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Build a relationship with your children
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Ps 127:1
How would you describe your relationship with your children? Strained? Exciting? Heartbreaking? Enjoyable? If you want a real eye-opener, ask them to describe their feelings about you and their home. But be warned—what they say might not be to your liking! And having a Christian home doesn’t necessarily exempt you. The old nature in us still rears its ugly head from time to time, and habits set in concrete can lead to broken communication. When biblical principles are ignored, the result is pain and strain in the family. Three illustrations come to mind: (1) Rebekah loved her son Jacob more than his brother Esau, so she used him to deceive their father, Isaac, and cause division in the family (See Ge 27). (2) Eli, the high priest, let his boys run wild, and in the end it cost him his life (See 1Sa 3-4). (3) David preached one thing but practiced another, and his children (as kids are apt to do) were more influenced by what he did than by what he said. (See 2Sa 11, 13, 15-16; 1Ki 11). Nobody is immune; not David, not Rebekah, not Eli—not you! But evaluation is pointless if it leads to guilt without action. So what should you do? Take time to get close to your children. Deal with the barriers between you. You can’t change anything unless you’re willing to acknowledge it—and sometimes change must begin with you. For example, does your attitude need adjusting? How about your priorities? What about the example you have been setting lately? Before you try to deal with your children, ask God to deal with you.
Beware of self-pity
“No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” 1Co 10:24 NIV
Self-pity can be deadly. It tells the wife and mother who works hard, “You’re not appreciated.” It says to the office worker, “Look how valuable you are, yet you’re never recognized or rewarded.” It says to the unemployed, “No chance!” To the divorced, “No place!” To the bereaved, “No hope!” And to the struggling, “No way!” Look at the prophet Elijah. Twenty-four hours after his greatest victory, he is deeply depressed and wallowing in self-pity. “I have had enough…Take my life…I have zealously served…But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed…your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too” (1Ki 19:4, 10 NLT). There it is—self-pity in the raw! Generally speaking, there are two reasons behind self-pity. The first is emotional manipulation. We use self-pity as a weapon to guilt-trip others and get our own way. That’s immaturity and you have to deal with it, whether it’s in yourself or somebody else. On the other hand, self-pity can also stem from sheer exhaustion. Recorded in the Old Testament, God showed Elijah four behaviors he needed to correct to get himself back on track: (1) He needed more rest. (2) He needed to eat better. (3) He had to turn this eyes to God and stop trying to do everything in his own strength. (4) He was isolated and needed a friend. So, God gave him Elisha. That did the job, and the next time we see Elijah, he is back on top. Take a moment today and think about how you can apply this to your life.
Setting captives free (2)
“He brought them out of darkness…and broke…their chains.” Ps 107:14 NIV
When the Israelites “cried to the Lord…he saved them…He brought them out of darkness…and broke…their chains” (vv. 13-14 NIV). And He can set you free from whatever is holding you captive today. And not just temporary freedom, but long-term freedom: “If the Son sets you free, you are free through and through” (Jn 8:36 MSG). Here are two steps you can take toward freedom: (1) Cry out to the Lord. God said, “You will…find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13 NIV). Away with dignity and decorum—desperate situations call for desperate measures! Stop trying to handle it alone. If you could save yourself, you wouldn’t need a Savior. Give it to God, “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Pe 5:7 NKJV). (2) Feed your soul spiritually. Freedom is a two-part process. The first is communion with Jesus. The Israelites fed on the Passover lamb in preparation for leaving slavery. And Jesus, the Lamb of God, declares, “I am the living bread…Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (Jn 6:51 NIV). Sharing your feelings and needs with Him will lighten your burden, relieve your loneliness, and nourish your soul. Jesus came to proclaim “freedom for the prisoners…to set the oppressed free” (Lk 4:18 NIV). The second part is meditating on Scripture. Rejecting God’s Word caused the Israelites to become slaves: “Because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High…they fell down, and there was none to help” (Ps 107: 11-12 NKJV). To be set free and stay free, feed every day on God’s life-giving Word.
