God's Enemy?

"See how your enemies growl,

how your foes rear their heads. . .

With one mind they plot together;

they form an alliance against you--"

Psalm 8:2,5

David was upset that there were so many men who were plotting against God and His people.  He saw these enemies as God's opponent.  While they were against God, can anyone really defeat Him or match His might?  

I often feel the same as David as I follow world events and see the evil that spreads through society like an insidious cancer.  I cry out to Him, "When will you vanquish your enemies?"  But this begs a question.  Does God really have any enemies?  Is He threatened by all the evil in the world that works against His plan?  What kind of a God would He be if He could have an enemy; a true antagonist who threatens His sovereign plan?  He would be a puny God indeed!

No Match.  He often proclaimed his own greatness, saying he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."  He seemed unstoppable, winning most of his bouts by knockout.  While he faced a couple of worthy opponents, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, he was invincible until the end of his career when Leon Spinks defeated him and Larry Holms actually knocked him out.  But it was Parkinson's disease which became his final adversary, wreaking havoc on his nervous system. 

While Muhammad Ali eventually did encounter foes who overcame his perceived greatness, there is no match for God, not now or ever.  He is the Creator of all things and as such is above it all (Isaiah 55:8-9).  He is greater than what He has made, and has more power than anything or anyone.  Therefore, there is no power that can give Him a run for His money, that can defeat His great plan for all of mankind, that can even trip Him up in any way.  With such a God as this on my side, I am secure in the shadow of His wings (Romans 8:31, Psalm 91:4).

There is no match in all of creation to our mighty God.

No Threat.  Every great hero has a weakness.  Superman has his Kryptonite, Batman his mortality, and Daredevil's blindness is a serious vulnerability.  While all of these superheros have to protect their weakness from being used by their enemies, God has no such worry.  There is nothing that can threaten Him, no liability that can be used against Him.

As His child, I often feel at risk, as if there is no hope for me.  Despite the fact that I have such an invincible God leading me, protecting me and calling me His own, I can sometimes get the idea that I'm on the losing side.  Evil seems like it's threatening God's good plan, that there is no way to wage a come-from-behind win in this battle.  Terrorists kill and torture the innocent, the weak and vulnerable are at risk, insidious danger lurks in every dark shadow of our society.  Is God able to conquer such a widespread destructive force?  

There is nothing in all of creation, no weapon that any evil can generate, that can damage God's purpose or His goodness.  He is not at all worried that He has let things go too far, that the state of the world or the conspiracy of evil is beyond hope.  Nothing surprises Him and He is calm as He sits in the seat of heavenly power.  He is not pacing back and forth, wringing His hands, wondering how He will pull the world He created out of the pit.  He is completely in control, of this I can be sure (Isaiah 54:16-17). 

There is no threat in all of creation to our mighty God.

No Adversary.  It seems Satan is God's enemy.  He works against His plan, attempting to undermine His power and demoralize His people.  Satan is God's opponent, right?

Wrong.  God does not have an enemy, an adversary who is equal in opposition to His goodness.  While Satan does work against Him, He is no match for Him.  Satan, in reality, is my enemy.  He opposes the good God is doing in my life, but he cannot overpower God's indwelling Spirit.  He can only have the influence over my life that I give to him.  If I submit to God, the supreme Power, humbling myself before Him, then stand firm against the devil's schemes, this enemy of mine will flee (James 4:7).  It works every time because greater is God's indwelling Spirit than this agent of evil (1 John 4:4, 2 Kings 6:16)  He cannot stand in the face of such overwhelming power.

There is no adversary in all of creation of our mighty God.

While it may seem evil is winning, the truth gives much hope as I live in such a dark world.  God has no antagonist who is a match for His great power, no weapon that is a threat to His plan, and no antagonist who can wage a worthy war against Him.  He is completely in control, never feeling threatened or at a loss.  With such a God as this, a God with no enemy, what do I have to fear?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust in such a mighty God as this.

