DON'T REBUILD YOUR JERICHO

Joshua 6:26 “At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: "Cursed before the Lord is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho.”

The scene of the text was one of destruction, fire, ruin. But, for the children of Israel, it was a scene full of victory. God had done a mighty work that he promised he would do on behalf of his people. He said Israel would possess Canaan and would destroy all those who oppose his plan. So after they had crossed the Jordan River, the first thing they laid eyes on was the mighty city of Jericho.

For this new generation of Israelites, the site of Jericho’s great size, not to mention its huge walls, was very disheartening. Even though God had told them the land was theirs, it was hard to fathom while starring at walls 50 feet high/50 feet thick. But, once again, God would honor his word with faithfulness to move on their behalf. And before you know it, these great falls had fallen straight down, the people slaughtered, and the city burned with fire, as God destroyed this mighty city.

As they sat outside the ruin, Joshua stopped to make a powerful statement, “cursed be the man that rises up and builds this city Jericho…”. He was so sincere about it, that he made them make an oath that they would not do so. God would have it to remain in its ruins a standing monument of his wrath against the Canaanites, and of his mercy to his people when the time had come for their settlement in Canaan. Joshua said if you do it, you will be under a great curse.

For one to understand the sincerity of this verse, you must realize some thing. God destroyed that city. Man didn’t do it, God did. And God said if you go against something I did, I will cause you to live under a curse. God intended for it to stay that way, or else he never would have destroyed it. It is a dangerous thing to attempt building up that which God has torn down.

What did God do for us? He has given us the strength to tear down strongholds, to crush the things that have separated us from him. And he intends for it to stay that way. Yet for some reason, before you know it God finds us with picks, shovels, hammers, and nails. What are we doing? We are rebuilding our Jericho. The place God destroyed, we are trying to put them back together. Why is it so dangerous to reconstruct those things that God has torn down? If you do, it will be a constant reminder of your past life. And not only will it remind you of the past, but as long as it is there, you will always have the temptation to go to that place again. But, if it is destroyed, you can’t go live there anymore.

As long as the city remained in ruins, it would be a constant reminder that God is who he says he is. But, if the city is rebuilt, then people can easily look and say, I thought your God was really something, but I guess not… But, if we don’t rebuild the Jerichos of our life, we will be living testimonies that God truly is all powerful, all knowing, all glorious, all favorable, all honored, and all truth.

Let the things that you have overcome remain defeated. Don’t resurrect past hurts, trials, and temptations. Live free and don’t look back.

FRUSTRATION OR FULFILLMENT

Ecclesiastes 2:11 “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless – like chasing the wind.”

How much do you value your work? Are you bored by what you do? Do you believe that God cares about your work? According to God’s Word, your work does matter to God.

Why do you work?

• To find self-fulfillment?
• To meet goals you have set in life?
• To become successful?

What is success?

Is success working hard and getting the right breaks to achieve financial success? Success to most means the accumulation of lots of money and materials things. The popular view is that success in your work has nothing to do with success in your personal life.

A man may be a closet alcoholic, have his second or third wife just walk out on him, his kids may be rebellious, his employees can’t stand him, yet because he has lots of money and a thriving business and people may pay big bucks for his endorsement – so in the business world he is successful. The “so called” successful man may not be happy but he can buy all the pleasure he wants. That’s success. For the Christian, success is, knowing the will of God and doing it.

God in his mercy is constantly giving people opportunity to enter into his Kingdom and participate in Kingdom work. As Christians, our goal is to be involved in Kingdom of God work.

Work brings frustration when it is done as an end in itself. When Solomon looked at the work he had done in his own strength and to his own honor and glory he found all he had done to be meaningless. Ecclesiastes 2:18, “I hated all the work I had done.” When work is done as an end in itself it has no meaning or purpose. Work brings frustration when it has no dynamic purpose.

Two men were working in the country to install telephone lines. One said, “I’m putting up poles and lines to get paid.” The other man said, “I’m helping to connect the world with a communication system.” The second man saw a vital purpose to his work.

Two carpenters are working side by side. One says, “I’m pounding nails into boards to earn my pay check.” The other man says, “I’m doing my part to build a great Cathedral.” The second man believed he was part of a project that had a great purpose and would help many people.

Work brings frustration when work is divided into two categories, secular and sacred. The Biblical view of work is that all work – all work that is good for the community and helps people and makes the world a better place to live – is blessed of God.

It is God’s will for everyone to find fulfillment in their work. All legitimate work is an extension of God’s work. Your worth is based on who you are and not what you do. So when your alarm clock goes off tomorrow and you are awakened with the realization that another work day lay ahead – be thankful. Work as if you are working for God – because you are. God has given you the opportunity and ability to work. Find fulfillment in his ways and you will look at work in a whole new way.

FRESH START

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.”

Have you ever experienced a setback in your Christian walk? Have you ever just wanted a fresh start? Our imperfection dictates that we have made mistakes in our lives as Christians. We have experienced many setbacks and failures throughout our lives. Sometimes we allow these mistakes, these setbacks and failures to enslave us to the point that we never enjoy the full Christian life that God has given us to enjoy.

The good news is, God says, “I want you to have a fresh start in life, I want you to have a new beginning, and I want to do something new in your life.” From time to time, the thing we need is a fresh start, a new beginning with God. Perhaps you have said in the past, “I am going to grow in my relationship with God. I am going to pray more, read my bible more and get more involved in my church. I’m going to spend more quality time with my family. ” The list could go on. If you have encountered a stumbling block that has prevented you from accomplishing those things, don’t quit trying.

Look at what God is saying in our scripture. Forget about what’s happened before. He says don’t think about the past. It’s over. The book’s closed on it. We need to understand that God is far more interested in our future than he is in our past. Some people think that God is stuck on their past. That all he wants to do is remind them of the things that they have done wrong. God is more interested in your future than he is with your past. That’s where you’re going to spend the rest of your life. He says, “Forget about your past. Forget about the former things. Don’t think about it. Look at the new thing I’m going to do.”

If we are to have the fresh start that God desires for us, we must make a conscious decision to move in the right direction. We must stop making excuses for past shortcomings. If we want a fresh start in life, we have to stop making excuses for our failures. We’ve got to stop blaming other people. We’ve got to stop seeing ourselves as the victim of our circumstances. We must take an inventory of our life. That means we need to evaluate life’s experiences. We need to look at what we have left after the failure. We need to learn from life.

We must act in faith. What are you expecting in life? Are things going to be better or worse? Are they going to be the same? If you act in faith then you will do something positive to move towards your dreams. We need to refocus our thoughts if we want to change our life. If we want to get going again, if we want a fresh start, we need to rethink the way that we think. Proverbs 4:23 says "Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts."

The way we think, determines the way we feel. And the way we feel determines the way we act. If you want to change your actions, just change the way you think and it will inevitably change the way you act. If you are depressed, discouraged and distressed it may be because you’re thinking depressed, discouraged and distressing thoughts. That’s your choice. You don’t have to think those thoughts. If you’re acting in fearful, worried ways it’s because you’re thinking fearful, worried thoughts. Finally, we must trust God for a fresh start. Depend on him. We don’t need to depend on ourselves. We’ve already proven that we can’t do it on our own. That’s why we’ve failed. It is him alone that brings a new beginning.

If you been hoping for a turnaround in life. If you have been waiting for a second chance. Look to God today and follow his leading. Then, you’ll have a fresh start.

