Praying for and loving others

Philippians 1:9-10 (NLT)

9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

Paul often shared his prayers with those he prayed for. Here Paul tells the Philippians that he has prayed their love will overflow and they will grow in knowledge and understand of the Lord’s love for them. His desire is to see them live their lives in an honorable and blameless way.

The Apostle Paul spent roughly one-quarter of his missionary career in prisons. John McRay wrote in Christian History:

Roman imprisonment was preceded by being stripped naked and then flogged—a humiliating, painful, and bloody ordeal. The bleeding wounds went untreated as prisoners sat in painful leg or wrist chains. Mutilated, bloodstained clothing was not replaced, even in the cold of winter.

Most cells were dark, especially the inner cells of a prison, like the one Paul and Silas inhabited in Philippi. Unbearable cold, lack of water, cramped quarters, and sickening stench from few toilets made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the miserable conditions, many prisoners begged for a speedy death. Others simply committed suicide.

In settings like this, Paul wrote encouraging, even joyful, letters and continued to speak of Jesus.

[Elesha Coffman, Christian History Connection (6-1-02), from Christian History (issue 47)]

Imagine praying for others that their love will abound while confined to the horrible conditions of prison. It would be hard enough to find strength and desire to love under the misery Paul was exposed to, but he depended on this knowledge and understanding of Christ’s love for him to live his life and encourage others no matter what problems he faced.

We should all be like Paul, praying for people, encouraging others, motivating them to love, no matter what problems were present. Maybe if we did we would find our own burdens a little lighter knowing we helped someone else.

Worry will not add to your life

Matthew 6:27 (NKJV)

27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

No amount of worry can change a person’s height, nor change it change the years they live for these are by the providence of God. Zaccheus was a man short in stature and when he wanted to see Jesus instead of worrying he went into action to climb a tree to get a better view. There is nothing we can add to our lives by worry. We are best to stop and wisely think through the plans of the today and then tackle tomorrow when it comes for it will have its own challenges.

A 2012 article from The Atlantic observed that over the past 100 years we have often turned yesterday's luxury products into today's necessities.

In 1900, less than 10 percent of families owned a stove, or had access to electricity or phones.

In 1915, less than ten percent of families owned a car.

In 1930, less than ten percent of families owned a refrigerator or clothes washer.

In 1945, less than ten percent of families owned clothes dryer or air-conditioning.

In 1960, less than ten percent of families owned a dishwasher or color TV.

In 1975, less than ten percent of families owned a microwave.

In 1990, less than ten percent of families had a cell phone or access to the internet.

The article concluded by noting, "Today, at least 90 percent of the country has a stove, electricity, car, fridge, clothes washer, air-conditioning, color TV, microwave, and cell phone. They make our lives better. They might even make us happier. But they are [never] enough."

[Derek Thompson, "The 100-Year March of Technology in 1 Graph," The Atlantic (4-7-12)]

The true necessities of life are air, food, water, and shelter. Everything else we have are just luxuries. I look around today at all the kids with cell phones and I think that would have been cool to have as a kid. Yet I managed to make it through life until I was an adult without a cell phone. We didn’t have a clothes dryer when I was growing up. We took clothes down to the clothes line, hung them up to dry and came back later to take them back in the house. On really cold days the clothes would even freeze a little, but they would eventually dry. It was the rainy days you might have to drive to the laundry mat to use a clothes dryer or if you had a clothes rack and floor heat vent you might be able to dry them that way.

So let us all be prudent in the choices in life we make. Ensure the necessities are taken care of and everything is just something to be enjoyed. Put aside worry and make a plan for your life. Lean on God to show the direction for your life and what is important and what is not. Take each day one at a time for tomorrow will hold new issues and problems that must be addressed. Why worry about tomorrow it is not going to change the outcome of today.

Our witness and our advocate

1 John 2:1 (NKJV)

1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

We know God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins so we should not take advantage of such grace and mercy. Instead it should be our desire to live as Christ; for not only did Christ provide us with saving grace, Jesus Christ is also our advocate taking up for us when we do sin. So not only did Christ bear our sin on the cross, but Jesus Christ also pleads that the sin He died for will be forgiven.

Witold Pilecki was a Polish army captain, a devout Catholic and patriotic Pole who volunteered at age 39 for one of the singular missions of World War II: to get into Auschwitz. “The Auschwitz Volunteer: Beyond Bravery” (Aquila Polonica: 2012), documents, in his own words, Pilecki’s remarkable exploits

On Sept. 19, 1940, Pilecki left the hideout of the underground Polish Home Army, which he helped create, to deliberately enter a German roundup. He was taken to Auschwitz, where he survived vicious beatings, starvation and pneumonia, and, at the same time, set about organizing resistance units, boosting morale and documenting the murder taking place there.

