God doesn't sleep

From the Word: Esther 6:1 “That night the king could not sleep…”

"Not when there is injustice. The King of Glory never sleeps nor does He slumber. He will bring justice swiftly for those who love Him. The devil is plotting and we are not unaware of his devices. Even more so the all knowing God. Will He not arise and carry out His good plan according to His mercies? Will He not see us in the court, dressed and ready for Him and extend his scepter to us? Will he not hang the devil on the gallows he meant to hang us on? Will He not bring us to His banqueting table and hang His banner of love over us?"

It is Easter weekend as I write this. So many thoughts and emotions come with this time of year. Beauty is all around as flowers are in bloom and for a few weeks in California we get to see green hills instead of brown ones. 

Even with all the beauty we are constantly reminded of the fallen world we live in. Just last week the headlines were "Shooting at an Elementary school." Sin and the devil are at work. They don't take a day off. We read that after Jesus overcame the temptation in the wilderness that the devil went away looking for an opportune time to trip him up. 

The good news is that God doesn't sleep either. In fact Jesus said that He and His Father were working from the beginning. God doesn't change and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Jesus is alive and working on the earth. 

Jesus told a parable of a widow who went to an unjust judge to get deliverance. Eventually she did because the unjust judge didn't want to be wearied with her coming anymore. In the explanation of the parable Jesus tells us that we shouldn't give up either. God is not unjust! He hasn't forgotten you. Jesus ended his statements by saying that God would bring justice swiftly. 

Don't give up or give in. When you see the devil taking lives and sin destroying people press in to God. He isn't off taking a nap or an extended vacation. He is intimately involved in the events of the earth bringing justice, comfort, peace, healing and especially the good news of the gospel that Jesus took our sin on the cross and defeated death and the devil when he raised again to life! 

God loves you so much. Easter shows us that. The beauty of spring shouts that there is a resurrection and we can be made alive with Christ. I would encourage you to take some time to meditate on the story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Get into a Bible believing church and experience the wonderful presence of God. Tell God how thankful you are for His love and love on Him right back. Finally, take some time to pray for those who are bound by sin and the devil, that they would be delivered and experience the salvation and love of Jesus this Easter weekend as well. 

True Direction

"...love believes the best so I am going against what I think."

If we are going to stick with what is real and true then many times we will have to go against what we think and feel. I was reminded of two songs from the 90's recently that both carried the idea that if something feels good then we should do it. In the flesh we often place our immediate happiness and gratification ahead of what we know to be true in God's word. These songs just reinforce our natural tendencies towards sin and comfort. God knows where we are at and has a way of bringing us around to His truth. 

What I think doesn't always line up with God's word. I have felt at times that I was right about someone or about a situation only to find out later I was wrong. Thoughts, feelings and emotions will present themselves as the authority on reality. But when I look over my life I can see in hindsight that what I feel for a moment can change, my emotions are like the tides of the ocean and my thoughts change as I get more information. It isn't about what I think or feel but rather about what God says. 

It is important to continually study God's word so that it gets inside of you. When you have it inside of you and a situation arises that jars you then what is inside will spill out. Jesus teaches it is out of the abundance of what is in our hearts that our mouths speak. If I can stay full of God's word then I will speak it in the face of opposing factors. What we say ultimately guides our lives. James used the illustration of a bit in a horses mouth and the rudder of a ship turning and steering the life. So it is with out tongues. The words of our mouths show what is in our hearts and guide our lives. 

Believe the best. God's truth is the best for your life. When you look at others view them as God does. Let God's love flow through you. Allow the truth inside to spoken out of your mouth. Speak it over your family, your coworkers, neighbors and community. It is easy to say negative things about what we see and feel. Many times we repeat thoughts that aren't even our own. It makes all the difference in the world when speak God's word and let His love guide us. 

A Double Portion

"A couple of thoughts from the Word: 1 Chronicles 16:37 “as every day's work required.”

There is a required work for today. God has a prescribed way to do life. When we follow His plan we fulfill His purpose. There are requirements. We must carry them out and be careful to fulfill all that He desires the way He desires.