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS

James 3:9 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.”

During WWI, enemy spies used to hang around the British pubs to hear loose talk about ship movements. Sailors would talk about their next assignments, where they were going, when they were leaving—vital information for the German submarines. Just a few careless words would tip the enemy off and thousands of lives would be lost. A slogan was raised to remind people of the terrible devastation that could result from words ill spoken, “Loose lips, sink ships”. The problem of careless talk was so great that the government began to put up posters with the slogan displayed.

All through his epistle James talks about the discipline of our tongues. In James 1:26 he writes, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” Isn’t that an amazing statement? We can attend church; we can preach, and we can pray. We can give our tithe. But if our tongue is out of control--if we’re speaking evil of other people--our religion is worthless.

I heard a story about a little boy that was selling a push mower. A Baptist preacher came along and wanted to buy it and asked did it run. "Yes sir", said the boy. The preacher pulled and pulled on the rope and said, "Son, this thing won’t start." The boy said, "That’s ‘cause you ‘gotta’ cuss it." The preacher said, "Son, I’m a Baptist preacher, and I haven’t cussed in 18 years." The boy replied, "Keep pulling; it’ll come back to you."

The problem is that some times old habits "come back to you". It takes self control to keep it from coming back. Anyone who can master the use of his tongue, who doesn’t fall into sin through the use of words, misrepresentation or falsehood, shows himself to be mature in spirit. The tongue is usually the hardest member of the body to control. The ability to control it shows incredible spiritual maturity and follows Christ’s example.

The tongue has great potential for good or evil. Those who love to use it a lot must be prepared to take the consequences. When used properly the tongue can mend fences, heal broken hearts and encourage those who are in need of encouragement.

General Robert E. Lee was once asked what he thought of a fellow officer in the Confederate Army -- an officer who had made some mean-spirited remarks about him. Lee thought for a moment, and then rated him as being very satisfactory. The person who asked the question seemed troubled. "But general, I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you." "Oh yes," answered Lee. "I know. But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me."

James tells us that the tongue is a flaming fire. The damage it can do could, if not cooled, last a lifetime. Satan will, at every opportunity, use the tongue to divide us and take our eyes off the prize, which is Jesus Christ, our Lord. When our speech is motivated by Satan it is full of, jealousy, selfishness, desires, disorder, and evil. When our speech is motivated by God and his wisdom it is full of, mercy, love, peace, courtesy, sincerity, gentleness, and goodness.

Let us be challenged today to take stock of our words. Do they build up or do they tear down? Make a conscious choice to be a builder, not a destroyer. Speak great things over yourself and others. God will enrich your life.

WHO DO YOU TRUST?

John 14:1 “"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

Martin Luther once said, “Faith is a living well-founded confidence in the grace of God, so perfectly certain that it would die a thousand times rather than surrender its conviction. Such confidence and personal knowledge of divine grace makes its possessor joyful, bold, and full of warm affection toward God and all created things -- all of which the Holy Spirit works in faith. Hence, such a man becomes without constraint willing and eager to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer all manner of ills, in order to please and glorify God, who has shown toward him such grace.”

We have trusted many people and many things. We often trust our families and we have trusted our friends. We have trusted our financial institutions. We trusted our national security services. We trusted our military services. What do all of these things have in common? Sometimes they fail our trust.

God wants us to trust him. Moses trusted God to deliver the Israelites at the Red Sea. Joseph trusted God while he languished in the Pharaoh’s prison. David trusted God for a victory when he was facing down Goliath. Jonah trusted God to answer his prayer in the belly of the whale. Peter and John trusted God as they stood before the Sanhedrin and gave their defense of the Christian faith.

Trust is defined as “basic dependence on someone or something; belief that something will happen or someone will act is a prescribed way.” Godly trust is found in our unwavering belief that the God of Heaven will indeed work on our behalf to bring his perfect will for our lives into being.

Sometimes, it seems that God is asking me the question , “Do you trust me?” Far too often in life we become completely focused on the trials and difficulties and we lose our focus on Christ. When Peter walked on the water with Jesus he was doing well until he took his eyes off of Jesus and looked at the waves. The same is true of us today. God can get us through the most impossible situations but we must keep our focus and trust on him. How can we ever expect to find help and healing when we are still focused on our difficulties and not our deliverance?

In our scripture, Jesus was calling the disciples to trust God through any and every circumstance of life. He was about to be crucified and they would be scattered. Jesus was telling them to trust even when they did not understand because God was still at work

If you were asked, most of you would very quickly say that you trust God but there are times when trust is not so simple. Trusting God means we believe in that which we cannot see and sometimes may not understand. Trusting God is literally against our human nature. Trusting God means that we have to admit that we are not in control of our lives.

We need to place our trust in something or someone and we do it every day. We trust our cars to get us to our destination. We trust our employers to deliver paychecks. We trust our doctors to heal our illnesses. How much more should we trust God?

Disasters strike and tragedies happen in our lives. Life can indeed be hard. Life can be uncertain. Life is beyond our control. In times like this, we are left with raw emotions and tough questions. Answers are beyond us as we grapple with the question of why.

Nothing that we go through in life is beyond God. The truth is that we can and must rely on God in every situation in life. In times that just don’t make any sense in human terms, we need to trust in God. The more senseless life becomes, the greater our need to trust in God. God wants you to trust even when you don’t understand. When life just doesn’t make sense. God wants us to follow him when the future seems uncertain. It is only when we completely trust God that he will give us the power of his direction and the power of his presence. When we feel weak, God is our strength. When we are pressured by life, God is our relief. When we need security, God is our refuge. The full resources of God are at our disposal when we place our trust in Him.

DRY SPELLS

I Kings 17: 2-4 “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there."

If you’ve ever experienced lasting defeat; If you’ve ever had all that you’ve come to depend on taken away for a season; If you’ve ever had to endure a seemingly endless famine in your life—God has hope for you. If you are going through a significant period of drought in your spiritual life, when the Lord seems far from you, and his presence seems to be strangely absent. You’ve worshipped on the mountaintop before, but now you’ve been in the desert for weeks or months. If it’s easier to squeeze water out of a rock, than to find the words to pray—God has a refreshing coming your way.

Spiritual deserts are absolutely the most mysterious and difficult times of the Christian life, but they are essential for growth in the faith. In 1 Kings 17, all of Israel is in a spiritual drought. There has been 19 evil Kings reigning over God’s people in a row. And now the worst of them all, King Ahab has taken a strangle hold on God’s people. They had become an idol-serving and pagan worshipping disgrace. Even the priests have become corrupt—or they have flat out ran for their lives. And so to counteract the spiritual drought, God’s prophet Elijah calls for a physical drought. And even the famed prophet himself will have to be subject to it. Not even dew formed in the morning.

Droughts and famines happen in every area of life. In baseball, it’s called a “slump.” And even the hall-of-famers have them. One time Mickey Mantle the all-time great went through a terrible slump that just seemed to drag on for game after game. One particular evening in the 1950’s he struck out in all three at bats. Disgraced, he sat down in the dugout, tossed his helmet to the dirt and put his head in his hands. Finally a young boy walked over to him. It was Tommy Bera, the son of the great manager Yogi Bera. Tommy tapped him on the knee, looked tenderly into his eyes and said—“You stink!”

