Monthly Archives: February 2010

Hurry Hinders

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“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”1

I recently read how “an ethics professor at Princeton Seminary asked for volunteers for an extra assignment. About half the class met him at the library to receive their assignments. The professor divided the students into three groups of five each.

“He gave the first group envelopes telling them to proceed immediately across campus to Stewart Hall. He told them that they had 15 minutes and if they didn’t arrive on time, it would affect their grade. A minute or two later, he handed out envelopes to five others. They were also to go over to Stewart Hall, but they had 45 minutes. The third group had three hours to get to Stewart Hall.

“The students weren’t aware of it, but the professor had arranged for three drama students to meet them along the way. Close to the beginning of their walk, one of the drama students had his hands on his head and was moaning aloud as if in great pain. About half way to Stewart Hall, on the steps of the chapel, the seminary students passed a man who was lying face down as if unconscious. Finally, on the steps of Stewart Hall, the third drama student was acting out a seizure.

“In the first group of students, those who had only 15 minutes to get across campus, no one stopped to help. In the second group, two students stopped to help. In the last group, the one that had three hours for their assignment, all of the students stopped to help at least one person. The professor had clearly shown these seminarians that hurry hinders ministry.”2

Even when I was a student in college I had a quote taped to my desk which read, “Beware of the barrenness of a busy life.” Of this I constantly need to remind myself as battling busyness for me is a constant challenge.

As another has said, “Come apart and rest awhile before you come apart.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to find a way to cut back on my over-busyness so I have more quality time with my family and am available in times of emergency (regardless of how busy I happen to be) to help another who needs a helping hand. Please help me to become more and more like Jesus in every way. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jesus to his disciples in Mark 6:31 (NIV).

2. www.eSermons.com.

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The Power of Music

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“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”1

Today we remember how. . .

“Music has power to unite people. On September 11, 2001, members of Congress gathered on the Capitol steps to sing ‘God Bless America.’ At that time, the House and Senate members saw the black plume of smoke rising from the Pentagon across the Potomac River. One year later in 2002, the House and Senate held a solemn joint meeting in New York’s Federal Hall. It was only the second meeting of Congress held outside Washington in the past two centuries. These lawmakers went to New York City to show their solidarity with the people there. Once again, the power of music united them as they held hands and sang ‘God Bless America’ with a high school choir.

“Music has power to move people. Consider the hauntingly beautiful melody we know as ‘Taps.’ Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield composed this music in July 1862 at Harrison’s Landing in Virginia. Butterfield was dissatisfied with the custom of firing three rifle volleys at the conclusion of burials during battle. Butterfield probably altered an older piece known as ‘Tattoo,’ a French bugle call used to signal ‘lights out.’ The words of ‘Taps’ are: ‘Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lakes, From the hills, From the sky. All is well. Safely rest. God is nigh.’ Who has not been moved by the power of this music?

“Music has power to heal people. ‘Music can be a powerful catalyst in the healing process,’ writes Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect. This book cites many examples ‘in which sound and music are used to help patients suffering from everything from anxiety to cancer, high blood pressure to chronic pain and mental distress.’2

“Three thousand years ago, David played his harp to let the power of music heal the depression and fear of King Saul.3 As William Congreve (1670-1729) said, ‘Music has charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.’”4

And music has power to worship God. One of the many marvelous God-given gifts is the gift of music. And, as the Apostle Paul admonishes, let us use this gift to worship and thank God for the unfathomable gift of his love, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to save us from the tragic consequences of our sins.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the gift of music. Please put a song in my heart and may it never be far from my lips—a song of thanksgiving, praise to and worship of you for all your wonderful works—and especially for the gift of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross in my place to save me from my sins and a lost and hopeless eternity. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ephesians 5:19-20 (NIV).
2. www.msnbc.com/news, June 13, 2002.

3. 1 Samuel 16.
4. This article, cited on www.sermons.com, is from Religion in Daily Life by the Rev. Edward Chinn, D.Min.

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Smother Mothers

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“So when they [Mary and Joseph] saw Him [Jesus], they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.’ And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’”1

Seven-year-old Tommie was as cute as a button. In Vacation Bible School this past summer he was very attentive, bright, mixed with the other kids and related to them extremely well; that is, until his mother came in, sat with him among the kids, and kept her arm around him. Tommy immediately withdrew.

