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Forgive—And Set Yourself Free
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” Eph 4:32 NKJV Years after her harrowing experience in a Nazi concentration camp, Corrie ten Boom was speaking in a church when she found herself standing face-to-face with a man who had been one of the cruelest guards she had ever met in the camps. This man had humiliated and degraded both her and her sister, jeering at them and visually “raping” them as they stood in the delousing shower. Now he stood before her with an outstretched hand, asking, “Will you forgive me?” Corrie said, “I stood there with coldness clutching at my heart, but I knew that the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. I prayed, ‘Jesus, help me!’ Woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me, and when I did I experienced an incredible thing. The current started in my shoulder, raced down into my arm, and sprang into our clutched hands. Then this warm reconciliation seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. ‘I forgive you, brother,’ I cried with my whole heart. For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I have never known the love of God as intensely as I did in that moment.” The Bible says, “Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Who are you struggling to forgive today? Rise above your feelings and do it! When you do, you will set yourself free and be able to walk in the peace and joy of the Lord.
God Is At Work In Your Circumstances
“[His power]…is at work within us…to [carry out His purpose].” Eph 3:20 AMP One author writes: “We manage time, waste time, spend time, and save time. We wish it would come…we wish it would pass…we see time fly…we feel it drag. We watch clocks and carry calendars…yet God controls time. He created time, and His creations are fenced by His time, directed and guided by His loving hand. We’re surprised by unexpected developments, but God is never surprised by even the most disastrous turn of events. And your outlook on life changes dramatically when you know that at this very moment God is working within you ‘to carry out His purpose.’ Think about how you’d live if you were absolutely certain God was at the end of your deadline. That even if there were mere seconds left, you believed with certainty He was working through your circumstances. Believing God is there and about to provide is the essence of faith. ‘Jesus…is the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Heb 13:8 NLT). Time can’t diminish His love or His power to work within your life. He was there in the past; He’s present in the now, and He’ll be there in the future. The truth is, He has ‘all the time in the world…a thousand years or a day, it’s all the same to [Him]’ (Ps 90:4 TM). And His ultimate goal is to bring you into eternity, not just get you through to the end of the week.” Remind yourself that in every situation “[His] power…is at work within us…to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly…above all that we [dare] ask or think…[beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams].”
Be Willing To Learn From Others
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom.” Pr 3:13 NKJV Certain people can make us feel “less than” when we’re in their company, but truly wise and mature people never try to do that. If you’ve had a bad experience with this, don’t allow it to drive you back in defeat. If you don’t stand near a ruler, you won’t be able to measure your growth or monitor how much you’ve developed. Whatever successful people know, they haven’t always known it—they had to learn and grow too. So don’t pretend you know what you don’t know. It’s best to speak genuinely and sincerely, asking questions when appropriate. Most successful people enjoy a chance to discuss and share what they know, so take advantage of this. Fear of rejection keeps us from going forward in life and in relationships. You’d be surprised how many people limit themselves to socializing only with those who are comparable to them. They feel uncomfortable the moment they’re surrounded by people who are different from them. An important part of your development occurs when you decide to cross the tracks and relate to people who are ahead of you in some way. These relationships create a chance for you to grow. It’s not wrong to lack knowledge; it’s wrong to be unwilling to learn. Joshua learned the principles of good leadership from Moses. Ruth learned how to find the right relationship by listening to Naomi. Make this Scripture a guiding principle of your life: “Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.”
You’re Qualified For The Job
“God has chosen.” 1Co 1:27 NKJV People are often drawn to us because of our difference, not our similarity. So don’t fail them by downplaying the things God has given you that qualify you to meet their needs. The disciples didn’t blend in, they stood out, and the world they lived in took note that “they had been with Jesus” (Ac 4:13). They preached His message, used His methods, and demonstrated His miracles. At Antioch they were first called “Christians” (Ac 11:26). That’s because they talked and acted so much like Christ. What a compliment! What a calling! What a challenge! Because a cleaning lady told a Syrian general about her God, he was healed of leprosy (See 2Ki 5). Because Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams when others couldn’t, he saved the world from famine (See Ge 41). Because a boy offered Jesus what he had—five loaves and two fish—a multitude of hungry people was miraculously fed (See Mk 6:34-44). When it comes to hiring, personality profiling is a useful tool for discovering someone's suitability for a job. But it’s different in God’s kingdom. When God calls you, He equips you. Do you think you’re not qualified? Who told you that? Not God! His Word says: “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise…the weak things…to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things…which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1Co 1:27-29 NLT). So, the word for you today is—you’re qualified for the job!
