Success

It’s been said... “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.”   

The Bible echoes this in Proverbs 6:6-8

“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!  Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.”

Sometimes in life...unexpected things happen... We catch a break with a bonus check...only to have it swallowed up by a blown tire or an unpaid bill.  How can we be prevent this from happening?  We can’t.  What we can do is prepare for it.  Put money aside.  Save part of what we earn “in the summer” so that if “winter” hits... we’ll be ready.  

Want to know how to catastrophe proof your finances?  Tithe, save, and budget the rest (in that order).  It’s amazing how much easier success in the future becomes when we get ready for it today. 

God Made Today

Unpaid bills, children who don’t listen, a boss who doesn’t get it, a grouchy spouse, and that pain that just won’t go away... sometimes it’s hard to remember that we are supposed to live out Psalm 118:24 It says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Rejoice?  How are we supposed to be overjoyed with so much going wrong?  Easy.  God made today.  Just for you.  He gave you air in your lungs and kept your heart beating so you could experience every second of it.  When trouble comes, He’ll be there.  Feeling alone?  Hurt?  He will never give up on you.  Short of money?  Stay generous...and watch Him provide for every need.  It’s all about perspective and a committed focus on God’s goodness!  You’ve got another 24 hours to change the world... make the choice to rejoice!    

Impact

Jackie Robinson was the first African-American person to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Players would stomp on his feet and kick him. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans booed. Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

Encouragement means so much.  Sometimes it’s verbal... a word of affirmation or a compliment.  Yet other times, it’s not.  It can come in the form of a hand squeeze, a wink, a pat on the back, or in Jackie Robinson’s case, an arm over the shoulder.  Regardless of how it is conveyed, everyone needs to be encouraged.  The Bible talks about it in 1 Thessalonians 5

Vs.  11 “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

Throughout the course of your life you will talk with many people.  Some will be closer than others... but all will be affected by the conversations.  What kind of impact are you having on them?  Are you building them up?  Helping them see their potential?  Reminding them of their value?   God has called us to do so.   There are enough people in this world trying to boo and jeer those you love.  Refuse to be one of them.  Choose to shine your light on the good things... point them out... lift them up... and encourage those around you to believe in themselves again.  It’s love like that that will change the world. 

Self Control?

Tony Evans, Pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Texas, spoke of being on an elevator in a high-rise building. He didn’t like riding elevators because he worried that something would go wrong.  One day it did.  The car he was riding in got stuck in between floors.   He noted that some of the people in the car became frantic. They began to beat on the door hoping to get someone’s attention. Others began to yell in the hopes that their voices would get someone on the surrounding floors to come to the aid. But nobody heard their noise or their cries. Then Evans quietly made his way to the front of the car, opened a little door in the wall and pulled out a telephone. Immediately he was connected with someone on the outside. He didn’t need to beat on the wall to get their attention. He didn’t need to speak loudly in the phone to receive their help. He could have whispered and they would have heard him.

Anger and yelling did nothing to get those people out of the elevator.   Instead, patience and self-control solved the problem.  The Bible talks about this very thing...

“Better to be patient than powerful;

    better to have self-control than to conquer a city.”  Proverbs 16:32

In any relationship, anger and lack of self-control hurt the ability to honestly communicate.  When one side is afraid of making the other mad for fear of setting off an emotional volcano...there is an issue...and before long, all meaningful communication stops.   If we are going to have deeper relationships, we must be in control of our temper...not over-reacting to a situation or a remark.  By doing so, we create an environment where both sides are equally heard... honesty and trust thrive... and God-honoring solutions are reached. 

Saying and Doing

It’s hard to handle a hypocrite.  You know the type... “Do as I say...not as I do!”  They like to point fingers, call out errors, and accuse... while doing many of those exact same things in their own lives.  The Bible calls it out in Matthew 7

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend,  ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?   Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.”

