My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less, Than Lil’ Bobby’s Grades & His Future Success…

Sometimes, if we’re not careful; we’ll pin our hopes on the child who most resembles what “our” plans are for our children; only to be crushed by their inability or unwillingness to see those plans through. But God expects our hope to be firmly planted in Him; so that no matter what happens with our children; our peace is not touched and our confidence in God not drained.

Is this to say, “So just let them do whatever they want, because God is going to work it out for them no matter what? That would be universally absurd as well as un-biblical from a Christian perspective. My Bible says that correction is necessary, training is necessary, intercession is necessary (the more generational curses you are aware of in your family, the more important it is to separate them from it in the spirit), & grace, among many other things, is necessary too.

But when you’ve taught them right and they leave your house & choose to do something else; you can lay down in peace and take your sleep, because you know you and God are alright (at least in this area). Then, when you talk to your children, you talk to them as if you haven’t a care in the world… because you really don’t – you’ve learned not to. One thing’s for sure: they will look at you as if you have two heads, and wonder why you’re not falling to pieces over them. And maybe; just maybe they’ll realize that you might just know a little more than them after all.

Grace & Peace
~HB

Q & A on “Forgiving”

(Q): What about forgiving?  (A): Because feelings fluctuate; forgiving has to be an act of our will.  As a Christian, it is a command, and therefore an act of obedience.  (Q): “So what do we do when we say we forgive, but the feelings are still there?”  (A): Understand that forgiveness is a decision you make; and according to how deep you’ve been cut; your feelings will probably have to catch up with the decision you’ve made.  (Q): What about “Trust”?  How do I trust that person again?  (A): Understand that forgiving someone, and standing there & letting them put another knife in your chest, are two totally different things. I believe there are situations where trust may have to be re-earned… but in the meantime, you treat them like they never offended you.  The bible says because Jesus knew what was in man, He didn’t entrust Himself to any of them…. And They Were Speaking Good Of Him At That Time. lol!  (Jn. 2:23-24)  It’s what I call, the art of “Swerve”.  Sometimes it may be beneficial to swerve around people in order to end up in a position to help them — Not because you don’t want to have anything else to do with them; but to help them.  They certainly would have gotten Jesus out of the will of His Father, had He not known how to “swerve” around some of those situations on His way to fulfilling the Father’s will.  (Q):  So what you’re saying is, Forgive by choice; Trust where earned; Swerve when necessary; Tell your feelings to shut up and catch up; and don’t be a martyr  before your time.  (A): Couldn’t have said it better myself.  Ω

How Not To Lose Friends and Alienate People (in the Body of Christ)

I love to watch people.  We tell others way more about ourselves than most of us probably want to; but it’s what people do.  Who we really are, is who will (eventually) be seen (and of course heard).  The Bible says it like this:  “…for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

Here are a few thoughts from reading Romans Chapter 2.:

The bible says blessing & cursing coming out of the same mouth “should not be”.  The only reason many of us are still here today, is because of the direct grace of God toward us & the indirect grace of God toward us through others. I speak specifically about our relationships one to another within the Body… The world is the world; they do what they do.  But we must be mindful of the attitudes and levels of intolerance we allow ourselves towards each other in the Body.

It is never wrong to encourage each other to come higher or go deeper in the things of God. However, it is wrong to insist someone be where you are spiritually (or should I say, where you think you are), then cut them off when they don’t meet your expectations. Even if we’ve managed to align our standards with God’s standards; if people fall short, we still don’t see God striking them down for every little thing they get wrong.

I’m not talking about Christians living in sin as a way of life; the Apostles’ doctrine instructs us how to handle that.  I’m talking about those who are trying to get it right, and need their Brothers & Sisters to act like Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors & Teachers to them; and “Build” them up; which is the reason the Bible says they exist.  Now, if they don’t want to go; that’s a different story entirely.  But God is not “Big Brother” watching for everything you didn’t do just right… And yet HE IS God, watching & listening to conversations had by us to each other; and even to the things we’ve only muttered in our hearts, but haven’t uttered from our lips yet.  God’s standard is: “don’t be happy when the sinner falls and lands in hell.” In other words, our attitudes towards sinners who die and never get it right with God, shouldn’t be “good for ya, you deserve it!”  So how much more should we have right attitudes toward those who ARE in the Body? Once again; I’m not talking about tolerating deliberate sin; I’m talking about being like God — hating the sin, but loving the transgressor and offering them every opportunity to get it right; and if they don’t want to go; being brokenhearted about it… just like the one we say we follow.

Grace & Peace,
HB

Ω

Poem: Root Inspector

Jesus doesn’t use tricks to inspect the habits of those who say they’ve had it with sin;

Yet like Inspector Gadget, we keep pulling out springs and magnets,

Trying to create something good out of those same-old-bad-habits as if it were magic.

But it just ain’t so with the Lover of our souls, who won’t call it anything but what it truly is;

And we say “Gee Whiz” Jesus – can’t you just “Act like” you like my magic tricks, when I speak in tongues & use Christian words,

Then turn and flip someone the bird as if You hadn’t heard that I’M-NOT-DEAD-YET.

Our religion is “used” if we are always ready to “lose it” for the sake of how we view it.

And how do you get to the fruit which remains, when little foxes gnaw at your roots day after day?  But we look for fruit anyway;

And when there is none, we say “oh well, maybe it ain’t my season”, When the truth is:

You can’t get good fruit from demons.

When there is no fruit, Jesus doesn’t deal with the limbs and the leaves on us trees;

He goes to the source of the problem and does what He can as any good gardener.

He doesn’t blame the wind and the rain, like some leaders do, standing there in new suits,

Talking ‘bout, “the people didn’t sow like they used to – and that’s why there’s no fruit.”

No, Jesus goes to the source of the problem – the root of the thing – and desiring not to rob them, He chooses to dig it and dung it –

clip it and turn it – to give it every chance to produce…before He has to burn it.

So the question is, which Jesus do you follow:

The one inspecting your roots or the one holding your baby bottle?

Ω