In step

[RiverOL]

Truth - in the Inner Parts
For reading & meditation - Psalms 51
"Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ..." (v. 6)


What do we do when we find ourselves assailed by honest doubts? Firstly, we must learn to distinguish between honest doubts and defensive doubts. Many of the doubts that trouble Christians concerning aspects of the Christian faith are made half-consciously into a screen to hide some moral weakness or failure. I am not denying that some people experience acute intellectual problems in relation to their faith, and it would be arrogant to suggest, or even hint, that everyone troubled by doubts is consciously or unconsciously using them as a screen. But because experience has shown that some do, this issue has to be faced. Ask yourself now: am I using my doubts as a "defense mechanism" to cover up some weakness or personal defect?

A "defense mechanism" is a device employed by our minds to prevent us from facing up to reality. Adam used a defense mechanism when he blamed Eve for his sin. It is called projection - refusing to face up to personal responsibility, and projecting the blame onto someone else. Could it be that some of your doubts may be due to this? I am not suggesting, of course, that they are, but they could be. If you are willing to look at this issue objectively, or perhaps with the help of a wise and responsible Christian friend, then, I assure you, God will not withstand your plea. One hymnwriter said: Jesus the hindrance show, Which I have feared to see Yet let me now consent to know What keeps me out of Thee.

Prayer: Gracious Father, You know how difficult it is for me to see myself as I really am. Help me to be honest with myself - even ruthlessly honest. For I want to be as honest as You. Help me in this hour of challenge. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Alone at Work?

Whoever isolates himself . . .
breaks out against all sound judgment—Proverbs 18:1

Work is a place where we men are apt to live, not as our true selves, but rather as carefully crafted and false versions of ourselves. Work is a “compartment” where we try to be, not who God created us to be, but images we create all by ourselves. Why? What makes work different? Well, at work, the prevailing culture is too often (and too much) self-focused: outperform, get promoted, achieve, get ahead. It is too often permeated by greed, pride, and narcissism.

When we live according to the prevailing culture of work, we hide our true selves, for exposing ourselves would upset our plans to build our images (and our careers). So, we protect our images by cutting ourselves off. We don’t let anyone in on our fears, struggles, pain, excitement, victories, joy. This is foolish, given that many of us spend more of our waking hours at work, with work colleagues, than we do away from work, with loved ones and close friends.

Living according to the prevailing culture of work can transform our workplaces into dismal, desolate places of adversaries and mere acquaintances. Workplace relationships become characterized by superficiality and materiality. Spending years under such conditions leads to cynicism and apathy, burnout and bad choices. Purpose and meaning fade. We protect our images, but we lose ourselves.


Betray the prevailing culture, brother (Philippians 2:3-4). But don’t do it alone. Track down at least a couple trusted friends at your workplace and begin to fight for one another, keep each other accountable, keep each other humble, be transparent with one another, confess and repent to one another, pray together, laugh and lament together. Set up regular lunches. Grab coffee together, weekly. Start a regular prayer group or a company Bible study.

 

[RiverOL]

Dealing Positively with Doubt
For reading & meditation - Acts 17
"... they ... examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." (v. 11)

What do we do when we find ourselves assailed by honest doubt? Well, first we must recognize that doubts can be valuable if they motivate us to search deep and long for the answers. Perhaps it was this thought that led Samuel Coleridge to say, "Never be afraid of doubt ... if you have the disposition to believe." Unfortunately, there is very little sympathy given to those who doubt in most evangelical churches.

Doubters are about as welcome in some congregations as a ham sandwich in a synagogue! It was because of the lack of concern shown in many churches toward those with honest doubts that two American missionaries, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, set up their ministry in a remote Swiss village. They established a center for those with doubts about their faith and called it L'Abri, which is French for "The Shelter."

Hundreds made their way there over the years, and came back with their doubts resolved. Have you ever heard of Frank Morrison? He was an agnostic who, many years ago, set out to demonstrate the validity of his doubts about the resurrection of Christ. The more he looked into the facts, however, the more convinced he became that Christ actually did rise from the dead. He finished up writing a book entitled Who Moved the Stone?, which is one of the greatest evidences for the resurrection I have ever read. There are clear answers to all the doubts you may have concerning the Christian faith. Search for these answers, and the more you struggle, the stronger will be your faith.

