So it turns out this is a touchy subject…  This is my third attemp to write out this post in a relatively non-offensive way.  The point is not to call humor bad, not to call laughter evil, not to judge anyone, not to promote judging the humor of those around you…  It is a heart’s desire to know what godly humor looks like.

My hubby and I were chatting the other night and the thought came up… Is humor ever modelled in the Bible? We couldn’t think of a single verse, but surely there must be some in there.  Would love for others to share such passages (not the type of search one can do with a keyword search).  Admittedly,  I do find the passage about straining to avoid a gnat and then going and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24) quite funny.

Praise God that a joyful heart and laughter can both be very good, gifts from God even.    This post is about the source of our mirth and merrymaking…    In my gut, I suspect that God has a very healthy and completely lovely sense of humor.   I don`t have answers, these are simply questions I have.

“Laughter is good medicine” have you ever heard this expression?

Here is the proverb (Proverbs 17:22).

A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Not quite the same thing hey?

I am quite sure I have seen this modelled and yet it remains illusive in my own life and application.

Somehow it must be possible to be funny without someone getting hurt, at someone’s expense etc. My confession: when someone gets hurt, i laugh, and hate that this is my nervous response to seeing someone experience any kind of pain. I hate this response.. truly hate it. And yet, “Funniest Home Videos”, which is has thrived for how many seasons?, exploits this and reinforces this at every turn. Is it really all that surprising that we are losing all ability to even suppress such an uncompassionate response to the pain/plight of another.

I believe that God has hardwired us to have certain emotional and chemical responses to life and circumstances. Fight or flight is a well known one. I think this laughing in reaction to embarrassing, painful, nerves etc could very well be a godly and good, a way of helping us to release the ungodly feelings and emotions that can follow such an event. Is there a consequence for persistently and deliberately triggering these responses? Many of the conditions we hear about from depression and depressed immune system can result from just this…

Please do not misunderstand, I am not suggesting that laughter is bad, in fact in Job 8:21 it says that God will bring laughter.

Is it possible that we have exchanged the godly thing “a joyful heart” for the carnal thing, worldly humor and mirth (merriness)? The difference is in the source of these two things.

I looked up “merry” on Biblegateway.com out of curiosity. Something to think about.

What I have noticed… A lot of humor is at the expense of someone (including self), rely’s heavily on sarcasm, which can be highly confusing and often leads to hurt feelings and is used to express something that is in their heart while claiming no responsibility for the words “just kidding”/”I didn’t mean it” etc.

Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

I have also noticed that humor is often used to difuse different kinds of atmospheres.

So here is a thought, I have noticed that when someone receives correction (for example, a teacher or speaker in church speaks a “hard” truth) that brings godly conviction, the ensuing atmosphere of conviction is well…. uncomfortable. Sometimes in having a challenging conversation with something, I can’t help but notice that my own knee jerk reaction is to turn to humor to shift things…

Hebrews 12:11(NLT)

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful(sorrowful)! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

 

One of the core things the Holy Spirit does is convict us and lead us into truth. At the time, the experience isn’t “enjoyable” but the harvest that results is wonderful. Is it possible that we have put our comfort and our avoidance of all things unpleasant above fearing and honouring the Lord? Is it possible that we can actually at times grieve the Spirit and interfere with His work in when and how we use humor?

Having young children myself, I have noticed that they laugh when they are genuinely happy or find something funny, but I can also make them laugh by tickling them. As most of us have personally experienced, tickle induced laughter can sound joyful but can also be most unwelcomed by the one being tickled.

 

John 14:26(NLT)

26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Isn’t it interesting that so many of the things we can do to grieve the Holy Spirit involves our mouths?    The concept of idle words/curses is one that has been on my heart for quite some time..    It naturally follows that these can slip in and disguise themselves in  humor and because of the laughter that ensues, there is an even greater potential for these to slip by us unnoticed.

 

Ephesians 4:25-32 (NKJV)

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Something to think about, no?

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

I know one would hope for more commentary.     I am committed to discovering this…  Somewhere in all of everything I have read I strongly suspect it boils down to a matter of heart and a matter of really committing to live for God and His will and Good pleasure and not my own….

 

The great commission….

How is it that these three little words are so often ignored and yet so prominently spoken when the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples.  This is especially interesting as in Matthew 28, we see they were also sent out to make/train up other disciples to Christ.  This leads to my next post…  What does it mean to be disciple to Christ?

