Sunday, Psalm 102:12a; Two very powerful thoughts come to mind when we read this verse. First, we are reminded that regardless of how bleak the events around the world or how disturbing the cultural chaos in our own country becomes, God is still on the throne. This of course can cause us to ask how God can allow some of the horrendous things that occur to happen, but we are reminded that people have a free will and often do evil and cruel things to achieve their selfish ends. This verse also reminds us that the one who has always found a way to bring good out of evil is still at work and that he has not lost control. But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever
Monday, Psalm 102:12b; I once was visiting with a person in their mid-twenties and mentioned a famous actor from the 1940’s. This person gave me a blank stare and said, “Who’s that?” It is sometimes disturbing that people have forgotten famous people or folks who have been instrumental in creating the things we enjoy today. Whether it is the name of the founder of the church we attend or even our great, great grandparents, people are quickly forgotten and their contributions are taken for granted. But not so with God our creator. His name has endured (been remembered) and will not be forgotten. This should create in us a sense of awe and wonder, but also a feeling of gratitude that such an awesome God cares for you and me. Your name endures to all generations.
Tuesday, Psalm 36:1a: Several years ago a man came to me seeking “inner peace.” He claimed to be a Christian and in reality he wasn’t a bad man, but the more he talked the clearer it became that much of his problem stemmed from the fact that he was full of bitterness toward people whom he felt had failed him. When I gently pointed out the contradiction between his attitude toward these people and the teachings of his professed faith, he launched into a vigorous justification for holding his deep-seated grudges. In counseling, we used to call this “righteous rationalization”, meaning that we can always find “righteous” sounding excuses to create an exception to Christian principles. If you are having trouble finding real inner peace, maybe you should consider whose voice speaks to you? Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts…
Wednesday, Genesis 6:9; Someone once asked me a question as I was going out the door. Since I was on the way to a meeting, I said, “Walk with me.” As we walked, we discussed his question and by the time I reached my destination he had received the information he needed to continue his project. I might add that he later told me that the ideas I gave him provided the “slant” he needed to make things come out right. In our busy lives, we need to invite God to walk along with us, when we do we’ll find the “slant” we need to make better decisions, and the confidence to deal with problems more effectively. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God!
Thursday, First Peter 5:7; We had known each other in high school, but I hadn’t seen her in years when she contacted me because another professional had referred her to me, hoping I could provide the coaching she needed for her next career move. After our meeting ended, she said that she had been reading my Monday Morning column. The she told me “You know, I was raised Baptist and taught that you should pray for others, but not your own concerns. But the thing I’ve learned from reading Monday Morning is that if you have a problem, you got to send it out…call it prayer or whatever. When you send it out, God answers!” That’s exactly what our text for today is saying, whatever is bothering you, burdening you or holding you back, send it out! Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
Friday, First Peter 5:12; In one of his books, businessman Harvey Mackay ask the question, “Who could you call at 3:AM if you had a real problem?” Of course, he was talking about the importance of building strong and lasting relationships through networking. But the underlying message was that we also need to be people on whom others can rely when their chips were down. I once asked an elderly gentleman how he wanted to be remembered. He had many accomplishments to his credit, but he said simply, “I want to be remembered as being steady in my convictions and loyal to my friends and faith.” In our dog eat dog world we don’t hear much about loyalty or being the type of person someone could count on to help them at 3 o’clock in the morning, but maybe we should strive to become that type of person. What do people consider us to be? Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother…
Saturday, Philemon 21; A friend asked me to do him a favor, and frankly, I didn’t want to do it, nor did I think that I had the time to do it, but I agreed. The favor involved helping him develop a marketing idea. I told him I only had a few minutes, and grudgingly invited him to sit down to discuss the concept. Within twenty minutes we had dealt with the main problem he was having, but I found myself excited about the project and caught up in helping him with the details. Two hours later, we finished up and I felt really good about a job well done. Then it dawned on me, I had fulfilled the request, but then willingly did more than he had requested. This “going the extra mile” brought me a joy that I would have missed had I simply addressed the initial request. In serving God or other people let’s move beyond fulfilling the “obligation” and discover the real joy we can experience by doing more than we were required to do. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
