Monthly Archives: October 2010

Needed: Damages or Repairs?

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“He [Jesus, the Christ] was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”1

David Seamands tells the story about an old farmer who was in an automobile wreck. Along came an amateur lawyer who inspected the bashed fenders and battered doors and said to the farmer, “Man, you ought to collect some damages for this.” The puzzled farmer wisely replied, “Damages? I’ve collected enough damages already. What I need are some repairs!”2

And isn’t that what we all need—repairs; that is, healing of our sin-sick soul?

The question constantly being asked is: “If God is a God of love, why does he allow such damages or suffering in the world?” “Why does he allow children to starve?” “Why does he allow terrorism to continue?” “Why does God allow all the problems in the world to continue? When will Jesus return to take all God’s children to Heaven and end all this misery here on earth at least for his children?”

I don’t know when Jesus will return but with the ever increasing conflict between militant Muslims (Islam) and the Jews, Christians and Westerners (the infidels), the stage could be being set for the final world conflict that will signify the imminent return (or immediately follow the return) of Jesus to earth to take his children home to glory—where God will wipe away all tears and where all sadness, suffering, and sickness will be no more.

In the meantime, however, we happen to live in a broken, sin-sick world where we suffer not because God left us but because we, the human race, left God and consequently reap the results that sin produces. As a result, we desperately need the healing of our soul provided through the punishment, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ who died in our place on the cross in order to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could receive God’s free pardon and the gift of eternal life.

While we still live in this sin-sick world, we will continue to see all the pain and suffering that a sin-sick world produces. However, once we accept God’s gift of salvation, he will heal our sin-sick soul and give us peace in the midst of this suffering world knowing that our sins are forgiven, that our soul has been healed, and that we are on our way to Heaven.

The critical question is not why does God allow suffering, but rather, why don’t we turn back to God and receive his full and free pardon? If you haven’t accepted God’s pardon, be sure to see No. 3 below and read “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religious.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to find healing for my sin-sick soul and for my damaged emotions so I will experience the abundant life you have planned for all your children. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV).

2. David Seamands in his taped message, Damaged Emotions, a copy of which can be purchased at www.actscom.com/store.

3. www.actsweb.org/christian.

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No Hiding Place

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“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”1

Tim Timmons and Stephen Arteburn in their book, Hooked on Life, tell about a middle-aged woman who made her way into an apartment building to the twelfth floor. As she arrived at her intended destination, she rang the doorbell impatiently. The door opened mysteriously, and she was welcomed by the smell of incense and smoke. She entered and was greeted by a slightly dressed young girl who announced her presence with the sounding of a huge gong. With this the young girl said, “Do you wish to see the all-knowing, all-powerful, the wonderful one, Maharishi Narru?”

“Yeah,” the woman said. “Tell Sheldon his mother is here!”

We laugh at such folly in others, while at the same time, most of us to some degree hide behind some kind of phony facade. It may not be as absurd as what we have just read about, but when it comes to trying to hide from God, that’s impossible. God knows all. He sees all. He knows who I am . . . where I am . . . why I am here . . . where I am going . . . what I am doing . . . and what I am not doing. No matter how I try, I cannot hide from God! No way. Period!

As David wrote in the Psalms, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”2

The best thing is to tell God who you are, where you are, what you want, what you don’t want, what you are afraid of, what you don’t want to give up, etc., etc. Only when we get honest with ourselves and real with God, can he (or anyone else) help us.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please open my eyes so I can see any way in which I may be deceiving myself, or running from your perfect plan and will for my life. Help me to be honest with myself and honest with you—knowing that the best thing in the world for me is the purpose you have for my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jeremiah 23:24 (NIV).

2. Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV).

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Be Prepared

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“Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”1

As a kid I was in the Boy Scouts. The one thing I remembered above everything else I learned was the Boy Scout motto which said: “Be prepared.”

As an older teen I did my required two-year part-time service in the National Service with the Royal Engineers in the Australian Army. We, too, were taught to always be prepared no matter what the situation was and to always make the best out of what we had.

In life and for doing God’s work opportunities come to those who are prepared—and available. And as an old preacher friend used to say, “It’s better to be prepared and not called than to be called and not prepared.”

Do you want to achieve something worthwhile with your life—regardless of your age? If so, be prepared. Do you want to serve God? Then the better prepared you are the more effective job God can do with your life. When preparation meets opportunity—plus with commitment and hard work—success is all but guaranteed.

