Four Little Words That Changed the World for Eternity

 “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said . . .”

Matthew 28: 5-6 (NIV)

  I am amazed at the significance that four little words can have in our lives. Let me give you some examples:

         “The toilet is overflowing.”   (“Where is the plunger?”)

         “My mother-in-law is early.” (“The house is trashed!”)

         “You have been fired.”       (“I have no job.”)

 

But perhaps the most significant, most important four words that have ever been spoken, I believe, are these: “Just as He said.”

  In Matthew 28, we are told that after the Sabbath, two women went to the tomb where the body of Jesus had been placed after He was crucified. They needed to prepare Jesus’ body for permanent burial.

  However, when the women arrived, they found an angel sitting on the stone that had previously been rolled in front of the tomb opening. In verses 5 and 6 we read “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said . . .”

  If we can’t believe Jesus, if we can’t take Him at His Word - “just as He said” - then there is no need for the Bible. Forget Scripture, forget the promises, forget forgiveness and grace, and certainly forget resurrection and salvation. 

  But, if we DO believe those four little words with such a powerful meaning, then nothing prevents us from believing every other promise He has made in His Word.

  Promises like this: Isaiah 41:13 (NIV):  “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Or the promise in Hebrews 13:5 that “. . . Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

  And one of my favorite promises in Scripture: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12 (NIV)

  The choice is ours: take God at His Word or rely on our earthly wisdom. I choose four little words that promise Truth in everything He says.  What about you?

  Father, I do not understand everything that is in your Word but I believe you and trust you with my life every minute of every day. Keep my focus on you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Is God’s Word also God’s Truth in your life?

• Do you find that you sometimes doubt whether God really means what He says to you in His Word?

Apply

• Keep a daily journal of the Lord’s promises to you.

• Begin each entry with “Just as He said . . .” and then write down His promise.

 Power

• Matthew 28: 5-6 (NIV) “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said…”

• Proverbs 30:5-6 (NIV) “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

• John 17:17 (NIV) “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

The Best Reunion Ever

 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” I Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV)

   The videos showing a family member coming home from the military to surprise those they love get to me every time. I automatically get out the tissues when one appears on the internet or television. They all make me cry. 

   The son who thinks he is throwing a pitch to his catcher when the catcher’s mask is suddenly pulled off to reveal Dad. The wife who has been told she is to receive an award for her husband in his absence, only to turn around and see him running toward her. The child in class who looks up from her deskwork and yells “Mommy, you’re back!” as her mother peeks in the door and falls to her knees to scoop up her daughter.

   The stories behind those beautiful reunions are similar. Family members have been gone for several weeks or months, serving their country in the military and separated from those they love. Some have been able to see each other on Zoom or Skype occasionally as well as talk on the phone; others have not been able to communicate except through email or mail.

   They also share one common bond: none of those getting the surprise reunion had any idea it was being planned. They knew they would see each other again someday but had no idea exactly when it would occur.

  For me, the Scripture from I Thessalonians 4:16-17 has become sweeter than ever in recent years. Paul is speaking about Christ’s return and explaining what will happen. From this passage, we learn that Jesus will lead the glorious get-together. First He will collect His children who have passed away and then those who are still alive. Both groups “will be caught up together . . . in the clouds.” Wow!

   Can you picture it? Hugging a spouse or child again! Or smiling as you see a parent or grandparent who passed away many years ago! I can only imagine the hugs and laughter and smiles that will roar through the clouds at that glorious reunion. 

   Please do this for me: think of those special people in your life who have passed away. Now, picture meeting them again face to face. Just as the military families don’t know when the reunion will take place, we Christians do not know the exact date. But we DO know it’s going to happen one day.

   Christian, my encouragement to each of you is to hold on to the hope that we have in Jesus. He promises that He will return one day and we will be reunited with those we love who have gone before us. Oh, the smiles and laughter as we all shout “Best reunion ever!”