1 Chronicles 16:43 David returned to bless his own house.

David had just brought the ark to Jerusalem and erected a tent for it. There has been great celebration. It wasn't enough for him to bless Jerusalem or the people that he led as King. He now would take what he had home and bless his house. God would have us to bless our families, spouse, children, even the neighbors and strangers that come around. If they will receive it. David's wife despised her husband dancing and she ended up not having children. In other words David was on his way to bless and when she rejected David and his blessing she in turn received a curse."

Is it possible to get more than one revelation from the scripture in one day? Absolutely. Sometimes I think we (or I if this is old news to you) over complicate things. Let's take hearing from God. We (I) get the idea that in order to hear from God you have to be in deep prayer for hours, sweating and tired, maybe crying a bit too, and then when you have fulfilled your pious duty of praying to God He will respond. 

Foolish. And not so. 

God can speak whenever He wants. He can also use different means to get the message to us. 

That is not to say that sweating, crying, lengthy prayer is bad. I've had some good prayers like that. Not too often though. 

What I am really saying is that these lengthy arduous prayers are not the requirement of hearing from God. You do have to be listening. 

We can help the process by being in a constant state of listening. When you are ready to hear from God and have spiritual eyes and ears open then when God speaks you will hear him. Didn't Jesus say "My sheep know my voice...?" He sure did! If you are His sheep then you don't have to worry about missing out. He will speak to you. You have to be ready to hear. 

All throughout your day God will take moments and make them communication. I have heard God's voice in prayer, through His word in the scriptures, from pastors while the preach, in conversation with others and in every day activities. God will take an experience and make it a parable for your life. 

Just recently I was watching a movie and God used it to teach me about the power of His word and at the same time gave me a tool to teach others with the gospel. What a great God He is! 

In our life it should be normal and expected to hear from God multiple times every day. If you haven't heard his voice recently it may be that you aren't listening or aren't doing what He says. It is time to change that. Live in obedience, open your eyes and your ears and most of all your heart to hear from God. He wants to speak to you today...multiple times. 

Was there ever a unique way God spoke to you?

A Foolish Thought

"I laid it out for them and brought it to three main points; don't make any provision for the flesh, neither give place to the devil and don't even give the appearance of evil."

There are a lot of people who call themselves Christians that are living no different than the world. It is for this reason that our witness is not as strong as it should be as a whole. I would imagine the confusion in some one's mind who is not a Christian when someone tells them they should get saved but their lifestyle doesn't show any contrast to the rest of the world. Why get saved if you are no different in lifestyle or priorities or anything else for that matter?

Some have tried to justify this. "I am a Christian but I...[insert vice here]". What a foolish thought. Excusing the action won't justify it by any means. It just shows that there is no repentance from dead works. 

It seems to me that Jesus died so we could be made alive. We are raised up with Him. So that means we no longer act like a dead man with dead works. Our lives should reflect the life of Christ. The Bible calls us a peculiar people. We should be weird to the world. We are also told in the word that when we don't jump in to the flood of dissipation with the people of this world that they will wonder at us. 

In my quote from last year's journal it outlines how we do this. Make no provision for the flesh, give no place to the devil and don't even give the appearance of evil. 

To make no provision for the flesh means if you know something will cause you to stumble stay away from it. If social media turns into a gossip fest every time you are on it you should delete your account. It sounds so harsh but Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin pluck it out. Imagine doing that for a second. Pretty tough to think about right. But if you had the choice of pulling out your eye with your own hands or deleting an account I think I know what you would choose. 

Giving no place to the devil takes being on guard. We should have our armor on, swords up and shields out. When the thoughts start to come we speak the word and let our faith extinguish the flaming arrows the devil is shooting at us. The Bible says to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. You have the authority of Jesus to cast the devil out. Don't give him an inch because he will take a mile. 

Finally we are not to give even the appearance of evil. One translation of the verse I got this from says don't give any hint of evil. I know it is counter culture and I will be criticized for being legalistic or religious but I don't care. There are things that we, speaking of Christians as a whole in America and maybe in some other places in the world, that hint at evil. We need to wake up and realize that there are places that are known for being centers of evil things taking place. Not only that but our freedom in Christ could cause someone to turn away from the gospel, How would we feel if we knew someone went to hell because we wouldn't give up a non-essential thing in our life? 

