In step

[RiverOL]

To Be "As Jesus"

"Then he [Jesus] said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"1

The story is told how "a wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.

"However, a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. 'I've been thinking,' he said, 'I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.'"2

One of my daily prayers is that God will help me to be "as Jesus" in some way to every life I touch and that they, seeing Jesus in me, will want him for themselves. This for me is the most precious and priceless gift I could ever give to anyone.

Could you imagine the tremendous impact we Christians would make on today's world if every one of us would make and pray the following commitment.

Prayer: "Dear God, I am available today. Please use me today to be 'as Jesus' in some way, first to my family, and then in some way to every life I touch. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Procrastination

"When I find it convenient, I will send for you."1

When the Apostle Paul was brought before Governor Felix to be judged for his Christian faith, Paul may have come close to persuading him to become a Christian. On one occasion after listening to Paul's case, Felix trembled and sent Paul away saying he would speak to him at a more convenient time.

Today is the only day we ever have. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow may never come. Whatever it is we need to do today we need to do today. Procrastination surely is the thief of time. There are many reasons why we put things off—apathy, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, habit, indifference, passive resistance, and/or just plain not-getting-around-to-doing-it.

Whatever the reason, there are some things that are far too critical to put off until a more convenient time—especially putting our life right with God.

Even though Felix spoke to Paul on a number of occasions after saying he would speak to him at a more convenient time, there is no indication that he ever accepted the Christian faith.

If you need to put things right with God and/or accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, why not do that today? As the Bible says, "Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, now is the day of salvation."2

For help on how to be sure you are a real Christian (without having to be religious) go to: http://tinyurI.com/8glq9.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to be sure that I am a true Christian and help me to so live that it will show in my daily living. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Felix, the governor (Acts 24:25, NIV).
2. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV).

 

[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]

When Men Forget God

"Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith."1

At the time Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize he was asked the question, "What made it possible for the Russian Revolution to take place and for Communism to rise to power?"

Solzhenitsyn's reply was simple and direct: "Men forgot God."

What tragedies occur when nations forget God! History is replete with such examples. And what tragedies can befall individuals and their families when they, too, forget God.

I have seen men and women who have grown up in the church, profess to be Christians and been active in church work get caught up in the secular world system with its thirst for material gain and seek to climb the ladder of success—and little by little drift away from the church, forsake their Christian heritage, and gradually forget God.

Twenty years later, some have made shipwreck of their lives. Committing our lives to God won't deliver us from the problems of life, but faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, gives us an anchor to hold on to when the storms of life surround us and the tough times threaten to overwhelm us.

Sometimes life can be heartbreaking. We ask why but cannot find an answer. We search for a light to see us through the night but are overcome by the darkness. But when we have a solid faith in Jesus, as the gospel song says, "When answers aren't enough, he is there!"

And this may be all we need to know to keep us from forgetting God and making shipwreck of our lives. And would to God that our nation's leaders would take note of those nations that forgot God.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me never to forget Your goodness to me and Your everlasting love and grant that, no matter how dark the night, I will never turn from You. And graciously grant that our nation will turn to and never forget You. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

When the Heart Is Breaking

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."1

E. Kittredge wrote, "'I am trying to trust,' said one who had heard the earth falling on the casket which held the cold form of the dearest human friend, 'I am trying to trust,' and so I have seen a bird with a broken wing trying to fly. When the heart is broken, all our trying will only increase our pain and unrest. But if, instead of trying to trust, we will press closer to the Comforter, and lean our weak heads upon his sufficient grace, the trust will come without our trying, and the promised 'perfect peace' will calm every troubled wave of sorrow."

Unfortunately, resolving grief is not quite this simple. Learning to resolve grief and trust God is not an event—it is a process, a process that takes time. To feel deserted by one whom we love leaves us destitute. We can be angry at God for taking our loved one and even angry at the one who left us. Whether we should or shouldn't feel this way is beside the point. We feel what we feel. That's the reality and these feelings need to be expressed in healthy ways to understanding friends who lovingly accept us and our feelings. Then there is the unrelenting grief that tears the heart apart. Tears—gut level tears—need to be sobbed out over and over until all the pain is dissipated. Again, this takes time. Tears are God's gift to drain the pain of unrelenting grief. Until we resolve all these painful emotions, it can be very difficult for many, if not impossible, to feel God's loving presence.