May 10 thru 16, 2009
SUNDAY, Psalm 119:145; A couple of verses prior to our text for today the Psalmist admits to God that “Trouble and anguish have overcome me…” Human nature being what it is, he has probably tried everything he can think of to fix the situation he is in. These days he’d probably have talked it over with friends, gone to see a counselor, applied his education, read self-help books and perhaps even gone on vacation. But his troubles persisted and now he feels overwhelmed. Finally, he turns to God with his whole heart and asked God for the answer. There is a line from a great old hymn that says “O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.” Every problem we face is an opportunity for God to guide us toward the right solution. Every obstacle we encounter is an opportunity move a mountain and every crisis we experience is an opportunity for God to work a miracle. But for us to find that guidance, see the mountain moved and “receive” that miracle we must come to him with our whole heart. With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord
MONDAY, I Thessalonians 5:17; Responding to my question, “How are things going” a friend recently replied, “I’m treading water and sinking fast.” He then jokingly explained that there were no major crisis or problems in his life, it just seemed that there was so much to get done that he didn’t have time to even make a list, much less attempt to get them done! Life can become very complex, even when things are going smoothly for us. There are schedules to keep, relationships to maintain, jobs to be done and a seemingly endless stream of unexpected events and interruptions. One of the problems of living in such a fast paced world is that we tend to get our priorities mixed up. When this happens we can begin to feel undue pressure, make bad decisions and not really accomplish anything. One of the key things to living confidently, with a sense of both purpose and calmness is to keep our priorities in right order. When we take the advice offered in this verse we will be able to do so. I am convinced that when we make a habit of praying throughout the day God will help us order or priorities for right outcomes. You don’t have to get on your knees, spend ten minutes in supplication, or even close your eyes. In fact, I’ve found that a simple silent prayer of “Lord, show me what’s most important right now” in the middle of a meeting can get powerful results. Pray without ceasing
TUESDAY, I Thessalonians 5:18; We have all heard the extreme interpretations of this little verse. I actually heard a preacher say that it meant that if we had a car wreck, we should thank God for the wreck (not that we weren’t hunt, but for the wreck), that if a tornado tore through town, we should thank God for “his mighty display of power.” I’ve heard others say we should always find something to be thankful for in even the worst circumstance (which is solid advice because it is good psychology). But after years of counseling with people I think that it means we should count our past and present blessings in every circumstance. You see, when our circumstances are good we tend to take all the credit for God’s goodness to us. Conversely, when we face adverse circumstances we tend to concentrate so much on the situation that it begins to erode our confidence in God. To me, this verse is reminding us to replace thoughts of defeat, gloom and despair with thoughts about all the times God has come to our assistance during past troubled times. When we do this we not only lift our own spirits but nourish our faith, which gives us the confidence to “come boldly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need.” Give thanks in all circumstances
WEDNESDAY, James 1:5; If we were honest with ourselves, most of the situations we find in ourselves in are the result of our own short-sightedness. We can try to shift the blame to God, the devil, our neighbor, the boss, the customer or even the president but truth be told we are usually victims of our own failure to look before we leap. But God offers a cure for this short-sightedness, he offers us wisdom if we dare ask for and use it. One of the best definitions of wisdom I’ve heard is that wisdom is sanctified common sense. We gain common sense through a combination of education and experience (what works and what doesn’t work) but there are times when this combination still leaves us lacking. Writing from his own experience, the author of the little book of James tells us that we can supplement our common sense with God’s by sincerely asking for it. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you
THURSDAY, Luke 11:1; Prayer is to the Christian life what the laws of nature are to the world around us. By that I mean that if we learn to principles of prayer and cooperate with them we will be constantly amazed at the results. I have rose bushes along the fence in my backyard. Several winters ago, one of my granddaughters complained that the roses along the fence in my backyard weren’t blooming! At her then age of three she still hadn’t learned all the laws of nature. Recently, my rose bushes burst forth with dozens of beautiful red and pink roses. The bushes had stood barren for the entire winter but I wasn’t concerned because I know the laws of nature are such that roses don’t bloom in the wintertime. So it is with prayer, while we need to “pray without ceasing” we also need to understand the laws of successful prayer. In order to become proficient in successful prayer, we need to ask God to teach us the laws of prayer, just as the disciples asked Jesus, Lord, teach us to pray
