Living Epistles

Imagine with me that an auctioneer holds up a tattered book to see if by chance anyone will bid on it. There are a few laughs when an older gentleman bids on and buys the book. Why would anyone want an old dog-eared copy of a book that is falling apart. What the audience doesn't know is that the gentleman owns 9 copies of a  ten set series of priceless children's stories. This book is number ten. Though the volume is in rough condition he is sure that it can be rebound and made to look as beautiful as the other nine, completing his collection. 

The Apostle Paul said, "You are our epistles, written in our hearts, known and read by all men" (II Corinthians 3:2). We could substitute the word book for the word epistle in this verse. What does it mean? Our lives, like this book, are telling a story. The story that is read is different for each of us. Life has a way of dictating the story. You may feel today like the novel of your life is an old dog-eared copy that is falling apart. But God is the master book binder and he can place the pages of your life back together and rebind them. Not only that, but if there are pages missing, he can rewrite those. 

All of our lives are telling a story. Not one of us is exempt from wanting to know how the story will end. Will we be a best seller or a worn out copy in a junk shop somewhere? The answer most often depends on the author. The number one determining factor for the worth of a book is the author. If the author is well known and liked then  the book will be worth more. If the author was unknown or mediocre then, chances are, the book will be worth very little, no matter the age. If we try to write our own stories we may end up like the old dog-eared copy in this story. If we allow God to write upon the pages of our lives then we will be an invaluable asset to his library. 

Perhaps today you feel as if your life is empty and meaningless. You may feel that the story of your life is going nowhere. Or perhaps you feel like you are the book that is falling apart. The story inside is beautiful but the circumstances of life have caused your binding to come apart so that no one can appreciate what you really have to contribute. If you will trust God to do so, he can put your life back together. It doesn't matter how long or short your story is, if you will give your pen to God, he can rewrite the story of your life. After all, he is the master author. 

Sullivan Jones 

Thankfulness

This morning, as I pondered last night's bad weather and destruction, a memory came to me very clearly. Several years ago a friend of mine was living in Texas when Hurricane Rita hit. Many parts of the south were still trying to pick up the pieces from Katrina as Rita hit only a few weeks later. When my friend called she was whining about not having lights for about two weeks. While she was saying this, she was seated in her nice home that had not been damaged. At the same time, there were others living in shelters because they had lost everything. Instead of being thankful, she was finding something to complain about. 

How often have we all done the same thing? There is so much to be thankful for, yet we find so much to complain about. I feel for those who lost homes, property, and loved ones in the storms of the last two days. We should do all we can to help them as the opportunity arises. Those of us who were spared need to spend some extra time today giving God thanks for his mercy. 

Thankfully, 

Sullivan Jones 

Bitterness- The Cancer of the Spirit

It has been said that bitterness is the only acid that destroys its own container and how true it is! Bitterness, once it takes ahold of the human spirit, will grow like a cancer cell. It may start off small, with some perceived slight or wrong. It may have greater beginnings, like a truly great tragedy or betrayal. Regardless of how it starts, the results are the same. Once it takes hold it will not just go away. It takes the hand of a skillful surgeon to remove it from our hearts.

Like cancer, bitterness will move from tissue to organ within the human spirit. Sometimes chemotherapy will treat it well, sometimes not. Radiation may also be required. Other times it takes a radical surgery to get to the root of the problem and remove the cancer cells. If the entire root is not removed the cancer almost always returns. Many times the extent of the cancer depends on how long the person waited before admitting he was sick and going to the doctor.

We can compare this process to remove cancer cells to bitterness in the spirit. If caught at the beginning, bitterness can be taken care of with a quick prayer of forgiveness. A perceived slight or wrongdoing can be stopped from taking hold in the spirit by an apology or a handshake. If left unchecked, however, it will continue to grow. The longer this cancer called bitterness is allowed to grow, the greater the surgery and recovery time will be once it is treated. If left untreated, bitterness will cause spiritual death as assuredly as an untreated cancer will cause physical death.

It is easy for someone to deny they are sick. Perhaps they are just tired. They’ve been working long hours. Nothing a few days of rest will not cure. Bitterness grows the same way. We are not bitter we often say. Someone’s words just made us angry for a moment but no need to worry about it. We will get over it. How surprised we are when those feelings crop back up again in a few days, weeks or months. Where did that come from we are tempted to ask. I thought I dealt with that issue years ago. But like the physical cancer that invades the body, this spiritual cancer of bitterness went undetected until the symptoms were out of hand and it had to be dealt with.

