In step

[RiverOL]

Broken and Beautiful

"The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever. Don't abandon me—for you made me."1

Friends of ours recently moved to Hawaii and shared something that I found fascinating. It was a video of a papaya tree that they have in their backyard at their new home. This papaya tree is unlike any I have ever seen. It looks as though someone tried chopping it down at some point, but instead of dying or drying out, it grew sideways instead! It looks like an elephant trunk hanging off the side of the main tree trunk. What is fascinating, though, is that the extension of this tree has continued producing beautiful papayas and its leaves are flourishing. It may be broken, but it continues giving fruit just like it was created to do.

Seeing this video was such a wonderful life lesson for me personally. We all have past experiences that perhaps were not very pleasant. Circumstances may have tried cutting us down at some point, and we may be struggling to regain composure and continue moving forward. The scars from our past may still feel so fresh, but our past experiences and scars don't define our future! God continues working out His plan in our lives and is using our past to mold us into powerful instruments that will have a mighty impact in our world today and will reach others for Christ.

Just like this papaya tree that continues giving fruit regardless of the giant scar in its trunk, we too, can reach our full potential and allow God to fulfill His purpose and plan in our lives… even with our scars. God loves us and has promised never to leave or forsake us. He is not done with us and will continue His work in us. In Him we can be broken and beautiful.



Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that, despite my past and the scars I carry, you are creating something beautiful. In you we have forgiveness, healing, hope, and a future. I surrender my life to you, hurts and all, and ask that you mold me and use me to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our world today. May the experiences you have allowed in my life be used to have an impact in the lives of others for your glory. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen."

 

[RiverOL]

The Power of God's Word

King David wrote, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."1

When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he targeted his appeal to where Jesus was, at that time, most vulnerable. Jesus had fasted for forty days and would have been very weak and hungry so Satan tempted him to turn stones into bread—a seemingly harmless thing for Jesus to do.

However, Jesus was aware of what Satan was up to so he rebuffed him by quoting God's Word, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"2

Satan also tempts us in seemingly harmless ways—especially where we are vulnerable. But once we take the bait, he will lead us deeper down sin's path.

Because Satan will often tempt us at a point of legitimate need, we need to make certain we get this need met in healthy ways so we won't be susceptible to his tempting us to get them met in sinful, self-destructive ways!

When Satan does tempt us, an important way to rebuff him is to know God's Word, memorize and meditate on it as David did, and quote it to him as Jesus did.

Dwight L. Moody, the renowned evangelist, knew the power of God's Word too. He had written in the fly leaf of his Bible, "This book will keep me from sin or sin will keep me from this book."

It pays to know God's Word and hide it in our heart.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please give me a greater love for Your Word with the desire to hide it (memorize) it in my heart—and be quick to quote it when I am tempted. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Psalm 119:11 (NIV).
2. Matthew 4:4 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Stay Salty, My Friends

Woe to you, when all people speak well of you—Luke 6:26

Sooner or later our faith conflicts with friendship. Sooner or later our faith is tested against friendship. You see, the time will come, for each of us, when a friend needs us. He or she will take a dark path (as we all do, sometimes), a path leading away from God. It might be dramatic; it might not. When it happens, though, we’ll face a choice—to speak up and speak truth into his or her life . . . or . . . to ignore what’s going on, avoid conflict, and avoid the risk of forever altering the friendship or even losing it altogether. The good news is that we’re designed for these kinds of things. We’re the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). For God gave us “a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). But, salt can, over time, lose its taste—lose its saltiness. We men lose our saltiness when we choose popularity over truth, passivity over love. The problem is, salt that has lost its taste “is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet” (Matthew 5:13).

When the time comes, before you do anything, make sure you’re being driven not by judgment or resentment or jealousy. If you might be, go no further and simply entrust your friend to God. God’s able to reach your friend by other means. If, however, you’re sure that it’s love that’s driving you, more than anything else, then go ahead and speak. Put your friendship upon the altar and see what God does with it. Do it privately and gently. But be warned, it might not go well. These conversations are tough. That’s okay. Trust God to work it out in the end.