Droughts happen in every area of life, but the spiritual droughts are the worst. When the brook runs dry in your soul, the easiest thing to do is to wrap yourself in the cocoon of despair and quit. But despairing and quitting are not godly options. There are keys to survival, when your life source has seemingly evaporated.

So the prophet Elijah was in the middle of this drought and things were tough. God instructed Elijah to go by the “wadi” at Cherith. A “wadi” is a small body of water that does not appear, except during the rainy season. You know what that means? It means that God sustained Elijah by a brook of water that should never have existed at all. Could it be that the dry spell that you are in right now has a solution that you didn’t even know was possible? You say you haven’t “felt” God’s presence much lately: Maybe God is even now giving you strength through a deep-running spring that you didn’t even know existed. The drought wasn’t Elijah’s fault. But Elijah is called to be obedient in the midst of it. You too may be called to obey during a drought that you have absolutely no power to control. But I want you to understand this: God never calls us to endure a situation that he himself is not prepared to sustain us through.

Have faith in the dry times of life. God will be sure to refresh us by his supernatural supply at the right moment. We must be sure to continually look to him when we can’t see him, worship him when we can’t feel him, and listen for him when we can’t hear him. He is there in the drought. And a rain is coming.

DON'T JUST STAND THERE

Luke 10:36-37 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise”

At approximately 3:20 on the morning of March 13, 1964, twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese was returning to her home in a nice middle-class area of Queens, NY. She parked her car in a nearby parking lot, turned-off the lights and started the walk to her second floor apartment some 35 yards away. She got as far as a streetlight when a man grabbed her. She screamed. Lights went on in the 10-floor apartment building nearby. She yelled, "Oh, my God, he stabbed me! Please help me!" Windows opened in the apartment building and a man’s voice shouted, "Let that girl alone." The attacker looked up, shrugged and walked-off down the street. Ms Genovese struggled to get to her feet. Lights went back off in the apartments. The attacker came back and stabbed her again. She again cried out, "I’m dying! I’m dying!" And again the lights came on and windows opened in many of the nearby apartments. The assailant again left and got into his car and drove away. Ms Genovese staggered to her feet as a city bus drove by. It was now 3:35 a.m. The attacker returned once again. He found her in a doorway at the foot of the stairs and he stabbed her a third time -- this time with a fatal consequence. It was 3:50 when the police received the first call. They responded quickly and within two minutes were at the scene. Ms Genovese was already dead.

Kitty Genovese was a name that would become symbolic in the public mind for a dark side of the national character. It would stand for Americans who were too indifferent or too frightened or too alienated or too self-absorbed to “get involved’’ in helping a fellow human being in dire trouble. Detectives investigating the murder discovered that no fewer than 38 of her neighbors had witnessed at least one of her killer’s three attacks but had neither come to her aid nor called the police. The one call made to the police came after Genovese was already dead. That incident may be the defining moment of urban apathy in the latter half of the twentieth century. When it happened, many thought the incident shocking, bizarre – but not typical of the way people respond. The question was asked, “What was wrong with those people, anyway?”

The question asked of Jesus by this lawyer in Luke chapter ten is: “What do I have to do to have eternal life?” Basically, he is asking, “What must I do to be saved?” When he asked Jesus the question about eternal life, he was asking what Jesus saw as the essential requirements of the Law. Much like the rich young ruler of Matthew he seems to be saying, “What good thing must I do in order to have eternal life?” I can just see Jesus smiling as he throws the question back in the lawyer’s lap. He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" Jesus restraints from giving the man an answer and rather says to him, “You know the law, what does it say?” "… You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and "your neighbor as yourself."’ And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." Jesus asks the question; the man gives the answer and then Jesus responds by saying, “Good answer, now do it.”

The story of the Good Samaritan is an account of unbiased and Christ-like love that generates compassion that, in turn, generates action. How do we fulfill this requirement to love our neighbor? We don’t just stand there when they have a need. We allow that love to rise up within us. We allow it to move us to act on their behalf, not based upon their worth or even their relationship to us, but simply because we have the love of God within us.

As believers we ought to remember that compassion feels. When that Samaritan looked at that suffering man lying half-dead by the side of the road, something happened in his gut; something that made it impossible for him to walk away. He didn’t decide to help this guy on the basis of how worthy he was. He helped him because of how needy he was.

We must also know that compassion acts. The Samaritan man doesn’t pass by on the other side. He moved toward the injured man. You must move toward people to express compassion, in order to build relationships. It is not something that just mystically happens, it takes concentrated effort. It often is not convenient. But I don’t want you to forget that the Samaritan is moving toward someone who if he was conscious would despise him; someone who no doubt would not do the same for him if the situations were reversed.

Be challenged today to go the extra mile for someone in need. Let the love of God stir your heart and press you into action. It is the call of God to each one of us. He will surely honor our faithfulness in love. He has already loved us.

JUST BECAUSE

Psalms 116:5 “The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.”

Love is a wonderful thing. It amplifies the virtues and discounts the faults. For instance, through my eyes, my wife’s natural beauty is enhanced because of my love for her. So it is with her intelligence, wit, talents and numerous other virtues and graces. And while I am sure that she has faults (after all she is human like all of us), I am hard-pressed to notice them. That is the magic of love.

Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud. Love is not rude, not selfish, not easily angered. Love keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

This could not be seen more clearly than in the love of a mother for her child. A little girl was asked, "Who does your mommy love most?" The little girl replied without thinking, "She loves Johnny most because he’s the oldest...and she loves Billy most because he’s the youngest...and she loves me most because I’m the only girl."

Another effect of heartfelt love is that it prompts us to praise the object of our affections. I am never at a loss to talk about my wife or my children. The question we must ask ourselves is, "Does our love for Jesus Christ manifest itself in these manners?" Does our love find its voice in songs of praise and worship? Do we love the Lord? Why?

Let me give you three good reasons….

First, he loved me before I knew him. It is easy to love someone when you know that they love you. The Lord loved me before I knew that I needed his love. "But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Before I was ever born God knew that I would be a sinner...and he knew that if he didn’t love, if he didn’t care for me, if he didn’t do something to help me...I would die and be lost. God loved me too much to let that happen. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Now, God wouldn’t force me to love him; but, in return for the love he offered me, if I would let him love me and if I would accept his love, he offered to adopt me as his own child. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God."

Second, he hears me when I call on him. They say that it is easier to bear your troubles if you can share them with someone else. Have you ever felt like you just needed to talk to someone? But most of the time you can’t find someone who is really interested in your problems and certainly no one who can take your problem for you. But God not only listens when I tell him my problems, but he actually does something about them.

Third, he is my strength. I can not be strong all the time. I cannot be totally self-sufficient. I am a man of many weaknesses and sins. If it were not for God I would soon be loaded down with the cares of this world. But when I am weak, God gives me his grace and it is completely sufficient for all these things.

If you ever get to the point that it seems as if your passion is waning and your love for God is not as strong as it ought to be – think about these things. They are true for me and they are true for you. Let your knowledge of this truth stir your heart towards him. You won't look at God the same way and your love will be renewed....just because.

TRUTH TELLERS

Leviticus 19:11 “'Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another”

How many of you have ever received a gift you didn’t like? Maybe it was a really hideous tie. Maybe it was a fruitcake. I’ve heard of families where the same fruitcakes were passed along from member to member for years.

