Trust in God's justice

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
      and wait patiently for him to act.
   Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
      or fret about their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:7

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

1 Peter 3:13-15

I have been working the past few days on how to share with everyone my thoughts in regards to the events that have transpired over the past week.  I know there are those out there questioning many things.  Many wondering where God is or what He is up to and I want to assure you, He is up to something mighty!

Before I go any further, if you are reading this and do not know details and I have not personally spoken with you, shoot me an email at Ngreene75@gmail.com and I will let you know what is taking place.

Many know that I have been dealing with tremendous issues.  My faith has been shaken and tested.  My faith has grown beyond recognition but all because of the goodness and faithfulness of God.

For those who are questioning the decision that was made in court, I am one hundred percent confident that the right decision was made.  (If you would like more detail on why I believe in that way, email me as well)  For now, I will only share what God has confirmed to me over the past week in hopes that it will settle the questions in your mind a little.

To begin, I will go back to the story of Saul and David.  We are all tempted at times to take shortcuts.  David faced such temptations often in his life.  It had been prophesized that David would be the next King of Israel (1Sam 16:12-13).  He knew that he would one day assume the role as King but in the meantime, angry King Saul who wanted him dead was pursuing him.  An opportunity presented itself.  David found Saul sleeping and had the opportunity to kill Saul.  It was the chance to end it all.  God had said that He intended David to be king anyway, so why not now? In that moment, David could have ended his exile and become King.  He refused.  David chose not to compromise his integrity even though he desired the position as king. Accomplishing God’s will in any other way that God had planned was not acceptable to David.

As many of you know, I ventured into court representing myself.  God convicted me months ago that in order to glorify Him in all things, I had to go at this alone.  It took time to convince those that this was the right thing and in time, God took care of it for me.  I carried two passages with me into the courtroom.  The first was, “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18.  I knew in my heart that in order to glorify God and respect the man I was once married to, I had to show him honor.  Let me just say, that was incredibly hard due to the circumstances that have taken place but through God’s strength, it was accomplished.  I went into the courtroom determined not to down anyone or lie. 

This leads to my second verse, which was, “And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say,  for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.” Luke 12:11. I did not go into court “prepared”.  I had so much information that I could have used to undermine my former spouse and those that stood with him but instead I trusted God.  As I sat in that courtroom it may have appeared as if I were sitting alone but I was not.  God was sitting in the chair right beside of me, His arm around me whispering, “I’ve got this.  Just trust Me.” That is just what I did.  I sat back and listened.  I listened to lies being told and heard God speak to my heart saying, “Be still.  I am here. I will reveal truth in My time.”  I heard my character being torn apart and heard Him say, “You are loved more than you can imagine.  You are my child and worth more to me than my own life. No one causes harm to My children and walks away without consequences.  Be still.  Wait for My time.”  I chose to trust and found comfort in His love.

Those on the other side have used the verse “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” Philippians 4:19 as “their” verse but here is what I have to say to that, God was not honored in those things that were said or done in that courtroom. There was no strength shown on the opposite side.  No trust in God’s truth.  No trust in God’s faithfulness.  Most importantly, no respect for the word of God.  The things that took place on the other side of that room were not of God.  How do I know? Because God will not honor sin nor will He reward it. Scripture clearly states we are not to lie “You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers” (Psalm 5:6), nor are we to slander a fellow believer “I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.  I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride.” Psalm 10:4-5 I held tight to my verses and walked out of that courtroom with my integrity intact and knowing God was glorified through my (as well as those on my side) actions and words. 

As Christians, we have a tendency to put God in a box.  We confine our beliefs of Him to that small box.  We limit what He is able to accomplish in our lives because our faith is weak or lacking.  It is hard to see past what is happening at this moment but if you take a step back, look at the big picture, and remember how God has moved through this situation, it is easier to trust.  It is easier to accept His plan.

So with that being said, I have never been more confident that God knows what He is doing.  The decision made was planned out before the beginning of time.  God knew and knows how this entire story will play out and I am confident that I can follow Him until the end because He has not yet led me astray. 

This morning a good friend sent me a devotional by Charles Swindol.  God is good. He knew what I needed.

A Promise for "The Gentle"

by Charles R. Swindoll

Matthew 5:5 

What comes to mind as you read Jesus's words, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5)?

Truth be told, we may get a false first impression. We may think, Blessed are the weak for they shall become doormats. In our rough and rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! The Greek term is extremely colorful, helping us to grasp a correct understanding of why the Lord sees the need for His people to be gentle. The word is used several ways in extra-biblical literature:

·        A wild stallion that has been tamed, brought under control, is described as being "gentle."

·        Carefully chosen words that soothe strong emotions are referred to as "gentle" words.

·        Ointment that takes the fever and sting out of a wound is called "gentle."

·        In one of Plato's works, a child asks the physician to be tender as he treats him. The child uses this term, "gentle."

·        Those who are polite, who have tact and are courteous, and who treat others with dignity and respect are called "gentle" people.

So then, gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves, and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity. Clearly, it includes a Christlikeness, since Jesus uses the same term to describe His own character (Matthew 11:28–29).

And what does the promise mean "for they shall inherit the earth"? It can be understood as one of two ways---now or later. Either "they ultimately win out in this life," or "they will be given vast territories in the kingdom, to judge and to rule." Instead of losing, the gentle gain. Instead of being ripped off and taken advantage of, they come out ahead!

Even though from all outward appearances it seems the wicked are winning, it won't last. They prosper in their way, their schemes work, their cheating and lying and unfair treatment of others appear to pay off. They just seem to get richer and become more and more powerful. But God says it won't be forever (Psalm 37:7–11). The ultimate victory will not be won by the wicked. The "gentle" will win.

Believe that truth! Be different from the system! Trust your heavenly Father to keep His promise regarding your inheritance. It is you who will be blessed.