Hypocrisy hurts the ability to honestly communicate.  It wastes energy and erodes trust.  When the words don’t match the deeds, a person begins to doubt.  Which part are they supposed to believe?  What is truth and what isn’t?  Why are they saying those words and their body language or tone is saying something completely opposite?   If what they’re saying is such a good idea, why aren’t they doing it themselves?

We wouldn’t eat at a restaurant where the chef didn’t eat his own cooking would we?  Of course not!  If the food is good enough to serve to others it should be good enough for the one who prepared it, right?   If you find yourself trying to change someone by giving them advice, make sure you aren’t sending a mixed message.  People learn more from what we’re doing than from what we’re saying.   And when those line up... trust builds and relationships thrive.   

Noise or Understanding

Winston Churchill once said, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."

Have you ever thought about how much time we spend listening?   Whether it be in a business meeting, a relationship, or even with God?  There are many people today that hear every word... quickly respond... and then have to apologize and repair damage because they didn’t think through the possible consequences of their answer.  Active listening is something we have to choose to do...but did you know it something God wants us to do as well?  In the book of James, Chapter 1 and verse 19 it says this:  

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”

Proverbs 18:13 puts it another more direct way...

“Spouting off before listening to the facts

    is both shameful and foolish.”

It’s much better to spend your time thinking through an answer than mending a fence or repairing relationship damage.  Sometimes you only have one chance to choose the right response in a situation... Be courageous!  Choose to think it through first and answer second... you’ll always be glad you did.  Remember,  two people talking just create noise... one person talking while the other listens creates deeper understanding and connection.  

Quiet Voice

Life gets pretty loud.  Alarm clocks ring...kids cry... bosses yell... and our past screams at us from thoughts we wish we could forget.   Things get hectic... and if we’re not careful, we’ll let distraction win.   We are often told how much God wants to say to us... so why is it so hard to hear His voice in the midst of life?

Our question isn’t a new one.  Let’s take a look at the life of Elijah...

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

Elijah stood patiently and waited for God to speak.  And as the winds whipped through his hair... he became convinced that a powerful God would chat with him in a rowdy way.  He was wrong.  Then the earthquake came... surely God would communicate as the ground moved.  Wrong again.  After that... fire.  Yes!  Elijah knew the story of Moses’ burning bush... this must be a repeat performance!  God was going to tell him everything he needed to know when the heat was on!   Nothing.  Zip.  God wasn’t talking through the noise at all.  

Instead, He waited.  And then God whispered.   Gently.  Elijah didn’t expect “gently”.  He didn’t know that God wants to communicate with us when we’re still... 

How much of your day is spent just being still?   Peaceful?  Quiet?  If you’re like many..not much...and unchecked distraction wins out.  You have to make the intentional decision to get alone with God.   He won’t shout above the noise of your day... He’ll simply wait until you can hear Him.  He doesn’t signal us in shouts or yells or pointed fingers or accusations.  God whispers.  He nudges.  He speaks to us in the quiet spaces of our heart... not with judgment but in love.  We just have to quiet our spirit enough to hear Him.  

Retreat to where the sound isn’t... open up the Word... and listen for the gentlest voice you can hear.  God has something to tell you.

Real Pain

Pierre Renoir is a famous French artist who was known for his paintings, mostly depicting family life. But there was one disease that tormented this gifted artist -- he had arthritis that plagued him to the tip of his fingers. Each brushstroke forcing a grimace to his face... It took him a long time to finish one masterful work of art. One of his friends urged him to stop painting and focus on his health. Renoir kept going... even though it hurt.  

God talks about pain in His word:  “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  Romans 5:3-5

For so many... that level of pain is very real.   Sometimes it comes from a physical condition...other times it’s emotional scarring... relationship damage... poor choices... or even self-inflicted loathing or pity.  In any case, it hurts.  Badly.  But one thing I’ve found in all my years of ministry... pain precedes progress.  What we see as a mountain… a barrier... God allows into our lives so that we can develop the necessary skills and character to become an overcomer... a person who knows what they’ve been through so they don’t have to be scared about what’s coming.  If you are hurting right now as you read this, hold on.  Don’t quit.  I know it hurts.  But I also know this... breakthrough is coming.  Pain is temporary...God is permanent.  He’s not going to give up on you and you are going to be different as a result of your perseverance.   