Be A Uniter, Not A Divider
“How good…it is…to dwell together in unity!”
Ps 133:1 NKJV
David said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…there the Lord commanded the blessing” (vv. 1, 3 NKJV). When we strive to work together in spite of our differences, God “commands” His blessing to be upon our efforts. Satan knows this, so his chief strategy is to divide and conquer. He knows the power, synergy, and blessing that results from working in harmony; therefore he makes every effort to bring division. So when things begin to splinter and fall apart, look for “the Devil in the details.” The sixth chapter of Proverbs lists seven things the Lord detests; among them is “a man who stirs up dissention” (v. 19 NIV). Paul says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3 NIV). (He knew that sometimes it required tremendous effort). We can’t afford to be ignorant of Satan’s tactics designed to keep us at odds with one another. He’ll cause you to become offended over a harmless statement, or read more into a comment than the speaker intended, or ascribe impure motives to someone’s behavior, or believe a lie. But when you pray and seek God, He’ll reveal the truth of the situation. “He is our peace” (Eph 2:14), and when we embrace Him, He directs us into peaceful resolution of our issues. In fact, our conflicts can become stepping stones to stronger relationships when we make a commitment to understand each other and refrain from divisiveness. That’s why Paul writes, “I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1Co 1:10 TLB).
Don’t Let Complaining Creep In (2)
“The Lord…has heard your grumbling against him.” Ex 16:7 NIV When you complain, God takes it personally. It shows a lack of faith in His Word that says, “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love [him]” (Ro 8:28 NLT). The Bible says: “When Pharaoh…let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a roundabout way” (Ex 13:17-18 NLT). God sees the end from the beginning, and He’s leading you in a roundabout way! Once you accept that, you can stop complaining. When Israel grumbled, “the Lord’s anger blazed…and…he destroyed some of the people” (Nu 11:1 NLT). Dr. Dale A. Robbins writes: “They refused to trust Him to provide, protect, and direct their lives…The whole premise of Christianity is Jesus becomes the ‘boss’ of our circumstances. We’re in His hands. If believers complain, it becomes an accusation against the Lord to whom we’ve trusted our lives, and He ‘[hears] all your complaints against him’ (Ex 16:8 NLT).” When you go through tough times, don’t resort to complaining. Praise God in spite of what’s happening. “Be thankful in all circumstances” (1Th 5:18 NLT). Thanksgiving is the opposite of complaining. It expresses appreciation for everything God has done and what He promises to do, and shows confidence that He’s in charge. The Psalmist said, “Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and…in the day of trouble; I will deliver you” (Ps 50:14-15 AMP). Gratitude—not grumbling—motivates God to work on your behalf.
Oh, Father
Do you ever take a moment to pray but feel like you stumble out of the gate? Do you have trouble finding the words when it comes time to bow your head? Remember, the One who hears your prayers is your Daddy. You don’t need to wow him with eloquence.
Jesus downplayed the importance of words in prayers. We tend to do the opposite. The more words the better. The better words the better. We focus on the appropriate prayer language, the latest prayer trend, the holiest prayer terminology. Against this emphasis on syllables and rituals, Jesus says, “Don’t ramble like heathens who . . . talk a lot” (Matt. 6:7 God’s Word).
Vocabulary and geography might impress people but not God. There is no panel of angelic judges with numbered cards. “Wow, Lucado, that prayer was a ten. God will certainly hear you!” “Oh, Lucado, you scored a two this morning. Go home and practice.” Prayers aren’t graded according to style.
Just as a happy child cannot mis-hug, the sincere heart cannot mis-pray. Heaven knows, life has enough burdens without the burden of praying correctly. If prayer depends on how I pray, I’m sunk. But if the power of prayer depends on the One who hears the prayer, and if the One who hears the prayer is my Daddy, then I have hope.
Prayer really is that simple. Resist the urge to complicate it. Don’t take pride in well-crafted prayers. Don’t apologize for incoherent prayers. No games. No cover-ups. Just be honest—honest to God. Climb into his lap. Tell him everything that is on your heart. Or tell him nothing at all.
Sometimes “Daddy” is all we can muster. Stress. Fear. Guilt. Grief. Demands on all sides. All we can summon is a plaintive “Oh, Father.” If so, that’s enough.
