About shepherdbryan

My passion is to disciple and see men discipled in every area of their life to see the multiplication principle actually work in a 100 year generational blessing. As go men in the church, so goes the church. As go men in the nation, so goes the nation. Fortunately, because men have often not taken their spiritual role to the limit, God has raised up many godly women to carry the torch where men have laid it aside. May God rapidly raise up men for the next generation of leaders to the Fourth Generation of spiritual leaders! As men lead in a godly way, women will follow in a godly way and that people will be blessed of the Lord.

Peer Pressure – Part 3

Posted on September 27, 2012 by shepherdbryan

So what is it about peer pressure that often makes life difficult?¹ Here’s a scenario. It’s Monday night. You are tired after work and some of the guys invite you to go over to a restaurant with them. They know you have a family. You are new to the job and want to fit in. So you think, “Well, just this time.” You call your wife and tell her you’re going to go out with the guys. After all, you just spent Sunday afternoon with the family.

At the restaurant, everyone is having drinks before their meal, so you don’t want to be the odd one out and you order something to fit in – peer pressure. You would never do this in public, but you let down your guard. The meal is full of laughter and good bantering and this is the most you’ve laughed in a long time. You have only two additional drinks during the meal, but it’s not what you were planning – peer pressure. You are struggling inside from the guilt of going against your conscience, but you’ve never felt so accepted. They invite you over for Monday Night Football and you’re thinking, “I might as well. This will help me fit in with the guys at work.” So, you call your wife and she even encourages you to go at this point. You didn’t tell her the whole story.

The peer pressure continues at Sam’s house, because he has the huge screen television and the beer is flowing – peer pressure. You’re helping yourself to chips and dip and confine yourself to three more beers – peer pressure. You’re thinking the food will absorb the alcohol. You’re thinking, “I would never normally have one drink let alone so many.”

Fortunately, you have a big day at work tomorrow, so you excuse yourself at half time. On the way home, you drive only slightly erratically. You haven’t had that much to drink since you were in college and when you decided enough was enough. It was, however, enough to get the police officer’s attention and a breathalyzer test. He measured you at .08 blood alcohol content and gave you a ride to the county jail with a DUI. Life changed overnight. Why did this happen? Not only does it go against your spiritual values, but you just weren’t thinking.

Social situations put us in danger unless we are confident and strong on values. Certain peers, like work friends, can invite you into a world you may not normally enter. You may sense something is wrong or even make you afraid that something doesn’t feel right. That’s likely your conscience telling you something IS wrong. Scripture says, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk… having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck.”² God gave you a conscience to discern right from wrong. When you fill your conscience with Scripture, you’ll be able to discern godliness.³ You cannot trust what you see or hear, but you can trust God’s Word. Ask yourself when you are in a peer pressure situation, “What would God’s Word guide me to do?”

Think about the consequences of your potential decisions. “Would drinking here bring dishonor to the Lord’s name? Would drinking put me in a situation, like getting a DUI?” Or, “Will this decision affect my health?” “Will people whom I care about or care about me, be affected or disappointed by my decision?” “What will I be thinking tomorrow if I choose this decision today?” Once the decision is made, the consequences may be out of your hands. You’ll have to live with the consequences.

When you make your decision against peer pressure, stick with it. Nancy Reagan, former first lady, had a campaign called, “Just say No.” It was a good campaign and was acceptable in all realms of sociology and religious networks. However, it’s not enough. If you say no to something, make sure you are saying yes to something and make that God’s Word.

When someone pressures you to try something you question or know you shouldn’t participate in, try these responses. Tell them, “No, thanks,” or “I’d rather not,” or “I’m not interested.” If the peer pressure continues, let them know you don’t appreciate the extra questions or just walk away. It’s far better for you to walk away, or even run, because eventually the flesh on its own will give into the pressure. Paul said it well, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”⁴ I love the last part of the verse, “Pursue…with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” Friends can pull you away from the Lord, or friends can strengthen your stand with the Lord. Who are your friends?

The next segment will consider several other situations with which peer pressure can be difficult.

¹I’m taking peer pressure in a negative way. There is positive peer pressure, but for this article it is negative; ²1 Timothy 1:5-6, 19; ³Hebrews 5:12-14; ⁴2Timothy 2:22

Peer Pressure – Part 2

Posted on September 26, 2012 by shepherdbryan

This continues the initial discussion on peer pressure and the over arching mandate to consider who you are in Christ.

