TOPIC: FOOL ME ONCE...
Bible Verse: Psalms 35:7 - 7 "For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul."
Et Tu Brute is a Latin phrase meaning "and you, Brutus?" or "you, too, Brutus?" It is said that these were the last words of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar to his friend Marcus Brutus just before his assassination. It was his way of expressing his disappointment to a man that had through his act of betrayal facilitated his death. For this reason the term Et Tu Brute is used today to signify a serious betrayal by an unexpected person; someone you think ought to have your back! There is an Old saying, "you know who your friends are when you’re in trouble." In Psalm 35 David finds out that the list of those who are not his friends is extensive! In life we will experience betrayals in varying degrees and what these betrayals all have in common is that the act is perpetrated by people we have allowed to enter through the gates of our trust into our place of vulnerability - people we are in relationships with such as our friends, confidantes, boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, siblings or partners. Psalm 55:12 says, "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it". In other words we expect those that are against us to do us harm, but not the ones we know and trust. Betrayal has the potential to destroy the foundations of our soul, shake our faith and cause us to inadvertently build up emotional walls around our hearts as a defence mechanism. It can rob us of our joy and our ability to give ourselves fully over to other good relationships. It can also lead us to sin since we often respond to betrayal in anger and seek to retaliate to bring about the suffering of the perpetrator. Those in the world will even argue that they deserve it! So how do we recover? The answer lies in the consideration of Jesus' betrayal by Judas. Although it was something that had to come to pass and Jesus' feelings about it are never described in the Bible, we know Jesus walked a mile in our skin and experienced all the emotions and temptations that we do. It must have been a painful realization to know he had been sold out by one of his disciples. Through Jesus' example, we see the right way to deal with betrayal. Without a thought about how he was wronged, he pressed on with the task that God had set out for him! In Psalm 35:27, 28, David did the same: "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." David knew that he was God’s “servant” and that he had a “cause” that the Almighty had sealed him with so he directed his prayer upwards, left the fate of his enemies in God's hands and pressed on with the task. If we have been betrayed by someone close to us, our first response should be to cry out to Jesus who loves us and ask for patience, the ability to forgive and the healing of our broken hearts. He will hear your cry and comfort you. God is our one true line of defence! He will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies! Don't retaliate! Instead pray it out and press on with the purpose God has charged you with. Success is the best equalizer!Then your happiness will be restored and he will bring the right people into your life - people who will truly have your back! #Iknowithurts#takeittotheLordinprayer
Bible Verse: Psalms 35:7 - 7 "For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul."
Et Tu Brute is a Latin phrase meaning "and you, Brutus?" or "you, too, Brutus?" It is said that these were the last words of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar to his friend Marcus Brutus just before his assassination. It was his way of expressing his disappointment to a man that had through his act of betrayal facilitated his death. For this reason the term Et Tu Brute is used today to signify a serious betrayal by an unexpected person; someone you think ought to have your back! There is an Old saying, "you know who your friends are when you’re in trouble." In Psalm 35 David finds out that the list of those who are not his friends is extensive! In life we will experience betrayals in varying degrees and what these betrayals all have in common is that the act is perpetrated by people we have allowed to enter through the gates of our trust into our place of vulnerability - people we are in relationships with such as our friends, confidantes, boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, siblings or partners. Psalm 55:12 says, "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it". In other words we expect those that are against us to do us harm, but not the ones we know and trust. Betrayal has the potential to destroy the foundations of our soul, shake our faith and cause us to inadvertently build up emotional walls around our hearts as a defence mechanism. It can rob us of our joy and our ability to give ourselves fully over to other good relationships. It can also lead us to sin since we often respond to betrayal in anger and seek to retaliate to bring about the suffering of the perpetrator. Those in the world will even argue that they deserve it! So how do we recover? The answer lies in the consideration of Jesus' betrayal by Judas. Although it was something that had to come to pass and Jesus' feelings about it are never described in the Bible, we know Jesus walked a mile in our skin and experienced all the emotions and temptations that we do. It must have been a painful realization to know he had been sold out by one of his disciples. Through Jesus' example, we see the right way to deal with betrayal. Without a thought about how he was wronged, he pressed on with the task that God had set out for him! In Psalm 35:27, 28, David did the same: "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." David knew that he was God’s “servant” and that he had a “cause” that the Almighty had sealed him with so he directed his prayer upwards, left the fate of his enemies in God's hands and pressed on with the task. If we have been betrayed by someone close to us, our first response should be to cry out to Jesus who loves us and ask for patience, the ability to forgive and the healing of our broken hearts. He will hear your cry and comfort you. God is our one true line of defence! He will prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies! Don't retaliate! Instead pray it out and press on with the purpose God has charged you with. Success is the best equalizer!Then your happiness will be restored and he will bring the right people into your life - people who will truly have your back! #Iknowithurts#takeittotheLordinprayer