FRIDAY, Hebrews 4:16; One of the hardest laws of prayer is set forth in this verse. As human beings we often expect instant answers to problems, but God doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes he wants us to firm up our spiritual and mental muscles by wrestling with a situation (your children would never have learned to walk if you continued to carry them everywhere). This passage teaches us that when we sincerely and boldly bring our broken dreams, problems and crisis before God, he will come to our aid—but not necessarily as quickly as we want him to. One of the few things I remember from studying Greek (probably because it spoke to me) is the origin of the words “in time of need” at the end of the passage. Without getting technical, I discovered that these words were taken from a military term having to do with being overwhelmed. The best illustration I’ve come up with is the countless movies my generation grew up on that showed a small band surrounded by a large hostile force. We all know the scenario, just as the hostiles regrouped for their final charge (and of course the defenders were down to their last bullet) the sound of a bugle rings out and John Wayne comes charging over the hill leading the cavalry. Based on this verse, when you’ve prayed and worked during difficult times keep listening for the bugle because God will not fail, he will come to your aid at the time you need it the most. Approach the throne of grace with boldness (confidence), so that we may receive mercy and find help in the time of need
SATURDAY, Luke 11:13; Earlier this week, I mentioned a visit some years back from one of my granddaughters. During that same visit she complained of being hungry. She was offered her choice of sandwich meat. After settling on the type of meat she wanted, she was asked if she wanted mustard or Miracle Whip on it. She selected Miracle Whip and then added, put some grape jelly and honey on it too! Well, she didn’t get the jelly and honey on that sandwich, but her hunger was satisfied. After she ate she didn’t continue to complain about not having jelly and honey on her sandwich, she moved on to other things. Her real need had been satisfied (fully stomach) and she was contented. Anytime we talk about the wonderful power of prayer to other people there will be someone who expresses skepticism because they don’t feel that their prayers have done any good. Close examination usually reveals that God has answered the prayer—minus the jelly and honey. God answers every prayer in a way that satisfies what He knows is the deepest need of our life. We have all heart that sometimes the answer is an immediate “yes” and sometimes it is “wait awhile”, and there are times we may hear what sounds like a “no”. Regardless of what the answer God always responds to our prayers (even the most selfish) through his indwelling spirit. If the answer is “yes”, this spirit helps us by guiding our minds. If the answer is “wait awhile”, this spirit becomes a stabilizing force to help us “keep on keepin’ on” until God’s timing is right. And if the answer is “no”, the spirit within us comforts us and most importantly seeks to teach us what we need to pray for in order to get God’s yes. How much more will the heavenly Father give the holy spirit to those who ask him!
MONDAY, I Thessalonians 5:17; Responding to my question, “How are things going” a friend recently replied, “I’m treading water and sinking fast.” He then jokingly explained that there were no major crisis or problems in his life, it just seemed that there was so much to get done that he didn’t have time to even make a list, much less attempt to get them done! Life can become very complex, even when things are going smoothly for us. There are schedules to keep, relationships to maintain, jobs to be done and a seemingly endless stream of unexpected events and interruptions. One of the problems of living in such a fast paced world is that we tend to get our priorities mixed up. When this happens we can begin to feel undue pressure, make bad decisions and not really accomplish anything. One of the key things to living confidently, with a sense of both purpose and calmness is to keep our priorities in right order. When we take the advice offered in this verse we will be able to do so. I am convinced that when we make a habit of praying throughout the day God will help us order or priorities for right outcomes. You don’t have to get on your knees, spend ten minutes in supplication, or even close your eyes. In fact, I’ve found that a simple silent prayer of “Lord, show me what’s most important right now” in the middle of a meeting can get powerful results. Pray without ceasing
TUESDAY, I Thessalonians 5:18; We have all heard the extreme interpretations of this little verse. I actually heard a preacher say that it meant that if we had a car wreck, we should thank God for the wreck (not that we weren’t hunt, but for the wreck), that if a tornado tore through town, we should thank God for “his mighty display of power.” I’ve heard others say we should always find something to be thankful for in even the worst circumstance (which is solid advice because it is good psychology). But after years of counseling with people I think that it means we should count our past and present blessings in every circumstance. You see, when our circumstances are good we tend to take all the credit for God’s goodness to us. Conversely, when we face adverse circumstances we tend to concentrate so much on the situation that it begins to erode our confidence in God. To me, this verse is reminding us to replace thoughts of defeat, gloom and despair with thoughts about all the times God has come to our assistance during past troubled times. When we do this we not only lift our own spirits but nourish our faith, which gives us the confidence to “come boldly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need.” Give thanks in all circumstances
