People were always telling the Lord to shape up and do things their way. When I think that I have a genie in the bottle god, I will always be upset at him because He is a very bad genie. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is not a tame lion! He does not come at my beck and call or do things in the way I would like him to.
One day a young man came to Jesus to demand that Jesus make the man’s older brother give him his money. Jesus reply is classic Jesus-think. Rather than see me as a judge you can control and use to control others, I will be the judge of you and condemn your thinking that happiness comes from what you own. Look to me for help with your own attitude? Luke 12:13 Then I’m there for you. Martha berated the Lord for not sending Mary out to do chores. Jesus pointed out her attitude of control and carrying around a heavy load of stress. The disciples were wondering why a section of city wall fell on those specific people. Jesus said that they should be asking why it didn’t fall on them.The prodigal son’s brother was irate when his younger brother turned out to be alive. Did he have no idea what his father had gone through and the relief he must be feeling? Take the beam out of my own eye before messing with other’s specks. Remember the billion dollars I owe before I worry about what others owe me.
Not only does “my genie” not control the other people the way that I want him to, He always responds with going to work on me!
I would like to point out that all these people were technically in the right on the surface, but God looks on the heart.
Lord help me to quit focusing on the FACT that other people are screwing up and look inside on why it bothers me so much. Help me to pray over and over, “Father forgive them they know not what they do.
I know of a young man running the desk at a 7 eleven in Anchorage AK who was held up by people he knew who planned to rob the store AND kill him. They did not even bother to wear a disguise. They got the money and made him go to the back room to shoot him. He found grace to look at them and say, “Remember that God can forgive you for this too.” He was more worried about their salvation than about the wrongness of what they were doing to him!
verlebellmd.com 