Commentary: STORM WARNING - THEME SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7:24-25:Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
We purchased our first family home in 1999 and we felt blessed because were able to choose our own lot and witness our home being built from the ground up. We would visit the site often to see how far along the builder was in the construction. We saw the foundation being laid and the materials used to frame the structure of our home. If truth be told, we were more focused on the external quality and the interior design as most people tend to be. After all, that is what people see. We wanted a specific type of brick, a certain number of bedrooms, a particular type of flooring, ceramics and fixtures. But how many of you know that the veneer of your house has very little to do with its ability to maintain its structural integrity when exposed to the pressure of severe elements or natural disasters? Without a solid foundation there would be extensive damage at the very least and total collapse at the very worst! The theme scripture today (Matthew 7:24-25) is not just a story about poor or sound architectural judgement. Essentially, it is a “storm warning” to us about the choices we make with respect to our spiritual lives – a direct parallel, in fact, to our ability to withstand adversity. Proverbs 24:3 tells us that “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” So how do we establish a strong spiritual foundation that can withstand the emotional, physical, financial and spiritual pressures in our lives? We do this by making sure our life is rooted in the “good ground” that is Christ Jesus and framed with His Holy Spirit. We do this by engaging in fervent praise and worship, reading our Bible, having an active prayer life and living according to His Word with a spirit of childlike obedience. Therefore, building a strong relationship with Christ is tantamount to building a home on a solid foundation! The enemy will huff and puff like the big bad wolf, but he will not be able to blow our houses down!! When he comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift up a standard against him and we will persevere unto His coming. The Lord is our strong Tower, our rock and our fortress. All other ground is sinking sand. #holdontoJesus#hewillshelteryoufromthestorm #havefaith
We purchased our first family home in 1999 and we felt blessed because were able to choose our own lot and witness our home being built from the ground up. We would visit the site often to see how far along the builder was in the construction. We saw the foundation being laid and the materials used to frame the structure of our home. If truth be told, we were more focused on the external quality and the interior design as most people tend to be. After all, that is what people see. We wanted a specific type of brick, a certain number of bedrooms, a particular type of flooring, ceramics and fixtures. But how many of you know that the veneer of your house has very little to do with its ability to maintain its structural integrity when exposed to the pressure of severe elements or natural disasters? Without a solid foundation there would be extensive damage at the very least and total collapse at the very worst! The theme scripture today (Matthew 7:24-25) is not just a story about poor or sound architectural judgement. Essentially, it is a “storm warning” to us about the choices we make with respect to our spiritual lives – a direct parallel, in fact, to our ability to withstand adversity. Proverbs 24:3 tells us that “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” So how do we establish a strong spiritual foundation that can withstand the emotional, physical, financial and spiritual pressures in our lives? We do this by making sure our life is rooted in the “good ground” that is Christ Jesus and framed with His Holy Spirit. We do this by engaging in fervent praise and worship, reading our Bible, having an active prayer life and living according to His Word with a spirit of childlike obedience. Therefore, building a strong relationship with Christ is tantamount to building a home on a solid foundation! The enemy will huff and puff like the big bad wolf, but he will not be able to blow our houses down!! When he comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift up a standard against him and we will persevere unto His coming. The Lord is our strong Tower, our rock and our fortress. All other ground is sinking sand. #holdontoJesus#hewillshelteryoufromthestorm #havefaith
Commentary: For those of you going through a period of adversity it may seem like the mountain is not just in front of you impeding your progress, but it is resting squarely on your shoulders. Whether it is financial difficulties, marital breakdown, problems with your children, serious illness, the pain of bereavement, difficulty in the workplace, unemployment, guilt associated with past transgressions, conflicts with friends/family members, or some other life-altering situation, the weight of it sometimes leaves us feeling helpless. My friends, be encouraged for the Word of God tells us in Mark 11:23 , “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith”. Therefore you are not a victim! You are not powerless in your circumstances! There is power in Jesus Name and it gives us the authority to EXERCISE OUR FAITH and speak to our situation; thereby manifesting that change you have been waiting for! Has the weight of your mountain crushed your faith a little? 1) The word tells us , “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). Now is the time to immerse yourself in the living Word of God. This means study your Bible and meditate on those scriptures that apply to your situation (take advantage of online Bible search engines using key words to start). The Word is your gateway to Christ and the restorative power you need to persevere. It is a virtual compass that will help you navigate your way out of your pain . 2) Look in the mirror today and say (even through your tears), “Without a doubt I am the head and not the tail! I am fearfully and wonderfully made! I give praise and thanks unto the Lord even in this time of trouble, for I know He will give me the strength to endure and reward me for my unwavering faith.” #bestrongandofgoodcourage