Prayer: Father, help me today to understand that all things can contribute to my faith, including my doubts. When I realize this, then I will go far. Thank You, Father. Amen.

​

 

[RiverOL]

When You Can't Forgive Yourself

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."1

A reader writes: "In a recent Daily Encounter you mentioned that God forgives us and you also said, 'don't forget to forgive yourself. But what if you can't? What if you don't know how to?'

"In short a family member was terminally ill and I was her 24/7 caregiver which was stressful, and there were times I lost my temper or times when I knew I should do something with her but was hiding in another room because I didn't like to see her that way. There is so much I did or didn't do for which I am very regretful and I don't know how to forgive myself. I have been seeing a counselor and it has helped me understand but I can't seem to forgive myself. I know there has to be a way—but how?"

Dear Janice (name changed), when we confess our sins to God, he does forgive us regardless of our feelings. When we can't forgive ourselves, one reason is because we are either perfectionists or have perfectionistic tendencies. The problem then isn't that we can't forgive ourselves, but that we are perfectionists who have unreal expectations of ourselves.

Another reason can be because of low self-esteem, and we falsely believe that we are not worthy of forgiveness.

So, ask God to give you the insight and courage to face the root cause of your inability to forgive yourself. If you seek this truth with all your heart, when you are ready to face and accept it, you will see it.

In the meantime, try to see that you are expecting more of yourself than God is. Remember, when you confess your sins and failures to him, he forgives you fully and freely. Every day say out loud many times: "Thank you, God, that you have forgiven me and, because you have forgiven me, with your help I forgive me." Repeatedly stating this with deep emotion or feeling, can help to program this truth into your unconscious mind and into your belief system. Once you truly believe this truth, you will be able to feel forgiven.

Yes, you may find this difficult to do, but do it anyhow because it is based on God's Word and not your feelings. Just don't allow your damaged emotions to control your life.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I confess my sins to you, you have promised to forgive me. Help me to not only know this but also feel it in my heart. And whenever I have a problem forgiving myself, please help me to see the reason for this, and lead me to the help I need to overcome. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

John's Doubts about Jesus
For reading & meditation - Matthew 11:1-11
"... 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else? '" (v. 3)
Although God would prefer us to believe, He is exceedingly loving and gracious toward those who struggle with honest doubts. Did you notice, when we were looking at Thomas the other day, that Jesus did not reject his doubting attitude, nor did He refuse his request for physical evidence that He was truly the Christ?

Instead, Jesus said to him, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27). The passage before us today tells of another occasion when one of Jesus' followers became oppressed by doubt. John was in prison, and probably suffering great discomfort and disillusionment. John?s messengers came to Jesus, wanting to know whether He really was the Messiah, or whether they should be looking for somebody else.

John, you remember, had baptized Jesus and had introduced Him to the world with these words: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Does it not seem strange that John, who witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at His baptism, should now have doubts about who He was and the validity of His mission?

How did Jesus respond to this situation? With tenderness and sensitivity, He said, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear ..." (Matt. 11:4-5). Our Lord could have rebuked the doubting disciple with strong words of reproof, but He didn't. Although He cares about problems, He cares more about people.

Prayer:
Thank You, Father, for reminding me that You see me, not as a problem but as a person. I know You are concerned about my doubts, but You are more concerned about me. I am deeply grateful. Amen

​

 

[RiverOL]

A Lesson From Ben Hur

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."1

King Duncan writes how "there is a great lesson in the story of Ben Hur—a young Jewish lad who is charged with a crime he didn't commit. In a travesty of a trial he is condemned to the galleys. They chained him to a bench in the hold of a ship and to an oar. For weeks and months, then years he is forced to pull on that oar. If he should ever slack up, he will feel the sting of the lash.