How do you deal with peer pressure? Many people just ignore what other people say. They are wired to shrug it off. It’s like water off a ducks back. But sometimes the pressure to conform is hard to discern and a tough challenge to know when to say, “No.” Let’s consider four action steps for dealing with peer pressure.

The firstaction step you can take is “know your values” or “know what you believe.” That might seem like a big concept, but it really comes down to the principles by which you live. What is important to you? What are the things you believe in? They might be honesty, integrity, purity and getting along. Getting along is a good team concept. It helps people function well in a family or on a team. Yet getting along can influence you to go along with peer pressure if you are not careful. What do you believe about what you will not compromise?

Values can even be costly. Scripture records, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.¹Sometimes it means you’ll have to take a stand or that you will lose out on an opportunity. You can never lose from God’s perspective if you choose for purity, for example. You may take a stand for purity and that means foolish people will make fun of you for being prudish or a goody-two-shoes. Take the stand. You’ll be the one who smiles twenty years from now when others are suffering for their foolish decisions. Because you chose purity, you will always have the confidence knowing that you won’t have regrets.

The second action step you can take is to set realistic goals. When you have goals or direction, you’ll be less influenced to follow the crowds. Scripture records, “See then that you walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.² Some people have no goals. As the saying goes, they who fail to plan, plan to fail. But the one who searches the Scriptures will be like the ant who works through the summer and will have provisions for the winter.³ Don’t become a workaholic. God never intended us to work all day and night.⁴ Set realistic goals. You may not be able to accomplish as much in one year, but you’ll see that in five years time, you’ll have accomplished far more.

The third action step is enjoy God’s creation around you.⁵ When you enjoy God’s creation, you’ll be less apt to be influenced by what the crowds think is something you need. Get rest; take time for a walk, do some reading and choose friends wisely. Trust God in all your decisions by studying Scripture and depending on His Holy Spirit. Life is short, so take time to cultivate what you know about God’s creation.

The fourth action step is seek after God’s purposes. Scripture says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”⁶ When you seek God’s purposes, you’ll be less influenced by peers to their desires. When you develop eternal interests, you’ll be less concerned about temporal desires like get rich quick schemes, desires to satisfy the flesh, gluttonous desires for foods beyond what exercise and work does not consume, desires for relationships that corrupt, or other earthly pursuits.

Preemptively overcome peer pressure by stepping out by faith in the actions steps and you’ll put on the armor of God to stand firm for godly principles.⁷

The next segment will look at a specific situation of peer pressure and how to deal with it.

¹1John 3:3; ²Ephesians 5:15-17; ³Proverbs 6:6-9; ⁴Psalm 127:2; ⁵Psalm 19:1-6; ⁶Matthew 6:33; ⁷Ephesians 6:10-18

Peer Pressure

Posted on September 25, 2012 by shepherdbryan

Everyone over the age of five faces some kind of peer pressure. It’s subtle. Most people handle it well, because they don’t let it bother them, but many are moved along by the crowd like the bulls running down the streets of Pamplona, Spain. It is what motivates many to buy certain kinds of cars, wear certain styles of clothes and even get caught in foolish activities, like sniffing. Peer pressure. Usually it’s when people around your own age try to influence your thinking.

Sometimes peer pressure can be positive. Peers can encourage you to participate in sports or band or even study hard for honor grades. Peers can also exhort you to keep up some level of fitness. These are obviously good forms of peer pressure or better termed exhortations.

Sometimes peer pressure can be negative. This pressure comes from peers influencing you to use alcohol, drugs, skip school, have sex, vandalize property, make fun of people or bully other kids. During youthfulness and even into adulthood, you have so many influences away from God’s holy standard and toward the common drudgery of the world.

How do you make your own decisions? How do you say no to negative peer pressure? How do you deal with it in tough situations?

The key to peer pressure is to know who you are. If you are a Christian, here’s your verse, “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2:9-10) If you know Jesus Christ, then you are complete in Him and the peer pressure of life does not have to influence you in a negative way.