In God’s economy, whether you are called to be a “butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker” be thoroughly prepared so you can be the very best “butcher, baker, candlestick maker,” or whatever you can be and do your very best all for the glory of God.

And above all, be prepared for eternity, for as God’s Word says, “Prepare to meet your God,” and also, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”2

If you are not sure that you are ready to meet your Maker, whatever you do, do that today for none of us has any guarantee of tomorrow. God’s Word also says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”3

God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life is available to all. His invitation is: “Whosever will may come.”4 To help you be prepared to meet God be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religious” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you have a purpose for my life. Help me to know exactly what it is and get the training and preparation necessary to be the very best I can be at whatever that might be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Amos 4:12 (NIV).

2. Hebrews 9:27 (KJV).

3. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV).

4. See Revelation 22:17.

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Not What We Say

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“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”1

You’ve no doubt heard about the three birds that are sitting on a telephone wire. Two of them decide to fly south. How many are left? One? No. It’s three. This is because deciding to fly south isn’t the same as doing it.

It’s a bit like the difference between a want and a wish. I may want to lose some extra pounds and decide to do it, but don’t do anything about it. This makes my desire and decision to lose weight nothing more than a wish.

In life it’s not what I say, wish, or decide that counts. It’s what I do. Action always needs to follow one’s decision. Otherwise it is meaningless.

Have you been wanting to make amends with a friend whom you hurt or who has hurt you, or with whom you had a difference? Have you been meaning to visit a shut-in elderly person, make a phone call, send a card, or write a letter to a friend in need, buy flowers for your wife or special friend? Then don’t delay. Do it today.

As Michael Josephson said, “Good intentions are simply not enough. Our character is defined and our lives are determined not by what we want, say or think, but by what we do.

And as God’s Word says, “Do not merely listen to the word [God's Word, the Bible], and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a doer of your word and not just a listener. Help me to be a proactive person and make good things happen and not be an uninvolved bystander. And help me to always practice what I preach. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. James 1:22 (NIV).

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An Attitude of Gratitude

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“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”1

“A national news program conducted a study of fifty people who have lived over 100 years and still lead active, happy lives. . . . The researchers specifically looked for similarities in diet, exercise, lifestyle and habits that could contribute to their longevity and quality of life. What they found was amazing.

“Through an extensive interviewing process, the news team found that some of the participants in this study had what would be considered good diets. An equal number of people were not as healthy in their food choices. Exercise and other areas of lifestyle were also not found to be a common thread throughout the group.

“However, two things were overwhelmingly consistent among over 90 percent of those studied. What were these consistent traits? Nine out of ten said that throughout their entire lives they awoke every morning with an attitude of gratitude for one more day of life and that they saw each day as a precious gift. Secondly, nine out of ten stated that they felt life was too short to hold grudges or spend time complaining, and they forgave people quickly and refused to dwell on negative thoughts.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, when I am faced with a challenge, a setback, a disappointment, a loss, pain, or a difficult circumstance over which I seem to have no control, please help me to genuinely say thank you for the opportunity to grow and for the lessons to be learned, and help me to ‘hear’ what wisdom and guidance you always give to a grateful heart. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV).

2. Larry DiAngi, “Going Beyond Common Miles,” The Magic Is in the Extra Mile, 11-12. Cited on KneEmail, Mike Benson, Editor, http://www.oakhillcoc.org.

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A Sure_Fire Prayer for When All Else Fails

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“The reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”1

Have you ever had a problem, a bad habit, or a relational conflict that you couldn’t overcome or resolve no matter how hard you tried, how much you sought help, and even how much you prayed?

I have. For years I struggled with a relational conflict that I did everything I could think of to resolve—including getting intensive counseling and praying relentlessly.

Finally in utter desperation I prayed, “God, I beg you to show me the truth of what I am still contributing to this situation I am in.”

Almost overnight I got the answer. I saw my super codependency. I hadn’t even heard of the word back then, but what I saw was that because I was trying to fix everybody else’s problems, I was blind to my own! And here I thought I was being a good Christian! Wrong. I was being a needy person; that is, I needed to feel needed in order to feel loved and that, of course, isn’t really love—or it is contaminated love at best—it’s need.

Once I saw the truth of what I was contributing, I knew what I had to do to fix my problem. As Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”2 I also realized that the only person’s problems I could fix were my own!