Financial increase
‘He will increase what you have.’ 2 Corinthians 9:10 CEV
Some people think God is opposed to our having money, or that He doesn’t want us to have very much of it. But the Bible says, ‘He will increase what you have, so… you can give even more to those in need. You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous.’ (2 Corinthians 9:10–11 CEV)
Want some good advice? Get God involved in your finances, and keep Him involved! It’s an area in which you can have an interactive relationship with Him, but you need to invite Him in. Think about it. Have you ever heard anyone pray, ‘Lord, I’ve withheld from You all these years while I followed my own plan. As a result I’ve gotten into this financial mess. But I still think my plan can work, so I’ll figure things out on my own and You can go help somebody else’? No, when the bottom drops out of the financial bucket we want God to get involved, so we focus on persuading Him to come to our rescue. At this point our prayers become an S.O.S. ‘Help, Lord! Please do something! Anything!’ We reach a point where we’re finally willing to acknowledge that He controls everything. We’re no longer bashful about asking Him to do what we’ve always known He’s capable of doing: to move some money here, or take away some financial pressure there.
So what’s stopping you from asking God to get involved now—before the bottom drops out? Doesn’t it make sense to position yourself to receive His direct intervention as soon and as often as possible?
Conquering Your Fear of Intimacy (1)
‘They were both naked…and were not ashamed.’ Genesis 2:25 NKJV
Adam and Eve had no secrets from each other. ‘They were both naked…and were not ashamed.’ As a couple, God said they had power to rule the world. And that’s when Satan entered the picture. What did he attack? Their intimacy! ‘The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.’ (Genesis 2:7 NKJV)
The word intimacy means ‘to be open, transparent, and trusting.’ When Adam and Eve lost that, they started hiding from God—and each other. And we’ve been hiding from each other ever since. Emotional intimacy is the bedrock of any meaningful relationship. Without it, relationships become shallow and unfulfilling. We are afraid of revealing to others our fears, needs, insecurities, secrets, hopes, dreams, weird opinions or our undesirable parts. And this fear is rooted in the fear of loneliness: ‘If you really knew me, you’d leave me.’ Or the fear of inadequacy: ‘You may be disappointed in me because I cannot fulfil all your expectations.’ Or the fear of losing control: ‘Now that you know how I feel, you may use it to control me.’ Women play ‘hard to get’ and men play the ‘tough guy’ who doesn’t need anybody.
What’s the answer? Learning to pray together. Our most honest moments are before the God who already knows everything about us. When we share such moments the barriers come down, our hearts tenderise toward one another, and we move closer together.
The Father/Son Talk (1)
‘My son, hear the instruction of your father.’ Proverbs 1:8 NKJV
In Proverbs the words my son are used twenty-three times, and the word father is used nineteen times. So it’s a letter from a father to his son. It’s also a letter from a father to other fathers, about being a good father. It not only teaches a father how to lead his children, but how to live before them.
Interestingly, the letter contains a lot of warnings about the misuse of sex and the heartache it can bring. We’ve probably all heard the story of the twelve-year-old boy whose dad said, ‘Son, don’t you think it’s time we had a talk about sex?’ The little guy said, ‘Sure, Dad. What do you want to know?’ The sad truth is that today our children are getting their sex education in school, from their friends, from the internet and from experimentation—but not at home. Solomon writes, ‘Why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman?’ (Proverbs 5:20 NKJV) Sex education is the answer—as long as it involves the right teacher, the right classroom and the right curriculum. And the right teacher is you, Dad; the right classroom is your home; and the right curriculum is the Bible. A study of 10,000 high school students revealed that strong parental values and supervision have the most significant effect on a teen’s sexual activity. Parents who had a close relationship with their daughters and supervised their schoolwork and activities, were able by 42 percent to curb the likelihood that they’d ever become pregnant out of wedlock.
So Dad (and Mum), speak up. Get involved. You can’t afford not to!
The principle of reciprocity
‘God has heard your prayers and knows about your gifts to the poor.’ Acts 10:4 CEV
Up until this time the Gospel had been preached exclusively to the Jews. But all that was about to change: ‘One afternoon at about three o’clock, Cornelius had a vision. He saw an angel from God coming to him and calling him by name… “God has heard your prayers and knows about your gifts to the poor. Now send some men to Joppa for a man named Simon Peter.”’ (Acts 10:3–5 CEV) As a result of Cornelius’ prayers and generosity, he became the first Gentile to hear the Gospel and be saved. What a payoff!
God hears the kind words you speak to others when they’re hurting. He sees your sacrificial giving when you can least afford it. By doing what you’re doing, you’re paving the way for God to help you. He’s storing it all up so that in your time of need you’ll have a rich account to draw on. A lady was praying about starting a pet-grooming business but she couldn’t afford to advertise. So she went to her local animal shelter and volunteered to groom the pets to increase their chances for adoption. Interestingly, the harder she worked, the more her own business grew by word of mouth until she ended up with more clients than she could handle.