Also, at times of loss the support of loving friends is also critical. Certainly, one may need to withdraw for a brief season but not for too long. Loving support from friends is critical at this time … often for a long time.

Yes we need God but we also need people. One of the first things Jesus did at the commencement of his public ministry was to choose "twelve that they might be with him."2 And one of Jesus' hurts prior to his crucifixion was being abandoned by his disciples. If Jesus needed loving relationships, how much more do we?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a loving and supporting friend with whom grieving people feel safe to unburden the pain of their broken heart. And deliver me from the curse to give advice when all that is needed is a loving heart and a listening and understanding ear. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Psalm 34:18 (NIV).
2. Mark 3:14.

 

[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]

Faith Without Works

"Choose you this day whom you will serve."1

"We're all self-made," said one self-made philosopher, "but only the rich will admit it."

The fact is life is a series of choices. I am where and who I am today and doing what I want to do because of choices I made many years ago. Furthermore, who I am and what I do tomorrow will be largely affected by choices I make today. To do nothing is also a choice even if it is made unconsciously.

As Brian Tracy puts it, "It's choice, not chance, that determines our destiny."

For example, I may have been victimized in the past but if I remain a victim, that is my choice and in so doing I become a willing volunteer. No matter what my background was or what happened to me in the past, I am now fully responsible for what I do about it and for what I become.

With God's help and the support of loving friends and, if needed, the help of a well-trained counselor, I can become the person God wants me to be and fulfill the purpose he has for my life. It's up to me, however, to find out what that purpose is and do my part in fulfilling it.

It boils down to choice. As Joshua said to the ancient Israelites, "Choose you this day whom you will serve … As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And he did for the rest of his life.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to discover Your purpose for my life and accept full responsibility for becoming the person You want me to be and for doing what You have planned for me to do. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Joshua 24:15.

 

[RiverOL]

Heartprints of Kindness

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."1 "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."2

William Wordsworth also said it well: "That best portion of a good man's life; his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."

The following well-known anonymous poem is well worth a reminder:

"Whatever our hands touch –
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
There's no escape.
As we touch we leave our identity."

So for today's suggested prayer: "Dear God:

'Wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.

'Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

'Send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
"I felt your touch,"
May they also sense the love
that is deep within my heart.'3

"Thank You God for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV).
2. Proverbs 14:31 (NIV).
3. Author Unknown

 

[RiverOL]

Be That Guy

Humble yourselves . . . under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you—1 Peter 5:6

Building community in the social context—in the context of our friendships—means reworking existing friendships into authentic friendships. It means dismantling false images, the ones we’ve worked so hard to construct. It means humbling ourselves in front of our friends by showing them our undisguised, unguarded brokenness—our flaws and failures, our mistakes and fears. Hard stuff, no question. What’s even harder, though, is that doing this often requires that we go first. You see, authenticity is counterculture. Look around. Few people live in authentic friendship. And so, when and if we choose to, we’re likely to be out in front, all alone . . . for a time, at least. So why then? Why would we do it? Well, it’s only through authenticity that transformation-to-Christlikeness happens. It certainly doesn’t happen when we’re hiding, impersonating, posturing. It just doesn’t. It’s the way we come into the character of Jesus Christ. And, it’s the way we help our friends to, as well. You see, while very few of us men are willing to go first, most of us will follow those who do: “If he can do it . . .” So, when one of us steels himself and humbles himself, others follow. Going first is, therefore, both holy and heroic. Going first puts us squarely at the front of God’s offensive: healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free (Luke 4:18).

Someone must go first. Somebody always does. Be courageous. Pray boldly, brother: “If someone must, let it be me.” Among your group of friends, be that guy. It’ll be scary, sure. It might not go really well. But, that’s okay. We men are built for this kind of stuff. We’d wither without opposition. And it’s all worth it. This can be some of the most important work we’ll ever do.