 

[RiverOL]

Prepare for Battle

. . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it—Matthew 16:18

We’re designed for battle by our Father God; we’re led into battle by our King, Jesus Christ; we’re aided in battle by God the Holy Spirit. These battles are waged “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). The places where we meet our enemies have names like “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). Though perhaps less dramatic than battles fought on the ground or in the air or on the sea, their outcomes are more momentous. They determine not only how we spend our lives, but our eternities too (Galatians 5:21). We have enemies. They’re real. They’re powerful. They’re cunning, relentless, scheming always against us—scheming right now. We too, brother, must be cunning and relentless. We too must be prepared.

Create a battle plan. Resist any “this isn’t necessary” or “do it later” tendencies. Create a plan to bring the fight to our enemies. They’ve brought it to you long enough. Write it out today. Make it explicit. Make it practical. Definition of Battle . . . what problem would you like to finally overcome? Definition of Victory . . . what’ll victory look like? Lay of the Land . . . what external factors contribute to the problem? Points of Weakness . . . what aspects of your lifestyle contribute too? Plan of Attack . . . how will you counter or minimize or eliminate the external factors and contributing aspects of your lifestyle? Sources of Strength . . . how’ll you stay connected to God and community? Brothers-in-Arms . . . whom will you tell about this plan and keep updated, as to victories and defeats?

 

[RiverOL]

Witnessing Made Simple

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things."1

"Do you remember the Mercedes TV commercial a few years ago that showed a Mercedes crashing into a concrete wall during a safety test? An engineer in a white lab coat walks over after the crash and kneels down to examine the damage, which is minimal. A reporter then asks the engineer about Mercedes' energy absorbing car body. After the engineer tells all about the unique design the reporter asks him why Mercedes doesn't enforce their patent on the design, a design evidently copied by several other companies because of its success.

"The engineer then replied matter-of-factly, 'Because some things in life are too important not to share.' How true this is. There are many things in life that fall into this 'too-important-not-to-share category.' Advances in science, in medicine, in technology. But all of these pale in importance to that of sharing our faith."2

As Billy Graham said, "I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God's love for them in Christ."

There are many ways we can do this. Here's one very simple way. For example, whenever I eat at a restaurant, I always leave one of my Good News business witness cards with the tip. And whenever a suitable opportunity arises, without being pushy, I ask the person I am talking to if I can give him or her one of my cards. It is a very attractive card that invites people to visit one of our Good News websites. The site has many articles that speak to the felt needs of the average person—articles that deal with overcoming worry, stress, marriage, relationships, and the like.

I've never had anyone ever refuse to accept one of these cards. They are attractively printed and are not in any way preachy. This is a very easy, attractive, and non-offensive way to witness even for the most timid person. This is an idea for witnessing to others.

It is true, the gospel message of Jesus Christ is far too important not to share. Let us not forget that one of the most important ways to be a witness for Christ is through the way we live. People are always watching! Let's be sure our actions are leading others to Christ.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I come to you with all my fears making myself available for You to use as a witness for Jesus Christ. Please use me to be 'as Christ' in some way to someone in need today, and give me the courage to share my Christian faith in a non-offensive and gracious way. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Life Is a Gift

"Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."1

"There was a blind girl [or so the story goes] who hated herself because of her blindness. Not only did she hate herself but she hated everyone else, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend.

"One day someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything—including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her that simply said, 'Just take care of my eyes dear.'

"Too often we change when our status changes. Only a few remember what life was like before and even fewer remember who to thank for always being there when times were painfully unbearable.

"Life is a gift, so today: Before you think of saying an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion. Before you complain about your life, think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children, think of someone who desires children but is barren. Before you argue about your dirty house that someone didn't clean or sweep, think of the people who are living in the streets. Before whining about the distance you drive, think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

"And before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another, remember that not one of us is without sin and all will answer to one Maker. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, try to put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around. Life is a gift, live it, enjoy it, celebrate it, and fulfill it.

"Enjoy the moment. It may not come around again."2

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in the midst of life's trials help me always to count my many blessings—one by one—and learn to always give thanks to You for these, and always be grateful for what I do have and not complain about what I don't have. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

On Guilt and Conscience

"If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible."1

Do you ever feel guilty about things you shouldn't feel guilty about and not feel guilty about things you should feel guilty about?

