In step

[RiverOL]

Spiritual Blahs
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son [Jesus]. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."1

A Daily Encounter reader writes: "I have received Jesus as my Savior but after many years I feel like I am just going through the motions. I feel dead spiritually. I have great difficulty reading and understanding the Bible and can't seem to pray. I feel like I'm in the middle of a thick sludge pool and can't get out. Do other Christians feel this way? Will I go to heaven if Jesus comes back and I'm in this state? Is our salvation dependent only on our trust in Christ as our Savior—regardless of how we feel?"

"Dear Isabel," (name changed), I wrote, "let me assure you that you are not alone in your struggle. Most Christians, including myself, and many of the great heroes of faith, go through what has been called a 'dark night of the soul' when God seems far away and all seems hopeless. Nor will you miss out on heaven because of the spiritual blahs.

"There can be many reasons for the 'spiritual blahs.' If one is under considerable stress at home or on the job for too long, has been physically ill for some time, has a chemical imbalance, or is generally bored with his work or life—any of these can cause relationships (including our relationship with God) to feel blah and distant. Also, if one is acting out in self-defeating ways or has unconfessed sin in his life—these too can cause a person to feel far from God.

"Super-charged repressed negative emotions are also a very common cause for barriers to come between ourselves, others, and God. These are usually caused by impaired relationships from the past—anywhere from early childhood to yesterday. The walls we build to block out our feelings of hurt, fear, and/or anger so we won't have to face them also block out our warm, loving and positive feelings. Doing this can also be very damaging to our physical health. This is why the Bible teaches us to resolve all negative emotions and impaired relationships as quickly as possible.

"I would suggest that you have a thorough medical examination to make sure you don't have a physical problem that needs attention or medication. If you are under considerable stress, see if there are some things you can change or drop altogether. I also suggest that you see a qualified Christian counselor and share with him or her exactly what you have shared with me so he or she can help you resolve your struggle. All of us need help at times like these.

"And even if you don't feel like it, pray and tell God exactly how you feel. Ask him to help you discover the cause/s of your 'spiritual blahs' and to lead you to the help you need to overcome.

"Let me again assure you that if you have prayed and invited Jesus into your heart and life, no matter how you feel, remember that Jesus said, 'I will never, never, never, never, never leave you or forsake you.'2 This is when you need to take God at his Word and not allow your feelings to control you."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have promised to always be with me no matter what. About my blahs I experience, please help me to see the cause of these and lead me to the help I need to overcome them so I can again feel close to you and the ones I love the most. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

The generous eye
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 28:18-28
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing '" (v.27)

We continue meditating on the subject of generosity. Not only Proverbs, but the Bible as a whole has a good deal to say on this subject, and one of the most powerful statements is made by Jesus in Matthew 6:22. Here is how Moffatt translates this fascinating and intriguing text: "' if your Eye is generous, the whole of your body will be illumined." "If your Eye" - that means your whole outlook on life, your whole way of looking at things - is generous, then your whole personality is filled with light. Jesus was generous toward all - the poor, the meek, the sinful, the unlovely - and His whole personality was full of light.

When we are in touch with Jesus, the fount of all wisdom, then He generates that same generosity within us. We begin to see everyone and everything with the same generous eye. It is generosity that is at the heart of all good relationships. I have visited Sweden and Norway on many occasions and I often used to wonder why it is that the Swedes and the Norwegians have such brotherliness toward each other.

They seem to have an unbreakable bond that ties them as one people. Then I discovered that many years ago, when Norway wanted to break free from Swedish control, the Swedish people responded to this - responded according to the Christian ethos that was behind the then ruling family. This generosity in giving freedom without war or bitterness created a basic soundness that now flavors all their contacts with one another. The generous eye fills the whole body of relationships with light. Generosity, like love, never fails.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your generous eye saw in me things I could never see in myself. Help me this day to lay generosity as the basis of all my dealings with everyone. May your generosity generate generosity in me. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Laugh It Up
"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."1

"Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it is surprisingly effective. While the idea has been around for a while, more studies are confirming the anecdotal evidence. In a study published in Diabetes Care, researchers reported that people with type II diabetes had a smaller rise in blood glucose when they watched a comedy program versus a boring lecture on television. A team at the University of Maryland found that people who laughed often and were able to see the humor in situations were less likely to develop heart disease.