When do I despair at the state of this world, wondering if evil is winning?

How do I doubt God's ability to vanquish this darkness?            

True Love

"And the king was deeply moved

and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept.

And as he went, he said,

'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!

Would to God I had died for you,

O Absalom, my son, my son!'"

2 Samuel 18:33

You couldn't get much dirtier than that.  The king's son conspired to steal the throne, going so far as to deceive his own father as part of the scheme.  Instead of supporting his dad in his God-given role as leader of the nation of Israel, Absalom became power-hungry, stealing the hearts of the people away from David. (2 Samuel 15-18)

In such a scenario as this, I would expect the father to be angry at his son, thinking of him as an enemy.  David, however, mirrored the heart of God in the way he thought of this conspirator.  If Absalom had been any other man, he would be considered as David's sworn enemy.  Since the conniver was the king's own son, however, David had great compassion and desired mercy for him.  This is the heart of God toward me.

Sworn Enemy

You couldn't get much dirtier than that.  The Maker of heaven and earth who so graciously provided all that I need to live only wanted one thing from me: My heart.  Still, this image-bearer chose to follow my own way, doing what pleased myself and hardly ever thinking about the One who made it all possible.  

Instead of grateful praise, I whine and complain about what I don't like, fretting over all that is difficult.  Instead of a thankful heart, a cold, hard stone grows in its place.  Instead of humble acceptance of my place, I hunger for power and glory.  Nothing infuriates His just nature more.

My unfaithfulness makes me God's sworn enemy.  All the ways I fall short of His glorious standard put me on His "most wanted" list.  I have proved my loyalty to self in the path I choose to follow.  (Colossians 1:21,Romans 5:10)

There are many ways my mouth gives praise to God, extolling His virtues and singing His praises while my actions tell another story.  I say I trust Him to provide for all my needs but I never give Him a chance to supply those necessities, always rushing to draw from my own resources instead.  In my desire to avoid even a moment of want, I am denying my heavenly Father one of His greatest joys. (Matthew 7:9-11)

I tell others that nothing is impossible with God but when the seemingly impossible situation rears it's ugly head in my own life, I panic, letting worry seize my heart.  My refusal to see with eyes of faith reveals the true state of my wayward heart. (Philippians 4:6-7)

I speak words of faith, saying I love Jesus and desire to follow Him.  Unfortunately, I rarely spend time with Him and give Him little cooperation as He attempts to transform my life.  In my desire to retain control of my own life, I deny His lordship and end up working against Him. (Luke 11:23)

My sin makes me an enemy of God.

Grief

It hurt His heart.  The people He had created to walk with Him in the garden had betrayed Him, turning instead to their own ways, preferring the company of each other to His, looking elsewhere to find true satisfaction.  His intention was to enjoy perfect fellowship with His image bearers.  Instead, His heart grieved to see how wayward they truly were. (Genesis 6:5-6)

God mourns the gulf sin carves out between myself and Him.  It hurts His heart to see the ways I prefer my own comfort over the joy that comes from obedience to Him.  He grieves over the loss of intimacy that follows when I allow fear to rule my heart.  He mourns what could have been when He watches me turn away as I approach the unknown, preferring instead to stick with what I know.

In the same way that David grieved the loss of his son Absalom even though he was an enemy, so God's heart hurts over the chasm my sin creates.  Such is His sorrow that He went to great lengths to repair the breach.  Even though He knew it would cause great suffering, His plan of redemption included asking His Son to give up His divinity for a time, taking on human form and experiencing all the suffering known to man. (Philippians 2:6-8)

What a beautiful picture of God's amazing love.  Instead of casting me aside as an ungrateful reject who is unworthy of receiving such a gift, God's love compelled Him to commit the unspeakable act of sacrificing His own innocent Son in my place.  While I deserve death, Jesus did not.  Nonetheless, He died so that I can live.  Once I fully comprehend this love, I will understand more greatly the heart of a God who would grieve His children's sin.   

My sin causes a broken bond that grieves the heart of God.

