Monthly Archives: July 2014

The Thrill of Temptation

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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men [and women] of courage; be strong.”1

Kent Edwards wrote how the tuna fish “were running for the first time in forty-seven years only thirty miles off Cape Cod.”2 They were apparently biting furiously so many would-be tuna fishermen in their excitement to catch a large tuna ignored Coast Guard warnings. What they didn’t realize was that the problem didn’t lie in hooking a tuna but landing it in the boat.

One boat, the Christi Anne, capsized while battling with a large tuna. The same day another boat, Basic Instinct, met with the same fate. And Official Business was swamped when trying to land its catch. The tuna pulled the boat below the surface of the water.

What these fishermen didn’t realize was the power of large tuna fish. That’s pretty much like what temptation does to us. At first it can seem very exciting and enticing but once we take the bait, we’re the ones that get hooked and it can quickly overpower us and pull us under.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be always on guard so that I will avoid the lure of temptation and not get hooked or entrapped by it. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV).

2. Kent Edwards. Cited in Encounter magazine (ACTS Australia), January 2007.

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Healing the Whole Person

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“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”1

Medical science, numerous self-help and recovery programs, and personal experience indicate that emotional, as well as spiritual growth is an essential and often lacking ingredient of physical health, inner peace, and meaningful relationships.

Jesus said, “Do you want to be made well/whole?”2 His purpose was not only to save us from our sins and give us the gift of eternal life, but also to bring us healing and wholeness—not only spiritually, but also physically, emotionally and relationally.

Sadly, many of us, even those of us who are committed to the Christian faith, still have some physical ills that could be healed. Many carry around unresolved feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, depression, guilt and shame. Some struggle with addictions, and many have never found the loving relationships the human heart craves. These are the issues/stresses that either cause or greatly aggravate many of our physical ills and relational conflicts.

As God’s Word points out, in order to be healed of some, if not many, diseases we need to confess our sins—this includes our sins of the spirit such as unresolved anger, resentment, grudges, unforgiveness, bitterness, grief, guilt, fears, lack of trust in God and so on.

Speaking personally, when I resolved a lot of buried grief by getting in touch with it and sobbing it out, I was healed of hay-fever that plagued me for years. And when I got in touch with a lot of buried anger from childhood days and expressed it creatively and got it off my chest, I was healed of painful bursitis in both of my shoulders. When we bury our emotions, where do they go? We never bury them dead but very much alive and, what we fail to talk or weep out creatively, we will inevitably act out in one way or another destructively.

I’m not implying that if we confess all our sins that we will be cured of all ills such as being bitten by a malaria mosquito, eating bad food, or of problems that come from aging. However, if we put into practice and live by the principles found in God’s Word, many of us would be a whole lot healthier, happier and more fulfilled than we presently are.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank You for the guidelines that are found in your Word that, if adhered to diligently, will greatly improve my physical, mental and emotional health and lead to a more fulfilled life and loving relationships. Please help me to so live. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. James 5:16 (NIV).

2. John 5:6 (NKJV).

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To Be “As Jesus”

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“Then he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”1

The story is told how “a wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.

However, a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. ‘I’ve been thinking,’ he said, ‘I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.’”2

Some readers may remember the debacle caused by the death of Anna Nicole Smith several years ago. On a TV interview I recall hearing Jill Dobson of Star Magazine saying that Anna Nicole “had everything: money, fame, attention ….” Maybe so, but in reality she had nothing for the true riches of life have nothing to do with fame and fortune.

All sorts of legal battles followed Anna Nicole’s death, including those by other men seeking to gain the legal rights of her infant child, claiming they were the father. Do you think this would have happened had Anna Nicole been a penniless pauper? Not likely.

And how much of Anna Nicole’s fortune did she leave? All of it. Like the rest of us—rich or poor, famous or infamous—the reality is that only what we send ahead do we take with us and gain for eternity—providing of course that we have put our life right with God before we leave. I only hope this was true of Anna Nicole.