"Researchers say people who laugh tend to be healthier people. In study after study, hostility and anger are associated with disease, and humor with health. This is especially true when you're laughing it up with friends. Research on support groups has shown that the effects of laughter are magnified when it takes place in a social setting."2

Amazing isn't it? It's taken modern science to discover, or at least, to confirm, what God's Word taught 3,000 years ago—that laughter/cheerfulness is a good medicine.

Interesting, too, until the time of Christopher Columbus so many believed the world was flat, and yet Isaiah, one of the Old Testament prophets wrote over 2,000 years ago: "He [God] sits enthroned above the circle of the earth."3

And over 3,000 years ago God gave the ancient Israelites strict laws by which to live, many of which had to do with good health and hygiene. God promised that if they obeyed these laws, they would be protected from diseases that afflicted the Egyptians.4

If we also live according to the principles found in God's Word, the Bible, we too can have a much happier, healthier life. Naturally, we need to know what God's Word teaches if we are to live by it.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a deep love for and a great appreciation of your Word and, like David, write it on my heart, so that it will help me to live in harmony with your will, knowing that my life will be all the richer for it. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Suppose ' just suppose '
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 3:19-35
"Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back later; Ill give it tomorrow' - when you now have it with you." (v.28)

The Bible fairly bulges with the truth that the generous generate generosity in others. When Ananias, a potential victim of Saul's spite and rage, put his hands on the stricken zealot and generously said, "Brother Saul," that generosity, I believe, touched something deep within the newly converted disciple. It helped to start the greatest Christian of the centuries on his way.

Suppose, just suppose, the little boy who gave his loaves and fishes to Jesus had said to himself: "This meal is mine and I will share it with no one," he would not have witnessed one of the greatest miracles of all time. Suppose the disciples, instead of serving out the multiplied bread and fishes to the crowd, decided to pile it in one corner and make a charge for it. What do you think would have happened? I doubt whether we would ever have heard of them again.

They would have sunk into obscurity. And again, suppose the man who owned the colt on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem had said, "This colt is mine and I will let it go to no one," what would have happened? For the balance of his days he would have had an inner debate over whether or not he was justified in keeping it for himself. You and I will come across opportunities to be generous. If we fail to respond to these opportunities, who knows what great ministries will never come to birth, what mighty things will not get done? God has opened His doors of generosity to us; let us not fail to open up the doors of our generosity to others.

Prayer:
O Father, help me be the channel and not the stopping place of all Your generosity to me. When I see how generosity has opened up such power in the lives of others, I fear that I may fail. Help me, dear Father. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

We’re Here, Now What?

Love one another with brotherly affection—Romans 12:10

We can’t live the full lives promised to us by our King, Jesus Christ, if we’re not in regular, authentic community with other guys. And the Church* can never be the Church—not as God intends it—if men aren’t connected in that kind of brotherhood. There are many ways the Church is supposed to work, but through men in community is a primary one.





The Apostle Paul gave us a framework. He wrote that we must be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10). We must make a handful of other men a priority in our busy lives, setting them above and ahead of other things—not God, of course; maybe not our families; but, really, most everything else (Philippians 2:3-4).

