The Bully Solution

This comes as no surprise to anyone, but the issue/problem of “bullying” has grown to epidemic proportions. Many are saying “Stop bullying!” or “We need to stop bullying!”, yet they are not addressing foundational principles that will help get to the heart of the issue.  Rather, they are address symptoms and say they are “helping,” which is like saying a Band-Aid is “fixing” cancer.  Please read through the following principles and consider how we need to address the foundational issues of bullying.

What is Right?  We must teach a standard of right and wrong that is unchanging.  Nearly everyone will say that the bully is wrong.  Yet, one must admit is that in the majority of cases the bullied has broken God’s standard of righteousness by wrongfully responding to the bully even before it becomes a “bullying” situation, and usually afterward, as well.  We must bring both parties to the point of recognizing that God sets a standard of right and wrong His standard does not change with society’s whims.  We therefore bring them back to the truths of God’s Word.  Psalm 119:9, 11 (NKJV) “How can a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed according to Your word.  Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

Who am I?  We must teach individuals that they are created in the “image of God” (Gen. 1:26-27), as the greatest of all of God’s creation.  Our value, therefore, comes from the fact that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Psalm 139:14   My value or worth does not change when someone calls me a name, or makes fun of my clothing.  My value does not change by how smart, good-looking, or talented I am.   These things are all temporary, and will pass away.   The bullied needs to change the way they look at themselves, to see how God looks at them.  The bully needs to recognize that they are attacking one whom God specially created for His purpose, and they will give account to Him for their behavior.

As one created in God’s image, all of us are to be reflecting the character of God by striving to be loving, caring, holy, forgiving, gracious servants of Him.

How do we resolve our conflict?  The majority of bullying situations grow out of unresolved conflict.  This conflict and fighting comes as a result of our own selfish desires (James 4:1). We must learn not to respond to others sin by attacking them.  I must learn to respond calmly (Prov. 15:1).   We must learn that retaliation is never right (Prov.  20:22; Rom. 12:17; I Peter 3:9).  We must know that God has saved revenge as His right and responsibility (Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30).  He sees and knows all, and He is all-powerful, and therefore able to deal with the problem.  We must trust Him to deal with the problem through the authorities that He has set up or personally.  It may not always be the response for which we were wishing, but we can be certain God will deal with it.

Our response is to do everything in our power to live peaceably with all men (Rom. 12:18).   This does not mean we can compromise the truth of God’s word, or disobey His

commands, but we can do everything up to that point to bring about peace in our relationships.

The starting point:  In just this short space we have recognized that there is a standard of right and wrong that has been compromised in our relationships.  This “missing the mark” of God’s righteousness is called sin.  And the “wages of sin” is death (Rom. 6:23). That is bad news, but the good news is that the “gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23).  God in His love sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin (John 3:16).  We therefore must recognize our sinfulness and the consequences or our sin and believe that Jesus Christ is the only remedy for that sin.  Are you ready to put your faith in Christ to take the punishment for your sin? 

This bullying problem will continue to increase if we do not teach and train individuals with these truths.  For more help, daily encouragement and more thorough explanations, as well as, other topics such as love and authority: find “The Bully Solution” on Facebook or twitter (@BullySolved) and follow so you get all the updates, or look up www.thebullysolution.blogspot.com to follow our blog.   The bully solution is a ministry of First Baptist Church of Littleton, IL . www.fbclittletonil.org

Faith-based counseling to help those struggling on either side of this issue is available by calling 309-257-2290.

Christmas Communication

How do you communicate with friends and family at Christmas? Cards, letters (we prepared 200 this year), phone, Skype, and the best is a visit.  God also has communicated to us in different ways through different generations through the prophets (Heb. 1:1).  Much of this came through their preaching and writing of the Bible.  Yet, we are told in verse 2 that he spoke to us through His Son.  Jesus Christ came to earth to visit not for His benefit but for ours. 

This communication from God was not happenstance. It came just when God had planned it.  Gal. 4:4-5a says, “But when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem them who were under the law.”  We, because of our sinfulness, needed a redeemer.  Someone to pay the price of our sin.  Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life so that he might be the perfect sacrifice!

God’s communication seemed like it was shortened.  His followers were expecting him to give them victory and freedom from Roman control.  Their hopes were dashed as Jesus hung on the cross and proclaimed “it is finished” (Jn. 19:30).  What they did not yet understand is that Jesus was going to rise from the dead three days later.  Jesus Christ had come not to give them freedom from the Romans, but rather freedom from sin and death.  I Cor. 15:56-57 say, “⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When we get our letters and Christmas cards many of us respond in various ways. Some are quickly thrown in the trash while others are cherished and looked at again and again.  Some are ignored while others are looked at sometimes for months or years.  I ask you today, “How do you respond to God’s Christmas communication, Jesus Christ?”  Do you cherish Him and His word?  Or do you ignore Him and basically discard Him from your thinking?  I challenge you to put your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and cherish Him.

The Unfailing Plan of a Sovereign God

Sunday the majority of people in our area celebrate Easter.  To some it will simply be a time for family.  For others it will be a time for chocolate bunnies and Reese’s eggs.  Others will reflecte upon a historical event: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

My hope is that all will recognize that the coming of Jesus Christ to earth to suffer and die to pay for the sins of man was not an afterthought but rather a plan from before the “foundation of the earth.”  (Eph. 1)  God in His omniscience (all-knowing) knew that man would rebel. God in His holiness knew that he could not fellowship with sinful man.  God in His justice required a penalty for sin. God in His love and mercy chose to put a plan in action to provide redemption for all who would believe.

Through time God gradually revealed his plan. This started with his response to Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden when he promised a “Seed that would bruise Satan’s head.”(Gen. 3)  Many, many passages speak of God’s plan throughout the Old Testament, but not many are any clearer than Isa. 53:2b-6 “He has no form or comeliness and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we desire Him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.  Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet, we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

This passage though recognized by most as referring to Jesus Christ was written several hundred years before Christ came to earth.

As Jesus ministered publicly for three years he again and again presented Himself as the Messiah.  This required individuals either to bow the knee in worship or to punish Him as a blasphemer.   Despite the fact that through His miracles and wondrous acts He revealed that He indeed was the promised Messiah, the pious religious leaders were not willing or able to accept Him.  They manipulated a Pilate, the people pleasing Roman ruler of the territory, and incited an emotional crowd to bring about Christ’s death.

To many observers this seemed like the end of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps God’s plan had failed?  What these observers did not realize is that God had used Pilate, the Pious religious leaders, and the crowd to fulfill His plan.  They acted through their own personalities and desires to accomplish what God had promised would happen.  They crucified the Messiah as promised.

In trying to pre-empt any possible fake resurrection they helped to prove the reality of Christ’s resurrection.  The governor’s seal and the soldier’s stance could not stop the Son of God from being victorious over sin and death.

God had indeed kept His promise, His plan was fulfilled.  He had provided a way for man’s redemption from sin.   “But as many as received Him to them gave He the power to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name.”  (John 1:12) 

I hope that as each of you reflect upon Christ’s resurrection that you will turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of your sin.  “For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  (Eph. 2:8-9)