Beginning in 1941, Pilecki used couriers to smuggle out detailed reports of Auschwitz atrocities, reports that reached the Polish resistance and the British government in London. In 1942, he helped organize a secret radio station, using scrap parts, that regularly broadcast the numbers of arrivals and deaths at the camp.

“The game that I was now playing at Auschwitz was dangerous,” Pilecki wrote in his report. “This sentence does not really convey the reality; in fact, I had gone far beyond what people in the real world would consider dangerous.”

Pilecki’s detailed reports of what was happening inside Auschwitz revealed the treachery of the “final solution” to a world that believed the camp only held Polish and Soviet prisoners of war. Perhaps because he wrote in factual, unemotional language, perhaps because he wasn’t a Jew, his observations continue to carry an irrefutable weight.

Pilecki eventually escaped and reported the atrocities that had taken place at Auschwitz.

[Excepts from jewishjournal.com, Rob Eshman, The Man who snuck into Auschwitz, 10/5/2012]

This is a beautiful example of how one man lived like Christ. He stepped from his world of comfort into a world where horrific things took place. He walked among the people having to live as they did and experience what they experienced so he could report firsthand the things that took place.

Jesus died for our sins and continues to be an advocate for us in heaven. He continues to give report for us and stands up for us whenever we call upon His name. May it be that we do not sin, because Jesus gave His life for the death of sin we were to bear alone.

Confident Trust in The Lord

Hebrews 10:35-36 (NLT)
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

The apostle encourages the people not to throw away their confidence and trust, but to hold fast to their profession of faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Patient endurance is what they need so they will not turn away from God, but instead focus their attention on doing God’s will.

 

 

In his best-selling book The Reason for God, Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan, shares the story of a woman in his congregation who was learning how the grace extended to us through Christ's work on the cross can actually be more challenging than religion. He writes:

Some years ago I met with a woman who began coming to church at Redeemer and had never before heard a distinction drawn between the gospel and religion [i.e. the distinction between grace and what is often a works-based righteousness]. She had always heard that God accepts us only if we are good enough. She said that the new message was scary. I asked why it was scary and she replied: If I was saved by my good works then there would be a limit to what God could ask of me or put me through. I would be like a taxpayer with "rights"—I would have done my duty and now I would deserve a certain quality of life. But if I am a sinner saved by grace—then there's nothing he cannot ask of me."

She understood the dynamic of grace and gratitude. If when you have lost all fear of punishment you also lose all incentive to live a good, unselfish life, then the only incentive you ever had to live a decent life was fear. This woman could see immediately that the wonderful-beyond-belief teaching of salvation by sheer grace had an edge to it. She knew that if she was a sinner saved by grace, she was (if anything) more subject to the sovereign Lordship of God. She knew that if Jesus really had done all this for her, she would not be her own. She would joyfully, gratefully belong to Jesus, who provided all this for her at infinite cost to himself.

 

 

While it is true a Christian belongs to Christ there is no need for fear. Christ gave Himself freely for us that we could live an eternal life in heaven. It should be out of love for Christ that we do His will and minister to others in His name. Since Christ gave His life that we might live in heaven, let us give our lives that others would see Christ living in us. Let us share our confidence and trust in the Lord remembering the rewards that are to come.

Endurance develops strength

Romans 5:3-4 (NLT)

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.

Dare say any of us enjoy running into the problems and trials of life. However when we do we have the choice to face them or run from them. Running serves no purpose other than to delay the inevitable. Facing a problem means we trust God for leadership as we press on to correct the problems and issues. Sometimes we might not find the answer we want, but we find a way to build character and strength by listening to God.

in his book The Pressure's Off, psychologist Larry Crabb uses a story from his childhood to illustrate our need to delight in God through adversity:

One Saturday afternoon, I decided I was a big boy and could use the bathroom without anyone's help. So I climbed the stairs, closed and locked the door behind me, and for the next few minutes felt very self-sufficient.

Then it was time to leave. I couldn't unlock the door. I tried with every ounce of my three-year-old strength, but I couldn't do it. I panicked. I felt again like a very little boy as the thought went through my head, "I might spend the rest of my life in this bathroom."

My parents—and likely the neighbors—heard my desperate scream.

"Are you okay?" Mother shouted through the door she couldn't open from the outside. "Did you fall? Have you hit your head?"

"I can't unlock the door!" I yelled. "Get me out of here!"

I wasn't aware of it right then, but Dad raced down the stairs, ran to the garage to find the ladder, hauled it off the hooks, and leaned it against the side of the house just beneath the bedroom window. With adult strength, he pried it open, then climbed into my prison, walked past me, and with that same strength, turned the lock and opened the door.

