Author: Chuck Musselwhite

Looking in the Right Direction

Are you the type of person with a good sense of direction, or are you easily turned around and soon lost? It seems people are one or the other. There are few things more disconcerting than not being able to find your way. The Psalmist understands that from a spiritual perspective and encourages us when we are spiritually lost to make sure we are looking in the right direction, at Jesus.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭141:8

“For my eyes are toward You, O GOD, the Lord; In You I take refuge; do not leave me defenseless.”
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The Psalmist is on to something here. When you are looking in the right direction, many of the cares of the world fade away. We also find refuge and see our defender. A big part of fear focuses on our problem and not on the One who has the solution. Most people feel lost when they are engulfed with the worries of the world and are unable to see the refuge that available to them. Don’t become overwhelmed. Look to Jesus.

What’s On Your Mind?

I will often look over at my wife when we are on a long drive and say, “penny for your thoughts?” She will turn and look at me and smile. Most of the time, her answer is “nothing,” which means she is developing her thoughts to share with me later. Sometimes she will say, “I was thinking about…” Every once in a while, she will say, “I have an idea.” When she says this, I know a long conversation is about to follow because she had been chewing on it for quite some time. What’s on your mind? Is it things of the Spirit or things of the flesh?

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:6

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,”

The eighth chapter of Romans is all about the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. This is a daily battle that each believer fights. One of the keys to victory is what your mind is focused on. If your mind is set on the things of the Spirit, it is more than likely that you will win the battle that day. If your mind is set on the things of the flesh, defeat is inevitable. Before you can win the battle of the flesh, you have to fight and win the battle of the mind. What’s on your mind today? Is it the worries of your day? Is it some impure thought? These can easily control you and direct your path.

Open Your Home

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law love to have people over to their home. Whether it be an elaborate party, family bbq, or spontaneous visit, they are always open. Every time you leave their home, you feel better. They have the gift of hospitality, but they exercise it, and God does the rest. Open your home, and the same will happen.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:9

“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

Hospitality is becoming a lost art. Even though you hear people talk about entertaining on all of the home shows on TV, very few people know how to be hospitable. Entertaining is throwing a party. Hospitality is hosting someone in your home with the love of Jesus Christ. In Old Testament times, sojourners would enter the town square, usually by a well, and wait until someone from the town would come out and offer them shelter and food for their animals. It was required and considered a shame if no one offered. Things had changed a bit in New Testament times, but it was still considered a great honor to have people into your home for a meal and time of fellowship.

It Begins With Us

There is an old saying that goes something like this, “If you point your finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you.” While you can be quick to point out the fault of others, you are often slow to recognize your own. Peter points this out in today’s passage. It begins with us.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:17

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

God always starts internally before He works externally. By that, I mean He works on His people before He works on the lost. No revival ever starts without repentance. The same can be said for judgment. Before God ever judges the world, He is going to start with the church. He holds it to a higher standard. If you want to see Him move in your church, your first prayer should be that He clean house first.

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

We are so much more gracious with those we love than we are with those we don’t know. While we may get annoyed by those close to us, we want to maintain those relationships, so we get over it. Peter is telling those in the church to treat each other that way. Love conversing a multitude of sins when our love is born of the Spirit.

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:8

“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

The context of this verse is Peter telling the church “the end of all things is at hand.” He may have thought that Jesus was coming back soon, and so he was urging his readers to let love prevail. Trivial annoyances weren’t worthy of expending the energy getting mad. Just love the people and let the Lord work the issue out as you pray for them. It’s two thousand years later, but the emphasis behind it is still the same. Love covers a multitude of sins.

You are Wonderfully Made

I have a son who has autism and a daughter who has mild cerebral palsy. Each day they live with the challenges of their disability. My wife and I don’t look at them as children with disabilities but as creations of the Almighty God who formed them. No matter what you think of yourself, you are wonderfully made too.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.”

God doesn’t make junk. No one is a throw-away. Your creator wonderfully makes you, and He lovingly created you in your mother’s womb. Life is precious to the Lord. From conception to death, He is at work in your life. Do you look at yourself as God’s creation? David did. He praised God for forming him in his mother’s womb. He knew that the Lord wonderfully made him, and it resonated with his soul.

Instrument of Righteousness

Too many Christians struggle with guilt and shame from the sin in their lives. You know you should be transformed and new creations, but you don’t see it in your daily walk. Everything you try doesn’t seem to work, and you end up frustrated. You can overcome that cycle of defeat and become an instrument of righteousness.
Romans 6:12-13
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

The battle between the flesh and Spirit rages every day. We are bombarded with temptation and opportunities to sin. Paul recognizes this, so he urges us to resist. When we let sin reign and give in to the lusts of the flesh, our body becomes an instrument of unrighteousness, and it becomes difficult to root those out. You are a new creation in Christ, and victory over sin and death has been accomplished, but you will still battle while you are on earth.

Choose to Bless Instead of Insult

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of people constantly attacking one another. Everyone is not entitled to your opinion. If Christians chose to bless instead of insult, this world would be a better place. It is time to put your guard down, drop the attitude and pride, and learn to live in peace with those you disagree with.

‭‭1 PETER‬ ‭3:9

“not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”

One of the big themes in Peter’s epistles is living in peace with the world. He wants you to be a good neighbor and not to act like everyone else. Here he tells his readers to choose to bless instead of insult. Human nature wants to return evil for evil and insult for insult. Those who have a quick wit and a funny comeback to people are considered savvy by the world. Peter says to go against that flow by blessing people, and by that, I don’t mean what southerners in the USA mean when they say “Bless your heart.”

Strength for Your Soul

Have you noticed that people seem to be weary these days? In a year where we’ve done a lot less because of the pandemic, people are worn out. This shows you that fatigue isn’t just based on physical activity but also on the mental barrage that comes with worry and stress. Fortunately, God gives you strength for your soul when you go to Him. He can lift you today.

‭‭PSALMS‬ ‭138:3

“On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.”

One thing you come away with by reading the Psalms is that you can go to God in prayer. All of David’s writings are him going to the Lord to either praise Him or send up his supplications. In this Psalm, David tells God that when he went to Him, God heard his prayer and answered by giving him strength for his soul. That gave David the boldness to go to God whenever he was in a tough spot.

Hope Does Not Disappoint

When I was growing up, if I were uncertain about something, my dad would always reply with, “It will put hair on your chest.” His “boomer” way of saying it will make a man out of you. I couldn’t see how eating liver would put hair on my chest, let alone make me a man. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you will go through something they call tribulations. These are intense times of trials that seem to last forever. Fortunately, you have been given peace by Jesus, and your hope does not disappoint when you trust Him.

‭‭ROMANS‬ ‭5:3-5‬

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Chapter five of Romans tells you about the peace you received when you put your faith in Jesus Christ. Because you have that peace, you can endure the tribulations that come into your life. That peace takes your tribulation and produces perseverance and character in your life. Those serve you well as you mature in your faith. So Paul tells us to rejoice in our tribulations because Jesus is doing a work in your life.