I have. Why is this? A major reason is that we tend to think in terms of guilt as an emotional response that comes from our conscience. This, however, can be misleading.

Keep in mind that guilt in the Bible is a legal term—not an emotional one. If we do what is wrong in the eyes of God, we are guilty regardless of how we feel. That's also true of our legal system. If I break the law, I am guilty whether I feel guilty or not—or whether I get caught or not. For some, guilt is more a fear of getting caught.

On the other hand, conscience, while very important, is a learned emotional response. The word "conscience" comes from "con" meaning "with" and "science" meaning "knowledge." Thus conscience means "with knowledge." We were born with the ability to learn what was right and what was wrong but the programming of our conscience came largely from those who shaped our formative years. For some, a legalistic parent, church or religion gave them a very punitive conscience. At the opposite extreme, a loose-living parent or teacher failed to give any meaningful programming to a child's conscience.

As adults, to have a healthy conscience we need to reprogram or reeducate it to make sure it is in harmony with the source of all truth and knowledge as to what is right and what is wrong—that is God's Word, the Bible.

Based on this knowledge, the important thing is to always do what is right regardless of how we feel. As we consistently act in this manner, little by little (over time) we will reprogram our conscience so it is in complete harmony with the will and Word of God.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for Your Word, the Bible, that instructs me in how to behave and live. Please help me to re-educate and reprogram my conscience so the way I feel will be in direct harmony with Your Word. And then, help me to live in harmony with Your will so I will always have a clear conscience. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Leviticus 5:17 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Making Wise Decisions

"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."1

Have you ever tried to follow a leader or worked for a boss who tells you one thing one day and the opposite the next, or tried to be involved with a person who could never make up their mind regarding what they wanted?

Christian or otherwise, these people can be crazy-making!

I have asked people many times in seminars or classes how many have a difficult time making decisions? It always surprises me how many answer in the affirmative.

Why is making decisions difficult for many? Some are afraid of making a wrong decision. Some simply don't know what they want. For quite a few when they were growing up, somebody else always made their decisions for them. Consequently, they were never taught how to make decisions for themselves or learned how to accept the consequences for the decisions they made.

However, as adults, it is much wiser to make our own decisions and be wrong rather than allowing others to make them for us. One of the greatest ways we learn to make right decisions is by making wrong decisions! This is not to say that we shouldn't seek wise counsel prior to making our decisions.

To put off and end up not making a decision is making a decision by default which is not a creative way to live. Life is a series of decisions that determine the course of our life and future. It pays to learn how to make wise decisions. God has promised to give us wisdom and guidance to help us make wise decisions, but it's up to each of us to make our own decisions.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to face and overcome the cause/s of my fear of making decisions, learn to seek Your guidance in everything I do, and in doing so learn how to make wise and responsible decisions. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. James 1:8.

 

[RiverOL]

Forgotten Provisions

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."1

"A story is told about William Randolph Hearst, the late newspaper publisher. Hearst invested a fortune in collecting great works of art. One day he read about some valuable pieces of art and decided that he must add them to his collection. He sent his agent abroad to locate and purchase them. Months went by before the agent returned and reported to Hearst that the items had at last been found—they were stored in his own warehouse. Hearst had purchased them years before."2

Sometimes we get so bogged down with the busyness and pressures of life, with the abundance of things we possess, and/or with unresolved baggage from the past that we are either unwilling to claim, unable to appropriate, or simply unaware of the riches in Christ Jesus that God has for us.

We're not talking about material riches that clutter the lives of many, but about riches of a far greater kind, such as peace with God, forgiveness of our sins and wrongs, freedom from guilt, the assurance of eternal life and a home in Heaven, and the journey in the "here-and-now" to growth, inner healing and wholeness.

God has all these riches [blessings] and many more for all of us. But it's up to each of us to claim them. To discover what they are, it helps to read and study God's Word the Bible.