Commentary: Keep your eyes on the prize! We hear this old adage many times in our lives, particularly when we are trying to achieve something difficult that takes time and tremendous effort. But what do those words really mean to you when you are in the heat of the battle and your strength and resolve is waning? I have personally faced some situations in my in life that made me feel a bit like a salmon swimming upstream against an aggressive current! To the faint of heart, or the faint of "faith" rather, these are unwelcome words of motivation assaulting their sensibilities when all they want is to listen to that voice in their head that tells them to just give up and put a stop to the seemingly intolerable pain! To those of you who are determined and faithFULL, it is a reminder that it is a worthwhile endeavour to keep moving towards your target and, ultimately, your reward! We can prescribe this old adage to our walk with Christ. Friends, the Word of God tells us, "many are the afflictions of the righteous" (Psalm 34:19). It also tells us to "count it all joy when we are faced with diverse temptations" (James 1:2). Notice the words "many" and "when" in those scriptures. These are not "if" statements. They literally “guarantee” that we will face adversity, persecution and suffering in our walk with Christ, just as the Apostles did and subsequent converts. Sounds like a pretty grim existence, huh? By the world's standards and carnal logic, it sure is! But if you are walking in the spiritual realm, hand-in-hand with Jesus and you know the "secret" that is with those that fear him (Psalm 25:14), you don't have to hurl yourselves against the punishing waves of the current like that salmon I described above. Because you can walk through the metaphorical fires of life in peace, knowing there is a priceless reward if you continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Philippians 4:7 says, "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". Living a Christian life can be and must be one filled with joy, peace and love in spite of the fact that we live in a world that is the antithesis of Godliness. The Word also tells us that He "will keep you at perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him" (Isaiah 26:3). Ground yourself in the Word! Set your eyes on that target; for that day when the Lord will return for His elect; that moment when your new name in glory will be heralded from the book of life; that bejeweled crown that the “Lord of lords” will place upon your head as he says the words, "well done my faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21, 23). It is a high calling indeed, but God gives us the power and authority to do great exploits in His name, if we yield to His will and his way. As you know, with great power comes great responsibility. We are charged to, a) accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour who died for our sins, b) build an unyielding relationship with him through prayer & worship, c) study the Word of God, d) live according to the Word of God, e) spread the gospel and seek the lost using the power of the Holy Spirit & the Word of God that lives in you. Press on Saints of God, press on. Never give up!
Commentary: Consider the Bible Scripture: "Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). There is more to the heart than a left ventricle, right ventricle, left auricle, right auricle and valves. The Bible says, flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the heart that the Bible refers to in this scripture is the "Spirit heart" which sets the soul in motion towards behaviour that pleases God. The Word of God is what cleanses your heart and gives you the impetus to act upon the results of a clean heart. This prevents us from committing the sins that separate us from Christ. The closer you are to the Lord, the greater you can resist this world that is replete with provocation and temptation. His Spirit will envelope you like a shield and enable you to turn away from the sin that so easily besets you. And, let's face it; while we are in this exoskeleton called flesh that connects us to the material world, we are all prone to sin. Engaging in sensual things that are contrary to holiness is an inherent need of the flesh. The Word puts that flesh under subjection! So let's get down to the heart of the matter then (yes, that was a deliberate pun): How does one "hide" the Word of God in his heart? And why use the word "hide"? Essentially, you are going to study the Bible with the Holy Spirit as your study partner and the divine wisdom of God (which He gives to us liberally upon our request according to James 1:5). When you do this the Word is absorbed into your spirit and it dwells there. The Spirit communicates with the soul when situations arise and the soul (where our intellect and emotions operate) recalls the scriptures to mind, thereby transforming our thoughts. And we all know that sin begins with just one evil thought that leads to action! For this reason, the enemy generally launches his attack on the mind. When you hide something, you protect it from external influences that can impact it in a negative way! This means the Word of God is precious and it needs to be guarded within us; hence the word "hide" used in the opening verse. John 1:1 tells us that "...the Word was God". Therefore, having the Word within your heart is synonymous with having God in your heart! Therein lies the power to change and turn away from sin! If it is God who is the Word that is hidden in your heart, your life is hid in Christ! Let us endeavour to make our heart an overflowing repository of the living Word of God and there will be no room for sin to enter in. #studystudystudy #hidehidehide