 

[RiverOL]

The Ant and the Feather

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!"1

"One morning," writes Ron Clarke, "I wasted nearly an hour watching a tiny ant carry a huge feather across my back terrace. Several times it was confronted by obstacles in its path and after a momentary pause it would make the necessary detour.

"At one point the ant had to negotiate a crack in the concrete about 10mm wide. After brief contemplation the ant laid the feather over the crack, walked across it and picked up the feather on the other side then continued on its way.

"I was fascinated by the ingenuity of this ant—one of God's smallest creatures. Here was a minute insect, lacking in size yet equipped with a brain to reason, explore, discover and overcome."

Can you imagine God telling us to learn from an ant? So what can we learn? Ants are determined, they are not afraid to work to achieve their goals, they work as a team, they think through and work to overcome the challenges thrown in their pathway, and they never give up. But most of all they teach us about the marvels of God's creation.

"Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the miracles of Your creation. Help me to learn the lessons I need to learn from the ants. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Proverbs 6:6 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Life's Little Things

"Be kind to each other."1

Chances are you've been bitten by a mosquito, an ant, a gnat, a bee or a wasp, but have you ever been bitten by a lion or an elephant? Not too likely.

The point is that it's usually the little things in life that get under our skin and upset our apple cart more often than the biggies.

It's also the little things that make a big difference to the quality of our life. A simple thank you, a kindly word, a word of encouragement, a telephone call, a note, an email, a greeting card, a smile, a word of appreciation, a flower, and so on. As another put it: "It's the little things that bother us and put us on the rack; you can sit upon a mountain, but you can't sit on a tack."

Why not determine to do something kind every day for someone, and especially for your loved ones as well as to friends and work mates. As someone else said, "When we deserve love the least is when we need it the most!"

Do it today!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to always remember the important little things in life and give such gifts every day, not only to my loved ones and friends, but also to those who cross my path who need it—including those whom I don't especially like. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Paul, the Apostle (Ephesians 4:32).

 

[RiverOL]

What’s This “Margin” Thing?

I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, but trouble comes—Job 3:26

Men are drawn toward extremes. We’re wired to want to explore the edges of things. Going to extremes can be good, of course. In most situations, though, it’s a hazardous practice. Prevailing culture tells us, “work longer hours;” “sleep less;” “spend more money and stretch to a better lifestyle.” Such messages are harmful and aren’t from God. He didn’t design us to live (for sustained periods, at least) with extreme calendars, extreme finances, extreme approaches to work or physical health, or extreme pastimes/interests. God designed us to have margin. Margin is the amount of time, money, whatever, we hold back—in order to maintain productivity, stability, integrity. “Calendar margin” means reserving time for rest, for solitude, for other people. “Financial margin” means living within our means, even changing our lifestyles, if necessary. “Work margin” means focusing on what we’re made to do, and excluding the things we aren’t. Margin is a gift. While we can convince ourselves that there are valuable things in extremes (more status, more comfort), there are things much more valuable in margin: relationships, restoration, joy, peace. These are vital inputs to healthy, productive lives, and things we must have in sufficient quantities if we’re going to overflow love and provide protection to others. We care for others by caring of ourselves. That’s true masculinity—not some put-on, fear-driven, self-centered counterfeit.

What’s the culture of your city or your workplace? What’s it calling you to? Hurry? Worry? Stress? God’s calling you to a life of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Can you admit you’re built for these, built for margin? Now, can you make the wrenching, practical decisions that’ll conform your life to God’s design, not the world’s? Commit today, brother, to one concrete, measurable change.

 

[RiverOL]

Sound Doctrine

The Apostle Paul wrote, "He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it."1

In the early days of the Christian church Paul was giving instructions to Titus regarding qualifications for church leadership. One requirement was that leaders were to be well established in sound doctrine; that is, in the understanding and teaching of God's Word. Unfortunately, there are some leaders and some churches whose doctrine may be sound, but as Vance Havner put it, sound asleep! Sound awake doctrine is critical because if we are not well grounded in God's truth, we can easily be led astray by persuasive and charming false teachers. As another has said, "If we don't stand for truth, we can fall for anything."

