience it takes to have faith? The phrase "drawback" means someone who is on a journey then abruptly turns and goes back. When we are on our faith journey we will hit walls, difficulties, struggles but faith pushes through it doesn't back off because we know to whom we are on our journey!

The word perdition is an interesting word it means "stinking like rotting food, meat, or a decaying corpse." The writer is telling us this is what happens to a person who gives up on God. The bitterness, anger, disappointment, disillusionment rob us of the fruit of the Spirit, and the sweet fragrance of the Lord and all that we touch gets corrupted by our attitude and actions.

I have found whenever I set my eyes on others or the illusions I have about others it is easy to become disillusioned. God wants no illusions for us, only truth so I have learned to keep my eyes on Him, and I see Him in the people around me. I can then hope for the best rather than expecting the worst. I don't ever want to be stinking and this the way I have found to protect myself from the disappointments and disillusionment of faith. Faith with patience keeps us from stinking!

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