When you realize you are complete in Jesus Christ, you will have confidence in Jesus rather than yourself. You’ll be able to accept your strengths and weaknesses, because you know that God is working in your life to lead you to maturity.¹ You’ll have greater respect for others, because you submit yourself to Christ’s authority.² You’ll begin to trust yourself, because you are trusting what God is doing in and through you to accomplish His will.³ You’ll make your decisions with discernment, because you know God’s Word.⁴

If you continue in the world’s path, you’ll miss out on the freedom Jesus Christ wants for you.⁵ Depending on yourself, rather than the Lord, results in a lack of self-confidence, dislike of yourself, not trusting your decisions and unwillingness to accept who you were made by God. Ultimately what happens is other people influence you and make your decisions for you. You end up going down a wide road called a slippery slope, because it’s easy and so many are traveling down the same dumb road. Why? Because what peers think is more important to you than what God thinks.

The next segment will address some practical ways of dealing with peer pressure.

¹Philippians 1:6; ²1Peter 5:5-6; ³Ephesians 5:15-17; ⁴Hebrews 5:12-14; ⁵Galatians 5:1

Explaining Divine History – Part 6

Posted on September 21, 2012 by shepherdbryan

The previous five parts have established a foundation for understanding Divine History. Part one noted a consistent means of salvation throughout history. Secondly, Scripture must be interpreted by a literal historico-grammatical interpretation approach. Thirdly, God’s promises to Israel in the Old Testament were unconditional and are yet to be fulfilled. Fourthly, the church began on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and not before. Fifthly, the only way to understand God’s plan is to know the completed canon of Scripture. This sixth segment identifies that man is born spiritually dead and how he is able to receive salvation.

Man is born separated from God in a helpless and hopeless condition (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). He is spiritually dead. There is nothing he can do to gain acceptance before God unless God reveals Himself to man and man chooses to trust in God’s revealed will for salvation. Note the following principles:

· Man is born in sin and he possesses his body of sin until death or the rapture Rom. 6:6, 12; 7:24; 1 Cor. 15:51-57. The body of the unbeliever will control his life in sin, because the unbeliever cannot please God in any way. Even the body of the believer retains the sin nature and causes a battle in the soul of the believer who trusts in Jesus Christ. That body of sin will tempt him to sin unless he is totally dependent on God’s Spirit, which Scripture calls the filling of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

· Spiritually, he is not able to please, to satisfy, or to approach God in any way because of his sin and God cannot look upon sin Gen. 2:16,17; Rom. 3:9-10; Eph. 2:1-3. Man is spiritually dead. The unbeliever cannot understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14) and cannot satisfy the righteousness of God from his works (Is. 64:6).

· The unbeliever does have faith, because many trust in other gods, themselves or some system of doing to gain an afterlife Acts 17:18-23. The unbeliever does not trust by faith in the right object of salvation. The unbeliever trusts in many things just like a believer, like flying in an airplane, but rejects trusting in the divine provision of Christ’s shed blood for atonement.

· The unbeliever cannot understand the things of God apart from God’s convicting ministry John 16:8-11; 1 Cor. 2:14. The unbeliever’s spirit is dead, therefore it will reject any revelation from or conviction of God’s revelation.

· God provides the way of salvation through Christ’s death Rom. 5:8. Even in the rejection of man, God provides that way because of His love. God’s love is not dependent on a proper response. God’s love acts regardless of the response. Our godly love is only in response to His love for us (1 John 4:19).

· God the Holy Spirit convicts of the whole world of sin, righteousness and judgment John 16:8-11. The conviction is made to the entire world. Conviction is necessary for man to see his lost state and separation from God. Conviction allows for rejection. God is bigger than some people think. God handles the rejection of some people, likely a majority of people, because His love is infinite and He gives regardless of whether man responds to the conviction, or not. God’s conviction shows that God’s grace provision is sufficient, but not necessarily efficient. God allows man to reject God’s provision. Rejection requires the Justice of God to leave man in condemnation and the ultimate consequence of the Lake of Fire.

· Man can be saved by faith alone in Christ alone by God’s grace Eph. 2:8-9. God provides the way of salvation through Christ’s death on the cross for the sins of the world. Man must exercise faith in Jesus Christ. God the Holy Spirit then takes that spark of faith and regenerates the human spirit so it can relate with the infinite God (Titus 3:5).