Smother mothers’ love for their kids is more need—not for the child but for themselves, the mothers. This is extremely unhealthy for the child.

I have a close friend whose mother was an emotional smother mother. She set him up in the home to be the “little father/husband” because she needed him to lean on and to meet her needs. Until my friend got away from her and into therapy to work through and resolve his fear of being smothered, he was afraid to love a woman. In his conditioned unconscious mind, to be loved by a woman meant to be smothered. For much of his life he kept running from love.

And as for Tommy, unless his mother stops clinging to him out of her own need, he, too, is being programmed for failure in love. He may never be able to love a woman for fear of being smothered. Mothers need to let go of their sons so they are able to identify with their father or other significant male if no father is around. Otherwise they never learn to fully accept themselves as men, neither are they able to fully love a woman nor be a supporting husband or father.

The same principle applies to clinging, smother fathers. Children need to be allowed to grow up and be trained to become self-sufficient, independent teenagers so they can become healthy, secure, and inter-dependent adults.

So many adults today still have the emotional umbilical cord attached to their mothers. They need to cut it themselves so they can be freed from their mother-control to become their own person.

As we see in today’s Scripture lesson, while Jesus was still dependent on his parents, he had cut the emotional umbilical cord by the time he was twelve years of age—which was the age for introduction into adulthood in the culture in which Jesus grew up.

Our job as parents is, among other things, to start letting go of our children even in tiny ways from earliest childhood so that by the time they are young adults they are liberated to become adults in their own right. If we smother a young tree, it will become stunted and die. If you smother a child, it too, will become stunted and die (or remain severely handicapped) emotionally.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, if I am a smother parent in any way, please help me to see the error of my way and, as your human parents had to let go of over-controlling you, help me to stop smothering and over-controlling my children, so that they are free to become mature adults in their own right. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: Be sure to read the poem “Children Learn What They Live” by Dorothy Law Note online at: http://tinyurl.com/children-live-with.

1. Luke 2:48-49 (NKJV).

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What Are You Still Carrying?

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“If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry—get over it quickly; for when you are angry you give a mighty foothold to the devil.”1

The story or legend is told how two monks, when traveling back to their monastery in inclement weather, came to the fjord of a river. There they met a young woman who was afraid to cross the river. Seeing her dilemma one of the monks offered to carry her across the river on his back which offer she accepted.

Later that evening the monk who didn’t help the young lady accused the monk who did of breaking the rules of their monastic order. “You know we are to have no dealings with the opposite sex,” he said, “and you were wrong in doing what you did.”

To which the other monk quietly replied, “I carried her only across the river. You are carrying her still.”

When we fail to resolve our anger, and keep nursing our grudges, we not only give a “mighty foothold to the devil,” but we also hurt ourselves, damage our physical well-being, and do serious harm to our close relationships. As another has said, when we nurse our grudges and fail to forgive those who have hurt us, “It’s like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

So, is there anything you are still carrying? Any grudges, resentments, bitterness, hurts, unresolved grief? If so, I urge you to follow the advice of the Scriptures and resolve these issues right away. And, if necessary, see a qualified counselor to help you to do so. Your health and relationships depend on it.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the advice you give in your Word, the Bible, to help us live healthy, fulfilling, and meaningful lives—and maintain quality relationships. Help me to live by your instructions. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ephesians 4:26-27 (TLB)(NLT).

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Eternity

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“He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”1

If you happened to watch the world-wide TV New Year’s Eve 2000 celebrations a decade ago, you would have seen, not only the impressive fireworks display in Sydney (Australia), but also emblazoned in extremely large neon writing right across the Sydney Harbor Bridge the word, “Eternity.”

This word was in celebration of the “work and witness” of sidewalk chalk artist (if that’s what you could call him), Arthur Malcolm Stace, who became affectionately known as “Mr. Eternity.”

“July 30 of this year marked the 43rd anniversary of the death of Arthur Stace. Born in 1884 into a drunken Australian family, Arthur described what he’d become, “a petty criminal, a bum, and a metho (metholated spirits alcohol) drinker.”

