All posts by 5Q

Learning to Love

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“We love Him because He first loved us.”1

While we are encouraged and even commanded by God to love one another, it isn’t always easy to do. Loving actually needs to be learned.

As the Bible teaches, we love God because He loved us first. He modeled it for us. The same principle is true with human love. We love people because someone first loved us and modeled love for us.

We didn’t come into the world knowing how to love, only with the ability to learn how to love. If we didn’t receive healthy loving or if we didn’t feel adequately loved when we were growing up, chances are as adults we will suffer from love deprivation and not know how to love properly—only how “to make” love which may or may not have anything at all to do with love!

In other words, to learn to love we need to be loved first—for what we didn’t receive in our early developmental years, we need to receive now.

We do this by having at least one or two safe, loving, non-judgmental, and accepting people to love us as we really are—by allowing them see our total dark side—secrets, failures, sins, weaknesses, faults … warts and all. As these people love and accept us for who we are (not for what we have or haven’t done), we learn little by little to love and accept ourselves. Remember, too, that we can only be loved to the degree that we are known, and we can only love and accept others to the degree that we have learned to love and accept ourselves. Admittedly this can be very scary but it is profoundly healing.

This is another reason why the Bible teaches us the importance of confessing our sins and faults to one another.2 Doing this is crucial for the healing of our human hurts and damaged emotions.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a few friends with whom I can feel safe to let them know me fully and love me still. Through their love and your love please help me to learn to love and accept myself in a healthy way. In so doing teach me to love others who also need to be loved in the same way I do. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 John 4:19 (NKJV).

2. James 5:16.

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Successful Living

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“If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.”1

Marshall Field, quoted in Predictions & Prescriptions newsletter, gives twelve points to remember for successful living:

1. The value of time

2. The success of perseverance

3. The pleasure of working

4. The dignity of simplicity

5. The worth of character

6. The power of kindness

7. The influence of example

8. The obligation of duty

9. The wisdom of economy

10. The virtue of patience

11. The improvement of talent

12. The joy of originating

All of the above are excellent, but the best advice for successful living is still to be kind, be diligent, do all the good you can, model Christian living, love one another, and above all, don’t forget God; and serve him enthusiastically.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to so live that my life will model what it means to be truly successful (in your view) so that people will see you in me and want the same for themselves. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 12:8-11 (TLB)(NLT).

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Money: Servant or Master?

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Jesus said, “Beware! Don’t always be wishing for what you don’t have. For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are.”1

“Money,” said Sanford Lee, “is an excellent servant, but a terrible master.”

A reporter once asked the elder Rockefeller, “How much money does it take to satisfy a person?”

The billionaire snapped back, “Always a little more!”

Another has said:” Money will buy the following: A bed but not sleep / Books but not brains / Food but not an appetite / Finery but not beauty / A house but not a home / Medicine but not health / Luxuries but not culture / Amusement but not happiness / A crucifix but not a Savior.”

Obviously we can’t live without money and there’s nothing wrong with being wealthy. The issue is, do we own our money or does our money own us, and what is our motive for wanting more money?

I’ve never forgotten the title of an article I read years ago that said, “What God couldn’t do if only he had the money!”

Interesting point. The truth is that it takes money to do much of God’s work and God’s way of financing this is through the committed giving of his people. If every Christian did this and gave in proportion to what God has given him/her (or tithed as some prefer to call it), God’s work on earth would be done and the entire world would be given the gospel.

We came into the world with nothing. We’ll go out the same way. It’s only what we invest now in the Kingdom of God that we can send ahead. As Jesus put it, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to realize the tremendous importance of investing my life, my talents, and my money in eternity and have values that are pleasing to you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Luke 12:15 (TLB)(NLT).

2. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV).

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Opportunity Lost

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“Then [King] Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Almost you persuade me to be a Christian.’”1

Years ago Walter took his friend Arthur to see some land in open country where cattle were idly grazing. Walter explained about his dream for developing this area. He told his friend that in time the area would be surrounded by many restaurants, hotels and convention centers. He told Arthur that his plan would take all of his money and he needed others to develop the surrounding area. He wanted his friend to have the first opportunity to buy into this project.