Sacrifice

The mother stepped between her child and the gunman, shielding the one she loved from harm.  The husband, at great risk to his own life, snatched his wife from the path of the oncoming train, saving her from certain death.  The child took pity on his little puppy, courageously standing up to the stray dog that attacked him.

While it is understandable when a human makes such a sacrifice for a child of her own womb, or for a wife who has been good to her husband, or for a cute dog who is loyal to the end, it is hard to imagine doing such a thing for an enemy.  

This is a picture of the sacrifice Jesus made for me.  While I was still in my sin, Jesus bore the penalty I deserved upon His own shoulders.  Before I even realized the offense of my own flesh to a holy God, Jesus paid the price for these transgressions.  Despite the fact that my sin makes me God's enemy, He paid the ultimate price to set me free from the wages of that sin.  (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:7-8)

Such love, once completely known, casts away all traces of fear. (1 John 4:16-18)  No longer do I need worry that I'm not good enough.  Instead, I can fully embrace the forgiveness that is mine through Christ Jesus.  

The fear of rejection that plagues my heart can be discarded, replaced with a security that comes from knowing I am fully accepted through Jesus as a child of God, given a firm place in His family that includes an eternal inheritance. (1 John 3:1, Romans 8:16-18)

The sacrifice of Christ gives me a bold confidence to approach the throne of grace.  Instead of feeling inadequate or unworthy of such a honor, I can go before the Lord whenever I am in need, knowing that I will receive all that is necessary to carry on.  (Hebrews 4:16)

The love of God is such that He sent His one and only Son to die a sinner's death so I could live abundantly and eternally.

The love David demonstrated for his son Absalom is hard to fathom, especially as I live in such a cold, hard world.  This brand of love, however, mirrors the heart of God.  Even though my sin makes me His sworn enemy, the Lord grieves over the gulf my sin forms between He and I.  In an unspeakable act of love, He made a way to cross this wide chasm by sacrificing His own Son in my place, repairing the bond He cherishes so much.  This is true love.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can consider the love the Father lavishes on us.

How do I take such a precious gift for granted?

When am I afraid to step into the presence of God?  

Who's My Friend?

"You adulterous people,

don't you know that friendship with the world

means enmity against God?

Therefore,

anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world

becomes an enemy of God."

James 4:4

The snow-covered mountain peeked out from between the foothills, giving me a glimpse of the glacier that fed the icy-cold river that rushed past my feet.  Walking up the shore of rocks worn smooth by rushing water, I marveled at this different perspective.  I had grown up at the foot of Mt. Rainier located in Washington State, but never before had I observed her majesty from this position.  She looked different, yet oh so familiar.

It's kind of like this in life.  I can only be in one place at one time, never able to take on two points-of-view as my own.  Instead, I must choose where I will stand.  Either I will remain in the world's corner, or I will take to God's position.  I can't embrace the world and say I love God, it's just not possible.  In the same way that I can't see Mt. Rainier from two places at once, I am at risk of being considered God's enemy if I take my place as a friend of this world.

Worldly Values

Success by the world's standards is easy to recognize because we are constantly bombarded with it's message.  For instance, to reach the American dream I need to excel in a career I enjoy, be a part of a marriage to a good-looking man complete with children who possess all the latest gadgets, own the home of my dreams and at least one late model car for each driver in the home.  A pool in the backyard and extravagant vacations would also be nice.  Once I reach that goal, at least according the the world, I've made it.

According to God, however, success is defined differently.  Instead of looking to money and material wealth to gauge my level of achievement, God tests the state of my heart.  If I am fully devoted to Him, I will accept whatever circumstances in which He places me and I'll be content whether I have much or little. (Philippians 4:12)  If, however, my heart is drawn toward the world's idea of success, then I'll fight God's plan if it doesn't match up with my own.  He loves a humble attitude because it is pliable in His hands.

Embracing the world's set of values will lead me away from God.