Sound doctrine, as critically important as it is, is not enough in and of itself. It needs to be balanced with love. Without love, doctrine can become deathly legalism or modern day Phariseeism. On the other hand, love without sound doctrine can become, at best, "sloppy agape" and at worst empty humanism. The real church and true Christianity is based on God's truth (sound doctrine) and genuine love. Both are equally important.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to know and understand Your truth but give me a loving heart to live it as well as to learn it. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Titus 1:9 (NIV)

 

[RiverOL]

Life Has an Expiration Date

"It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."1

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."2

"Life Has an Expiration Date" was a statement that I read on somebody else's email but I don't know whom to credit it to. However, it is an excellent reminder that life is short and we only have one life to live and invest.

I would like to again quote one of my many favorite one-liners from William Penn, the 18/19th-century French/American religious leader who said, "I expect to pass through the world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness I can show to any creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Penn's words bring to mind one of my good friends who died at age 44 from cancer. I was with Graham shortly before he passed away and asked him how he felt being only 44 and given only a matter of a few months at best to live. One of the unforgettable things he spoke about was how difficult it was for him when some friends who visited him in the hospital rattled on with empty words, or said "the right thing" but without feeling or heart. He was dying and to him their words were empty, meaningless clichés. He wanted to talk about life, death, and being ready to meet God face to face—and issues that mattered.

He also said how angry he was because there were so many things he didn't get done and still wanted to do—but his time was up and he would never get them done. This was one of his big regrets. But his main regret was that he felt he hadn't spent enough time with his kids and family.

Graham's words remind me how temporal life is. None of us has any guarantee of tomorrow, so (not being fanatical about it) we do need to live every day with eternal values in mind.

So, do you have any unfinished business? Any impaired relationships that you can and need to resolve? Anyone you need to let know how much you love them? May I kindly suggest that you do it today! And, above all, do you need to get right with God? This I urge upon you to do today—now.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to remember the words of the poet who said, 'Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last,' and, with Your help, live life to the fullest—with eternal values uppermost in my mind. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

NOTE: To be sure your life is right with God read, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at: http://tinyurI.com/8glq9

1. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV).
2. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

The Thrill of Temptation

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men [and women] of courage; be strong."1

Years ago Kent Edwards wrote how the tuna fish "were running for the first time in forty-seven years only thirty miles off Cape Cod."2 They were apparently biting furiously so many would-be tuna fishermen in their excitement to catch a large tuna ignored Coast Guard warnings. What they didn't realize was that the problem didn't lie in hooking a tuna but landing it in the boat.

One boat, the Christi Anne, capsized while battling with a large tuna. The same day another boat, Basic Instinct, met with the same fate. And Official Business was swamped when trying to land its catch. The tuna pulled the boat below the surface of the water.

What these fishermen didn't realize was the power of large tuna fish. That's pretty much like what temptation does to us. At first it can seem very exciting and enticing but once we take the bait, we're the ones that get hooked and it can quickly overpower us and pull us under.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be always on guard so that I will avoid the lure of temptation and not get hooked or entrapped by it. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Doing Too Many Things?

The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day—Psalm 139:16

There are twenty-four hours in every day. We wish for more. We often act as if there were more: stay at work a little longer; stay up a little later, cram a bit more in. No matter what we do, though . . . still only twenty-four. God’s set the length. He’s also set the absolute number of those twenty-four-hour days each of us will ever get. We often act, though, as if that too weren't settled, as if our earthly days might stretch on forever. They won’t: “Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with you, and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass” (Job 14:5). Our time is scarce—it’s limited and there’s less than we’d like. How we allocate it, therefore, how we run our calendars, matters. If we’re not intentional, external factors will govern the allocation: things that are more urgent will claim top priority. The problem is, urgent things aren’t always important things. In fact, many unimportant things become urgent if we let them: e.g., we sign up for something, maybe simply because someone asked us to or because everyone else is signing up, and its demands escalate and it begins to take too much time. This happens some and we default into calendars that don’t reflect our true priorities. We end up with days filled, but with the wrong things.