"But finally Ben Hur escapes from this barbaric punishment. It is time for Ben Hur's famous chariot race with Mersala, the haughty Roman. The chariot race is ultimately a test of strength and endurance. As Ben Hur whips those great horses around the inner ring, it is clear that he is the stronger and more fit of the two. The years of pulling on the oar in the hold of a ship had produced a man of steel.

"There may be a great deal of injustice in our lives. We may feel that we are chained to an oar. But if we keep pulling, if we keep giving our best, [with God's help] we can become better people through our hardships."2

True, the trials of life can make us bitter or they can make us better. We can take the high road or the low road. It's never easy but the choice is ours.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, whenever trials come my way, please help me to accept them as opportunities to grow and become a healthier and stronger person, so I will be better equipped to serve you and help others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Decide to Believe
For reading & meditation - James 1:2-12
"... when he asks, he must believe and not doubt ..." (v. 6)

Another important principle to employ when dealing with honest doubts is this: Make a conscious decision to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. Living an effective Christian life, as we have been seeing, depends on how willing we are to exercise our wills in favor of God and His Word.

To do this requires faithin the fact that God has revealed Himself in His Son and through the Scriptures. As a teenager, I had many doubts about the Scriptures but, one night, I made a conscious decision to accept them as the eternal and inerrant Word of God. Notice, I said "a conscious decision." I decided by an action of my will to doubt my doubts and believe my beliefs. I then found an astonishing thing. Both doubt and faith are like muscles - the more you flex them, the stronger they become.

I had been using the muscles of doubt to a great degree, but unfortunately, I had failed to exercise the muscles of faith. When I made up my mind to accept the truth of God's Word by faith, muscles I never thought I had began to function. Now, many years later, those muscles are developed to such a degree that I find, where God is concerned, it is easier to believe Him than to doubt Him

. I trace the beginnings of my own spiritual development to that day long ago, when I decided to take what one theologian called "the leap of faith." Perhaps today might become a similar day of decision for you. Decide to doubt your doubts and believe your beliefs. Now!

Prayer: O God, perhaps this is the secret: I have used the muscles of doubt more than the muscles of faith. From today, things will be different. I decide to take You and Your Word on trust - now let it work. Amen.

​

 

[RiverOL]

Be Careful Where You Walk

"Above all else, guard your heart . . . keep your foot from evil."1

I have read that the African impala can jump more than ten feet high and cover a distance of thirty feet. So why can impalas be held captive in a zoo behind a wall that is only three feet high?

It's because this magnificent animal will not jump if it can't see where its feet are going to fall—and beyond the zoo wall it cannot see.

Smart animal.

God's advice to us is the same, "Above all else, guard your heart; for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."2

Great advice!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for your Word, the Bible, which gives us instructions for wholesome, healthy, and productive living. Give me a hunger to know your Word and the good sense to apply it and live by it. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Do Your Emotions Take Over?
For reading & meditation - Psalms 103
"... the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him ..." (v. 17, RSV)

We continue exploring ways in which we can become strong at the broken places caused by deep and disturbing doubts. Another point we should keep in mind in relation to this question of doubt is that some doubts are rooted more in the emotions than in the intellect. Our emotions are an important part of our being, and they can do much to make our lives either miserable or meaningful. When emotions take over, they cause our thinking to waver, so that we can come to faulty conclusions about life. Ask yourself this question now: am I a person who is ruled more by my emotions than by my intellect? If you are, then it is likely that your doubts are rooted more in your feelings than in your mind.

Many years ago, a Christian university student came to me complaining that he had serious doubts about the inspiration and reliability of Scripture. As I counseled him, I heard the Spirit say, "This is not an intellectual doubt, but an emotional one." I explored with him the area of his feelings, and he confessed to me that he could never remember a time in his life when he ever felt that he was loved. When the emotional problem was resolved, his doubts vanished of their own accord. His problem was not intellectual, but emotional. Reason and emotion are both important in life, but decisions, especially decisions about the Christian life, must be built not on what we feel to be true but on what we know to be true.

Prayer: My Father and my God, help me trace my problem to its roots and meet me at the point of my deepest need. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Family Big Enough?

