All posts by 5Q

Struggling to Believe

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“Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.”1

“Robert Robinson came from a poor family; his father died when Robert was a child and his mother sent him to London to learn barbering when he was a teenager. Instead he fell in with a gang and was involved in vandalism, looting and petty theft. They went to heckle a traveling evangelist, George Whitefield, who was preaching in the town square but Robert encountered the Lord Jesus and eventually accepted him as his Savior. He went on to become a renowned preacher and pastor, as well as a writer of extraordinary hymns and was well known throughout Europe. But late in his life he left the faith. We don’t know the reason why, we don’t know the circumstances, but the story is told that there came a day late in his life when he was traveling by stage coach, seated next to a woman who was humming the hymn, ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.’

“If nothing else, maybe simply to make conversation, she asked him, ‘Sir, do you know this song?’

“Robinson replied, ‘Know it? Madam, I am the miserable man who wrote it and I would give a thousand lives to know the joy and peace that I knew then but I’ve lost it.’

“Mr. Robinson died shortly thereafter.

“’Come thou Fount’ is one of my favorite hymns and that story is one of the saddest—and I am afraid, all-too-familiar—ones that I know.”2

This hymn also happens to be one of my favorites. The words of the last stanza say: “O to grace how great a debtor / Daily I’m constrained to be / Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter / Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee / Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it / Prone to leave the God I love / Take my heart, O take and seal It / Seal it from Thy courts above.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please keep me from straying from you for I, too, know that my heart is prone to wander and that I could very easily leave the God I love. Please take my heart and seal it from and for your courts above. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, amen.”

1. 2 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV).

2. By Tod Bolsinger, Sermon, “The God Who Does the Impossible … A story for those who struggle to believe.”

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Was Jesus Ever Politically Correct?

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“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”1

It’s amazing how, in our day and age, so many are afraid to stand up and be counted when it comes to taking a public stand for that which is morally correct, based on biblical principles and the Judeo-Christian ethic, for fear of not being politically correct. To bash Christianity, the Ten Commandments, the Word of God and even Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” has become acceptable (and even popular) among certain circles, but try condemning gay marriage or other religions such as Islam and it becomes a different story.

But did Jesus Christ ever allow himself to be so controlled? Hardly.

Jesus was a man of passion. He hated the abuse of God’s house so he drove out the money changers with a whip. He hated evil and sin, not simply because these were opposed to his Word but because they were, and are, damaging to those whom God loves—us. But he always loved sinners and was against anything that hurt them, kept them in bondage, or hindered their growth. And he was hated for his stand.

“In Jesus’ case, we have the story of the holiest man who ever lived, and yet it was the prostitutes and lepers and thieves who adored him, and the religious who hated his guts.”2 Why? Because he loved people and was opposed to religious dogma and programs that kept people in bondage and used them for their own ends rather than helping them to grow.

“People were offended with Jesus because he violated their understanding of religion and piety. The religious of his day were particularly incensed that he deliberately healed on the Sabbath…. They accused him of being a drunkard, a glutton and having tacky taste in friends. As Gene Thomas is fond of saying, ‘Jesus was simply not your ideal Rotarian.’ It is a profound irony that the Son of God visited this planet and one of the chief complaints against him was that he was not religious enough.”3

In other words, Jesus was totally committed to people’s spiritual and personal growth and was strongly opposed to anything that stopped or hindered that growth. Political correctness was never ever a part of his agenda.

As an English Bishop once said, “Wherever Jesus went there was either a revival or a revolution. Wherever I go, they serve tea.”

Question: Do we, the members of our church, want to start a revival or a revolution? Or do we just prefer to serve tea?

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the courage to stand up and be counted as a true follower of Jesus Christ and never be afraid to state clearly, in love, what your Word, the Bible, teaches—and help me to live it first. And help me never to allow myself to be controlled by today’s politically correct nonsense. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Timothy 4:1-3 (NIV).