Look at your weekly calendar. Grab some paper. List the major items. Then sort it by importance (not urgency). What’s most important to you? Most important to God? Now, brother, begin to cut from the bottom, from what’s least important. Go up as far as you can. Cut what you can right now, and commit to phase out what you must, over time.

 

[RiverOL]

The Wedding Gown That Can’t Be Stained

Mia gazed down at her gown in awe and wonder. She still couldn’t get over the fact that the Prince had clothed her in this sparkling white wedding gown. It was so beautiful, pure, and clean—so very different from the clothes she used to wear. And best of all, she got to wear it, not just one day when she married the Prince, but every day!

To understand the magnitude of Mia’s joy, you need to know that Mia grew up on the streets. When the Prince found her, she was grimy and in rags. Now, she was His beloved bride, clothed in this amazing gown that He’d purchased for her at an incredible price.
No wonder Mia hummed to herself and had a little skip to her step as she went about her daily chores. She belonged to the Prince!

The shatter of glass intruded upon her happiness. Mia looked in horror at what she had done. The cup of coffee she’d been cleaning off the table lay in a hundred pieces on the floor. The coffee had spilled everywhere. Mia didn’t even have the courage to look down at her beautiful gown for fear of what she’d see. She felt certain without looking that a coffee stain now marred its purity.

“What have I done?” she cried, burying her head in her hands. “Oh, I’m not worthy to be the Prince’s bride! After all He’s done for me, how could I have done this!” Her whole body trembled as the tears streamed down her face. Her joy was gone.

For days, she walked with her head hung low, ashamed of herself. She tried extra hard to do her chores well, hoping somehow that would make up for what she had done, but knowing all the time it never could. She felt disgusted with herself. She couldn’t forgive herself, but rather kept punishing herself over and over.
At the same time, she was critical of everyone around her, subconsciously hoping that if she could point out others’ flaws it would make her feel better about her own. But it didn’t. She just became more and more miserable.

Worse of all, she felt ashamed in the Prince’s presence. When they met in the streets, she barely said hello. Her conversations with him, instead of being filled with joy, were filled with unspoken fear. Perhaps he wouldn’t still love her. If he only knew…

The Prince, though, already knew all about the spill. In fact, he’d known Mia would spill before he had bought her the gown. That’s why he’d gotten her a special gown made of fabric that couldn’t be stained or spoiled in any way—fabric that was spotless forever no matter what. In fact, he’d left Mia multiple notes explaining this to her and urging her to look at her gown and see that it was still without spot. He had paid an exorbitant price to buy this gown for her; she had only to realize it.
The Prince patiently kept trying to get Mia’s attention. His heart ached to see her living in guilt instead of the joy of being his beloved.
His patient love eventually won out. Oh, the joy that flooded Mia’s heart when she realized her gown couldn’t be spoiled!

I would love to report that Mia never spilled or stumbled in the m&d or did anything else that would have soiled a normal gown again. But that wouldn’t be true at all. She continually stumbled and spilled and stuttered. But the next time she felt tempted to bury her head in shame and call herself a failure, she lifted it with grateful tears streaming down her cheeks. “My Prince gave me a gown that can’t be spoiled,” she whispered in gratitude, a great smile of praise filling her face. “And,” she added, “He’s promised to keep working on me.” You see, her Prince loved her enough not to leave her on the streets, but to clothe her in a spotless gown and to give her his strength and all she needed to live more and more like the princess he’d made her.
She felt like singing…and she couldn’t help but talk about her Prince to anyone who would listen.
“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14 (esv)
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10 (esv)

“…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26-27 (esv)
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” 2 Peter 1:3 (esv)
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 (esv)

 

[RiverOL]

A God Thing

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."1

According to Jim Green, Executive Director of The JESUS Film Project, "A Jesus film team was driving to a film showing site in a Muslim nation, a remote region that has hardly been touched by the Good News. It was a restricted area, with many hazards for those who would dare to openly share their faith. As the team drove along, they prayed that God would go before them and open doors of opportunity and give them safety.