. . . a threefold cord is not quickly broken—Ecclesiastes 4:12

In the family context, building community means building expanded families around our existing, immediate families. These family “expanders” are trusted friends—followers of our King, Jesus Christ—who know us, know our kids (if we have them), know our wives (or girlfriends or fiancées), and know about our parents and siblings. They know the stories of our families and the stories of the individuals within our families. They connect long-term, across generations. They know the good and bad—and still choose to share our lives: meals, recreation, celebrations, holidays, traditions.

Why do we need them? Well, life together is hard—hard for adults, hard for kids. We all need all the help we can get. And, if we’re not proactive and intentional in securing help, it either won’t come or it’ll come, but from places less-than-ideal. Parents can get isolated—or be too much influenced by prevailing culture. Kids can get too little direction—or be too much influenced by peers or unprincipled adults. No, it’s critical that we be proactive and intentional. The Apostle Paul wrote: “if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

If we are proactive and intentional, though, we can influence just who’s going to influence our families—ensure the right people are supporting, encouraging, and challenging us as fathers, husbands, sons, brothers; and the right people are speaking truth into our kids.


Expanded families aren’t built without work. They take investment and reciprocity. No one will share our lives if we don’t share in theirs, too. Pray today, brother, about who should be in your expanded family. Reach out to them. Be explicit. If they buy-in, co-develop a practical plan to connect more closely.

 

[RiverOL]

Thomas, the Doer
For reading & meditation - Acts 1:6-14
"... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses ... to the ends of the earth." (v. 8)

Recognize that if you could not doubt, you could not believe. So don't be threatened or intimidated by your doubts. Robert Browning put it like this: "You call for faith: I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists. The more of doubt, the stronger faith, I say, if faith o'ercomes doubt." Those who doubt most, and yet strive to overcome their doubts, turn out to be some of Christ's strongest disciples.

One commentator points out that Thomas, being a twin, must have developed an early independence of judgment that made it possible for him to break with his brother and become a follower of Jesus. This is an assumption, of course, but I think it is a valid one. It was that independence, perhaps, that led him to reject the testimony of the other disciples when they said, "We have seen the Lord." Jesus did not reject Thomas because of his doubts, but said to him: "Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (John 20:27). Suddenly his doubts vanished, and he was transformed in that moment into one of Christ's most committed disciples.

Up until then, no one had called Jesus "God " They had called Him, "Messiah," "Son of God," "Son of the Living God" - but not "God." Here Thomas the doubter leaped beyond the others, and became the strongest believer of them all. And this faith of Thomas?s did not stop at faith - it resulted in mighty achievement. The doubter became a doer. And how!

Prayer: O God, what a prospect - my faith, at first so tentative, can, through Your illumination and my response, become a driving force. It can not only save me, but send me. May there be no limits! Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

I'm Just a Kid . . . But

"The LORD [God] came and stood there, calling as at the other times, 'Samuel! Samuel!' Then Samuel said, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.'"1

Larry L. wrote to me a very short but impressive note. It read, "Sorry I can't donate anything. I'm just a kid, but I'll stand right with you in prayer. I'll continue to pray for your mission. Thanks for all your messages."

I replied: Hi Larry, bless you for your desire to pray for our ministry. This is a big offering to the Lord, and a great encouragement and blessing to Joy and me.

Remember, too, that God has used lots of kids in his work—kids who made themselves available for him to use—kids whom he used to make an impact on others.

Samuel, one of the great prophets of God in years gone by, began to serve God when he was just a kid.

When God called David who became the mighty King of Israel, he was just a shepherd lad being diligent with his work.

Jesus took the five two loaves of bread and two fish that a kid gave to him to feed a multitude of people.

I started serving God when just a kid by collecting and putting away the hymn books after every service in the small church I attended. And one of the best pieces of advice I received when I was little more than a kid was to commit and trust my life and way to God every day—and I've been doing that ever since. That's been for quite a few years now. I encourage you to do the same and God will use you, too, to influence who knows how many people.

Also, ask God every day to use you to be "as Jesus" to your family, friends and every life you touch.

