The Goat Mentality

The Goat Mentality

 

 

 

Read Matthew 25:31-46

I wrote this some time ago, but recently thought about it. I wanted to share it with you. Jesus in scripture talks about separating the sheep from the goats. When Jesus used examples, He used what people were familiar with. What characteristics of a goat show us the things God wants to change? Let's take a look at some of them:

GOATS

• Highly intelligent (1 Corinthians 3:19 – God does not wants us depending on our own understanding for it is foolishness)

• Independent (Proverb 16:18 –God does not want us to be prideful in our own ability because it only leads to our destruction)

• When they are first born they begin to fight with their siblings for their mothers milk (Isaiah 56:11- God does not want us to be greedy, only concerned with filling ourselves)

• The strong survive, if they are weak they are left behind or die (only concerned with self- Hebrew 13:1 - God wants us to think more of others than ourselves)

• Intensely curious and will investigate any thing that piques their interest. Because they are so interested, they are hard to keep confined to their areas. They will jump over fences for example. (Ephesians 4:14- God does not want us chasing after every thing that catches our fancy. He does not want us tossed to and fro.)

• They are aggressive in their behavior (Psalm 37:11 – God wants us to be meek for the meek shall inherit the God)

• They are more adapted to hot weather and not cold. They have to be taken indoors at night times. The are not as adapted to cold weather because of their size weight ability to conserve water limited fat & nature of their coats (They are “fair weather” survivors. They cannot withstand the storms. God wants us to be able to withstand the storms of life. We are able to do this because of our “make up”. He adapts or clothes us to be able to withstand the “cold”.)

• Breeding of goats can be difficult because of the aggressive behavior and confrontational behavior. For example if a male goat and female goat are aggressive towards each other, the male will not mate with her and will keep others from mating with her as well. (Psalm 133:1 – God wants us to dwell together in unity: husbands, wives, children etc.)

Prayer: Lord we ask that you give us the strength to put to death any goat-like characteristics that are in us. Help us to be moldable and usable for your glory. Amen.

Unopened Gifts

 

Matthew 7:10-12 (NIV)

¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

 

I recently heard someone talk about “unopened gifts”.  Both individuals talked about what if there was a room in heaven filled with unopened gifts.  What are these unopened gifts?  In my visual I could see a room larger than several warehouses filled from floor to ceiling with lovely wrapped gifts.

Some of these gifts were large and some where small.  When I drew closer to the gifts on the shelves I saw names on the boxes.  I saw Ashley Smith, Michael Brown, Robert Thompson, Barbara Jones and so many more names.  I saw what was in the gift boxes written next to each of the names.

Some of the gifts were healing, forgiveness, hope, restoration of marriage, restored relationship with children or families.  I saw gifts of preaching, worldwide ministries, pastors, church planters and more.

I wondered why there were so many unopened gifts.  I began to think about what these individuals stated.  What came to mind was what was summed up in Matthew 7:10-12.  God the Father has set aside good gifts for each of His children.  He knows everything you and I need and He has set them aside for us.  The key is in the latter part of verse 11.  It states, “…to those who ask him!” 

The problem is many of us try to handle things on our own and we never go to God and ask Him for what we need, so our gifts go unclaimed.  When we forget to ask, we miss opening God’s perfect gift for those situations and circumstances in our lives.  Either we do not ask Him or we ask amiss, again leaving the gifts opened.  So what happens to those gifts?

I believe those are the unopened gifts waiting on heavenly shelves.  I am reminded of that in scripture where it states, “…for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable” (Roman 11:29).  God has set aside some gifts and blessing with our names on them.  If we do not go and ask Him for them, they sit in this room of unopened gifts.

Now I am not trying to prove biblically a room filled with unopened gifts, I am only asking you to imagine for a moment with me.  What if God has some unopened gifts for you?  What if they are sitting in this room waiting for you to call and ask for them?  If you don’t call they will continue to sit on the shelves.

Today, I am asking God first to forgive me for not coming to Him and asking for all the good gifts He has for me, gifts to help me be a better mother, wife, preacher, and child of God.  Now I am doing as the scripture encourages, I am going to God and asking, “Lord please give to me all the good gifts you have for me.”