"Thanks, Dad," I said—and ran out to play.

That's how I thought the Christian life was supposed to work. When I get stuck in a tight place, I should do all I can to free myself. When I can't, I should pray. Then God shows up. He hears my cry—"Get me out of here! I want to play!"—and unlocks the door to the blessings I desire.

Sometimes he does. But now, no longer three years old and approaching sixty, I'm realizing the Christian life doesn't work that way. And I wonder, are any of us content with God? Do we even like him when he doesn't open the door we most want opened—when a marriage doesn't heal, when rebellious kids still rebel, when friends betray, when financial reverses threaten our comfortable way of life, when the prospect of terrorism looms, when health worsens despite much prayer, when loneliness intensifies and depression deepens, when ministries die?

God has climbed through the small window into my dark room. But he doesn't walk by me to turn the lock that I couldn't budge. Instead, he sits down on the bathroom floor and says, "Come sit with me!" He seems to think that climbing into the room to be with me matters more than letting me out to play.

I don't always see it that way. "Get me out of here!" I scream. "If you love me, unlock the door!"

Dear friend, the choice is ours. Either we can keep asking him to give us what we think will make us happy—to escape our dark room and run to the playground of blessings—or we can accept his invitation to sit with him, for now, perhaps, in darkness, and to seize the opportunity to know him better and represent him well in this difficult world.

The mockery of alcohol

Proverbs 20:1 (NLT)
Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.

When one partakes of alcohol they never know which direction their life may turn.  For it can take people and turn them into something they don’t want to be.

 

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A driver has confessed in a video posted online that he's to blame for a wrong-way car crash stemming from a night of heavy drinking that killed another man and says he's willing to take "full responsibility."

Homicide charges may be filed next week, the prosecutor's office said Friday.

The 3 1/2-minute video, posted on at least two websites on Tuesday, shows 22-year-old Matthew Cordle describing what led to the accident in which he killed the man three months ago.

"My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June 22nd, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani," he says somberly. "This video will act as my confession."

Cordle says in the video he "made a mistake" when he decided to drive his truck home after "drinking really heavily" and hit the other car, killing the 61-year-old Canzani, of suburban Columbus.

The video begins with Cordle's face blurred as he describes how he has struggled with depression and was simply trying to have a good time with friends going "from bar to bar" the night of the accident. He then describes how he ended up driving into oncoming traffic on a highway.

Cordle's face becomes clear as he reveals his name and confesses to killing Canzani.

"When I get charged I'll plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything I've done to Vincent and his family," Cordle says.

Later, he says he understands that by releasing the video he's giving prosecutors "everything they need to put me away for a very long time." [http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/06/dui-video-confession/2775585/]

 

[View the video http://youtu.be/MmpK_EshSL4 ]

 

 

Matthew Cordle is facing the consequences of his actions. He was true to his word and confessed in court by pleading guilty and taking full responsibility for his actions. Matthew seems like a nice young man, wanting to share his problem so that others may not make the same mistake he did. Obviously alcohol took hold of his life and is now mocking him for his mistake. Let’s keep Matthew in our prayers that his testimony will keep others from making the same error he made.

 

Encouraging Words

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on verse 29 states, “Filthy and unclean words and discourse are poisonous and infectious, as putrid rotten meat: they proceed from and prove a great deal of corruption in the heart of the speaker, and tend to corrupt the minds and manners of others who hear them; and therefore Christians should beware of all such discourse. It may be taken in general for all that which provokes the lusts and passions of others. We must not only put off corrupt communications, but put on that which is good to the use of edifying. The great use of speech is to edify those with whom we converse. Christians should endeavour to promote a useful conversation: that it may minister grace unto the hearers; that it may be good for, and acceptable to, the hearers, in the way of information, counsel, pertinent reproof, or the like.”

 

 

Words can either encourage or discourage someone. Once I was on a trip out of town and hailed down a cab. The driver seemed to be in not quite such a good mood. We had a ways to go so he started talking to me about some of his problems. I would calmly reply in an encouraging way hoping to lift his spirits. After a while he asked, “Why are you in a good mood this morning?” At first I was a little surprised by the question, but I told him I had gotten up and read The Bible for a while that morning and had found some encouraging words of wisdom. Then he said, “That’s my problem, I don’t know about me and The Lord. I always try to do what is right, but I seem to fail.” Then I shared some of the wisdom I had learned from my reading. I shared how we all fail at times, but if we place our faith in The Lord, and ask His forgiveness, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin. As we pulled up to my location the driver stopped, turned around and said, “I want that faith in The Lord you talked about. Would you pray with me?” So I prayed with Mr. Brown and encouraged him to place his faith in The Lord knowing The Lord would always forgive him and encourage him.