God's very best to you, Larry, and many thanks again for standing with us in prayer.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you so much for kids who have a tender heart towards you. Please help me to always come to you as such a child and use me to share your love to others. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Are You a Manipulator?
For reading & meditation - John 15:9-17
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." (v. 12)
Yesterday we touched on what is perhaps the biggest single problem causing marital unhappiness - trying to get one's partner to meet needs that can only be fully met through a relationship with Jesus Christ. What happens if we do not allow God to meet our basic needs? We will try to get those needs met in some other way. Some people try to find satisfaction in achievement. This, however, fails to bring lasting satisfaction, and whenever their inner discomfort reaches the threshold of awareness, they anesthetize it with more activities, achievement, and work.

Another way is to attempt to get these needs met in marriage. But if we enter marriage as a way of getting our needs met, then we consciously or unconsciously become involved in manipulating our partner to meet our needs. Instead of following the Christian vision of marriage, which is to minister to our partners from a position of security in Christ's love, we begin to manipulate them to meet our needs. Thousands of marriages, perhaps millions, are caught up in this treadmill - each trying to get their partner to meet the needs that only God can fully meet. The best way to get our needs met is to depend on God to meet them. When we lock into Him and focus on how much He loves and values us, and on His purpose for our lives, then and only then are we free to minister in the way He prescribes in His Word. Without that inner security, we become exposed and vulnerable to the likes or dislikes of our partner. We become puppets - not people.

Prayer: O my Lord and Master, take me in Your arms today and make me so conscious of Your love that I will no longer manipulate others to love me, but will minister to them with the love I already have. For Jesus' sake I ask it. Amen.

 

[RiverOL]

Killing off the Coyotes

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."1

In his book, Rewriting the Family Script, Roger Hillerstrom shares how "a small, Midwestern town once sponsored a coyote hunt because so many farmers were losing chickens to the predators. Fifteen hundred coyotes were killed over a single weekend.

"However, within a few months the entire community was overrun with rodents, because their natural enemy, the coyote, had been eliminated. A year after that, the rodents weren't much of a problem, but the rattlesnakes were! Because there were so many rats and mice for them to eat, the poisonous snakes had reproduced rapidly.

"At that point, the chickens were safe, but the humans were in danger! You see, the coyotes had been an important part of the environmental system—the food chain. When one part of that system changed, other parts adapted to the new reality."2

When we as individuals, groups, or societies and even some churches get rid of God's Word, the Ten Commandments, and overthrow God's standards to do as we please, and seek to throw out God himself, the seeds of our ultimate destruction are sown. God is not mocked. In time, we all reap what we have sown.

As the Apostle Paul exhorted the Christians in Corinth: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men [and women] of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."3

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, amid the ever increasing pressure in our society to get rid of anything to do with the Bible and with you, please help me to be on my guard, be strong, and stand firm in my Christian faith. And help me to so live that others seeing Jesus in me will want him for themselves. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

From What We Are to What We Can Become

"The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (that, being translated, is Peter, the rock)."1

I was visiting the beautiful Huntington Library Gardens a while back with some friends and was greatly impressed with the wonderful gardens with sections dedicated to different countries. When we were in the Japanese section and saw the display of bonsai trees, one of my friends remarked how sad it was to see such wonderful trees root-bound in that they could never in their current setting ever reach the potential that they were designed to become.

I get the same kind of feeling at a zoo or animal sanctuary when I see a glorious eagle cage-bound. This "king of birds" with the incredible wingspan can rise no higher than the cage he is in.

I wonder when God looks down and sees so many of his children sin-bound or damaged-emotions-bound, does this make him feel sad? I'm sure it does, but the good news is that God also sees our great potential.

When Jesus first met Simon he saw Peter, the rock. When he looked at Abram, he saw Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel. When he saw David, the shepherd boy, he saw a mighty King David. When he looked at Saul of Tarsus, he saw Paul the Apostle.

And when Jesus looks at you and me, he sees us not only as we are, but also what, with his help, we can become.