Paul wrote that we must commit to honesty and transparency(Ephesians 4:25; 2 Corinthians 12:9) and accountability (Galatians 6:1-2). Community doesn’t work without them. It just doesn’t. And we must not presume we know how to “fix” each other, but rather should trust God the Holy Spirit to do all work that needs doing (Romans 12:3). Without meaning to, we can do damage—spiritual, relational—when we offer fix-it advice to men who’ve been vulnerable in sharing struggles. It’s much better to listen and ask open, non-judgmental questions and pray—something else which Paul says we must do together . . . a lot (Romans 12:12).

He wrote that we must encourage one another to live boldly and confidently in our faith, keeping each other “fueled and aflame,” and we must support one another, so that no man burns out (Romans 12:11 MSG). He wrote that we must stand with one another, helpingeach other through hardship, so that no man falls away from God in hard times (Romans 12:12; Galatians 6:2).

* Note: The word “Church” here does not mean any building or denomination, but rather all of the people gathered together by God the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ.

 

[RiverOL]

Framework for generosity
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 11:1-10
"The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight." (v.1)

How do we go about establishing a framework for generosity? First - decide that nothing you possess is your own but that everything you have belongs to God. This puts God in His place and you in yours. You are now ready to manage His possessions, not as you like but as He likes. This is real freedom. It gives you a sense of accountability to another - God.

You get your life orders not from a whim, a notion, self-impulse or whatever takes your fancy, but from the One who saved you and redeemed you. Second - go over your life and see what belongs to your needs and what merely belongs to your wants. Your needs are important - God has promised to supply them - but your wants? Ah, that is another thing. You need as much as will make you fit - spiritually, physically and mentally - for the purposes of God while you are here on the earth. Beyond that, what you have belongs to the needs of others. How do you decide what belongs to your needs? No one can decide it for you - though they can make suggestions - for you are accountable to God.

Go over your life item by item and ask Him for directions. Your family should figure prominently in your concerns, but you must check everything with the Lord. Third - fix it as an axiom in your mind that you will be generous to people, not for the good feelings that generosity brings, but because you are determined to bless them in some way. You must never be generous in order to get a blessing - you must be generous to be a blessing.

Prayer:
Father, I am thankful that the basis of my life is fixed in You and from that I am able to build a framework for generosity. From now on help me to give with all the stops out. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Educated or Enlightened?
Jesus said, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."1

Epictetus, who lived from A.D. 55 to about A.D. 135, said, "Only the educated are 'liberated'."

Admittedly, there is truth in what Epictetus said. For one thing, dictators don't want the people under them to be educated. Dictators control people through ignorance and fear. If the people were educated, and especially if they were enlightened, there would be greatly increased rebellion. This is one reason why it is important that people everywhere are educated—or at least enlightened.

Why enlightened? Because there are millions of educated fools and highly educated criminals, but one would hardly call these people enlightened. These people are "en-darkened." As Jesus said, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

Education, as important as it is, in and of itself does not give one wisdom, understanding, moral character, or make one enlightened.

In God's Word darkness is symbolic of evil while light is symbolic of truth. To be enlightened, we need to "walk in the light;" that is walk in truth, openness and honesty. For only the truth liberates people. As Jesus also said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you at liberty."2

So the question is, are you/we enlightened?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you again for your Word that teaches me how to become enlightened. Help me always to walk in the light and become not only enlightened, but also find true freedom. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Completing the framework
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 14:27-35
"' whoever is kind to the needy honors God." (v.31)

We continue looking at how to build a framework for generosity. Fourth - give at least a tithe of your earnings to the Lord's work. The giving of a tithe is seen by many as legalistic, but the tithe is really a symbol of acknowledgment that the nine-tenths belongs to God. The Hebrews waved the firstfruits of the harvest before the Lord as an acknowledgment that the coming harvest belonged to Him.

Some will be able to give far more than a tithe, but the tithe is a good place to begin. Fifth - make your will under God's direction and maintain a balance between responsibility for your family and the continuing work of God. Make sure your relatives don't waste what God has given you to invest in His kingdom. You might need advice here from a wise Christian.