Nobody could bring themselves to eat it. Well, in the interest of helping you handle these situations without having to hurt someone’s feelings, I offer the top 7 things to say about a gift you don’t like:

7. Hey! There’s a gift!
6. This is perfect for wearing around the basement.
5. If the dog buries it, I’ll be furious!
4. I love it - but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
3. Sadly, tomorrow I enter the Federal Witness Protection Program.
2. To think - I got this gift the same year I vowed to give all my gifts to charity.
And the Number One Thing to say about a gift you don’t like:
1. "I really don’t deserve this."

We’re all faced with such situations. Maybe you agree with the little boy who was asked what a lie was and replied, "A lie is an abomination to the Lord, but a very present help in time of trouble!"

But the truth is that there is a cost to lying. Those who lie, sometimes even once in a given situation, find it hard to win their way back to being trusted again. I find it very interesting that in our culture of lying, it’s still one of the worse things you can say of someone...He or she is a liar.

Almost everybody does it, but no one wants to be labeled a liar. A look at secular bookshelves tells you that. On the left these books include Al Franken’s Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. On the right of the political spectrum, you have Ann Coulter’s Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right.

If there’s anything in scripture that’s absolutely clear, even if only by the sheer force of the number of times it’s prohibited, or spoken about negatively, it would be lying. As people who follow the One who said, I am the Truth, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the hallmark of our character, a mark of our integrity, should be that we are truth-tellers. It’s interesting that, the admonition to tell the truth, and the corresponding injunction against lying, is something that is spoken of clearly in almost every major world religion.

It’s a standard on which most of the world seems to agree, even if that agreement doesn’t seem to affect behavior as it should.

Taoism says: Do not assert with your mouth what your heart denies. Buddhism says: “Lying is the origin of all evils; it leads to rebirth in the miserable planes of existence, to breach of the pure precepts, and to corruption of the body.” Hinduism says: All things are determined by speech; speech is their root, and from speech they proceed. Therefore he who is dishonest with respect to speech is dishonest in everything. Islam says “There are three characteristics of a hypocrite: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he acts treacherously; and when he is trusted, he betrays. Confucius says, "I do not see what use a man can be put to, whose word cannot be trusted.”

I believe the world agrees that lying is not a good thing for very practical reasons. Have you ever thought about what the world would be like if there wasn’t at least a general agreement that we should relate to one another on some level of truthfulness?

Lying is not something we should avoid just because it causes trouble for us, and for the people around us. Another reason that we are not to lie, is because it’s part of that old man, that old part of our old selves that has been nailed to the cross, has been tried and convicted, and put to death. Our lies are sins that Jesus died to pay the price for. Lying is part of our old life, and we shouldn’t have any use for it anymore.

Let’s tell the truth....

In all of our interactions with one another, and with the world we’re trying to reach for Christ, let’s reflect the character of the One who is the embodiment of truth. Let’s be truth tellers. Let’s take lying seriously, so seriously that we cannot do it... we must not live in it.

BREAK THE BOX

Mark 14:3 “While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.”

I love this story. I sort of imagine a room full of Christians who have eaten of the feast, have been fed real well, and now they have laid back. This woman comes along and upsets the comfort zone. This is a person who has come with a purpose. She is out of tradition. She is murmured against. She is not welcomed by everyone in the room. Those who have been comfortably sitting have become indignant toward her, but she kept coming. She has come with something to offer. She has brought something precious to offer up, and she is not deterred by what others think of her.

She is a picture of the true church, and how praise and worship should be offered. She brought the precious ointment in an alabaster box. This was expensive perfume. It was costly, but she was willing to give it. It will cost you something to really worship God. The Bible says she broke the box. There was no holding any back, and no control over how it came out. What a great lesson. It may seem easy for us to come in and open the box and let a little out, but then quickly close it up again. Often this depends on what kind of day we have had. She broke the box. She let it flow freely. John said that sweet aroma filled the house.

She came because of Jesus. She didn’t wait until all the imperfections in her own life were worked out. She came to Jesus just as she was and knelt at his feet. She broke the box and began to pour it all out. What a picture of repentance and breakthrough. While others murmured and talked about her Jesus said, "Her sins and they are many are forgiven."

This story should challenge us to lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. We should feel compelled to hold nothing back in our worship and in our lives. Don’t let your circumstances determine your worship. You may be having a rough day, week, or even month. But by fully worshipping him, we enter into the presence of the one which makes all of life’s circumstances (whether great or difficult) pale in comparison to his glory.

How do we get there? Don’t measure out your praise. Don’t regulate your gifts. Give it all to him. Sure, it requires the surrender of something. Maybe we will let go of pride. Maybe it will require the relinquishing of comfort. It will, however, elevate each of us into new found levels of peace and contentment.

Be encouraged today, to “break the box” of your preconceived notions about worship. Break the box of pride and indifference. Break it to the point that it cannot be repaired so you can never go back. Live a new life of freedom that is birthed through a renewed connection with God the Father. It will change your life and it might just change the lives of those around you.

ANCHORED BY COURAGE

Acts 27:22 “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed”

-A man drives to work at 6:30 a.m. as he has for 8 years. He punches in his time-card and is soon confronted by his supervisor. John is berated and humiliated as he has been repeatedly over the years over minor things. This time he quits---STORMS

-A strong thunderstorm sweeps through the area and destroys a farmer’s crops and barns. He is already deep in debt---STORMS

-A widow faces an empty house and bed for the first time in 40 years---STORMS

-Parents sit on the couch. It is 3:00 a.m. Their sixteen year old son has not come home. They fear he has been drinking. As they wait, Dad has another beer----STORMS

We all face storms. Some are physical-- like, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes. Some are personal--- like, death, job problems, soured friendships. Storms are a part of life. The right question is not whether they will come, or when, but how we will respond to them. Paul faced a life-threatening storm. He was on his way to Rome to see Caesar, to stand trial. For 14 days the ship was in a raging sea. But Paul never panicked. As the crew panicked, Paul stood and allowed courage to anchor him.

When you think of courage, what comes to your mind? Is it not having any fear, not being afraid of anything? There was a five year old boy who was helping his mother cook supper one night. She asked him to go into the pantry and get a can of tomato soup for her, but he saw how dark it was and didn’t want to go in there alone. When he shared this with his mom, she said, “Don’t worry, Jesus will go with you.” This helped a little bit until he opened the door to the pantry and again saw how dark it was. He started to pull the door shut when he got an idea. He stuck his head back in the pantry and said, “Jesus, if you’re in there can you hand me that can of tomato soup?”

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to go on in spite of it. You can be afraid and yet courageous at the same time. In fact, Eddie Rickenbacker said that “there can be no courage unless you’re scared.”

Think of our veterans of war. We probably picture them as fearless men. And while maybe some of them were, I have a feeling that the vast majority of them were scared out of their wits. But in spite of their fear, they were willing to face death for love of their country. They weren’t fearless, but they were courageous.

In order for us to make it through life’s storms triumphantly we must have courage to continue on through those storms. If we lack courage, the slightest bump in the road may turn us from our course. If we lack courage, we will struggle to reach our goals. Our courage is not in what we can survive or what we are willing to face. Our courage is drawn from our knowledge of God’s love and promises towards us.

If you are facing a great storm today, take courage in him. Let that courage anchor you and your faith. The storm will pass and you will stand tall.

