God is in Control

God Is In Control

And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. – Isaiah 6:3

Did you know there is now a modern day version of the Golden Rule? It says that “He who has the gold sets the rules”.

Who sets the rules for you? Your supervisor? The company president? The government? Whoever sets the rules has great power. Sometimes we feel like that particular person has too much power and control over our lives. We long to be that person who has the gold and sets the rules.

On the highest level, God is the one who sets the rules and has the greatest power over us. We make choices in life, but He is the ultimate boss. Through the prophet Isaiah, God told us to “maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

It’s good to know that God is kind and just. In our daily decisions, we need to follow God’s rules that are found in the Bible. Hopefully, you follow those rules in grateful response to Christ and what He’s done for you, not in an effort to earn your way into heaven.

Sometimes when people around us are flaunting their power, it’s easy to forget who is ultimately in control. I challenge you today to obey God’s rules for your life. Turn your situation over to God. He is in control.

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’ – C. S. Lewis

Anything under God’s control is never out of control. – Chuck Swindoll

Leave Your Enemies in God’s Hands

by Max Lucado

Max and Dolly

Some years ago a rottweiler attacked our golden retriever puppy at a kennel. The worthless animal climbed out of its run and into Molly’s and nearly killed her. He left her with dozens of gashes and a dangling ear. I wrote a letter to the dog’s owner, urging him to put the dog to sleep.

But when I showed the letter to the kennel owner, she begged me to reconsider. “What that dog did was horrible, but I’m still training him. I’m not finished with him yet.”

God would say the same about the rottweiler who attacked you. “What he did was unthinkable, unacceptable, inexcusable, but I’m not finished yet.”

Your enemies still figure into God’s plan. Their pulse is proof: God hasn’t given up on them. They may be out of God’s will, but not out of his reach. You honor God when you see them, not as his failures, but as his projects.

God occupies the only seat on the supreme court of heaven. He wears the robe and refuses to share the gavel. For this reason Paul wrote, “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it’ ” (Romans 12:19).

Revenge removes God from the equation. Vigilantes displace and replace God. “I’m not sure you can handle this one, Lord. You may punish too little or too slowly. I’ll take this matter into my hands, thank you.”

Is this what you want to say? Jesus didn’t. No one had a clearer sense of right and wrong than the perfect Son of God. Yet, “when he suffered, he didn’t make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly” (1 Pet. 2:23 GOD’S WORD).

Only God assesses accurate judgments. We impose punishments too slight or severe. God dispenses perfect justice. Vengeance is his job. Leave your enemies in God’s hands. You’re not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing.

Nor is forgiveness pretending. David didn’t gloss over or sidestep Saul’s sin. He addressed it directly. He didn’t avoid the issue, but he did avoid Saul.

Do the same. Give grace, but, if need be, keep your distance. You can forgive the abusive husband without living with him. Be quick to give mercy to the immoral pastor, but be slow to give him a pulpit. Society can dispense grace and prison terms at the same time. Offer the child molester a second chance, but keep him off the playgrounds.

Forgiveness is not foolishness.

Forgiveness is, at its core, choosing to see your offender with different eyes. You don’t excuse him, endorse her, or embrace them. You just route thoughts about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God’s child and revenge as God’s job.

By the way, how can we grace-recipients do anything less? Dare we ask God for grace when we refuse to give it? This is a huge issue in Scripture. Jesus was tough on sinners who refused to forgive other sinners. In the final sum, we give grace because we’ve been given grace.

Joy and Peace

TODAY’S VERSE I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Romans 15:13 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT When I read today’s verse, I say, “Can this really be true?” Then I quickly say, “Yes, Lord, please do this for me!” Paul was ending his letter to the Romans and must have thought to himself, “What would be the best thing in the world I could pray for the Romans?” And then this prayer came flowing out of him, straight from the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed that God, the source of hope, would fill you completely with joy and peace! Not a little, not half way, not just enough, but completely! Today, agree with God’s desire. Ask God to help you trust Him so He can completely fill you with His joy and peace.

