All posts by 5Q

Excuses, Excuses

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“But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”1

Excuses. I guess there is never a shortage of them. The following notes from parents excusing their children from attending school have been around a while but if you haven’t seen them, I’m sure you will get a kick out of them:

“Please excuse Freddie from being away yesterday because he had the fuel.”

“Please accuse Michael from being absent on January 30 because he was aleing.”

“George was absent yesterday because of a sore trout.”

“Please excuse Betsey from being absent. She was sick and I had her shot.”

“Joseph has been absent ‘becuz’ he had two teeth taken off his face.”

“My son is under doctor’s care and should not take fisical education. Please execute him.”

“Please excuse Ralph from school on Friday. He had very loose vowels.”

And how did Adam excuse and justify himself when he sinned and disobeyed God? Many say he blamed Eve. But he really blamed God. “It was the woman you gave me that made me do it,” he said to God! And then the woman blamed the serpent!

I often wonder how many of us blame either God or the devil for the things that have gone wrong in our lives, things which were the direct result of the choices we made all by ourselves. Sometimes, to blame God, the devil, or anybody else for our problems is a handy excuse to hang on to if we don’t want to face reality, accept responsibility, and grow up!

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me always to be honest with myself and face reality, and always accept responsibility for the things I say, the things I do, the feelings I feel, and the motives behind all of these. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Luke 10:29.

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Working Together

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“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.”1

Charles Osgood tells the story of two ladies who lived in a convalescent center. Both ladies had suffered serious strokes. Margaret’s left side had been restricted, while Ruth’s right side was affected.

Both ladies had been accomplished pianists but had given up hope of ever playing again.

The director of the center suggested to the two ladies that they try playing the piano together. They did, and succeeded. They played excellent music and, better still, developed a beautiful friendship.

Three thousand years ago Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a friend with whom I can work so that together we can serve You and develop a beautiful friendship and thus be doubly rewarded, and in so doing be a blessing to many others. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV).
2. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 (NIV).

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Never too Old … Part II

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“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”1

Some years ago a man in his sixties was offered $200,000 for his roadside motel, restaurant and service station which he had spent his life building. He turned it down because he didn’t want to retire.

Two years later when he was sixty-five, a new highway was built that bypassed his business, which subsequently went broke. Most people at his age would have thrown in the towel. Not this man. He knew how to cook chicken so he took off across the country in his battered old car to sell his recipe to other restaurants. It was tough going. I have read that his recipe was rejected by 1,000 restaurants before he found a taker. However, he stuck with his goal and within a few years he had built a restaurant chain across the country and spread it to other lands as well—a chain called Kentucky Fried Chicken. The man’s name? Colonel Sanders.

I don’t know if Colonel Sanders’ purpose was God-given or not, but having a life purpose that is God-given, as the Israelites had, won’t make life easy, but it will make life worthwhile and give you something to live for that is bigger than yourself.

And if it is a God-given purpose, with God’s help, it is possible to achieve if we have the fortitude of a Caleb and a will-to-win like Colonel Sanders. It will also make our lives very worthwhile.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to discover my God-given life purpose and, with Your help, do everything in my power to see Your purpose in and through me fulfilled. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV).

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Never Too Old … Part I

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“So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”1

When the Israelites were conquering the Promised Land that God had given to them, Caleb said to Joshua, “Give me this hill country to conquer!” Caleb was eighty-five years of age at the time. (Admittedly, they lived a lot longer back then.)

If God had given the Israelites the Promised Land, how come they had to fight for it? Because God’s giving it to them made it possible for them to conquer it. Had God handed it to them on a silver platter, they never would have learned to trust him nor become responsible and mature individuals.

Caleb achieved his goal because he knew precisely what God’s purpose was for both Israel and himself, and he didn’t allow his age to hold him back.

If we, too, want to achieve something worthwhile with our life, regardless of our age, it is imperative that we, too, know what our God-given life purpose is—and act accordingly.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, I’m willing and wanting to be used by You. Help me to fulfill my God-given life purpose. Please make it plain what You want me to be and do. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Joshua 14:10-12 (NIV).

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Let the Church …

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“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”1

The story is told about an old fashioned preacher who was preaching up a storm as he proclaimed with great enthusiasm, “Let the church walk!”

An old-timer sitting on the front pew was equally enthusiastic. He blurted out for all to hear, “Amen! Preacher. Let the church walk!”