"Suggested prayer: "Dear God, deliver me from the barrenness of a life that is too busy, a life that carries too much baggage from the past, and from the curse of being controlled by materialism. Help me to make my peace with You through Jesus Christ, to resolve every impaired relationship, and to find inner peace, healing and wholeness as You promised to all who truly want it and put their trust in You. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Going Through Hell

. . . fear not, for I am with you—Isaiah 41:10

You know when you’re in the thick of it—facing tough financial circumstances, or maybe a problem with work or a relationship, or a health issue or an addiction? You know that “I just don’t know what to do” feeling? Most of us do, maybe all of us. The thing is, we actually do know what to do—we know exactly what to do. It’s just hard, in those moments, to remember . . . and to trust. But we must remember and trust our Father God. He sees and he knows . . . and sometimes he allows. We must not be “surprised at the fiery trial,” therefore, “as though something strange were happening” (1 Peter 4:12). When he allows hardship, though, it’s always for good—even if that’s not, at first, very obvious (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:1-11; Romans 8:28). And we must remember and trust our King, Jesus Christ. He is truth. He teaches us what to do in any ordeal. He knows like no other. “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18). And we must remember and trust our God the Holy Spirit. He’s always with us, in every moment (John 14:16). And he can help and strengthen us, whatever the hardship. The “Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead” exists within us, and can certainly bring new life to our circumstances too (Romans 8:11).

 

[RiverOL]

With Friends Like These . . .

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ—James 2:1

We men tend toward partiality. Sometimes with forethought, many times with no thought, we give or withhold based upon characteristics of the potential recipients. We can, therefore, find ourselves directing all our time and attention, our kindness and generosity, toward only those who live, look, sound, spend, sin . . . like we do. This plays out in many areas of life and, therefore, many areas of faith—in service, giving, worship, and certainly in brotherhood. But James, brother of our King, Jesus Christ, cautioned us to oppose this tendency: “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:2-4). So, what’s wrong with partiality? Well, intending to or not, we harm people. We harm them by disregarding them, those whom God wants us to impact or serve or befriend, but who don’t quite make our cut (Proverbs 28:21). God put us here for one another (Matthew 22:39). Partiality means we forsake people who need us. And if that’s not bad enough, we harm ourselves. We cut ourselves off from relationships—and often the weightiest. You see, those we’re meant to impact are meant to impact us, right back.

How’re you doing with this, brother? The test is simple—look around. Who are you spending time with? Whom are you serving? There should be people in your life who’re nothing like you. Are there?

 

[RiverOL]

The Source of Our Words

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."1

Have you ever said something and then immediately wish that you could take it back? This has happened to me, more than once I am afraid to say. I don't intend to be hurtful, but I allow my opinion to take the lead instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through me. One benefit of making mistakes, is the opportunity to learn from it. I have learned to analyze my thoughts before speaking and am learning to discern when it is of God and when it is just me getting in the way. Our words are so powerful and have the potential to be a blessing to those around us but can also do great damage.

Today's passage reminds us of the importance of being consistent in our talk. The same way we use our tongue to sing praises to God on Sunday is the same way we should be using our tongue to encourage and speak love to one another daily. I love the following quote from John Piper:

"When the heart full of God's love can draw on the mind full of God's word, timely blessings flow from the mouth."

We are human and will on occasion react to situations negatively or unwisely. We are works in progress and, thankfully, God continues molding us into who he wants us to be. But even on our bad days, it is possible to continue speaking love to those around us. How?? By consistently being in God's word and allowing Him to live and speak through us. The more we know God and spend time with him, the more our words will reflect him to those around us.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I ask that you would be the source of my words and actions at all times. May I continually reflect you to those I encounter. I ask that you give me wisdom and that you would guard my tongue from anything that is not from you. Allow me to know you more so that my life will be guided by your Word and love. Let others see and hear you in me I pray. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen."



1. James 3:8-12 (NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Restoring Connections

. . . build up the ancient ruins . . . repair the ruined cities—Isaiah 61:4

Three relationships broke when man fell, so long ago: the relationship between man and God, the relationship between man and himself, and the relationship between man and other men (and women). Our jobs now, brother, are to repair and rebuild those relationships, in our own unique ways, as much as we can during our lifetimes . . . and to encourage and assist others in doing likewise. Our King, Jesus Christ, gave us our instructions—love “God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and love “your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). His two-part directive covers all three relationships: love God more than anything else; love yourself sufficiently; and love other people at least as much as you love yourself. It’s all there. So how do we begin? Well, we restore relationships with God when we soften our hearts, decide to trust him more than we trust ourselves, and bend ourselves toward obedience. We restore relationships with ourselves when we soften our hearts and decide to care for ourselves as God intends, finally dealing with self-condemnation or idolatry or addiction (to work, to food, to alcohol, to pornography, or anything else). And, we restore relationships with others when we soften our hearts, decide to look around for people who need us, and bend our lives toward loving and serving and forgiving them.