Good Enough?

Baseball great Joe DiMaggio was a very unique player.   He just never quit.  When asked why he continually gave it all he had (even when the game was out of reach)... DiMaggio smiled and said “"There is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first or last time, I owe him my best."

So many times we don’t try to be great because we can get away with good.  We ease up, slack off, pull back, or slow down.  Not because we can’t do it... but because we don’t have to.  We settle for a “C” when our potential is an “A”.... If you’ve ever felt like letting the feeling of “good enough” take over... remember today’s verse:

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”  Colossians 3:23

Joe DiMaggio worked hard consistently because of his inner drive.. his work ethic... and his unwillingness to settle.  He worked for Yankee manager Joe McCarthy.  If you are a Christ-follower... you should work hard, be driven, have a high work ethic, and push the envelope too... but not because you work for a demanding manager.  You work for God.  

Whatever you do... you work for God.  Plumber to pizza maker to politician.... Your boss came to Earth over 2000 years ago and died so that you could be a world-changer.  Defeat the feeling of “good-enough”... push yourself to try harder, work with joy, and represent Christ in everything you do.   Jesus gave all He had.  He held nothing back.  

Why shouldn’t we do the same... all day... everyday.  

For You

“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”  -  Romans 8:31b

 How often do we forget the power of God?   Sometimes it’s when we are in financial crisis... other times we get scared when the doctor tells us she found something on our X-rays.  Fear sets in.  Storm clouds gather.  Doubt makes us feel helpless, hopeless, and alone. I think some of the most common doubting takes place when it comes time to pray.   Is God listening to me?  Does He even care?  If He does hear me... what will his answer be?  What if He says for me to “wait”  or even  “No..”  What will I do then?  

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering the same thing when you pray, today’s verse has good news for you  Ready for it?  Here it is:  God is for you.  Hear that one more time...  God is for you.  He has your best interests in mind.  Even when we doubt His power... especially when we face challenges and stresses that seem to be beyond our ability to handle them.  God always knows what’s best for you.  He is FOR you.  There is nothing that can stand against you because He knows what you need and He knows when you’ll need it.  Stand strong against doubt today... knowing that even though we may not get the answer we’re expecting it will be the right one.... in the right time... and there is nothing on this Earth that will be able to stand against you when you lean on God.  

Where to Look

Michael Jordan once said “ I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Have you ever thought about that?  Michael Jordan could have missed a few of those early game-winning shots and just quit.  He could have asked his teammates not to throw him the ball in the closing seconds.  He could have remembered the misses rather than the successes.  

Has that ever happened to you?  You’ve dropped the ball when someone asked you to carry it.  Perhaps you feel the sting of failure as a parent... a husband... a wife... a student... or even as a child of God.   You’ve wanted to give up and quit... you’ve wanted to walk away... and you’ve wondered if God knew you were going through any of it.  Today’s verse is just for you. 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”  Hebrews 12:1-3 

God’s word says that we are to run the race “with endurance.”  We are to be strong...steadfast...and determined.  Being sure all the while to keep our eyes on He who never failed... Jesus Christ.  Michael Jordan may have missed some baskets, but he wasn’t a failure.  You’ve missed a few things too... but I would define you in the same way.   You aren’t a failure.  People are counting on you to stay on your feet and keep at it.  The race God has for you is specifically yours... your lane... your time.  Run with faith.  Go at it with your head up, your eyes on God, and the thought of permanent failure banned from your vocabulary.  Will you slip up?  Sure.  Learn from it.  Fail forward.  God trusts you with your mission... He has given you potential... live boldly! 

Good

“Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”  Psalm 31:19

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

“Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!”  Psalm 65:4

“Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!”  Psalm 25:7

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”  Romans 12:9

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “God is good all the time... and all the time God is good!”  Do you believe that?  After all... you just paid bills last night and you have more month than money.  Your child is sick... your parents won’t get off your back... you’re driving on two bald tires... and that nagging pain in your back won’t stop hurting.

