When Your Enemy Is Your Friend

Friend, do what you came for.
Matthew 26:50 NIV

Daily Bible Reading:
Romans 15-16, Matthew 16:13-28, Psalm 145:1-13, Proverbs 4:20-22

There’s no pain like betrayal. And none of us is exempt. The Psalmist lamented: “My best friend, the one I trusted… has turned against me” (Psalm 41:9 NLT).

The truth is, God allows certain people into our lives to facilitate His purposes – even ones like Judas, whom Jesus called “friend”, and said: “Do what you came for.” Before Jesus was betrayed He told the disciples, “I know whom I have chosen… that the Scripture may be fulfilled. ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me'” (John 13:18). He could have fulfilled His destiny without John the beloved disciple, or impetuous Peter who was always ready to defend him. But it was Judas’ kiss of betrayal that ushered Him into His destiny.

So you can’t always avoid getting hurt. But God can give you the grace to re-evaluate the situation and realise that the person you thought was your enemy may have been a friend in disguise. God will never permit His plans for us to be sabotaged by somebody else’s actions. When you’re under His shield of protection He’ll allow your Judas to go so far and no further. As a child of God His purposes govern how much damage others can do to you. Once you understand that, it lessens the fear that stems from getting involved again when you’ve been burned. The Psalmist said: “It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your decrees” (Psalm 119:71 NIV).

God loves to turn our negatives into positives. And while none of us enjoys suffering, it takes us to levels of understanding that, left to our own devices, we’d never reach.

Do You Want To Change?

As the spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB

Daily Bible Reading:
1 Samuel 16-17, John 1:29-42, Psalm 92, Proverbs 22:24-25

Did you hear about the frog that fell into a big hole and couldn’t get out? Several of his friends tried to help but finally gave up. “Since you’re going to be in there for a while” they said, “we’ll go and get some food.” But no sooner had they left than the frog came hopping up behind them. “We thought you couldn’t get out” they exclaimed. “Oh, I couldn’t,” he replied, “but suddenly there was a big truck coming right at me – and I discovered I could.” Usually it’s only when we’re forced to change that we discover we can. That’s because we’re more comfortable with old problems than new and untried solutions. If you believe nothing can ever be done for the first time, you’ll never see anything done – and nothing will change.

There are three times in our lives when we’re most receptive to change:
(1) When our pain levels get so high we’re forced to.
(2) When we accept the fact that what we’re doing no longer works.
(3) When we realise that by God’s grace we can change. Nothing sparks the fires of faith more than the sudden realisation that “I don’t have to stay this way anymore.” And you don’t!

Stand on these two Scriptures: “God'[s]… gracious word can make you into what He wants you to be and give you everything you could possibly need” (Acts 20:32 TM). “As the spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him” (2 Corinthians 3:18 TLB). So, do you want to change?

Never Give Up On Your Dream!

Here comes that dreamer… let’s kill him.

 Genesis 37:19-20 TM

Daily Bible Reading:
Ecclesiastes 9-12, Luke 6:17-26, Psalm 104:24-35, Proverbs 3:11-12

Joseph was a dreamer. His life teaches us the following lessons:

(1) Don’t give up on your dream, though you didn’t start well. At 17 Joseph dreamed that one day his family would bow down to him. But he made the mistake of sharing that information with them. And it got him into a lot of trouble. But it didn’t stop him. The beginning of a dream often generates more enthusiasm than wisdom. We say and do things we shouldn’t. But Joseph encourages us to recapture the dream we abandoned.

(2) Don’t give up on your dream, though others don’t support it. Joseph’s brothers said, “Look, this dreamer is coming… let us now kill him.” It’s hard to keep your dream alive when others are trying to kill it. But when your dream comes from God it holds you, even when you’re unable to hold it!

(3) Don’t give up on your dream, though your journey is full of surprises. Your dream will invite attack; don’t let that discourage you! Attack is a sign of respect. It means you haven’t been defeated. Five times we read: “The Lord was with Joseph.” And He’s with you too!

(4) Don’t give up on your dream, though it takes a lifetime to fulfil. Twenty-three years passed before Joseph’s dream was fulfilled, but in the end he ruled his family, was reconciled with his brothers, and saved the nation. You never know what God’s timetable will look like. The important thing to remember is – never give up on your dream!