Blog Archives - TheNewU

THE POWER OF THE WORDS WE SPEAK

11/28/2020

November 28, 2020 THE POWER OF THE WORDS WE SPEAK
1 Peter 3:10 “For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongues from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but speech as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.”
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Proverbs 15:4 “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
Matthew 15:11 “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of the mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Proverbs 12:18 “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Matthew 12:36-37 “I tell you, on the day of judgement, people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
I am sure we would all agree that words are powerful, and we would all agree that we have spoken some words we wish we could take back. We all acknowledge that words are powerful, but do we weigh our words before speaking is the question. We normally hear the negative side of this issue-how our words can tear down, but our focus can and should be on the opportunity we have to speak life, to encourage, to build up, to lovingly admonish, and to bring healing. Because our words flow from what is in our heart, it is critical that our hearts be turned to the Lord. It is impossible to over-emphasize the power of our tongue. (Someone recommended a book to me titled “The Forty Day Word Fast.” I’m sure I will be challenged as I go through the process. Maybe you want to check it out.) Let us take opportunities to choose carefully the words that we let proceed from our mouth, because “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Blessings,
Buddy

WHENEVER

11/25/2020

November 25, 2020 WHENEVER
2 Corinthians 3:15-18 “but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
We sometime get the horse before the cart, and we sometime live according to our emotions. The one who has not come to know God as Lord and Savior, has no choice but to make decisions and live by his mind, will, and emotions. And that is the problem-because God is Spirit and He cannot be analyzed and grasped with the human mind only. For the one who is living according to his mind, the idea of God makes no sense and he or she cannot make sense of the things of God. Even as a believer, we can find ourselves living according to our own reasoning and logic, and we can actually find ourselves resisting or even rejecting the word of God because we do not ‘understand’ it or it may go against our ‘thinking.’ We like to understand before we act. It is a mystery, but we must first turn to the Lord BEFORE we understand. Thank God for our mind and our emotions, but be aware of the hazard of insisting that we act only when we understand or when it pleases us. It is a heart issue-not a mental issue; our mental thought processes and our responses flow out of our heart. As believers, we may sense the Holy Spirit leading us to do a certain thing, but we may ‘logically’ explain it away and not follow the Spirit’s leading. HOWEVER, there is good news for us and we are blessed beyond measure when first and foremost our heart is turned to the Lord. When we obey the Lord whether we understand it or not or even like it or not, we are blessed AND we come to know Him in deeper ways. The ‘understanding’ will come after we do what He says. What we can glean from the above scriptures is that only as we turn to the Lord, our spiritual eyes are opened-the veil is removed. To turn to the Lord means that the things of the Lord or more important to us than the things we want; it means that from our heart we want to do the things that please Him. It is indeed a miracle, but when we turn to the Lord and as we behold Him and desire Him, we begin to be transformed into His image! Wow! We begin to think like Him, love like He loves, forgives as He does, have compassion just as He has compassion, and in every aspect of our lives we begin to reflect His character. The transformation does not happen overnight, and we may stumble at times, but it is a fact that as we behold Him, we are being transformed into His image.
Ephesians 1:1- “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
Romans 1:1-2 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Blessings,
Buddy