Poverty...hunger...warfare...disease...

God is good?

God IS good.

Psalm 145:9-16

The Lord is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation.

All of your works will thank you, Lord,
    and your faithful followers will praise you.

They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
    they will give examples of your power.

They will tell about your mighty deeds
    and about the majesty and glory of your reign.

For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
    You rule throughout all generations.

The Lord always keeps his promises;
    he is gracious in all he does.

The Lord helps the fallen
    and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

The eyes of all look to you in hope;
    you give them their food as they need it.

When you open your hand,
    you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

Psalm 145 above reminds us of why God is so good all the time...

He is compassionate (vs. 9) - He cares about us on an intimate level... He knows it hurts and He never leaves us.

He is strong (vs. 11 and 12) - God is powerful enough to take our biggest struggles away... and determined enough to let us endure them to develop perseverance.

He keeps His promises (vs. 13) - When God says it... He doesn’t change it.  His word is steadfast, true, and meant to be taken literally in your mind and heart.  You may not be able to bank on much in this world... but God does what He promises He will do.  

He is gracious (vs. 13) - We get what we haven’t earned.  God gives grace when we deserve punishment.  

He helps us up when we fall  (vs. 14) - Feeling beaten down?  We all do from time to time.  God never leaves us when we are at our weakest...when we stumble... when we fail.  In fact, it is during those times that when we turn to Him... He helps us back up.

He provides (vs. 16) - Too many times we look to God and wonder... “Why would a good God not provide for me?”  What we miss is what we already have.  When we look at our situation through the lens of gratitude...we realize that God provides what we need not necessarily what we want.   

Every single thing we have, are, or will ever be comes from God.  

Don’t let your circumstances or emotions determine your opinion of the goodness of God.  He is and always will be the same.  Unflinchingly in love with you... Committed to helping you discover and reach your potential... Intentionally nudging your heart to obedience... Lovingly whispering encouragement to your soul.

Even when we don’t understand why

Even when we don’t see the fruits of our labor

Even when the skies grow cloudy and the rains fall in our lives

Even when the enemy tries to convince us otherwise...

God is good.   

I may not understand the world but God is good.

Bad things may happen but God is good.  

I may feel life is unfair but God is good.

I may not see the destination and get frustrated in the road to get there... 

But God. is. good.

Give Him thanks today. 

A Season For Everything

Is balance possible?  Should we be pursuing it?  The answer may surprise you.  

A recent survey of college graduates indicated that 59% say their top priority is a balance between personal and professional life.  Over half!  Is this kind of balance even possible?  Many think so.  There are literally thousands of books written with such topics as pace, perspective, and priority... all to convince people that the ultimate goal in life is to achieve home and work equilibrium.  

The Bible talked about this:   

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing...”   Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Everything has it’s place and time... but is everything supposed to be equal?  Balanced?  What if it takes longer to mourn than dance?  What if breaking down lasts longer than the time it takes to build up?  My point?  Everything happens in seasons.  Some longer...some shorter.  There IS a time for everything but there is very little chance that the time that these occur will be anywhere close to equal.   

It may happen where your work time and your home time get off kilter.  You’ll find yourself in the office longer than with your kids at home.  Is this a permanent condition?  No...and it shouldn’t be.  Both require you to be there... but for a season... one will require more of your attention.  I will go further and say that many times these “seasons” are out of your control.  

Your boss sends you on a trip and you are gone for two weeks...

Your wife has a health scare and needs you to be with her for a month...

A child needs 100% of your attention...

Your project requires working through the night for a week....

Can all of this be done at the same time?  Do any of these look like a balanced life?

Of course not.  Life curves.  It shifts and bends in unexpected ways... and you’ll have to bend with it.    

If it’s so impossible...why do we still seek it?   Why does having a perfectly equal life still seem like the ideal pursuit to many?

Why does the lack of balance in life make us feel like failures?