Recovering from burnout
“I am weary and worn out.” Pr 30:1 NLT
Dr. Richard Swenson says, “You can go into the woods, select a ten-foot sapling, bend it over, and when you release it, it will return to its normal height. But if you keep bending it further and further, it will stay down. With stress, first you bend, and then you recover. With burnout, first you bend, and then you break—and you stay broken. When the writer of Proverbs says, ‘I am weary and worn out,’ he is not referring to a figment of his imagination or a sensationalized diagnosis by psychologists. Exhaustion is real and it’s common and it’s dangerous; it leads to irritability, anger, paranoia, headaches, ulcers, depression, and suicide. Burnout causes something inside you to break; you don’t care who sees or hears, you just want out. The good news is you can recover your passion, enthusiasm, productivity, and excellence, but it takes time and the healing is mostly by scar formation. Burnout is common among the spiritually minded who are sensitive…They see pain and internalize it. They want to help the wounded…they don’t realize they were never designed to carry the world on their backs.” So what’s the remedy? “Rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps 91:1 NLT). But to receive Psalm 91’s benefits, you need to meet its conditions by making God your dwelling place, abiding in Him, and submitting to His authority. “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress…in him will I trust” (v. 2). Note the word “say.” What you say can mean life or death (See Pr 18:21). It can put you over the top or put you under. So today, read God’s Word, internalize and personalize and verbalize it, and your life will take an upward swing.
You must care for the needy (3)
“Blessed are those who have regard for the weak.” Ps 41:1 NIV
Three-quarters of the world’s income ends up in the pockets of 20 percent of its population. Think of it this way: Ten dairy farmers live in the same valley, and among them they own ten cows. But the cows aren’t evenly distributed, one cow to one farmer. It’s more like this: Two farmers own eight cows, while the other eight farmers share two cows. Does that seem right? The two farmers who own eight cows might easily say, “I worked for my cows.” But the question is, what responsibility does God place on the “haves” with regard to the “have-nots”? First, that you allow yourself to feel concern and compassion. Second, that you get out of your comfort zone and do something about it. “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. The Lord protects and preserves them—they are…blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them” (vv. 1-3 NIV). When you bless the poor, God blesses you. So, as one leader wrote, make this your prayer: “Lord, you promised we would always have the poor among us. Help me to make sure that the reverse is also true: that I’m always among the poor—helping, encouraging, and lending a hand wherever I can. Enable me to love the invisible God by serving the very visible poor in my corner of the world. Help me to be creative without being condescending, encouraging without being egotistic, and fearless without being foolish. May the poor bless You because of me…amen.”
You must care for the needy (1)
“Their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.” Ac 6:1 NIV
Since the government didn’t care for widows and orphans back in New Testament times, the church took on that responsibility. Unfortunately, bias raised its ugly head and Jewish widows and orphans were given preferential treatment over Gentile widows and orphans. How did the church leaders respond? They could easily have dismissed it, like we so often do. They could have said, “We’re called to feed souls, not stomachs. We deal in matters of sin and salvation, not sandals and soup.” Instead, here is what they did. First, they called a meeting to resolve the problem (See Acts 6:2). They let every member know that their church took poverty seriously, and they were each personally responsible before God to do something about it. The Scripture doesn’t endorse forced communism, but it clearly teaches Spirit-led volunteerism. Second, they assigned the problem to their brightest and best. They selected seven men—well respected, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom—and gave them this responsibility (See Ac 6:3 NLT). Instead of grooming our children for “important” fields like medicine, law, politics, or government, let’s teach them that caring for the needy is one of God’s highest callings. Why do a billion people go to bed hungry each night? Or thirty thousand-plus children die every single day (one every three seconds) from malnutrition and preventable diseases when we can do something about it? No one can do everything, but God has called each of us to do something! “Pure and genuine religion…means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let world [systems] corrupt you [into believing that it’s not your responsibility]” (Jas 1:27 NLT).
Give God all the glory
“Your right hand and strong arm…helped them.” Ps 44:3 NLT
Did you hear about the frog that was running out of water, so he asked two birds to transport him to a nearby pond? He convinced each of them to carry one end of a stick in their beak while he bit down on the center and held on. It was a sight to behold: two birds, one stick, and a frog in the middle. They were making progress until a cow in a pasture looked up, saw the trio passing overhead, and asked, “Who thought of that?” At that point the frog couldn’t resist. Pride prevailed over prudence, and as he plummeted to earth, he yelled, “It was meeee…!” Don’t make the same error. “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Pr 16:18 NLT). Why are you good at doing what you do? For your own comfort? To save for your retirement? To bolster your self-esteem? No, these are all bonuses, not the main reason. You’re good at what you do—for God’s sake. It’s about Him, not you! Read and ponder these words in your heart: “Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand…at your discretion people are made great and given strength” (1Ch 29:12 NLT). Recalling the victories, blessings, and successes Israel had experienced, David reminds us: “They did not conquer…with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm…that helped them, for you loved them” (Ps 44:3 NLT). Keep in mind that the blessings you enjoy every day are yours only because God favored and smiled on you. That’s the truth!