One of my daily prayers is that God will help me to be “as Jesus” in some way to every life I touch and that they, seeing Jesus in me, will want him for themselves. This for me is the most precious and priceless gift I could ever give to anyone.

Could you imagine the tremendous impact we Christians would make on today’s world if every one of us would make and pray the following commitment.

Prayer: “Dear God, I am available today. Please use me today to be ‘as Jesus’ in some way, first to my own family, and then in some way to every life I touch. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Luke 12:15 (NIV).

2. “The Wise Woman’s Stone,” Author Unknown. Cited on Inspiration Peak, www.inspirationpeak.com

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Great Fiddling

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“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”1

I have read how Leonard Bernstein, former conductor of the New York Philharmonic orchestra, was once asked which instrument was the most difficult to play. Without hesitation Bernstein replied, “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm—that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony.”

I recall hearing a beautiful soloist in a church service. The problem was that she sang off key. Had she just given her testimony, we would have been blessed.

Everybody is gifted in one or more areas. When we use these gifts as God intended with the right motive, there is harmony within ourselves and in the group we are ministering to. However, if we try to do what others are gifted for and we are not, if we serve with wrong motives, or if we have a need to control, there will be disharmony within ourselves and in the group.

God’s reward will have nothing to do with whether we are a first, second or a non-fiddler. They will be according to our faithfulness in using the gifts that we have been given. When we come to the end of life’s journey, we will be required to give an account to God of the stewardship of the gifts he has given to us—not of the ones we haven’t been given.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to recognize my God-given gifts, develop and use them to the best of my ability for Your glory and the blessing of others. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV).

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Lest We Forget

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“Be careful that you do not forget the Lord.”1

Beverly Muffin stood “ten feet (three meters) tall” when she saw her daughter, Susan (name changed) step from the airplane dressed immaculately in her U.S. Navy whites. Susan had just returned from boot camp training. How proud Beverly was of her daughter.

Three generations of Beverly’s family have served in the military. She tells how, as a small girl, she read a telegram from World War II that her grandmother kept in her Bible. The telegram was sent to tell her that one of her sons had been shot down, was missing in action, and presumed dead.

Today Beverly also shared with us a valuable lesson her Navy daughter taught her when she told her mother that every time she saw a service person in uniform, she ought to pray. When Beverly asked why, Susan replied, “Because that person is willing to die to protect the ground you’re standing on!”

War in any man’s language is a tragedy. As Rear Admiral A. Byron Holderby, Jr., a former U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains, said, “Because there is evil in the world, we will always need a military.”

It’s Memorial Day in the U.S. today but let all of us who live in free countries be especially thankful today and always for the thousands of service men and woman who risked their life and for the many who made the supreme sacrifice by giving their life to protect the land that you and I stand on.

Let us never forget their sacrifice. And may we never forget the supreme sacrifice that Jesus, the Son of God, made when He gave His life to save us from a hellish, lost eternity. And whether we live in a free country or otherwise, every one of us is equal in the sight of God, and all are greatly loved by God so every one of us can equally ask for and receive His forgiveness and gift of eternal life.

“Suggested prayer: “Dear God, those of us who live in a free country express our deepest gratitude for all who gave their lives to pay for our freedom. And we pray for our brothers and sisters who have no religious freedom, or their land is being ravaged by war, who have been forced to become a refugee, or are suffering under terrible bondage. May they find freedom in their heart by knowing and loving You as their personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Deuteronomy 6:12 (NIV).

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Seek Wise Counsel

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King Solomon wrote, “Listen to wise advice; follow it closely, for it will do you good, and you can pass it on to others: Trust in the Lord.”1

“My wife is leaving me,” one man said to me, “what can I do?” My gut response (which I kept to myself) was, “Why didn’t you come to me five years sooner?”

I tried to assure this man that if he and his wife both genuinely wanted to save their marriage, there were no guarantees, but with wise counsel, personal honesty, commitment, hard work and God’s help, they could.

One way to keep a marriage healthy is to see and treat problem symptoms when they first appear. If these symptoms are the fruit of a deeper root, which they often are, they won’t go away of themselves. The longer we leave symptoms untreated the more tenacious and embedded they become.