You say, ‘Does that mean if I don’t help others God won’t help me?’ Thankfully, no! God’s love is unconditional. But when you say ‘no’ to an opportunity to give, you miss out on an opportunity to receive. The principle of reciprocity is simple: when you’re generous with others, God promises to be generous with you. (See 2 Corinthians 9:6–8)
Let Your Heart Be Established By Grace
God does not want your heart full of worries and fears, tossed and turned by every challenge that comes your way. He wants your heart at rest and established by His grace toward you.
But when you think that the breakthroughs to your challenges depend on your ability to obey God, then your heart will not be at rest. It will be full of worries and anxieties. Why? Because you can never obey God perfectly.
But when you depend on God’s grace, that is, His undeserved, unmerited favor, the opposite happens—your heart becomes established. When you know that the only thing that qualifies you to receive God’s blessings is faith in the finished work of Christ, your heart becomes established. Then, you will walk without the fear of your troubles swallowing you up. You will walk with full assurance that His blessings will be manifested in your life.
My friend, God wants your heart established, knowing that His righteousness, healing, protection and provision are yours—all paid for by Jesus’ finished work at the cross. God’s blessings are sure in your life because they are not dependent on your ability to keep His laws, but Jesus’ perfect obedience.
You see, under the old covenant, you receive God’s blessings only if you keep all His laws. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2) If you sin and fail to keep even one law, you will be disqualified from receiving His blessings. But today, under the new covenant, your sins no longer disqualify you because God Himself has said, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)
So let your heart be established by God’s grace. Because of His grace, you have full access to His blessings. You no longer have to worry about whether you are good enough. You can stand firm on the promises made in His Word and enjoy His blessings today because Jesus has paid the price. Your part is only to believe and receive!
Is God Directing You To Zarephath?
‘Go at once to Zarephath… and stay there.’ 1 Kings 17:9 NIV
The stream Elijah had been drinking from dried up and the ravens that brought him food every day stopped coming. When that happens God’s trying to get your attention! He’s getting you ready to move. Next God sent Elijah to an impoverished widow in the town of Zarephath, assuring him that she’d feed him. That must have been difficult for a leader who was used to ministering to others. Elijah found the widow in the middle of a famine, cooking one last meal for herself and her son. Nevertheless he challenged her to obey God, promising, ‘There will always be flour and olive oil… in your containers until… the Lord sends rain and the crops grow.’ (1 Kings 17:14 NLT) What gave Elijah the faith to say that? Because he’d proven God’s faithfulness in his own life!
You can only talk in faith when you walk in faith. And associating with people of faith is contagious; it builds your faith. That’s what happened to this widow. She and her son may not have eaten a five-course meal every night, but God made sure that for the duration of the famine they had all they needed. So if you don’t have everything you want right now, obey God with what He’s given you and trust Him that when the time is right He’ll send an increase. Notice also, the faith of both the widow and the prophet was tested. So whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned believer, tests of faith will keep coming your way.
Is God directing you to your own personal Zarephath today? Don’t argue! ‘Go at once,’ because His blessing hinges on your obedience.
Refuse tu settle
‘They set out…to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.’ Genesis 11:31 NIV
Are you pressing ‘on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [you]’ (Philippians 3:14 NIV), or have you ‘settled’ along the way?
God made a pact with Abraham—one that continues to influence the modern world. A lesser-known fact is that years earlier Abraham’s father, Terah, ‘set out… to go to Canaan,’ the land of abundance where God later called Abraham. But Terah never made it: ‘When they came to Haran, they settled there.’ No question, it couldn’t have been easy travelling hundreds of kilometres across rough terrain with flocks, herds, children and servants. Can you imagine the sheer logistics! Remember, there were no professional movers to pack and load your stuff! Finally Terah decided they couldn’t go any farther, so they settled where they were comfortable.
One pastor adds: ‘I wonder how many times we do the same thing? We have a big dream …to excel in our careers…as parents…and in our walk with God. We get started, but things get difficult and achieving our goal doesn’t happen as quickly as we hoped. Perhaps similar to Abraham’s father we say, “Let’s just settle here. It’s not really what we wanted, but it’s good enough.” Don’t fall into that trap. You were made for more than “good enough”…Don’t settle for a little love and joy, a bit of peace and contentment, or a small helping of happiness… Pull up stakes, pack your tents, get your belongings, and start moving forward. Enlarge your vision. You may have had a delay, but…you can begin again.’
