bryan wood

Reaping The Whirlwind

Hosea 8:7

The spiritual decline of God’s chosen people, as detailed in the Old Testament, includes some of the saddest passages in the Bible. God dearly loved the children of Israel, but they continually rejected Him and turned away.

God appointed King David to unite the nation and focus their worship on the One True God. David made plans for the construction of a temple and King Solomon built the temple a few years later. But toward the end of Solomon’s reign, “his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God” (1 Kings 11:4). The spiritual decline began with the leadership and then flowed quickly down to the people.

When Solomon died, the nation of Israel divided and the northern kingdom immediately began to pervert their worship; “The king made two golden calves {and said} ‘Here are your gods'” (1 Kings 12:28). Then, after almost 200 years of continual disobedience, the northern kingdom had hardened their hearts so that repentance was no longer even possible; “their deeds do not permit them to return to God” (Hosea 5:4). God is ready, willing, and able to forgive every sin, but continual disobedience removes the desire to draw near and seek His forgiveness. After so many years of false worship, the people would not return to God and would now experience His wrath.

Hosea 8:7
“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”

The people of Israel had planted evil seed into their lives for many years – now the time had come to harvest the destruction they had planted. Soon after Hosea spoke these words of God, the Assyrian army invaded and destroyed the northern kingdom.

God demonstrated His love for us long before we ever loved Him; “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This love was unconditional since we did absolutely nothing to deserve His favor. But if we do not receive His love, through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, and allow His Spirit to begin to transform us from within, we too will one day feel His wrath.

The wind of unbelief and lack of trust, false worship and a cold heart, will one day yield an eternal whirlwind which cannot be stopped. And the wind of open sin in the lives of spiritual leaders, or the spiritual compromise in the lives of parents, can lead many generations down a path of destruction.

Let’s plant and nourish seeds of truth and love which will thrive in His presence for all eternity. Let’s trust Him with a faith which walks into the unknown without fear because we know He is by our side. Let’s determine once and for all to live an uncompromising life which brings glory and honor to God; and on the great day of harvest, let’s joyfully enter His embrace without the fear of reaping the whirlwind.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

                                                   What It Means To Forgive
                                                       Ephesians 4:31-32
In the message “Forgive As He Forgave” we saw that our forgiveness of others should be based on recognizing the magnitude of forgiveness we have been given through faith in Jesus. A true understanding of God’s mercy toward us ought to compel us to be merciful to others. But still, forgiveness remains difficult and somewhat hard to define. Some hurts last a long, long time!
There are those today trying to forgive child abusers, murderers, habitually unfaithful spouses, and a whole list of emotional and physical pain. I have seen many relationships where small hurts have piled up for several years and now there is nothing but a tangled mess of pain. How do we truly forgive when it hurts so much? Where do we even begin? And how do we know when we have properly forgiven?
Ephesians 4:31-32
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
All forgiveness begins with a belief that God desires us to forgive in any situation; “If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:15). I’m not sure how to fully interpret this verse, but one thing we know…our call to forgive is serious! If we are unable, or unwilling, to forgive we need to spend more time reflecting on the forgiveness of Christ. Do we really understand? Do we really believe? Our ability to forgive identifies our focus: Is our priority on Christ or on our own needs and desires, hurts and pain?
But forgiveness is not simply saying the words “I forgive you.” Rather, forgiveness is canceling the emotional debt. It means we love and earnestly pray for blessings in the other person’s life; “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). We should be able to think about the other person without bitterness, rage, or anger. We should be able to pray for an increase in their ministry or business, more peace in their family, and a closer relationship with Jesus. It’s amazing how much healing takes place in our own heart when we sincerely pray for those who have caused us pain.
However, forgiveness does not necessarily mean a relationship must continue as if the hurt never occurred. Our heart may be free of all anger and bitterness – we may earnestly pray for the one who caused us pain – and yet, we no longer trust or enjoy their company. My forgiveness of a child abuser does not require me to leave my children in their care. I can love with a Christ-like love and pray without anger and yet guard my physical body and emotional and spiritual heart. We must trust God to guide our steps in this area.
It’s unfortunate, but most of us are carrying some bitterness toward another person today. These burdensome emotions should not continue in the heart of a Child of God, and the only road to release them is through the gate of forgiveness. Let’s ask God to purify our heart. Let’s refocus on the cross and release our burdens to Him. Let’s honor our Father by showing the world what it means to forgive.