   Father, thank you for the hope that you give with your promise that we will be together with our loved ones who knew you. Thank you for that joyful reunion. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• Have you had doubts about seeing a loved one again who has passed away?

• Do you trust Jesus’s promise that He is coming back or do you have doubts?

Apply

• Re-read the Power Scriptures and picture in your mind what the beautiful reunion will be like with loved ones who have passed away.

• Praise the Lord for His death and resurrection that make heavenly reunions possible.

Power

• I Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NIV) “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

• John 14:2-3 (NIV) “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

• I Corinthians 2:9 (NIV) “ . . . No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him . . .”

When the Object of Gossip Is You

 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Proverbs 12:18 (NIV)

   Defending yourself when the gossip is about you is exhausting but so is holding a grudge against the person spreading it. What to do? Can I share the advice I received when I was the focus of gossip?

   A co-worker walked into my office and I could tell immediately that something was wrong. “Are you okay?” I asked him. When he shook his head “No,” I asked him to sit down. I never expected to hear his next comment. “Yesterday I was in a group who were talking about workplace issues when your name came up.” 

   “Uh oh,” I laughed. “Was it my hair? You know I can’t do a thing with it,” I smiled. He did not smile in return. “No. A woman in the group shared her opinion of you and others in your health profession. She called each of you by name.” He then told me who she was and what she had said to the entire group.

   Can I tell you that my heart dropped and I could feel tears building in my eyes? None of what she said was true, or even close to the truth! He continued “I know it’s not true. Any of it. I wanted you to know.” I thanked him for telling me and after he left, I sat stunned for several minutes. What do I do? How do I handle it? I said a quick prayer and went to the office of a friend and co-worker I trusted. 

   I closed her door and, through tears, shared the gossip about me. She knew it wasn’t true. But hurtful? Oh yes! And if it spread throughout our workplace and community, lives would be affected and hurt as well. Her Godly advice was what I needed.

   “You have two choices, Nancy. You can cry,  get mad and hold a grudge, and then gossip about her to see how she likes it. Or you can go to her, calmly tell her what you have heard and if she confesses, ask her to make it right.” I took a deep breath and nodded. And then she gave me her final words of wisdom: “But first, before you do anything, pray.”

   I knew she was right. So I went back to my office, prayed over my words and my heart, and made the decision to go to the person who had gossiped about me. The outcome was wonderful: she confessed she had gossiped, asked me to forgive her which I did, and then went one step further. “I will go to each person with me when I gossiped and I will tell them that it was not true.” Wow! 

   How I wish every time gossiping is confronted, the outcome could be exactly as that was. Now, I’m not naive; I imagine some would still feel compelled to share the gossip even after they heard her apology and acknowledgment that what she said was untrue. However, I was so thankful that she volunteered to try to make it right. But what if . . .?

What if she had not admitted her guilt and apologized? What if she had continued sharing gossip that she knew was not true? Should I still forgive her? As hard as it may be, the answer is yes. Romans 12:17 is clear: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” That means exactly what it says. Words spoken with no thought to who they may hurt can slice to our very core. But healing will truly begin when we react with the love of Jesus and allow Him to help us forgive. 

My friend and co-worker’s advice from years ago is still true today. The choices are clear: retaliate and hold a grudge or speak with the person who is gossiping. The first choice adds even more heartache and hurt to the situation. But the second, done in Christian love and regardless of the outcome, will help the healing process to begin. Forgiveness will heal those areas of our hearts that are pierced “like a sword” and we will experience peace. 

   Father, I know it breaks your heart when I gossip or when the gossip is about me. Help me to be an example of your love and forgiveness every day. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

• What was your first reaction when you found out you were the object of gossip?

• Was your response to forgive or get even and hold a grudge?

Apply

• Memorize Proverbs 12:18 and visualize the heartache caused by gossip. 

• Always be prepared to take a deep breath, forgive, and give the gossip to Jesus.

