by Shannon Tillman | Apr 24, 2024 | Thoughts
Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is a command, so it is not an option. We are ordered to not let evil overcome us. How can we choose to not be overwhelmed, knocked down, or discouraged by evil? For it must be a choice since it is a command, thus we decide whether to obey or not. The strategy for obedience is given in the second half of the verse.
We are to “overcome evil with good.” God alone is good.
Mark 10:18
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.
Thus, we overcome evil by God. How do we practically do this? We must focus on His goodness instead of the evil circumstances. We must trust Him even when we do not understand why we are suffering. We must seek His counsel on how to respond in a manner that reflects His goodness instead of our natural desires. In other words, to overcome evil is an intentional battle plan to combat evil with the goodness of God.
Is this easy? No. However, it is commanded for our benefit. God wants to protect us from being knocked down by evil. He wants to work through us so that evil is vanquished. The Lord does not want evil to prevail against us. The only way for us to not be consumed by the evil is to conquer the evil. The goodness of God is the assured victory over all evil!
Whatever evil situation that has risen against you is now your opportunity for victory! When you stand in the goodness of God, the enemy not only cannot knock you down, he also loses ground against you. The evil is overcome and the flag of goodness is placed up as the victory. In your difficulties, get the battle plan from God. His goodness will win!
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 17, 2024 | Bible Study
Have you ever been blind-sided by someone? I wonder if that is how Philemon felt when he received a letter from the Apostle Paul. I am sure upon its arrival, Philemon felt honored to be singled out for personal correspondence from the esteemed preacher. However, the letter ends up being a difficult call to action.
The letter begins with compliments to Philemon as one who is a dear friend, fellow worker, one who loves God’s people, and has great faith. These words would have definitely encouraged Philemon. Then, the tone of the letter changes.
Philemon verses 8-11
Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
Onesimus was a slave of Philemon. He ran away yet somehow, though, he was influenced by the preaching of Paul and became a believer in Jesus. Amazingly, Onesimus the slave is led to Christ by the same person who led his master to Christ. Onesimus must have confessed his past sins and thus Paul sent him back with this letter.
Philemon verses 12-16
I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
Suddenly, a seemingly friendly letter, becomes a series of difficult choices. Would Philemon forgive Onesimus? Not only that, would he choose to see Onesimus no longer as a slave but now as a brother in Christ? Would he trust Paul’s heart about this man’s transformation and his usefulness to Paul? Would Philemon free his slave to serve in the ministry?
Paul knew that he was asking a lot in this short letter. He was asking for a radical heart change in Philemon. Yet, Paul pressed the point even further.
Philemon verses 17-19
So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.
Welcome the one who offended you as if you were welcoming your spiritual leader and friend. Demand payback, not from the one who owes it, but from the one who literally shared with you the message of eternal life. These are Paul’s requests to Philemon.
Philemon verses 20-21
I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
In honoring Paul’s desires, Philemon would refresh his heart. Paul believed that Philemon would go above and beyond in response. If he did, we do not know. There are speculations in church history. Onesimus, the slave, may have become Onesimus the minister with Paul if he is the same man mentioned in Colossians 4. I hope Philemon did respond to Paul’s requests, because this would be the right thing to do.
I must admit, my standards for Philemon are higher than the standards I set for myself. I want him to forgive his slave, embrace him as a brother, and release him back to Paul for ministry. Yet, when I recently finished reading this short letter, God brought a person to my mind who did some terrible things against me. Immediately, I felt a guard go up in my heart against this person. Then, I realized, The Lord had blind-sided me with this letter, just as Paul had done to Philemon.
What if the person asks forgiveness? Would I hold the one in judgment? Would I want them to prove their transformation? Would they have to earn trust and relationship back piece by piece, like a slave working toward freedom? Or would I embrace them with love and release them into the fullness of God’s calling over their lives?
The same questions that Paul asked of Philemon, God asks of me. They are the same questions the Lord is asking you for each person that has wounded and caused you harm. The letter is to each of us. What will our response be?
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 10, 2024 | Thoughts
Proverbs 11:2 …
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
I have often read this verse and thought that when a person has pride then something bad would happen to them. It seemed a point of justice. Pride leads to downfall, disgrace, embarrassment.