Sixth - remember that the principle of generosity applies not only to your treasure but also to your talents and your time. Each day ask God to show you ways of using your talents and time for Him. John Wesley's advice is worth repeating: "Make all you can; save all you can; give all you can." Seventh - accept the smallest opportunity to be generous as a proving ground for faithfulness. "You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things" (Matt. 25:21). Don't wait for the big opportunities to be generous but start with the next opportunity that comes your way - no matter how small it may be. Get ready for the bigger by doing the little well. Why does the Bible make much of generosity? Because the truly generous are the truly wise.

Prayer:
Father, just like Simon Peter, who gave Your Son his boat from which to preach, I give You my treasure, my talents and my time for You to use as Your pulpit - today and every day. In Christ's Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Whiter than Snow
"But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward."1

Greg Asimakoupoulos writes about Nome, a village on the edge of the Bering Sea. "Nome . . . is like many villages of the Artic. The ground on which the community sits is frozen, sponge-like tundra. Sanitation landfills are unheard of. Garbage trucks do not haul off the kind of refuse we leave curbside each week. Instead, a typical front yard displays broken washing machines, junked cars, old toilets, scrap wood, and piles of non-degradable refuse.

"Tourists who visit Nome in the summer are amazed at the debris and shake their heads. 'How could anyone live like that?' they wonder.

"What those visitors do not realize is that for nine months of the year Nome sits under a blanket of snow that covers the garbage. During those months the little town is a quaint winter wonderland of pure white landscapes."2

In some ways many of our personal lives are like that. We have hidden all sorts of junk, unresolved issues from the past, bad habits that have us beaten, impaired relationships, etc., etc., and we make the outside of our life to appear as if we have it all together and everything is fine.

True, I "may" be able to hide who I really am on the inside from you, from my family and friends, but one thing is certain: I cannot hide from God. One day who I really am will be revealed by God for all to see. Much smarter and healthier to clean up our life now while the door of opportunity is so wide open. No matter what we have ever done or have failed to do, God is ready to forgive us, to heal us, to deliver us if we are truly repentant and acknowledge who and what we really are—not to whitewash over our sins with a covering of "snow" but wash us "whiter than the snow."

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, help me to see who and what I am on the inside, not to put myself down or to berate myself, but to be real and acknowledge the fact that in your sight I am a sinner and need your salvation. And, in the words of David, 'Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.'3 Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Disturbing complacency
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 13:1-10
"The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." (v.4)

Today we come to the fourth of the seven pillars of wisdom - diligence. The wise are those who persevere, who persist in following that which is right, who stick with it and never give up. One of the great needs of our day is for diligence to be put back into life - especially among the young. A Christian educator writes: "Diligence in the young is something that is built into them not by precept but by example. In today's world there are not enough examples of diligence to inspire or guide." Diligence does not seem to be esteemed in the way it once was.

Prior to my conversion, I lacked greatly in diligence simply because I chose not to apply myself to anything. Then in my teens Christ came into my life and by His coming disturbed my complacency and challenged me to apply myself to the things that were before me. The result? I covered more ground in the first year following my conversion than I did in the previous two or three years.

A year or so after my conversion, an uncle of mine said to my father, "I wondered whether he had been really converted but by his diligence I can see he has found God." Forgive the continued personal emphasis, but if it had not been for the diligence I learned at the feet of Christ, I would not have been able to continue writing Every Day with Jesus. I learned diligence from the One whose life and character were the very epitome of this quality - Jesus. He is diligence personified.

Prayer:
Gracious and loving Father, I also long for this facet of wisdom, the quality of diligence. Prune from me all laziness and indolence, all lethargy and dodging of responsibility, all complacency and pride. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!” —John 20:26 NJKV

Many people live in a world where they never rise above their defeats. They continually compare themselves with others and are then discouraged and defeated. These folks listen to gossip and make excuses for why they are going round and round on the carousel of life. Their destination? Nowhere!