SEEING THE UNSEEN

11/21/2020

November 21, 2020 SEEING THE UNSEEN
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not loose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory for beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
There is no doubt that we can easily spend the majority of our time and energy working for and pursing what is seen-the material or temporal; to be focused on the material or on fulfilling our wants, is to miss what God has for us both now and for eternity. A harsh reality that many want to deny, is that our outer man-our physical body-is decaying. (You would not sell many books written on that subject!) Yet, as dreadful as that sounds, it is beneficial and wise to realize that we have ‘X’ number of days on this earth and to accept and welcome the cycle of life that God has designed. The fantastic news is that our inner man does not have to be subject to decay, but instead can be renewed day by day. We need to know that our life is so much bigger than our ‘flesh and bones’ and that there is abundant life to be found in what is unseen. With our eyes, we do not see God, or love, or peace, or hope, or all of the things that are of God’s kingdom, but certainly these things are for more important than what we see with our natural eyes. Sure, we will face trials and difficulties here on earth-but that is not to define us or cause us to stop seeing the unseen. (Another subject, but many of our trials are not a result of our faith in action.) If during our battles, we stay focused on the eternal, if we look on what is not seen, it will produce for us “and eternal weight of glory for beyond all comparison.” It truly is a critical issue where we put our focus. Why focus on what is temporal? I think that deep down man knows that there is the eternal, yet he sets out to seek the here and now. After all said and done, it comes down to a heart issue; what is most important to us-what do we believe about God-do our actions line up with what we say we believe-what is the source of our joy-and what is our chief pursuit in life. These questions are not to put guilt on us, but are meant to point us to that which leads to life. Being focused on what is not seen does not mean that we do not enjoy the present, or enjoy God’s creation, but rather, being focused on the unseen is the doorway to abundant life in the here and now. Let us remember that first and foremost, we are spiritual beings destined and designed to spend eternity with God; we are a spirit who has a body. This short time on earth is part of the process of transforming us and getting ready for the glorious life we will enjoy with our Father in heaven. So, let us be good stewards of our life on this earth and let us enjoy what God provides, but let our focus be firmly set on the unseen-the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9 “but just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ears not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has abundance does his life consist of his possessions.’”
Blessings,
Buddy

SIMPLICITY

11/18/2020

November 18, 2020 SIMPLICITY
1 Timothy 1:5 “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
2 Thessalonians 3:5, 16 “And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good courage; I have overcome the world.”
As a culture, we have turned from God and we have chosen to go our own way. We have become humanistic in our thinking and in our behavior, making personal satisfaction our pursuit in life. The fallout for our decision to go our way instead of God’s way have been horrendous; each of us are well aware of, and have been touched by the fallout. Addictions, broken relationships, deviant behavior, and lawlessness-just to name a few-or all prevalent in our society. With that being said, let us turn to the good news. Even though we live in such a culture as we do, we can discover the life that God has for us; we do not have to live according to the ways of the world around us, but can live according to the ways of God and experience His blessings. Romans 12:2 instructs us not to be conformed to the ways of this world, but instead, be transformed. I often hear others expressing a desire for a return to simpler times, to a time when life was not so complicated and rushed. The beauty of God and His word to us is that His ways are indeed simple, even though profound and life changing. When we hear what God says about life and how we are to live it, it may sound too good to be true. The ways of God are not burdensome; He came to bear our burden and give us life to the fullest without regret. Some may view the commands of God as impossible to keep, or burdensome; however as we discover our true identity as His sons and daughters, we find that His commands become our desire and we find that walking in His ways flows out of the new nature that He has given us. Just one example: if we prefer others more important than ourselves as the God said to do, what an impact that would have on relationships; preferring others is not a difficult thing to do and it leads to life-it’s just a matter of doing it. Do not misunderstand: to walk in the ways of God does not mean that we will escape trials and troubles, and it does not mean that ‘we should bury our heads in the sand’ when it comes to dealing with the trials we and others are confronted with. However, we can deal with the difficulties in a way according to the ways of God, with His strength, with His compassion, and with the wisdom He gives us. In fact, it is in the face of trials that the life of Christ may shine forth in a strong way. So, let us remain in the ‘simplicity of Christ’ and let us experience His life in us-that is His heart for us.
Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Matthew 11:29-30 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Blessings,
Buddy