A heart filled with goodness
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.” Lk 6:45 NIV
Where does goodness come from, and how can you cultivate more of it in your daily decisions and actions? Some people think goodness is a matter of the head, and that right-thinking results in right living. Today every politician gives the impression that education is the panacea for practically every problem in society. Yet education of the head, without the same emphasis on integrity of the heart, will produce only clever fiends. If education alone were the answer, white-collar crimes would likely drop. Others think goodness is a matter of the hands. They say goodness means treating people well. But doing good does not make a person good. Murderers on death row may be good to their mothers, but they are not good individuals. The truth is, goodness is not located in the head or the hands; it’s hidden in your heart. Jesus, the best man who ever lived, said, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.” Goodness is not merely a matter of what we know or what we do; it is a matter of what we are. As you consider the life ahead of you, what really matters is not how long you live but how well you live. Sir Francis Bacon once said: “Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of Deity; and, without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.” So in your desire to be good, draw closer to God. After all, you become like the company you keep.
Showing grace toward those who differ with you
“Grow in…grace.” 2Pe 3:18 NKJV
Think how much happier and more energized you would be if you weren’t trying to control people and straighten them out. One author writes: “Give your loved ones the dignity of making their own mistakes and learning from them. If you’re always getting into someone else’s business, you’re not only going to burn out, you’re hindering God from working in their lives…they belong to Him, not you!” In the New Testament, when legalistic Jewish believers tried to impose kosher laws on Gentile believers, Paul wrote: “Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t…must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them” (Ro 14:3 NLT). Sometimes in trying to be holy, we come across as harsh. Just because you don’t feel at liberty to do something doesn’t give you the right to condemn those who do—unless it’s something clearly prohibited in Scripture. Having strong opinions doesn’t give you the right to impose them on others. Remember, you can have the right theology and the wrong attitude. Gladys M. Hunt writes: “Acceptance means you’re valuable just as you are…you can talk about how you feel…and why—and someone really cares…you can try out new ideas without being shot down…you can even express heretical thoughts and discuss them with intelligent questioning. You feel safe. No one will pronounce judgment…even though they don’t agree with you. It doesn’t mean you’ll never be corrected…it simply means it’s safe to be you.” When it comes to the truth, stand fast! But when it comes to nonessentials like personal preferences, customs, and traditions, “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (Ro 14:5 NKJV).
You need each other (2)
“This explains why a man…is joined to his wife.” Ge 2:24 NLT
These days many divorces are based on grounds of incompatibility. For example, the husband says, “We have nothing in common.” Or the wife says, “We’re as different as chalk and cheese.” Of course you are! If you were exactly the same, one of you would be unnecessary! The very reason you need each other is because you’re different! One likes coffee; the other, tea. One goes to bed early; the other is a night owl. One is quiet; the other is an extrovert. Can this cause friction? Absolutely! That’s where love, kindness, and patience come into the picture. The real issue isn’t your differences—it’s making those God-given differences work for you instead of against you. The sad fact is that we have lost our understanding of how to make our differences dovetail and complement one another. The day you start looking for what God is trying to teach you through your mate, you stop griping and start growing. Maybe in your heart of hearts you’re thinking, “But I don’t believe God gave me my mate.” Maybe not, but if you let Him, He will teach you how to love and learn from him or her anyway. As a couple, there are no problems stemming from your differences that can’t be solved by applying a healthy dose of God’s grace and following the guidelines He established for building a happy relationship. But you have to build it. And it takes work. Two imperfect people don’t make one perfect marriage. But two imperfect people committed to loving one another and following God’s guidelines can come as close to Eden’s bliss as it gets this side of heaven.
Onward and upward
“I press toward the…upward call of God.” Php 3:14 NKJV
To fulfill God’s will for your life, you must do these: (1) Move to a higher level of faith (See Ro 1:17). Before David killed Goliath, he first had to kill a lion and a bear. And today we’re contending with issues that require us to trust God in a greater way. (2) Seek God’s guidance about each situation that arises (See Pr 3:6). His promise is: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (Ps 32:8 NKJV). (3) Get into proper spiritual alignment. God is aligning His people and putting together those who will stand as one in the day of battle. It’s imperative to know who you can trust to go into battle with you, and you only discover such people in times of testing (See Jos 8:1). (4) Know God’s will for your life. God doesn’t play hide-and-seek with His will. It’s only as you spend time with Him that you discover it (See Ps 143:10). And when you do that, you thrive. (5) Fight, using God’s Word. The God-breathed words found in Scripture are your strength in times of difficulty and testing. Jesus used Scripture to put Satan to flight (See Mt 4), and the weapon of God’s Word still works today. (6) Don’t be unduly introspective. Only the Holy Spirit has the ability to search and know our hearts and minds (See Jn 16:8-15). And when God is ready to reveal areas that need correction, He will. Until then, keep moving forward in faith. (7) Guard your mind. Make it a walled city that refuses entry to negative thoughts and harmful influences (See Pr 4:23 GNT).
