All posts by 5Q

Overcoming Resentment

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“So get rid of your feelings of hatred [anger/ resentment]. Don’t just pretend to be good! Be done with dishonesty.”1 Also, “If you are angry [resentful], 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.”2

A Daily Encounter reader asks, “How do you find release from resentment?”

First, admit exactly how you feel. Realize, too, that feelings are amoral; that is in and of themselves they are neither right nor wrong, they just are. It’s what we do with them (and the cause of them) that is either right or wrong—creative or destructive.

Second, also realize that resentment is often a result of jealousy and anger. For instance, a jealous person is very often angry at either the person who received a promotion or some gift, recognition, or benefit he or she felt they were more deserving of and angry at the one who did the giving or gave the promotion.

Third, recognize that jealousy is often a byproduct of one’s insecurity and poor self-image. (We will address this issue in tomorrow’s Daily Encounter).

Fourth, to resolve resentment it is imperative that one resolves his or her anger. For help to do this read, “Taming Your Anger” at: http://tinyurl.com/b439f

Finally, one needs to fully forgive the one they feel has hurt them—whether the hurt is justified or not (often it isn’t). However, without resolving one’s hurt and anger, it is virtually impossible to forgive the one you feel has hurt you. After the hurt and anger are resolved, forgiveness becomes a simple choice—we either choose to forgive or choose to hang on to our hurt, anger and resentment.

As Loren Fischer so wisely said, “The difference between holding on to a hurt [resentment] or releasing it with forgiveness is the difference between laying your head at night on a pillow filled with thorns or a pillow filled with rose petals.” And as another put it, “Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, whenever I am feeling resentful, please help me to see the causes behind my resentment—be it insecurity, jealousy, hurt and/or anger—and find the help I need to deal with and resolve these issues so I will always freely forgive all who have hurt me as you have freely forgiven me for all of my sins. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

For further help read “Forgiveness: The Power That Heals” at: http://tinyurl.com/3bw3q3 and for resolving anger read, “Taming Your Anger” at: Taming Your Anger at: http://tinyurl.com/b439f

1. 1 Peter 2:1 (TLB).
2. Ephesians 4:26-27 (TLB).

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Living With a “Time Bomb”

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“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.”1

According to a report in the Daily Mail (London, England), a pensioner used a live artillery shall as a doorstop for 20 years.

For decades the seven-inch-long shell had been a family memento, polished and given pride of place on the mantle piece. The First World War relic also served as a toy and finally, for the past 20 years, as a front doorstop at the home of 68-year-old Thelma Bonnett.

At any time during all those years, however, it could have exploded. The German squat shell was live, packed with its original payload and with its firing mechanism primed, experts have said. It was only when a neighbor saw the shell outside Mrs. Bonnett’s door that the danger became clear.

The police were called and they summoned Royal Navy bomb disposal experts to the house in Paignton, Devon. Several neighbors were evacuated from their homes and the device was taken to a local quarry and exploded. It had been in the family for nearly a century after her grandfather Arthur Croxall brought it home in 1918. “I had no idea it was dangerous,” Mrs. Bonnett said. “Grandfather picked it up on his travels with the Merchant Navy in 1918. My father used to polish it all the time and kept it on the mantelpiece….”

A Ministry of Defense spokesman said: “The shell was packed full of explosives and it could have gone off at any time.”2

It is true, as today’s Scripture verse implies, sin can be pleasurable—for a short time. However, if we continue to “toy” with and live a life of sin and wrongdoing, we may not realize it, but we, too, will be sitting on a time bomb that could explode at any time—and eventually will—and destroy one’s reputation, character, close relationships and/or one’s physical, emotional and spiritual health. Sin always has its consequences, the end of which is eternal death which is not the cessation of our being—but being eternally separated from God, the author of all love and life, in the place the Bible calls hell—wherever and whatever that may be. One thing is certain: It will be hell!

Sin—all sin is a deadly spiritual cancer—and you either get the cancer or the cancer gets you. God has the only cure for this deadly time bomb. For help click on the “Know God” link below or visit: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you have provided the only cure and way of escape from sin’s deadly consequences by giving your Son, Jesus, to die in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins. Help me to be certain that I have accepted Jesus as my Savior and received your forgiveness and gift of eternal life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 11:24-25 (NIV).
2. Source: Daily Mail, London, England, July 2, 2007.
To see a picture of the shell and Thelma Bonnett
visit: http://tinyurl.com/ywtb8p.
Cited on WITandWISDOM www.witandwisdom.org

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Cordless Jump Rope

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“For the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”1

In his Thought for the Day devotional Alan Smith said, “Perhaps you have heard about the latest invention. This report came through the AP news service this week:

“If you think keeping fit is merely mind over matter, Lester Clancy has an invention for you—a cordless jump-rope. That’s right, a jump-rope minus the rope. All that’s left are two handles, so you jump over the pretend rope.