You and I need to accept that Jesus Christ is risen and that He thinks highly of us. If we can ever get that truth inside us, we will not live in defeat and disgrace. We must be willing to admit our needs. We need to recognize that we are guilty and the only way out of this life of sin is through Jesus’ forgiveness.
If you let defeat go, you will rise to live in God’s potential. Many people think they are born to lose, but God created you to choose life, joy, grace, and God’s mercy. Your success is determined by listening to those who edify rather than crucify!

 

[RiverOL]

A second wind
For reading & meditation: Proverbs 10:1-8
"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." (v.4)

One day the disciples said to Jesus: " '' a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours of daylight?' " (John 11:8-9). Jesus was saying that it is not a question of what they will or will not do. There are twelve hours in the day - enough time for what must be done - and He must get on and complete His task.

What a sense of inward drive is found in these words. The purpose for which He had come into the world was inwardly pressing Him forward, despite the obstacles that came His way, and He would pursue the task right to the end. It is possible, of course, to be a person of diligence without knowing Christ, but those who know Him have an added power at work within them that drives them forward to the completion of a task. I said yesterday that when Christ came into my life He disturbed my complacency. Someone else put it like this: "When Jesus came into my life He became the conscience of my conscience."

A middle-aged lady said, "Christ gave me a second wind in the race of life." I wonder, as you read these notes, are you on the point of giving up a task in which you know you are rightly engaged? Have laziness, inertia and indolence crept in and threatened to take over your soul? Reach up and put your hand in the hand of Jesus. Confess your failure to draw from Him the strength you need. Then in His name go out and throw yourself again into the task.

Prayer:
Gracious and loving Father, I am thankful for all the benefits of "common grace" but I am thankful even more for the special grace that is mine through Christ Jesus the Lord. Help me to use that special grace to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Mistakes in Gathering

. . . if anyone thinks he is something,
when he is nothing, he deceives himself—Galatians 6:3

When we men relent and finally accept that we’re designed for community with other men, we nearly always start with the wrong criteria for choosing which men. We often plot and single out guys that are cool or rich or connected or well-educated or who’d be good to know from a work perspective. And, if we don’t fall into those traps, we choose guys that are just a lot like us. We each think, subconsciously almost, “If I’ve got to devote myself to a handful of other men, I’m going to make sure they have some strategic value to me—worldly value, to my career or to my social standing—or, at the very least, they’re men who won’t challenge me or make me uncomfortable.”

Such plotting is a mistake. It’s driven by pride—that we somehow know better than God how these communities should come together. We must instead follow the blueprint given us by our King, Jesus Christ. He never once used this “strategic value” analysis. Throughout the Gospel, he spent time with people whom God the Father wanted him to—people with whom it made no sense to spend time, from a worldly perspective. Adopting this blueprint, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16).





Pray that God brings the right men. Allow him to connect you to men who are willing to commit and surrender, willing to be transparent, are desperate for him. Be forewarned, though, the group that comes together will probably look nothing like what you expect . . . and that’s good. Groups we create ourselves, based on worldly criteria, aren’t worth our time. Groups that God creates for us are worth everything.

 

[RiverOL]

So wise - yet so foolish!
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 2
"' applying your heart to understanding ' then you will ' find the knowledge of God." (vv.2, 5)

Permit me to continue to explore a little more of Victor Frankl's thinking. Although now a well-known and highly respected psychiatrist, Frankl seems unable to accept the divine perspective. Listen to this: "The reason so many people are unhappy is because they fail to understand what human existence is all about. Until we recognize that life is not just something to be enjoyed but rather a task that each of us is assigned, we will never find meaning in our lives and we will never be truly happy."