*To Be Faithful Is To Be Successful*
_‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Matthew 25:23 NKJV_
God wants you to succeed in life (See Joshua 1:8). And He will give you the tools, strategies and relationships necessary for success. David started out as a lowly shepherd boy, but God made him King of Israel. The Bible says, ‘In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.’ (1 Samuel 18:14 NIV)
But God’s definition of success is very different from the world’s definition. Former US Senator Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa. They visited the ‘House of Dying’ where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers faced daily. ‘How can you bear the load without being crushed beneath it?’ he asked. Mother Teresa replied, ‘My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.’ Some of us are called to serve in the limelight while others are called to serve in the shadows. Some are privileged to receive the world’s accolades and rewards, but most of us aren’t. Should we be discouraged? Not for a moment! With God, faithfulness counts as success.
One day when you stand before God you will hear these words: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’ (Matthew 25:23 NKJV)
Jesus Doesn’t Condemn, He Cleanses
“Go. From now on sin no more.” Jn 8:11 NAS The Bible says: “The Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery…they said to [Jesus]…‘in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women.’” Jesus replied: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her’…When they heard it, they began to go out one by one…Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more’” (vv. 3-11 NAS). Notice two things: (1) Those least qualified to condemn you, will. Jesus knew the hearts of the Pharisees. They made a practice of lifting themselves up by putting others down. Their aim that day was to trap Him by exposing her. Steer clear of modern-day Pharisees! Find your friends among those who’ve been redeemed by grace, and know how to extend it to others. (2) The One most qualified to condemn you, won’t. Stay close to Him. When you do, you’ll discover your scars aren’t permanent and you’ll recover much more quickly. Christ will meet you in your dark places and heal the wounds of your past because His grace is greater than your shame. Where sin abounds—His grace super-abounds! There’s no limit to the depth of shame He can see us through, because there’s no limit to the grace He can supply. Today, if you’re feeling the weight of your shameful past and sinful ways, come to Jesus. He’s ready to forgive you and set you free. But His invitation to freedom reads “R.S.V.P.”
Today I Will . . .
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s okay to stumble. . . . I will get up. It’s okay to fail. . . . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening.
Today I will make a difference.
Were You Really “Born That Way”?
“I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.” Ps 51:5 GWT Whether your struggle is with alcohol, drugs, sex, anger, gossip, unforgiveness, stealing, lying, or gambling, one thing’s certain—we are all born with a propensity toward certain behaviors. So it’s not a genetics issue, it’s a spiritual issue. It’s not about science, it’s about sin. Any of us might find ourselves struggling with these issues—not because we inherited a gene for it, but because we inherited Adam’s fallen nature the day we were conceived. David said, “I was born guilty. I was a sinner when my mother conceived me.” Solomon said there are no exceptions: “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins” (Ecc 7:20 NLT). So the answer is yes, we were all “born that way.” The reason these behaviors come naturally to us is not because we “can’t help being the way we are”; it’s because our sin nature is stronger than our desire to please God. Even when we try, at times we lose the fight! Paul, the greatest of Christians, admitted to failing when he tried to do right. “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (Ro 7:18 NIV). So if we are all born that way, what’s the good news? Paul gives it to us: “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Ro 7:24-25 NLT). When you were born you received Adam’s corrupt nature, but through the new birth you receive Christ’s sin-conquering, life-changing, righteous nature!
Simplifying Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated
“Do not worry about your life.” Mt 6:25 NKJV Thoreau said, “Our lives are frittered away by detail…simplify, simplify.” Jesus put it another way: “Do not worry about your life…the birds…neither sow…reap nor gather into barns…yet your…Father feeds them” (vv. 25-26 NKJV). Charlie Shedd pastored a large church with many demands. He and his wife created a simplicity list: Make sure you need to simplify. Your problem may be inertia…because you aren’t doing enough. Selfishness never simplifies—it complicates. Remember why you’re here. Put God’s will first. You unclutter by having a pivotal purpose on which your life swings. Drop useless goals. Don’t wear yourself out on meaningless pursuits. You frustrate yourself by dedicating your life to the unimportant. You can’t do everything. If God intended you to be six people, he’d have divided you up! Leave some “world building” to others. Live one day at a time. Plan and hope for the future—but don’t live there. “Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34 NIV). Live well today and tomorrow’s strength will come. Wherever you are—be there. Stop thinking happiness comes at five o’clock, or at the evening’s party, or when you fall asleep. Live in the present. Develop a hobby. A change of activity keeps you fresh. Time spent playing is time well spent. You can’t slow the world, so slow yourself. Learn to gear down. When you can’t alter the pace, retire to the inner sanctuary and alter yourself. Adopt the perfect pattern: Christ…whose life cut history squarely in two. Follow Him as He lives a mighty life in quiet confidence. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Php 2:5).