TIME TO CLEAN UP

Psalms 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Do you remember Edgar Allen Poe’s story, “The Telltale Heart”? In that story, the main character has committed murder and he buries the body of the victim in his basement. But the murderer is unable to escape the haunting guilt of his deed. He begins to hear the heartbeat of his dead victim. A cold sweat pours over him as that heartbeat goes on and on, relentlessly, getting louder and louder. Eventually, it becomes clear that the pounding which drove the man mad was not in the grave below but in his own chest.

You get the feeling that that’s how David felt when he committed the sins of adultery and murder. The guilt he felt became almost unbearable. So God sent a prophet to David. God loved this king, loved him too much to let him go on covering up and thus damaging himself and his entire kingdom by this hidden sin. When David was confronted, he acknowledged the terrible sin he had committed. He fell on his face before God and out of that experience of confession came this verse.

Much like David, our lives are in need of a cleansing from time to time. I heard about two bachelors who were talking one day, and their conversation drifted from politics to sports to cooking. One of them said, “I got a cookbook once, but I could never do anything with it.” The other one said, “Too much fancy work in it, huh?” You first one said, “Yeah, it sure was. Every one of the recipes began the same way - ‘Take a clean dish.’”

The problem with our relationship with God is much the same. God says, “Take a clean life”, and we go, “Wait a minute, that’s a problem. Because, as Paul said in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And because we have all sinned, we’re all in need of forgiveness. The concept of forgiveness, of being made right with God, is pictured in the Bible in many different ways, sometimes as a new birth, sometimes as the crossing out of a debt, sometimes as the breaking off of a heavy chain.

But the picture of forgiveness that David uses here is perhaps the most common picture throughout the word of God -- he describes it as a cleansing. “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” A few verses earlier, he wrote, “Wash me thoroughly from my sin, and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2). And then in verse 7, “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7).

You see, sin is dirty, it’s filthy, and it stains our lives. Isaiah put it this way: “But we are all like an unclean thing and all our righteousness is like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6). The NCV translates the first part of that verse: “All of us are dirty with sin.” Like the mechanic who’s been working under the car all day, or the gardener who’s been out digging in the dirt, we’re covered with filth.

And there is the need for us to be cleansed. So David says, “Purge me, purify me, wash me.” The words he uses imply a thorough scrubbing. And you can almost picture an old-time mother with her child at the sink scrubbing him until his skin literally shines and squeaks, getting behind the ears, getting rid of every bit of dirt. David says, “God, that’s what I want you to do to me. I’ve gotten myself dirty. I’ve been out messing with some things I shouldn’t have been messing with, and I’m covered with filth. I need for you to clean me up.”

The most beautiful part of this story is that God did that for David and he’s willing to do the same for any of us. God’s delights in having the opportunity to forgive. And when he forgives, he doesn’t continue to hold it over our heads. Whether we are filthy like the prodigal son in a pig pen or like King David who tried to hide a dirty secret, God is ready and willing to accept us and to clean us up. We should never delay in laying our dirt at the feet of the cross and turning towards him that cleanses all.

VISIONARY OR STATIONARY

Numbers 13:30 “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

John Maxwell says that, "Vision is...the ability to see...the faith to believe... and the courage to do."

What must we have the ability to see? See the possibilities. Here’s a story of am man who sold insurance, and he went after a particularly difficult customer, a man that no one had been able to sell. Eventually he sold him a fifty-thousand-dollar policy. Back in 1883 when this occurred, that was a very large policy. He took out his pen and handed it to the man to sign the contract. When the man tried to write, the pen wouldn’t write. He tried several times without success and finally handed the pen back with the contract and said, "I’d better think this over a little while longer." The man lost the sale. He went home disappointed and discouraged because he had lost the sale, and he determined right then and there that he would never lose another sale because of a fountain pen that didn’t work. So he sat down and invented his own fountain pen. His name was Louis Waterman, and the Waterman Fountain Pen became the premier writing instrument of America for the next fifty years.

A visionary has at his very heart the vision of God, and his word. He is first and foremost committed to the principles of God, and when one is committed to the principles of God he will always be in the advance mode. Caleb was a man who is said to have followed the Lord fully. He is referred to by the Lord as “my servant.” Joshua was like Caleb. It is said of him in Numbers 32:12 that he wholly followed the Lord.

What enabled Caleb to be a committed man to the Lord? How was he able to stand up and say let’s go up when all the others were saying we can’t do it? The secret lies within the fact that he had another spirit with him. That spirit was the Spirit of almighty God. The Spirit of God will give us courage to stand up, speak up, and get up. He will give us the power to speak out against unbelief, and the power to be positive instead of pessimistic. He will give us a Spirit of faith rather than fear.

Caleb had heard the promises of God. There was a piece of land awaiting him with his name on it in the promised land, and he was determined to lay claim to it. A visionary perceives the promises of God, and is driven by them. People with vision dream big and believe for great things because God is big and he is great.

People with vision stay the course. They don’t expend their energy fighting, worrying, or participating in anything else that isn’t a part of the vision. The people cried, “What about the giants Caleb? What about the enemies with the fortified cities?” Caleb replied, “The Lord will be with us, and will give it to us.” Caleb was committed to following the Lord, and leaving the conquering up to him.

It is important to ask these questions of ourselves – “What is my vision for life? Am I sticking with it or am I ready to abandon it? Do I see the possibilities in God?” Will you be visionary or stationary? God has a plan for you. Get the vision in your heart. Write it down and make it plain. Don’t stop short and never stop dreaming. If you see it and believe it, you will do it.

GENEROUS WISDOM

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him”

A few years back, State Farm Insurance rated the most dangerous intersections for accidents in the United States. The winner (or better, loser) was the corner of Belt Line Road and Midway Road in Addison, Texas. There were 263 reported crashes at that intersection in the Dallas suburb. That averages out to about five wrecks per week, not counting the unreported fender benders.

Sometimes as we go through life, we come to dangerous intersections. Sometimes we refer to them as “forks in the road.” They are those moments where a choice we make or don’t make sets us on a course that could influence the rest of our journey. Do we stop or go. Turn right or left. Go ahead or turn back. Perhaps you feel like you are at a dangerous intersection right now in your life.

The Bible speaks about a divine resource we can utilize when we come to those intersections. It is called wisdom. There are many times when we will approach one of those intersections and we will realize we have a shortage of wisdom. There are various definitions of wisdom. Webster defines it as “the ability to make right use of knowledge.” One prominent theological dictionary defines wisdom as “prudent, considered, experienced, and competent action to master the various problems of life…” So, we see that there is an aspect of knowledge in wisdom. But it goes beyond that. Wisdom involves the practical use of that knowledge to deal with life’s issues. One of my favorite definitions of wisdom is this: Wisdom is the convergence of knowledge and skill which enables a person to make right choices that honor God.

True wisdom, according to Scripture, begins with God. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” From a biblical perspective, if a person does not know God who created all things, revealed truth, and established absolute values, then one cannot be wise. How could a person make right choices without knowing God and His truth? So, wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. That is, the reverent relationship of knowing God.We gain a clear perspective on wisdom by looking at its opposite – foolishness (folly). In Proverbs 1:7, we learn that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs tells us that fools hate knowledge. The fool is the person whose choices contradict God’s truth. The fool ignores God’s value system. The fool makes poor choices.

When we face those challenging decisions, we should not become dismayed over a lack of wisdom. Let’s face it. We all have had moments when a lack of wisdom generated a questionable choice. It could be something as important as choosing a spouse or a career. It could be as simple as figuring out whether a wicker chair can hold a 250-lb man. But, no matter what it is needed for, wisdom is available to you and me. God makes it so easy. Rather than frantically trying to figure everything out on your own. Instead, we are taught that if you need wisdom then ask God for it. He will give it generously. We should not be ashamed to ask God for what we need.

