Stephen Muncherian, in his sermon, “Oh, For One Good Lawyer” told about former heavy-weight boxer, James “Quick” Tillis, a cowboy from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980s. Tillis recalls how, on his first day in Chicago, after getting off the bus, he stood outside the Sears building and, putting his two suitcases down, looked up at the Tower and said to himself, “I’m going to conquer Chicago.” When he looked down, his two suitcases were missing!²

That’s Chicago! Having lived there when I went to college and looked up at and been to the top of the Sears Tower, I can empathize with Tillis.

We can be confident, excited, and positive one moment and be disillusioned the next. That’s life. We live in a broken, sinful world and disappointments come to us all. We put our trust in people and get ripped off. We get hurt deeply when someone we love turns against and attacks us. We get our hearts broken when we are abandoned, rejected, or have lost a loved one through death.

Pain comes to us all. The important thing is that we don’t allow these circumstances to make us resentful and bitter. God wants to use these situations to help us grow and make us better persons. Satan wants to use them to discourage us and make us bitter. Indeed, the negative circumstances of life can make us bitter or better. The choice is ours.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, no matter what happens to me help me always to remember that while it rains on the just as well as the unjust my life is ultimately in your hands, and that all things do work together for good to those who love and put their trust in you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 8:28 (NIV).

2. Adapted from the sermon, “Oh, For One Good Lawyer!” by Rev. Stephen Muncherian. Cited on www.spiritofgracefellowship.org.

“In 1970 a pregnant, unmarried woman sought to have the Texas anti-abortion statute, first enacted in the 1850s, declared unconstitutional. To protect her anonymity she was given the fictitious name Jane Roe. The initial action was against Henry Wade, District Attorney of Dallas County, Texas. Roe claimed that the statute was unconstitutionally vague and violated her right of privacy as guaranteed by the First, Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The case was argued before the Supreme Court in December of 1971, re-argued in October of 1972. In January of 1973 the case was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. A majority of 7 to 2 declared the Texas statute unconstitutional.”

Since then millions of unborn children have been aborted and we have descended all the way to accepting barbarian, murderous partial-birth abortion—at least it has been accepted and approved by some politicians, liberal judges, and far too many so-called progressive thinkers (who should in reality be called regressive thinkers).

I’m certainly thankful that abortion wasn’t legal when my mother was carrying me. And how about all those who are in favor of abortion? Did they want their mother to have freedom of choice when they were in her womb?

The point I’m making here is that if we distort the truth and keep repeating and promoting it for long enough, eventually it becomes more and more acceptable and we end up believing our own and others’ lies. It’s happened with abortion (which we now justify by calling it freedom of choice), and with homosexuality (which we name an alternate lifestyle). The promoters of gay marriage (which is so diametrically opposed to nature not to mention God’s design) know how this principle works, so we can be sure that they will continue to keep pushing, glorifying, dressing up and promoting gay marriage until it is eventually more widely accepted and believed in by the masses.

Unless we who call ourselves Christians—who are to be the salt of the earth—make a solid stand for truth and stand against those who distort God’s Word, little by little, like the frog in the kettle we will eventually boil ourselves to death. As I’ve been saying this week, the more dishonest we are, the more we will distort all other truth, including God’s truth, to make it say exactly what we want it to say. For the sake of our children and our children’s children, let us all take a stand for truth.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, again I pray that you will help me to be real and personally honest, to understand exactly what your Word says and teaches, and abide always by your truth even when it means swimming against the tide of the so-called politically correct masses. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

P.S. Jane Roe is anonymous no more. Norma McCorvey no longer supports abortion rights, and has a pro-life ministry at http://www.roenomore.org/.

1. 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV).

I was amused at the story our now “middle-aged” pastor recently told about himself when trying to learn surfing a few short years ago. He had a difficult time “getting it” and, according to his own confession, still hasn’t mastered the art of successful surfing.

I could identify with him in my trying to learn snow skiing later in life. I never fully mastered the art either … my biggest problem was trying to turn. On one occasion I skied right into the back of one of my skiing buddies because I couldn’t turn quick enough to get out of the way. On another occasion somehow I collided with a lady skier and we got locked together with her facing forwards and me facing backwards as we continued skiing down the slope totally out of control until we crashed. Sprawled out on the snow I couldn’t resist making the comment, “We’ve got to stop meeting this way!” Fortunately neither one of us was hurt.

The big lesson I needed to learn, like the lesson my pastor was taught, “You always go where you are looking so keep looking toward where you want to go—not to where you don’t want to go!”

That’s a great lesson regarding most aspects of life too. If we fix our eyes only on the pleasures and benefits this world has to offer, that’s the direction our life will take and, while we might gain great material wealth, we will end up becoming spiritually bankrupt—morally bankrupt too if all we look for is the sinful pleasures this life has to offer in abundance.