When Jesus looks at you, what do you thinks he sees? Whatever you do, don't miss out on becoming what God has envisioned for you to become. He does have a vision and purpose for your life too. Never rest until you discover what that purpose is.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me the insight to see what you see in me and what, with your help, I can become. And give me the courage to do what I need to do to fulfill your vision for me, so that my life will be an investment in eternity. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

A Check-Up for Husbands
For reading & meditation - Ephesians 5:22-23
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church ..." (v. 25)

Over the next two days I want to establish two final principles for dealing with troubles in the home: one for the husbands and one for the wives. Today we begin with the men: Be prepared to give yourself a spiritual check-up on how you are doing as a husband. Cross out whichever answer does not apply.​

1. Do you still "court" your wife with an unexpected gift of flowers or chocolates? (Anniversaries and birthdays not to be included) (YES/NO)​

2. Are you careful never to criticize her in front of others? (YES/NO)​

3. Do you make an effort to understand her varying feminine moods and help her through them? (YES/NO)​

4. Do you depend on your wife to meet your basic personal needs? (YES/NO)

5. Do you pray together? (YES/NO)
6. Do you share at least half your recreation time with your wife and family? (YES/NO)
7. Are you alert for opportunities to praise and compliment her? (YES/NO)
8. Do you go to church together? (YES/NO)
9. Is she first in your life - after the Lord? (YES/NO)
10. Have you forgiven her for any hurts or problems she may have caused you? (YES/NO) A score of 7 to 10 yes responses - excellent! Below 7 yes answers - you've got some work ahead of you.
Prayer:

Father, You who have set us in families, help me to be the person You intend me to be, both in my marriage and in my home. This I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.​

 

[RiverOL]

Winning Losers

"According to your faith will it be done to you."1

In response to the Daily Encounter titled, "Cheaters Never Win," one man whom I will call Fred wrote saying. "My wife left and divorced me. Now she is remarried. She has moved on. I'm in dreadful pain and can't seem to move on. She cheated. I didn't. She broke the rules. I didn't. She's happy. I'm not. She seems to have won. I lost.

It appears to Fred that his former wife won. However, Fred's issue isn't about her—whether she is a winner or not—as Fred can't change her. For Fred the issue is about him and whether he chooses to stay a loser-victim rather than becoming a winning-loser.

And yes, losing love hurts real badly. There are few things in life more painful than rejection. When a marriage fails, it can be extremely difficult to see, but if one can see beyond his present circumstances, be still and listen with his heart, he will hear God's wakeup call and see that God wants him to grow and become a much healthier and more fulfilled person.

The point is that what we see is what we will become. That is, if I see myself as a loser, a loser I will be. If I see myself as a winner, a winner I will be. As Jesus said to the blind men, "According to your faith will it be done to you." And what is faith? It is visualizing or seeing what God wants you to be and, with his help, acting on what you see to make it happen.

As I said to Fred, "Your situation is God's wakeup call for you to grow and become the person God wants you to be. This will take time, commitment, and hard work, but if you get into a good recovery program and work on your character issues and grow, you will become a true winner. To begin, ask God to face you with the truth about you, to reveal to you any and all character issues you need to work on, and to lead you to the help you need to recover and grow.

The fact is that in every loss, setback, and heartbreak, God wants to use it as a wakeup call for us to grow and become healthier, whole, and fulfilled persons. The choice is ours. Remember: With commitment, hard work and courage, what you see God wants you to be will be.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to look beyond my present circumstances and see with faith's eye exactly what you want me to become. Show me what I need to do and lead me to the help I need so to be. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

A Check-Up for Wives
For reading & meditation - 1 Peter 3
"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands ..." (v. 1)