“And for that idea kicking around Clancy’s head since 1988, the U.S. Patent Office this month awarded the 52-year-old Mansfield, Ohio, man a patent….

“It’s perfect for the clumsy, Clancy said, ‘If you’re still jumping, you’re still using your legs as well as your arms, and getting the cardiovascular workout. You just don’t have to worry about tripping on the rope….’

“As one professor pointed out in the article, you could accomplish the same thing using two toilet paper holders!”2

Naturally we laugh at such an absurd invention, but as Alan Smith points out, “And yet, there are things in the spiritual realm that are just as ridiculous. There are some who want to hold on to the handles of ‘faith’ without a rope of ‘works.’ There are others who want to hold onto the handles of ‘a God of mercy and grace’ without a rope of ‘a God of justice and holiness.’ There are some who want to hold onto the handles of ‘Christianity’ without a rope of ‘love.’ There are some who want to hold onto the handles of accepting Jesus as ‘Savior’ but want to leave off the rope of accepting Jesus as ‘Lord’ of their lives.”3

In the end, as today’s Scripture reminds us, we will be rewarded by God on the basis of what we have done and how we have lived—not on the basis of what we professed. Some of us may be holding only a couple of “religious sticks.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to become all that you envisioned for me to be when I accepted Jesus as my Savior, be genuinely committed to you, live in harmony with your will, and enthusiastically serve you with my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 16:27 (NIV).
2. Alan Smith, “Thought for the Day,” June, 02, 2006,
http://www.tftd-online.com
3. Ibid.

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The Search That Cannot Wait

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“Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’”1

Following the news of ex-Beatle George Harrison’s death on December 1, 2001, anchor Anne Curry of television’s TODAY show interviewed Anthony DeCurtis, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine. DeCurtis talked at length about Harrison’s search for a meaningful spiritual life. Speaking of the Beatles, Curry said, “Apparently Harrison was the most spiritual of the group; in a recent interview, he said, ‘Everything else in life can wait, but the search for God cannot wait.’”2

I don’t know whether Harrison ever found God or not. I surely hope he did. I suspect, however, like too many, he may have made the search for God a complicated thing when the easiest way to find God is a simple belief in God’s Word which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”3 — and a simple prayer such as, “God, I believe in Jesus. Please be merciful to me a sinner.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that I don’t have to search to find you because you have found me and have revealed yourself in your Son, Jesus Christ, and that all I have to do is to confess that I am a sinner, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on the cross to save me from my sins and ask for your forgiveness. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

For help read “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” by clicking on the Know God link below or going to: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

1. 2. Corinthians 6:2 (NASV).
2. Dave Slagle, Lawrenceville, GA.,
www.PreachingToday.com.
3. John 3:16 (NIV).

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Before You or Your Kids Say, “I Do.”

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“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”1

A Daily Encounter reader writes, “My son is seeing a young woman who is trying to force him to marry right away even though they hardly know each other. Is there any way I can advise him?”

As your son is legally an adult, there isn’t much you can do unless he seeks your counsel. If he were my son and asked for my counsel and is a Christian, the following is what I would do:

1. I would encourage him to pray earnestly for God’s direction and especially that God would reveal to him the truth, both about himself and about his lady friend, and their relationship. When physical attraction and/or need is strong, couples are very often blind to reality, marry before they really know each other, and alas too late discover they made a big mistake. However, when seeing the truth before marriage, at least the one earnestly seeking the truth knows what he/she needs to do.

2. I would urge him to receive the best possible pre-marriage counseling with his potential life partner as this is an excellent way to see the truth about each other and to see if they are well suited for each other or otherwise.

3. I would warn him that anyone who is pushing to get married too soon and before receiving adequate pre-marriage counseling is either very needy and over-dependent and/or hiding a character weakness—possibly a serious one—and wants to hook a partner before his/her flaws are discovered.

4. If my son is a Christian and his lady friend is not—based on God’s Word I would let him know that this is a big NO-NO. As God’s word wisely advises, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”2 For a healthy and strong relationship it is very important that both are emotionally mature and spiritually in harmony with each another.

5. Above all, I would encourage my son to earnestly seek God’s guidance regarding this relationship and to make sure he and his potential spouse pray together regularly and put God first in both their personal life and relationship should they decide to, or not to, marry. If they don’t do this before marriage, it isn’t too likely they will do it afterwards.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a fine Christian example to my children so that they, seeing my life, will want you to be first in their life and always seek your guidance and seek to live in harmony with your will. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV).
2. 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV).