But Arthur thought to himself, “Who in the world is going to drive twenty-five miles for this crazy project?”

He said to Walter that he would think about it and decide later on.

“Later on will be too late,” Walter cautioned Arthur. “You’d better move on it right now.”

“And so Art Linkletter turned down the opportunity to buy up all the land that surrounded what was to become Disneyland. His friend Walt Disney tried to talk him into it. But Art thought he was crazy.”

Life’s like that. King Agrippa had the opportunity to accept Christ and become a Christian. He turned it down. Judas had one of the greatest opportunities in all history to become a follower of Jesus. Instead he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Unbelievable! The two thieves who were crucified with Jesus also had the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life. One accepted. The other didn’t.

Life offers all of us many opportunities. We all have the opportunity to become followers of Jesus and to be a part of what God is doing in the world today. That choice is ours. Today. As God’s Word says, “Now is the accepted time …now is the day of salvation.”2

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, when opportunities from you come knocking on my door, no matter how quiet they are, please give me an ear to hear, a listening heart to hear what you are saying, and the wisdom to say, ‘Yes,’ to you and your call. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: If you have never accepted God’s invitation to accept Jesus as your personal Savior, please click on www.actsweb.org/christian for the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian without having to be religious.” I urge you to do that right now.

1. Acts 26:28.

2. Corinthians 6:2.

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Where Are the Nine?

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“One of them [a leper], when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.”1

Even Jesus was disappointed when he healed ten lepers and only one returned to say thank you and give praise to God. “He asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’”2

One of my constant prayers is that God will give me a thankful heart, not just at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but every day of the year.

No matter what trials I am going through there are always many things to be thankful for: food, clothing, shelter, friends, family, for life itself or to put it this way:

I love the gift of life, Dear God,
with all its beauty everywhere:
Blue skies, white fluffy clouds,
green trees, rocky mountains,
open meadows, the restless timeless sea,
the black bird on my window sill…

But most of all I love dear friends,
and if you will, please give to me
a greater love for you —
my dearest friend of all.3

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, for all of these and so much more—especially for dying for my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life—I give you thanks. And please help me always to appreciate all that you have done for me, and give me a generous heart so that I will give to others as you have given to me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Luke 17:15-16 (NIV).

2. Luke 17:17-19 (NIV).

3. Dick Innes. Copyright. From the poem, “Life.” See more poems by Dick at: www.actscom.com/store/poems_all.php.

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The Measure of a Man

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“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”1

It is reported that former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George was once introduced by a chairman who jokingly said, “I had expected to find Mr. Lloyd George a big man in every sense, but you see for yourselves he is quite small in stature.”

Not amused Lloyd George rebutted, “In North Wales we measure a man from his chin up. You evidently measure him from his chin down.”

An even greater measure is the “size” of a man’s heart. As The Living Bible puts today’s text, God said, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height … I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me a big heart to love people regardless of outward appearances, and seek to win those who are lost to you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV).

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To Confess or Not to Confess

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“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”1

Of the two kinds of sinners in Jesus’ day, with whom did he prefer to mix?

The honest ones. They were the only ones he could help. As The Living Bible puts today’s text, “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”

Confession is also a fundamental way to healing—physical as well as emotional and spiritual. James said, “Confess your sins and faults to one another, and pray for each other so you will be healed.”2

As the medics tell us, many of our physical ills are either caused or greatly aggravated by unresolved inner problems as a result of impaired relationships, guilt, anger, resentment, bitterness, hurt, grief, worry, anxiety and other super-charged repressed negative emotions.

Very often these are the things that make us sick. Literally. Confessing them, getting them off our chest, and emptying out these feelings clears the way for the healing of many ills. So, in many ways some healing at least is a choice. To confess or not to confess? That’s the choice, as that’s an imperative way to healing of some ills.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, give me the courage to confess all of my sins, failures, weaknesses, shortcomings and any super-charged repressed negative emotions, and wherever possible, put right every wrong that I have done. And help me to be a non-judgmental, non-preachy person to whom others feel safe to confess their sins and failures. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

P.S. When you decide to confess, make sure it is not only to God, but to a safe person. A safe person is another honest sinner who will not preach at you, put you down, make you feel guilty, give you unsolicited advice, or try to fix you. And, while not condoning what you have done, he/she will not condemn you, but accept you and love you for your honesty—the way God loves all sinners. He hates our sin because it hurts the ones he loves—us, but he loves the sinner unconditionally.