Why did it take so long to get my earlier prayers answered? It was because I’d been praying the wrong prayer. I’d been asking for deliverance from the symptoms (the external conflict) and not from the cause of my problem.

As James, in today’s Scripture points out, many of our prayers aren’t answered because our aim is wrong; that is, we pray with false motives for the wrong thing.

True, we need to treat our symptoms, but the reality is God wants to heal the root cause of our problems and make us whole, because if we don’t deal with the root cause/s, we can easily exchange one symptom for another.

So now, whenever I have a conflict or a problem, I always ask God to face or confront me with the truth of what I am contributing to it. Only then do I ask him to show me the truth of what others are contributing, and the truth or reality of the overall situation. The important thing always is to first face the truth about myself.

I have found whenever I pray for truth and mean it, God always answers. It is one of the most effective prayers I have ever prayed. It has changed my life. Often I don’t want to face the truth about myself because I am too afraid, so I also pray, “God I am willing to be made willing to face the truth about me no matter how much it might hurt.”

Not that it’s easy, but praying for truth is a sure-fire way to resolve most conflicts—or at least our part in them.

And when it comes to relationship conflicts, if two people will genuinely own up to their unresolved personal issues and problems (which are often at the root of many, if not most, conflicts), and each ask God to show them what they are contributing, I believe they will be able to resolve most conflicts. Each person needs to mean it with all their heart, otherwise it won’t work.

As God’s Word also says, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”3

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me in all my prayers to be honest with myself and honest with you, knowing that when I call on you in truth, you will always hear and answer my prayers. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. James 4:2-3 (TLB)(NLT).

2. John 8:32.

3. Psalm 145:18.

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The Elusive Search for Happiness

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The Apostle Paul wrote, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”1

Michael Josephson of Character Counts says, “Ask people [including] young people why they get high on drugs or alcohol or seek sex without intimacy or commitment, and they’re likely to tell you it’s fun and they just want to be happy. It’s tempting to envy the life of fun-loving ‘party animals,’ ‘playboys’ and ‘good-time girls’ until one thinks about how they feel about themselves and their lives when they are alone without the hyped-up stimulation they seem to thrive on.

“It doesn’t take a psychologist to realize that if happiness is the destination, these folks are on the wrong road. The problem is that the intense sensation of fun or feelings of pleasure experienced by a substance-induced buzz or an exciting sexual encounter are quickly replaced with a consuming sense of emptiness that drives a need to start all over to fill the vessel again. So each time drinkers, drug users or sex addicts discover that getting what they wanted isn’t making them happy, they fall into the despondency conveyed in the famous Peggy Lee song: ‘Is That All There Is?’

“People who make pleasure seeking the focus of their lives are like drug addicts who need continually stronger and more dangerous doses to get high.

“Happiness is different from fun and pleasure. It’s a less intense but more durable feeling of well-being. It’s not a continuous state. A good life is usually seasoned with moments of joy and despair, play and work, success and failure. Happiness is a kind of emotional resting place of quiet satisfaction with one’s life. The art of living a happy life lies not in having more of what you want, but in getting better at enjoying what you have.”2

To this wise advice from Michael I would add that perhaps a better word than “happiness” is “contentment,” which comes from having peace within one’s self. This comes from resolving past conflicts, forgiving all who have hurt us, maintaining peaceful relationships; from living in harmony with God’s will and his moral laws, and above all, in finding peace with God, knowing that all our sins are forgiven and that we have God’s gift of eternal life, which gives one a reason and purpose for living that is bigger than one’s self.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to live in harmony with your will and your moral laws; with eternal values in mind; and with a God-given purpose. Help me to forgive all who have ever hurt me and never harbor bitterness or grudges towards anyone. And help me to keep growing in faith, love, and every grace so that my life will have meaning, purpose, and value for time and eternity. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: To be sure your life is right with God see: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV).

2. Michael Josephson, Character Counts. www.charactercounts.org

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To the Ends of the Earth

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“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”1

Ravi Zacharias shared how “during the Cold War, a Christian from the U.S. was visiting Romania. It was a gray, cold day, and all the faces around him reflected that gray, cold atmosphere. But in the midst of the gloom, the Christian man heard someone whistling a tune. It was an old hymn, ‘The Great Physician now is here, the sympathizing Jesus.’