Adversity is Unavoidable

When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stout hearted. – Psalm 138:3
I think we all discover about five seconds outside the womb that this life isn’t easy. And it seems that the older we get the tougher it becomes. Some people have problems or are attracted to difficulties like fleas to a dog. Others make it through life with relatively little difficulty.

But most likely, you’ll face some tough times in life, and it’s not important how your challenges stack up to the challenges of others. Sometimes you might wonder if you are going to be able to make it through, and you will if you hold onto God. He’s promised to see you through.

Are you weighed down? Do you feel overcome with grief or alone in your struggle?

You can choose to take steps to walk through your challenges and come through them a stronger person.

Remember, believing in God and in Jesus Christ doesn’t mean you won’t have problems. But it does mean you have resources, people, and God’s Spirit who will see you through your problems. What could be better?

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records. – William A. Ward

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. If it did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. – Charlotte Bronte

Martha

Martha 
by Max Lucado

Every church needs a Martha. Change that. Every church needs a hundred Marthas. Sleeves rolled and ready, they keep the pace for the church. Because of Marthas, the church budget gets balanced, the church babies get bounced, and the church building gets built. You don’t appreciate Marthas until a Martha is missing, and then all the Marys and Lazaruses are scrambling around looking for the keys and the thermostats and the overhead projectors.

Marthas are the Energizer bunnies of the church. They keep going and going and going. They store strength like a camel stores water. Since they don’t seek the spotlight, they don’t live off the applause. That’s not to say they don’t need it. They just aren’t addicted to it.

Marthas have a mission. In fact, if Marthas have a weakness, it is their tendency to elevate the mission over the Master. Remember when Martha did that? A younger Martha invites a younger Jesus to come for dinner. Jesus accepts and brings his disciples.

The scene Luke describes has Mary seated and Martha fuming. Martha is angry because Mary is, horror of horrors, sitting at the feet of Jesus. How impractical! How irrelevant! How unnecessary! I mean, who has time to sit and listen when there is bread to be baked, tables to be set, and souls to be saved? So Martha complained, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40).

All of a sudden Martha has gone from serving Jesus to making demands of Jesus. The room falls silent. The disciples duck their eyes. Mary flushes red. And Jesus speaks.

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

Apparently Martha got the point, for later we find her serving again.

“Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:2–3 NIV).

Is Mary in the kitchen? No she is worshiping, for that is what she loves to do. But this time Martha doesn’t object. She has learned that there is a place for praise and worship, and that is what Mary is doing. And what is Mary’s part in the dinner? She brings a pint of very expensive perfume and pours it on Jesus’ feet, then wipes his feet with her hair. The smell of the perfume fills the house, just like the sound of praise can fill a church.

An earlier Martha would have objected. Such an act was too lavish, too extravagant, too generous. But this mature Martha has learned that just as there is a place in the kingdom of God for sacrificial service, there is also a place for extravagant praise.

Blessed Life

by Rick Brown

Imagine you love the sport of tennis. You watch every match you can on TV. You subscribe to Tennis magazine. You buy instructional videos and read biographies of famous players.

Then one day you pick up your phone and realize you’ve missed a call. You press the play button on your voicemail and its Roger Federer offering to fly you to Wimbledon, England, to meet him there and receive a private day of instruction from him on Centre Court.

Think you’d take him up on his offer? And if not tennis, what is your favorite passion? If it’s cooking, maybe Gordon Ramsay. If it’s golf, maybe Tiger Woods. If it’s pop art, maybe Peter Max. Whatever the passion, to sit at a master’s feet and learn from them would be priceless.

The disciples had a passion for prayer and they knew they had witnessed a master at prayer. Maybe you have a passion for prayer too, but you aren’t sure how to go about it. What if you could have Jesus teach you? The truth is you can. What he taught his disciples then he teaches his disciples now. They asked him to teach them to pray and he did (Luke 11:1-4).