Commentary: Sometimes the truth hurts! And on that basis, we justify not divulging the truth. But we can't hide the truth from the Omniscient Saviour, so let's keep it real when it comes to the Word of God, shall we? There are many Christians who can quote countless scriptures from memory! And we are all quite impressed by their theological abilities. But if the Spirit of God and His wisdom were not employed while learning the scriptures, their superficial memorization would have been an exercise in futility, fueled by the carnal mind. The transformative power of God will be ineffective in their lives. This is why we see so many "saved and sanctified" Christians engaging in presumptuous acts of sin, all with a Bible in their hand. Friends, it is not just “knowing” the Word of God; it is bypassing the carnal flesh, internalizing it in our Spirit and “living” it! We can do this by making the Holy Spirit our constant Bible study partner! The hard truth is, the Word is not designed to entertain the flesh; it is fuel for the spirit. Therefore, without the Spirit of God and His divine wisdom, the scriptures are merely sleep-inducing, black and red words on a page. Before you open the sacred Book, go into your closet or wherever your "secret place" of worship is and, a) repent of your sins, b) give thanks to the Lord, c) worship and praise Him because of who He is, and d) ask God to ignite the Holy Spirit in you and give you the divine wisdom (James 1:5) to not only understand His word, but to apply it to your Christian life every day. The Word will be your shield against temptation and sin. It will give you strength in the face of adversity. It will give you answers when faced with tough decisions. It will comfort you in times of trouble. Because the Word of God is the perfect revelation of Christ and if the Word resides in your heart, so does the Lord. What an incredible thing it is for the inner man to be transformed through His Word and His Spirit. Christians who have been sitting down in church for many years but can't call to mind one word of scripture are not exempt from this discussion. You know who I mean - the people whose Bibles are well worn on the outside because they carry it everywhere but, when you open it, there is nary a dog ear or wrinkle to any of the pages. If this is you, understand this, if nothing else: going to church without studying the bible is tantamount to going to college and not studying the text books; ergo, you will fail! No transformation will really take place in your life without studying the Word. Follow steps a) through d) above and prove the Word of God. You will see a change in your Christian walk, the likes of which you have never seen before. The flesh cannot please God and the human mind, no matter how carnally gifted, cannot unlock the mysteries of the Bible without the author's spiritual keys (Romans 8:7).
Commentary: Your sin is NOT a life sentence! I am going to say that again because it bears repeating. Your sin is NOT a life sentence! As much as the enemy would like to keep you bound in chains of guilt, God gives us the power to break free. Satan’s job description is very specific: tempt us (Matthew 4:3) and when we falter, accuse us (Revelation 12:10), remind us of our transgressions at every turn and create a deceitful internal dialogue that keeps repeating, “you are worthless”. Our lack of self-worth then renders us vulnerable to more sin and, ultimately, it separates us from God ensuring spiritual death, thereby accomplishing his evil mission. But consider this: Satan’s power over us is contingent upon his ability to deceive us (John 8:44). When someone deceives you, you are only fooled until their lie is exposed. Therefore, the enemy’s power ends once we are privy to the truth! And the truth is, sincere repentance absolves us of sin. John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Notice that verse says ALL not SOME unrighteousness! Our propensity towards sin and our inability to reconcile ourselves with our creator began in the Garden of Eden, long before we existed on this earth. That is why Jesus sacrificed His life to atone for our sins in the greatest pre-emptive act of grace in history….the sincerest act of passionate love that has ever taken place! Have you committed a sin that you believe is so egregious it makes you absolutely cringe when you recall it? The honest reader will answer, yes, and can probably count more than one cringe-worthy transgression. I know I can (read my personal biography and you will see that I did not always live a Christian life). You see, God gives us a memory function without the convenience of an erase mechanism! But He gave us the capacity to remember for good, not for us to record our mistakes and keep pressing the playback button to relive our shame like the enemy wants us to. When we repent, accept Christ as our personal savior, invite His transformative Spirit to dwell in us and commit to living according to His Word, it releases our minds from the bondage caused by memories of sin. We can actually perceive our past mistakes as a living testimony without feeling emotionally torn down by them. Essentially, our memory of sin and forgiveness will become a symbol of God’s mercy that is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 103:17); an infinite by-product of His unconditional love for mankind! Case in point: David sinned in one of the worst ways possible. He coveted a man's wife and arranged his death so he could possess her, unfettered by her marriage status. One would think there is no coming back from that! And yet, through his sincere contrition and repentance (Psalm 51:1-19), there was forgiveness even for David. Essentially, we are all David – deeply flawed but saved by the unmerited grace of God? This is proof that your sin is not a life sentence - whether presumptuous (planned sin) or ignorant (sin unawares), God is ABLE and He WANTS to forgive your sin. In fact, he is waiting with great anticipation for your confession so he can wash you in His cleansing blood. If you are struggling in this regard, think about that last sentence. He WANTS to forgive you and He…is…waiting. Don’t live another day with the weight of unrepentant sin on your shoulders. It will only serve to separate you from Christ, blur the spiritual vision that reveals your divine purpose, and make you vulnerable to further sin. If you don’t think you are important, consider this food for thought: Even if you were the only human being on earth, Jesus would still have gone to the cross to save you! .#Akinglovesyou #talktoHim #evennow!