A couple things I find so wonderful in these verses.     First, the instruction is to heal the sick, not to teach them to heal themselves, not to pray for them and hope that they will receive, but to heal them…   This is so very encouraging that this is possible.   Jesus equipped the with the power and ability to accomplish just this.

They were to give what they had been given…  This really encourages me as I know that I know that I know that I know that God’s Good plan for my life is to lavish me with every good thing… Oh how I long to enter into that Holy flow. 

We have little splash pad next to our house.. and part of it is this bucket.   The bucket slowly fills with water… at some point getting so full that it hits a pivot point and dumps the water on whatever happens to find itself underneath at that time.   Oh to be such a bucket for all the things of God, to continually be filled and to continuously pour out the good things He is forever filling me up with.

Matthew 10:5-14 (ESV)

Hello!   This was a very eye opening video for me.. it made me realize how readily what we have taken for granted can undermine the Word of God.   Would love to hear your thoughts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n042X-Fuihg&list=PLF25F7823F756EA67&index=3

Lisa

Ever ask yourself what convinced people in the New Testament church that God was the real deal?   As a daughter, sister, friend to so many who aren’t saved… It’s one I should ask myself often.

Acts 5 “5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

 

So you might be wondering about how the above scripture ties into having a Kingdom minset. I was chewing on this scripture about Ananias and Sapphira.. A couple who had clearly missed the mark on having the right mindset. In these verses, we have an occurence that maybe a lot of us would pretend didn’t exist in the New Covenant passages. 2 people struck dead for testing God and lying to the Holy Spirit, for doing something that we see as soooooo normal that we could miss how directly this verse applies to us. They exagerated their gift, trying to appear more godly than they actually were, or at very least trying to impress a bunch of people and not God. How many of us don’t exagerate on some level? And how many of us can say that our motives were any different than this couples? Where does this fit under the covenant of grace? I have questions.. more questions than answers. So, on the really awesome side, here is what is very exciting to me in these verses. While no wanted to join the apostles, the number of believers actually increased after this incident. Somehow both fear of the Lord and the grace, compassion, miracles motivated a greater number of people to start really flocking towards God. Is it possible that we have lost how important and significant fear of the Lord is to the sharing of the full gospel in a convincing and powerful way?

James 4:2-4 “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

 

Anyone else see a theme? We see in the verses above that this sin was conceived in the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira, that even in giving a generous amount, the value of their gift was completed annihilated by their motivation in giving their gift. First, seemingly, they were giving in response to the gift of another believer (if you check out the passage prior to this one, Barnabus had just done a very similar thing and offered the fullness of his gift). As long as we are following a “thou shalt” “you must” ” you want this than do that” instead of doing these things in joy and thanksgiving for the Lord, somehow, we are still locked into this awful mindset. God looks past all that we do outwardly and looks straight at our heart. In truth, Ananias and Sapphira would have been better off keeping their property than selling it and giving the proceeds in the manner they gave. Are there places in my life and ways where I do this? I confess I am guilty and praise God, now forgiven for these sins. We are so desperate to be friend’s with the world.. Ok, I have historically been so desperate to be friends with the world. But to do so makes us “an enemy of God”. James speaks to one of our most common motives. We often seek, do, pray, and even serve according to this … hedonism (a fancy word that means the pursuit of fleshly pleasures). Is it possible that this is maybe a reason why some of our prayers aren’t answered? Even in praying to be healthy, our goals are not typically Kingdom directed. Mostly we just want to escape the pain, discomfort, yucky parts of our existence etc and resume the life that we see so many others living.. there is an especial temptation for those suffering from sickness and disease with envy and jealousy. How willing are we to give up the parts that our flesh likes, that we count as good and happy regardless of what the Bible says about these things. Have we escalated our human “morality” above the Word of God. I studied philosophy in university. In hindsight, this may have been the most useful course I took as it helps me to understand that how we think and perceive the “common good” to be is actually and has actually largely been crafted by the influence and intention of the great philosophers etc.. History speaks clearly to this… The dark ages representing one mind set, the enlightenment representing another. The truth is, although some might be tempted to lynch me for saying so, is our morals are largely fashionable and change with the media and the seasons. My morals at 27 had radically shifted from the morals I held at 12 years old. Have a peak at TV programming from 40-50 years ago and you will quickly see how much our “values” have changed since.
So, what can we do to have a Kingdom mindset. Always comes back to that verse Matthew 6:33 for me.