Jesus was “praying in a certain place.” The disciples were there with him and when he finished one of them said, “Lord, teach us to pray…” He gave them a simple pattern to help them learn the path of prayer. Take a quick look at the basic structure of the pattern:

“Father.” Prayer is talking, but it is talking to Someone. When you pray to God address him as you would a person. Prayer is first about relationship. If you’ve had a good father role model, then this address comes easy to you. But what if you didn’t? You probably have a vision of what a good father would be like. You will come to find out that God is far better than any good vision you have. So when you pray, say Father.

“Hallowed be your name.” “Hallowed” means “holy” or “special” or “unique” or “treasured.” “Hallowed” probably doesn’t mean much to us, but “treasured” does. You have something you treasure. You have relationships you treasure. So what we are to pray is that first we treasure God and second that his name become treasured in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Prayer is about us learning to live the life God is blessing!

“Your kingdom come.” Usually we start telling God our agenda. “Father, I need this.” Or, “Father, we are going to do this or that and we need you to rubber stamp it.” We want God to bless the life we are living. But prayer is about us learning to live the life God is blessing. In prayer we get in sync with him. He will show you how to let his kingdom come in your marriage, in your parenting, in your friendships, in your workplace, in your community and in your world.

“Give us each day our daily bread.” “Daily” bread is important. In the ancient world you did not stock up on groceries. You would go to the market and get just enough for one day or else things would spoil. Bread would get old and dry, so you would live day to day. God wants us to have faith that he will provide daily.

“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” Jesus creates a linkage between how we forgive each other and how God forgives us. We realize quickly that at times we don’t forgive very well. We hope that God forgives us better than we forgive people.

“And lead us not into temptation.” This is a prayer of protection. We know that we are tempted. We make critical comments, we cut corners, and we don’t follow through. There is a self-awareness that comes with prayer that says, “I know I am capable of being tempted.” So we become proactive in our prayers and ask God to intervene and keep us out of those situations.

Learn to pray from the Master pray-er. You’ll find yourself living a blessed life if you do.

Love-Hate Relationships

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. – Ephesians 4:1-3

Almost every person has at least one—a person you love, but also deeply resent or hate.  It could be a parent, spouse, sibling, boss, a rebellious child, neighbor, friend or even God.

Living in a love-hate relationship isn’t easy.  It requires some very complicated and refined coping skills.  The problem, however, is that too many people go on, day after day, merely coping with the situation.  Either they’re unaware that they can do more than cope, or they are unwilling to do it.

Those resigned to merely cope with the situation are not happy people.  Whether they stay in the relationship or leave, they render themselves powerless to change. They lose faith in the power of God to change the situation.  They give up on prayer as a means to facilitate change.

But our challenge goes beyond prayer.  The beginning of a solution rests in your decisions—your decision to do something—to take action.  Set boundaries.  See a counselor.  Join a group.  Confront in love.

Remember, “no decision” is a decision.

The man who rolls up his sleeves seldom loses his shirt. – Stephen Covey

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. – Martin Luther King Jr.

He longs to be with us.

Have you ever wanted to be with someone so much that you hurt? You may have even used the expression, “I ache to be with you.” Maybe it was your mate gone off to war, or you were the one shipped overseas, separated from your loved ones back home. Perhaps this is the first holiday season since the funeral of the man you have loved since you were a child. Maybe you learned that your child had been hospitalized but your are so far from them that there is no way you can travel to be at their bedside. Perhaps you are away from home for the first time, you are homesick, and cannot help thinking about the family sitting around the dinner table back home. Maybe this is your first time not to be with the family for the holidays and each song you hear reminds you of how you long to be home. Or, it may be that the love of your life just pulled away headed back to her home, and two weeks seems like a lifetime.

There may be no stronger ache, no greater longing, than what we feel when we are unable to be with the one we love. Card companies, florists, telephone companies, airlines, and car rental companies stay in business because we will do almost anything to relieve that longing and express our affection to those we love.

