UNEXPECTED ON EAGLE
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” Psalm 16:9
DJ Martin (SingleFocus Ministry®)
How many years have passed since you have been so bitter that you served notice that your son or daughter is not welcome back into your house until they repay a debt or until they come back and help run the family business? Has it been years since you’ve been angry with your children for leaving you to stay with your estranged spouse? How long has it been since you vowed to disinherit them if they married someone you disapproved of and they married them anyway? Have you extended the bitterness toward your estranged grandchildren too?
Everybody that knows you is aware that you are still angry with your children, because you can’t stop talking about it. Just the very mention of their name subjects anyone within the sound of your voice to the verbal prosecution of your children’s’ offense towards you. I don’t know how long you’ve kept the fire of bitterness to your bosom, but I bet it shows up in your human and spiritual shaky relationships, suboptimal business affairs, and perplexing health issues.
You’ve worked very hard to do well in your chosen vocation or occupation. You have a home, transportation and money in your pocket. You have done very well preparing yourself to be in reasonably good financial shape. Though he is talking about agriculture and financial status, I think that Moses gives an excellent command to seriously consider for more prosperity of your health and your soul (3John 1:2).
“But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.” Exodus 23:11
This is a new day. To paraphrase Moses, “It’s time to give it a rest!” Let it go. You’ve been toting that bucket of bitterness too long (Ephesians 4:31). Put your kids back in the will or at least back in good fellowship. No doubt, they are saddened by the separation. Now is a good time to bless the poor in spirit.
Is it difficult for you? Is it hard to apologize or say, “I’m sorry”? Are you having problems forgiving them?
Let God help you to bless the poor in spirit. That’s you and that’s your children. God wants to bless you all. Therefore, I have no doubt that He is willing and able to help you reconcile. He will help you to forgive (Matthew 6:14) and He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Just pray and ask Him to help you; if you are sincere, I guarantee that He will.
Now is a good time to turn it over to Christ and let Him heal you of bitterness. It’s a new day; forgive (Luke 17:4) and “let it rest!”
I pray that this is the day that you lay aside bitterness and give it a rest.
“…thou shalt let it rest” Exodus 23:11
That’s Today’s Single Focus
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
DJ Martin (SingleFocus Ministry®)
How many years have passed since you have been so bitter that you served notice that your son or daughter is not welcome back into your house until they repay a debt or until they come back and help run the family business? Has it been years since you’ve been angry with your children for leaving you to stay with your estranged spouse? How long has it been since you vowed to disinherit them if they married someone you disapproved of and they married them anyway? Have you extended the bitterness toward your estranged grandchildren too?
Everybody that knows you is aware that you are still angry with your children, because you can’t stop talking about it. Just the very mention of their name subjects anyone within the sound of your voice to the verbal prosecution of your children’s’ offense towards you. I don’t know how long you’ve kept the fire of bitterness to your bosom, but I bet it shows up in your human and spiritual shaky relationships, suboptimal business affairs, and perplexing health issues.
This is a New Year. As a matter of fact New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, every seven years. You’ve worked very hard to do well in your chosen vocation or occupation. You have a home, transportation and money in your pocket. You have done very well preparing yourself to be in reasonably good financial shape in this New Year. Though he is talking about agriculture and financial status, I think that Moses gives an excellent command to seriously consider for more prosperity of your health and your soul (3John 1:2).
“But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.” Exodus 23: 11
This New Year is the seventh year. To paraphrase Moses, “It’s time to give it a rest!” Let it go. You’ve been toting that bucket of bitterness too long (Ephesians 4:31). Put your kids back in the will or at least back in good fellowship. No doubt, they are saddened by the separation. Now is a good time to bless the poor in spirit.
Is it difficult for you? Is it hard to apologize or say, “I’m sorry”? Are you having problems forgiving them?