It makes me think of the bully in a movie who does something cruel and then turns and trips and everyone laughs at the mean guy. You enjoy watching him fall as a sort of punishment for what he has done to others. (Or maybe that is just me and some of you would have sympathy on him. I would hope someone would jump out of the shrubbery and trip him again! Another fall for the bully. Yay!)
However, if we look at this verse again, it is not discussing a bad thing happening only to the proud. Both the proud and the humble experience difficulties. The second part of the verse does not show a protection from trials, instead, it simply states that the humble receive wisdom from the time of suffering.
Each situation gives the opportunity to respond with pride or humility. If I respond with pride then I am disgraced. But if I respond with humility than I am granted wisdom. Every circumstance provides a choice to get upset or to learn, to react or to respond, to look at the situation or to look at the God behind the situation.
The essence of humility is the acceptance of God’s sovereignty. I view the situation as from God and that He has allowed what has happened. Although it is difficult, I can ask God for wisdom in handling whatever trial has come my way. My attitude is one of what can be gained through the pain instead of how to avoid the pain.
James 1:2-5
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
The joy in trials is knowing that purpose will ultimately come from the pain. It will not be wasted if I handle the situation as directed by God. In humility I seek Him and ask for wisdom. Thus, I am not living disgraced for what was sent to “trip me up” instead I am choosing to utilize the situation as a platform for growth, change, transformation.
While this verse does not mean the proud bully will trip and fall (although that would be great!), it does mean that the trials of our lives can benefit me in the end when I allow the Lord to guide and direct me. The proud are disgraced by difficulties, the humble receive wisdom in difficulties. It comes down to our choice in how we respond to our trials.
by Shannon Tillman | Apr 1, 2024 | Thoughts
Soldiers came to the crucified thieves. They took mallets and broke their knees to cause them to die quickly. Jesus hung in the middle. They were about to break the knees of Jesus but He already appeared to be dead; His body hung limply on the cross. They needed proof so…
John 19:34
“…one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.”
Blood and water, not just blood, flowed out of His pierced side. This means that the heart of Jesus was punctured, pierced, destroyed.
Have you ever felt broken-hearted? May this word encourage you. Jesus, whose heart was shattered at the cross, received a whole new heart in His resurrection.
John 20:19-20
“So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”
The hands of Jesus bore the scars of the nails. The side of Jesus bore the scar of His piercing. But the heart of Jesus no longer flowed with blood and water. Thus, it was completely renewed. He had a whole heart once again, as if it had never been wounded. A new heart was given at the resurrection!
These past few years, I have felt beat up by others and by circumstances. My heart ached and even beat irregularly with the pain. I cried out to God for a new heart, one that was not triggered by the pain of the past, one that had not been broken, one that did not feel the need to guard from the hurt of others, one that could love and be loved.
On Resurrection Sunday, I was praying before the service began. I thought of the wounds of His hands and feet. I then pondered His pierced side proving a busted heart, a dead heart, a destroyed heart. Then, I suddenly realized: Jesus has a new heart. Jesus, the crucified one, received a new heart! The resurrection of Jesus proves He was given a new heart, beating vibrantly now with the life that could never be taken again!
That means when I am resurrected out of my trials, my pains, my difficulties, my heart will be made new as well. I do not have to live from the pain of death from my circumstances, from the situations and the people who broke my heart. Instead, my heart can be made new!
I do not know what broke your heart. But I can tell you that the new heart of Jesus is a promise to all of us. He keeps the scars on His hands, feet, and side but not on His heart. While we may bear scars from the pain of our lives, we do not have to live with a broken heart. He makes this promise:
Psalm 147:3a
“He heals the brokenhearted…”
The word for brokenhearted in Hebrew can mean broken in pieces, hurt, torn, or crushed. It is a picture of mass destruction, a heart so devastated that it no longer beats. Yet, God can heal, restore, make a broken heart new, as if it had never been damaged. The resurrected heart of Jesus proves this word in our lives.
Take your broken heart to the Resurrected Savior. No matter what losses you have experienced, He can make your heart beat like new, as if it had not been injured by others or circumstances. Let Him heal your wounds and give you a new heart today.