I thought I would never see Mr. Brown again, but a year later I was in the same city and hailed down a cab. When I got in the cab I read the taxi license that was posted and the driver was the same Mr. Brown I had spoken to before. This time his attitude was different. After we were on our way I said, “Mr. Brown do you remember me?” He looked back in his rearview mirror and said, “I sure do. You are that man that prayed with me about The Lord.” I asked, “How are you doing this morning?” His response was, “The Lord has given me a joyous heart!”

 

Sometimes all it takes is for us to listen to the problems of another, have compassion for them, and give them words of encouragement and it will lift their hopes and spirit. Our words can build them up if we use them properly. We must remember too that our words can tear down and destroy if used the wrong way. Pray The Lord will bless you with good things to say that are helpful and encouraging.

 

A Desire to be like Christ

Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Here the apostle talks about having the attitude of Christ to love and serve one another. Pride and loftiness are two attitudes that fight against us in life when it comes to serving others. We must therefore learn humility so that we do not always put ourselves ahead of others. It is our responsibility to take an interest in the lives of others and serve them as we can, just as Christ serves and loves us.

 

 

 

Wayne Cordeiro in a sermon, ‘A Personal Relationship’, said the following. I have a friend named Gene who would take me to lunch every week. And every time we'd go to lunch, he'd insist on paying for it. I thought it was nice and that maybe it was his ministry, so I let him do it for the first 80 times or so. But after a while I said to him, "Gene, let me pay today. You always pick up the tab." He said, "No, no, no. I want to pick up the tab." I said, "Come on. I want to do this." He said, "No, no, no."

So the next week I got there early and said to the waitress, "When the bill comes, would you bring it straight to me?" She said, "Oh, Gene said you might do this, so I can't give it to you. I have to give it to him." I said, "Come on. You're kidding." She said, "No, that's what he said."

So I sat down and said, "Gene, would you let me pay for the lunch?" He said, "No, no. I'll pick up the tab." I said, "Gene, I want to pick up the tab." He said, "No." I said, "I yearn to pick up the tab." He said, "No." I said, "Gene, I'm starting to dream about picking up the tab." He said, "No, I want to pick up the tab." "I beg you," I said, "let me pick up the tab." He said, "No." Till this day I have not yet picked up the tab on lunch.

Listen carefully. Jesus has picked up your tab not once, not twice, but thousands of times. Because of that relationship, you start to feel compelled to do the same. We love because he loves; not because we learned it in Sunday school, not because we get points for it, not because we think we're going to gain or garner God's blessings if we do. We love because he first loved us.

 

 

As I had someone tell me once, Satan comes forward when we sin and accuses us. Imagine Satan telling God, “Look at the sinful deeds of your servant.” Then Jesus steps forward as He has done so many times and says, “I paid for that sin and that sin had been forgiven. The one you call sinful is a child of ours that is loved dearly.” If you can think about the number of times Christ has done that for you it will set a desire in you to return to Christ what He has done for you so many, many times.

Faith in God

Romans 4:1-3 (NLT)
1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Here the Apostle states that Abraham was the founder of the Jewish nation. He does so because he wants the people to understand where they came from. They came from a man who believed the promises of God and placed his faith in God and because of his faith he was righteous in God’s sight. It was now the time to place their faith in God’s promise of salvation, Jesus Christ.

 

 

C.H. Spurgeon once said in a sermon, delivered on December 6^th, 1868: I would have you note that the faith which justified Abram was still an imperfect faith, although it perfectly justified him. It was imperfect beforehand, for he had prevaricated as to his wife, and bidden Sarai, "Say thou art my sister." It was imperfect after it had justified him, for in the next chapter we find him taking Hagar, his wife's handmaid, in order to effect the divine purpose, and so showing a want of confidence in the working of the Lord. It is a blessing for you and for me that we do not need perfect faith to save us. "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove." If thou hast but the faith of a little child, it shall save thee. Though thy faith be not always at the same pitch as the patriarch's when he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, yet if it be simple and true, if it confide alone in the promise of God-it is an unhappy thing that it is no stronger, and thou oughtest daily to pray, "Lord, increase my faith"-but still it shall justify thee through Christ Jesus. A trembling hand may grasp the cup which bears a healing draught to the lip-the weakness of the hand shall not lessen the power of the medicine.

So far, then, all is clear, Abram was not justified by works, nor by ceremonies, nor partly by works, and partly by faith, nor by the perfection of his faith-he is counted righteous simply because of his faith in the divine promise.