2. Rebecca Manley Pippert, Out of the Saltshaker and Into the World (Downer’s Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1979), p. 39.

3. Ibid, p. 40.

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Hurry, Hurry, Fast, Fast

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“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”1

“I’m not a sociolinguist,” writes Karen Carr, missionary psychologist, “but I find languages fascinating. The other day in Ghana I was walking past a Ghanaian man talking on his cell phone in Twi (a local language here). Suddenly, in the midst of a sea of words I could not understand, I heard, ‘Hurry, hurry. Fast, fast.’

“Why did he need to switch to English to use those words? In a culture where relationships are valued more than task, where listening to someone is more important than crossing off my ‘to do’ list, where greeting someone before you get to the point of your conversation is a very high value—hurry, hurry, fast, fast is apparently a value grafted in from the West. I chuckled as I walked away and slowed my pace down just a fraction—reminding myself that I can enjoy the journey just as much as the destination.”2

Back in college days I used to have a small placard on my desk that said, “Beware of the barrenness of a busy life.” Some years ago there was a popular song that said: “Slow down you move to fast, got to make the morning last…looking for fun and feeling groovy.”

I don’t know about you but I still struggle with being too busy most of the time and need to remind myself that I need to take time to have fun and to smell the roses as life is short. At the same time I also realize that my life is an investment in eternity so I need to make sure my days are balanced and wisely spent. As William Penn said, “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”3

And as another has wisely said, “Only one life ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to live a balanced life, to invest my life wisely with eternal values in mind, and never be too busy to ‘be still and know that you are God.’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, amen.”

1. Psalm 46:10 (NIV).

2. Karen Carr of Mobile Member Care Team, Ghana, West Africa, http://www.mmct.org/

3. Steven Grellet.

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The “Demon” of Lust?

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

A Daily Encounter reader writes, “I have been fighting with a lust demon for years. I have asked GOD to relieve me of this demon but I keep slipping back and doing the same thing all over again. I have just rededicated my life to God and am on my church’s outreach team. I want this demon of Satan out of my body never to return. Will you pray for me?”

Hello, Jim (name changed), Thank you for being honest and sharing your struggle with lust. To resolve any problem it is imperative to understand the root cause of the problem. Let me assure you that lust, as with anger, is NOT a demon. If I am wrongfully angry, that is my problem and when I fail to resolve it, I give the foothold to the enemy.

It’s the same with lust. Lust is a struggle most red-blooded men struggle with at one time or another. Severe lust, however, is usually a symptom of repressed love or unmet love needs. As long as you blame the problem on anything outside of yourself, you will never overcome it because lust is a problem within. I don’t know who told you it was a demon but I challenge this person to find anywhere in the Bible where it says there is “a demon of lust.”

Sure, Satan is the originator of all sin and does tempt us, but most of us don’t need the devil or a demon to make, or even cause, us to lust. We can do it all by ourselves because we are all sinners.

So how do you overcome? First and foremost, you need not only confess your lust to God, but also ask him to confront you with the real cause of your lust … to show you the root cause of the problem … and then to lead you to the help you need to overcome. Only by facing the truth will you be set free.

Remember too, as David wrote in the Psalms, “The Lord is near to all who call on him; to all who call on him in truth.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, whenever I have any problem that I can’t resolve, please help me to see the root cause of it and help me to find the support I need to overcome. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

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

2. Psalm 145:18 (NIV).

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On Specks and Logs

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“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?”1

Mike Atkinson in his Mickey’s Funnies shares the following humorous story:

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.

“That laundry is not very clean,” she said. “She doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.” Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: “Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this.”

The husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”2

Need I say more?

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please deliver me from the sin of playing the blame-game and projecting my blind spots onto others—and judging them accordingly. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 7:3-4 (NLT).

2. Mickey’s Funnies © 2008 Mike Atkinson.

http://www.mikeysFunnies.com.