It’s weighing us down... How can we get out of the bog of balance?

PERSPECTIVE.

Many see life like the croaking of a frog.  

RIBBIT  -  rest  -  RIBBIT   -  rest.  -  RIBBIT - rest

Perfectly metered...equally paced.  Off, on, off, on.   Work, home, work, home.  A perfect    blend. 

This is NOT life.  You may hear this in a swamp but you won’t see it in your neighborhood.  We get into trouble when we feel like our lives should live up to this unrealistic expectation.  It simply isn’t possible or necessary.  

Life is much more like the song of the bird.  Music... loud, soft, long rests and short blasts.  Melodic...flowing...pausing...restarting.  It isn’t loud crescendos all the time... often it’s calm melodies... thoughtful passages where great focus is placed on the benefit of the entire piece over one grouping of instruments.  Sometimes it gets very loud and stays there... only to give way to a necessary silence.  A time to catch your breath, turn the page, and continue playing.  Unequally paced...intentionally asymmetrical.

The key to a fulfilled life is seeking Christ in all things... realizing that we should be focused on His rhythms over the hard cadence of what the world deems to be healthy. 

I love the way this verse from Matthew talks about it.  

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Recover your life.   Unforced rhythms of grace.  Real rest.

Only through Christ.  

Jesus didn’t try to balance His ministry... spending equal time with His disciples and those He came to serve.  Instead He knew that He had a limited time to make an impact for the Kingdom... 

He gave His all to fulfill His purpose... 

Intentionally poured into His family when He was with them... 

Involved those He loved in what He was doing... 

Stayed connected to God through honest communication in prayer..

It wasn’t balance He was after... it was rhythm.   The world may have said He wasn’t balanced... and they would be right.  He wasn’t going for parity.  He was fulfilling His purpose.

We should do the same.

Thrive where you’re planted... make the most of the season you’re in... and dance to the perfect rhythm of life by following Christ.  Give up the pursuit of balance and embrace the ebb and flow of God’s timing and mission for your life.

Let the frogs croak... you weren’t meant for the bog anyway.   

9/11

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

How could God allow tragedy?  The answer is simple.  Sometimes people choose to do things outside of God’s plan.   They disregard the scripture... and plot to bring destruction, chaos, and hurt.  People have disobeyed God since the first two in the Garden of Eden...and for thousands of years thereafter.  It isn’t new or exclusive to this generation.  Freewill is wonderful.  It allows us to love God because we WANT to...not because we are forced to.  It’s genuine.  But this same freedom has a potentially dangerous side.  People can choose the other way.  Bombs are set.  Lives are taken.  Families are broken forever.  

But God tells us to take heart because He has overcome the world.  Will bad things happen here?  Yes.  Will God be here with us through it?  Definitely.  

- Through His servants doing whatever it takes to comfort the mourning.  God is there.

- Through area churches providing counseling to the grieving. God is there.

- Through Christ-followers around the world that will spend a few extra minutes on their knees in deep prayer.  God is there.

We serve a God that knows anguish firsthand.  He has felt what you feel.  May His grace and strength continue to be with you as you persevere on the journey back to health. Take heart and know that you aren’t alone...  God is there.... He has overcome this world... and He loves you more than you’ll ever know.   

To the families of those directly affected by the events of 9/11… you will never be forgotten.  As we commemorate that dark chapter in our history today, may we never allow the acts of a few cloud our view of the love and power of our Lord.  

Be Strong

In 1989, a terrible earthquake almost flattened Armenia. It killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. One father rushed to his son's school and found the building flat as a pancake. Standing there in tears, he remembered a promise he had made to his son, "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!"  It looked absolutely hopeless, but the dad went to the back right corner and started digging in the pile of rubble. The other grieving parents tried to pull him off, saying, "It's too late! They're dead!”  But he just kept digging for his son stone by stone. He dug for 8 hours, then 12, 24, 36 hours without stopping. Finally in the 38th hour, as he pulled back a boulder, he heard his son's voice. He screamed his son's name, "ARMAND!" And a voice answered him, "Dad? It's me Dad!" 