I want to end on this note.  I remember several years ago when I was going through something and I asked God for help.  As I was driving in to my parking pad I heard God speak to my spirit.  He said, “I enjoy giving my children good gifts”.  I began to weep as I thought about the fact that God finds pleasure in providing gifts to me.

So today, I want to encourage each of us that God has all the gifts we need.  Let us not allow them to be classified as “unopened gifts.”  Ask God for yours today and watch the windows of heaven open up for you and pour out blessings greater than you or I can even handle.

God's Reality About Our Hearts

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV)

 

I was praying about what to write for this month’s message.  As I was preparing to write I was reminded of several situations that have happened in the last few weeks.  I have had several situations were individuals have been disrespectful, yet I had to choose not to respond emotionally.  I was the one in authority so I could have easily snapped at these individuals, but I chose not to do that.

In years past, it was difficult for me to let go of things done or said to me.  I would forgive, but I was not going to set myself up for that person to attack me again.  Hurt me and that was the end for you and me.  God has placed me in some areas that are stretching me in this area, because I know He wants me to grow where heart matters are concerned.

Just yesterday I had someone disrespect me and my alter ego “Denise” was ready to tell this person off.  Yet, instead I found myself praying for this person that God would change them and help them to truly see who they are and not who they think.

So when I went searching for a scripture to use, this one simply jumped out at me.  I especially like the part where it states this about love, “it does not dishonor others.”  I was thankful to read this because I had the opportunity to snap back at a person that snapped at me in public, except I refused to dishonor or disrespect them, so I talked to this person offline out of the eye shot of others.  If we want to understand God’s reality about our hearts we must understand that God wants us to take great care not to disrespect each other.  It doesn’t matter our roles or positions.  We are all called to respect one another.  This is true even when the other person did not follow this mandate.  The call to respect others is not based on what they do, but what I chose to do.

The second part of this scripture that resonates with me about love is, “it keeps no record of wrongs.” This can be difficult to accomplish even on our best days.  I will be honest, what happened on yesterday still is bothering me, but I am confidence that I will overcome this wrong.  I will let go of the disrespect and be able to simply be myself.  This is the key, when we hold on to the wrong done us; it really has a hold on us.  If we keep re-thinking on the things done against us we will find ourselves troubled in our minds and uncomfortable in our relations.  Therefore it is imperative for us to let go of the wrong.  We can ask God to help us and in time we will see ourselves free from those wrongs.

Another key point about love is “it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.”  When we chose to love, we must turn our focus off ourselves.  Using the example of the person that disrespected me, I could easily get caught up in what was done and allow the anger to grow.  If I am not careful I would begin to seek my own restitution in this situation.  I could use my authority and power to make this person pay.  This is not love.  God’s reality for my situation is to love this person enough to see their need for God to humble their heart even if they don’t see their need.  God’s love dictates to me that I must seek what is best for this person.  The first thing is not to allow myself to become angered at the things this person does.  I have to be what the scripture starts out stating about love, “Love is patient, love is kind.”

God’s reality about my heart is He requires me to love in all situations and in all conditions.  He requires me to be kind to those that do not deserve my kindness.  Why? The truth is God’s love is shown to me and I do not deserve it.  I was not loveable yet God chose to love me.  I was not kind but kindness was freely given to me.

So today I want to encourage each of us no matter what our situations are to choose to love.  God’s reality about our hearts is He desires to use us in the difficult situations we find ourselves in.  Has someone hurt you so bad that you can’t even bare it?  It is probably even more difficult when those hurting you are your brothers and sisters in Christ.  Are you struggling to get over the hurt?  Have you pulled yourself away because you are determined this individual (or individuals) is not going to hurt you anymore?  Has the anger lingered so long that you find yourself wishing bad things would happen to this person?  Or have you sought your own ways to hurt them?

I want to encourage you to follow God’s plan for your heart.  Ask Him to help you until you sense the release of the hurt from your heart.  Seek what is best for the person by asking God to work on their hearts as well.  And as you seek God for help in this matter, remember this about love “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”  When we see God show up in our situations and make a change, we do not have to be envious of how God will work in the lives of those that hurt us and we will refrain from boosting that God did it because of us.

This is God’s reality for our hearts…

 

Written by: Rev. Jewel D. Williams