I know this post may seem like an Internet rant if you don't know me but really it is a passionate cry for all of us Christians to be who we say we are. I love the Body of Christ and it is my passion and purpose to equip believers for life and service. If you look over your life and there are some areas that you are defending while reading this post you may want to take a fresh look at them. Ask someone you can trust to shoot straight with you how they view what it is you are thinking about. Ask a believer and then ask a non-believer. You may be surprised what you hear. 

When we get this down I believe we will have a greater and more effective witness for Jesus. It is so important that much of what is written to the church in the Bible centers around topics like this. You will find that in doing these things you will experience a greater blessing from God as well. The reason I know that is because God blesses obedience. You can't go wrong following the will of God. It isn't always easy but it is good!

What other scriptures help us in these areas? Have you experiences a greater witness or blessing when you decided to break from the world and live according to what God says? 

Day 362 - Don't Miss Out

"... the team listened to my instruction and improved..."

It is so simple we often miss it. I have overlooked the simplicity many times. In fact I usually want to make it harder on myself than it should be just to be more pious or something like that. It doesn't work though. 

God intended for us to live a blessed and abundant life. There are too many verses to prove it and I won't be convinced otherwise. Even in the Old Testament God was trying to bless the socks off the children of Israel but they weren't having it. (Don't believe me? Still think God is an angry old miser in the Old Testament? Read Nehemiah chapter 9 and then tell me what you think.) 

God made it so simple though. Just hear His word, understand and do it. If we can simply hear, understand and do we will be blessed. When we lack or fail in any of these areas we will not be blessed. I didn't say it was easy, I said it was simple. 

Hearing is probably the easiest part of the process though. You can study the Bible, pray and listen to preaching in order to hear the Word of God for your life. But then comes the understanding. This is where you have to look at what you are hearing with spiritual eyes. You can ask the Holy Spirit to explain it to you. Read it i=over and even ask people who you trust to know the Word of God to explain it to you. This is also one of the many reasons it is good to have a home church where you can hear the systematic teaching of God's word so that you can get a better understanding through repeated messages and built systems of doctrine (that is a fancy way of saying teaching of a subject). 

Next comes doing. Again, not always easy but simple. When we hear we will show how much we understand by what we do. If you know the blessing then you will go after it. If you know the reward then you will labor for it. It just makes sense because it is so simple. I know I personally will endure a workout to feel good and to look good. I will abstain from foods that I like in order to feel good and look good. I know the reward so I will put myself through the pain in order to get to it. With God's word it is no different. If we truly understand what God is offering to us we will endure any hardship and make the changes we need in order to succeed. 

It is so simple and yet we may miss it if we are not careful. Don't miss out. Hear, understand and do. 

Have you seen this work in your life? What are some other ways to have a better understanding?

Day 341 - Unlocking Life's Mysteries

"If we understand that parable we will unlock all the parables of life."

When Jesus taught He would always use a parable. A parable is a story that is placed alongside another concept in order to teach or amplify a truth. Sometimes Jesus would give the interpretation of a parable and other times He would not. After Jesus taught the parable of the sower his disciples asked Him about the meaning behind it. Jesus said that in the parable of the sower we would find the key to unlocking all the parables. 

It is interesting to note some things about this parable. I would encourage you to go to Mark chapter 4 and read it in verses 1-20 before you read any further here. 

The whole point of the parable is that the sower sows the word. The word is what we find in the Bible. It is the very word of God. When we speak the word of God it is sown like a seed in our hearts. 

Our hearts are the soil. We can see that there are different kinds of hearts and out of the four types of hearts only one will receive with understanding and produce fruit. That is the kind of heart we all want because we all would like to understand life. 

We have so many questions. Things in life are hard to understand. When the devil attacks or persecution rises like the hot sun or the cares of this life come along and choke us it is all designed to get us off of understanding the word. 

The difference comes when we apply ourselves to hear the word, receive it, understand it and put it to practice. True understanding does what it says. Like when we understand long division we will write it out correctly. In the same way you know someone understands the word when you see the fruit in their life. 

All of the parables, the stories we see and hear every day, the questions we have have that nag us, they all can be answered in this one parable. It is the key that unlocks the mysteries. It is found in the word of God. Sow it into your life. Receive it with a heart that desires to understand it and readily submit to it and put it into practice. As you do you will show by your fruit that you get the word of God. 

Are there other parables that have the 'seed' of the word in them? How do they further our understanding? 