Spurgeon concludes the sermon saying, “To believe that God speaks truth ought not to be hard; and if we were not very wicked this would never need to be urged upon us, we should do it naturally. To believe that Christ is able to save us seems to me to be easy enough, and it would be if our hearts were not so hard. Believe thy God, man, and think it no little thing to do so. May the Holy Ghost lead thee to a true trust. This is the work of God, that ye believe on Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. Believe that the Son of God can save, and confide thyself alone in him, and he will save thee. He asks nothing but faith, and even this he gives thee; and if thou hast it, all thy doubts and sins, thy trials and troubles put together, shall not shut thee out of heaven. God shall fulfil his promise, and surely bring thee in to possess the land which floweth with milk and honey.”

 

As Spurgeon said some have a hard time finding faith because of the world we live in. I pray you would find faith in God, faith in God’s promises, and faith in the promise of Salvation through Jesus Christ. You only have to start with a small amount of faith and God will grow that faith into something bigger and more wonderful than you can imagine. Have faith in God!

Be of one mind and sympathize with each other

1 Peter 3:8 (NLT)

8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

In this chapter of 1^st Peter, the apostle first gives instructions for living to wives, husbands, and then finally Christians as a whole.  Here he states that those who have placed their faith in Christ should act as one mind – the mind of Christ. They should be willing to sympathize with each other and help each other as they can. They should treat each other as brothers and sisters for they have been adopted into the kingdom of heaven as heirs with Christ and to its rich rewards. They should keep a tender heart and a humble attitude so pride won’t overtake their actions.

A married couple had a quarrel and ended up giving each other the silent treatment. A week into their mute argument, the man realized he needed his wife's help. In order to catch a flight to Chicago for a business meeting, he had to get up at 5 a.m.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence, he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5 a.m."

The next morning the man woke up only to discover his wife was already out of bed, it was 9 a.m., and his flight had long since departed. He was about to find his wife and demand an answer for her failings when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.

He read, "It's 5 a.m. Wake up."

This story illustrates the words of the apostle. Had the husband been tenderhearted and kept a humble attitude he most likely would have been on that plane. In the heat of an argument we say things that most often should not be said, which is why The Bible says, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” Once fierce words leave our mouth they fly like flaming darts towards the other person and cause pain and hurt. We should instead learn to sympathize and listen to the feelings of the other person – and I mean really listen so that we understand.

What some people tend to do is throw facts back and forth at each other without really hearing the feeling of the other person. They say, “Well last week you spent money on new clothes.” And then the other person responds, “Well you were out spending money on golf with your buddies all weekend.” It gets where everyone spews hurtful facts, but no one takes time to listen to the real feelings and sympathize with the person. If we are going to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to first start by showing love at home to our spouse.  Take time to be of one mind, sympathize, love each other and keep a tenderhearted and humble attitude that pride will not stand in your way of allowing you to say you are sorry.

Pray without ceasing to our helper

Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,    the Maker of heaven and earth.

This psalm is often called the soldiers prayer. David gave special attention to God for God was his helper, defender and shield.  We can stay encouraged in God who made both heaven and the earth; for God made them out of nothing – speaking them into existence.  God reigns over all of heaven and earth and makes use of them as he pleases for the help of his people, and restrains them when he pleases from to keep people from hurting.

While serving in Iraq, Courtney Birdsey experienced the protective hand of God, forever changing her. She says:

On one of [our] missions, my unit made a return trip to Samarra, north of Baghdad, to gather data. As we were leaving the town, the Humvee I was riding in approached a tank from behind. A soldier riding on the tank gave us an urgent "turn around" signal. We didn't hesitate to follow orders. We doubled back to Samarra, only to find ourselves surrounded by gunshots.

All of us jumped out of our vehicle and took cover—some of us running ahead and some of us staying with the Humvee. I readied my weapon and hunkered down against the back corner of the Humvee. Amid the gunfire, a black BMW sped through the street at 70 miles per hour—the Iraqi passengers inside, pointing their guns through open windows, opened fire at any American soldier within range.

We exchanged shots, and suddenly the BMW careened, out of control, toward the Humvee where I was crouched. I could see the driver slumped over the steering wheel and knew I had only seconds to make a decision. With my heart pounding and unformed prayers racing in my mind, I ran to the front of the vehicle just before the car slammed into the very place I had been just seconds before.

We were told we would have to transfer the wounded in our own vehicle. In the background, completely incongruent to the battle I was facing, I could hear the droning of Muslim prayer chants over loudspeakers.

My convoy was commanded to drive to an American safe house on the outskirts of town. The chanted prayers and the lamb-like groans of a dying man behind me echoed in my head. Finally we arrived at the safety of the compound. I looked down at my uniform, dirty and speckled with the blood of the wounded. I stepped out of the truck and dropped, shaking, to my knees, thanking God for our safety.

