Monthly Archives: January 2013

Persistence Pays

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“It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his Good News to others], and so we never give up.”1

Author John Toland who received the Pulitzer Prize for his book, The Rising Sun, is another person who knows the power of persistence. Even though he now has an imposing record of successes, he had an even more impressive record of failures as a writer.

From the time he started writing he wrote six novels and 25 plays—none of which were accepted by publishers!

Undeterred, he kept diligently writing for 20-some years before he tasted success. He went on to write such best-sellers as Adolph Hitler, The Last 100 Days, Battle: The Story of the Bulge, and But Not in Shame.

“If you wait for perfect conditions,” advised King Solomon, “you will never get anything done. Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.”2 Furthermore, as today’s Scripture verse puts it: “It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his Good News to others], and so we never give up!”1

To be a true success in life—in God’s view—it is imperative that we know what God’s purpose for our life is, and that we never give up pursuing that goal. And because we have all been commissioned by Christ to help spread the gospel, it is also imperative that we never give up pursuing this goal.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the insight to know what part you want me to play in the work that you are doing in the world today, the courage—with your help—to do it, and the persistence to never give up doing it—no matter what. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB)(NLT).

2. Ecclesiastes 11:4, 6 (TLB)(NLT).

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You Are Dialing the Wrong Number

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“Let us then approach the throne of grace [God] with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”1

Some time ago when I was badly in need of practical guidance from God, half in jest—half in frustration—I picked up my bedside telephone and dialed 1-800-4-HEAVEN.

And guess what? I received a recorded message. In one of those typical monotone mechanical computer voices it said, “You— are—dialing—the—wrong—number!”

At a later time I tried calling 1-800-4-HEAVEN again. I learned that it had now been registered by a company that sells candies and cookies that they claim are a “taste of heaven.” I am “kicking” myself for not registering this number when it was available so we could give a true word about Heaven from God’s Word—the only reliable source about Heaven.

However, regarding prayer it isn’t the number we call or the words we say when we pray that matters. It’s the attitude of the heart that counts. As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, we need to seek/worship God “in spirit and in truth.”2 That is, when we come to God, we need to be sincere and speak honestly from the heart. Furthermore, as God’s Word also reminds us: “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”3

We also need to pray in faith and in harmony with God’s will. As the Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”4 God’s Word also states that “If we ask anything according to God’s will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him.”5

Of this we can be sure, when we come to God with a sincere heart, have faith in him, and pray in harmony with God’s will in Jesus’ name, we have the assurance that God will hear and answer our prayers—according to his will and not necessarily ours.

Suggested prayer: “Thank you God, that when I come to you with a sincere and honest heart, you always hear and answer my prayers. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: For further help read, “How to Pray Effectively” online at: https://learning.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=26&d=1&c=2&p=1.

1. Hebrews 4:16 (NIV).

2. John 4:24.

3. Psalm 145:18 (NIV).

4. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV).

5. I John 5:14-15 (NIV).

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On Being a Positive Realist:

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“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true … think on these things.”1

I am a great believer in positive thinking but, as it has been said before, if you’ve been hit by a Mac truck, all the positive thinking in the world won’t take away the pain. Yes, we still need to think positively, but face the truth and think realistically.

I have taught for a number of years in a well-know church where the founding pastor was notorious for his teaching regarding positive thinking. Many of his one-line sayings were highly motivational such as the following: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” “The impossible problem is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made,” and many more.

While this pastor was definitely considered to be highly successful in his achievements, the sad fact is that in a time of needed change, he didn’t follow his own advice, didn’t make the tough decisions that were needed—and his life dream ultimately collapsed. As famous as he was, at a time of needed transition—perhaps because of his age and/or because of ill health—he simply was not being a positive realist.

This is a tremendous challenge for me personally as the day will come when—because of age and/or ill health—it will also be necessary for me to let go of my ministry and hand it over to someone else. I will find this extremely difficult too. This is why currently we are looking into such plans so hopefully and prayerfully all will be in place when the day comes for me to have to step down. Your prayers that God will lead regarding the future of both our U.S. and Australian offices will be greatly appreciated. Furthermore, if you have any practical advice for the future of ACTS, please share that with us. In the meantime, I trust and pray I can keep running ACTS for a good many years to come, but we want to be prepared for the future.

Under normal circumstances the first step, when an unexpected need or crisis arises, is to face and acknowledge the reality of the situation and be very practical. For instance, if I’ve been hit by a Mac truck, it goes without saying that I need to seek excellent medical help immediately, and then follow the medical advice given, and accept full responsibility for what I need to do to fully recover.