Have you ever been in a situation where you dreaded asking someone for something because of all the grief you had to go through to get it? You just knew that they were going to say something like, “OK, I’ll give this to you but if you weren’t such a loser I wouldn’t have to.” God is not like that when we ask for wisdom. Remember God’s attitude toward gift giving. Jesus explained it in Matthew 7:9-11. He pointed out that a good parent never insults the child who comes asking for bread by giving him a stone. He doesn’t give him a snake if he asks for fish. So, if you, who are evil, can give good gifts to your kids when they ask, how much more will God give us good gifts when we ask Him.

Do you need some wisdom today? Ask. Ask. Ask. God will not make fun of you. He will not insult you. He is not looking around at the angels as he dispenses wisdom saying, “would you look at this guy?” He delights to give you wisdom. He wants you to come to Him and ask for it. Ask as many times as you need it (which for me is every day).

DON'T DESPAIR

Jeremiah 32:17 “Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”

Ever feel like giving up? Ever feel like quitting? Ever feel like your situation is so hopeless that the only thing you can possibly do is leave? Just walk away, head out the door and never come back?

In extreme circumstances, people can feel so much emotional pain that they take their own lives. It’s a result of the loss of hope. It’s the sense that there’s no escape, no way to resolve their problems. It’s the conviction that things are never going to get better. They look and look for a ray of hope and only see darkness.

The common denominator in so many desperate situations is a feeling that the situation is hopeless, that things aren’t going to get better. And when that happens, the temptation is to give up. Sometimes giving up takes the dramatic form of a suicide, a divorce, a worker who takes a gun to work with deadly results. But more often it takes the form of what Thoreau called, "quiet desperation." People going through the motions of a marriage or job; people maintaining the pretense of a relationship with their children or their parents, but who have in reality given up. Detached emotionally. Stopped working; stopped fighting; stopped caring.

All of us have faced this temptation, when it seems pointless to keep trying. You may be facing it now. You may be hiding it well; so that no one would ever suspect the struggle that’s taking place in your heart. But there’s an area of your life where you’re considering just giving up and walking away. The question for us as Christians is, how do we keep holding on when we feel like giving up? How do we find the strength to persevere, to go on? Where does the power come from to keep on keeping on?

We must trust in God. God is sovereign. He is in control. No matter how hopeless, painful, unpleasant, or discouraging your circumstances are, He has a purpose for them. He has a purpose for you in the midst of them. And that purpose does not involve giving up. It does not involve despair. It does not involve abandoning your faith. It does not involve panicking. The struggle you are going through has meaning and purpose, because God is sovereign and He does everything for a reason. He doesn’t make mistakes. He isn’t surprised by what has happened to you.

Let me put this another way. You are where you are right now because that’s where God wants you right now. Your circumstances are part of His plan for your life. This is not an accident. It’s not an unhappy coincidence. It’s not bad luck. It’s not bad karma. It’s not just the result of your decisions or your husband’s decisions or your parents’ decisions or your bosses’ decisions or any other human being’s decisions. It’s the result of a loving and wise God working in your life to accomplish His good purposes, even when those purposes don’t seem loving or good to us. So, don’t despair.

Despair is for people who live in a random, capricious universe where bad things just happen for no reason. Despair is for people who live at the mercy of cosmic forces that are at best indifferent to them and at worst malevolent. Despair is for people who live in a universe in which there is no God, or in which God is only a spectator. Despair is for people who live in a world that doesn’t make sense, where no one and nothing is in control. Despair is not for Christians, who live under the constant care of a loving Father.

Let today be a day in which we all place all of our hope and trust in God. What is the result of placing our trust in God? Hope, joy, and peace.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 (NIV)

IN CONTROL

1 Corinthians 9:25 “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

Any of you remember what it was like to get your driver’s license? The lessons, the practice, the look of terror on the face of the driving instructor, the look of regret on the face of your parents when you proudly waved that newly-obtained license under their noses? But, finally you had gained control over this 2000-pound monster called an automobile. It took a while, but you got it all figured out -- which pedal to push, and when, which direction to turn the wheel, and how far; how to get that beast to back up in a straight line, maybe even to parallel park.

You are in control. That automobile does what you want and when you want it to do it.... well, at least most of the time. Isn’t it great? You’re in control. It feels great to be in control of something that powerful. Solomon said in the book of Proverbs, “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32).

Solomon says, “It’s great to have power. It’s great to have control. But if you can’t control yourself, it’s not worth much.” That’s so true. Conquering a city is nothing compared to conquering the habits that enslave you. Controlling an automobile is nothing compared to controlling your temper or your tongue.

The Bible uses the words "self-control" and "temperance" to describe self-discipline. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Self-control is extremely important. And the reason self-discipline is so important for us to develop is that we don’t have anybody telling us what we have to do to live the Christian life. By that I mean I don’t have anybody telling me how many hours a week I have to read my Bible.... or anybody making me attend all the worship services.... or anybody telling me how many hours a week I ought to pray.... or anybody making me invite so many neighbors to worship.... or anybody telling me how much I have to give to the Lord.... or anybody telling me I can’t watch a certain TV show or movie.... or anybody making me show compassion on others. . There’s only one thing that will keep me doing all these things, and that one thing is my own self-discipline. It takes a lot more character to have the self-discipline to do something on your own than it does to be told what to do, when to do it and how to do it. We need self-discipline in every aspect of our Christian lives.

If we’re ever going to mature as Christians, we’ve got to learn the power of self-discipline. We could talk all day long about attending worship services, studying our Bible, prayer, teaching the lost, seeing to the needs of one another, getting involved in the work of the church, and countless other things that we need to be doing as Christians. But it wouldn’t do a bit of good until we develop the self-discipline needed to do those things.

To develop the self-discipline we need is going to take a great desire on our part to want to change what needs to be changed, a will-power to see it through, and the power that God offers us through Jesus Christ. Recently I watched on as my wife and some dear friends ran in their first 5K race. It took weeks of training and self discipline in order for them to be physically prepared. They spent many cool mornings training for the big day. You would have to ask them to be sure, but I am quite certain that they would tell you it was worth it. My wife was so proud and so excited to have achieved her goal. It was a great moment.

Today is a great day to recommit to self-discipline. It is a great day to determine to live that life that we all know we can live. If we are true to our commitment, great joy and blessings lay ahead.

I SHALL NOT WANT

Psalms 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.”

Many people never seem satisfied, and almost everybody wants more. A little child wants more toys and more television time. A teenager wants more freedom and more popularity. Most of us adults want more possessions and more leisure time. Certainly as we age, we want more health, more friends, and more loyalty from our children.

Yet, listen to these words of the Apostle Paul, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" [Philippians 4:11-12].

Obviously, God wants us to be a happy, satisfied people. We shouldn’t be restless and jealous, always thinking about what we don’t have. There should be a spirit of thankfulness in us that brands us as belonging to Him. When you begin to read the 23rd Psalm you are immediately reminded of God’s love for us. Based upon that knowledge alone, we can be thankful because in this life the Good Shepherd gives us everything we need.