On the other hand, if we commit our life to and fix our eyes on spiritual and eternal values, that’s the direction our life will take—and the rewards will be eternal, for we always reap what we sow, even if it is eventually!

As today’s Scripture lesson teaches: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to live with eternal values in view, looking always unto Jesus for help and direction in every aspect of my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV).

Somebody pointed out that if we don’t live the life we believe, we will end up unhappily believing the life we live.

Some time ago I visited the Moody Institute of Science and put on a special pair of lenses that made everything appear upside down. Talk about mental distress! In an experiment the founder of the Institute, Irwin Moon, wore these glasses every day and night for three weeks, and slept with his eyes covered so that he never looked at anything without wearing these lenses. After three weeks his mind converted everything so things appeared the right side up!

The mind does a similar thing when we live out of harmony with God’s directives. For example, the alcoholic denies his alcoholism. The person who consistently lies, ends up believing his own lies. And criminals often justify what they have done by telling themselves that the people they victimized deserved it!

We do this because if we consistently go against what we know to be right, we get into what is called cognitive dissonance, which, simply put, means mental disharmony. And, not being able to live with this distress, we will change our beliefs to match our behavior. This way we justify whatever it is we want to do.

It’s true, if we don’t live the life we believe, we will end up unhappily believing the life we live. It’s a dangerous course to follow. Another way of saying it is, we end up with a dead conscience and a hardened heart.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me never to deny any negative and/or sinful behavior, but be honest with myself and admit it when what I am doing is wrong, confess this to you—and to a safe person or counselor if necessary—so that I can always live in a state of mental harmony. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT).

I love the title of the country/western song, “What part of no don’t you understand?”

It is a fact that some of us have a hard time saying no to people. We think we always have to be “nice” to be a good Christian, and that means giving in to others’ demands or even to their requests.

As popular author, Rick Warren, asked: “Isn’t a Christian supposed to be meek?”

And then, answering his own question, he said, “Yes, you are supposed to be meek. But meekness is not weakness. There’s a big difference. Meekness literally means ‘strength under control.’ Picture a wild stallion that has been broken and is now tamed. That stallion still has as much power as when he was wild, but now that power is bottled up for the master’s use.

“Only two people in the Bible were called meek—Jesus and Moses. Neither of them were weaklings or wimps. They were strong men of conviction. God doesn’t expect you to just cave in every time somebody wants to manipulate you or control you. What would you do if someone asked you to do something immoral or illegal or unreasonable? You’d say no!”²

When someone tries to make us feel guilty if we say no to something they want us to do, a simple response like the following can be very effective: “You’re not trying to make me feel guilty are you?” Of course they will deny it, but as long as we don’t allow them to control or manipulate us through guilt (false guilt), in time they will stop trying to put a guilt trip on us. And by the way, people only make us feel guilty with our permission.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to learn to be genuinely meek and say ‘yes’ when I need to say yes, and ‘no’ when I need to say no—and not feel guilty about it. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

1. Matthew 5:5 (NIV).

2. Cited on www.sermons.com.

When Nehemiah and the ancient Israelites had almost completed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem several centuries BC, enemies were not happy with their progress and sought to discourage Nehemiah and get rid of him. They tried to lure him away from his work by inviting him to meet with them in the Plain of Ono.

But Nehemiah’s reply was, “O no!” He knew their stories were fabricated and that they were lying. Just as well he did, otherwise he would have been destroyed and God’s work frustrated. Nehemiah stuck to the job until the work was finished and the walls rebuilt.

Whenever we get involved in a fruitful work for God, opposition is usually par for the course. The enemy attacks at every opportunity and usually at our most vulnerable points. He is a master of deceit and will seek to discourage us, sidetrack us from the main task to waste our time on less important matters, tempt us to stray from the beaten path, and so on. Whatever devices he uses we, like Nehemiah, need to be aware of these, for more often than not he comes as an angel of light.

When in doubt, we need to pray for God to reveal to us the truth of the situation in which we find ourselves. Realize, too, that the more authentic and real we are, the easier we will “smell” (discern) those who are not for real and are seeking to distract us so that they can lure us away from what God wants us to do.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the same kind of insight, wisdom and courage that Nehemiah had and stick to the work you have for me to do until it is finished. Help me to say ‘no’ to any temptation or distraction that would take me away from following and serving you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Nehemiah 6:2 (NIV).

“In the Peanuts cartoon the team statistician brings Charlie Brown, the manager, his report [which says]: ‘I’ve compiled the statistics on our baseball team for last season,’ Linus says. ‘In twelve games we almost scored a run and in nine games the other team almost didn’t score before the first out. In right field, Lucy almost caught three balls and once almost made the right play.