Perhaps it was to relieve a similar longing that God sent His Son to be “God with us.” He longed to be with us. He knew we would long to be with Him. He created us with the longing. He came to earth because God wanted to be with us.

It is easy to miss this message during this season of shopping, buying, wrapping, giving, and getting. It is easy to forget the real spirit of the season. Before you lose sight of the true good news of the season focus on the fact that God wanted to be with you so much that He came to earth to dwell with you.

May the truth of His desire to be with you bring you joy this holiday season, and throughout the year.

What do I have to know? The apostle Paul explains it

I spend a lot of time talking to people who have an interest in becoming a Christian. Over the years, I have realized that there are about three basic questions they want answered.

1. What do I have to know? The apostle Paul explains it in I Corinthians 15. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

If you want to follow Jesus and be saved, that is what you have to know.

2. What do I have to do? Paul explains it in  Romans 6. Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Jesus died. He was buried. He was raised. Us too.

If you want to become a Christian, you participate in the most important thing you have learned. You die with Jesus, you are buried with him, and you are raised to new life. It is called baptism, but it is when you are crucified with Christ.

3. Then what? Again in the words of Paul in I Corinthians 10. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

After you become a Christian, you meet with other Christians to participate together in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We exist together in a community of believers, reminding ourselves of our shared decision and commitment.

 

You May Never Know

You may never know what good you are doing when you take time to visit with that friend who really needed someone to listen to her. You may never know, but because you took the time to listen she was able to get through that crisis, and many more since then, and now she is listening to the heart of others.You may never know, but keep listening.

 

You may never know how important it was for you to show a special interest in that student who sat quietly in your classroom and seldom participated in the class discussions. You may never know, but because you showed your concern he is now teaching in his own classroom and keeping a watchful eye for that student who needs some special attention. You may never know, but keep expressing your concern.

 

You may never know what a difference it made for you to be with that family when their mother passed away. All you did was take a bucket of chicken, asked what they needed and washed a few dishes. But because you took the time to demonstrate your concern, that family makes sure when they hear of a family who has lost a loved one that there is a bucket of chicken and someone to was a few dishes. You may never know, but keep doing those little things you do.

 

You may never know how significant it was for you to leave your home, travel to that strange land, eat strange food, and share your faith with those people you had never met. You may never know, but because you did that one of those people who heard you share your faith is now sharing his. You may never know, but keep going, and keep sharing your faith.

 

You may never know what an impact you had when you left work early so you could attend your son’s basketball game. You may never know, but because you did take the time to show him he was more important than a bigger salary, he is now enjoying his son’s game. You may never know, but leave work and go to the game anyway.

 

You may never know what what impression you made when you told that person you work with that you were praying for them as they were going through a particularly difficult time with their family. You may never know, but because you prayed, and told them you were praying, they were able to hold on and survive the crisis. You may never know, but keep praying.

 

Jesus talked a lot about the importance of doing little things like giving a cup of cold water to someone who was thirsty, visiting the sick and imprisoned, planting a seed, and being kind to the “little ones.” You may never know, but please never stop doing those little things. You may never know, then again you may.

 

 

 

The Freedom of Confession

Freedom Through Confession

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. – Psalm 32:5

Most of us have the bad habit of rationalizing our sin and our errors. We all struggle with our consciences, with our goal to make peace within our own hearts.  In order to gain peace, you may deny what you’ve done, find excuses, or try to squirm out from under the responsibility and consequences of your wrongdoing. You may work hard to be “good” in order to compensate for your mistakes. Are you doing everything you can to even the score? Until you confess your faults, you’ll get nowhere.

God holds everyone accountable. We’re like people who’ve committed crimes but who refuse to accept the charges brought against them. You may have spent years constructing alibis, coming up with excuses, and trying to plea-bargain. But if you’re sincerely seeking spiritual renewal, now is the time to come clean. It’s time to admit what you know deep down inside to be true: “I’m guilty as charged.”