With even greater enthusiasm the preacher responded, “Let the church run!”

“Amen!” responded the brother on the front pew, “Let the church run!”

Being greatly encouraged, the preacher cried out even more enthusiastically, “Let the church fly!”

“Amen,” hollered back the man on the front pew, “Let the church fly!”

“But,” said the preacher, “It takes money to make the church fly!”

“AMEN,” shouted the old timer again, “Let the church walk!”

People all around us are lost. Vast numbers are headed for a lost eternity, without Jesus and without hope, to the place the Bible calls: “hell.” Whatever and wherever hell is, of one thing we can be sure and that is that hell is forever!

The reality is that it takes money to do God’s work on earth—to rescue people from hell. So many of us, at least in the West, have unbelievable resources compared to so much of the rest of the world and it has been said that less than 5% of us tithe of our income!

God has given us so much. He gave his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us to give us the gift of eternal life. And in the West, at least, he has given us incredible resources. And why has God given us these resources? For selfish ends? No. So we would be equipped to do God’s work around the world.

It has been said that God’s work done in God’s way will not lack God’s provision. However, God’s way is to fund his work through the tithes and offerings of his people. But if the givers don’t give, the doers can’t do, and the laborers in the field can’t sow or reap!

If every Christian tithed there would be sufficient funds to do all of God’s work around the world.

Our check (cheque) book stubs are a pretty good indication of how grateful we are to God for all that he has done for us and an accurate indication of where our hearts are.

God is calling every one of us to give and to give wisely to what God is doing in the world today! “For,” as Jesus said, “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you,” and “the Lord loves a cheerful giver!”

Suggested prayer. “Dear God please give me a thankful heart for all that You have done for me. Help me to be a generous giver and not just a taker. Forgive me if in any way I have robbed You of your tithes and offerings that You have entrusted to me. I choose today to put You first in my giving. Help me always to remember that ‘the tithe’ (10% at least) is Yours. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Luke 6:38 (NIV).

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The Power of Stickability

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

According to a television documentary, the cheetah survives by outrunning its prey. It can sprint up to seventy miles per hour, but only in short bursts. While it has a very lithe body that is built for speed, it has a tiny heart which gives it no staying power. Unless it catches its prey in its first burst of energy, it has to give up the chase.

When it comes to serving God and doing his work there are many “cheetahs.” They start well with great enthusiasm and great vigor but finish poorly. As soon as the way gets rough and life tough, they tire and abandon the cause and drop out of the race. What is needed is not more speed but more staying power.

We all need bigger hearts for the greater abilities of stick-ability and dependability.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me not to be a ‘cheetah,’ but rather to have staying power to be what You want me to be and do what You want me to do. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. 2 Timothy 4:10.

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Angels Unawares

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“Continue to love each other with true brotherly love. Don’t forget to be kind to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!”1

Someone has wisely said, “The great thing in life is not so much what we are doing at the moment, but the direction in which we are headed.”

This was certainly true for a couple in Germany that I read about who, many years ago, were preparing their evening meal when they heard a knock at their door. When they opened the door, standing there in the deep winter cold, was an ill-clad youth asking for food. The couple took him in to give him food and shelter for the night.

Being Christians, they prayed for this rather destitute young man. Somehow they both felt that they should take him into their home and, in time, adopt him as their own son. Little did they know who this stranger was and what he would accomplish with his life. His name? Martin Luther.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, I’m available again today. Please make me usable and use me to be as Jesus to whomever You bring into my life today. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 13:1-2 (TLB) (NLT).

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Just Suppose

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“My son [and/or daughter] give me your heart … for out of it are the issues of life.”1

Zig Ziglar tells the story about an elderly man playing an organ in a cathedral in Europe. He was playing sad and melancholy music. It was sad because this was his last day as organist of the cathedral. He was being replaced by a younger musician.

At dusk, somebody stepped into the cathedral. Seeing the younger man, the organist stopped playing, locked the organ and slipped the key into his pocket. He was approached by the young man, who simply said, “Please, the key.”

On receiving the key, the young organist went to the organ and began to play.

While the old man had played beautifully and skillfully, the young man played with sheer genius. Incredible music came rolling out of that beautiful old organ.

This was the world’s introduction to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. The old man, with tears in his eyes, said, “Suppose—just suppose—I had not given the master the key!”

