Caring Means Confronting!

"An honest answer is a sign of true friendship." Proverbs 24:26 (TEV)

It's much easier to remain silent when others around us are messing up, but it's not the loving thing to do. Most people have no one in their lives that love them enough to tell them the truth, so they continue going the wrong way. Usually we know what needs to be said but fear keeps us from saying it. "An honest answer is the sign of true friendship." Sometimes caring means confronting!

Paul writes,

"If someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently make him right again" (Gal 6:1 NCV).

That's what 'spiritual' people do! The trouble is when an issue pops up that might cause tension, it's immediately glossed over in order to preserve peace. Mr. 'Don't-rock-the-boat' jumps in and tries to smooth everyone's ruffled feathers, the issue is never resolved and everyone lives with an underlying feeling of frustration.

"No more pretence. Tell...the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other...When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself" (Eph 4:25 TM).

Now frankness is not a license to be rude and say anything you please. Thoughtless words wound people.

"Never use harsh words when you correct an older man, but talk to him as if he were your father. Talk to younger men as if they were your brothers, older women as if they were your mothers, and younger women as if they were your sisters" (1Ti 5:1-2 GWT).

Bottom line: whether in a marriage, a friendship, a church or a business, until we care enough to confront and resolve the underlying barriers, we'll never grow close to each other!

The Difference Between Covering and Covering Up

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

If you hang around with church folk very long, you will hear them speak about "covering." I remember when I first heard this phrase, I assumed they were talking about covering up. But there is a huge difference between covering and covering up.

There is only one time in the New Testament that the word "cover" is used in that context, and that is in I Peter 4:8 -

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (NIV).

Sometimes this passage is misinterpreted to mean that our love for each other blots out our sin. Make no mistake: The only love that can cancel out sin is the love of Jesus manifested in his death on the cross. What Peter is talking about here is the unconditional love and acceptance that should be present in the Body of Christ creating an environment where we feel safe and secure to confess our sins to one another and repent.

James also painted this picture of how the church ought to function in his epistle:

"...confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16, NIV)

Sadly, in most church fellowships that love and acceptance is not present. This results in an environment where we dare not confess our faults to each other for fear we will become fodder for the gossip mill. Here's another way to look at it: When we don't have the love covering, we have a cover up. So we come to the one place on earth where we should be able to be real and we put a mask on and hide what we are feeling, what we are thinking, and what we are struggling with.

There is no doubt in my mind that the epidemic we are currently seeing in moral failures, divorces and scandals among pastors and church leaders has it's roots in the lack of "covering love" present in the church. In most cases, these Pastors were too proud or too isolated to seek out accountability partners.

For every high profile leader who fails, there are scores of deacons, elders, teachers and others in the church who suffer the same fate out of the spotlight. This is why the divorce rate is higher in the church than outside the church! You don't dare come to church and admit you and your spouse are struggling and need prayer, help and support, so you suffer in silence while your marriage and family crumbles around you.

This lack of "covering love" in the church is the spirit of the Pharisees, not that of Jesus! When Jesus encountered those struggling with sin He responded with compassion and understanding, saying "I don't condemn you." This in spite of the fact that He is the only person who has the right to condemn sinners. You and I don't have that right. We are like the Pharisees with rocks in their hands waiting to throw them and the sinful woman; When Jesus reminded them of their own sin, one by one they dropped their stones and walked away, knowing they were every bit as guilty as she.

If your church, Sunday School class, or small group doesn't provide this atmosphere of acceptance, you need to seek out accountability and covering for your life. Covering up your sin will only result in repeating the same behavior. So, find a group of people that you can be totally transparent with and hold each other accountable. I am not exaggerating to say that failure to find accountability in your life can result in at best stagnation and at worst ruin for your spiritual life and your reputation.

Seeking out and taking advantage of an environment where love covers will be one of the hardest, yet most rewarding things you will ever do. You cannot put a price on a clear conscience, and the knowledge that there are people who know you completely yet love you anyway. It is in this environment that you can begin to understand the unconditional love that God loves you with. And you realize that you aren't the "Lone Ranger." Your brothers and sisters are struggling in the same areas that you are struggling in!

Rev. Alan Riley is the Director of Web Operations for Streaming Faith and serves as the Managing Editor of StreamingFaith.com. He is an ordained Baptist Minister and a frequent contributor to the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional. His personal blog can be found at www.alansblog.com.

Choose Life

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Romans 8:6)

If you were given the choice between life and death, which would you choose? The answer seems obvious. But, in reality, it's not.

You see, choosing death doesn't necessarily mean jumping from the nearest cliff. It's much more subtle than that.