Speaking personally, in all challenging situations I have learned to always pray, not only for God’s guidance, but also for his help so that I will see the truth and reality of the overall situation, and to confront me with the truth of what I may in any way be contributing to the problem. Once I see the truth of the total picture, I can then, and only then, see if there is anything I can and need to do to help resolve the problem.

Although in another context, the words of Jesus, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free,” can equally apply to many of life’s challenges, circumstances, problems and situations. This is because once we see the total truth and reality of the situation at hand we, more often than not, know what we can and need to do. This is very freeing.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in every critical situation and circumstance in which I find myself, please give me the insight to see the truth and reality, not only of the total situation, but also what I may be contributing in any way to the problem at hand. And please help me to see what I can and need to do, and the courage to do it. So help me God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 4:8 (KJV).

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Delay, Not Denial

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“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”1

The story is told about a lone shipwrecked survivor who landed on a lonely, uninhabited island. He managed to build a simple hut and stock it with items he was able to save from his sinking ship.

He prayed that somehow God would send someone to save him. Day by day he anxiously watched the horizon to hail any passing ships.

He was devastated when his hut caught on fire and he lost all that he had. He felt utterly forsaken by God.

The very next day a ship arrived to rescue him. “We saw your smoke signal,” said the captain.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to trust you even in my darkest hour knowing that my times are in your hands. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV).

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When You Don’t Feel Loving

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“Let love be your highest goal.”1

As none of us is perfect, most of us have an issue of one kind or another. Probably my biggest issue was being afraid to love, which came from childhood hurts. A friend recently asked me if I ever still feel afraid to love and I said not very often but sometimes I do. “What do you do when you feel this way?” he asked to which I replied, “I do the loving thing.”

Nobody feels loving all the time, but we can always do the loving thing if we so choose. People who choose otherwise usually end up driving love away. I’ve seen this happen and I’m sure you have too.

Jesus never told us how we should or shouldn’t feel … he just told us how to act. Sure, it is important to recognize and acknowledge our feelings. Not to do so is to be in denial. However, it is equally important not to allow our feelings to control us. That can be childish and immature. But rather, we need to be in control of our feelings and regardless of what we feel, always do the right thing, the loving thing. This is a mark of maturity.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, no matter what situation I am in nor how I feel, please help me to be like Jesus and always do the loving thing—even if this includes tough love where such is needed. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NLT).

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Failure Is an Event—Not a Person

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“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”1

Richard Halverson in Pulpit Helps asked the question: “Who hasn’t failed? The Apostle Paul failed, Peter failed, every one of the twelve apostles failed. David, Israel’s greatest king, ‘a man after God’s own heart,’ failed. Moses, giant among the Israelites, giver of the law, deliverer of his people, failed. Jacob, father of Israel, failed. Isaac, son of promise, failed. Abraham, progenitor of Israel, father of the faithful, prototype of those who are righteous through faith, failed. Even our first parents, in their human perfection, failed. Who hasn’t failed?

“It is not failing that is the problem; it is what one does after he has failed. To take failure as final is to be a failure. To see in failure the school of [God's] Spirit is to let failure contribute to one’s growth in Christ.”

When we fail, the important thing is to get up, confess it to God and, where necessary, to the person whom we have hurt if we have hurt someone, and ask for their forgiveness. Then we need to forgive ourselves as God forgives us, and learn from the experience.

Remember, too, it’s not God’s goal to make us good but to make us whole, and the more whole and mature we become, the less we will act out in destructive ways—and the less we will fail. The only real failure, after we either fall or get knocked down, is to not get up one more time.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please forgive me for where I have failed (be specific) and help me learn and grow through this experience so I won’t make the same mistake again. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name.”

1. Psalm 51:1-2 (NIV).

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Believing One’s Own Lies

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“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”1

Politicians, promoters, and radicals all know that if you keep repeating the “product or line” you are wanting to promote—even when it is blatantly false—if you say it often enough, loud enough, intense enough, and for long enough, not only do you end up believing your own lies, but lots of gullible people believe them too. It becomes a case of: “Don’t confuse me with the facts. My mind is made up!”

The bottom line is that many people see what they want to see, hear what they want to hear, and believe what they want to believe—what is the most convenient for them—and with some fancy “footwork” manufacture a story in a vain attempt to justify their stance. And the more defensive they become when challenged, the more evident it becomes that they are promoting or believing a lie. Shakespeare said it well: “Me thinks he doth protest too much.”