What are the symptoms of bitterness? They are fairly easy to detect if one knows the signs. A feeling of anger when someone’s name is mentioned is a good sign that bitterness has invaded the spirit. The need to defend oneself when a particular situation is mentioned is another. Feelings of revenge are signs that anger has gone beyond the initial stages and the bitterness has taken over several organs. At that stage it is time to do some serious heart searching and unload some things from our spirits.

Cancer is a multi-billion dollar industry. The finest doctors all over the world spend entire lifetimes experimenting with treatments that will help the next victim. Although we can speculate about unhealthy foods, toxins in the water, and other things, no one really knows why cancer starts in some individuals and others escape it. Much of this nasty thing called cancer is still a mystery.

Bitterness is another matter. We know what causes it and it can be stopped very easily. It is always caused by unforgiveness gone undetected. Hebrews 12:5 tells us that bitterness is a failure to apply the grace of God every situation. Instead of releasing an offense at the very beginning by realizing that everyone is human we dwell on it and allow it take hold in the spirit. Once this happens there is only one treatment that never fails. Forgiveness and release of the offense will deal with the problem 100% of the time.

Jesus said that if we forgive others, then our heavenly Father would forgive us. If we will not forgive others, then he will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14). When we recognize that this ugly cancer of bitterness has grown into our spirit there is only one way to deal with the problem. We must confess to God that there is bitterness within. We must ask him to forgive us of being bitter. We must tell him that we are willing to forgive the offense and ask him for help in doing so. We then ask God not hold the other person accountable for their sin against us. It may seem like an impossible situation to forgive, but once we are willing to pray this prayer, God will reach into our spirits and pull out the unforgiveness replacing it will his love.

Bitterness is like a heavy weight that many carry around their necks. It affects us not only spiritually but physically as well. Once removed, everything about our lives is better. The heaviness is replaced by a lightheartedness of spirit that gives new pleasure to everyday. You’ll find yourself able to enjoy life so much better than before. You’ll find yourself praying for a former enemy instead of complaining or cursing when that person’s name is mentioned. And best of all, you’ll be free from the evil disease that has ravaged your mind and spirit. If bitterness is the only acid that destroys its own container, then love is the only healing balm that will cure it. If you are struggling with bitterness today, why not give it to God? You’ll be so glad you did.

Trusting in Jesus,

Sullivan Jones

A Smile is the Universal Language

I have a poster on my door that says "We all smile in the same language." It depicts children from different nationalities holding hands around a globe. All of them are smiling. The message is clear. Everyone likes to feel special and good about themselves. We never know what is going through someone's mind when we approach them. A smile has a way of disarming even the most cynical among us. Lord, help me learn to smile more.

Mindful of the Past

Hebrews 11:15 - And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, the might have had opportunity to have returned.

This scripture from the book of Hebrews might seem a bit odd if we don't understand the context. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is often called the "Faith Hall of Fame." It speaks of people like Noah, Abraham, Samson, David, and many lesser known heroes of the Old Testament. Verse 15 is speaking of Abraham when he left the Chaldean city of Ur in pursuit of his promised land. It is also a reference to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. They were seeking a place God had promised them. In the case of Abraham, he left family, friends, and everything to obey what God had put in his heart to do. He went where God lead him, not knowing how it would turn out, but simply obeying God by faith. No doubt there were hard days when he wondered if had made a mistake. But he didn't let himself dwell on those thoughts for long. For if he had, he might have turned around and gone back to where he started.

I once heard a conversation between two men whom I knew had been delivered from a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol when they came to God. One guy was talking about his "testimony" of where God brought him from. The other guy basically said, "I don't like to dwell on those things to much. God has delivered me from that and I like to leave it in the past." The first God responded, "I like to remember where I came from." Sadly, the guy who liked to remember where he came from has returned to his former lifestyle. He must have spent too much time dwelling on the past. When the pressures of life mounted up, it was easy to go back to what he used to be.

The point I am making is this: all of us have a past. All of us have made choices. We can't undo yesterday anymore than we can see tomorrow from today. We must do the best we can by faith. Yes, we learn from the past. The past is important so that we don't make the same mistakes again. But too much time studying the past will rob us of the joys of today and the hopes of tomorrow.

Today is a brand new day. Let us live it with joy and appreciate what God has given us. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may not come. Live for the moment with joy. If is all we truly have!

Trusting in Jesus,

Sullivan Jones