Knowing God, Seeing God

Ephesians 1:15-23

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

[Ephesians 1:17-19]

In recent reflections, we have been focusing on Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23. After giving thanks for the recipients of his letter, he prays that they would grow in their knowledge of God and his blessings.

In the midst of this prayer, there is a curious phrase in verse 18 that can be translated into English in a variety of ways. The NIV reads, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened." The ESV prefers, "having the eyes of your hearts enlightened." The ESV is closer here, though it doesn't quite convey the sense of the perfect participle in the original Greek. A more accurate translation would read, "...so that you may know him better, the eyes of your heart having been enlightened, in order that you might know..."

To put the matter plainly, though the NIV is right that Paul is asking God to reveal more of himself and his truth to the Ephesians, this translation misses the nuance of the phrase in question. It is not so much a request for enlightenment as it is an acknowledgement of the enlightenment that has already taken place in the lives of believers. Before we knew God through Jesus Christ, we were "darkened in [our] understanding" (4:18). In fact, once we were darkness. But "now [we] are light in the Lord" (5:8). When we first came to faith in Christ, the Spirit of God enlightened our inner being, helping us to see God more clearly than ever before.

We can rejoice over the fact that God has made himself known to us, enlightening the eyes of our heart in our conversion. But this is not the end of the story. Rather, there is still more of God to be known, infinitely more, in fact. Thus, as we consider how God has revealed himself to us, on the one hand, we are thankful for what we have already seen. On the other hand, we persistently pray for even deeper and broader knowledge of God and his grace. Today, however, we remember the gift of revelation and offer thanks for this expression of God's grace.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Can you remember times in your life when God has enlightened you? Even as you pray for deeper knowledge of God, do you thank God for how he has revealed himself to you?

What Gives Order and Meaning to Your Life?

The LORD said to Moses,  "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. These are the LORD's appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as official days for holy assembly."
[Leviticus 23:1-2] 

Leviticus 23 outlines the major festivals that the Israelites are to celebrate every year. They include: the Sabbath (weekly), Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Weeks/Pentecost, Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, Shelters (Booths, Tabernacles). (Other familiar festivals, such as Purim and Hanukkah, were added later in Jewish history.) As we would expect, Leviticus emphasizes the sacrifices associated with each of these festivals. They are indeed holidays (holy days). Some involve fasting and repentance (the Day of Atonement). Others include a whole week of celebration (Shelters, see 23:40).

The Sabbath, included in Leviticus 23 as a festival, gave order to the ordinary life of the Israelites: six days of work; one day of rest; six days of work; one day of rest. The annual festivals structured to their year, with focused celebrations of God's grace. In Passover, they remembered how he delivered them from Egypt. The harvest festivals acknowledged God's provision of food. The Day of Atonement signified divine forgiveness. The Festival of Shelters allowed the Israelites to re-enact the experience of the Exodus. The combination of weekly Sabbath plus annual festivals organized and gave meaning to the life of the Jews. It helped them to remember God's mercy and to share together in his goodness.

So what gives order and meaning to your life? How do you think about your year? For some of us, we mark time by certain holidays, such as birthdays, Thanksgiving Days, and Christmases. Others of us think in terms of the school year and summers. Still others structure our lives by annual calendars: the Gregorian calendar (January-December) or even the IRS calendar (April 15).

Because most Christians do not follow the ceremonial/sacrificial laws of Leviticus, we do not, as a rule, structure our time by the Jewish festivals. But we do celebrate Christian holidays which, though they are not established in Scripture, nevertheless help us to remember God's grace. In Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus the Savior, the Word of God made flesh. Easter focuses on the victory of God over sin and death through the cross and resurrection of Jesus. These days are, for many Christians, "official days for holy assembly," in which we gather for worship and feasting, not unlike what is described in Leviticus.

These days, more and more Christians have discovered the power of the so-called Christian calendar, which is also known as the liturgical year or the church year. In addition to Christmas and Easter, the Christian year includes: Advent, Christmastide, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday, Eastertide, Pentecost, and "ordinary time." Different traditions include other special days or seasons. The Eastern Orthodox year is distinctive in its timing, as well as its feasts and fasts.
 As I have grown in my faith, I have become more attentive to the seasons and holidays of the liturgical year. For me, this isn't a matter of legalism or formalism, but rather a way to experience God and his grace more deeply and variously. Right now, for example, we are in the season of Advent. As I remember the yearning of Israel for a savior, I am made more aware of just how much I need a Savior. Thus my yearning for the Lord increases, as will my joyful celebration of Christmas. I believe that there is freedom in Christ for us to acknowledge the Christian calendar in different ways. But, I would encourage all believers to consider how our experience of time—indeed, our experience of life—can be structured and enriched by intentional, regular, biblically focused celebrations of God's grace.