Just think how we’ve been sold a bill of goods on free sex (which is never free), accepting homosexuality as a norm (which is opposed to the norm), gay marriage (an oxymoron if ever there were one), abortion on demand … line upon line, little by little, all of these issues have been accepted by vast numbers because they have been promoted over and over and over ad infinitum.

Let us remember that repetition does not guarantee reality. And the greatest defense we have against lies is to know what the Bible teaches and be grounded therein—and to always be honest with ourselves and with others.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a genuine love for and appreciation of your Word so that it becomes a solid foundation for my life to guard against all the lies that we are being bombarded with daily from advertisers, high-pressure salesmen, politicians, Hollywood, radicals from both the extreme left and extreme right, and all who promote anything that is opposed to your Word. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Peter 3:17-18 (NIV).

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Soldier of the Cross

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“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”1

Dan Vellinga talks about a true soldier of the cross, Martin of Tours. “He was a Roman soldier and a Christian. One cold winter day, as he was entering a city, a beggar stopped him and asked for alms. Martin had no money; but the beggar was blue and shivering with cold and Martin gave what he had. He took off his soldier’s coat, worn and frayed as it was; he cut it in two and gave half of it to the beggar man. That night he had a dream. In it he saw the heavenly places and all the angels and Jesus in the midst of them; and Jesus was wearing half of a Roman soldier’s cloak. One of the angels said to him, ‘Master, why are you wearing that battered old cloak? Who gave it to you?’ And Jesus answered softly, ‘My servant Martin gave it to me.’”2

Reminder: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to remember that whenever I give even a cup of cold water in your name, I am giving it as unto you. Please help me to always be a true giver and never a half-giver. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV).

2. Dan Vellinga, “What Would You Do?”

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The Opposite of Love

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“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”1

I once asked a class I was teaching, “What would you say was the Christian’s number one sin?” to which a jokester replied, “Apathy, but who cares?” And as the old saying goes, “Many a true word spoken in jest.”

“In the book The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis, a devil briefs his demon nephew, Wormwood, in a series of letters on the subtleties and techniques of tempting people. In his writings, the devil says that the objective is not to make people wicked but to make them indifferent. This higher devil cautions Wormwood that he must keep the patient comfortable at all costs. If he should start thinking about anything of importance, encourage him to think about his luncheon plans and not to worry so much because it could cause indigestion. And then the devil gives this instruction to his nephew: ‘I, the devil, will always see to it that there are bad people. Your job, my dear Wormwood, is to provide me with people who do not care.’”2

The opposite of love is not hate. It’s apathy or indifference that is practiced by people who don’t care enough to care. The fact is that “people don’t care what we know until they know how much we care.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a loving heart so that I will truly care about others and care enough to share the love of Jesus in some way with all those you bring into my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 4:12 (NIV).

2. From http://www.sermonillustrations.com quoted by Dan Vellinga, “What Would You Do?” (sermon).

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Overcoming the Curse of Perfectionism

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“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”1

When the Bible tells us to be perfect, it has nothing to do with being a “perfectionist.” In fact, the word for perfect in today’s scripture verse means to be complete, whole and/or mature.

Sadly, perfectionists or those who have perfectionistic tendencies find it difficult, if not impossible, to forgive themselves when they have done wrong even though God and others have forgiven them. And no matter what they do, regardless of how good it is, they can still be left unsatisfied because, to them, it isn’t absolutely perfect. They can be difficult to live with because what you do may not be good or perfect enough either.

Being made whole and complete are not characteristics of perfectionism, but of maturity—both spiritual and emotional—and are essential for wholesome relationships. Being perfectionistic is a sign of immaturity where an individual has a poor self-concept. Perfectionists have totally unrealistic expectations in that they feel they have to be perfect in everything they do in order to feel acceptable to themselves—a hopeless situation in which to be. When they have done wrong, the reason they can’t forgive themselves is because in their mind they weren’t being perfect. The fact is that we are all a part of this broken world in which we live and will never find perfection until we get to heaven. Overcoming perfectionism is learning to accept one’s self as God accepts us—warts and all—and learning to be satisfied when we know that we have done the best we can while accepting the fact that we are imperfect beings.

For further help I suggest that you read the article, “Developing a Healthy Self-Concept” at: http://tinyurl.com/self-concept007. And for those who have a severely poor self-concept, I would encourage you to see a fine professional Christian counselor who can help you to overcome this problem.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you love and accept me as I am. Please help me to do the same and become whole so I can love and accept myself and others in a healthy sense. When and if needed, please lead me to the help I need to develop a healthy self-concept and therein bring glory to your name. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 5:48 (NIV).

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