After this encounter, my faith took on a deeper and more personal perspective. I had felt the protective hand of God as we returned to our base physically unscathed. For my remaining time in Iraq, I began to rely heavily on my constant communication with God. Praying without ceasing became, for me, as natural as breathing.

Finally, in April 2004, my unit returned home to Colorado Springs. As the National Anthem played over the loudspeaker celebrating our arrival, I felt the tears I had been unable to cry for months stinging my eyes. I thought of my love for this country, the safety of my military family still in Iraq, the loss of those I had known, and of my family waiting in the stands to greet me.

Now back home, I strive to readjust to my life. The pace seems so hurried now. No more endless waiting under the unbearable heat of the sun that rises at 4 A.M. I coach a girls' high school softball team and encourage them in the sport I used to play. I try to capture a vision of my future by taking classes at a local college and working toward a degree. But it's not easy to move forward with five more years of my reserve duty still to go. There's always the underlying fear that I may be called back.

The visions and sounds of Iraq are never far from my thoughts. In many ways the experience there grew me up. I'm not the same person, spiritually or emotionally, that I was before I left. I still suffer from nightmares—images that come alive in my sleep, especially after a stressful day. But each time I see or hear of events in Iraq, I am reminded of how God faithfully protected me. I know now, no matter what the future brings, I'm never alone.

[Condensed from our sister publication Today's Christian, © 2005 Christianity Today International. For more articles like this, visit Todays-Christian.com.]

We must always look to The Lord for our help. For The Lord is constantly with us listening to our prayers and responding by His will what is right for us. Pray without ceasing just as Courtney Birdsey did and see the effect God has on your own life.

God carries you through

Isaiah 46:4 (NLT)
4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.

In Isaiah 46 God reminds the people of Israel that other countries bow to statues that are idols - their gods. These idols are carried from place to place in carts. These gods cannot protect the people nor can the people protect their gods for they are man-made. The true God reminds His people that He is with them throughout their lifetime. God says He made them, He will care for them, and He will carry them along and save them. This is something the gods of the others cannot do.

 

 

Concerning God's help, John Ortberg writes in God Is Closer Than You Think (Zondervan, 2005), pp. 161-162 the following:

God does come, and he may come in unexpected ways. Lewis Smedes was a teacher of mine in seminary, one of the best writers and preachers I have ever known. Even though he was brilliant and accomplished and devoted to God, he suffered from a sense of inadequacy that at times grew into deep depression. At one point in his life, he stopped preaching because he felt unqualified.

God came to him through two avenues. One was a three-week experience of utter solitude, where he heard God promise to hold him up so vividly that, as he put it, he felt lifted from a black pit straight up into joy. The other avenue he describes this way: I had not been neurotically depressed since that day, though I must be honest and tell you that God also comes to me each morning and offers me a 20 milligram capsule of Prozac. He clears the garbage that accumulates in the canals of my brain overnight and gives me a chance to a fresh morning start. I swallow every capsule with gratitude to God.

I love the picture that Lewis paints. I used to think that taking Prozac would be a sign of weak faith in God. But what if Prozac might be, not a substitute for God, but his gift? What if refusing might be spurning his hand because of pride? Maybe God is present in wise doctors and medication that makes synapses and neurotransmitters work right. Maybe weakness is really refusing—out of our own blindness and stubbornness—the help that God is offering.

 

 

 

There are some Christians who believe life is always easy and there are never any bumps in the road. I once heard a preacher say that if this was true, maybe you aren’t getting in Satan’s way by doing enough of God’s work.  For when we are hard at work for God and Christ Satan wants to stop us by any means he can. There were times the Apostle Paul wrote from prison where you could hear the discouragement in his words, but he still continued to life up Christ and encouraged others.

Mental Illness is real and there are people who suffer from one problem or another. We live in an imperfect, broken world and Lewis Smedes is right, God works through others to help us in our moments of despair. For the Body of Christ works together supporting other members of the body. I know some wonderful Christian doctors and they have been true blessings in my life. If you are dealing with depression, anxiety or other issues don’t be afraid to reach out for help – for God is always with you.

Drawing closer to Christ

Titus 2:11-14 (NLT)

11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

God’s salvation through Jesus Christ brings mercy and grace that allows us to turn from old habits to new ways of living. We live in an evil and corrupt world, but we should not allow the world to overwhelm us, but instead devote ourselves to God looking forward to the glorious live to be lived in heaven. God freed us from sin that we can live a victorious life, showing others the rich rewards God have waiting for us all.