The Bible says death is being carnally minded, being entangled in this present worldly realm. The Bible also tells us what life is. "My son, attend to my words," says Proverbs 4:20-22, "...for they are life!"

To be worldly-minded is death. To be Word-minded is life.

In Luke 10, there's a story that illustrates this principle extremely well. It's the story of Mary and Martha. You probably remember it. Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to Him teach while Martha was bustling around in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone.

Finally Martha couldn't stand it anymore. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work myself? Tell her to help me!" Jesus answered, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42).

Mary had set everything else aside, so she could hear the Word. But Martha had let the seemingly important business of living take priority over the Word. She'd chosen death, not life.

You see how easy it is to slip into that?

"But Brother Copeland," you say, "if I didn't spend all my time taking care of the business of living, my life would fall apart!"

Oh, really? Martha probably thought that too. She probably thought if she didn't cook dinner for all those folks, they'd go hungry. But they wouldn't have. Jesus had miraculously fed multitudes before and He could have done it again in Martha's home. She could have plopped herself down at Jesus' feet, and they could have had a banquet at God's expense!

Don't make the mistake that Martha did. Don't get so entangled in the business of living that you choose death by default. Decide to put the Word first place. Choose life!

Scripture Study: Romans 8:5-13

Think on These...

We were created to overcome, not avoid.

Your attitude determines your altitude.

Sometimes what you do speaks so loudly, that what you are saying goes unheard.

You can conquer if you only believe.

Faith is who you are when no one is looking.

The Thief Comes To Steal

Continue trusting God

Have you ever begun to pray about a particular situation and it seems to get worse? Have you ever begun to confess the word of God in a particular area and it seems that no matter how much you confess and pray and believe it continues to get worse? If you have ever believed God for anything, I am pretty certain this is what happened, as it happens for many of us.

So what do you do? Well, the Bible says that the thief (devil) comes to steal, kill and destroy. I want to talk to you today about the thing he has to steal, kill and destroy before he can begin to touch your stuff.

You see, my friend, he must first steal the word of God that has been sown in your heart ~ if he can't steal the word, he can't steal your finances, your health, your marriage or your peace. Oh, I know he can make you think he is ~ but he doesn't have the power to take it unless we hand it over to him. Before you ever begin to ask God for anything, you must first see it in His word, and if you have found that word that pertains to your situation and you mediate on that word, then it is sown in your heart. That's what the devil is after - the word of God.

If he can steal the word, then he can kill your vision and destroy every dream you ever had. But he can't touch anything until he first pulls the word out of our heart. How does he do that? Through attacks on your finances, your health, your marriage, your mind. He comes at you with everything he's got, feeling confident that he can make you bow to his threats. Don't bow. What do I mean by that? Don't lay down your weapon which is the word of God. Don't begin to doubt God. Don't start to wonder if what the word says will really work for you - trust God. Trust him when the heat is the highest, trust Him when it looks like the opposite of the word is manifesting in your life, trust Him when it seems that there is a Red Sea in front of you and the enemy on your tail. He is the same God today as He was back then and He will part the sea for you if you can only resist fear and resist the enemy and his lies and hold firm to the word of God. Trust Him, no matter what it looks like.

Don't allow your thoughts to wonder. God told me something years ago that has kept me from wondering. He said 'wondering will take you down a road you don't want to go.' I ask Him what He meant. And He replied 'wondering is wavering, wavering is doubt, and doubt is sin.' You see my friend, wondering will lead you to sin - for to doubt God is sin. The Bible declares that anything that is not of faith is sin. Stop those wondering thoughts before they begin. Give no place to the devil. Whatever he says to you, the opposite is true. Trust God. He will not fail you.

Recognizing Our Source

Deuteronomy 8:18 - But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Pride is the greatest temptation to a successful marketplace minister. When we begin accumulating wealth, managing people, and becoming known for our marketplace expertise, we are most susceptible to falling to the most devious sin in God's eyes-pride. The Bible tells us that God is the reason we are able to produce wealth. It is not of our own making. As soon as we move into the place where we begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, God says he will take action.

You may say to yourself,

"My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me."....If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 8:17,19-20).

These are strong words from God. It demonstrates His utter impatience for any people who think that what they have accomplished has anything to do with their own power. It is God who gives us the skill, the mind, the resources, the energy, the drive, and the opportunities in life to accomplish anything. When we become prideful in heart, He will begin a process of reproof in our life.

Today is a good day to examine whether we have fallen prey to pride. Are you sharing what God has entrusted to you with God's people, or the needy? Are you being the instrument of blessing that God desires for His people to be? What areas of pride have crept into your life? Ask the Lord to show you this today. And avoid being put on the shelf. Nothing is worse than being cast aside because of our own pride.