Posts Tagged With: Romans

Shattered Dreams, Broken Hearts, Unfulfilled Longings

Posted on March 16, 2014 by deweybertolini

It’s one of the most beautiful verses in all of Scripture… which, ironically, may not actually be in the Bible.

But as you will learn in this PODCAST, it really doesn’t matter. Because what Matthew quite possibly did not write, Paul most certainly did.

Paul ascribed glorious praise and power to His sovereign God who quite possibly Broke.Paul’s.Heart.

Paul’s heart broken by a shattered dream, an unfulfilled longing.

Yet through Paul’s resilience, we can and WILL derive much comfort in the face of our own shattered dreams, broken hearts, and unfulfilled longings.

This podcast is for you!

Please remember that depending upon your connection speed and web browser, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to play.

HAPPY LISTENING, and may God richly bless you as you do.

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A Marvelous Way to Live!

Posted on December 16, 2013 by deweybertolini

For many of us, this enigmatic passage, that we explain in this PODCAST, is coming at Just.The.Right.Time, given that Christmas is right around the corner.

I have talked to too many people already this month who have admitted to me that in one way or the other, despite what the carol says, Christmas is not “the most wonderful time of the year.” 

This because, among other things, they are dreading having to get together with certain family members or “friends” who are, to put this as delicately as possible, difficult to deal with. Difficult to be with. Difficult to spend time with. 

EGR-types of people. EGR? Ever hear of those?

Extra-Grace-Required-types of people.

Do you know anyone like that?

So this passage is indeed coming at just the right time.

At the same time, ironically, it’s an impossible passage. Impossible in that no one, NO ONE, can possibly take the words of this passage, as they appear here at face value, and apply them to our lives.

No one can. Because if we did, then it would mean that… say, for example… if someone likes your car better than theirs, according to this passage they only need to ask you for your car, and you would have to toss them the keys.

Or if they like your house better than their house or apartment, and ask you for your house, you would have to hand over the deed to them.

Or if someone jumps you in a parking lot and starts to pummel you, according to this passage you could not defend yourself. You just have to lay there and let them beat you to a bloody pulp.

Is that really what Jesus meant to suggest here in Matthew 5:38-42?

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

OK, let me be honest with you. Taken at face value, there are some serious issues with this passage. A problematic passage to say the least.

First, because if we truly live this out…

Don’t resist an evil person… Give to him who asks you…

…If we (as the clichés go) turn the other cheek, go the extra mile…

If we do indeed let people knock us around, or give anyone anything of ours that they want, even more than they want, anytime they want it, then what we’re saying is that we are biblically obligated to passively submit to anyone’s abuses, everyone’s abuses, any where, at any time.

Can you even begin to imagine what the implications of that would be? Just try to imagine what would happen if word got out about those Christians over there, that you can take from them anything you want, anytime you want it. Money. Possessions. Property. It’s yours for the asking.

Is that really what Jesus was preaching here in Matthew 5:38-42?

Second, if that was indeed what Jesus was preaching here.. 

But I tell you not to resist an evil person. 

…Then we have a clearcut contradiction of Scripture. Because James (Jesus’ brother) just as clearly wrote, 

Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

And Peter added his voice to James when he wrote…

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him (1 Peter 5:8-9).

And finally, just to add one more tantalizing layer of complication to this already complicated passage, not only is there an apparent contradiction between what Jesus preached and what James and Peter wrote, but we also have an apparent contradiction between Jesus’ own words and Jesus’ own actions. 

Let me phrase this as a question: Did Jesus practice what He preached…

But I tell you not to resist an evil person.

…when Jesus did this to some evil people?

Jesus took some rope and made a whip. Then he chased everyone out of the temple, together with their sheep and cattle. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins. Jesus said to the people who had been selling doves, “Get those doves out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace” (John 2:15-16).

Hmmm. Sounds a little like resistance to me…

OK, so what’s going on here?

One are just one CLICK away from finding out. Just in time for Christmas!

A truly marvelous way to live.

Please note that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it might take up to 60 seconds for the podcast to begin to play.

HAPPY LISTENING, from my heart to yours.

And if it is indeed a blessing, PLEASE “Like” this blog, and PLEASE “Share” the link to this podcast with your family and friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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How Can I Know God’s Will for My Life?

