More Than A Match

 “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”  Romans 5:18 (NIV)

 

A professional showtime basketball team put on quite a display at our local high school. They had obviously practiced long hours together because they never missed a beat as they executed one unbelievable play after another. They got the crowd into their act by pulling people from the audience to participate in competitions with them. My youngest daughter was selected.

The 6’6” pro basketball player showed her a fancy ball-handling trick – rolling the ball around his neck, down each arm, up and over his head – and tossed her the ball, challenging her to do what he had done in one minute.

Now, my daughter had played basketball for several years and was athletic, and tall. But even though she tried repeatedly, there was no way she could compete and copy the ball-handling that he had just shown her. So she dribbled the basketball once around her back and tossed it to him. She knew that no matter how hard she tried, she was no match for the pro ball player. 

In the same way, no matter how hard we try, we are no match for Satan. Jesus knew that. Look at Romans 5:18.  “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.” Adam, a man, could not stand against Satan and sinned. 

So Jesus became a man. A man without sin. Why? To fight our fights, to handle every temptation we are faced with, to win our victories for us, His children. He stands in our place against the 6’6” attacks that are launched at us every day and declares victory minute after minute, day after day. For us.

Can I ask you a question? What is going on in your life today that is a pro at beating you up spiritually? Do anger, pride, or a judgmental attitude tower over you and cause you to feel helpless? Is bitterness eating you alive? I have the answer to those attacks!

Call on the One who is victorious no matter what He is facing. Trust Him to handle every attack that Satan throws at you. Never forget: Jesus is more than a match. 

  Father, I glorify and praise you for the gift of your Son to fight for me against Satan’s attacks in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .  

Reflect

• Have you ever felt like Satan was winning every battle you faced? Did you call on the Lord to fight for you or did you try to do it on your own?

 

Apply 

• Write all three power verses on a note card and keep it in your billfold. Whenever you are attacked by Satan, pull out this card, read the Scriptures, and thank the Lord for taking on your 6’6” challenger and winning the battle.

 

Power 

• Romans 5:18 (NIV) “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.”

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

• Deuteronomy 3:22 (NIV) “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.”

Inside and Out

  

“In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside 

you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” 

Matthew 23:28 (NIV)

 

My grandmother always told me that “things are not always as they appear.” I don’t think I truly understood that saying until this weekend.

I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law for a few days along with some other family members. My grandson decided to take a long, leisurely shower in the newly decorated guest bathroom. The walls were painted teal with accents of dune white and black. Fluffy tan towels were draped through silver rings. Beautiful room, beautiful tub, and shower. All beautiful on the outside.

What my grandson did not realize was that there had been some drain issues with the shower in that bathroom and his uncle had taken the pipe apart to repair it but had not yet reconnected the new pipe. So the water from the long, leisurely shower was gushing straight into the basement, soaking toys, boxes, tables, chairs, lamps – in other words, everything in sight.

Because everything appeared fine in the bathroom, no one knew what was going on in the basement until hours later when we went down to the family room to watch television. There was no way to tell that what appeared to be a beautiful bathroom on the outside was masking a horrible watery mess inside the basement.

I am like that guest bathroom: clean and spotless on the outside, decorated with smiles and Christian comments. But inside? Hurtful thoughts, a judgmental attitude, and an unforgiving heart that no one sees. No one but Jesus.

Oh my. Matthew 23:28 goes deep into my heart. I am guilty of acting as if I am an example of the perfect Christian woman. But at the same time, I know what is in my heart and it’s not perfect OR Christian.

Can you identify? Jesus calls out the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Their outward appearance seemed to be honest and sincere but He knew that inwardly they were hypocrites.

He is also calling on you and me to get rid of anything we are hiding in our hearts that does not honor and glorify Him and reflect His love. Dig in His Word. Kneel before Him. Simply ask and He will help you match . . . inside and out.

Father, please look at my heart and convict me of any thoughts or attitudes that do not glorify you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever “put on a front” so that people around you would think that your Christian walk was exactly as it should be?

• Did your inside match your outside spiritually?

 

Apply

• In prayer ask the Lord to reveal to you anything in your walk with Him that is keeping you from outwardly and inwardly honoring Him in a worthy manner.   

• Offer those behaviors and attitudes up to Jesus and ask Him to replace them with truth from His Word.

 

Power 

• Matthew 23:28 (NIV) “In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

• Proverbs 26:26 (NIV) “His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.”  