Day 268 - A Tough Terrible Day

"What a tough terrible day. Not that anything on its own was tragic or too much but when it was all added up it climaxed in becoming a day to remember for all the wrong reasons. The great consolation is that God is in control and works all things for our good. The question is am I willing to work through the problem and trial in order to get to the good?"

We have all had days like this where it is one thing after another. Add it all up and you end up negative. It is tough to navigate these types of days because you know that Jesus is on the throne and that you can handle it but you just want to throw in the towel. 

I recently had some really good advice given to me by a very wise friend. He told me that tough days will come and it is okay to quit every day as long as I show up on time the next morning. It takes the edge off a hard day when you realize that tomorrow is a new day. God has new mercies every morning. 

It is like the manna that the children of Israel had to get her in the wilderness. The scenery may not have been pleasant and they probably felt lost but every morning the blessing of God was to be gathered and taken in throughout the day. The Bible even describes the manna as sweet tasting like honey. 

Later Jesus reveals that He is the bread that came down from heaven. We can feed on His faithfulness and on the Word of God every day. He is the sweetness in bitter and harsh circumstances. He is the source of our energy and the life to our existence. All we have to do is get with Him each day and feed on His Word. It will carry us through every trying and tough day. 

Have you been through a tough day recently? What scriptures do you go to when you are going through a trial? 

Day 266 - Hope

1 Corinthians 9:10b “…he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.” 

"Sometimes I forget hope in my work. My work is lighter and better when I see my hope by the eye of faith ahead of me. Like the last leg of a race or the final turn before I get home there is a joy before me of hope that carries me and energizes me."

Some people don't like hope because they don't want to hope and not ever attain. The Bible agrees that hope deferred makes the heart sick. But we do not hope like the world does. Our hope is in an unchanging God who cannot lie. 

If we will allow ourselves to hope we will be carried further. Our faith will be stronger; remember that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Hope is the blueprint that faith goes to work on. 

You can have the greatest hope that doesn't disappoint. You will be a partaker of that hope like the verse says. Set your hope in Christ and on His word. Faith will take over and grace will work with you to get the job done! 

Do you have a hard time with hope? How can we have a healthy hope? 

Day 257 - The Perfect Meal

"We threw down cereal for dinner."

As a kid there were days that I actually had cereal for breakfast lunch and dinner (and possibly dessert too!). To me it was the most perfect food. I didn't think it would ever get old. 

Now that I have children and am responsible for their health and well being I am more aware and try to keep fruits and vegetables as a part of their diet. Every now and then though we are rushing or are just lazy and instead of the traditional foods we turn to that perfect food once again and have cereal for dinner. 

I don't think I could have cereal all the time now. Especially if there was only one type to eat. I imagine that is what the children of Israel may have felt like before they entered the promised land. They were eating manna in the wilderness for forty years! I am sure there were days, if not years, they were just hoping for some variety. 

The one meal I never get tired of is God's Word. No matter how many times I read the same scriptures there is always something new to find. I have been a Christian for 20 years and have been studying the Bible throughout. What amazes me is that there are still times in my studies where I say to myself, "Why have I never seen that scripture before?" I know I have read it but at that moment God made it alive. 

How do you feel about the same thing all the time? Is reading the Bible the same to you or is it different each time? 

Day 255 - Why Church?

"There is so much on why church I really had to hone in on what I felt The Lord would have me to say."

Last year we did a short series on why we should attend church. There has been a lot said about whether it is necessary for a person who is a Christian to attend church. People have left church because of the confusion and some have even left the faith. 

When I read the Bible I see that it is not only important but also central to the Christian life to attend, serve, promote and be the church. We all have a place and a part to play in the church. 

Jesus said He would build the church. Paul called it the pillar and ground of truth. The author of Hebrews exhorted that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as is the habit of some. In the Old Testament it even speaks of the House of God numerous times and encourages us to be planted, find clarity and that it is better to be there than anywhere else. 

With all that said why would we question if it is right for a Christian to go to church? Let's not get down on church lets stir ourselves up and get there more. Pray for our leaders and for growth in church. Lift up the people who are attending and those who need to come. Serve and give with gladness and talk it up to others. All this will make for a great momentum in church. 

What other reasons should we go to church? Are there other ways to be involved? 