Overcoming Bad Memories
“Do not…ponder the things of the past.” Isa 43:18 NAS To overcome bad memories you must: (1) Reframe them. Looking back, Joseph said, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Ge 50:20 NAS). (2) Reject them. The next time a bad memory resurfaces, refuse to entertain it. “Do not…ponder the things of the past.” (3) Refocus your thoughts. “Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Php 3:13 NKJV). You say, “I can’t help remembering.” If you can recall your troubles, you can recall your blessings. The most effective way to overcome bad memories—is to replace them with good ones! And here’s some great news: Every promise God gives you contains the power to fulfill it. So meditate on these words and personalize them: “Fear not…do not feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; but you will forget the shame of your youth” (Isa 54:4 NAS). “The former things shall not be remembered or come into mind…be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create” (Isa 65:17-18 AMP). Notice the word create. God can create beauty out of ashes and order out of chaos—but it doesn’t happen overnight. You’ll do a lot of growing and forgiving along the way. In some cases you’ll forgive others; in other cases you’ll forgive yourself. You say, “But all those promises are from the Old Testament!” Yes, but the Bible says, “He carries out and fulfills all of [His] promises, no matter how many…there are” (2Co 1:20 TLB). So bring your bad memories to God and let Him heal them.
Don’t Let Complaining Creep In (1)
“These people are grumblers and complainers.” Jude v. 16 NLT Jon Gordon says: “My wife’s friend Rachel wouldn’t stop complaining about her job …the company, the economy, her lack of sales…I finally stopped her and said, ‘It’s simple. You have a choice. You can accept your company’s new policies, come to work with a positive attitude and be your best every day, or you can find a new job. But whatever you do, stop complaining because it’s not doing any good. Change your job or change your attitude.’…The conversation was over, and so was our friendship, I thought. Rachel wouldn’t speak to me for a few months. Then I saw her at a party and she told me she decided to take my advice. She stayed in her job, stopped complaining and started selling more. Three months after changing her attitude her sales were up 30 percent, a year later they were up 70 percent…The other day, three years after our initial conversation, I caught up with Rachel again and asked her how she was doing. She told me during the last two years her sales continued to grow. She’s been promoted twice and is now in her dream job. It’s the job she always wanted and she’s more excited and passionate than ever. Is complaining sabotaging you and/or your team?…I was in a similar situation ten years ago. But I learned when you stop whining and take positive action, you start winning.” The Bible places whiners and complainers in the same class as “sinners [who] have spoken against [God]…grumblers and complainers…living only to satisfy their desires…to get what they want” (vv. 15-16 NLT). Instead, you should be full of faith—thanking God for His blessings and trusting Him for the future.
Have you prayed about it?
‘Pray and ask God for everything you need.’ Philippians 4:6 NCV
Can you imagine walking into a restaurant and asking if your order is ready? ‘When did you call it in?’ the server asks. ‘Oh, I didn’t,’ you reply. ‘I just thought perhaps you might have something with my name on it.’ That’s as ridiculous as expecting God to answer prayer requests you haven’t made—or haven’t made in faith. The Bible says, ‘The reason you don’t have what you want is… you don’t ask God.’ (James 4:2 TLB)
Will God give you everything you ask for? No. ‘Even when you do ask you don’t get it because… you want only what will give you pleasure.’ (James 4:3 TLB) Your request must be in harmony with God’s will. ‘If we ask anything… according to His will… He…hears.’ (1 John 5:14 AMP) Jeremiah said, ‘The Lord is good to those who wait…expectantly for Him.’ (Lamentations 3:25 AMP) Expectant prayer demonstrates confidence in God’s goodness. So instead of fretting, or talking about it to everybody but God, or taking matters into your own hands, say, ‘Lord, I’m going to trust You with this regardless of the outcome,’ and He will honour your faith.
Paul writes, ‘Pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks.’ Do you need a job? Help overcoming a problem? The salvation of a loved one? A deeper spiritual walk? Physical or emotional healing? Guidance? Jesus said, ‘It gives your Father great happiness to give you the [benefits of His] Kingdom.’ (Luke 12:32 NLT) God wants to be good to you, so tell Him the ‘desires of your heart.’ (Psalm 37:4 NKJV) Then thank Him and believe the answer will come—in His time!