Guard these three areas of vulnerability
“Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1Co 10:12 NKJV
Here are three areas where we’re particularly vulnerable: (1) Discouragement. In a moment of discouragement, Peter did what he swore he would never do: deny Jesus. Discouragement makes you say things you don’t mean, and do things that are out of character. That’s why Jude writes to “build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the…Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love” (Jude vv. 20-21 MSG). (2) Excitement. Herod became excited by a dancing girl, threw caution to the wind, and made an offer he lived to regret: “Whatever you ask me, I will give you” (Mk 6:23 NKJV). She asked for John the Baptist’s head, and since he was a king, Herod couldn’t renege on his promise. That single moment of indulgence cost him his kingdom and his life. Be careful where you turn for excitement, and how you react when you find it. “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived” (Jas 1:15-16 NKJV). (3) Weariness. In Old Testament times, a “birthright” meant the oldest son inherited twice as much of his father’s estate. Normally, Esau wouldn’t have considered selling his birthright, but he did so in a state of exhaustion (See Ge 25:29-34). Weariness can cause you to lose perspective and make decisions based on what feels right in the moment rather than what’s right for you long term. The Bible says: “All these things happened to them as examples…Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Co 10:11-12 NKJV). So, guard these three areas of vulnerability.
How God sees you
“You are precious…in my sight.” Isa 43:4 NIV
Have you ever gone to a garage sale hoping to find a bargain? To the untrained eye, much of the stuff looks like rubbish. It may even have been gathering dust and mildew in somebody’s attic. But the trained eye sees treasure in disguise; items that just need to be cleaned, polished, and restored in order to become valuable again. That’s what God does with us. When Satan tells you you’re worthless, God looks inside you and sees hidden treasure. When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, He enables you to overcome your past, resist temptation, conquer bad habits, rise above your self-imposed limitations, and realize that in God’s eyes, you have great worth. You actually start believing what He said: “You are precious…in my sight.” A man went to visit a psychiatrist who told him, “I’ve diagnosed your problem. It’s low self-esteem—and it’s very common among losers!” We smile, but the truth is when you keep putting yourself down, you tend to gravitate toward people who do the same. But once you begin to realize the value God places on you, your entire outlook changes. With God, you can’t lose. Even when you stumble, He will help you to get back up, become stronger and wiser, and move on to victory. When you see yourself only as somebody who makes mistakes and falls short, you’re looking in the wrong mirror. Once you start to see yourself in the mirror of God’s Word, you see someone who is being transformed day by day into the likeness of Jesus (See 2Co 3:18). And that’s how God sees you today.
Try a power nap
“When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Pr 3:24 NIV
God built specific triggers into our bodies to let us know when it’s time to escape consciousness. And wise people listen to these clues. History’s most notable power nappers include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Winston Churchill. There is a reason why your eyelids start to droop around 2:00 p.m. The levator muscles, which constantly contract to keep your eyelids open, give out and beg for a break. And a chemical called adenosine, which collects in your brain when you’re awake, piles up and makes you feel drowsy. Consequently, your body yearns for sleep to allow the adenosine to disperse, resulting in instant relief. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirms that people who nap for at least thirty minutes daily, three times weekly, are one-third less likely to die from heart disease. And additional research suggests that taking a nap can improve creativity and memory. Cognitive neuroscientist William Fishbein says that often during a brief nap, our brains actually keep working to resolve problems and form new ideas. That helps explain why Mozart professed to have composed music in his dreams. Studies also show that a little extra sleep can assist with weight control—which means you can lose as you snooze! Ghrelin, a hormone produced in our intestines, tells us we’re hungry and triggers cravings for sweets, salty foods, and starches—all the bad stuff! However, when we sleep more, our colon stores less ghrelin, and our craving for junk food diminishes. In Scripture, Jesus not only took frequent rest breaks himself; He encouraged His disciples to follow suit. So, try a power nap.
Learn to control your anger
“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.” Pr 19:11 NLT
When it comes to anger, here is what you need to know: It isn’t a psychological disorder; everybody gets angry. And it’s not necessarily a sin. Like a fast-flowing river, it can generate constructive or destructive energy, and be unleashed negatively or harnessed positively. Anger is commonly misunderstood as something that’s done to us by others or by circumstances. We say, “I couldn’t help it; they pushed my buttons!” “What could I do; he got my Irish up!” (A claim also made by Italians, Hispanics, Germans, English, Scandinavians, and every other country.) That sounds like Eden: Adam said, “The woman you gave me made me do it!” Since the fall, we have claimed to be victims of people, the devil, and circumstances beyond our control—a belief that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, causing us to feel helpless and at the mercy of external forces. What does God’s Word say about our anger? “Sensible people control their temper.” That means when sensible people get angry, they control their emotions. No matter what the external trigger is, the answer is always an internal response. “The fruit of the Spirit is…self-control” (Gal 5:22-23 NIV). Staying filled with God’s Spirit is the key to anger management. Instead of feeding your anger by telling yourself, “You can’t get away with treating me like that,” try thinking, “No matter what you say or do, God’s Spirit lives in me and I have self-control!” The Bible says, “The grace of God…teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12 NIV). So, learn to control your anger.