Day 251 - Rebuilding Jericho

"From the Word: 1Kings 16:34 it talks about a man who during the reign of the wicked king Ahab built Jericho. He laid its foundation, or started the work, at the cost of his firstborn son, and hung its gates, or finished the work, at the cost of his youngest. He had to either be ignorant of the curse Joshua attached to rebuilding the city, unbelieving that the word would come to pass, or he cared more for the work of rebuilding Jericho than he did the lives of his family. In any of these cases he is in a bad predicament. Do we at our own cost and misfortune rebuild what God has miraculously delivered into our hands? Galatians 2:18 says “For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.”"

In the New Testament we also read that a man who returns to their sin is like a dog returning to its own vomit. How disgusting to think of. And yet the illustration sticks doesn't it? The very thing that upset us and made us sick and weak that our body rejected we want to consume again. 

There is a part of an old hymn called "Come Thou Fount" that catches me every time I sing it. It says "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above." It identifies honestly the fight that we all go through in the flesh. Our flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. We have to cling to the Lord in humility and refocus our attention heavenward. 

God is able to deliver. We need to be wise enough to leave the pile of rubble alone as a memorial rather than rebuild our Jericho. 

What are some ways we can keep from rebuilding our Jericho? How do you think God feels about when we rebuild what He has delivered into our hands? 

Day 250 - No Other Way

"Faithful, faith filled and faith focused."

These are three points from a sermon my brother in law preached last year. They are life long lessons. We are constantly adjusting and correcting our course to stay with these three areas. 

There is no other way to please God than by faith. There is also no other way to do life than by faith. You have to have faith to be a Christian, have friends, make marriage work, raise kids, build a business etc. 

We are faithful when we show up consistently for our duties. We are faithful when we are loyal and won't get off track with something or someone. Our commitment is no commitment at all if it isn't consistent. That is where faithfulness comes in. We must be able to be counted on and trusted. Are we faithful to our families, to our marriages, on the job, to our friends, and most of all to our God? 

If we are going to be faithful we need to be faith filled. We need to get as much of God's word inside of us because that is where faith comes from. Otherwise without the Word of God we will believe anything. God has ways and thoughts that He wants us to hear and be a part of. We will only get there and be filled with faith when we get into the Word. 

All this happens with a faith focus. What we give our attention to is what matters and what is produced in our lives. With the same measure of attention and interest we give it will be given back to us. It is very important to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and look to Him for what we are in faith for. Seek the Giver and you will have no lack of gifts. Seek the Lover and you will be loved. Seek the Healer and you will be healed. 

What are you believing God for? Which of these areas do you need to grow in?

Day 230 - Learning the Hard Way

"I found out later that I didn't put any sunblock on my face."

I would imagine you know how I found out that I didn't have any sunblock on my face. Pain and redness! 

Like the old DC Talk song says; "Some people gotta learn the hard way, I guess I'm the type of guy who's gotta find out for himself". Experience is a tough teacher. She doesn't discriminate nor does she pull any punches. Like walking into a wrecking ball there have been things that I wanted to know for myself and later wished I would have listened to sound wisdom. Or to take it a step further asked someone who would know!

Thankfully not everything in life is learned this way. There are lots of things we can only learn from experience and hard knocks. But if you can learn from the experience of others or from instruction then you will save yourself many sorrows and painful learning lessons. 

This is where the student of the Bible will be glad to know their efforts aren't wasted. The Bible is more than a bunch of stories from history. It is examples of people who failed and succeeded. It shows us what to do and what not to do. 

Why learn from tough times when you can receive the instruction of God's Word?

What tough life lessons have you learned in the school of hard knocks? What lessons have you learned from others or from the Word of God?

Day 195 - One Mold, One Measure

"1 Kings 7:37 Thus he made the ten carts. All of them were of the same mold, one measure, and one shape. 

The mold that our lives are cast from is Christ. He is our measure and our shape. He is our portion. He is the one who shapes our lives. Intense heat and pressure are applied until we come out looking like Him."

We see the concept of one throughout the Bible. One God, one body, one faith, one baptism. Unity is essential. 

I love the imagery of the carts in the temple. They have the same mold. Ours is Christ. He is our example. Then the same measure. We have been given the measure of faith. And one shape, we are being conformed to His image. 

God takes ordinary things and makes them extraordinary! Press into Christ and allow the light of His countenance to mold you into His image. 