• I Samuel 16:7 (NIV) “. . . The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

 

 

 

The Bitterness Root

 “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

 

She didn’t realize that I happened to turn around and look at her at the exact moment that she was making fun of me, but I did. And it hurt. I was leading music for a church service and had some ideas about making the worship time a bit livelier. I had suggested a couple of changes and hoped that my enthusiasm would transfer to the entire group of singers and musicians.

But when I glanced back at a member of my team, she was laughing and mimicking my encouragement in a high-pitched voice while she walked in a swaggering gait toward the other members. I quickly turned away but my heart sank. Immediately I began to question myself: Did I appear like that to the other members of our worship team? Did they think the same thing about me? Although I didn’t see it, were they secretly laughing at my attempt to lead the team? Did I look and sound foolish?

My thoughts switched to her. Why did she make fun of me like that? Did she mean it as a joke or was there another reason? Then something started to build from deep within: the hurt and humiliation I felt were immediately fueled by anger that a sister in Christ would treat another in that way. And a tiny seed of bitterness began to grow in my heart.

Oh, how I wish I could tell you that I immediately forgave her and everything was fine. But that would not be the truth. I could have forgiven her immediately, but honestly, I just didn’t want to. Instead, every time I saw her I felt the bitterness root dig a little deeper in my heart as it crowded out the mercy, grace, and forgiveness that the Lord had extended to me. 

And can I share one more truth? She didn’t even know that I was upset and bitter toward her. She was not affected at all - but both my attitude and my relationship with the Lord were.

Hebrews 12:15 says “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” I had done exactly what the writer of Hebrews had warned me NOT to do. I allowed that bitter root to grow AND I had watered it with my  “She doesn’t deserve to be forgiven!” attitude. I had completely forgotten that I do not deserve God’s forgiveness or His mercy and grace that He has extended to me so many times. 

It was months before I acknowledged that I could no longer carry the weight of bitterness and unforgiveness and I allowed the Lord full control of my heart. Was it painful? Yes. Pulling that root of bitterness out of my heart took strength that could only come from the Lord.

Oh the moment of true freedom when I forgave her and the Lord forgave me. I extended grace and received grace from my Father. Take that, bitter root! 

Father, help me to forgive and offer grace, as you have done for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Has there ever been a time when someone hurt you and you felt you just could not forgive her for what she did or said?

 

Apply

• Meditate on today’s power verses and ask the Lord to give you an attitude of forgiveness and grace as you choose to forgive today.

 

Power 

• Hebrews 12:15 (NIV) “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

 

• Colossians 3:13 (NIV) “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

 

• Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Prayer in the Gym

  

“If I go to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

Psalm 139:8-9 (NIV)

 

         I truly love working out. Well, except legs day. I hate legs day. But all the rest of the time I love it! And I will admit that almost every time I work out, I pray for the strength to get through the next set of burpees or squats.

          But early one morning as I was lifting and praying, the prayers were not for me but for a friend of mine. I had received a message that Sam was struggling with his cancer; it had roared back and he was in a huge battle.

          So as I walked into the gym, I was praying for him. For strength and courage. For a peace in knowing that God was beside him. That his heart would be open to Jesus as never before.

          When I saw Al, someone who hates legs day almost as much as I do, I asked him to be praying for Sam. I shared a bit of what was going on and Al immediately said “Sure I will pray.” But he went one step further.

          As I was stretching and warming up, he asked a question: “Would you like to pray now?” Wow! Without a doubt, my answer was yes!

          So in a fitness gym, surrounded by equipment designed to make one stronger, we came together before the Strongest Power in the universe in prayer.

          He prayed for Sam’s heart, for his health, that someone would come into his hospital room and gently share the love of Jesus. For peace in the battle. And he praised the Lord for His control in every situation in life.  

          Some things didn’t change that morning. I still hate legs day and I despise burpees. But God, the Creator of the Universe, leaned down and met His children in a gym as they knelt before Him. Because He is always with us, no matter where we are or what we are doing. Even on legs day. 

  Father, thank you for hearing us when we cry out to you, no matter where we are in this world. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

 

Reflect

• Have you ever thought that God only heard your prayers if you were in church or at a Bible study?

 

Apply

• Journal all the places you normally pray and then places you don’t usually pray.

• Make an effort to be praying and praising at any time: mowing the lawn, while you are at a beauty salon, waiting in a long line at the grocery store; waiting on a train. 

 

Power 

• Psalm 139:8-9 (NIV) “If I go to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

• Psalm 66:19 (NIV) “. . . but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”

• Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”