Today, choose the right attitude
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Ro 12:2 NAS
Long before William James, the father of American psychology, was attributed with saying, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes,” God said, “As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he” (Pr 23:7 NKJV). Often it’s our thoughts, not our circumstances, that determine our happiness. We keep thinking we will be happy when certain things happen. For example, some mothers say, “When little Tommy starts elementary school, I will be happy.” And they are, for a while. Next, “When Tommy graduates from high school, I will be happy.” And they are, at least for the summer. Next, Tommy’s graduation from college brings the same promise; so does his marriage, and the birth of the first grandchild. But the problem is, mom hasn’t learned how to be happy between “happenings.” When your happiness is controlled by something outside yourself, you will always be hostage to people, places, and things. That’s not how God wants you to live—a victim of circumstances beyond your control. The psalmist said, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps 34:1). David chose the right attitude, and you have to do the same! You also must maintain it. That’s the hard part. It’s like the old farmer who said, “The hardest thing about milking cows is—they don’t stay milked!” And it’s the same with attitudes; they don’t stay changed. You have to work on them every day; it’s called “renewing…your mind.” And the way you do it is by getting into God’s Word and getting His Word into you. Are you doing that regularly?
He will do it again!
“Jacob set up a memorial…to mark the place where God had spoken with him.” Ge 35:14 GWT
There are events in all our lives that, looking back, had to be the hand of God at work. One author puts it like this: “Maybe you bumped into somebody who introduced you to your spouse…or a coworker resigned and suddenly you were promoted…or a stranger said something that spoke to your heart. These are all signs of God’s favor, and when you’re tempted to get down, you need to remember how God opened the door for you…how he made a way…how he spared your life…how he healed your child. There is no such thing as coincidence…when something good happens, recognize that it’s God, and recall it often.” In the Old Testament, “Jacob set up a memorial…to mark the place where God had spoken with him.” Have you established any memorial stones lately? A sure way to build your faith is to remember all the times God made a way when every door was locked and barred against you…days when you were lonely and God brought the right person into your life…nights when you felt so bad you didn’t think you would make it until the next morning. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, God turned things around…gave you the oil of joy for mourning…lifted you out of the pit…gave you a new beginning…and today you’re happy, healthy, and whole. And best of all: If He did it before, He will do it again! He is the same today as He was yesterday, and when you take time to remember His goodness and faithfulness, it strengthens you to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
Setting captives free (1)
“I have heard them crying out…and I am concerned.” Ex 3:7 NIV
For four hundred years, Israel was enslaved by Egyptian taskmasters who oppressed them and “made their lives bitter” (Ex 1:14). And you can understand their feelings of helplessness when you consider the areas in your own life where you struggle for freedom from old habits. Whether it’s anger, food, alcohol, drugs, sex, money, or abusive relationships, we experience a sense of powerlessness in our struggle. And repeated bids for freedom can produce increased feelings of hopelessness that lead us to give up trying altogether. But the Israelites cried out to God, and He responded: “I have…seen the misery of my people…I have heard them crying out…and I am concerned about their suffering.” Today God sees you, God hears you, and God is concerned about you. He said, “I have come down to rescue them…and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land…flowing with milk and honey” (Ex 3:8 NIV). Notice, He had “come down” to “bring them up.” How did He do it? Their deliverance called for the death of the spotless Passover lamb. After applying its sacrificial blood to their doorposts, they cooked and ate the lamb while dressed in their traveling clothes, staff in hand, ready to leave captivity behind. Today, God wants you to prayerfully prepare for your journey to freedom; not by your own futile human efforts, but by faith in the shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1Co 5:7 NIV). Aren’t you glad?