· Man is redeemed from sin by the precious blood of Jesus Eph. 1:7; 1 Pet. 1:18-19. Man can do nothing for salvation. Faith becomes the spark, choice, or decision God then takes to carry the man from spiritual deadness to spiritual life.

· When man exercises faith in Christ, he is only saved when the Holy Spirit regenerates him, not because of the decision made John 1:12-13; Tit. 3:5. Man’s faith does not save him, but without faith man is not saved. God does not force the issue. God could force the issue, but then free will would not be involved. God allows the human response to be the point where God sovereignly regenerates man to spiritual life.

· God is not obligated to man regardless of what man does; God is only obligated to Himself and His Word Rom. 9:14-16. God is no respecter of persons. He does respect His own perfect character.

Man is born spiritually dead. Through God’s conviction, which is the only way man could understand that he needs salvation and is the only way man could understand what he needs to do for salvation, man chooses to reject or accept God’s plan. Man could not be saved unless God draws Him. He could not understand unless God revealed Himself. When man understands and humbles himself in totally dependence on the mercy of God, God obligates Himself to His character and regenerates man according to divine will.

Explaining Divine History – Part 5

Posted on September 20, 2012 by shepherdbryan

We human beings are pretty proud of ourselves. We have been able to take a little two inch by five inch by one quarter inch box and communicate with each other and websites all over the world. We have at our fingertips information, relationships, and resources never before available. We’re pretty proud of ourselves! Yet none of that compares to the miracle that God performs for us.

The miracle of God is that He communicates to us. We, His creatures, rejected God in the Garden of Eden, prior to the flood, at the Tower of Babel, at the incarnation of Christ and we will reveal our rejection of Him prior to His return and even at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. It’s a miracle of God’s mercy that He communicates to us from His holiness.

There is no way that we could ever understand God unless He revealed Himself to us. Because He is infinite and we are finite, He had to reveal Himself to us in ways and language that we could understand. It would be impossible for man to understand the infinity of God’s person and purpose. So God revealed Himself in nature we call General Revelation and He revealed Himself in Jesus and Scripture we call Special Revelation. We can only learn about some aspects of God in General Revelation (Romans 1:18-20). We needed Special Revelation to understand God’s plan for man.

Here’s the key to understanding God’s plan:

God’s divine plan can only be fully understood by the completed canon of Scripture. It is from progressive revelation over a period of 1500 years by 40 authors that God’s Administration of History can be fully understood.

As was stated under “Explaining Divine History – Part 2” the Bible must be interpreted with a literal historico-grammatical approach to interpretation. Some people develop their theology and then use various forms of interpretation to make Scripture fit that theology. Please refer back to that segment for a clarification of biblical interpretation. What we need to understand is that God’s plan and history will only be understood by the completed canon of Scripture and then only when it is harmonized in, through and by means of all Scripture. Leave the world behind and study God’s Word and you’ll understand Divine History.

Pretending World Peace

Posted on September 17, 2012 by shepherdbryan

I’m grateful for the relationship I have in Jesus Christ. He keeps me on track with the truth. It’s not a pretend relationship. Because of that eternal relationship, I want to pursue Him with my entire being. That gives me the practical outworking of His peace. Paul writes, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phi 4:7). There are, however, many unsettling issues in the world. Some people might be very bothered and wonder, “What is happening?”

But let’s cut to the chase. The uprisings in the Middle East against American interests are only the tip of the anger sword Islam is waving at America. Ambassador Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, says it was a spontaneous attack. But the Libyan leader says it was pre-meditated, especially for the day on which it happen – 9-11. For some reason, I’m more confident the Libyan leader, President El-Magariaf, is right.

I’m confident many are being pulled along by those who have set their mind against America and may not really know what they are doing. Yet, the attacks on the embassy in Egypt, the killing of the four Americans in Libya, including the ambassador and several other attacks on embassies in Sudan, Yemen and Tunisia are not only from extremists. They present the spread of not just American hatred, but what America represents – the stronghold of Christianity and support of Israel.

Let’s get wise America and the church! We need to pray the White House wakes up. They are playing the United States into the hands of a few. The WH is pretending they are asleep and you can’t wake up someone who is pretending they are asleep. What is happening is no accident and it isn’t some spontaneous reaction from a film. The film is only an excuse to expand Islam’s influence. Steel up your thinking!