RETURN TO ME

11/15/2020

November 15, 2020 RETURN TO ME
Joel 2:12-13 “’Yet, even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning; and rend your heart and not your garments.’ Now return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting of evil.”
Hosea 14:1-3 “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, ‘Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips. ‘Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses; nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; For in Thee the orphan finds mercy.”
Theses verses were directed to the nation of Israel, but they also apply to us personally. These are such wonderful verse because they reveal the heart and character of our God and Father, and for that reason we find comfort even though they were written long ago, and God does not change. James 1:17. We do not have to stray from God, but we do so when we choose to follow our ways instead of His ways-we “stumble because of your (our) iniquity.” We may be guilty of an overt sin that occurred at a specific time, but more often it is a case of where one gradually begins to lose their desire for God, they stop seeking Him, and they substitute other things in place of Him-they simply let the fire die out. One major reason for stumbling spiritually is that of being disappointed because things are not working out like we wanted-we may not admit it, but it is being disappointed with God. When we ‘stumble’ in our way, when we sin, we find ourselves regretting the fact that we stumbled, and we feel shame and remorse; but if we stay focused on our sin, we miss the awesome invitation from God to return to Him. In our culture, there is little talk about sin-we just ignore it, stuff in the back of our minds and spirit, choose not to deal with it, and thus let the flame grow dim; we take sin lightly and use the mindset that says ‘that everybody sins’ as our excuse. Joel and Hosea tells us in specific details how we return to God; in essence, we mourn over the fact that we have sinned against Him-we are broken and repentant-and we humble ourselves before Him and confess our sin to Him. Acknowledging our sin without repentance is of no value, repentance means that we are broken over our sin and it means we turn from our sin and turn to God. Let us not miss or ignore the greatest news of all times; God has dealt with the sin issue through the sacrifice of His Son who died for us that our sins might be forgiven, and He has made it possible for us to be fully restored to Him. The scriptures tell us that the power of sin over us has been broken; we are no longer in bondage to sin. When we sin, we do so by choice; yet when we repent and turn to God, we find Him full of compassion and mercy and quick to forgive us and restore us-what a blessing to be forgiven and cleansed.
Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord:”
Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

11/12/2020

November 12, 2020 IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
2 Corinthians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”
Job 5:11 “The lowly He sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
(Other verses to see: Hebrew 13:5; Isaiah 41:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Nahum 1:7; Romans 8:37.)
Each of us will experience trials and troubles at some point(s) in life; being a believer in Christ does not exempt us from difficulties. Some trials and troubles are more profound than others; some try us to the very core and cause us to ask questions about why this is happening to me or to one of my loved ones and why God allowed this-if He is a loving God who is in control. During such times of mourning and grieving, God will do a deep work in us that cannot be done in times of ease and prosperity-when things are good. We cannot explain it, but God reveals more of Himself to us when we go through suffering. It is another subject, but all of the suffering, sickness, disasters we have on this earth come as a result of sin entering the Earth through the sin of Adam and Eve; it has never been God’s desire for His creations to experience suffering. One day, God will do away with all suffering and His kingdom will be established; in the meantime, He comes to comfort us and enable us to endure the trials that come our way. As we go through the process of deep suffering and grief, we may find ourselves not knowing how or what to pray; we may feel numb to everything but the pain; everything else becomes unimportant; we wonder where God is when we need Him the most; and ultimately, all we can do is to bow our knees to Him and ask Him to show us mercy. It is in this deep valley, when we are broken and contrite in spirit, that God does His work in us; it is in our brokenness that He hears our cry. We may not sense His mercy and comfort immediately, but as we continue to empty our self before Him, He will in His own time show Himself strong on our behalf. Grieving and mourning is a difficult time to go through, but it is a necessary part of the healing and restoration. When trials come that try our souls, let us in the storm cling to the fact that God loves us and is with us, and will come to our rescue. In such times, nothing else seems to matter and you find no answers to your questions and it seems the burden will never be lifted, but God is faithful and is a “ever present help in time of trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, and a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who trust in Him.”
Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look around you; for I am your God, I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Blessings,
Buddy