Don’t give up on your Saul
“Go to the house…on Straight Street and ask for…Saul, for he is praying.” Ac 9:11 NIV
Has everyone else written off your Saul? “He is too far gone.” “She is too hard…too addicted…too old…too cold.” Joseph believed one day he would be reunited with the brothers who betrayed him, and it happened. The prophet Hosea’s wife deserted him and became a prostitute. Yet, he kept the door open, and she came home. God believed in Saul. And he believed in Saul through Ananias: “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 17 NIV). Max Lucado writes: “My favorite Ananias-type story involves a couple of college roommates. The Ananias of the pair was a tolerant soul. He tolerated his friend’s late-night drunkenness, midnight throw-ups, and all-day sleep-ins. He didn’t complain when his friend disappeared for the weekend or smoked cigarettes in the car. He could have requested a roommate who went to church more or cursed less or cared about something other than impressing girls. But he hung with his personal Saul, seeming to think that something good could happen if the guy could pull his life together. So he kept cleaning up the mess, inviting his roommate to church, and covering his back. I don’t remember a bright light or a loud voice. I’ve never traveled a desert road to Damascus. But I distinctly remember Jesus knocking me off my perch and flipping on the light. It took four semesters, but Steve’s example and Jesus’ message finally got through.” So, no matter what, don’t give up on your Saul!
You must care for the needy (2)
“‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy…so all went well.’” Jer 22:16 NIV
When he was a seminary student, Jim Wallis and some of his classmates took scissors to the Bible and cut out every verse about poverty, wealth, justice, or oppression. And would you believe it, by the time they had finished, there were some two thousand verses lying on the floor! The fact is, when you cut concern for the poor from your Bible, you cut the heart right out of it! Here is one such verse: “‘He defended the cause of the poor and needy…so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares the Lord” (v. 16 NIV). Jesus often quoted Scripture, but only on one occasion do we find Him selecting and reading from it. And what portion did He choose to read publicly? “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…to proclaim freedom for the prisoners…recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” (Lk 4:18 NIV). Here was His to-do list: help for body and soul, strength for the physical and spiritual, and therapy for temporal and eternal. Now some people (albeit a minority) are poor because they’re lazy and need to be taught that God’s Word says, “those unwilling to work will not get to eat” (2Th 3:10 NLT). But others are poor because parasites have weakened their bodies, or they spend six hours every day collecting water, or rebel armies have destroyed their farms, or AIDS has claimed their parents. These are the people God has assigned us to care for!
You’re a reflector
“Christians…reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord.” 2Co 3:18 PHPS
As the old saying goes, “You become like the company you keep.” Paul explains it this way: “All of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit” (v. 18 NRS). J. B. Phillips’ translation puts it this way: “Christians…reflect like mirrors.” And the King James Bible translators say it like this: “Beholding as in a glass.” So which translation is right? All three! The ancient Greek word Katoptris can be translated either way. Bottom line: The more you spend time in God’s presence, the more you will reflect His likeness and carry His presence with you. What does “beholding” your face in a mirror mean? It’s more than just a quick glance; “behold” means to study, stare at, and contemplate. The Bible tells us after Moses spent forty days on a mountain in God’s presence, the people of Israel couldn’t bear to look at his face because it was suffused with the glory of God (See Ex 34:29). What Moses beheld was what Moses became! The Bible says that “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1Co 10:31 NKJV). That means “whatever you do,” you’re a reflector! Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:16 NIV). In other words, people should be able to look at you and see the God who lives within you. And that should be the case at home, at play, in the workplace, and anywhere else you happen to be.
Christ’s love for you
“Christ’s love…is too wonderful to be measured.” Eph 3:19 CEV
Princess Alice was Queen Victoria’s daughter. When her son contracted an incurable disease called black diphtheria, the doctors quarantined the boy and warned his mother to stay away from him lest she get infected. Yet she couldn’t. One day she overheard her son whisper to his nurse, “Why doesn’t my mother kiss me anymore?” His words melted her heart and she ran to him, smothering him with kisses. Within a few days, she died and was buried. What would compel a mother to risk her life for her child? Love! Now stand at the cross and ask what would lead Christ to do something even greater for us? Love! Writing to the believers at Ephesus, Paul says, “I want you to know…Christ’s love…is too wonderful to be measured.” You can trace the greatest action of Christ to his greatest attribute—love. Perhaps the people who should have loved you, didn’t; and those who could have loved you, wouldn’t. Maybe you were left at the hospital, or left standing at the altar, or left with an empty bed and a broken heart. Regardless of the cause, you were left with the question, “Does anybody love me?” And today Christ answers unequivocally, “I do!” The truth is, His love for you “is too wonderful to be measured.” Hymn writer Charles Gabriel wrote: “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, And wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be: How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!” God couldn’t love you more than He does right now, and that will never change.
Are you having a nighttime experience?