By speaking this truth, you stop fighting and admit that you’re wrong. Without confession, there’s no real freedom. And what a relief it is to finally release the burden of your lies and excuses by admitting them to God. This is the very reason Jesus came. Remember He died not because we were good people, but because we’d gone our own way. Come back to Him. When you do confess, you’ll regain internal peace, and your broken spirit will be renewed.

Confession is an act of honesty and courage – an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God. – Pope John Paul II

A soul does not benefit from the sacrament of confession if it is not humble. Pride keeps it in darkness. The soul neither knows how, nor is it willing, to probe with precision the depths of its own misery. It puts on a mask and avoids everything that might bring it recovery. – Saint Faustina

so many choices

When I was a child we sometimes selected our Christmas tree by walking into the woods near our house and cutting down one of the cedar trees that grew wild in that area. The main criteria for selecting the perfect tree was often the size in relation to the distance from our house. This year when we decided to replace our artificial tree, which we purchased nearly eighteen years ago, the process was quite different. First we searched the sale circulars for the best deal. Then, we agreed upon a price limit and size. Next we visited a number of the crowded stores to compare the color, shape, density, number of tips on each tree, and of course the actual price with coupons. Finally we settled on one (taller, thicker and more expensive that what we left the house thinking we would purchase), took it home, assembled it, and decorated it.

With so many choices when it comes to selecting something as seemingly simple as an artificial tree, is it any wonder so many people talk of how complicated their lives have become. Have you shopped for a car lately? How about a house? Or, maybe you have priced a new computer? Or, cat food? Or, blue jeans? What about those of you who are looking for someone to spend your life with? Whew! The choices are endless.

Life is full of choices, and for the most part I am grateful to live in a time when we have so many choices. But, sometimes we need something to simplify the process. In God’s word I have found something that helps. In Romans 12:1,2 Paul instructs, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Once we make that choice, some of the other decisions are no-brainers. If I have already presented my body to God “as a living sacrifice” then the choice of whether or not to defile it has already been made. It is no longer mine. Since it has been presented to God as a sacrifice, abusing it alcohol or drugs is not an option. Since I have given my body to God, then defiling it with various kinds of impurity is no longer to be considered. Since I have presented myself to God as an act of spiritual worship, then decisions concerning worshipping the living God are no longer decisions to be made. Since my mind is being renewed daily, the choice of my attitude has already been made. The problem of so many choices is no longer a problem.

Life choices are certainly more complicated than which Christmas tree to decorate, but with God as our guide we can alleviate some of the frustration. Make that choice first, then He will help you with the rest.

Be prayerful as you choose,
Tom Norvell

 

times to get some help

Peter knows he is in trouble.

The winds roar down onto the Sea of Galilee like a hawk on a rat. Lightning zigzags across the black sky. The clouds vibrate with thunder. The rain taps, then pops, then slaps against the deck of the boat until everyone aboard is soaked and shaking. Ten-foot waves pick them up and slam them down again with bonejarring force.

These drenched men don’t look like a team of apostles who are only a decade away from changing the world. And you can be sure of one thing. The one with the widest eyes is the one with the biggest biceps—Peter. He’s seen these storms before. He’s seen the wreckage and bloated bodies float to shore. He knows what the fury of wind and wave can do. And he knows that times like this are not times to make a name for yourself; they’re times to get some help.

That is why, when he sees Jesus walking on the water toward the boat, he is the first to say, “Lord, if it’s you … tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28)

He is aware of two facts: He’s going down, and Jesus is staying up. And it doesn’t take him too long to decide where he would rather be.

Perhaps a better interpretation of his request would be, “Jeeeeeeeesus. If that is you, then get me out of here!”

“Come on” is the invitation.

And Peter doesn’t have to be told twice. It’s not every day that you walk on water through waves that are taller than you are. But when faced with the alternative of sure death or possible life, Peter knows which one he wants.

The first few steps go well. But a few strides out onto the water, and he forgets to look to the One who got him there in the first place, and down he plunges.