Yesterday the men were asked to examine themselves using a simple questionnaire as to how they were doing as husbands. Today a similar opportunity is extended to wives.
1. Are you depending on the Lord to meet your basic needs for security, significance, and self-worth? (YES/NO)
2. Can you meet financial disasters bravely without condemning your husband for his mistakes, or comparing him unfavorably with others? (YES/NO)
3. Do you dress with an eye for your husband's likes and dislikes in color and style? (YES/NO)
4. Do you keep up your own personal prayer life so that you may meet everything that arises with poise? (YES/NO)
5. Do you avoid daydreaming or fantasizing about other men you might have married? (YES/NO)
6. Are you sensitive to your husband?s moods and feelings and know when, and when not, to bring up delicate issues? (YES/NO)
7. Do you respect your husband? (YES/NO)
8. Are you careful never to criticize your husband in front of others? (YES/NO)
9. Do you keep track of the day's news and what is happening in the world so that you can discuss these with your husband? (YES/NO)
10. Are you a "submissive" wife? (YES/NO) A score of 7 to 10 yes responses - excellent. Below 7 yes answers - it's decision time.

Prayer: My heavenly Father, I realize the tender relationships of home can be a shrine, or they can be a snarl. Keep my inner shrine from all wrong attitudes and from all worry. Let me approach today's challenge in the knowledge that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13, NKJV).

 

[RiverOL]

Falling Asleep

"So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."1

I recall falling asleep in a college class on one occasion and, knowing I was sleeping, the professor called on me to answer a question. I had no idea what the question was and gave the dumbest answer. The class thought it was funny, but the professor surely didn't. If I go to sleep in church, my wife gives me a gentle "nudge" with her elbow. I confess, too, that sometimes in bed right when I am praying with Joy, I go to sleep but my mouth keeps going. I'm dreaming and start verbalizing what I am dreaming about. Joy can tell you some good stories about the times this has happened. On one of these occasions I was praying for the garbage man. When Joy woke me out of my dream and told me who I was praying for, I said, "Well, the garbage man needs prayer too!"

It is harmless going to sleep in a safe place but not so when driving a car. That can be extremely dangerous and has been deadly for many. There's been several times when I knew I was too sleepy to drive so exited from the highway to have a break. However, in today's Scripture the Apostle Paul was not speaking about going to sleep physically, but spiritually. That, too, can be deadly not just for time, but for all eternity.

If we go to sleep spiritually we can easily drift far from God without even realizing it. And, tragically, at the end of life's journey, wake up too late only to discover that we have missed the directions for God's "highway to Heaven" and find ourselves in a lost eternity.

Whatever you do, be absolutely certain that you are awake spiritually so that you won't miss God's directions both for this life and the next. For help, read how to know God and his directions for life after death online at: http://tinyurI.com/8brzh.

Read also, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian—without having to be religious at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you for your Word that warns me to keep awake spiritually and that also shows me the only way to your Heaven and eternal life. Please help me to know for certain that I am safely following your directions and your way for this life and the next. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

When Broken by Stress
For reading & meditation - Psalms 71
"You have let me sink down deep in desperate problems. But you will bring me back to life again, up from the depths of the earth!" (v. 20, TLB)

Another major cause for brokenness in human life is stress. Often I get letters from people saying something like this: "I feel I am on the verge of a breakdown. No one thing seems to be responsible for it, but I just can't cope. My doctor says I am suffering from stress. Can the Bible meet this need?" I am bold to say that it can. God can take a person overcome by stress and build into their lives insights which will enable them to live above and beyond its paralyzing grip. What exactly is "stress"? One doctor defines it as "wear and tear on the personality which, if uncorrected, can result in a physical or mental breakdown."

Donald Norfolk, a British osteopath who has made a special study of stress, claims that it comes from two main causes: too little change, or too much change. To function at peak efficiency, we all need a certain amount of change. However, when changes come too fast for us to cope with, the personality is put under tremendous stress. Dr. Thomas H. Holmes measures stress in terms of "units of change " For example, the death of a loved one measures 100 units, divorce 73 units, pregnancy 40 units, moving or altering a home 25 units, and Christmas 12 units. His conclusion is that no one can handle more than 300 units of stress in a twelve- month period without suffering physically or emotionally during the next two years. Holmes, of course, was speaking from a strictly human point of view - with God "all things are possible."

Prayer: Father, You have taught me much on how to turn my weaknesses into strengths. Teach me now how to handle stress. I cannot change my surroundings - but I can change my attitude. Help me to do this. For Jesus' sake. Amen.