“Bless the Lord, all you…who by night, stand in the house of the Lord!” Ps 134:1 NKJV
God divided time into days and nights; so, you will have daytime experiences and nighttime experiences. For example, you can have a nighttime experience in a divorce court, or in bankruptcy proceedings, or in an unemployment line, or at a graveside. And because you can’t see clearly at night, it’s easy to wonder if God is really there with you. Take heart—He is! With Pharaoh’s armies behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, the Israelites faced their greatest challenge. But the Bible says, “All that night the Lord drove the sea back” (Ex 14:21 NIV). Be encouraged; God is at work even when you can’t see Him. Hymnist George Matheson wrote: “Will I remain in God’s house at night…love Him for who He is…desire not the gift but the giver? When I can remain…during the darkness of night and worship…I’ve accepted Him for Himself alone.” Don’t just turn to God when you need a miracle; instead, focus on your relationship with Him and you will get a miracle when you need one. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jn 15:7 NKJV). After losing everything near and dear to him, Job’s friend Elihu said to him, “Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us…and makes us wiser?” (Job 35:10-11 NKJV). Jesus said, “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight” (Mt 10:27 NIV). Be encouraged; it’s in your nighttime experiences that the Lord stabilizes, supports, and strengthens you to go on to victory.
You need each other (3)
“No suitable helper was found.” Ge 2:20 NIV
The blessings and benefits of a good marriage include such things as companionship, sexual fulfillment, and the joy of having children. However, its primary purpose is to provide both parties with everything that’s needed in order to fulfill God’s charge to “have dominion” (Ge 1:28). Marriage is a covenant designed by God to strengthen the capacity of each partner to succeed in the sphere where He placed them. A “suitable helper” simply means “an essential contributor.” And when a husband or wife rejects the helpful input of the other, they limit what God can do through them as a couple. What a loss! Sometimes it’s hard for men in particular to acknowledge that they need help—and when you don’t reach for help, you don’t get it. That means you don’t succeed to the extent you otherwise could have. A woman’s point of view isn’t inferior information; it’s essential information. Her presence wasn’t designed to be ornamental; it’s vital to fulfilling your shared potential. When a man consistently makes decisions without consulting his wife, he is making them without all the necessary components for deciding wisely. Men tend to think logically. But women have a plus, because they’re programmed to think intuitively as well. They give the relationship a perspective it wouldn’t otherwise have, so when a husband fails to utilize his wife’s God-given capacities, he is robbing himself of God’s best. Once you grasp that principle and start operating accordingly, your relationship will be greatly enriched, and you will experience the joy of walking in God’s blessing every day. So the question is this: Why would you settle for less when you can have more?
You need each other (1)
“God made a woman…and…brought her to the man.” Ge 2:22 NIV
Before God gave Adam a wife, He gave him a calling. Then He explained to Adam that he would need help to fulfill that calling; he would never reach his maximum potential on his own because he was incomplete. Adam didn’t realize that until God revealed it to him. And how did He reveal it? Once Adam started naming the animals in the garden, he was in a position to see that each of them had a partner. Every creature had another creature just like him or her, whereas Adam didn’t. Notice: God didn’t give Adam a wife until he generated in him the realization that he needed one. We value something or someone once we realize how vital they are. One of the most common complaints counselors hear is that one of the partners in a marriage feels unneeded. But when God joins you, and you understand how each of you contributes to the relationship, you both feel needed. The first thing in Scripture God declared “not good” (v. 18 NIV) was that Adam was alone. Note the word “fashioned” (v. 22 NAS), which means to design intricately and build carefully. God gave Adam a partner specifically designed to carry out the instruction He had previously given him—namely, to “rule” (Ge 1:28 NIV). He gave Eve to Adam so he would have someone to collaborate with in achieving the purpose he had been created for. Eve wasn’t taken from Adam’s head to be above him, or from his feet to be beneath him. She was created from one of his ribs, a protected place close to his heart. That way they could work side by side to fulfill their purpose. Bottom line: You need each other.
Simplify your life
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me.” Mt 11:28 CEV
The average office worker is bombarded each day with over two hundred messages via email, texts, tweets, and blogs. In fact, one in three managers gets sick because of information overload. It’s a blizzard out there! It makes you wonder—if technology is saving us all this time and energy, how come we’re so frazzled? Here is something Madison Avenue and Wall Street won’t tell you: Success presents more opportunities for the Enemy to run you into the ground. That’s no way to live, and it certainly isn’t God’s will for you. Don’t wait until you hit bottom, get fired, throw away your life, settle for a dead-end job, or lose your family. Don’t wait until you’re too old, too cranky, and too locked into your lifestyle. Today, Jesus is saying to you, “If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest…learn from me.” Leadership expert and Christian author Phil Cooke says: “The Lord can’t relieve the pressure while you’re in the wrong place, at the wrong time, doing the wrong thing, with the wrong people. If you climb the corporate ladder and neglect your family, His hands are tied because your priorities are out of order. When you’re in God’s will, you can work hard, but travel light! He’ll carry your burdens and take the weight. Simplifying your life may mean working fewer hours, scheduling downtime and investing more in your loved ones. Markets, assignments, personalities and situations are all different, but these principles hold true for everyone.” So the word for you today is—simplify your life.