Oswald Chambers wisely said, “When you meet a man or woman who puts Jesus Christ first, knit that one to your soul.”

I watched a delightful movie, Marriage Retreat. It was about a group of best friends who go to a marriage retreat in the mountains with only the purpose of relaxing and having a little fun. They are quick to discover how far apart their marriages have drifted through some unconventional methods applied by Dr. Sullivan and his wife Katrina. They are challenged to confront their sin and heal their relationships, although most of them at first are clueless about their problems. Their marriages seem to be unraveling as they realize the issues they have been ignoring. Just as it seems their marriages are lost they start to find love in the one they had been ignoring – God. As each spouse turned to God for answers they were able to let go of hurts, problems, pain, and other issues.

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. Christ did so that we would show others how to live a peaceful and content life. As we place Christ first and draw closer to Him, our relationships with others also pull closer to Christ.

Abiding with Christ

John 14:23 (NKJV)

23 Jesus answered and said to him,” If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Jesus responding to one of the disciples makes a promise that if anyone loves Him they will abide by his words. God the Father will also love them and both Christ and the Father will be with them always. “The light and love of God are communicated to man in the light and love of the Redeemer, so that wherever Christ is formed the image of God is stamped. [1]”

Brent Curtis writes in The Sacred Romance, (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997): If I'm not abiding in Jesus, then where is it that I abide? I once asked myself. I began to notice that when I was tired or anxious, there were certain sentences I would say in my head that led me to a familiar place. The journey to this place would often start with me walking around disturbed, feeling as if there was something deep inside that I needed to put into words but couldn't quite capture. I felt the "something" as anxiety, loneliness, and a need for connection with someone. If no connection came, I would start to say things like, "Life really stinks. Why is it always so hard? It's never going to change." If no one noticed I was struggling or asked me what was wrong, I found my sentences shifting to a more cynical level: "Who cares? Life is a joke." Surprisingly, by the time I was saying those last sentences, I was feeling better. The anxiety was greatly diminished.

My comforter, my abiding place, was cynicism and rebellion. From this abiding place, I would feel free to use some soul cocaine, watching a violent video with maybe a little sexual titillation thrown in, having more alcohol with a meal than I might normally drink, things that would allow me to feel better for a little while. I had always thought of these things as just bad habits. I began to see they were much more; they were spiritual abiding places that were my comforters and friends in a very spiritual way.

The final light went on one evening when I read John 15:7 in The Message. Peterson translates Jesus' words on abiding this way: "If you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon." Jesus was saying in answer to my question, "I have made my home in you, Brent. But you still have other comforters you go to. You must learn to make your home in me."

God the Father and Christ both love us deeply. When we return our love for them through faith and obedience we are drawn closer to Them and They to us. Their desire is to abide with us and help us through the tough times. They want to take away our anxiousness, our loneliness, and disconnection from others. When times are difficult, instead of making objects of life our comforters we need to turn to The Lord in love and allow Him to comfort us.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.”

[1]          Matthew Henry Commentary on John 14

From earth to eternity

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Jesus appears to the people after His death. Luke and John mention other appearances, but Matthew focuses on this single appearance. There were people there who believed this was indeed The Risen Christ and there were those who doubted. Yet the message Jesus gave was for all to hear. He did not reject the disbelievers or stand at a distance from them, but came near to alleviate the doubts of His resurrection.  Christ states His authority over heaven and earth so there is no question of Christ’s reign as King of Heaven and Earth. He gives commission to those listening to teach others what Christ Himself taught and to make disciples as He made disciples. And Christ reaffirmed His promise that He would be with those who placed their faith in Him throughout eternity.

 

 

Sheldon Vanauken was a student of the English professor and Christian apologist C. S. Lewis in the early 1950s. He recounts in his book A Severe Mercy the story of his last meeting with his mentor when Vanauken was leaving Oxford for the United States. Over one final lunch together at a pub, they had spent time wondering aloud about the nature of life after death. When they had finished eating, they stood outside of the pub, talked for a few more minutes, and just before parting ways, Lewis said to Vanauken, "I shan't say goodbye. We'll meet again." The great apologist then plunged into the traffic to cross the street while Vanuaken watched his friend walk away. When Lewis got to the other side of the street, he turned around, anticipating that his friend would still be standing there. With a grin on his face, Lewis shouted over the great roar of cars, "Besides—Christians never say goodbye."