Have you given the Master of Life the key—the key to your heart and to your life?

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, I surrender the key to my heart and life to You. Please make me the man/woman of God You want me to be. Do with my life as You will. Please use me to be a part of what You are doing in the world today. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 23:26 with 4:23 (NIV & KJV).

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Never Alone

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“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you [God/Jesus] are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me…. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”1

Dr. David Sylvester tells how, “During World War II, a young Jewish man known as Solomon, his wife, and sons Jacob and David were subjected to the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. Prisoners were forced to work torturous hours in the fields, or were burned to death in the ovens if found to be of little or no value as a worker. Little David had an injured leg, which required a brace rendering him unable to work in the fields. Upon his arrival from work, Solomon inquired of Jacob as to the whereabouts of his younger son, David, and the boys’ mother.

“Jacob whimpered, ‘The soldiers came to take David to the ovens, and Mother went with him so that he would not have to go alone.’”2

We have the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ that wherever we go or whatever we may experience—including the valley of death, he will go with us. The Psalmist said, ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you [God] are with me.’ And Jesus himself promised that he would never ever leave or forsake us.3

And so we are graphically reminded again how Jesus, the eternal Son of God, came as a babe so that we would never have to face death alone. He loved us so much that he went alone in our place to die on that excruciatingly painful Roman cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins so that we could be freely forgiven by God, receive his gift of eternal life, and never ever have to face eternal death which is eternal separation from God, the author of all love and life.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, how can I ever thank You enough for your great love in giving Your Son, Jesus, to die in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins so that I can be freely forgiven and receive Your gift of eternal life? Help me to so live that my life will be a living sacrifice for You in gratitude for all that You have done for me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.”

Note: If you have never accepted God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life, for a prayer to help you to do this click on “God’s Invitation” at http://tinyurl.com/6k49w.

1. Psalm 23:4, 6 (NIV).

2. Dr. David Sylvester, Denton, Texas.

3. Hebrews 13:5.

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When Prayer Falls on Deaf Ears

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“If we ask anything according to God’s will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him.”1

A Daily Encounter subscriber writes, “Being the doubting Thomas that I am, I feel that my prayers fall on deaf ears and my wife and I even argue about the effect of prayer today. If the power of prayer were effective today, I feel there would be less death, sickness, and turmoil. I struggle with it all.”

Certainly at times it can be difficult to understand why some prayers seem to get answered while others seem to never get answered. However, we also need to realize that sometimes God answers, “Yes” … sometimes “no” … sometimes, “wait a while.” So, what makes the difference?

First, pray in harmony with God’s will. To get a “yes” answer to prayer, as today’s Scripture points out, it is essential that all of our prayers are in harmony with God’s will. When we pray accordingly, we have the assurance that God both hears and answers our prayers. To know how to pray in harmony with God’s will, we need to know what God’s Word, the Bible, teaches. Of this we can be certain, God will never answer a prayer that is opposed to his Word.

Second, pray the right prayer. Realize that some prayers don’t get answered because we aren’t praying the right prayer; that is, we may be praying with wrong motives. As God’s Word also points out: “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”2

Third, pray about causes. Another wrong prayer is when we want and ask God to deliver us from the symptoms of problems while we are in denial about or are avoiding facing and praying about the cause/s of the problem. For example, if we have stomach ulcers, there is no point asking God to heal this problem if we don’t face and deal with the cause of the ulcers. In most cases it’s not what we eat that cause stomach ulcers, but rather what is “eating” us, which could be stress, guilt caused by unconfessed sin, an impaired relationship, or any of a hundred other causes—especially including super-charged repressed negative emotions. As John Powell has said, “When I repress my emotions, my stomach keeps score.”

Fourth, Pray believing. Faith, too, is essential for effective prayer. As Jesus said, “All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive,”3 and “according to your faith will it be done to you.”4

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a love for learning what Your Word, the Bible, teaches so that I will always know how to pray in harmony with Your will. Also help me to see anything that I may be contributing to the problems I am experiencing, and help me always to pray believing and with the right motives. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’s name, amen.”

For additional help, see the article, “How to Get Prayer Answered,” at: https://learning.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=114&d=1&c=10&p=1.

1. 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV).

2. James 4:2-3 (NIV).

3. Matthew 21:22 (NIV).

4. Matthew 9:29 (NIV).

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