If there are things in your marriage or in other areas of your life that bother you, it is wise to seek competent guidance from a qualified pastor or counselor right away. Don’t put it off any longer. Make that appointment you know you need to make—today.

As today’s Scripture says: “Listen to wise counsel” and “trust in the Lord!”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the courage to admit my problems, the courage to seek wise counsel, and the faith, help, courage, and determination I need to overcome them. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

NOTE: For some counseling resources go to: https://learning.actsweb.org/counseling_resources.php.

1. Proverbs 22:17-19 (TLB).

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Pardoned

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“But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”1

The story is told about a young man who received a ticket for a speeding violation. As he stood before the judge, the judge found himself in a dilemma because he knew the young man didn’t have any money to pay the fine and he didn’t want to send him to jail.

However, the judge had to fine the young man $150, which was the accepted amount for this traffic violation. Immediately the judge handed down the sentence, he stepped away from the bench, took off his robes, went to the defendant and paid the fine for him.

The young man was his own son whom he loved.

That’s what God’s Son, Jesus Christ, did for us on the cross of Calvary. God’s justice required death as the automatic judgment upon our sin. However, because he loved us, the Son of God laid aside his “judge’s robes,” stepped out of the “ivory palaces” of heaven, came to earth and identified with us as a man, and died on the cross in our place to save us from our sins.

Because of this, God offers each of us a free pardon with forgiveness for all our sins and gives us his gift of eternal life. Jesus, the Son of God, paid the “fine/penalty” for us with his life. All we need to do is confess our sinfulness and accept his gift of salvation—the greatest gift known to man.

“He paid a debt he didn’t owe to free us from a price we couldn’t pay.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank You for Your great love gift for me in giving your Son, Jesus, to die in my place to pay the just penalty for all my sins. May I never take Your love for granted but learn to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength—and my neighbor as myself. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

NOTE: If you have never accepted God’s free pardon for all your sins, click on http://tinyurl.com/8glq9 to see how simple it is to do this.

1. Paul in Romans 5:8.

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The Voice of God Within

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“In the beginning God ….”

“God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’”1

“In his classic novel Crime and Punishment, Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky tells the story of a young man who rejects the existence of God. This young man murders an old woman. Believing there is no righteous God who will judge, and therefore no absolute standard of right and wrong, he knows that he should not feel guilty. However, he is consumed with a sense of guilt until he confesses his crime and hands his life over to the God he once rejected.”2

In many cases, if not in most, atheism is more likely to be a moral issue rather than an intellectual issue. If one believes in God, he knows that he is morally responsible and cannot live as he pleases without struggling with a guilty conscience. On the other hand, if one doesn’t believe in God, he rationalizes that he is not morally responsible to anyone and can live according to his own rules or as he pleases. In living this way there is always the danger of deadening one’s conscience and silencing the voice of God within.

If there weren’t a God—a Higher Authority—why would we even have a conscience and instinctively know that we are morally responsible and accountable?

The very first sentence in God’s Word the Bible says, “In the beginning God …”3 and later it says, “for in him we live and move and have our being.”1 Either we believe in God or we become a god unto ourselves and live according to our own standards. Imagine the chaos and destruction if everyone in the world lived as a law unto himself.

The critical issue for all of us is that we know God and live according to his standards as found in his Word, the Bible, for “blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.”4 For help to find and know God go to: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please open the eyes of my understanding so that I will see and know that You are the God of all creation—which includes me—so that I can and will say to You in all confidence, ‘My LORD and my God.’ Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Acts 17:27-28 (NKJV).
2. Joe Boot, Searching for Truth, © 2002. Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com. Cited on “A Slice of Infinity,” www.rzim.org/slice/slice.php
3. Genesis 1:1.
4. Psalm 33:12 (NIV).

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Relationships: When to Cut Your Losses

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“Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife [or husband].”1

Among the most painful of life’s experiences is rejection by a loved one.