Frequently in the Bible, human beings are compared to sheep. Now that sounds nice, but surely you realize that is not necessarily a compliment, because sheep are among the dumbest and dirtiest animals in the world. So when Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray," he is not saying "That’s good." He’s saying, "That’s bad, because we’re just about on a level with sheep."

When Jesus looked out on the people with compassion, the Gospel writers say that He saw them "as sheep without a shepherd." That’s not a compliment, either, but a concern, because sheep are so helpless when they’re all alone. We ought to know that the sheep cannot make it without a shepherd. The only reason that David could say, "I shall not want," is because David could first say, "The Lord is my Shepherd." The Lord has provided us with plenty, too. There are few of us who ever go hungry. In fact, we’ve so much to eat that dieting is a constant discipline - or, maybe more accurately, a constant discussion.

So many get excited about “not wanting”. Some dream of never needing and always having in excess. But for each of us who believe, we know this concept to be so much different from the world’s idea of having things and being satisfied. Our acknowledgement of his position as shepherd of our lives should fill us past full and satisfy us beyond belief. Following God is the answer to peace and contentment today. I am reminded of some of the most moving words of an old hymn written in 1862. These are words of satisfaction and peace:

He leadeth me, O blessed thought
O words with heavenly comfort fraught
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Let us work to stay close to him that leads us. In this, we will never lack for what we need.

WHY AM I HERE?

Exodus 17:3 “But tormented by thirst, they continued to complain, Why did you bring us here?”

I heard a story about a 5-year-old boy who came to his mother and asked, "Where did I come from?" The mother took a deep breath because she had dreaded the moment when he would ask that question. But she was determined to answer it truthfully. So she started explaining in explicit detail the whole reproductive system, conception, birth, everything. About 20 minutes later, her bored little boy interrupted & said, "But mommy, where did I come from? Jimmy said he came from New York."

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I here? What is the purpose of this moment?" If you are anything like me, then you have spent many hours questioning the will and purpose of God. You see, I am the type of person that needs to have an answer. I need to understand the process behind the procedure, so to speak. I want nothing left to the imagination and less left to chance. I am a planner and I experience great anxiety when the plan goes awry. When things get out of whack (even a little bit) with the important things like finances, relationships, and ministry my anxiety surfaces in the form of intense moments of questioning God’s sovereignty (which is a huge waste of time, by the way). I will definitely ask, “Why am I here?”

The nation of Israel did a lot of this during their journey through the wilderness. They began this doubt even before they left Egypt when they complained to Moses that they were being forced to work harder because of Moses’ interference. They complained at the Red Sea. They murmured at Sinai. They griped about being hungry and they whined about being thirsty. Then they even grumbled about the way in which God was answering their needs. It seems obvious that they really didn’t get it. They struggled to truly get it in their hearts that God was in control and that he was directing them to their heritage and to the fulfillment of his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They truly did not understand why they were there.

It can be easy to fall into that flawed way of thinking. We can pray that God would direct us into his perfect will. We can pray for bigger and better things. We can plead for open doors. Then God begins to answer those prayers. He just does it in his own way. The moment that things don’t go the way that we had imagined in our minds, we begin to say, “Wait a minute. Where am I? What am I doing here?” We say this as if we have totally forgotten that we ask for it.

I have lived through the reality of this concept. When I was a younger pastor, I prayed that God would open new doors in my life. I wanted greater opportunity to touch lives. I also wanted God to refine me and teach me how to excel in his calling. These weren’t just words. I really meant it. The problem was that I had, on my own, concocted this idea of how that would happen. I had a process in my mind. And it started out okay. God spoke to my heart, profoundly. I packed up my family and moved far away from home. At first, it was great. I had never felt surer that I was following the will of God. But then, my preconceived process was trashed and, for a long while, nothing went according to plan. I am ashamed of the number of times that I said, “What am I doing here?” I complained and I whined about all the things that were going on around me. Why? Was it because God had somehow tricked me? Did I miss it? Was I out of God’s will? No – what I have now learned is that even through all the hardships, I was in God’s will. God was taking me on a path to answer all of those things I had asked for many years ago. It has not been easy. But today, I am overwhelmed with emotion every time I think of how God has given me exactly what I asked for. He has opened so many new doors. I have never had more opportunity to touch lives than I do today. God has refined so much of me that I often don’t even recognize myself. He has done so by walking me through difficult times that have burned away so many of the things that were holding me back. By doing so, he has taught me what it truly means to be the man God has called me to be.

You may be asking, “Why am I here?” Perhaps your best laid plans have fallen apart. Maybe life is nothing like the way you’ve dreamed it would be. Take heart today. Remember what you have asked God to do in your life and then remember that his ways are higher than ours. You may not know why you are here, but God does. Don’t give up. Keep looking to him. One day, you will look over the horizon and see his promises just ahead. That’s why you are where you are right now.

SOMETIMES "MAYBE" IS ENOUGH

1 Samuel 14:6 “Jonathan said, perhaps the Lord will help us…”

In looking at the story in 1 Samuel, Jonathan seemed to be in a situation of uncertainty. The future, the absolute direction he needed for the present time just was not clear. All he could say in v.6 was "It may be..." He couldn’t be sure one way or the other. He seemed to, and probably did, feel that it was the right thing to do, but there is uncertainty revealed in his words. There seemed to be some doubt.

Doubt is the opposite of faith. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul talks about the "armor of God." In that discussion, he speaks of "taking the shield of faith, with which we can quench the fiery darts of the enemy." If doubt is the opposite of faith, then it is faith that is needed to dispel the darts of doubt that the enemy tries to hit us with. There are times when we are just "hit" with doubt, and we need a shield of faith to quench Satan’s attempts to unravel our faith.

But I also believe that there are times when we have uncertainties and doubts in which the enemy is not majorly involved. There are times when we are just unsure and unclear on the right step to take, and the right move to make. Sometimes, all we have is a sense, a feeling, and something abstract. We have nothing concrete and sure. Most of the time, in every area of life, we like guarantees. We like the sure thing.

But the "sure thing" doesn’t require any faith. In Hebrews 11:6, faith is identified as a prerequisite for pleasing God. The truth is, most of us will face more "maybe’s" than we will certainties in our walk with God. There will be times when we have a sense of what’s right, what God’s will is, but we will still have doubts and uncertainties.

Ecclesiastes 11 talks about "not watching the wind and clouds." What does that mean? I believe it means: Don’t get caught up watching the natural circumstances. Don’t get distracted by waiting for natural things to align themselves. Listen: If all we do is wait on the right time, on the right conditions, on the right people, or the right atmosphere, then all we will ever do is sit around talking about "how bad we need things to line up" so we can get things done.

The metaphor used in Ecclesiastes 11, relates this truth to sowing and reaping. "He who regards the wind will never sow, and he that observes the clouds will never reap." Whether sowing or reaping, you can’t sit around waiting on "perfect" conditions before you take action. Don’t wait on the wind, and don’t focus on the clouds. And if we wait to do anything for God, until we are absolutely sure that it’s the right thing, then we will only sit around and miss miracles.

Sometimes you have to move out on a "maybe." It’s not about senseless actions, and trusting God to empower our every whim. But there are times when you have to step out by faith, and that means that you will not be sure. To wait until you’re sure is not moving by faith. All you may have is a "maybe". But the Lord calls out to us today, "If you will begin to move out on a maybe, I will transform your maybe into a miracle."