So near yet so far! So wise yet so foolish! He understands that without meaning life is drab and difficult, but he fails to go on to the next step and say that true meaning can only be found in Christ. He is both a delight and a disappointment, a delight because he says, "Life is a task," but a disappointment because he fails to bring in Christ to help perform that task. Yes, life is a task, a tough one that is sometimes well nigh unbearable. That's why we need to have the Lord at the center of our lives - we then pursue the divine task with the help of divine grace.

Both the writer of the Proverbs and Victor Frankl say that life works better when we give ourselves to it with diligence, but there is much more to it than this. Why do you think God inspired the writer of Proverbs to personify wisdom? Because (as we saw) it prepares us to face the fact that true wisdom is not merely found in principles, but in a Person. And that Person is Christ.

Prayer:
O Father, how sad when the wise of this world show themselves to be so foolish. They get so close - yet pull back at the vital moment. Thank You, Father, that through Jesus I dwell in wisdom and am indwelt by it. Help me exhibit it more and more. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

It's What?
"Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."1

Alan Smith tells the story about a dignified, elderly woman who was among a group viewing an art exhibition in a newly opened gallery. When one contemporary painting caught her eye, addressing the artist standing nearby, she gasped, "What on earth is that?"

He smiled condescendingly. "That, my dear lady, is supposed to be a mother and her child."

"Well, then," reasoned the little old lady, "why isn't it?"2

Having seen some modern art, I can appreciate her question.

Sadly, according to various reports I have read there is little difference in the life of the average Christian than that of the average non-Christian. If we don't act like Christians, behave like Christians, live like Christians, and look like Christians, how will we ever impact the world in which we live for Christ?

To "look like Christians" we need to know what God's Word teaches—and obey it!

And when we're not sure how to act, we can ask ourselves the question: "What would Jesus do?"

And let us always pray that God will help us to be as Jesus to every life we touch . . . and to help us to "love one another." As Jesus said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."3

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to so live that in everything I am and do I will 'look like a Christian'—a true Christ follower—and be as Jesus to every life I touch, and in so doing help to impact the world in which I live. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

What's the Point?
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 21
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (v.5)

Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of diligence? Why keep persevering in a task? I'll tell you why. It is because it is in the arena of perseverance that true character is forged out, shaped, tempered and polished. It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that "thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it." Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it in Romans 5:3-4: "We also rejoice in our sufferings, [why?] because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to escape from it. When the foundations shake beneath our feet, when Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, when the anchor points of civilization disappear, when the bottom drops out and brutal blows push us up against the ropes and pound the very life out of us, we need what diligence and perseverance offer us - willingness to face whatever comes, determination to stand firm, knowing that Christ is not just with us but in us, insight to see the Lord's hand in everything and character enough to continue.

Without diligence, we will stumble and fall. With it, we will survive and conquer. The astute of this world are wise enough to recognize that no advances can be made in life without diligence. How much more ought we, who name the Name of Christ and have Him living within us, to recognize this also?

Prayer:
O God, help me see that I am at grips with the raw materials of human living. Out of them I must fashion the important quality of diligence. Help me never to forget that the rewards are much more than the cost. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Don’t Forget the Invite

. . . and he will give you another Helper—John 14:16

With his time on earth ending, Jesus told his disciples, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever . . .” (John 14:16-17). This Helper “will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). He will “guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13).

Jesus was comforting his disciples. “Let not your hearts be troubled,” he said (John 14:27). Though he was going away, they would not be abandoned. There’s someone coming, he told them, who’ll be with them all-the-time and forever. A constant companion. One who will actually occupy a place deep within their inner machinery. He “dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). This “someone” is, of course, God the Holy Spirit—and he was not just for the disciples. He is for us too. He is ourconstant companion. He abides with us and occupies a place deep within our inner machinery too.



When you gather in Christian brotherhood, you mustn’t forget to invite, into your gatherings, the input and influence of your Helper, your Teacher, your Guide. You needn’t invite him. He’ll be there already, for sure. But he won’t force his input and influence—you’ll need to ask for them. You’ll need to invite his goodness and light . . . and especially into the dark places you’d prefer to keep hidden. Few of us want help in those places, but we must ask nonetheless. It’s in those places that we most need it. It’s in those places that the Spirit most wants to work. And, as reluctant as we might be, it’s sure easier to trust and ask for help together, with brothers standing by us, doing the same.