Then the boy added these priceless words, "I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you'd save me and when you saved me, they'd be saved." He remembered his Father's promise: "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!"

Fourteen children were saved that day because one father was faithful. But how much more faithful is our heavenly Father! 

You too may feel abandoned... buried... lost...without hope... Never give up hope that your Father will come looking for you.  I love the quote in the passage above, “No matter what, I’ll always be there for you!”  

God says that same thing to you today:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

God will never give up on you.  

His love is never ending.

His power is unmatched.

He is dedicated to your growth.  

He will allow challenging things to happen in your life to build your faith.  You may feel like the world is falling down all around you... but rest assured... He will turn over every stone until you see the light again.  Then as you rise from the rubble of what the world was trying to bury you with, He will be there to embrace you and remind you that you are His.   You are protected.  You are precious.

God is a faithful God.  He will never let you go.  

Thank Him today for His faithfulness.

Written for You

Welcome to Wednesday.  It’s halfway through the week and (perhaps) nothing has changed.  

What do I mean by that? 

After all...time has passed.  Things have happened...some good and some bad.  

You slept a few times... eaten lunch... talked on the phone... emailed a client... dealt with a headache... and driven your child to karate....

Lots of different things have happened...

But I say that maybe nothing has changed.  

If you’ve worried... nothing has changed.

If you’ve stressed...nothing has changed.

If you’ve felt like giving up... nothing has changed.

In these daily devotionals,  we read promise after promise from God’s word about how He feels about you, what you mean to Him, how He wants you to live your life, and how important you are.

But then Monday came.  And perhaps nothing changed.  Same worries...same stresses...same feeling of hopelessness...same pit... same clouds... same life.

You were made for more.   

I want to take a few minutes with you today... and give you some more scripture.  More promises.  A gentle midweek reminder that God never changes... no matter how we feel, He stays consistent... and loving... and with us.  

The first half of the week may not have seen change.. but today you’ve got a fresh set of 24 hours to believe these promises.  Not believe they are great for only the flawless... but true and relevant to the flawed.  To me.  To you.  

Ready?

God will NEVER leave you
 

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”   Deuteronomy 31:6

God will ALWAYS watch over you 

“The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.”  Psalm 121:7-8

God will give you POWER when you need it.

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand”  Isaiah 41:10

God will GUIDE you

The Lord will guide you continually,
    giving you water when you are dry
    and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like an ever-flowing spring.  Isaiah 58:11

God will give you REST

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

God will CLEANSE us from what we’ve done.

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  1 John 1:9

God will be GOOD to those who do what is right.

“For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
    He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
    from those who do what is right.”  Psalm 84:11

God will NOT allow you to be defeated.

“But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior.
    Before him my persecutors will stumble.
    They cannot defeat me.
They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated.”  Jeremiah 20:11

These promises aren’t just words on a page.  They weren’t just meant for people in the Bible.  

They are yours.  Every last holy syllable... written for you.  Re-read these verses... and put your name in them.  Every time you see “us” or “me” ... put your name there.  

They are powerful and true... and yours. 

Let’s stop living defeated lives and really believe that God means what He says.  He has such a plan for your life...far more than you might ever imagine.  It’s my prayer today that you would claim these promises for your own amazing life... and face each day as it comes with the strength that His word provides.  

Pity Party

Whiners are everywhere.  You probably know a few.  When life gives them lemons... they don’t make lemonade... they make excuses.  Heads down,  voices in permanent Eeyore mode... they wander through life wondering why everything is the way it is... and why they have to be the victim of it.  

Whiners have been around for awhile...

[The Israelites led by Moses]

“If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”  - Exodus 16:3

[Martha complaining about her sister Mary when Jesus came to visit]

“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”  Luke 10:38-40

They aren’t bad people... they just need a new perspective.  