Let God help you to bless the poor in spirit. That’s you and that’s your children. God wants to bless you all. Therefore, I have no doubt that He is willing and able to help you reconcile. He will help you to forgive (Matthew 6:14) and He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Just pray and ask Him to help you; if you are sincere, I guarantee that He will.
This is a good year to turn it over to Christ and let Him heal you of bitterness. It’s the seventh year; forgive (Luke 17:4) and “let it rest.”
I pray that this is the year that you lay aside bitterness and give it a rest.
“But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest…” Exodus 23: 11
That’s Today’s Single Focus
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
DJ Martin (SingleFocus Ministry®)
Preparing to accompany my dad for a short drive, I watched him turn to the right and then to the left. I saw him go to the kitchen and then back to the den. Then he turned and went down the hallway and returned to the den again. As he stood there, I inquired if he was ready to go. With a puzzled expression on his face he answered, “I was looking for my glasses.” I matter-of-factually replied, “They are on your nose.”
This is an event that is ageless. Everyone has observed or been in a similar situation whether it is sunglasses or readers: looking for the glasses and discover that they are on the head, around the neck or in the hands. Everyone has misplaced something and as they say when you’ve found it, “If it had been a snake it would have bitten you.” It was closer than realized.
Every Sunday morning we go to worship and faithfully assemble in the Sanctuary to seek the face of God and His presence, but during the week, too many of us have misplaced Him and left Him there. It’s as if (in our minds) His place and power is only in that edifice. As we face the battle of life, we think God can’t catch us when we fall unless we’re at the church house, so we come up with our own devices and search for solutions in the world. Too many of us are satisfied to be victims instead of victors as if ‘victory in Jesus’ is only a praise song we sing on Sunday mornings.
Remember the two walking a seven mile journey back to their home (Luke 24)? Jesus walked up to them and inquired what it was that they were discussing so intently. Surprised at the question, they told Him all about what had tragically transpired with Christ. Notice that angels did not blow trumpets, nor was there a choir or praise team anywhere around. Jesus merely came along side, and began to explain the truth of the Scriptures and reveal Himself through the words of the prophets. He didn’t wait until they got to the Sanctuary; He walked with them on the road as they made their long journey. Yet, they did not know that it was Him, until He broke the bread at their table. They were very sad, but their sorrow turned to gladness and discouragement turned to hope as He walked, talked, and dined with them. They were perplexed and dismayed, until they realized He had been with them all the time. When they realized who He was, they were so overjoyed that they ran back another seven miles to tell the other disciples that Christ was truly alive and had walked and talked with them. As they reported this, to their surprise, He appeared again to all of them.
Christ is not just in the Sanctuary. He is more than a song we sing or a sermon we hear on a Sunday morning. He is strength and security on a Monday morning. He is encouragement and enlightenment on a Wednesday afternoon. He is rest and refuge on a Friday evening. He is comfort and companion on a long day’s journey. He is truth and triumph, our up close and personal champion.
If Christ is not with you until you get to the Sanctuary, life is a defeated and depressive mystery. The two travelers were not looking for Him along their journey, because all they knew was that He was crucified and buried after He died; and now the tomb was empty, and they didn’t know where His body was. But suddenly there He was, walking with them, closer than they realized.
Have you misplaced Him in your life? Where are you looking for Christ? Where are you looking for God? Do you get so distracted that you lose sight of Jesus? Do you leave Him at the Sanctuary or in the Sunday-School classroom?
Don’t just place Him as Lord of your Sunday mornings. If you take time to meditate on His Word and what you’ve been taught, the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of the Scriptures to you. I’m confident that you’ll find that He is closer than you realize. Placing Him as Lord of everyday means that you don’t have to wait until Sunday morning or when you get to heaven to experience freedom and victory.
“Christ with you” is more than a song on Sunday morning!
“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:20
“He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5
That’s Today’s Single Focus…
SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN YOU PRAY by D.J. Martin
SingleFocus
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