Conquering Your Fear of Intimacy (2)
‘They…fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him.’ Acts 20:37 NKJV
Emotional intimacy is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone. It fills their souls and yours too. It eliminates our loneliness. And yes, even in our macho society the Bible suggests emotional intimacy between men. The elders of the church at Ephesus, realising they would never see Paul again, ‘wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more.’ (Acts 20:37–38 NKJV) Famed athlete Bill Russell says, ‘Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them.’
So, what can you do? (1) Understand the source of your fear. What happened to make you avoid a desire to be known? (2) Accept yourself completely—every feature, every imperfection—as God’s masterpiece; then you can stop worrying about someone rejecting you because you’re not perfect. (3) Test the waters. Start gradually with a few friends and begin to share your needs and how you really feel. Confess your struggle with your weight, self-image, habits or other issues. Instead of pretending you’re something that you’re not, ask for support. Find joy in being authentic. (4) Practice saying, ‘I love you’ to the significant people in your life even if it feels foreign to do so. Stop fearing. ‘I love you’ doesn’t translate, ‘I want to be your slave,’ nor does it say, ‘I’ll tolerate anything and remain in relationship with you.’ It just means ‘I’m committed to our relationship, and I believe that by God’s help we can work through the problem.’
The Father/Son Talk (2)
‘With her enticing speech she caused him to yield.’ Proverbs 7:21 NKJV
Psychologist Henry Brandt tells how his son got upset when he wouldn’t permit him to go out alone in a car with a girl down to the lake after dark. ‘What’s wrong, Dad?’ demanded the son. ‘Don’t you trust me?’ Brandt replied: ‘In a car, alone at night, in front of a lake, with a beautiful girl? I wouldn’t trust me!’ Solomon got involved early and strongly in the lives of his children, and educated them about God’s perspective on sex. The three largest sections in Proverbs dealing with one topic are found in chapters 5 through 7. In chapters 5 and 6, Solomon dealt exclusively with premarital sex—fornication. He devoted almost the entirety of chapter 7 to extramarital sex—adultery. And in between, he gave a frank discussion of sex within the will of God.
For too long pastors and parents have kept their heads buried in the sand, hoping this topic would just go away. But the subject can’t be avoided. Pollster George Gallup stated: ‘There’s no question about it, sex-related issues are going to become the most important issues facing all churches in the foreseeable future. Abortion, AIDS, premarital sex, homosexuality—all those are going to be at the vortex.’ Solomon warned his son, ‘With her enticing speech she caused him to yield.’
So whether you’re a father, a mother, a single parent, or even a grandparent, your child won’t make the wrong move if they’re not in the wrong place, with the wrong person, at the wrong time. So teach them, ‘If you don’t want to get burned, stay away from the fire!’
If You Want It, Give It!
‘You will be given a full amount in return.’ Luke 6:38 CEV
One night a man came to Mother Teresa’s house and told her about a family of eight who hadn’t eaten for a week. When she got there she saw the faces of little ones suffering from malnutrition, so she gave them a sack of rice. Then the children’s mother did something interesting. She kept half the rice and went out carrying the other half. When she returned Mother Teresa asked, ‘Where did you go?’ She answered, ‘To my neighbours; they’re hungry also.’ Mother Teresa says, ‘I wasn’t surprised that she gave; the poor are usually very generous. But I was surprised that she knew they were hungry. As a rule, when we’re suffering we’ve no time for others.’
The Bible teaches that when you focus on the needs of others God will make sure your needs get met too. (See Ephesians 6:8) So if you want it, give it! Here’s why: (1) Giving is the key to blessing. Jesus said, ‘If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap.’ (2) The seed you sow now decides the size of the harvest you’ll reap later. No seed is too little to multiply if you’re willing to sow it. By finding a cause greater than your own self-interest and pouring yourself into it, you discover two things: first, it’s ok to acknowledge your limitations as long as you don’t build your life around them. Second, God’s blessing is released when you give what you have instead of talking about what you don’t have.
So if you want it, give it!
Never Assume
‘The hand of the diligent makes rich.’ Proverbs 10:4 NKJV
Never assume your instructions are clearly understood and will be carried out. The Bible says, ‘The hand of the diligent makes rich,’ and the word diligent means paying careful attention to details.
