Thursday, March 6, 2014

Wrong Assumption

Charles Swindoll, noted radio Bible teacher, tells of an time he was holding meetings at a church. He noticed a man who came faithfully to every service  but would always fall asleep about halfway through his sermon. At first Swindoll was  annoyed by the man's lack of attention. He thought to himself, "If he finds me so boring, why doesn't he just stay home."


One evening after the service,  the wife of the sleeping man, approached Swindoll and told him how much her husband was enjoying his preaching. She went on to say that her husband had a terminal illness and the medication he was taking made him fall asleep. She went on to say that her husband's one wish was to hear Charles Swindoll in person before he died.

Needless to say Swindoll felt terrible for his assumption. The old saying, "You cannot judge a book by its cover," is true. We should not judge people by appearances. We don't know their situation nor the intent of their heart.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Your Storm

In my last blog, we looked at Peter, the risk-taker. He stepped out of his boat and his faith was rewarded; he actually walked on water! He was on his way to becoming a super disciple! The hardest part was behind him; getting out of the boat. Right? Then reality set in. He suddenly realized just how bad the storm was and he began to sink. Matthew 14:30

The same thing happens to us. We begin a new job, start a new relationship, go to college, or begin a family. In the beginning we are filled with hope and excitement; then the reality sets in. We see the wind: Our plans go wrong. People we were counting on let us down. Unexpected conflicts arise. Now what do you do?

People usually respond to serious problems in one of two ways: 
  1. Many simply are defeated by their circumstances
  2. Some choose to face the situation and overcome.
I see two life-lessons in this story that will benefit us all.

  • Storms have a way of teaching us when nothing else can.
  • Sooner or later, you have to turn and face the situation. Sooner or later,you have to run to God.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Taking A Risk

When I was a child we used to play a game called 'I Dare You.' It usually involved some kind of risk. To be honest, I wasn't much of a risk-taker.

The Bible is filled with accounts of people who took risks but my favorite was Peter walking on water. Stepping out of the boat was risky business. Peter had to leave the comfort and safety of the boat to go to Jesus. Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid." Do you think that's the last time in his life Peter will experience fear?

The unsettling truth is fear will never go away! Because id you want to grow spiritually, it will involve going into new territory and taking on new challenges. Fear and growth go together like macaroni and cheese. Your decision to grow is a choice between comfort and risk. Fear is the price of growth. 

Millions of people in churches today could be called "pew potatoes." They don't want to get out of their spiritual Lazy-boys. Yes, they want the comfort associated with spirituality but they don't want the risk and challenge with actually following Jesus. Peter when speaking to Jesus did not ask for a promise {Promise me I won't sink}but He asked for a command, "Lord, if it is you command me" Peter didn't ask for a guarantee, just an opportunity.

We mainly look at Peter as failing but we forget the other disciples still in the boat! The worst failure is to never get out of the boat. It was Peter's willingness to risk failure that helped him to grow.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Record Keeping

I like to keep good records. I keep track of the maintenance of my vehicles. I have a program that keeps track of my spending. I have a log to record my blood sugar. While keeping good records is essential to Christian stewardship, the Bible admonishes as not to keep record of how we have been wronged.

When people hurt us, we have two natural tendencies: remember and retaliate.
But that’s not what 1 Corinthians 13:5 tell us to do: “Love keeps no record of being wronged” (NLT). So how should you respond to the people who have hurt you? How do you handle all off those wounds and hurts that you’ve stockpiled in your memory?You don’t repeat them; you delete them.

The Bible says in Proverbs 17:9, “Love forgets mistakes. Nagging about them parts the best of friends” (LB). It also parts marriages and every other relationship you have. When we repeat our hurt by telling it to other people, gossip! We tell everybody else except God and the person with whom we have the problem. Did you know that God hates gossip? He hates it as much as he hates pride, because that’s what gossip is.

Gossip is pure and simple ego — trying to make ourselves look and feel better. Every time you share gossip, you are being prideful, and God hates pride and gossip. Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesn’t repeat a wound so that it turns into resentment or gossip or pride. Love responds to hurt by letting it go.

Love keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesn’t repeat a wound so that it turns into resentment or gossip or pride. Love responds to hurt by letting it go.

"Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your own failings and shortcomings and let them drop” (Mark 11:25 AMP).

Friday, February 14, 2014

How Shall We Live?

Just had a very interesting 'conversation.' A person came to me and asked how I would have responded to a situation involving family member whose wife was unfaithful. My response? I told them there are only two questions we need to ask ourselves.
  1. How would Jesus respond?
  2. What does the Bible say how we should respond?
Their response? "That has nothing to do with it!" Really? I tried to share that it has EVERYTHING to do with it! We Bible commands us to live life as Jesus would. Colossians 2:6 And that we should live according to the principles of God's Word.

People have tried to compartmentalize their lives. Somethings are spiritual while other things are non-spiritual. But for the true Christ-follower; ALL things are spiritual. 1 Cor. 10:31

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

How much are you worth?

If I were to ask you "How much are you worth?"  your mind will almost automatically begin to calculate how much of this world's goods you God.

Science tells us that if you add all the elements in the average body, the sum total value would be around $160! Doesn't sound like we are very valuable does it?  But in  God's eyes you are priceless.  And so article the people you meet every day.

Jesus wants you to value people-- even the ones you don't like. The Bible says, "Treat everyone you meet with dignity." (1 Peter 2:17 MSG)

Think  of someone you know who has low self esteem. Then, determine this week to show acceptance to that person and affirm his or her value to you and to God. When everybody else treats that person like a nobody  or like she doesn’t matter, you can make her feel like she matters, because she does.

 She matters to God, so she should matter to you.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

The Day the Devil Told the Truth

The Bible tells us that Satan is the Father of lies. "...When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 He is also called a deceiver, hence a liar. His basic nature is flasehood. From the Garden of Eden, and the first sin, his basic method of attack is lying.

But there was one day Satan told the truth. Sort of. In Job chapter one, we find Satan confronting God about one of God's faithful servants, Job. Job 1:1 Job 1:8 Their was no one as godly as Job. And the Bible also tells us that Job had great wealth. It is here Satan tells the truth but twists the truth to question Job's character. "Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land." Job 1:9-10.

The implication is that the only reason Job serves God is because God has blesses with great wealth. Satan spoke the truth by saying God protected him and had made him wealthy but that was not Job's motivation for loving and serving, as we see later in the Book of Job.

I am sure there are people that try to serve God out of a motive of selfishness. They serve God as long as things go their way and God makes life comfortable. But what if God should lift His 'hedge of protection'? What if God allowed us to lose all our possessions? Do we love and serve Him because of what He does for us and gives to us?

Job gives us our answer: "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said." Job 2:10. Job motivation for serving was his love for God. This should be our reason as well. 

"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19