“His new birth from an old life in crime and sin to a new life in Christ and service took place on the night of August 6, 1930.

“This spiritual turn around occurred after he heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached faithfully by Rev. R.D.S. Hammond at St Barnabas church in Broadway, Sydney. Twelve years later, on a Sunday night, November 14, 1942, at his home church in Darlinghurst, as he sat listening to ‘The Echoes of Eternity’ proclaimed forthrightly by Australia’s beloved evangelist—the late Rev. John G. Ridley—Stace was challenged to go out and write with chalk the word Eternity multiplied thousands of times on city sidewalks. This he did continuously and consistently for the next quarter of century till he died on July 30, 1967.

“By the time Arthur Stace was called by God to exit this world into eternity, he had left behind a legacy of an enormous value in the copperplate writing of one word—Eternity.

“God took his tool—a piece of chalk—his text of one word, Eternity, and his territory of one pavement at a time in Sydney, and multiplied it abundantly.

It was witnessed first by many thousands in Sydney, Woolongong, Newcastle, and Melbourne. Then on the eve of the new millennium celebration, more than a million people who crammed around the Sydney Harbor Bridge saw it electronically emblazoned across the bridge of our Olympic city after a spectacular display of fireworks. It was also beamed around the world to more than two billion viewers, as well as at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games later on in the year.”2

Eternity. It is a powerful word with eternal consequences. In his own simple but profound way, Arthur Stace was posing the question, “Where will you spend eternity?”

Eternity! Where will you spend it? Whatever you do, don’t leave earth without your “Passport for Heaven.” To pick up your “Passport for Heaven” go to: http://tinyurl.com/passport-heaven it comes without charge.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you have provided the way to spend eternity with you through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus, so that all who will believe in and accept him as their savior have your promise and guarantee of spending eternity with you in heaven. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV).

2. Peter Rahme, Pastor, Inner West Baptist Church. www.innerwestbaptist.org.au.

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Tithing Follow-Up

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“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man [person] should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”1

As you can well imagine, when I have written on tithing, I have usually received an unusually high response from Daily Encounter readers. Most are favorable. Some ask for further advice. And there are those who strongly oppose what I have to say.

At the risk of getting criticized again, allow me to share the response of just one reader.

Jennifer (name changed) wrote: “In response to an earlier Daily Encounter on tithing, I was deeply in debt one year ago. The day my husband walked out I found out that I was $25,000.00 in credit card debt that I knew nothing about. In the course of our breakup, I was awarded $10,000.00 of this debt because it was community debt even though I had not charged any of it. I didn’t know how I would ever be able to pay it off while supporting two children.

“So I prayed . . . and prayed . . . and prayed . . . !

“And today, barely a year later, I am debt free with a modest savings to boot. I would like to tell you how ‘I did it,’ but the truth is that I didn’t do it. Once I put it in God’s hands, the money started coming in . . . some from expected places and others from unexpected places.

“During the times when I tithed, life was good and there always seemed to be enough. When I cut God short, or even completely out, money was tight, or not enough at all. I have learned my lesson. God does love us and takes care of us even when we, as humans, don’t see how it could possibly work out. But it does.”

Speaking personally, a few years ago I, too, had some major setbacks and borrowed quite a bit to survive and to keep our ministry alive . . . I kept tithing anyhow and God provided me with a second job so I was able to pay off my debts. I am still working a second part-time job and it isn’t always easy, but my debts are all paid.

You need to decide what is the right thing for you to do. However, one thing I do know is this: We can’t out-give God.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to appreciate all the innumerable blessings you daily provide for me, not the least of which is your gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Give me a grateful heart and a spirit of generosity for your work and the betterment of others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV).

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If the Horse Is Dead, Dismount

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“When a thing grows weak and out of date, it is obviously soon going to disappear.”1

I recall vividly what a good friend said about her church after she had been away for almost a year because of ill health. She was older so I could understand why she reacted the way she did regarding the new-style music in her church. She was very upset and said that the new group “just couldn’t quite make it in Las Vegas.” Unfortunately my friend died soon after from cancer. But the conflict regarding music in the church hasn’t quite died—yet!

