All posts by 5Q

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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Is Your Life Wonder-full or Wonder-empty?

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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

In some way e-motions are “energy in motion.” When used creatively they can motivate us to achieve wonderful things in life. When repressed they can leave us characteristically bored with life, feeling empty within, and settling for cheap counterfeits.

For instance, when the emotion of love is repressed, more often than not it will express itself in lust and lead to superficial relationships. When anger is repressed it can come out as hostility, rage or passive aggression. When fear is repressed it can cause us to setting ourselves up to fail, or express itself in phobias. Instead of facing the real fear within, we attach it to something outside ourselves—it feels a whole lot safer to do it this way.

Or take the emotion of wonder. It’s the emotion that puts sparkle into life and makes life wonder-full. When wonder is repressed, our life is wonder-empty. It then expresses itself in a “lust” for things; that is, materialism. Instead of loving people and using things we end up unhappily loving things and using people to get more things.

I believe one of the major reasons why we in the Western World are so materialistic and “worship the god of materialism” is because so many of us are emotionally repressed and our lives wonder-empty.

A vital part of a truly wonderful life consists of being in touch with and aware of our entire range of God-given emotions; that, in turn, express themselves in wholesome, loving relationships with our own self, others, and ultimately with God.

Jesus said it well when he said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And as Henry Van Dyke said, “What you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to belong to someone else. But what you are will be yours forever.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to get in touch with and be aware of all my God-given emotions and use them as You intended, so that my life will be truly wonder-full and so I will not be caught up in the emptiness of materialism—and so that my life will be a clear channel through whom Your love can freely flow to others. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Luke 12:15 (NIV).

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The Gift of Encouragement

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“Encourage one another daily.”1

The word encourage is made up of two words: “en” meaning “in” and “courage.” Literally, it means to put courage into another person. The gift of encouragement, that is, the ability to put courage into another person, is perhaps one of the better gifts one could wish to have. Furthermore, it is a gift that everybody has—either active or latent—or that can easily be developed. It is a gift that is very much needed.

I read about an accountant who had worked for a business for many years who committed suicide. People wondered why he took his life. When examiners reviewed the company’s financial records, not a single cent was found to be missing. Everything was in perfect order. They couldn’t find any reason until they found a note he had written. It said, “In 30 years I have never had one word of encouragement. I’m fed up!”

Everybody wants to be appreciated and encouraged. So let each of us be sure we take our gift of encouragement, strengthen it through lots of practice and use, and take it with us and use it generously everywhere we go. And especially use it much at home.

Even when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one came back to thank him, he asked, “Where are the nine?”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a thankful heart and help me to always express appreciation to my loved ones, to the people I work and mix with, to strangers who do kind acts, and most of all to You for all your wonderful blessings and kindnesses shown to me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 3:13 (NIV).

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Mind Diseases

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“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord [enthusiastically].”1

There are two serious diseases of the mind that most, if not all of us, will encounter at some time. These diseases have been the cause of ineffectiveness and the death of innumerable churches, organizations, businesses, individuals and nations!

They can afflict the young but mostly those who are above 40. The symptoms are often obvious to outsiders but usually totally oblivious to those inflicted with either of these diseases.

The first disease is “homeostatus” which is a clinging to the status quo with a refusal to change no matter what. The ancient Israelites suffered from this disease when God delivered them out of slavery in Egypt. When things got tough on their road to “recovery,” they doubted God and wanted to go back to Egypt. Crazy, you say, but that’s what they wanted. As the saying goes, “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t know!”

The other disease is “psychosclerosis,” a hardening of the attitudes. This disease is equally destructive. Its symptoms can be varied such as legalism, rigidity, arrogance, apathy, Phariseeism, having a closed mind and so on. It is just as deadly as homeostatus.

We need God’s wisdom and insight to guard against these crippling diseases. They are two of the enemy’s powerful weapons designed to render us ineffective in God’s causes.

The remedy? Daily commit and trust your life and way to God, know what his Word, the Bible, teaches and genuinely seek to live in harmony with his will. Ask God every day to keep your eyes open and keep you on the “Truth Road.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please deliver me from the mind diseases of homeostatus and psychosclerosis. And in the words of the song writer: ‘O Lord please light the fire / That once burned bright and clear / Replace the lamp of my first love / That burned with holy fear.’ Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Paul, in Romans 12:11 (NIV).

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Winners vs Losers

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“According to your faith be it unto you.”1

A winner sees an opportunity in every risk while a loser sees a risk in every opportunity. Winners know that to risk nothing is to risk everything, that if they are going to win they need to be willing to try, to take chances, and to risk failure. That is, they have to be willing to strike out if they are going to hit home runs.

Apparently the year Babe Ruth broke the world record for hitting the most home runs he also broke the world’s record for the most strike-outs!

The point is, if I am going to hit home runs I have to be in the game, stand at the plate and keep swinging. Sooner or later if I practice hard and do my best, I will hit a home run.

As somebody else has said, “To try when there is little hope is to risk failure. Not to try at all is to guarantee it.”

True winners make sure their goal is in harmony with God’s will and, because of this, they know that with his help there is always a way to achieve their goal. Furthermore, they believe in their cause. And they believe in themselves in a healthy way. Therefore they expect to win, believe they will, and do so.

They also know that if they tried and did their best, they have already won.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a winner—not in the eyes of the world—but in Your eyes. Help me to do my best, always live in harmony with Your will, learn to love others as You love me, and be a part in what You are doing in the world today. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Jesus, in Matthew 9:29.

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