Help! I'm being Provoked!

definition “Provoke”: To arouse or to call forth a feeling or an action. To incite anger. To stir up purposefully. To provide the needed stimulus for something.

Lately, people have been provoking me from all sides. I’ve been getting prodded and poked, deceived, challenged, mis-understood, mis-represented and more. It’s just one of those seasons to make it through...

The word “provoke(d)” is in the Bible dozens of times, mostly in the Old Testament. The primary use is that the Children of God often provoked Him to anger.
In Deuteronomy, God warned His people not to provoke the descendants of Lot or of Esau because He had given them their land and was not going to allow Israel to take it.
We see the word in a limited number of places in the New Testament. Both Galations and Ephesians warn us not to provoke our children to anger or to discouragement.

The focus for this discussion are two additional verses:

Ecclesiastes 7:8-10 (NIV)
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" For it is not wise to ask such questions.

When we allow ourselves to be provoked to anger, we miss out on God’s “surprise endings.” When we take matters into our own hands, especially from an angle of anger, we can change the course of the best God has for us. It is always better to allow the Lord to defend us rather then to defend ourselves.

Verse 10 shows us what scripture often points out, that the present and the future is always better then the former (latter). I absolutely believe that it is next to sin to believe that things used to be better, particularly regarding the Church. God’s Word says that the Church is better today then it has ever been in the history of the world and that it will be better tomorrow. Don’t allow people to provoke us into being dissatisfied with the way things are and that God intend for this season of our lives and of history.

The next Scripture deals with Hannah, the mother of the Judge and Prophet Samuel. She obviously ended up being a very blessed woman and mother though she began in a barren state:

1 Samuel 1:6-7 (NIV)
6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

Hannah was like us... she was not perfect. But she was consistent and endured the provocation of her rival and continued to trust God to birth something great in her. The story goes that she dedicated Samuel to the Lord and gave Him to the care of the temple, and that she had other Children as well. God honored her.

My point today is that if we will not be discouraged when we are provoked, if we will not fight back, if we will not take matters into our own hands but will keep going to the House of the Lord, even if as in Hannah’s case that is where the worst “provoking” occurs, God will reward us.

As usual, our reaction to an attack determines our destiny! As the scripture says, let us keep anger out of our lap!

One of my favorite preachers often uses the word “provoke” in a positive way. His name is Pastor Ray Llarena! You may have heard him use it. He often says, “you must learn to provoke yourself to worship God whether you feel like worshipping God or not!” He has many variations of this and they are all good and in line with the definition of what it means to provoke. Let us instead of being stirred up by the enemy to anger, instead be stirred up to worship and let our faith arise, knowing that He will be faithful to grant us wonderful and blessed surprise endings when we trust fully in Him!

Where's the U-Turn?

I was driving on the C-5, an inner city highway in Manila the other day and I was surprised that I missed my turn. The next day, I did the same thing. Had I gone blind?! Then on the 3rd day, I drove slowly and carefully, looking for the U-turn slot. It was gone! Barricaded with huge potted plants.
The route I had taken for 5 months was no longer available! Scriptures popped into my head.
One description for “repentance” is to make a U-turn in your life. To go away from making bad decisions and move towards making good decisions.
In order to be free from sin and improve, it really isn’t enough just to be forgiven if we return to the same old habits and patterns over and over.
Forgiveness is the start but repentance is the goal.
There are times, it seems that are easier in our lives to make a U-turn then others. Times in which the Bible says God is near and can be found.
Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV)
"6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon."
One of the ways I believe I can seek and call out to the Lord while He may be found has more to do with perspective on my part. If I am aware of my sin, my consequences and my desperate need of God, it is easier for me to take the actions required in order to move forward.
Psalm 32:5-7 (NIV)
"5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
There is a heavier side to this. If we ignore the voice of God through His people, His Word or by the whisper of His Spirit, that message will eventually cease to come our way. This is a scary thing to either be brazen to hearing God drawing us or for Him to stop drawing us because of our continued lack of response.
Let us this day, call on God and seek Him while He is near and while we are yet sensitive to His voice. Let us make the U-turn while it is still open to us. God will help us to change if we will simply respond to His kind and timely invitation.