Today, however, I’m not talking about church music. What I am addressing is the need to change when change is necessary. According to Rick Warren, pastor of the Saddleback Community church and author of the book, The Purpose Driven Church, the reason that 95% of all churches in the world never grow past 300 members is because their structure keeps them from growing beyond that point. Quoting today’s scripture, he said, “When a thing grows weak and out of date, it is obviously soon going to disappear. That’s true of churches, too. If a church cannot change, it will eventually die.”

This same principle applies to many areas of life. No, we don’t want to make changes where change is not to our advantage, but there are times when we do need to make changes. When it comes to communicating the gospel, while the message itself never changes, our way and means of communicating it have to change in order to communicate effectively to the particular group we are addressing. One size doesn’t fit all!

Also, whether we approve or disapprove, many things around us change and if we don’t adapt, we get left behind. For instance, marriage partner roles have changed drastically from the days of our parents and grandparents. If a husband still interprets being the head of the home as being the family dictator, he will be doomed for failure (at least here in America and other parts of the world as well). Those old ways (which, by the way, were a misinterpretation of the Bible), have “gone with the wind.”

A few years back, Moody Monthly, the highly respected Christian magazine, discontinued its publication after its 103-year history. Why? Because of the economy, the proliferation of Christian magazines, and because of technology. Moody Monthly, like so many other ministries, has had to turn from printed hard copy to electronic means of communication, not only to become more effective in their ministry, but also to survive.

So whether it is in our professional or personal life, let’s be open to and willing to change where change is both essential and necessary.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in these days of rapid change, please give me the courage to change the things I need to change, the insight to know the things I must not change, and the wisdom to know the difference. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 8:13 (Phillips paraphrase)(NIV).

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To Tithe or Not to Tithe?

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Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”1

Some Christians say that it is not required for Christians to tithe because tithing (giving 10% of one’s income) was part of Old Testament Law. On the other hand, many Christians believe that tithing (and giving offerings) is still important because this is God’s plan for financing his work on earth. However, tithing is not to be a legalistic requirement but a willing offering to God in appreciation for all he has done for us . . . especially for giving his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins and thereby making it justifiable for God to be able to fully forgive us and give us the gift of eternal life. With this in mind—plus endless other blessings of God—how can we not want to give our tithes and offerings to the Lord?

Furthermore, in today’s Scripture lesson Jesus confirms that tithing should not be neglected. If we say that tithing is no longer valid, will we also say that the Ten Commandments are no longer valid because they were given in Old Testament times? Of course not.

Surely the following Scripture, that applied to the ancient Israelites, is even more relevant to Christians for whom Christ died: “Will a man rob God?” God’s Word says, “‘Yet you rob me.’ But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ ‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’”2

Billy Graham, in his sermon, “Partners with God,” said, “One of the greatest sins in America today is the fact that we are robbing God of that which rightfully belongs to Him. When we don’t tithe, we shirk a just debt. Actually we are not giving when we give God one-tenth, for it belongs to Him already.3 This is a debt we owe. Not until we have given a tenth do we actually begin making an offering to the Lord!”4

As someone else noted, “It is amazing how big a $20 donation to God’s work is but how little it is when we spend it on entertainment.”

Tithes and offerings have always been God’s way for his people to support his work on earth and the fact is that if every Christian tithed, there would be sufficient funds to do all of God’s work on earth: the hungry would be fed, the homeless would be helped and given work, the sick would be better cared for, etc., etc., and worldwide missions would thrive and every person in the world would be given the gospel and the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior.

Furthermore, when we give our tithes and offerings to the Lord, we are being an active part in God’s plans and what he is doing in the world today. From what I have read, fewer than 10% of Christians tithe. What a slap in the face this is to God. Could this be one reason why America is losing more and more of God’s blessings? Are we robbing God? Yes, as a whole, we are. So . . . are you and I an active partner in God’s plans or are we among those who are robbing God?