We need to grow in geo-political awareness. Let’s get out of our comfort zone and prepare our mind for opportunities to shine the gospel of truth. Are you ready to share the gospel with your neighbor? Are you familiar with what the Koran says about you? The only answer is found in the truth of the gospel. In the mean time, become equipped mentally and practically. Let’s not pretend everything is fine when it is not.

Can You Trust What You Believe?

Posted on September 8, 2012 by shepherdbryan

Life is about trust. Trust in God’s character and word. Trust in relationships. Trust in family. Trust in the food we eat. We often take trust for granted, because what we hear seems plausible, the person who said it seems reliable, all things being equal, there seems to be no need to question it.

Who do you trust in politics? The spin machines are in overtime mode spinning the most twisted lies. There are a whole lot of people who believe them, so what’s the deal? Yet, there are a whole lot of people who don’t believe the twisted lies. Can you trust what you hear?

Sometimes people who have been trustworthy will say something. And it’s possible to believe what they say, so we take it at face value and believe it. We don’t hear a rebuttal or defense, so it must be true. Can you trust what you believe?

I’m not talking about biblical theology. I’m addressing what people say that causes problems in relationships. Can you trust what you believe?

Then we read Proverbs 18:17. That says we should be careful about what we hear. It says we might not be able to trust what we believe. It reads, “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.” Funny, how something can seem right, but when it’s examined, it’s not right. Why then do we believe the first account?

There are a multitude of reasons why we don’t examine what we hear or believe. We’re comfortable believing it. We’re not diligent to examine what is said. We have an agenda and want to believe what we hear. We don’t realize the first person has an agenda, so we don’t examine it. We think the person is normally trustworthy, so why examine him on this issue? We don’t want to face conflict, so we don’t examine. We don’t want to stir up conflict. We think the problem will just go away. We think people will forget and people will just get along. Shall I continue?

If Satan moved David to sin, is it possible for godly people today to do sinful things (cf. 1 Chron. 21:1)? If Jesus called Peter – “Satan” – is it possible for people to speak with a wrong motivation or to provide half truths to fit their agenda (cf. Matt. 16:21-23? If Peter questioned Ananias, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” is it possible for Christians to also lie for their own purposes? If believers fall away from the truth and believe deceiving spirits can believers today believe what is not true (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1-3)? Did you ever twist the truth before your parents to get out of a jam? Have your children ever twisted the truth to a lie in order to escape punishment?

Let us flee from evil! Let us examine words that are spoken. Let us find out the reason why things happened for the sake of the holiness of God. THAT will honor the Lord. Can you trust what you believe?

Straight Shooting Arrows

Posted on September 4, 2012 by shepherdbryan

Of course it had to happen. Two days after the message on “Straight Shooting Arrows” or how to raise godly children, the newspaper reported exactly when a child must disobey his parents – the mom directed her son to sin. The boy was in a very difficult situation. In Lynnwood, WA a ten-year-old boy was directed by his mom to burglarize a home. Unfortunately, the homeowner was home and the whole thing was caught on security cameras. The child is now under the father’s custody and the mother held on $25,000 bail.

Friends this is not just academic stuff. It’s easy to understand the biblical principles of teaching Children, obey your parents, and Father’s do not provoke your children. But the reality is there are two HUGE hurdles.

First is the application of making all of it work. All things being equal if there are normal children and parents who want to do the right thing, you have a chance of seeing hearts melted and homes repaired to godliness. It’s difficult enough when both parents and children are “normal.” Yet, they both have sin natures fighting against the Spirit to do the right thing. Paul writes, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal. 5:17) Furthermore, Paul writes, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. (Rom. 7:19) There’s a battle in normal people.

However, and secondly, there is not an ice cube’s chance in Hades, if the parents are not in tune with Jesus and no one outside the home is willing to work with the children. Our communities are filled with broken homes where parents don’t care about Jesus, right and wrong, or morality. What is going on in the heart of the children, do you suppose? They want to respond to Jesus, but no is leading them to the Savior and discipling them beyond their fleshly desires. Who is teaching that boy in Lynnwood, WA how to say, “Mom, I want to obey you. I want to honor you. I want to do the right thing in life and that means I can’t burglarize someone else’s home.” If we in the church don’t come along side of him, how will he learn? Many of these young people are orphans, living at home. James writes, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Jam. 1:27)

Friends, we Christians have job security. There are so many discipling opportunities if we will open our eyes and set aside our own desires to love on the youth of America. We are beginning to have an explosion of youth at church. If you want an eternal opportunity, you can meet with Justin to see if you have the heart to minister to them. Most of you do. Just let the Lord work through you.