“33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

How often do we drop the “and his righteousness” when we quote this verse. The reality is the very core of our existence once we are born again is to develop a relationship with God and to seek His Kingdom, His will and His way. We are called to die to our old selves and our old fleshly ways.

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) ” Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

 

Notice God works in us so that we will “will and work for HIS good pleasure”. Something about this verse tells me that my own salvation doesn’t just happen, but takes ongoing effort and the right mindset (hence the with fear and trembling). Oh my Lord, please forgive me for living so utterly selfishly, I thank you that You are already at work within me and my heart so that I will live for Your will and Your good pleasure.   A few more scriptures that popped to mind today as I was thinking on these things.

 2 Timothy 3 (ESV) “3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”

Luke 8:10-15 (ESV)
“10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”

2 Corinthians 5:11-13 (NLT)

“11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.”

While I am not a huge fan of repetitive prayer in any format, I do think there are certain areas where our faith humanly speaking, has a tendency to falter.    Fear and Worry happen to be biggies for me at times and I think a little preaching to myself, (actually just reading the right scriptures out loud) bolsters my faith.   The original verses are listed at the bottom for reference.   The repetitiveness that you notice is simply echoing the original verses, apparently God really wants us to understand just how completely He watches over us (Psalm 121 is especially wonderful as it points out that the Lord Himself does this without rest or slumber).

Scriptures to mediate on the Lord Our Protection

Dear Heavenly Father, Lord of Lords, Faithful Shield, Loving Father, Ruler Supreme above all Who Surround Your throne, Thank you for the protection you provide for us on every side, everywhere we go, at all times, day and night.

Thank you that as we look to You, and you alone for our protection, that You surround us day and night, without slumber or rest, with an impenetrable shield of Love, Your wall of Fire, Your eternal and never failing faithfulness and for sending Your angels to guard us so completely that we cannot even strike our foot on a stone.  Thank You Lord Jesus Christ for restoring us, that we are now the righteousness of God, and that even our bones are protected due to Your sacrifice.  Day and Night, You keep us completely secure from all harm and protect from every snare, trap, hurt, harm, plan of the evil one.   Thank you that the Angel of the Lord guards all who fear You.  We have nothing to fear as You are with us (you both proceed and follow us, and your glory securely protects us from behind).  No evil shall befall us, and no plague shall come near our dwelling place.

Praise the Lord who is our Rock, the Guardian of our lives and the lives of our little ones, our loving Ally, our Rescuer, our Fortress and Tower of safety and strength and in whom we can always take refuge and rest.   You train and equip us for every battle in strength, wisdom and skill.  You and you alone O Lord, are our triumphant sword, not by human strength, weapons, knowledge but by Your Spirit and Your Power and Might do we will stand triumphant over every enemy. It is Your victorious right hand that holds us up.  Where we have been taken captive, You release us.  Where we have been plundered, You restore us for You have freed Your people.   Thank you that You fight those who fight us and You save our children.   Our enemies now cringe before us, knowing that in You, we will tramp on their backs and they are forced to submit to us as we walk in obedience to Your Word and will. 

Praise You Lord, Lord of Hosts, Defender of the weak, the poor and helpless, that You are leading us through the wilderness and the field of testing and temptation to the promise land and the fullness of Your heavenly kingdom.   Thank you that we will find rest on every side and be delivered first into a season and then into an eternity of absolute peace. 

You are worthy of great praise and thanksgiving Oh Lord, Restorer, Redeemer and Sanctifier of our lives.  In You we lay down in complete safety, our sleep is sound sweet and we wake to the sweet assurances of Your promises and Your Word.

Thank you that Your perfect love is delivering us and freeing us from all fear, worry, anxiety, stress and dread.

Amen

[Psalm 5:12, 2 Samuel 22:30-31,  Psalm 91:10-12, Psalm 34:7, Isaiah 58:8, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 31:26, Proverbs 3:24, Psalm 18:28, Psalm 144:1-2, Zecharaiah 2:5, 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 121:3-8, Colossians 1:12-14, Deuteronomy 33:29, Hosea 1:7, Isaiah 49:25, Joshua 21:43-45, Psalm 3:5-6, Psalm 34:15-20, Psalm 56:9, 2 Samuel 22:30-31, 2 Timothy 4:18, 1 John 4:18]