Worldly Perspective

Preparing for the jetliner to back away from the terminal, the flight attendants went through the pre-flight ritual of demonstrating the safety tips.  Soon they were reminding me that, "in case the cabin loses pressure, oxygen masks will drop down from the console above."  The recommendation was to properly place my own mask before helping anyone else.

While this is good advice in case of this kind of emergency, it is not the way God wants His children to think in general.  Instead of putting myself first, it is His desire for me to value others above my own interests. (Philippians 2:3-4)

If I adopt the world's perspective as my own, not only will I be self-centered, but I'll also choose to do whatever feels good as long as I don't hurt anyone else.  God, however, desires for me to live a holy life, mimicking His holy character. (1 Peter 1:15-16)

Embracing the world's perspective will lead me away from God.

Worldly Pleasures

Enjoy lush accommodations and personalized service, delectable creations prepared by world-class chefs and white sand beaches where attendants will see to your every need.  This is the kind of luxury resort that caters to my fleshly desires.

It is easy for me to get caught up in wanting my own wishes to be fulfilled in every way.  I may not have the means to vacation at such a resort, but I am still in danger of adopting this attitude of entitlement because I naturally want to be comfortable and to quench my appetites.

Making choices according to what I want, though, is counter to the way God would have me go.  In fact, living according to my flesh only leads to sin, and living a life of sin as a believer who has been set free from it's grip leads to nothing but heartache and death. (Romans 8:5-8, 12-13, 6:11)

Embracing the world's pleasures will lead me away from God.

In the same way that I can't be in two places at one time, I also can't both be on God's side and a friend of the world.  To stay true to God I will need to guard against adopting as my own the world's values, perspective and pleasures, which all come quite naturally to my flesh.  So each day I ask myself, "Who's my friend today?"

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will be sensitive to how I am blending in with the culture around me.

When do I feel most comfortable with the world's ways?

How am I taking the world's position without really knowing it? 

Spirit of Life

"Therefore,

there is now no condemnation for those

who are in Christ Jesus,

who do not live according to the sinful nature

but according to the Spirit,

because through Christ Jesus

the law of the Spirit of life

set me free from the law of sin and death.

. . .Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died--more than that,

who was raised to life--

is at the right hand of God

and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution

or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

. . .No, in all these things we are more than conquerors

through him who loved us."

Romans 8:1-2, 34-35, 37

I've heard stories of people who thought they could have it all;  There is the con man who lures a woman into falling in love with him so he can take advantage of her vulnerable state and bilk her of all her assets.  Or there are the businessmen who entice politicians to pass laws that would benefit their company.  Then there are the women who claim to stand for a woman's right to make her own health care decisions but deny that same privilege to their unborn child.  In every case, these people tried to act one way but live another.  Their hypocrisy betrayed their true master: Self.

When I commit my life to Jesus, I reap an everlasting benefit in freedom from death and hope for an eternal home with Him.  I am also promised a powerful bond with the love of Christ that nothing can break.  Is there anything that is expected of me?  If I truly experience His love can I go on living as if nothing has happened, continuing in my old ways?

If I truly have invited Jesus into my life to act as my Lord and Savior, then I will experience the Spirit of a whole new life.

Sinful

The caterpillar crawled along the leaf, munching it's crunchy goodness to feed his belly and nourish his fast-growing body.  He is limited in his mobility by his long, accordion-like body and multiple tiny legs, keeping him on the one plant where his mother first laid his egg.  He can never travel and see the world around him until he emerges from the pupa, or chrysalis as an entirely new creature.  The miraculous metamorphosis that takes place transforms him from a plump, awkward larva to a graceful, attractive butterfly.  Now he can live as the creature God intended for him to become.

In the same way, I am transformed into a new creature when I commit to Jesus as my Lord.  As the Amplified Bible interprets 2 Corinthians 5:17, "The old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away."