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Judgment Day Is Coming

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“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”1

In a sermon Matt Woodley shared how, “On the first day teaching his class of 250 college freshmen, R. C. Sproul carefully explained the assignment of three term papers. Each paper was due on the last day of September, October, and November. Sproul clearly stated there would be no extensions (except for medical reasons). At the end of September 225 students dutifully turned in their papers, while 25 remorseful students quaked in fear. ‘We’re so sorry,’ they said. ‘We didn’t make the proper adjustments from high school to college, but we promise to do better next time.’ He bowed to their pleas for mercy, gave them an extension, but warned them not to be late next month.

“At the end of October rolled around, 200 students turned in their papers, while 50 students showed up empty-handed. ‘Oh, please,’ they begged, ‘it was homecoming weekend, and we ran out of time.’ Sproul relented once more but warned them, ‘This is it. No excuses next time. You will get an F.’

“The end of November came and only 100 students turned in their papers. The rest told Sproul, ‘We’ll get it in soon.’

“‘Sorry,’ Sproul replied. ‘It’s too late now. You get an F.’

“The students howled in protest, ‘That’s not fair!’

“’Okay,’ Sproul replied, ‘you want justice, do you? Here’s what’s just: you’ll get an F for all three papers that were late. That was the rule, right?’

“’The students had quickly taken my mercy for granted,’ Sproul later reflected. ‘They assumed it. When justice suddenly fell, they were unprepared for it. It came as a shock, and they were outraged.’”2

God has clearly put every Christian on notice that every one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of how we have lived our life here on earth.1 And for those who have never received Jesus as their Savior they will stand before God at the Great White Judgment Throne of God and be judged for their sins and will have to pay the just penalty thereof because they never accepted Jesus as their Savior and asked for and accepted God’s forgiveness.

As God’s Word says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”3

Whatever you do, don’t ignore God’s warning and don’t take God’s mercy for granted. “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’”4 If you have never accepted Jesus as your Savior and asked God for forgiveness for all your sins, I urge you, dear reader, to do that today.

For help click on the Know God button below or go to: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your Word that tells me what I need to do to have my sins forgiven; and thank you for giving Jesus, your Son, to pay the penalty for all my sins through his death on the cross. And thank you for giving me a clear warning that ‘As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.’5 letting me know that it is imperative that I make things right with you today as it is too late after I die. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV).
2. Matt Woodley, in the sermon “The Grieving Heart of
God,” http://www.preachingtoday.com/48566
3. See Revelation 20:12-15.
4. 2. Corinthians 6:2 (NASV).
5. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV).

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The Tyranny of the Urgent

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

I don’t know what it is like for you (though I am confident that the same is true for you) but oftentimes it seems as if my life is controlled by the tyranny of the urgent. That is, there never seems to be a day when something unexpected comes up that needs attention … something is broken around the house … a friend is in need … and with all my computer, email and web work there is a never-ending flow of problems that need fixing.

As I have said to friends, as long as you own a home there always seems to be something that needs fixing. In the last two weeks we have had a refrigerator break down, a water line break, and have had more computer problems than I can count. All these issues are very time consuming and make it difficult to keep up with one’s work load. But that’s life and these things can become very stressful if we allow them to.

Besides the suggestions for coping with stress in last Friday’s Daily Encounter, every day I like to remind myself of, and daily thank God for, all the incredible blessings in my life. I constantly thank God that as a child my parents took me to a church and Sunday school where I heard and accepted the gospel. I thank God for health and strength and the ability to work hard, for a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep in, for hot and cold running water, a great church, loving friends, for the incredible opportunity of being able to publish the gospel worldwide, and most of all for a loving wife and family and for the wonderful privilege of being a part of God’s family through no merit of my own. And I know that all of these blessings from God are only the tip of the tip of the iceberg of God’s never ending blessings.

Living with an attitude of gratitude turns my problems into challenges and makes them infinitely small in comparison to all the blessings I daily experience.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please open my eyes so that I can clearly see all the incredible blessings you have so freely given to me and may I always have a grateful heart for these. For one more blessing I pray: and that is that you will give me an eternal attitude of gratitude. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV).

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I Hate Religion

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”1

In younger days, when I was in youth ministry, one of my main ministries was to teach RI (Religious Instruction) in the public high schools in Adelaide, South Australia. In every new class I would write in large letters across the class room board, “I hate religion.”

“Man, in this class, you’ll get shot,” gasped one student in amazement.

“But I’m sold on real Christianity,” I responded.

“Well, what’s the difference?” several chorused.

“Let me explain,” I replied.