Power

• Proverbs 12:18 (NIV) “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue 

of the wise brings healing.” 

• Psalm 34:13 (NIV) “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.”

• Romans 12:17 (NIV) “ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”

God's Protection

 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” 

Psalm 46:1, 2 (NIV)

     Who would have thought that a canner full of green beans could teach a lesson on trusting God for protection? Not me . . . unless the canner was accompanied by a large explosion. Let me explain.

    One of my favorite activities in July is canning vegetables from my garden. My rationale for canning is simple: instant gratification and great taste. Pulling the jars out of my canner gives me immediate results for the hard garden work and I love cooking with a jar of green beans or tomato sauce in the winter. This particular summer I was unprepared for the bonus I received.

    Everything was laid out for canning: freshly washed green beans, salt, clean jars and rings, new lids, tongs to pull jars out of the boiling water, hot pads, and mitts. My routine was the same as it had been for years: fill the jars, add water, salt, lids and rings, tighten, and put in the canner. Nothing unusual about that. After I filled the canner with jars, I tightened its lid, set it on the stove, and watched the gauge on top as it climbed to 10 pounds of pressure. I set the timer, knowing that in 20 minutes, I would have jars of green beans completed and ready to store.

    I walked into the living room, and laid down on the carpet to play with 9-month-old Ella when 20 seconds later, an explosion with the force of a land mine shook my entire house! I scooped Ella into my arms, ran to the kitchen door, and peeked around to see exactly what had happened. I was stunned! My canner had exploded, propelling glass shards from the broken jars and green beans throughout the kitchen, covering everything in their path. The force of the explosion had blasted the canner lid upward into the ceiling and carved a three-foot hole before coming back down and digging a two-inch deep scar in the side of my refrigerator. On its ascent, the lid had destroyed the stove and the vent above it. On the way down it ruined the microwave. And, the scalding water from the canner had left a six-foot pattern across the ceiling.

    Calls to family members and the insurance agency brought them to my home immediately along with reassurance that everything would be okay. Friends swept up glass and green beans. The insurance agent kept repeating that everything would be taken care of but that in all his 30+ years of being in insurance, he had never seen an explosion like this one. His “It was probably a defective gauge. If you had been in the kitchen, you would have been killed.” comments did nothing to settle my nerves.

    That evening as I prepared to go to bed, I knelt and whispered “Father, thank you so much for protecting Ella and me.” The Lord spoke directly to my heart and said “Nancy, I’ve been protecting you for years. This is just the first time I’ve allowed you to see.”

    Have you ever wondered if our Father truly knows what is happening here on earth? If He really is in control? Well, rest assured that He does know and He is in control of all things. The Psalms are full of His encouragement to hold on and trust Him in every situation. Psalm 32:7 says we can hide in Him and He will protect us. We read in Psalm 28:7 that God is our strength. Psalm 46:1, 2 says that God is our help in trouble - always - so we should not be afraid.  I love Psalm 121:1-3: “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber . . . “

    We have no idea how many times the Lord has protected us from trouble. Perhaps in being late, we are kept from hitting a car crossing into our lane. Or the frustration of a broken dryer allows us to see lint that is caught in ductwork and about to catch fire. I do not know . . . but I can tell you about a Father who kept a canner full of green beans from blowing up 20 seconds earlier than it did. And a woman who is very thankful that her Father allowed her, just once, to see His protection in her life.

   Father, I thank you for protecting my family and me from danger. I praise you for watching over me every single day.. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .  

Reflect

• Do you immediately complain when your plans are disrupted?

• Have you considered that the Lord was protecting you from problems or even danger?

Apply

• The next time your plans are disrupted, stop and thank the Lord for protecting you from whatever might be ahead.

• Praise God for protecting you from “green bean explosions” in your life.

 Power 

• Psalm 46:1, 2 (NIV) “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”

• Psalm 28:7 (NIV) “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him and I am helped.”

•  Psalm 121:1-3 (NIV) “I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber…”