“‘We led the league,’ he concludes, ‘in almosts.’”²

In Paul’s day King Agrippa was also an almost … he was almost persuaded to become a Christian. We hope that he did while he had the opportunity. However, if he didn’t, he is lost forever because there is no indication anywhere in God’s Word that anybody is given a second chance after death to receive Jesus as their Savior.

So whatever you do, don’t be an almost—an almost persuaded. For help, be sure to pick up your “Passport for Heaven” at: http://tinyurl.com/heaven-passport.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me not to be an ‘almost’ in anything of significance—including when it comes to fulfilling my God-given life purpose here on earth, and especially when it comes to being prepared for life after death. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Acts 26:27-29 (NKJV).

2. Cited on www.sermons.com

Lieutenant John Eisenhower, son of the late General Dwight Eisenhower, was a member of his father’s staff during Word War II. On one occasion General Eisenhower gave his son a message to deliver to a colonel on the front line.

The young lieutenant said to the colonel, “My dad says to watch your right flank.” The puzzled officer replied, “Really? And what does your mommy say?”

Obviously the colonel didn’t know who young Eisenhower was. Eisenhower didn’t make himself known. He hid his light under a bushel as it were.

While we don’t want to drop names or ride on somebody else’s coattails, nor make any kind of an impact in our circle of influence, it is important that we are known for who we are—not by rank or title—but by our fruit.

That is, do people know that I’m a Christian—do they “see” Jesus in me—or do I just melt into the surrounding group in which I find myself, and thereby hide my light under a bushel?

No matter how small our light is, “All the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of one small candle.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to be as Jesus to someone today. Let them see your light shining through me. And in the words of the hymn writer, ‘May your beauty rest upon me, As I seek the lost to win, And may they forget the channel, Seeing only Him [you].’ Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, amen.”

1. Luke 11:33 (TLB) (NLT).

I have read how Dwight L. Moody told about a young man who was called to serve in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army but didn’t want to go. A friend volunteered to go in his place and was accepted as his substitution. Unfortunately, the friend was later killed in battle.

However, because of a clerical error the same young man was called up to serve again. “You can’t take me. I’m dead. I died on the battlefield,” he told the astonished officers.

After checking the records, the officers found documentation of his name and alongside it the name of the friend who died in his place. The case was presented to Napoleon who, after examining the evidence, said, “Through a surrogate, this man has not only fought, but has died in his country’s service. No man can die more than once; therefore the law has no claim on him.”

And that’s exactly what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for you and me. He died in our place to pay the just penalty for all our sins so we could be freely forgiven and given the gift of eternal life. When we accept God’s pardon, we will never have to pay the price for our sins because Jesus did that for us. He was our surrogate.

The critical question is have you accepted God’s pardon? If not, for help be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Christian.” Click on the Know God link below or go to: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.

Suggested prayer: “Dear Jesus God, thank you again for being my surrogate and dying on the cross in my place so that I will never have to pay the ultimate penalty for my sin—eternal death and separation from you. Because you died for me please help me to always live for you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Romans 5:7-8 (NIV).

Patricia Saint John wrote about Mary, an English nurse who at the time was working in a mission clinic in an Arab country. “One morning she and her assistant, Fatima, needed to travel eight miles to another village. They caught a bus that was going in their direction. But after a few miles, the bus driver passed their stop and kept on driving. The bus driver ignored the women’s pleas to return to the road that led to their village. Mary became upset, but Fatima remained calm, recalling their morning prayers asking for God’s guidance.

“Finally, the bus stopped at the foot of a hill, many miles from Mary’s and Fatima’s homes. At this stop, there was an old woman with a baby in her arms. She walked up to Mary and presented the baby to her. The poor child had a severe eye infection and needed immediate medical attention to save her eyes.

“Mary asked the old woman how she knew to find help here so far from the main village. The old woman replied that a man had come to her in a dream and told her that the English nurse would be waiting at the end of this road the next day. Mary and Fatima had made no plans to come anywhere near this village. They couldn’t have anticipated that a rude bus driver would leave them many miles from their designated stop. Yet God had told this desperate woman where to find them. Mary treated the baby’s eyes; within days the infection was gone. Later, Mary and Fatima had the opportunity to give their Christian testimony to many people in that village because of their meeting with the old woman and the baby.”²

Years ago I had a similar experience and, though not quite as dramatic, it helped change a major course in my life.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that when I trust in you with all my heart and continually commit my life and way to you, you do direct my path. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV).

2. Patricia Saint John in Finding God Between a Rock and a Hard Place, compiled by Lil Copan and Elisa Fryling (Wheaton, IL.: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1999), pp. 106-110. Cited on www.sermons.com.