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An Attitude Of Gratitude

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“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever.”1

A legend tells the story of a fisherman called Aaron who lived on the banks of a river. Walking home with his eyes half-closed one evening after a hard day’s work, he was dreaming of what he could do if he were rich. As he walked his foot struck a leather pouch filled with what seemed to him to be small stones. Absentmindedly he picked up the pouch and began throwing the pebbles into the water.

“When I am a rich man,” he said to himself, “I’ll have a large house”. And he threw another pebble into the river. He threw another one and thought, “My wife and I will have servants and rich food, and many fine things.” And this went on until just one stone was left. As Aaron held it in his hand, a ray of light caught it and made it sparkle. He was not throwing ordinary stones but valuable gems, throwing away the real riches in his hand, while he dreamed of unreal riches in the future.”2

Don’t wait until tomorrow because “what-ifs” rarely, if ever, come. Be thankful for the blessings you have today for today is the only day we ever have. Live in the present for yesterdays are gone forever and tomorrows are only a hope and always a day away!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please open my eyes that I may see the countless blessings you have already provided for and given to me. Help me to feel the wonder of it all and give me a thankful heart for all you have done and are doing for me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 136:1-3 (NKJV).

2. Brett Blair www.eSermons.com. Adapted from a sermon by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild: “The Man Without Wedding Clothes.”

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Faith Vs. Sincerity

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“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth … this man stands here before you whole … Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”1

One of my favorite illustrations about “misguided faith” comes from an advertising piece put out by a business firm. On it was glued a small seed with the claim that if you have as much faith in our business as you do in this mustard seed, you will be guaranteed great results.

Some months later a customer wrote back to the company saying, “You will be interested to know that I planted your mustard seed and it is now grown into a healthy plant bearing great tomatoes!”

I wonder how many times I’ve been hoodwinked by a less than honest sales person or manipulated by false advertising. Guess most of us have been at one time or another.

Of much greater significance is how many of us are deceived by the promoters of false religions.

Too many believe if they live a good life that will get them into heaven. Others, like I used to believe, believe that if they do enough good things to outnumber the bad things they’ve done, that will get them into God’s heaven. Others believe that as all roads lead to Rome so all religions lead to God. Not so. Such beliefs, no matter how sincere, couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The religious Pharisees of Christ’s day were zealots in their sincerity but were wrong—totally wrong—in that they missed the very Messiah (Savior) for whom they were looking because he didn’t come in the way or did what they expected him to do.

There are many religions today, too, that have very sincere zealots and religious people who are equally as wrong even though they sincerely believe that they have THE truth!

Jesus made it clear—very clear—that he was the only way to God. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” Jesus stated emphatically. “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”2

And God’s Word, the Bible, affirms: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

And that name is Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. Only in him can forgiveness of sins, salvation, and the gift of eternal life be found. Furthermore, had there been other ways to God, why on earth would Jesus have come to earth to suffer an incredibly excruciating death on the cross to pay the penalty of all your sins and mine?

The question we all need to ask ourselves, “Have I trusted Jesus as my Lord and Savior? To help you do this read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for Jesus and that my trust is only in him for my eternal salvation and a home in heaven to be with you forever. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Acts 4:10, 12 (NKJV).

2. John 14:6 (NKJV).

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The Lies We Tell Ourselves

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“When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false [an honest man].”1

For several years I used to facilitate support groups. I remember one woman who repeatedly told us what a good husband she had while all the while we knew he was mistreating her something terribly. Over and over she would also tell us how honest she was.

Finally, I said to her as kindly as I could, “Florence (not her real name), if I have to tell you what a gentleman I am, you can be pretty sure I’m not. If I have to tell you how humble I am, you know I’ve already lost it. And if I have to keep telling you how honest I am ….”

Wow, she got really mad at me and stormed out of the room—which proved my point. Actually, she came back and we remained friends.

It’s amazing the lies we tell ourselves and the amount of denial we are in—in order to avoid facing the painful reality of the truth.