What gives order and meaning to your experience of time? How do you think about your year? Are there certain annual events or traditions that give significance and structure to your life? How might your life be enriched by intentional times and seasons of remembering God's grace?

Chasing the Wind

For a picture of overwhelming despair, look no further than Ecclesiastes:

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? (Eccl. 2:17-25)

So goes the logic of hopelessness. But because of God, despair is not the only option. Jesus was tested. God knows our pain. Struggles abound; they surround us. But the Spirit is with us, and we can choose despair or hope. Our "no" to God leads to despair. We can say "yes" to God and know peace.

So we glory in the words of Jesus:

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

BREAK OUT OF THE LOOP OF STRUGGLE

QUOTE FOR TODAY:

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
Albert Einstein

The loop of struggle is voluntary. Whether you stay in it or not depends on the choices you make. If you follow the advice of voluntary strugglers and do what your parents tell you to (if they poorly manage their money and think that life is a struggle), then you will stay in this loop of struggle.

To break out of it means making some unconventional (as it will seem to many) choices in your life so that you would not end up like everyone else. These choices will make some people call you irresponsible and unwilling to grow up, but it’s your life and if you don’t want to end up like the masses, you might as well follow such advice.

So here is the main advice that will help you break out of the loop of struggle no matter how bad your situation might be.

Distance yourself from voluntary strugglers and be with progress makers
If your friends and family are voluntary strugglers, every single day you absorb their limiting views of the world and their false understanding about all important things in life such as money, success and happiness. If you don’t want to have the same life as they do, you should change your friends or at least partially distance yourself from the impact of voluntary strugglers. You should start being with progress makers because they will motivate you, make you believe in yourself and encourage you to achieve your goals.

Read books written by progress makers and study their mindset. You should reach a point where you are more influenced by progress makers than by voluntary strugglers.
Don’t get into any debts until you earn enough to buy things for cash.

Getting into debt is not a sin, but it keeps you in the struggle loop because it gets you out of the flow of effortless abundance. When you borrow from a person or an institution, you lower yourself to them. You as though become a slave to them because you place your security in their hands. That’s not how it’s supposed to be because we are all equal.

To receive more money, you shouldn’t ask for it from someone else. To receive money, you should give money first. I know it seems a strange way of thinking but that’s because we are taught the wrong rules about money which lead to the loss of freedom and debt. To never see the lack of money you have to get into the abundance mindset and leave the scarcity mindset. That means thinking in a completely different way than the majority of people do.

Have as little responsibilities as possible

You shouldn’t take on new responsibilities until you really know that you can handle all of them on your own. This means buying a house when you can really afford it and not when you qualify for the mortgage. This means having kids when you are financially secure and not when you can barely make the ends meet. I know that it feels nice to have your own place, but if you take out the mortgage, you are going to get into debt for life (or most of it anyway). That means loss of freedom until you die or for at least 20 or 30 years. So it’s a big price to pay for a house.

I know it’s much easier to do what most people do – have kids, get mortgage, get married. But if you are not ready, you are just enslaving yourself.

Don’t be like everyone else – break out of this horrible loop. Don’t get a mortgage and don’t have kids if you are not ready for such responsibilities. Create financial freedom first, travel, enjoy the world and see what it has to offer you.

Don’t settle down for less than what you want. Reach for your goals and focus on the achievements of others so that they would motivate you to achieve great things in life. Look away from those that are enslaved by the loop of struggle.

Reduce your expenses to experience freedom.

The less expenses you have, the more free you will feel. There are, however, two schools of thought on this subject. One says (e.g. R. Kiyosaki) that you should not reduce your expenses but focus on building assets. I completely understand this concept and it makes sense, however it can take years for your assets to be able to cover your large expenses. The other way of thinking (e.g. Bob Proctor) worked for me much better. It teaches that you should reduce your expenses as much as possible to create more freedom for yourself.

When you significantly reduce your expenses, more opportunities will show themselves to you and you will have more options. You will see that it’s really possible to start your own business to cover your small expenses and to quit the 9-5 slavery. You will also realise that you don’t have to live in one place all your life – you can move somewhere else if you feel like it because it’s your life and you can do whatever you want with it.

The less expenses you will have, the more in control of your life you will get. So only keep the expenses that are vital. Keep only those that would significantly reduce the quality of your life or would make you miserable.