1. Proverbs 28:13 (NIV).

2. James 5:16.

Note: If you have never received Jesus as your Savior or received God’s forgiveness, I encourage you to do that today. To do so see “God’s Invitation” at: www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or for further help read, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

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Arm-Twisting for God

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“Be eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples.”1

Some time ago at a church where I was a deacon we had one man in particular who claimed to have several spiritual gifts. When the deacon board was seeking an answer for a significant situation, our friend informed us that he had a word from God and said, “God told me it was to be such and such.”

End of discussion! Who can argue against God?

However, my reply was, “God hasn’t told me yet so can we discuss this matter further.”

I’m not saying that God doesn’t lead and guide people. Not at all. What I am saying is that sometimes some insecure people need to feel important and hide behind “God’s skirt” as it were. Others claim to have a word from God simply as a means of controlling others and getting their own way; that is, as Jo Baily put it, they are adept at “arm-twisting for God.”

Actually the Bible says, “Don’t believe every spirit, but test them to see whether they are from God.”2 A wise path to follow.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the ability to be able to discern whether a word or Spirit/spirit is from you or not, and grant that I will never misuse your name or “arm twist for you” to get my own way. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Peter 5:3 (NIV).

2. 1 John 4:1.

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In the Beginning

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“In the beginning God….”1

It’s fascinating how God introduced himself to the human race. He is totally non-defensive and non-explanatory. He simply opens his Word, the Bible, with the simple but profound statement saying, “In the beginning God….” That is, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

God didn’t tell us how he did it. Thousands of years later scientists are still trying to work out exactly how it all began and how it happened. My guess is that they will never fully unfold this mystery—not this side of eternity anyhow.

Believing in God and his creation boils down to faith and choice. We basically choose what we want to believe. Many of us believe in God because that was what we were taught as children but at some point we made the choice whether to continue believing in him or not.

For some people choosing to believe in God has more to do with morality than it has to do with intellectual issues. Many don’t want to believe in God (or in some parts of the Bible) so they can live and behave as they choose. However, if we believe in God, we know that we are morally responsible and accountable to him.

Another tragedy when we don’t believe in God is as the Russian author, Dostoyevsky, said: “When people stop believing in God, the danger is not that they will believe in nothing. It’s that they will believe in anything.”

Or as another has said, “If we don’t stand for something we may fall for anything.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, I choose to believe in you. I choose to trust my life to you and, with your help, I choose to love and serve you all the days of my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Genesis 1:1.

Note: If you have never received Jesus as your Savior or received God’s forgiveness, I encourage you to do that today. To do so see “God’s Invitation” at: www.actsweb.org/invitation.php. Or for further help read, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

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Use It or Lose It

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“I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground.”1

Oswald Chambers said, “God who made the birds never made bird cages. It’s men who make bird cages [and put people in them] and after a while we become cramped and can do nothing but chirp and stand on one leg.”

In one of his parables Jesus illustrated how everybody is responsible for making good use of the talents he or she has been given. The one who had been given ten talents invested them wisely and was rewarded accordingly. The man who had only one talent and sat on it, lost it.

This principle is true in many areas of life. A few years ago I snapped an Achilles tendon—twice in a three-month period. I was on crutches for several months. When I was back on both feet again, my right leg was very weak and my calf muscle had already shrunk from lack of use. I had to have intensive physical therapy to get its use and strength back again.

What we don’t use we take the risk of losing. This is true in various areas of life. And as Jesus’ parable intended to teach us, it is even more applicable when it comes to using our gifts and talents for the Kingdom of God and investing them in eternal values.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the talents you have entrusted to me. Help me to invest and use them wisely for your Kingdom. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Matthew 25:25 (NIV).

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