 

[RiverOL]

The Four Spiritual Flaws
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 20
"A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (v.4)

We saw yesterday that diligently tackling life's tasks and problems produces in the end something exceedingly precious - character. Ever heard of the Four Spiritual Laws? They are used greatly by those involved in evangelism, but today we look at the Four Spiritual Flaws. These are four common misconceptions which many have about the tough issue of the Christian life, and unless refuted diligence will have no meaning. Flaw No 1: Once you become a Christian, you will never have any more problems. It's not true. In fact, problems may increase.

What is true, however, is that Christ will be there to share our problems and get us through - victoriously. Flaw No 2: If you are having problems, then your spirituality is deficient. Some problems can arise from lack of spirituality, but certainly not all. Some of the most spiritual people I know have wrestled with gigantic problems. Consider God's servant, Job. Flaw No 3: Never admit to anything being a problem; if you do, negativism will take over your life. Nonsense. If you don?t face a thing squarely, then you will live in denial, which is the opposite of integrity.

Flaw No 4: All problems can be resolved by the application of the right scripture. Again, not so. I have unanswered questions concerning God's dealings with me, and I know I might have to wait until I arrive in eternity to see things clearly. Here on earth we are big enough to ask questions but not big enough to understand the answers. Diligence must keep us going.

Prayer:
Father, I would be rid of all flawed thinking. Show me that I am not called to understand, but to stand. Give me grace to keep going even in the face of every one of life's unanswered questions. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Don't Quit
From the Apostle Paul: "But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us—is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going."1

I suppose there are times when all of us feel overcome by problems and feel like quitting. I've been there, but couldn't find anything better than my Christian faith to quit to. Today I thank God for the courage to keep going, not knowing that God was allowing trials to strengthen my faith and to help me grow.

If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on, but never hang up when the going gets tough.

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must—but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow—
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit—
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.2

I also like a quote attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy that Robert Schuller has used: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Or as the title of one of his books says, Tough Times Never Last. Tough People Do.

God never forsook the Apostle Paul who faced incredible trials and opposition. And he will never forsake you or me as long as we place our trust in him.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you will never forsake or abandon me. Please help me always to put my trust in you and your faithfulness regardless of my circumstances, knowing that in the end my faith and trust in you will be justified. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Diligence does pay off
For reading & meditation - Proverbs 24:23-34
"Thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds '" (v.31)

We spend one more day on the subject of diligence. What are diligence and perseverance all about? They are sticking to a task you know God wants you to do until it is completed, irrespective of the difficulties and frustrations. Diligence does pay off. Two frogs who fell into a bucket of cream tried very hard to get out, but each time they slipped back again. One said, "We'll never get out of here," gave up and drowned. The other frog persevered with kicking.

Suddenly, he felt something hard beneath his feet and discovered that his kicking had turned the cream into butter. He hopped on top of it and was able to leap out to safety. Someone has described diligence as "an archaic word." It may not play a big part in today's world, but it plays a big part in the Bible. Those who have done great exploits for God have been men and women of persistence and perseverance.

One of the greatest examples of diligence in the Bible is the apostle Paul. The verse that best brings this out is this: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor. 4:8-9). He kept going when others would have given up. I love the story of Sir Winston Churchill who, during his last years, and though failing and feeble, stood up to address a group of university students and said: "I have just one thing to say to you: Never give up. Never, never give up. Never, never, never give up." He sat down to a standing ovation.

Prayer:
Father, I see that life can be made or broken at the place of continuance. Give me this aspect of wisdom so that, like a postage stamp, I will stick to one thing until I get there. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.