Where else do you see this concept of one in the Bible? How can we be formed into the image of Christ?

Day 190 - Planting Seeds

"As I ministered the Word it just felt like I was getting no response. I just trust that God planted the seed of the Word in the hearts of the people."

I do not have a green thumb. If anything I have the black thumb that kills plants. While I understand that there are a lot of factors that can help growth I also know that the basics are what matters. Seed, soil, water and light. The right seed in the right soil with the right amount of water and light will grow. 

It is no different when we minister the Word of God. We plant the seed and it has the power within itself to produce after its own kind. It is a supernatural seed that we sow. It has greater ability than the natural seed. Similarly we cannot make it produce. We sow it into the ground and then God makes it work in the hidden space of the heart. 

If we withhold the Word then there will be no harvest. Let's plant as much and as often as we can. 

Have you experienced a time when you planted a seed of the Word and had to trust God for the results? How can we seize opportunities to plant the seed of the Word?

Day 186 - Kick Fear in the Face

"We prayed and quoted 2 Timothy 1:7"

The verse say that God has not given us a spirit of fear but power, love and a sound mind. This is the verse we have taught our children to say when they are afraid. Even at an early age they know this verse and it has helped them through bad dreams, going upstairs by themselves and thinking about E.T. (Don't ask, my children think he is freaky and get scared when we even mention his name) 

The verse isn't only for children. There are irrational fears we battle all the time. Fear of lack, fear of failure, fear of the future, fear of (insert yours here). 

I remember the first time I went snorkeling I had to stop and pray because of fear. It started to grip me. Maybe it stemmed from when I was a kid and we would play burrito and roll up in a blanket and get under the couch cushions. My brother would sit on the couch with me under it but when I was ready to get out he would stay sitting on me. I remember feeling claustrophobic. That same feeling came on me with the snorkel mask and the tube in my mouth and putting my face in the water. It is probably the closest thing I have encountered to a panic attack. I stopped and prayed and spoke 2 Timothy 1:7 and then had the time of my life looking at fish and coral. 

You don't have to stay afraid. Believe God's Word and confess it over your life. There are tons of verses about fear and how to overcome it. Get into your Bible and find the ones that help you and then declare them when you feel fear gripping you. You can be bold and courageous!

What fears try to stop you? What Bible verse deals with those fears? 

Day 91 - Delivering Truth

"From the Word: Paul warned the centurion of the hardship ahead. His warning wasn't received for many reasons. He was not trusted as an apostle by the centurion, the owner of the ship and the helmsman advised otherwise, the majority had something other to say, and where they were wasn't suitable. All odds were stacked against Paul but he turned out to be right."

Much of what a Christian says will not be received by people in the world because they are looking for credibility. It wasn't until Paul's words were proven true that he now had the platform to be heard. After the storm we see how Paul's influence increased when he tell the captain not to let the men get away in the smaller vessels because all will be lost unless they stay. The captain takes Paul's advice this time. 

I see in this passage and thought that we can learn a lesson in dealing with people and delivering the truth to them.  

If we are going to tell people the truth of God's word we must first tell them in love. If we don't tell them they won't ever know. Yes, they will not listen...at first. But later because you had told them the truth they will come back when they realize you were right. If we don't tell them in love then they will hear the truth but despise us and won't come back for another beating. Love never fails. 

Also if we are going to tell people the truth we must do it in a spirit of humility. We must be totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to speak through us. We must also speak in a gentle and meek spirit and not a proud or arrogant spirit. One is received, the other is rejected. It is all about approach. When you rely on the power of God then seeds will be sown into fertile ground. But when you rely on your own wisdom your words will bounce off their hearts like the seed on the wayside. This is where the devil comes and wreaks havoc with the mind and places thoughts of bitterness and scorn for the truth you were trying to give. 

Finally, when we deliver the truth faithfully we need to be ready to receive the people we are speaking to when they come back to us. They will come around and realize what you said was right. When they do and fresh problems arise they know who to go to...you! Be ready with open arms. An "I told you so" attitude will make them think twice about why they came back. Receive them and encourage them. Continue to bear with them in their journey towards what you already know and have. 

How have you delivered truth to people you come in contact with? What other ways can we deliver truth so that it is received rather than rejected?