[Greg Ogden, in the sermon "Christians Never Say Good-Bye," Christ Church of Oak Brook (Oak Brook, IL) (preached 5-24-09)]

 

If we value our faith in Jesus Christ we understand that each person who places their faith in Christ will all be together one day in the heavenly realms. It is a thought that always brings peace to me when a family member or friend who has placed their faith in Christ passes away; for I know one day I will see them again. As my mother was dying from cancer, we reminded my mother, “Just think of all the people you will get to see, grandmother, granddad and so many other family and friends.” My mother smiled and excitingly said, “You are right, I will!” And with that a peace fell over her that calmed and reassured her that while she was near the end of life on earth, she was near the beginning of an eternal life in heaven.  

Who is Jesus to You

Matthew 16:15 (NKJV)

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Jesus asked a simple question to His disciples, “But who do you say I am.” So many people had different opinions and Jesus was trying to clarify who He was to the disciples. Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The greatness of God is most clearly displayed in his Son. And the glory of the gospel is only made evident in his Son. That's why Jesus' question to his disciples [in Matthew 16] is so important: "Who do you say that I am?"

The question is doubly crucial in our day, because [no one is as popular in the U.S. as Jesus]—and not every Jesus is the real Jesus. …

There's the Republican Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges, for family values and owning firearms.

There's Democrat Jesus—who is against Wall Street and Wal-Mart, for reducing our carbon footprint and printing money.

There's Therapist Jesus—who helps us cope with life's problems, heals our past, tells us how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.

There's Starbucks Jesus—who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a hybrid, and goes to film festivals.

There's Open-minded Jesus—who loves everyone all the time no matter what (except for people who are not as open-minded as you).

There's Touchdown Jesus—who helps athletes fun faster and jump higher than non-Christians and determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.

There's Martyr Jesus—a good man who died a cruel death so we can feel sorry for him.

There's Gentle Jesus—who was meek and mild, with high cheek bones, flowing hair, and walks around barefoot, wearing a sash (while looking very German).

There's Hippie Jesus—who teaches everyone to give peace a chance, imagines a world without religion, and helps us remember that "all you need is love."

There's Yuppie Jesus—who encourages us to reach our full potential, reach for the stars, and buy a boat.

There's Spirituality Jesus—who hates religion, churches, pastors, priests, and doctrine, and would rather have people out in nature, finding "the god within" while listening to ambiguously spiritual music.

There's Platitude Jesus—good for Christmas specials, greeting cards, and bad sermons, inspiring people to believe in themselves.

There's Revolutionary Jesus—who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the man, and blame things on "the system."

There's Guru Jesus—a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you and helps you find your center.

There's Boyfriend Jesus—who wraps his arms around us as we sing about his intoxicating love in our secret place.

There's Good Example Jesus—who shows you how to help people, change the planet, and become a better you.

And then there's Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Not just another prophet. Not just another Rabbi. Not just another wonder-worker. He was the one they had been waiting for: the Son of David and Abraham's chosen seed; the one to deliver us from captivity; the goal of the Mosaic law; Yahweh in the flesh; the one to establish God's reign and rule; the one to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, freedom to the prisoners and proclaim Good News to the poor; the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world.  

[Kevin DeYoung, "Who Do You Say That I Am?" from his DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed blog (posted 6-10-09)}

The Bible tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Is Jesus that person to you?

Allow The Lord to lead

Isaiah 48:17 (NLT)
17 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.

The prophet delivers to the people a gracious message for their support and comfort. God reminds them that He is their redeemer, the Holy One who has kept His promises throughout generations. As their redeemer, God is also their teacher showing them what paths of life are good for them and He leads them to those paths that they should follow. By his grace he leads them in the way of duty, by his providence he leads them in the way of deliverance.

 

 

Henry Blackaby writes in Hearing God’s Voice published by Broadman and Holman 2002: The first funeral I ever conducted was for a beautiful three-year-old. She was the first child born to a couple in our church, and the first grandchild in their extended family. Unfortunately, she was spoiled. While visiting the little girl's home one day, I observed that she loved to ignore her parents' instructions. When they told her to come, she went. When they said, "sit down," she stood up. Her parents laughed, finding her behavior cute.

One day their front gate was inadvertently left open. The parents saw their child escaping out of the yard and heading toward the road. To their horror, a car was racing down the street. As she ran out between two parked cars, they both screamed at her to stop and turn back. She paused for a second, looked back at her parents, then gleefully laughed as she turned and ran directly into the path of the oncoming car. The parents rushed their little girl to the hospital, but she died from her injuries.

As a young pastor, this was a profound lesson for me. I realized I must teach God's people not only to recognize His voice but also immediately to obey His voice when they hear it. It is life.

 

 

The lessons of life God teaches us sometimes may seem like punishment, but it is out of love that God teaches what is right and what is wrong. For if we do not understand what to do when trials and temptations come our way we may find ourselves running directly into trouble. Listen to The Lord who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.