But...
- You have never done this before.
- You are not disciplined enough.
- You do not have enough money.
- No one like you has ever done this before.
- People may not read what you write.
- You majored in Agriculture and not English.
- What will people think if I fail?
All of the above in times past have produced a fear that always made me give up. As I have written before, I have a library of self help books. None of them helped me overcome the fear of putting my thoughts in print for everyone to read and to make a living from doing it. This is a big goal for me to be a published author, writing, and using God's word to help me and other people live the life God created us to live. In some way, I have been able to turn off the negative "buts" allowing me to pursue this dream full time. Consequences? Yes. In the beginning, it is hard getting noticed, finding my voice, choosing a topic to write about that will encourage others, being overwhelmed with the technical side of marketing, and knowing I must improve my craft each day. There is so much to learn. The only way I have ever learned anything in my life was to just jump in and keep doing it.
Paying attention to some "buts" in our lives can also be a protection for us that keeps us from harming ourselves and others, whether emotionally, spiritually or physically. I want to identify the ones wanting to keep me from doing good. One of my favorite parables in the New Testament is the parable of the talents. You can find it in Matthew 25:14-30. What got my attention were verses 25-30. Was I afraid like the one talent man? Did I know what God had given me to do in this life to bring glory to Him and bless others?
The one talent man provides his master with an excuse coming from a negative "but". He said in verse 24, Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. Why did he say this? The others never implied this. Was it just an excuse he quickly came up with because he heard the reply of the others and the Master's answers. At that moment, he only had time for a lame excuse that falsely accused the Master of something he was not. What is Christ trying to tell us in this parable? Could it be, we should not procrastinate in using our one talent or many talents in service to the Master? It is implied, and we all have some degree of talent. If we proclaim to be one of Christ servants, then we should use our talent or talents in His kingdom.
The Lord called this servant wicked and lazy. Wicked because he came up with a lame excuse about the Master, and lazy because he didn't identify his talent and use it to the best of his one talent ability. Therefore his talent was taken away and given to another, who would use it to his fullest ability. I equate this with someone having God given abilities, and dying never to have used them. Someone else has to pick up the same talent and use it for the Lord in His kingdom.
Following the wrong "but" has serious consequences. It was first introduced in the Garden of Eden by the "Father of Deception", Satan. How did he do it. Eve rationalized in her mind, with the doubt Satan deceived her with, by this thought, "But this fruit is good for food, pleasant looking, and will make me wise". This "but" led to Eve and then Adam to disobey the only commandment God had given them. The result? We live in a fallen world today because of it. Satan saw the success of using "but" to deceive mankind into disobeying God. More will be said about these types of "buts" in my new book, The Father of Deception.
How could any man, both past and present, not believe in the promises of God? Well, they have, and they still do. Let's look at an example and the consequence that followed. God had previously told Moses to tell all Israel to go to the promised land He had promised to their fathers, Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. He told them He had set the land before them; go in and possess it (Deut.1:6-8) and in Deuteronomy 1:21 Moses tells them again, Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged. They responded with, Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come. (Deut.1:21-22, NKJV)
Let's go over what has just been said. These people had witnessed the mighty hand of God, with all of His power and display of miracles, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. He tells them; do not fear or be discouraged, because He is going to deliver the land He had promised to their fathers. They should go in and possess it. Get this. They are going to send some men in to check it out and see which way they should go up. Did they have to decide on the way to get Pharaoh to let them go? Did they have to decide on the way to get across the Red Sea? Did they not realize by now that God would show them the way? I hint just a small opening for doubt to creep in. I believe Satan is ready with one of his tricks.
So Moses sends twelve men, one from each tribe, to spy out the land God had promised to give them. It took them forty days. I wonder what all the other people were thinking while they were gone. Were they excited to go take this land or did they have doubts it was going to really be a land flowing with milk and honey? After the forty days, the twelve men return with some of the fruits of the land. They said, It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ( Numbers 13:27) The land was just like God said it was. What was keeping them from believing God? Look what comes next.
Nevertheless (But) the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.(Numbers 13:28,NKJV) Then in verses 31-33 all the spies, except Joshua and Caleb said, "The people are stronger than we, the land devours its inhabitants, and there are giant men there that make us look like grasshoppers.
Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, told them the land was very good, and if God delighted in them, He would give it to them. (Numbers 14:6-9) The people believed the majority and didn't believe God would deliver the land and its inhabitants to them. Then they wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb. Who would you have believed, God or the ten spies that brought back the bad report?
They believed man over God. As always, this was a huge mistake, with terrible consequences. Read Numbers 14:26-38 and see what happened to those who rebelled against God. Only Joshua and Caleb with the little ones would be able to cross over to the promised land. The ten spies that caused the disbelief died of a plague and the rest of the adults wandered for forty years in the wilderness. Joshua, Caleb and the children got to enter the promised land forty years after all those died out. Can you not see what going against God and believing one little "negative but" can cause?
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To be continued...
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Please share this series with your friends and family on Facebook or send me their email addresses and I will forward it to them. How many "negative buts" do you tell yourself each day or hear from your family, friends and others?
Thanks for reading.
Rick