Take a moment to survey your life. Which type of relationship is most broken? If none is obvious, take time for listening prayer. Ask your counselor, God the Holy Spirit, to guide you. Once you’ve focused-in on what’s most in need of rebuilding, what’s most in need of repair, you’ve got your own, individualized blueprint for “what’s next.” Begin working on it this week. Start with something practical.

 

[RiverOL]

Determination

"It is God himself, in his mercy, who has given us this wonderful work [of telling his good news to others], and so we never give up."1

When the United Kingdom's back was against the wall during World War II, Winston Churchill declared: "We shall go to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

May we who call ourselves Christian have the same determination when coming against our arch enemy who himself, with his horde of evil spirits, is totally committed to destroying everything that is Christian and doing everything in his power to stop people coming to Jesus and receiving God's gift of sins forgiven and eternal life.

In the words of the classic hymn:

Onward Christian soldiers
Marching as to war
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a true soldier of the cross with a determination to never give up in doing my part to help 'the cause of Christ,' to make a stand for right, and to help spread the gospel around the world. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. 2 Corinthians 4:1 (TLB).

 

[RiverOL]

What Happened to “the Love You Had at First”?
“I’m still here.” All night long Ruben had been patiently waiting, trying to get his wife’s attention. He longed to spend time with her.
“I know,” Rose replied, hardly lifting her head from the pile of papers she was sorting. “But there’s just so much to do!”
Rose rubbed her tired head, thinking about how she needed to remember to pull out the meat for tomorrow’s dinner. She could still smell the aroma from the cookies she’d baked earlier to bring to some elderly neighbors. She needed to remember to put up those dishes before she went to bed. Oh, and a friend had asked her to look up something on the Internet for her — she couldn’t forget that.
“Rose, do you remember back to when we were courting and first married?” Ruben’s words interrupted her thoughts. “How we used to spend hours just talking and laughing together?”

Rose paused and looked up. Yes, she remembered. Ruben saw the answer in her face and continued, “What happened to that love you had?”
The words cut her to the quick. What had happened? In those early days, life was still busy, but she always made time to spend with Ruben. In fact, she remembered how they’d text throughout the day here and there, as hours seemed so long when apart. Everything in her centered around when she’d get to see him next. She lived off less sleep, choosing to stay up to talk with him. And her poor friends had listened to her talk about him for hours — every conversation had somehow included him.
Now, she hardly talked about him — and her discussions with him were quick and distracted. She’d say hi while also checking her texts and moving the wash along. He was still what he’d always been — loving, caring, and trying to minister to her. But she’d been ignoring him.
Rose set her papers down, tears now streaming down her cheeks. She’d been doing a lot of good things, but she had let the most important get buried.

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” Revelation 2:2-5a (ESV)

 

[RiverOL]

God Moves In Mysterious Ways

"For in the day of trouble he [God] will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."1

I have read that William Cowper, like many people today, suffered from times of deep melancholy and depression. One night when he was in a particularly dark mood of despair, he decided to take his life by jumping into the Thames River.

That night the city of London was blanketed with an extremely heavy fog and Mr. Cowper, searching to find the river, lost his way. Stumbling blindly through the fog he was dumbfounded when he found himself on the doorstep of his own home. Going to his room he penned the words of the beautiful hymn:

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me in my times of despair and depression to trust in You. Hide me in the shelter of Your love and lead me to the place of help that I need. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. King David (Psalm 27:5, NIV).

 

[RiverOL]

Seize the Day

"Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross over the Jordan River, you, and all these people, to the land which I am giving to you…. Every place where you set your foot, that I have given to you."1

When God told Joshua and the ancient Israelites that He had given them the Promised Land, He didn't hand it to them on a silver platter. To claim God's promise, they had to battle every inch of the way. They still had to go, conquer, and possess it.