Peter’s response may lack class—it probably wouldn’t get him on the cover of Gentleman’s Quarterly or even Sports Illustrated—but it gets him out of some deep water:

“Help me!”

And since Peter would rather swallow pride than water, a hand comes through the rain and pulls him up.

The message is clear.

As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don’t need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly.

But when you mourn, when you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other name that you can call, then cast all your cares on him, for he is waiting in the midst of the storm.

 

Thankfulness In Spite Of . . .

 

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. – Psalm 42:11

Consider this short summary of the life of one man who knew the importance of a thankful heart:

When he was nine, his mother died. Though he loved books, he received little formal education. His sister died in childbirth. At age 24, he found himself deep in debt when a store he invested in failed. When he was 25, the woman he loved caught fever and died causing him to sink into deep depression.

Three years later he proposed to another woman and she turned him down. At age 34, he lost the nomination for U.S. Congress. Only one of his four sons lived to adulthood: one died just short of age 4, one at age 11, one at 18. Who was this man? Abraham Lincoln. And in 1863 he asked Congress to establish the annual celebration of Thanksgiving.

In spite of his failings, his sorrow, his depression, his disappointments, he chose to express gratitude to God and lead a nation to do the same.

What’s your “In spite of . . .?” It doesn’t matter what it is: hurt, pain, sorrow, depression, loss, disappointments, or anything else. You can choose to have a thankful spirit.

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. – Abraham Lincoln

That “God is good” is not a stale one-liner when all’s happy but a saving lifeline when all’s hard. – Ann Voskamp

 

Two Changed Men

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

What words would your friends or family use to describe you? Jesus referred to two brothers, James and John, as Sons of Thunder.  Why? We’re given a glimpse of their fiery personalities in the book of Luke. After the Samaritan people rejected them, James and John asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to consume the village. Jesus rebuked them for their impulse to retaliate.

Yet that’s not the end of their story. Jesus worked in these brothers’ lives so that they became known not for anger and revenge, but for love and forgiveness. James was the first of the twelve disciples to give his life for his faith. He was killed in Jerusalem by the order of Herod Agrippa. John is referred to as the “disciple Jesus loved.” He went on to write powerful words on the importance of love and became an important leader of the church.

Though the two brothers had once been ambitious for their own personal gain, they ended up ambitiously sharing God’s love with others for their spiritual gain. The brothers discovered that when you understand and experience God’s love, you are free to live and grow. And as you grow and share with others, you will be used by God to touch the lives of many in need of God’s healing help.

Can you relate to the anger and selfish ambition of these men? If so, be encouraged by God’s work in their lives. He wants to do the same in you!

We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. – C.S. Lewis

the truth will set you free.

If you follow my teachings, you are truly my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. – John 8:31-32

I recently learned an important lesson, or at least had a lesson I already knew greatly reinforced, when I had knee surgery. The surgery was the result of an age-inappropriate stunt on a skateboard. Up until the accident I had been considered very skilled on a street long board. But not anymore!

Shortly after making a little jump I found myself half jumping, half falling and then totally crashing on the pavement. The pain was quite impressive, but I picked myself up and walked home the best I could.  My seven year old son, Solomon, was quite upset that his indestructible father was limping, wincing and trying to smile all at once.

The result of the fall was quite spectacular.  I shredded my ACL, ripped my meniscus and broke my tibia. So nine months later, this past August, my calendar was clear for me to take off two weeks for surgery and recovery, so I scheduled surgery.

If you are going to have a knee surgery, Indiana, with its love of and history of basketball, is the place to have it done because so many basketball players experience ACL tears. I heard my physician was the best. So I trusted him completely.

On surgery day, they rolled me into the operating room, moved me onto a table, and what felt like one second later I woke up to a nurse asking me how much pain I was in. I was in none. The pain would come later

A Glimpse of Glory

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. – Colossians 3:1

Praise is the outward expression of your deep joy! We praise God in worship on Sunday morning. We praise our team when they do well at sporting events. We praise our kids when they achieve a goal or do something special.