You have to “walk out” the process
“I will give you every place where you set your foot.” Jos 1:3 NIV
The book of Job has forty-two chapters. In the first forty-one chapters, Job experienced the loss of his health, his wealth, and his family. Over and over again, he questioned God but got only silence for an answer. But he kept walking with God, and said, “When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10 NIV). Notice three things: First, to become gold, you have to go through the fire. Second, the degree of heat and the amount of time required is determined by the refiner. Third, when you try to rush the process, you end up with a substance of lesser value, like tin. God told Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot.” In other words, “To get what I have promised, you must ‘walk out’ the process.” American poet C. V. White wrote: “The man who succeeds never waits for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a lot of grit, but the man that succeeds has both…Success is the accomplishment of that which people think can’t be done.” Complacency, fatigue, doubt, criticism, and discouragement are everyday hurdles you must constantly overcome. And how do you do that? You keep on walking! You will notice a common thread throughout the Bible: When you really need Him, God shows up and does for you what you can’t do for yourself. The rest of the time—which is most of the time—He strengthens you and says, “You have to ‘walk out’ the process.” And that’s the word for you today!
Go to the right source
“The only way to escape…is to go to Philistia.” 1Sa 27:1 CEV
The Bible says, “[David] thought to himself, ‘One of these days, Saul is going to kill me. The only way to escape from him is to go to Philistia’” (v. 1 CEV). Now, in times past, David had “inquired of the Lord” (See 23:2, 4 NIV). He also sought advice from experienced, proven counselors. But this time, he was guided by his fears and ended up defecting to enemy territory. And it gave him a temporary sense of relief. Looking to the wrong source can do that—but it doesn’t last. Solomon said: “You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead. Sorrow may hide behind laughter, and happiness may end in sorrow. You harvest what you plant, whether good or bad…be smart and know where you are headed” (Pr 14:12-15 CEV). Eventually, the Philistines rejected David because they couldn’t trust him. They said, “Send David back to the town you gave him. We won’t have him going into the battle with us. He could turn and fight against us!” (1Sa 29:4 CEV). Be careful when you’re in a spiritual slump, because the decisions you make can have long-lasting ramifications. Rejected by the Philistines, with no country and no family to come home to, here is what we learn from David: (1) Instead of listening to your fears, listen to God. Standing among the ruins of his life, “David found strength in the Lord” (1Sa 30:6 NIV), and you will, too. (2) Seek wise counselors. It’s the last thing you will feel like doing because misery loves company, but “the more wise counsel you follow, the better” (Pr 11:14 MSG).
Seek God for direction
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Pr 16:3 NIV
As a follower of Jesus Christ, your direction shouldn’t come from people and be confirmed by God, it should come from God and be confirmed by people. The Bible says: “Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word. Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good; God probes for what is good. Put God in charge of your work, then what you’ve planned will take place. God made everything with a place and purpose” (vv. 1-4 MSG). You may be able to do what someone else has done and do it even better. But has God called you to do that particular thing? Before you follow someone else’s guidance, do these: (1) Check the source of their wisdom. “The Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless…he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path” (Pr 2:6-9 NIV). (2) Check their motives. John writes, “I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened” (Rev 20:12 NKJV). Will one of those be “the book of motives”? And if it is, will your actions and accomplishments stand up under divine scrutiny? (3) Check the outcome they’re pursuing. If you seek success in order to have power and prestige, or seek riches only to have comfort, you violate one of the core principles of God’s Word: You’re blessed in order to be a blessing to others.
The joys of heaven (3)
“There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Rev 21:4 NIV
Sometimes we describe dying as “crossing the Jordan.” That’s because the Jordan River runs into the Dead Sea. The story is told of an elderly Christian lady who was dying. For most of her life, illness had confined her to bed or a wheelchair. The family gathered to say farewell. Holding her hand, one of her grandchildren asked, “Are you afraid to die?” With tears of joy, she replied, “No, I’m not afraid of death because my Father owns the land on both sides of the river.” What an answer! In heaven there will be no sickness, or depression, or pain, or loneliness, or fear, or grief, or any of the things that make life on earth so difficult. God’s Word says, “For you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings” (Mal 4:2 NRS). Isaiah writes: “The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa 35:10 NKJV). When we lose a loved one in death, the question arises, “Will I see them in heaven; will I know them?” Yes! You wouldn’t know less in heaven than you knew on earth. Paul answers, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1Co 13:12 NKJV). Heaven will be the greatest family reunion of all time. And here is the best part of all: We will never be separated again.