When a couple is in a hopeless situation where there is continual rejection, hatred, and/or physical and emotional abuse by one or both partners, should they stay together for the sake of the children or should they cut their losses? Some say they should stay together no matter what. Others say to do so is insanity. But what does God say?

It is true that God hates divorce. “’I hate divorce,’ says the LORD God of Israel.”2 But who in his right mind doesn’t? Jesus, in the Gospels, was also against divorce.

God’s Word also says, “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife [or husband].”1 And again, the Apostle Paul wrote, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”3 This implies that it isn’t possible to live peaceably with everyone.

Because of what God’s Word says, I believe that divorce should only ever be the last resort. Marriage partners need to commit themselves to resolve their disagreements and seek all the help needed to achieve this goal. However, in cases where one partner refuses to work on resolution and files for divorce, the other spouse doesn’t have a choice.

Also because of what God’s Word says, where there are major conflicts and only one partner is willing to work on the relationship and get marriage counseling, tough love is needed. In these—and especially in abusive situations—the one being abused needs to set boundaries and kindly but firmly say to his/her partner, “Unless you are willing to seek help together, I will no longer tolerate your abusive behavior and will have to separate myself and the children from you.” When one sets boundaries, he/she needs to keep them. This won’t guarantee resolution but without setting and keeping strict boundaries, it will almost guarantee that there will never be resolution.

Furthermore, wherever a spouse and/or children are being abused, physically, sexually and/or emotionally, the abused spouse needs to separate herself and the children immediately. The separating spouse needs to make it very clear to the abusive partner that he/she will not get back together until he/she (the abusive partner) gets help and overcomes his or her abusive behaviors.

In broken relationships playing the blame game doesn’t resolve anything because both partners are contributing something to the failure of the relationship—even if one spouse is too passive or codependent.

Only when all else fails should a couple file for divorce.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, whenever I am in a conflict situation, please help me to see what I am contributing and, rather than playing the blame game, get the help I need to resolve my issues. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 21:9 (NIV).

2. Malachi 2:16 (NIV).

3. Romans 12:18 (NIV).

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Don’t Let Your Past Dictate Your Future

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“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”1

It is true that our lives are significantly shaped during our early formative years and many of our character issues formed then are with us for the rest of our lives.

What if we grew up in a home that was less than wholesome or where we may have been emotionally abused if not physically abused? It’s interesting to note that where I live physical and sexual abuse of a child is justifiably considered a crime and is punishable by law with the likelihood of being sentenced to time in jail. Furthermore, if the abuse is by a parent, the child is often removed from his or her custody. Tragically, emotional abuse is not even considered a crime and, depending on the intensity, can be just as psychologically damaging as physical or sexual abuse.

As an adult, overcoming the effects of childhood abuse and love deprivation is possible but it can be very challenging. Speaking personally, I grew up in a very dysfunctional family and because I felt unloved and rejected, especially by my father, for many years I felt extremely insecure and felt that I was ugly and unlovable. True, I was not responsible for my upbringing, but as an adult I realized that I was responsible for overcoming my less than wholesome background.

Besides having a lot of therapy, one of many significant things I did to resolve the effects of my impaired relationship with my father was to go to his gravesite and in my imagination I “talked to him” as if he were there with me. I said, “Dad, if you were still alive today what advice would you have for me?” The answer that came to my mind was, “Don’t let your past control your future.”

Good advice. True, I may have been a victim in the past but if I chose to remain a victim I would have become a willing volunteer.

For healthy living and loving relationships it is imperative that we resolve all our past impaired relationships and forgive all who have ever hurt us. We don’t have to remain a victim but with God’s help, and that of others where necessary, we can overcome a hurtful past and become all that God envisioned for us to be. The choice is ours. So, whatever you do don’t let your past control your future.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank You for all the good that I received from my parents and my past. Also, help me to acknowledge where I may have been abused or hurt in any way physically, emotionally or spiritually and lead me to the help I need to overcome the effects caused by these destructive experiences. In so doing may I be freed to become all that You planned for me to be. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV).

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