GIVE UP, GIVE IN, OR GIVE ALL

Ruth 1:16 “But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”

It is hard to see that God is working in our lives sometimes. In fact it seems sometimes as if God is not there at all. How could God allow bad things to happen to good people? How is it that evil people seem to prosper? The devil is a master at focusing us on the negative and causes us to even doubt that God cares; but I want to assure you that God provides and cares for us even when we don’t know it. See, often times God is growing us and teaching us through difficult circumstances. What difficult situation is God using in your life to grow you? Have you ever felt like God has abandoned you?

The book of Ruth takes place during the days of the judges. These were dark days for the Nation of Israel. Everyone did their own thing. Everyone decided what was right and what was wrong. The key women in this story (Orpah, Ruth, and Naomi) faced a serious problem. In this era of time, women without husbands, (especially young widows) did not have much hope. In those days, it was very important that women were married and had children. If they were widows or could not have children they were considered to be cursed by God. To make matters worse for Orpah and Ruth, tradition would have it that if your husband died you were to marry their nearest of kin. Usually the dead husband’s brother would take his brother’s wife to be his wife; but Naomi had no more sons.

At a time when it seemed that they were all cursed by God and He was no where around, each of these three women had to make a decision. There comes certain times in life when although we would like to procrastinate on making a decision, that we must make that decision now. Many times the results of our decisions follow us for the rest of our lives and we will find that the decisions made by these three women had huge affects upon their lives.

What is very interesting about these three different decisions made by Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth is that these same three decisions are the same options that we have to choose from when we are faced with a decision today. We can give up, give in, or give all. Naomi had resolved herself to return to Bethlehem and wait to die. If you read the entire story, you will see that Naomi adopted a very negative attitude. So much that her friends called her “Mara” which means bitter. She had given up. One the other hand, Orpah probably knew that staying with Naomi was the right thing to do. But she didn’t put up a fight. She gave in to Naomi’s insistence and chose a path of least resistance. She gave in. It is easy to give up, it is just as easy to give in, but it is difficult to give it your all. Ruth would not allow Naomi to change her mind because she knew that she was not to abandon her mother-in-law even if it meant that she ended up being single the rest of her life. As Ruth traveled with Naomi, she had no thoughts of finding a husband or how this could benefit her. She was simply concerned for Naomi. Talk about commitment. Not only was Ruth remaining committed and faithful to Naomi, but she was also remaining faithful to Jehovah God. Ruth was not trading gods or giving up on Jehovah just because life had seemed to deal her a bad hand. She gave all.

When difficult times come, we have the same three options. We can give up, give in, or give all. Be encouraged today, like Ruth, to give it all to God. He will bring you through any difficult situation. Be determined to see your destiny play out in the manner in which God has already written.

ROAD MAP TO REST

Matthew 11:28 “Then Jesus said, Come unto me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

A Tahoma, Washington newspaper carried the story of Tattoo the basset hound a while back. Tattoo didn’t intend to go for an evening run, but when his owner shut the dog’s leash in the car door and took off for a drive – with Tattoo still outside the vehicle, he had no choice. Motorcycle officer Terry Filbert noticed a passing vehicle with something dragging behind it. He commented that the poor basset hound was, “picking them up and putting them down as fast as he could.” He chased the car to a stop, and Tattoo was rescued. But not before the dog had reached a top speed of 25 miles per hour, falling down and rolling over several times.

Too many of us are living our lives like Tattoo, picking them up and putting them down as fast as we can – rolling around and feeling dragged through life. We live in a very tense, uptight and fast paced world filled with hurry.

Time magazine noted that back in the 1960’s, expert testimony was given to a Senate sub-committee on time management. They predicted that advances in technology would radically change how many hours a week people worked. They forecasted that the average American would be working 22 hours a week within 20 years. “The great challenge,” the experts said, “would be figuring out what to do with all the excess time.” Over 40 years later, after major advances in technology – how many of us are wondering what to do with all the excess time on our hands?

The truth is that we’re all experiencing the rat race. Just when you thought you were getting ahead, along come faster rats. But remember, he who wins the rat race is still a rat. We need to learn how to experience rest. If all we needed was physical rest we can always take a nap. If we needed only emotional rest, we can always take a vacation. But where can we find spiritual rest? How can we obtain relief regarding the deepest issues of life at the deepest level of our hearts?

The answer is found in our scripture. Note the instruction that Jesus offers. “Come unto me.” Christ promises to supply the spiritual rest and assurance that we so desperately need. We will surely be tempted to look for rest and satisfaction in many different things. Possessions, friends, toys, and more are often alluring when we begin feeling the “burn out” from day to day living. But when our burdens become heavy, we must make the conscious effort to settle in him. To come to him in humble submission. We should take a moment for just the two of us. By blocking out the noise and clamor of our troubles and trials, we can hear his voice and feel his mighty hand. He will surely build us up in our faith and strengthen our resolve so that we can be the person God has called us to be.

The next time you start to feel overwhelmed – STOP. Stop looking for rest in everything else. Come to the almighty God. He is all you really need.

HE SEES YOUR FAITH

Mark 2:5 “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, my child, your sins are forgiven.”

There’s a familiar old story that’s told about a tightrope walker who did incredible stunts. All over Paris, he would do tightrope acts at tremendously scary heights. Then, he would do it blindfolded, and then he would go across the tightrope, blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow. As the story goes, there was an American promoter who read about this in the newspapers and wrote a letter to the tightrope walker, saying, "Tightrope, I don’t believe you can do it, but I’m willing to make you an offer. For a very substantial sum of money, besides all your transportation fees, I would like to challenge you to do your act over Niagara Falls." Tightrope wrote back and said, "Sir, I’d love to come." Well, after a lot of promotion and setting the whole thing up, a crowd of people came to see the event. Tightrope was to start on the Canadian side and come over to the American side on this rope suspended over the falls. After a suspenseful drum roll, he came across blindfolded.

The crowds went wild, and he came to the promoter and says, "Well, Mr. Promoter, now do you believe I can do it?" He said, "Well of course I do. I mean, I just saw you do it." "No," said Tightrope, "do you really believe I can do it?" "Well of course I do, you just did it." "No, no, no," said Tightrope, "do you believe I can do it?" "Yes," said Mr. Promoter, "I believe you can do it." "Good," said Tightrope, "then get in the wheelbarrow."

You see, faith is never something just to be talked about. It is something that must be demonstrated in the way we live. Paul Harvey once said, “If you don’t live it, you don’t believe it.”

Mark chapter two offers a remarkable account of men with outstanding faith. These men brought a sick friend to Jesus in anticipation of a healing. But when they arrived, they found the place where Jesus was to be overcrowded without a way to enter. They were undeterred. They climbed the walls, tore a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down to where Jesus was. He was healed.

These men were audacious enough to believe him. They were boldly saying, "If you say so, we are going to trust that you care more about people than buildings, and we are going to tear a hole in your roof and put before you one of the very kinds of people you said you have come to help." They believed the things that he had said about himself and they acted on their belief. They were willing to go to lengths that other people would regard as questionable.

I think that illustrates a point about how we are to experience the Christian life. Let me ask you, “Is there anything bold about your faith?” There is a boldness that comes by believing deeply that God means what he says. You see, a hole in the roof was no problem for Jesus. People have always been, and always will be, more important than buildings to him. He saw a bold faith in the action taken by these four men. Let us strive to possess that type of faith; the type that will not be discouraged by the walls in our lives. Jesus sees you. He sees your faith. Keep climbing. A miracle waits.