What happens when we don’t set up boundaries on the influence of whiners?   We become one.  Whining people complain around us... and before we know it, phrases like “good point” or “I’ve never thought about it like that before” enter our vocabulary and we change... We start to say:  

“That white cloud doesn’t look so white... in fact... it’s light gray…” 
“You call it opportunity and blessing from God... I call it ‘luck’ and ‘right place at the right time.’” 
“Why me... What if... When... Who cares... “

If you find yourself being the one that people whine to, there’s a reason for it.

You listen.

People take their garbage to the dump... and we can’t allow them to bring it to us.  A good way to protect yourself from whiners is to simply and politely ask them not to gossip or share any information with you if the point is simply to complain.   You don’t need the stress and they don’t need the affirmation that their behavior is Godly.

Remember, nobody likes boundaries, but putting some up is necessary.  If we aren’t careful, especially in the arena of whining, we can let people alter us and our view of the world.  Life becomes a pity party... table for one... with us as the guest of honor.  

Scars

SCARS (Monday's Devotional)

    There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.  No matter how many times you apologize, the wound has been made.”

Ever been scarred?

How can we make peace with our scars... those painful reminders of things that happened to us long ago?  We can be at peace with our hurts because Christ was with His own.  Pierced in the side... nailed at the wrists... Jesus’ resurrection message reassured us that He knew pain, humiliation, and death... but they weren’t enough to take Him out.   We can’t let our own scars knock us down for good either.

But the scar remains.  We run our fingers over that raised place on our skin and feel some of those original emotions all over again.  Why did she do that to me?  What did he have against me?

Being cut deeply hurts.

But what if the knife... or the nails... or the words... came from us.

What if we were the ones that caused the holes?  Made the scar?  Did the hurting?

Is there someone walking around today that is running their fingers over a scar that you put there?

What then?  The Bible tells us the steps...


1)  Confess It To God

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9

Tell God what He already knows... If we really hurt someone, denying it may help us to believe it but it doesn’t change the truth. God knows us... the sin is there... why not give up trying to hide it from the One who gave you your brain and heart.  Feeling ashamed?  Don’t drop your chin.  Look up... face your Heavenly Father... and tell Him who you’ve hurt.  I promise you that the eyes you will see won’t be stern... but compassionate.  Confession begins the eventual healing of our heart.

2)  Own It With the One You Wronged

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”  James 5:16

Oftentimes this is the hardest step.  We are OK telling God who we’ve hurt... but actually going to the person and owning the issue can be crippling.  However, your recovery can’t go any further until you make the call, write the letter, Skype, or have coffee with the one who you’ve scarred.  Be strong... take courage... and realize that God will empower you as you attempt to make things right.  You will have the right words at the right time... That restored relationship matters... both to you and God.

3)  Seek Forgiveness

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,” Matthew 6:14

This step is more than just saying “I’m sorry”... it’s asking for something you haven’t earned from a person who doesn’t have to grant it.  There’s risk involved.  But any relationship that means something occasionally requires forgiveness.  Remember, you and I have already been forgiven for so much.  God loves us with such an incredible degree of passion that He has paid the ultimate price for us missing the target and sinning.  When we seek forgiveness from those we’ve wronged, we can do so knowing that regardless of the outcome, God has paid for that sin...  Getting the “You are forgiven” from a person is important for closure and healing... but knowing the penalty for that issue has already been paid is priceless.


4)  Commit to Not Repeating It

“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”  James 1:23-25

What was it that caused the damage in the first place?  Misplaced anger?  Not thinking things through?  Frustration?  Fatigue?  A disconnect with God?  Whatever the reason, once you have forgiveness, commit to fixing and/or changing that behavior permanently.    Many people don’t take this step and find themselves continually seeking forgiveness, hurting again, and repeating the process.  If we are going to be who Christ created us to be, we have a responsibility to reflect His character.  We need to break that chain of cause and effect in our lives... to seek to love others and extend the grace and mercy we ourselves enjoy unmerited.


5)  Forgive yourself


“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”  1 Timothy 1:15-16

The hardest step of all.  You’ve broken a heart...or a trust...or put holes in a relationship that will never be the same.  You’ve confessed it to God, owned it, sought forgiveness, received it, committed to fixing the issue in your life...