Problems Can’t Stop God’s Plans

Posted on September 1, 2012 by shepherdbryan

Christianity is a great adventure. When I taught through Acts, I called the series “The Great Adventure.” When you walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, by the power of His Spirit, life is a great adventure. And yet there are often challenges and even adversaries. When Paul was waiting in Ephesus and he wanted to see the Corinthians, but couldn’t go to them at that time, he explained to them, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Cor. 16:9) Paul knew he had opportunities to disciple God’s Word in Ephesus and in the midst of adversaries, he decided to stay.

Sometimes we think, “If I’m a Christian, I shouldn’t have problems, or at least not ‘this many!'” Yet, Paul realized that in this world, there would be trials and troubles in the midst of great opportunities for the gospel message and discipling of people. If we expect that we shouldn’t face trouble, then we’ll be neutralized and not influence and not impact those around us.

In fact, John is very clear that when God opens a door, no one can shut it and when He shuts a door, no one can open it. Notice in this letter to Philadelphia that John writes in Revelation 3:8-9, “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie– indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.” When God makes a way open, no one can shut it, no matter what they do, who they talk to, or who they assemble. God will keep that way open. God opened the door for Gideon when He used 300 soldiers with Gideon to stop 120,000 enemy forces.

Does God have a problem keeping the door open? His only problem is when we don’t trust Him and we get in the way. We can miss out on the opportunity before us. If God closes a door, there is nothing we can do to open it. We can’t plot, assemble people to support our cause or work behind the scenes to get something going where God says “No.” It’s far better to keep pressing forward in the midst of adversaries and challenges and watch for God’s deliverance. He will make the deliverance in His time and He will show His ministry will prevail.

Are you married? You have an open door of living as one reflecting Jesus Christ and the Church. Be faithful and trust God to work with your spouse. Are you troubled by disobedient children? You have an open door of shooting straight arrows into the next generation with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be faithful as a godly parent and teach your children to obey, whatever and however long it takes. Are you wondering about God’s ministry opportunities? God always gives an open door for ministry. Keep walking in the path God has opened to you and watch the mighty acts of the Lord!

Rejection From People You Love

Posted on August 31, 2012 by shepherdbryan

Every parent loves his children. Sometimes it may not seem like it because parents in our culture and society may seem more into themselves and neglectful of the gift of having children. AND it’s likely those parents were not discipled on how to raise godly children or to know the blessing of consistency in discipling them. But, every godly parent loves children.

That’s why in the training process, it can be exasperating when children disobey and reject you. Sometimes the rejection is strong when they are two and sometimes when they are twelve. There are often periods before and after those dates when rejection is strong. Yet, nothing could be worse than when a child turns 18 and runs off ignoring his parents desires for continued relationship and desire to see their child grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It should bother a parent. It should hurt. If it didn’t, something would be wrong with the parents.

The same thing can happen when friends reject friends. The rejection and separation pain is often very painful. It’s agonizing when a friendship and love relationship is severed. It’s one thing when the relationship is broken in a godly way, but when it’s done in a wrong way, it’s worse than a knife in the gut.

Fortunately, Scripture gives hope, peace and calm. Samuel was rejected by Israel in the latter period of the judges. He was not a perfect judge. He had sons that didn’t obey him. His sons acted on their own behalf. The nation of Israel was looking around at other nations thinking those gentile nations were better off because they had a king they could see. Israel was not content submitting to the invisible, merciful and holy God with visible judges. So, Samuel was bothered and discouraged. Then God said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Sam. 8:7)

When people reject you and you are trying to please the Lord, in fact you are seeking after His face, then accept they are really just rejecting the Lord and continue serving in your role as parent or friend. Forgive where you have been wronged. Be available to unconditionally love when they change, repent and want to be restored. Serve their needs where you can by God’s power, so that you do not add to the division. They haven’t rejected you, they’ve rejected God. Be still and know that God is God!

Shepherding Truth

Renewing Truth, Rightly Divided

Author Archives: shepherdbryan