My past sins, former way of thinking, and previous state as an enemy of God are all part of the old me. (Isaiah 1:18, Romans 12:2, Colossians 1:21)  If I choose to continue living my way, however, as if nothing has changed, it is as if I am not even saved.  I am still acting as one who is sinful and hostile to God. (Ephesians 4:22)

When I have a chance to react in love when treated poorly, then, I go back to my old ways and lash out in anger and self-righteousness.  I think, How dare you treat me that way!  The opportunity to show the compassion and mercy of God is lost.

When God sends a hurting soul who needs guidance and comfort, I retreat to my old position of sticking to my schedule and placing my tasks before my calling.  The chance I had to administer   reassurance through the truth found in God's Word was lost.

When things look hopeless and my circumstances seem impossible, I do as I always have and fret about what could happen, turning my body into a mass of pain and suffering.  The opening God had provided for me to trust Him passed right on by.

I must realize that as a believer in Christ Jesus, I must purposefully turn away from my old way of thinking, speaking and acting.  These are parts of my old self.  If I insist on living the way I used to live, it is important for me to understand that I will reap what I sow.  (Galatians 6:7)  God will not protect me from the consequences of my actions because He shows no favoritism. (Romans 2:9-11)  I am held accountable for how I choose to live. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must put off the old, sinful ways.

Control

My husband received a remote-controlled helicopter from his brother last year for his birthday.  After charging the battery, we took it outside to take it for a spin.  It was pretty fun trying to raise it up in the air and make it hover without crashing into something (or someone).  The frustrating part, however, was that only one person could control the craft at a time.  

Just as this small model could only have one pilot at a time, so my life can only submit to one lord.  If I insist on acting as that leader, then God cannot.  The thing about God is that He is not a bully.  He does not force His way into my life, demanding His rightful place.  Instead, He is a gentleman, waiting for me to invite Him.  

When I see trouble coming down the pike and take immediate action in order to avoid disaster, I've left God out in the cold, denying Him the lordship I claim to have given Him.

When I go after what I want without a thought to God's sovereign plan, I've given control to myself instead of the Master Planner.

When I seek the advice of others when relationships turn sour but fail to acknowledge God, I deny the only One who can mend a broken heart and heal the wounds that drive people apart.

Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other." (Matthew 6:24a)  If I claim to follow Jesus, I must let Him lead or I betray the identity of my true master: Me!

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must give God control of all things.

Sonship

My sister and her husband are foster parents.  Every time they take in a child, whether it be for the short term or the long haul, they consider the youngster to be their own son or daughter.  Bloodline or length of time spent in their family matters not.  Instead, the love of God compels them to include any child that is taken in as a part of the family.

Similarly, God's love offers a place for me in His family.  There are no requirements of time served, righteousness obtained or abilities mastered.  On the contrary, I am invited because I trust in Jesus as my Savior.  The blood Jesus shed on the cross is the only prerequisite for entrance into this kinship.

God's Spirit gives me the assurance of my place in His family, helping me to feel comfortable and at ease in this new position.  (Romans 8:16)  As I become accustomed to the ways of my Father, I grow in my desire to obey Him out of the love that grows in my heart.  When I do as He instructs, I find that my life is blessed in many ways.  Even though hard times come, my Father is always there for me, protecting me, guiding me and strengthening me.

Troubles that used to consume me, sending me into a frenzy of anxiety, now serve as opportunities to see the power of my Father.

Activities that used to bring much pleasure now are seen as an affront to the One whom I serve as I find other ways to find enjoyment.

Difficult circumstances come as I grow in my faith, but I learn that my Father sends them as a tool to grow my faith.

To live as if I've received the new life promised to me, I must live as a child of God.

When Jesus becomes my Lord and Savior that is not the end, but only the beginning.  From there I cannot continue to live in my old ways and retain control of my life and still call myself a follower of Christ.  Instead, I only move forward in the Spirit of life when I live as one who is adopted into the family of my heavenly Father.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will put off the old way of living and take on my new position in God's family.

When do I continue in old patterns without even trying to turn away from them?

How am I defiantly insisting on controlling my own destiny?