“The Christian man spotted the whistler and began walking alongside him. Because Christians were persecuted by the government, he took care not to publicly identify his allegiance. He simply began whistling the same tune. The Romanian man stopped, a big smile spreading over his face. He pointed to heaven. So did the American man. He pointed to his heart. The American did too. Then he reached out and grabbed the American in a big bear hug. Neither man could speak the other’s language, but they knew instantly that they were brothers in the faith.

“How did these two men from opposite ends of the world, from different cultures and different languages, come to worship a Jewish carpenter? Because someone told the story of Jesus to someone else, who told it to someone else, who told it to someone else, until it reached Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria and all the ends of the earth.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please use me today in some way to communicate your love, and in so doing, be a powerful witness to your saving grace in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: To help reach out to others with the saving gospel message of Jesus Christ, please join with us as a People Power for Jesus Partner at: www.actsweb.org/people_power.

1. Acts 1:8 (NIV).

2. Ravi Zacharias, Deliver Us From Evil (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997), pp. 103-104.

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The Power of Encouragement

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“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”1

The word encourage (en=in+courage) simply means to put courage into another—something we all need to do and receive regularly.

Years ago—when I was a young teenager—one of the men in our church gave me a light manly punch on my arm and gave me a compliment about my football game as I passed by him.

I’ve never forgotten that compliment which to me was a big encouragement when I needed it. Some years later I recall how in my beginning days of ministry, after speaking to a youth group, one of the members in attendance said to me, “Thank you for being God’s messenger to me today.” I’ve never forgotten her words and those of many others along the way either. (Sadly, a cutting word can have the opposite long-term effect.)

Encouragement. So easy to give, costs nothing, and is worth its weight in gold.

As Leo Buscaglia said, “The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parade for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.”2

Be sure to encourage—to put courage into—someone today, especially your own loved ones.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for all the people who have encouraged me along the way. They are greatly appreciated. And please help me to be an encourager to someone else every single day just as others have encouraged me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV).

2. Leo Buscaglia, cited in Inspirational Peak! http://www.inspirationpeak.com.

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Drip . . . Drip . . . Drip

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“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”1

Less than a decade ago an openly gay Episcopalian priest was appointed as a bishop in the Episcopal Church—many church members were appalled while others rejoiced. Also, until the court stepped in and put a temporary halt to it, the Mayor of San Francisco became a law unto himself and married numerous gay couples. Many were appalled while others rejoiced.

About this situation Steven Higginbotham wrote: “The door has been cracked opened with regard to the definition of marriage in allowing homosexuals to marry, so now a polygamist in Utah, who has five wives, is appealing bigamy convictions brought against him on the basis of this court ruling. This man’s lawyer is arguing that the decriminalization of homosexual sex is no different than polygamy.”2

So what will come next? Will fornication and adultery also be approved because people can’t help to whom they are attracted? Or what about pedophiles? Will their seduction of children be accepted because they can’t help whom they are attracted to? Will they claim that they were born this way and this therefore justifies their behavior?

That could never happen here we say. Don’t bank on it. Our parents would have sworn that gay marriage would never have been accepted here either. According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, “Nationwide, five states [in the U.S.] have legalized same-sex marriage as a result of a court ruling, while three others have done so through a vote in their respective state legislatures.”3

No society crashes overnight. It’s like the proverbial drip . . . drip . . . drip of water that eventually wears away the stone, or like the “umpteenth” blow of the hammer that breaks the rock in two. Little by little it’s the relentless drip . . . drip . . . drip by those who oppose all that is godly to justify what they want that ends up having people (including some church people) call good what God calls evil.

What we fail to realize is that we cannot break God’s laws. We can oppose them. We can vote against them. We can disregard them, but we cannot break them. What we break is ourselves against them. As God’s Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” It has been said that the only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help those of us who claim to be Christian, which includes me, know what your Word teaches and stand firm upon it and not be lured into the trap of so called ‘political correctness’ and thereby conform to the standards of the world about us. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: To support the Institution of Marriage; the Preservation of Religious Liberty; and the Sanctity of Life for future generations, please read and sign the Manhattan Declaration at: http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/home.aspx

1. Isaiah 5:20 (NIV).

2. Steve Higginbotham, “Yesterday’s Fringe, Today’s Center,” South Green Street Church of Christ Weekly Newsletter, Vol. 23, No. 2, Jan. 12, 2004. Cited in KneEmail #594: at http://www.oakhillcoc.org.

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States as of February 2, 2010.

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