“Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.” (Proverbs 26:2, NKJV)

Have you ever been “cursed without cause”? Have you ever had someone curse at you or insult you, even though you had done nothing wrong? If you have, you’re in good company. In fact, you’re in the best company.

Here’s what Matthew wrote: “After they had nailed him to the cross . . . the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery . . . the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders also mocked Jesus . . . and the criminals who were crucified with him also shouted the same insults at him.” (Matthew 27:35-44, NLT)

When Jesus hung on the cross, three separate groups of people cursed, mocked, and insulted him: the common crowd, the religious rulers, and the crucified criminals. But take note of this: in the midst of all this negativity and abuse, He was not deterred. The curses and insults of others didn’t stop God’s Son from doing what He was called to do. Jesus knew there was something greater than hurtful words – God’s agenda.

When people curse and insult us, we need to remember that their words should mean nothing to us if we’re in God’s will. As Proverbs 26:2 tells us, a curse without a cause, or something that’s said without any spiritual substance behind it, is like a bird that flutters off into the sunset. It has no bearing or authority over us.

The negative things other people say about us don’t define us. Our meaning comes from the purpose and plan our Heavenly Father has for us. When you’re pursuing God’s path for your life, remember that insults should never have a place to land in your spirit because those words have no real power or authority over you. Take this truth to heart the next time a curse or insult comes your way.

Filed under Journal | Comment (0)

(Romans 8:2) “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

This verse describes the greatest emancipation the world has ever seen. Jesus Christ has delivered us from the prison house of sin. Now that’s exciting enough to make an Egyptian mummy shout!

Of course, our great freedoms in American are worth celebrating as well, and every family establishes its own Independence Day traditions.  It has become our family tradition to visit extended family, grill burgers, and buy a truckload of fireworks so we can spend several hours lighting up the night sky with colorful streams and crackling designs, but when the smoke clears and the sweaty cleanup begins, it almost seems lackluster to me. In other words, we spend a small fortune on fireworks, singe our fingertips while lighting those unpredictable fuses, discard our clothing still emitting the distinct smell of gunpowder, and begin to dread the next-day recovery and cleanup.

I am grateful that our freedom means much more to us than road trips, burgers, and noisy night skies. I believe in the values for which our founding fathers stood and died: I believe in our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, and our uniquely American ideas of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

It was Abraham Lincoln who issued the Emancipation Proclamation in the fall of 1862. Lincoln was always personally opposed to slavery and did everything he could to abolish it. He once said, “When I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.” On another occasion he said, “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.” Abraham Lincoln understood that freedom is a precious gift and that every person deserves the opportunity to eat of its fruit and live according to its standards.

Truthfully, freedom isn’t free; therefore, we should honor those whose sacrifice has preserved it and assured our safety. I still feel blessed to be a Christian and an American. We will do well this 4^th of July when “bombs are bursting in air” to remember that beyond the sights, smells, and scenarios of our family traditions we owe a debt of great gratitude to those who have helped secure our present freedoms and especially to the One who has secured eternal life for all those who believe (Romans 3:22).

Filed under Journal | Comments (74)