Posted on November 14, 2013 by deweybertolini

Time to tackle yet another question from camp. And this one just happens to be one of my all-time favorites. 

This student phrased the question as follows:

How do I know if God is “calling” me to do something? How do I know if it’s just what I want to do?

I can’t wait to get into this. For two reasons:

1. Because the question reveals a heart of obedience, someone who genuinely wants to please God with his or her life.

2. Because the answer to this question is so practical.

To rephrase the question, what this person is asking is this: 

How can I know God’s will for my life?

Do you know how many books and pamphlets have been written in an attempt to answer this very common question? Neither do I. I can’t count that high.

You’ll read everything from “God just tells me what He wants me to do,” to complicated formulas where means, motive, and opportunity must all be in their proper alignment before God’s will can be known.

The more cynical among us might be tempted to conclude that God is playing some sort of hide-and-seek game with us, as if God’s will is buried treasure, the Bible is our map, and we must discover the clues or solve the riddles in order to unearth God’s will.

I, for one, do not for a second believe that God is a cosmic tease, someone who gets some perverse pleasure out of watching His children stumble around in the dark, searching for His will.

God would not encourage each of us…

…to know God’s will for you (Romans 12:2 NLT)…

…unless He wanted us to know it!

Oh, and by the way, while we’re talking about this, let’s once and for all time put away this faulty notion that God’s will for your life must be the opposite of everything you want out of life. Or worse, God’s will might just be the most horrible thing in the world that you can imagine. As if God’s will is something to be feared.

Just because someone hates heat, doesn’t particularly like to get soaking wet, and screams at the sight of spiders does not mean that God has called him or her to sweat in a mud hut in the middle of some deep, dark rain forest living on a nasty diet of beetle-grubs.

How do I know this? Because in that same blessed verse (Romans 12:2), God Himself describes His will for your life as…

…good and pleasing and perfect.

Hear this:

God’s will for your life is “good and pleasing and perfect.”

Now repeat after me: 

God’s will for my life is “good and pleasing and perfect.”

OK, so back to the question at hand, 

How do I know if God is “calling” me to do something? How do I know if it’s just what I want to do?

God answers that question in just sixteen words, Psalm 37:4 (NLT).

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Or to put it another way, If you make God the delight of your heart, His will for your life is to follow your heart.

Follow your heart. Yes, it is that simple.

What does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord, or to make Him the delight of your heart? It simply means to do those things that you know will please Him, and refrain from doing those things that you know will displease Him.

This is not complicated. I’ll give you a few examples, and you tell me if these things please or displease God.

Tell a lie. (Displeases God)

Tell the truth. (Pleases God)

Gossip about someone (Displeases God)

Speak favorably about others (Pleases God)

Do your best at school, at work, or in your home (Pleases God)

Cheat at school, at work, or in your home (Displeases God)

Fill your mind with pure pictures, lyrics, etc. (Pleases God)

Fill your mind with filth (Displeases God)

Harm someone (Displeases God)

Help someone (Pleases God)

This is NOT complicated.

So His promise is this… Make God the delight of your heart (by doing those things that you know please Him), and then follow your heart. 

Why does this work? Because as you make God the delight of your heart, His heart will become your heart, His heart’s desires will become your heart’s desires, His will will become your will.

It really will!

One last thought… This does not necessarily mean that when you follow your heart, God will reveal His entire plan for your entire life, all at once. Let me share with you one more equally precious verse, 

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105 NLT).

Not to get too technical here. But the lamp to which the verse refers is a handheld oil lamp, which were as common in biblical times as light bulbs are to us today.

But here’s the thing: An oil lamp gives off exactly the right amount of light to allow you and me to take one more step.

Did you get that? #OneMoreStep.

Take that step, and voilà! The lamp will give you exactly the right amount of light to take one more step. The next step.

Step-by-step is how this Christian walk is meant to be lived. Step-by-step, one step at a time.

So here it is: Make God your heart’s delight by doing those things that you know please Him. Follow your heart’s desire in order to follow God’s will. And take the first step to fulfilling your heart’s desire. Just one step. Take that step, and sooner rather than later God will give you just enough light to take the next step, and the step after that.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Happy walking, my friends. And be sure to enjoy the journey!

(Any thoughts? Just click on the title, scroll down to the bottom, and leave a reply. I’d LOVE to read it.)

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