When you give someone instructions, check to be sure they’ve made a note of them. If not, you should be concerned. The unlearned and uncommitted tend to trust their memory with everything, but the shortest pencil is still better than the longest memory. When someone doesn’t consider what you’re saying important enough to write down, they are sending you a signal; the light is flashing red. Even if their intentions are good, in their busyness or overconfidence your instructions can easily be forgotten. Those who are follow-through people always ask additional questions about the assignment and instructions you give them. For example, when you ask them to telephone somebody about a particular matter, they should automatically ask you: (a) Is there a deadline on this? (b) When do you need a report back on the results of this call? (c) Is there any additional information I need to know? If those kinds of questions are not forthcoming, chances are that person is not giving enough thought to their assignment. When someone tells you, ‘I’ll try to get to it,’ that’s another flashing red light, because much of the time they won’t. The word try often reveals halfheartedness. Give your instructions to one specific person—not two. Document the date you gave it to them and when you need them to report back.
In other words: only give instructions to someone who is qualified to receive and implement them.
*Knowing You’ve Truly Forgiven Someone*
_‘They didn’t even smell of smoke!’ Daniel 3:27 NLT_
When King Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the fiery furnace, God brought them out and ‘they didn’t even smell of smoke!’ We’ve all encountered people who still ‘smell like smoke’. Their attitude says, ‘I’ve been through a hard time, and I’m still upset about it.’ How about you? Have the experiences you’ve been through hardened your heart or softened it? When you speak, do you sound positive or negative? Are you bound by the memories of your past? Do you talk about your pain to anyone who will listen? Don’t you see what you’re doing—chaining yourself to the past? When circus elephants are young and unaware of their strength, they’re bound by a chain to a stake to limit their mobility. Later when they’re full-grown and have the strength to break that chain, they’re still bound by it. Why? Because they accept this limitation as permanent!
But it’s not the chain that binds them, it’s the memory! If you are bound by painful and debilitating memories, the word for you today is: ‘Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honour. They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them.’ (Isaiah 26:13–14 NIV)
Whatever your haunting memory is, you must begin to declare your deliverance from its bondage. By standing on God’s Word, you activate its power to set you free.
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*Go all the way*
_‘I consider everything a loss compared to…knowing Christ…’ Philippians 3:8 NIV_
While John was a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos, far from his loved ones and surrounded by the cries of abused captives, he had a vision of Jesus. He writes, ‘…When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead…’ (Revelation 1:17 NKJV) Incredible revelation in the midst of confinement, chaos and pain; that’s how it works! The difficult circumstances you’re going through right now can actually clear your perceptions, cause you to seek God as never before, and find answers for your life. John’s predicament proves that negative experiences don’t hide the Lord; they reveal Him. Instead of destroying you, Satan’s attack can actually develop you. Yes, it stresses you, but it also stretches you spiritually. In Hebrews chapter 11 we see two things: the deeds of their faith and the depth of their faith. Where did God prove His faithfulness to Daniel? In the lions’ den. Where did the Lord reveal Himself to the three Hebrew children? In a fire, heated seven times over. There’s a place in God where fiery trials consume everything except your desire to know Him. Though that place may sometimes escape your grasp, never let it escape your gaze. It was Paul’s all-consuming goal: ‘I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ.’ (Philippians 3:8 NIV) There it is: no reservations, no retreat, and no regrets; just a desire to know God intimately and a commitment to ‘go all the way with Him.’ Let that be your heart’s desire today!
*Don’t Just Pray—Believe!*
_‘Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.’ Mark 11:24 NKJV_
One of the dangers in praying is not expecting God to answer. The Bible says, ‘Without faith no one can please God. We must believe… God is real and… He rewards everyone who searches for Him.’ (Hebrews 11:6 CEV) The only currency God trades in is faith, and ‘faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Romans 10:17 NKJV) As you immerse yourself in Scripture, faith takes root and begins to grow. And faith is what makes your prayers effective. But what if your faith lines up with God’s Word and the answer is delayed? Keep praying and believing! ‘Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.’ (Hebrews 10:35–36 NIV)
When a rural farming community was hit by severe drought, the local church called a prayer meeting. Almost everybody in town showed up (interesting how trouble has a way of getting our attention). As the pastor stood before a packed church he noticed an 11-year-old girl beaming with excitement in the front row. Lying on the pew beside her was a bright red umbrella poised and ready for use. The beauty and innocence of the sight made him smile, as he compared the child’s faith with that of all the others in the church. Looking at the congregation, he announced: ‘The rest of us came to pray for rain, but she came expecting God to answer!’
So don’t just pray—believe!