Isn’t cheering someone’s success and accomplishments an invigorating experience? You’ll find the same energy within your spiritual life when you consider the mighty acts of God in history, as well as His acts in your own life. It will allow you to celebrate the joy and wonder of your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Praise not only is an expression of your joy in the Lord, but it also gives you a taste of what heaven will be like. If you read the last book of the Bible, Revelation, you’ll see what I mean. There’s a lot of praise and worship going on. I think God wants us to learn that a praiseful attitude in this life, is preparation for the next.

Few things will strengthen your faith more than when you cultivate a rich understanding of God through worship. Praise Him by remembering His faithfulness to you throughout your years and by looking forward to His promises. When you worship Him, your faith will be strengthened, your heart encouraged, and your vision of who God is and how He works will grow.

Praise now is one of the great duties of the redeemed. It will be their employment forever. – Albert Barnes

Confronting Wrong

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1

God has given us the responsibility to honestly confront those who do wrong. For most of us, confrontation is a difficult task. For a few, it’s much too easy. I hope you don’t delight in finding fault in others. If you do, stop and consider if you do this as a way of overlooking your own faults.
God does call you, however, to help others see the truth. In essence, you can hold up a mirror to your good friends, and they hopefully will do the same for you.

Jude, the brother of Jesus, reminds us that we are to deal honestly and directly with those who do wrong, while showing them mercy (Jude 22-23). Help others see their faults but with great humility. You’re not responsible for the behavior of others, but you are responsible to gently and tactfully point out areas of misbehavior that may cause them to stumble, fall, or lose their way.

Are you avoiding some tough conversations? If you have kids, are you confronting them? And when you do are you doing it with gentleness and humility? Check yourself. Is your tone respectful? Is your word choice uplifting or condescending? God calls you to show courage by addressing wrong. But remember the goal is always to see the other person restored, not belittled. Help that person turn back to God.

I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better. – Plutarch

Pray and Sing to Jesus

Joy in God’s Presence

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid: you are worth more than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29-31

Do you spend time in God’s presence praying, singing praises to Him, and bowing before Him? These are things that each of us benefit from.

Do you feel too macho or too proud to bow or sing to God? If that’s the case then look with me at a real man in the Old Testament. The psalms of King David are songs that still give us direction and hope. David was a man who knew his own sinfulness yet was able to sing, “What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What joys await us inside your holy Temple.” (Psalm 65:4)

God wants you to know you are welcome and valued before Him. The joy you find in His presence each day will help you stay tuned in to His desire for you. Worship and prayer will remind you of how great and holy God is. You’ll gain a new appreciation for how gracious God is to forgive you and allow you into His presence.

When was the last time you prayed and sang to Jesus? If it’s been a while, try it. You’ll experience something very special. You’ll continue the process of being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow. – Helen Keller

Humility at Its Best

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. – James 3:13

Though often overlooked, the Old Testament character Jonathan is one of the most remarkable men in the Bible. Being the oldest son of King Saul, he was the heir to the throne of Israel. He was an experienced soldier, distinguished for his courage in battle.

The Old Testament character, David, was a shepherd boy . . . probably 15 years younger than Jonathan. Despite their differences, however, Jonathan and David formed a remarkable friendship, in part due to Jonathan’s humility.

When David was anointed to succeed King Saul, Jonathan didn’t claim his right to the throne.  David wasn’t in line for this honor. He wasn’t the king’s son. Jonathan was. But Jonathan defended and protected David, the one taking his place. He even defended him against his own father. Saul repeatedly tried to kill David, but Jonathan risked his life to protect and encourage his friend.

Are you willing to give up your rights or position? Or do you dig in your heels and arrogantly proclaim your entitlement? Surrender what’s due you and see God’s grace unfold in ways you couldn’t imagine.

To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness. – Ben Franklin

Legalism breeds a sense of entitlement that turns us into complainers. – Tullian Tchividjian