The reality is, however, that had God not given the Promised Land to them, they never would have been able to conquer and possess it.

God also has a work for you and me to do. He will give us opportunities every day to serve him but it's up to us to take advantage of every one of these as they will come to pass—not to pause!

With God's help, let us "seize the day" and take advantage of every one of these opportunities, and claim every promise he has for us.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be ready to 'seize' every opportunity You give me to serve You, and claim every promise You have made to me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. God to Joshua in the Bible (Joshua 1:2-3).

 

[RiverOL]

Children Learn What They Live

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."1

Change is rarely easy. In fact it can be very difficult to change the patterns learned in our developmental years. Solomon noted the importance of early training some 3,000 years ago. Dorothy Law Nolte explained it rather precisely in the following words:

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns justice.

If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
he learns to find love in the world.

It hardly needs saying that we need to be very loving in the way we bring up our children. But what if we, as adults, didn't receive loving, wholesome training as a child ourselves? Can we change? Yes, if we truly want to and are willing to accept responsibility for doing what we need to do to change.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, knowing that my parents did the best they knew how, help me never to blame them for any problems I have, and please give me the desire to keep growing so I become a warm, loving, accepting adult/parent. And please lead me to the help I need to overcome the effects of any deficiencies in my childhood upbringing. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

 

[RiverOL]

Who Are Your Heroes?

Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness—Matthew 4:10

We men like heroes. We like to look upward. We start early, as boys, looking up to men and women who do amazing things on grass and turf and hardwood and ice. As we get older, we shift our “looking up” to those who do amazing things in classrooms, board rooms, laboratories, legislatures . . . to those who speak and create and negotiate, to those who research and discover and write. There’s nothing wrong with honoring and admiring other people. Something is wrong, though, when honoring or admiration becomes worship—when we devote our lives to becoming just like our heroes. You see, heroic images are false. They are false because they’re incomplete. Heroic images portray the good and obscure the bad. We think, “he’s got it together”—“great job, great wife, great bank account, great house” . . . “must be nice.” What we don’t see is what’s broken. Something always is: “For we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). Maybe it’s what was sacrificed in order to achieve the heroic image. Not realizing we’re misled, though, we decide to chase their images, to model our lives after theirs. Not realizing we’re misled, we end up imitating their brokenness. When we worship heroes, we do like the ancient pagans who “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). The truth is, no person, past or present, is worthy of our worship . . . except one.

Okay, so what do we do? Who are your heroes? Have you ever walked the line between admiration and hero worship? Have you ever held another (broken) person in too high esteem? If you’ve crossed that line, simply confess it to God in prayer. And commit to worshiping no man but our worthy King, Jesus Christ.

 

[RiverOL]

Too Busy? Hmmm . . .

Look carefully then how you walk . . . making the best use of the time, because the days are evil—Ephesians 5:15-16

When sacred opportunities come—opportunities to listen, to care, to encourage, to serve, to give, to tell others about our faith—we men often use a tactic called “too busy, right now.” We say the words out loud, sometimes. More often, we say them to ourselves and just keep moving. We then rationalize the dodge by using a second tactic, one called “make up for it later.” That is, we imagine ourselves jumping into other, similar opportunities, eventually—when things slow down a bit maybe. God knows we’re busy. He sees how busy we are, right now. And he calls us still. You see, these sacred opportunities don’t come by chance. He places them carefully in front of us. He knows we’re busy . . . and he knows what he’s doing. He knew what he was doing when he called Simon and Andrew, when the brothers were busy fishing (Mark 1:16-18). He knew what he was doing when he called James and John, when those brothers were busy mending nets (Mark 1:19-20). He knew what he was doing when he called Levi, when Levi was busy collecting taxes (Mark 2:14). He knows what he’s doing when he calls us too, even when we’re busy. He doesn’t wait because he knows our time is scarce. He knows that we have none to waste. “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

Okay, so what do we do? What was your last sacred opportunity, brother? What did you do? Is the opportunity still open? If not, take a moment to decide what you’ll do the next time a sacred opportunity comes. Commit to stepping into it and making the most of the precious time you’ve been given.