But why can’t I let it go?

Read the verse above...  all of us are sinners.  All of us make huge mistakes.  The way to help forgive yourself is to put those errors in context.

When we mess up... Christ shows us mercy.  When He does that.... He shows the world  sees how patient He is.  When people see that Christ gives grace to the imperfect, they get to know His character.  When they get to know Him... they can begin a relationship with Him.

Forgive yourself because by doing so, Christ is displayed... we are freed from our past... He gets the credit... others get to see His mercy toward us... and people get saved.

Not easy... but so critically important.

It is my prayer that if the scar came by way of your mistake... you would pray and follow these steps.  You were created for greatness not a life of regret.  Allow today to be your first steps down the road to healing.  

Top of the Fence Post

   I don’t know where you are this morning.  Corner office... student desk... passenger seat of a delivery truck... or sitting in your home.  I do know this:

You didn’t get there alone.  

Along your life-journey, hundreds of people and tens of thousands of interactions with those people have led you to this spot on the map of your life.    You’ve faced some high walls in your life... and those around you have boosted you over.  You’ve fallen down in the face of adversity... and those around you have grabbed your hand and helped you back to your feet.  

All of your successes?  You’ve had help.  

Opportunities?  Provided by others.

Gifts?  People have given you a place to use them.

As much as we want to think we’ve done it all ourselves... it simply isn’t true.  

Now I can hear some of you out there saying... “Pastor, I’ve worked hard to be where I am... and I’ve actually overcome people pulling me down to get there...  Everything I have, I’ve done on my own!”

With all due respect... that’s not true.   You’ve had help... but not just from people...

Take a look at today’s verses:

“...be content with what you have because He has said, ‘I will never leave you; I will always be by your side.’  Because of this promise, we may boldly say, 

‘The Lord is my help- 

I won’t be afraid of anything.

How can anyone harm me?’”   Hebrews 13:5b-6 

“By the God of your father, who will come to your aid, by the All-Powerful One who will bless you with the blessings from heaven above...”   Genesis 49:25a 

[from David] “Don’t give up on me in anger at Your servant.  You have always been there for me.  Don’t throw me to the side and forget me, my God and only salvation.  My father and mother have deserted me, yet the Eternal will take me in.”  Psalm 28:9b-10

“After all, it is I, the Eternal One your God, who has hold of your right hand, Who whispers in your ear, ‘Don’t be afraid.  I will help you.’”   Isaiah 41:13

All verses from “The Voice” translation.  Emphasis and underlines are mine.

 Everything we are, have, and can do is given to us by God.   Your ability to remember names?  From God.  Your parenting skills?  God.  That incredible brain you have to store baseball stats and facts to pass the bar exam?  

God. 

He created you and He’s never left your side.  When it’s been dark, He’s the One holding the candle.  When you’ve been searching for that last test answer... He’s the One who made it “come to mind.”  That person who stepped into your life that was the perfect fit?  God sent them.  

He is Who many call “luck”

He is the cause of our victories and the first one to hug us if we come in last.

He sees those tears rolling down our face and sends people our way to stand in the gap.

He is the reason you can do what you can do... where you can do it... at the level you’re doing it... and the receiver of the glory from it.  

He is helper, provider, sustainer, healer, defender, and source of all that has ever been good in our lives.   When we’re challenged, sometimes God steps in directly... and other times He uses people to help guide us through.   When we come through the storm we need to be grateful for His umbrella.

Alex Haley, the author of "Roots," had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post. When asked, "Why is that there?" Alex Haley answered, "Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words & think that they are wonderful, and begin to feel proud of myself, I look at the turtle on top of the fence post & remember that he didn’t get there on his own. He had help.”

God put you on that fencepost you find yourself on this morning... regardless of your health or wealth... take a minute and thank Him for the view from up there.  Even if we don’t think it’s a lot... He’s given us everything we need and everything we are... let’s spend our Friday remembering and giving thanks.