WEDNESDAY, James 1:5; If we were honest with ourselves, most of the situations we find in ourselves in are the result of our own short-sightedness. We can try to shift the blame to God, the devil, our neighbor, the boss, the customer or even the president but truth be told we are usually victims of our own failure to look before we leap. But God offers a cure for this short-sightedness, he offers us wisdom if we dare ask for and use it. One of the best definitions of wisdom I’ve heard is that wisdom is sanctified common sense. We gain common sense through a combination of education and experience (what works and what doesn’t work) but there are times when this combination still leaves us lacking. Writing from his own experience, the author of the little book of James tells us that we can supplement our common sense with God’s by sincerely asking for it. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you
THURSDAY, Luke 11:1; Prayer is to the Christian life what the laws of nature are to the world around us. By that I mean that if we learn to principles of prayer and cooperate with them we will be constantly amazed at the results. I have rose bushes along the fence in my backyard. Several winters ago, one of my granddaughters complained that the roses along the fence in my backyard weren’t blooming! At her then age of three she still hadn’t learned all the laws of nature. Recently, my rose bushes burst forth with dozens of beautiful red and pink roses. The bushes had stood barren for the entire winter but I wasn’t concerned because I know the laws of nature are such that roses don’t bloom in the wintertime. So it is with prayer, while we need to “pray without ceasing” we also need to understand the laws of successful prayer. In order to become proficient in successful prayer, we need to ask God to teach us the laws of prayer, just as the disciples asked Jesus, Lord, teach us to pray
FRIDAY, Hebrews 4:16; One of the hardest laws of prayer is set forth in this verse. As human beings we often expect instant answers to problems, but God doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes he wants us to firm up our spiritual and mental muscles by wrestling with a situation (your children would never have learned to walk if you continued to carry them everywhere). This passage teaches us that when we sincerely and boldly bring our broken dreams, problems and crisis before God, he will come to our aid—but not necessarily as quickly as we want him to. One of the few things I remember from studying Greek (probably because it spoke to me) is the origin of the words “in time of need” at the end of the passage. Without getting technical, I discovered that these words were taken from a military term having to do with being overwhelmed. The best illustration I’ve come up with is the countless movies my generation grew up on that showed a small band surrounded by a large hostile force. We all know the scenario, just as the hostiles regrouped for their final charge (and of course the defenders were down to their last bullet) the sound of a bugle rings out and John Wayne comes charging over the hill leading the cavalry. Based on this verse, when you’ve prayed and worked during difficult times keep listening for the bugle because God will not fail, he will come to your aid at the time you need it the most. Approach the throne of grace with boldness (confidence), so that we may receive mercy and find help in the time of need
SATURDAY, Luke 11:13; Earlier this week, I mentioned a visit some years back from one of my granddaughters. During that same visit she complained of being hungry. She was offered her choice of sandwich meat. After settling on the type of meat she wanted, she was asked if she wanted mustard or Miracle Whip on it. She selected Miracle Whip and then added, put some grape jelly and honey on it too! Well, she didn’t get the jelly and honey on that sandwich, but her hunger was satisfied. After she ate she didn’t continue to complain about not having jelly and honey on her sandwich, she moved on to other things. Her real need had been satisfied (fully stomach) and she was contented. Anytime we talk about the wonderful power of prayer to other people there will be someone who expresses skepticism because they don’t feel that their prayers have done any good. Close examination usually reveals that God has answered the prayer—minus the jelly and honey. God answers every prayer in a way that satisfies what He knows is the deepest need of our life. We have all heart that sometimes the answer is an immediate “yes” and sometimes it is “wait awhile”, and there are times we may hear what sounds like a “no”. Regardless of what the answer God always responds to our prayers (even the most selfish) through his indwelling spirit. If the answer is “yes”, this spirit helps us by guiding our minds. If the answer is “wait awhile”, this spirit becomes a stabilizing force to help us “keep on keepin’ on” until God’s timing is right. And if the answer is “no”, the spirit within us comforts us and most importantly seeks to teach us what we need to pray for in order to get God’s yes. How much more will the heavenly Father give the holy spirit to those who ask him!
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