NOTE: When tithing and giving offerings, we need to make sure we are giving responsibly to what is truly God’s work and not to some religious program or irrelevant churchianity that may have an appearance of doing God’s work but lacking any real substance.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in appreciation for all you have done for me, please awaken in me a need to be as generous in giving to you (including the giving of at least a tithe of my time and talents as well as of my income) as you have been generous to me. And please give me the wisdom to discern what is truly a part of what you are doing in the world today and what is truly your work on earth. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 23:23 (NIV).

2. Malachi 3:8-10 (NIV).

3. See Leviticus 27:30.

4. Paul Lee Tan, Encylopedia of 7700 Illustrations, p. 473.

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Left Behind

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“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”1

Recently I went into a small local museum and asked if I could go into the back yard to take some photos of the San Clemente pier. The people at the front desk gave me the OK but told me to make sure I was back at the entry by their closing time at 5 pm. I made sure I was back several minutes before closing time and to my horror, all the staff had gone home and locked up shop for the night, and I was locked inside. I sure got a fright. Fortunately I was able to find a back exit and set the door to lock behind me when I exited the building. Big relief!

Mike Benson tells about a woman in Brooklyn who was locked overnight in a dental clinic. She was given an anesthetic prior to getting her wisdom teeth extracted, but when she came to, she still had her wisdom teeth and discovered that all the staff had left the clinic and she was locked inside. She panicked. When she calmed down somewhat, she called 911 and was rescued.2

But can you imagine the absolute terror of being locked in down on Earth, with no way of escape at the end of time when God’s final roll call is taken and your name is not written in God’s book of life? As Jesus said, “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”3 Tragically, this will be a reality for the millions who have never received God’s gift of forgiveness for all their sins by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

If you have trouble believing this, take note that Jesus Christ’s first coming to earth to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins is an indisputable fact of history. Note, too, that every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ’s first coming was fulfilled in detail, so we can be just as certain that every prophecy in the Bible regarding Christ’s second coming will also be fulfilled in detail. Furthermore, Jesus Christ himself promised that he would return for his followers.4

Whatever you do be absolutely certain that you are ready for when Jesus comes again so, as today’s Scripture announces, you will be “caught up to meet the Lord in the air. . .” and not be left behind. To make absolute sure you are ready for Christ’s return be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: https://learning.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you not only for Jesus Christ’s first coming to earth to die in my place on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins, but also that Jesus promised he would return for all who have accepted him as their Savior and have received your forgiveness. Please help me to be absolutely certain that I am ready for when Jesus comes again. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV).

2. Mike Benson in KneEmail, http://www.forthright.net/kneemail
3. Matthew 8:12 (NIV)
4. See John 14:1-3. Read also, “Will Jesus Christ Return to Earth?” at: http://tinyurl.com/jesus-return

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Hill Climbing

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”1

Some years ago I prayed and asked God to give me something special that would equip me to better serve him. Did God answer my prayer? I didn’t think so for a long time. I got the opposite of what I had in mind when I prayed this prayer, and it turned out to be a nightmare for a long time. But I have to admit that if there is any depth in the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me today, so much of it was learned during those nightmarish years. Now I see clearly that God did answer my prayer and though the experience was, at times, incredibly painful, I do believe I am a much better man as a result.

The words of the following old poem may be simple but, for me, are quite profound:

For every hill I had to climb,

For every stone that bruised my feet,

For all the blood and sweat and grime,

For blinding storms and burning heat,

My heart sings but a grateful song—

Those were the things that made me strong.

For all the heartaches and the tears,

For all the anguish and the pain,

For gloomy days and fruitless years

And for the hopes that lived in vain;

I do give thanks, for now I know,

These were the things that helped me grow.

‘Tis not the softer things of life

Which stimulate our will to strive,

But bleak adversity and strife

Do most to keep our will alive.

Over rose-strewn paths the weaklings creep,

But brave hearts dare to climb the steep.2

As I’ve said before, God wants to use our trials and struggles to make us better. Satan wants to use them to make us doubt and become bitter. To become better or bitter is each person’s choice.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, as I look back I can see how you have used the difficult times in my life to help me stretch and grow, to help me to become more understanding of and sensitive to others, and to better equip me to serve you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer of long ago. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. James 1:2-4 (NIV).

2. Author Unknown

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