Grace & Wisdom under Fire

How should we respond when tried by fire?  

Let us look at the example of Abigail.                                    

Her actions and words reflect the fruit of the Spirit.

Love-joy-peace-patience-kindness-goodness-faithfulness-gentleness-self-control. - Gal. 5:22-23

David & his men requested provisions of the wealthy Nabal to refresh them after extended time in the desert. They had protected and honored Nabal’s shepherds and herds. 

Yet the arrogant and foolish Nabal insulted David’s men.  He refused to show a hint of hospitality or gratitude.

David & 400 of his men planned to annihilate Nabal and his servants.  Servants in Nabal’s household sought Abigail’s help, she acted quickly and purposefully.

Abigail immediately packed a large quantity of food and drink to deliver to David and his men.  She  traveled along with the servants. 

• Abigail was prepared-provisions were ready.
• She was generous and courageous-Abigail traveled to deliver provisions.
• She was humble, though the wife of a wealthy, but foolish man.  She placed others above herself.
• Her actions/words prevented much bloodshed.

David, influenced by Abigail’s words and actions, reversed his plan to massacre Nabal & his household.

What consequences would she face when Nabal learned of her actions?                                                         

Abigail wisely waited until daybreak to communicate her actions to a sober Nabal.

The news caused Nabal great distress, his heart became as stone.                                                                               

Nabal life was taken by the LORD about 10 days following the incident.

David learned Abigail had become a widow, he remembered her wise intervention. David summoned Abigail to become his bride.  She became the mother of his 2nd son-Kileab (2 Samuel 3:3)

This account of Abigail, David & Nabal contains lessons to live by.   Their actions and decisions are seen in the following Scripture:  Romans 12:9-14, 16-19, 21

Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the LORD; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.  Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect  what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the LORD. …do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Gracious, Loving Father,

Thank you for Biblical examples of courageous characters in the face of intense and frightening situations.  Grant us courage, wisdom and strength to choose humility, generosity, and peace when it is in our power to do so.  Thank you for the sacrifice  and the example Christ is for each of us.  Thank You, Jesus.

In His Name, Amen.

Mischelle Oliver, Stephenville

Learning to Love

“Once you have learned to love, you will have learned to live.” ~Unknown

In many deep conversations with close friends, I have found that many of us struggle with knowing how to love.  The challenge isn’t so much in loving others, although I don’t think we really do that well either, but in loving ourselves.  We are our worst critics and, hence, our worst enemies.  We have the ability to quickly defeat anything we set out to do because not only do we struggle with loving ourselves, we struggle with finding any worthiness in ourselves.  In this group of people, I have found those who have struggled with loving themselves have a higher incidence of finding either chemical or sexual stimuli to overcome their shame.  While it seems odd that those who suffer from a feeling of unworthiness would turn to something that would make them feel less worthy, it is actually quite understandable when you look at it from a spiritual warfare point of view.  What is it that Satan wants us to believe?  That we are not good enough.  That we are weak.  That we are the worst thing we can imagine.  He uses our shame against us to do the very things we feel ashamed of and then uses that to convince us that is who we are to the point we listen more closely to Satan than to God.  

I have shared this idea in broader context with people and have gotten feedback that runs from, “uh huh, I know exactly what you are talking about” to “you just need to get your head on straight and do the right thing.”  Shame often brings out the harshest critic in us too.  Sometimes it’s so much easier to point out the people we feel aren’t as “good” as us so we feel less shame and better about ourselves.  Dr. Brene Brown is a recognized researcher and expert on shame, fear and vulnerability and she states that judging often comes from people who feel very insecure in what they are judging so they look for someone worse than themselves.  I’ve been there.  What about you?

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  A friend told me the Greek uses the work “masterpiece” instead of handiwork.  I’m no Greek scholar but I like the idea of masterpiece.  In Genesis, I read that I am created in God’s image (1:26-27).  If my understanding is correct, scripture suggests I was created as a masterpiece since God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-everything.  I do not think He would create something that wasn’t a masterpiece.  Yet, something is trying to make the masterpiece less than it was created to be.  Something is trying to take chips out of the masterpiece, trying to stain the masterpiece.  Something, or someone I should say, uses shame as a heavy-handed tool to destroy the masterpiece.  And that’s where learning to love ourselves comes in.

Self-love, in my usage, isn’t an arrogant, inward focused love.  It’s a love for self knowing that God made me and created and loved me enough to die for me on the cross in the form of His Son, Jesus.  If He can love me that much, why do I struggle to love myself?  Therein lies the battle.  Once I learn to block out the other voice or voices, once I quit listening to the one saying I’m not worthy I will see that God counts me worthy and because of that I can love myself and love others well.

I am a masterpiece created in the image of THE Master.  Because of that, I can learn to love myself well, love others openly and live fully in the hope and knowledge of my Lord.

Jeff Jones

Decatur, Texas

Conquerors

Paul pulls no punches when he explains life to us.  Living a life of faith can be really hard. In the 8th chapter of Romans, he tells us what we are up against.  If we were listing the burdens and hardships of life, we might list loneliness, pain, persecution, hunger, grief, poverty, even death.

But Paul makes it really personal. Over and over Paul asks not what is against us, but who.  Look at verses 31, 33, 34 and 35.  Not what, but who?  We have a personal enemy.

Satan is against us.

Satan accuses us.

Satan condemn us.

Satan wants to separate us from Christ's love.

Satan is not just an enemy . . . he is YOUR enemy.  He uses tribulation, distress, persecution, famine and sword to accomplish his purpose.  It helps his cause for us to look at and concentrate on the wrong things.  If we concentrate on our pain, he might win.  If we concentrate on Satan, we might give up.

So, Paul calls on us to look at Jesus; more precisely, to look at the love of Jesus.

Satan can rail.  He can hurt us, starve us, even kill  us.  But he cannot separate us from Jesus' love.  When all is said and done . . . when the smoke clears and the dust settles . . . it will be us and Jesus.  We win.  We are more than conquerors.

Dear Father,

You are the one true God.  No one is like you.  You have never failed.  You are the mighty one, and you love us.

Thank you for the victory we can have in Jesus.  Thank you for the promise that Satan cannot separate us from your love.  Thank you for telling us that we actually can get through this life.

We know you have already won.  And we remember, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”         

In the name of your Son, our Shepherd, in whom we fear no evil, Amen

Paul Shero

San Angelo, Texas