"Just before they arrived at the village, a policeman flagged down their car. It seemed that an Islamic teacher needed a ride. The officer made the introductions and asked if they could help. Feeling it was an acceptable and necessary risk, they agreed and offered a ride, and continued towards town.

"You can imagine the anxiety the team must have felt when this highly respected teacher asked, 'Tell me, are you the ones planning to tell people about God?'

"Entrusting themselves to the Lord, they responded, 'Yes, we are.' Apprehension turned to astonishment as they listened to what this teacher said next. Bouncing along the dusty road, the teacher told the team how he had experienced a unique dream.

"'I was told to come to this spot in the road, at this time, and that I would encounter someone who would tell me about God. It must be you.'

"They gave him some literature that JESUS film teams carry in the local language, and invited him to come the showing of JESUS that night. He not only came but also helped distribute literature to the people!"2

It is my personal conviction that if an individual sincerely seeks God and his truth, God will reveal himself to him/her in whatever way or through whomever he chooses.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that whenever I or anyone sincerely seeks you with all their heart, they will find you. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Going Too Many Directions?

. . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us—Hebrews 12:1

Every man has a sweet spot—a skill, an aptitude, a function that results in maximum impact for a given amount of effort. We’ve all felt them, finding ourselves “in the zone.” We probably have one, maybe two, but our sweet spots are what make us indispensable to others—to our employers, our families, our friends, to the people we’re meant to serve. Of all the things we do, our sweet-spot activities are where we make a unique difference. They’re the things we’re made to do. Sweet spots aren’t random, nor accidental. They’re crafted by our Creator. And they indicate where he wants us to focus our lives—for impact. You see, sweet spots are crafted with specific needs in mind. God cares about those needs, whatever they are, and he designs us to address them (Ephesians 2:10). Identifying our sweet spots allows us to analyze our days, our weeks, and prioritize. It allows us to begin to concentrate our efforts on activities for which we were made. It also allows us to create margin in our work life. As Jethro counseled Moses, we can learn to curtail or delegate activities that fall outside our sweet spots and, thereby, keep our work from unreasonably impinging on other important areas of our lives (Exodus 18:13-27). We cannot eliminate all outside activities, of course; but, we can better manage our time to emphasize the inside ones.

Spend some time pondering your sweet spots. Now, grab a piece of paper and sketch out an ideal job description, one that perfectly leverages you in those spots. You won’t be able to move into that job instantly, of course . . . but the description should serve as a reference for making future decisions, allowing you to move closer to it, over time.

 

[RiverOL]

Opening the Door to Healing

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."1

Related to what the Bible calls "confession," counselors call "catharsis," which means to purify by emptying out—an emptying out of the emotional poison that makes us sick or sicker than we need to be. Catharsis is needed to "get rid of … feelings of hatred"2 as God's Word instructs us to do. Just talking "about" negative feelings doesn't get rid of them. In fact, it can keep one stuck in them. They need to be felt in all their intensity and expressed creatively by either verbalizing them or writing them out until they are totally dissipated. (For help see footnote No. 3.)

Confession is not only confessing our failures and sins, but also where we've been sinned against, as this can leave a spirit of resentment in us that we need to "empty out" and resolve.

Confession with catharsis is the emptying out of the poisonous emotions of hurt, anger, grief, guilt, and shame that are a result of our own actions or of being hurt, abandoned, abused, criticized, rejected, and so on, which stops us truly forgiving any and all who may have hurt us in the past—anywhere from yesterday to yesteryear all the way back to early childhood.

Furthermore, to fail to forgive keeps us bound by the past. As we have noted before, "Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." Or as Max Lucado put it, "Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner."

It is a fact of life that confession with catharsis, followed by forgiveness of any and all who have ever hurt us, opens the door to our healing and wellbeing.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to see any sins in my life that I need to confess, and help me to get in touch with any unresolved negative emotions and learn how to 'empty them out' in helpful and healing ways. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."