LOVE AND FORGIVENESS

11/6/2020

November 6, 2020 LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
Luke: 7:47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgive little, loves little.”
We would do well to have the truth of this verse in the forefront of our hearts and minds. In this verse we find that there is a connection, or relationship, between love and forgiveness; and quite often this relationship is overlooked. The forgiveness that God has extended us is based on His perfect love for us, and His forgiveness is not conditional. In Hebrews 8:12 God declares that He will remember our sins no more, and in Psalms 103:12 we are told that God has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. The verse above explains how love and forgiveness are related. Until we realize how great our sin was and how much God has forgiven us, we will not be able to extend forgiveness that is based on love. When we become aware of our own need for forgiveness, we are not so quick to judge others when they sin-after all, who am I not to forgive someone else when I have been guilty of sin myself? When we are forgiven, our heart is softened and we find that, contrary to what many say, extending forgiveness is not difficult. Actually, having a forgiving spirit is part of our new nature, just as God is a God who forgives. And we need to note that the woman in this verse was guilty of “many” sins; so we must extend forgiveness regardless of how many times someone may have sinned against us. If we do not forgive others, we become imprisoned. Forgiveness is important, as it is part of the reconciliation process, because when we forgive, we are expressing the heart of God and demonstrating His love even in the face of sin. Forgiveness is light overcoming darkness. Somehow, in so much of the church in our culture, there is little said about sin and the need for forgiveness. It seems that we have come to a place where we ignore, or put the issue of sin on the back burner. Thank God that we have been forgiven and born again, but that does not mean that we will never sin again and never be in need forgiveness again-it is possible for us as believers to sin and be in need of cleansing and forgiveness from God and from others. I believe that when we ignore, or choose not to obey what God has said through the scriptures, it is sin on our part. If we are not desiring to live according to the word of God, our hearts should be broken and we should find room for repentance. It is true that we are new creations with new hearts and minds and it is no longer our nature to sin, but we still have to ‘put on’ the new person that we are; if not, we walk according to the flesh where sin finds its opportunity. Colossians 3:5: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” Let us reflect on the fact that we were once sinners who were bound for hell, but God extended forgiveness to us when we did not deserve it. Realizing our own need for forgiveness will do away with our judging others and will cause us to “love much.” The giving and the receiving of forgiveness is a doorway that leads to the very heart of God. Finally, if we allow ourselves to sin against God or another person, let us be quick to confess our sin and turn form it. May this be a time when we see God moving amongst His people: purifying and preparing us for the advancement of His kingdom-and may “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Mathew 6:14: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
James 5:16: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Blessings,
Buddy

WORK: BLESSING OR CURSE

11/3/2020

November 3, 2020 WORK. BLESSING OR CURSE
Genesis 2:15 “Then the Lord God took the man and put into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.”
Ephesians 4:28 “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hand what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”
Acts 18:3 “and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent makers.”
Colossians 3:23a “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord,”
In our culture, work has gotten a bad rap. Some view work as a curse, or necessary evil, as a result of sin entering the world when Adam and Eve sinned. However, even before sin entered the world, God gave Adam the task (work) of cultivating and keeping the garden. It is true that the sin of Adam and Eve had its adverse effects on work; God told Adam that he would have to work by the ‘sweat of his brow’ in order for the garden to produce-but he was to continue to work. (Genesis 3:19)We do not live in the Garden of Eden and we have to deal with the effects of the fall of man, but at the same time, God is restoring and enabling us to recapture His original intent concerning work. To be able to work is indeed a blessing; where or what would we be if we had no work or responsibilities to be about? God is not idle-He works and He creates, and we are made in His image. Important to this topic is that of why we work and what are we working for. We work because it is God’s design; we are called to provide for ourselves and for those who have need; work provides the opportunity for us to use the creativity that has placed in us by design. (It is awesome to know that God has made us ‘creators’ and given us the ability to produce and get results as a result of our labor.) If our dominant goal is to get things, (material possessions) then work becomes a necessary evil. If we view work as the opportunity to express our creativity and a means to provide for ourselves and others, then work becomes a privilege. Also, the task of being diligent, dependable, and consistent in our work is something that God uses in the transformational process. For sure, work can be demanding, it consumes a lot of energy, sometimes interferes with what we want to do, and challenges us to the core-but as we draw on the strength of the Lord, we find we are sufficient for the task. Another aspect of work is that of taking dominion; taking dominion requires energy and commitment on our part; we are to take dominion in our thought life and the circumstances we encounter in life, including work. Finally, the work place is a great place for our faith to be expressed and the life of Jesus in us to be evidenced by our words, our attitudes, faithfulness, and our dependability. Even though we may not have the ‘perfect’ job or the job we want, let us see it as where God has us for now and let us rise above complaining and embrace the job and give it our best. As someone said- let us ‘bloom where we are planted.’
Psalm 90:17 “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-yes, establish the work of our hands.”
Blessings,
Buddy