Jeffrey Gitomer agrees. He said, “My experience has shown me that if you have to say what you are, you probably aren’t. Think about that for a moment. ‘I’m honest,’ ‘I’m ethical,’ even ‘I’m the boss,’ or ‘I’m in charge,’ usually indicates just the opposite.”

What freedom and release we find when we have the courage to admit our faults, sins, and problems—not as a means to put ourselves down—but as a means to quit the merry-go-round trap of denial, and grow in love and maturity. It’s amazing what being honest and becoming real will do for improving our relationships—both with God and others! Denial is a mask to hide behind but masks can’t relate. Only real people can. Furthermore, only God can help us to the degree that we are honest with ourselves and with him. It’s the only way to live life to the full!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be open-faced, honest and real—with myself, others, and above all with you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 1:47 (NIV).

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Is God Punishing Me?

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“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available….”1

A Daily Encounter reader asks, “Can you explain why I feel so miserable, guilty, and unhappy for not keeping my promise to God to quit smoking? I feel he is punishing me for failing and for breaking my promise.”

No, no, no, no, no!

God is not like that. He is not a “punishing” father like some earthly fathers—perhaps even like your father was when you were little. God is much bigger than that. It’s we ourselves who punish ourselves.

Quitting smoking, or any addiction—small or large—is not likely to happen by giving a promise to anyone, God included. The root cause of the addiction is the symptom of a deeper problem—also used as a means of avoiding the real issue. As the saying goes, symptoms are the fruit of a deeper root. Also, as another has said, “God is merciful, when we have unresolved problems, he gives us (or allows us to have) symptoms!”

Sure, it’s important not to neglect dealing with the symptom but God wants to heal us at the deeper lever, at the root cause of our problem. Symptoms need to be a wakeup call for us to get the help we need.

So, first of all, pray the right prayer. If you are struggling with an addiction or a bad habit, ask God to give you the insight and courage to see the cause/s behind the habit … why you started it in the first place. Also, is it an escape from facing some unresolved issue in your life? Ask God to confront you with the truth behind your problem—the root cause—no matter how painful this may be.

Second, ask God to lead you to the help you need to overcome, which may be both medical and psychological-counseling help, and to help you find a support, twelve-step, or an overcomers anonymous group—whatever it takes to help you overcome your problem so it will no longer overcome you.

And remember, if you confess your failure to God and ask for his forgiveness, he will always forgive, forgive, and forgive. Remember that Jesus said we were to forgive seventy-times-seven which mean forgiving without end. That’s the way God forgives us. This is not an excuse to behave as we like but an expression of God’s love when we genuinely want his help and deliverance.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that symptoms are often a sign of unresolved personal problems. About my bad habit of ________ (name it), if this is the fruit of a deeper root, please give me the insight to see the cause/s, the courage to confront it and admit it to you and at least one other trusting person, and the good sense to get the help I need to overcome it. And please lead me to the help I need so to do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. James 5:16 (AMP).

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Listen to Your Heart

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“When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”1

Melody Beattie in her book, The Language of Letting Go, emphasizes the importance of contemplating what is on your mind first thing when you wake up in the morning. What is it in that half-asleep, half-awake place? Are you troubled about something? Is there some responsibility you have neglected that is bothering you? Is it a goal you’ve been planning on starting but keep putting off? Is it an unhealthy relationship you are in and you know you need to get out of it? Is it a destructive habit or sin that you feel convicted about?

What is on your mind at this time is coming from your inner self, your unconscious mind, or it may be coming from God’s Spirit. It may be revealing a truth you need to deal with. Listen to that inner voice—the voice of your heart—and do what you know you need to do about that issue that is troubling or challenging you. Don’t put it off. Take care of it each day.

We’re not talking about compulsive obsessive behavior but learning to discern the voice of one’s inner self and that of the leading of God’s Spirit.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, when my inner self or your Holy Spirit reminds me of something I need to fix, to start, to put right, or to do today, please help me to write it down so I don’t forget, and then do something about it that day. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 4:4 (NIV).

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