True, Christianity is considered a religion but in reality it is profoundly different than man-made religions.

According to Webster’s New World Dictionary religion comes from the Latin religare (re meaning “back” and ligare meaning “to bind”). In other words religion means “to bind back.”

In a real sense religion is “back to bondage” that is applicable to most, if not all, man-made religions—so many of which enslave one in bondage to extreme legalistic rules and regulations with little or no personal freedoms. In another sense religion (man-made religion) is man’s search for God through man-made ways such as good works and/or religiously adhering to certain rules, rituals and regulations.

On the other hand, authentic Christianity is God’s search for lost mankind by giving his Son, Jesus, to come to earth as a babe and then die on the cruel Roman cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine. Authentic Christianity, more than anything else in the world, has given mankind (and especially womankind) freedom. Just compare I’lam to Christianity and keep in mind that Islam is a man-made religion founded by Mohammed while Christianity was founded by Jesus, Son of the living God.

Our sin has separated us from a holy God and as such it is impossible for mankind to save himself. All his efforts to devise his own way to God are doomed to failure. We can only find and know God by following his way and that is by believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died to save us from our sins and sin’s devastating consequences, which is eternal separation from a holy and Just God. As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”2

To be sure you are a real Christian and not just a religious person be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religious,” click on the Know God button below or on http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you so loved the world (me) that you gave your Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins so I could be freely forgiven by you and given your gift of eternal life to be with you in Heaven forever after my life on earth is finished. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV).
2. John 14:6 (NIV).

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Why Stress is Stressful

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”1

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

He continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.

“As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.

“So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don’t carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.”

It is well know that too much stress is a “killer.” Writing in Eternity magazine some time ago Fred Stansberry talks about “stress-related diseases such as cancer, arthritis, heart and respiratory diseases, migraines, allergies and a host of other psychological and physiological dysfunctions which are increasing at an alarming rate in our Western culture.”

Stress is pretty much common to us all in today’s pressure-cooker world. It is our responsibility, however, to do what we can to lessen the stress factors in our life wherever possible. To do this the following tips can help.

Write down all your cares and worries. Put them in order of priority and eliminate those that aren’t important.

1. Know what your limit is and limit yourself to what
you can handle.
2. With stress comes pent-up feelings. Learn how
to express these creatively and get them off
your chest.
3. Accept the fact that some things can’t be changed.
4. Limit major life changes to as few as possible
in any one year.
5. Resolve all resentments immediately.
6. Make time for rest and relaxation … get
sufficient sleep.
7. Watch your diet and eating habits.
8. Maintain a regular physical exercise program.
9. Ultimately, however, we need to learn to trust our
life to God in all circumstances.

For a more in depth answer to “Turning Stress into Success” go to: http://tinyurl.com/7q6lw, and to test your level of stress go to: http://tinyurl.com/2p2fb7

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to accept the fact that I am neither superman nor superwoman and limit myself to what I can do and do well. And help me to ‘change the things I can change and accept (with grace and patience) the things I cannot change’ and trust my life to you in all circumstances. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV).

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Blessings in Disguise

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“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect [mature] and complete, needing nothing.”1

In much younger days I was the South Australian director of a youth ministry. Most of my ministry was teaching Religious Instruction (RI) classes in the public high schools. This was done through local churches. In one night the major denominations voted to withdraw from teaching RI in the schools. Their vote eliminated at least 90% of my work. I turned in my resignation but the board enforced my contract that required three months notice if I were ever to quit.

I thought they were being far less than reasonable. I had a job but no work. For something to do I started writing … and have been writing ever since.

Out of what seemed to be a very disappointing experience the work that I am doing today—over 30 years later—has grown far beyond what I could have ever dreamed possible. What happened to me back then was one of the best blessings of my life.

I have read how, during the Great Depression, Wallace Johnson, a dynamic Christian, was fired from his job at a saw mill. To Wallace and his wife this was a devastating loss. So what did Wallace do? He mortgaged his house and went into the building business. Within five years he was a multi-millionaire and was the founder of Holiday Inn.

Wallace said, “If I could locate the man who fired me I would sincerely thank him for what he did. At the time it happened, I didn’t understand why I was fired. Later I saw that it was God’s unerring and wondrous plan to get me into the ways of his choosing.”

So, dear reader, are you going through a rough time—a time of loss or disappointment? If so, be sure to ask God what this painful experience is seeking to teach you and prepare you for so that you can become a more fruitful Christian and servant of the Lord.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, in all of life’s painful experiences please help me see that there is always some lesson you are seeking to teach me to help me become a more mature and fruitful Christian and a more effective witness of your saving power. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

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

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