Get Out of the Litter Box

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

2 Timothy 2:20-21

Imagine you go over to a friend's house for dinner. When you walk through the front door the aroma of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and fresh bread and green beans greats you. The food is attractively displayed on the table. Your host begins putting out the silverware. As you take your seat you hear them rummaging through the kitchen drawers looking for their slotted serving spoon for the green beans. In a moment you hear them exclaim "Who was using the slotted spoon to scoop the cat litter again!?" And you watch in horror as they walk over to the litter box, dig out a slotted spoon and plop it into the bowl of green beans on the table. What do you do?

Hopefully, you'll never find yourself in a scenario quite so disgusting as that., but I do fear that we often unwittingly do the equivalent to God. We use our mouth to curse and gossip and slander and then think it won't bother Him when we use the same mouth to sing His praise?! We set our heart on money and the approval of men and illicit sex and then offer that heart up to Him and we think He doesn't notice?! We use our hands to hurt others, to take us to the darkest parts of the internet and social media, and to sexually touch those we have no right to touch and then try to put the same hands to the plow in His service?! We do all this and more and somehow it never occurs to us that He might not be pleased with our offering?!

Scripture points out to us in 2 Timothy 2 that there are certain articles in any home that have been set aside for special use. These articles are not used for common purposes but are kept separate and clean to be used only for their special purpose. And that is what Christians ought to be like. We must cleanse ourselves from iniquity and keep ourselves separate from it if we are to be "holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."

Consider what you are offering up to God. As 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” Get out of the litter box and keep yourself separate and holy to the Lord.

Run to God

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3

A Christian can possess internal stillness of soul even as the world melts into chaos around him. Psalm 46 tells us how. The secret is trusting God. Even when that which seems most fixed and unshakeable in our world, characterized in this psalm by mountains, collapses before our eyes and falls at our feet, we don't have to be afraid. Even when everything around us is shaking, we need not be shaken, because we trust in the Lord.

Psalm 46 says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear." No matter how bad life gets the Christian has a refuge he can run to, a safe place that can't be touched by the evils of this world. This reminds me of what I would do when I was scared as a child. If a big, scary dog approached us and was barking at us, I would instinctively get close to my dad or grandad because I knew they would keep me safe. When I was scared I ran to them and felt safe. 

It's the same with God. When your world is shaking, when it seems like everything is falling apart, it isn't time to get angry with God or question His justice, it's time to run to Him for protection. The wise Christian knows that his relationship with God is his only refuge in this chaotic world. He also knows that God is his only source of help or rescue. So, whenever the wise Christian feels scared or in trouble he runs to His God and feels safe again.

Wait for the Lord

In the Lord I take refuge.

How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain."

Psalm 11:1

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Sometimes having faith means doing nothing. Sometimes trusting in God means standing still. I am reminded of how the Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that, "There is a time for everything." This is also true of our faith. There are times when we ought to charge forward in faith. For example, anytime we have a clear command of God to obey. But there are also times when we must stand still and wait in faith. Sooner or later, you will face something bigger than you, something that is completely out of your control. And all you will be able to do is ask for God's help and wait.

Both charging forward and sitting still can be powerful expressions of faith in God's willingness to act on our behalf. We need to be adept at doing both, because the Christian life will require both out of us. I believe one reason why the Lord puts in in situations in which we must wait on Him is that it removes any ambiguity about who is acting. It's all too easy for me to charge ahead thinking that I'm putting my faith in God into action when all I am really doing is putting my faith in my own abilities into action. But when I have to sit still and wait on the Lord to act on my behalf, there isn't any confusion about who is acting. My faith must be purely in God then. 

So, if God has placed you in a situation that is beyond your control, if He is asking you to wait on Him to act, then know that you are not alone. When David wrote these psalms he was in real, physical danger. His enemies were plotting or even marching against him. Yet, he learned to wait on the Lord, to trust God to come to his rescue. There are times when even the mightiest warriors can do nothing but exercise their faith by sitting and waiting. This was an invaluable lesson for David, and it will be for you as well. If God has called you to such a time today, then trust Him to carry you through it.

The Power of Praise (W.o.W. Rewind)

 Lord, our Lord,

how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
You have covered the heavens with your majesty.
From the mouths of infants and nursing babies,
you have established a stronghold
on account of your adversaries
in order to silence the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:1-2)


When do you praise God? Maybe just when you're at church? Or only when things are going well? If so, then you are missing out on a powerful spiritual weapon.

Have you ever been told that praise can be a spiritual weapon? According to this passage, it is and believers ought to use it against our enemies. The passage speaks of a stronghold that God brings forth from the mouths of infants and babes. What is this stronghold? The Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint understood this stronghold to be praises to God sung by children. Jesus affirmed this understanding when He quoted from the Septuagint translation in Matthew 21:16- "You have prepared praise from the mouths of infants and nursing babies.” If we are to take Jesus' word for it, then the praise we declare to God and His Messiah is a stronghold which protects us from our enemies.

How does this work? When we're surrounded by enemies (physical or spiritual) we ought to sing God's praise. In doing so we remind ourselves and our attackers who our Protector is, how strong He is, and how magnificent He is. As we open our mouths in praise, our enemies close their mouths in silence. As we praise God's strength we grow more confident as they grow more afraid. There is good news for us here. Believers don't need to be strong or mighty to be safe. We can be as weak as a newborn babe. God is our Protector and our weakness doesn't limit His power.

So spend some time praising God today. Praise Him for who He is. If you need inspiration, read a few psalms. As you praise, your outlook will change. And if you'll praise Him publicly before your enemies they'll think twice as well.