Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 69

12 Scripture Promises for 12 Times of Trouble

When my kids were young, I learned the hard way to be very careful about making promises. Why? Because sometimes, no matter how much I may have wanted to keep the promise, the circumstances were beyond my control.

For instance, a promise of a trip to the park could be quickly shattered by a thunderstorm. A promise that daddy would be home soon could be easily derailed by a traffic jam. Broken promises like these didn’t do much for the mother-child relationship. And one of my children was particularly sensitive to any breech.

Unlike the promises of earthly parents, we can completely trust the promises of our heavenly Father. We can hold tight and hope fully because our God will always keep His promises (Hebrews 6:17-19).

God does not break promises. Period.

God, the Promise-Keeper

He keeps promises because He is good and faithful. He keeps promises because there are never circumstances beyond His control, never situations He did not foresee.

The absolute security of the promises of God is like an anchor for our souls in times of trouble (Hebrews 6:19). This anchor produces hope that holds us fast and sure as the waves of life toss us about. We may get a little seasick, but we won’t drift away in the current. We won’t sink in the waves.

Are you in the midst of a trial today? Are you struggling with the pain and difficulty of life? God does not promise us smooth sailing in life, but He does promise His presence. And His presence is more than enough.

Whatever you’re facing today, God knows and He is able. You can trust in His presence and hold fast to His promises. Find comfort and peace today in His Word.

12 Scripture promises for 12 kinds of trouble:

Trouble – Psalm 46:1-7
Need – Matthew 6:25-33
Loneliness – Romans 8:39
Illness – Psalm 139:13-16
Fear – Psalm 34:1-7
Broken Relationships – Heb 12:14
Uncertainty – Ephesians 3:16-21
Weariness – Matthew 11:28-30
Worry – 2 Peter 5:7-11
Temptation – 2 Peter 1:3-4
Grief – Revelation 21:1-4
Discontentment – Matthew 6:19-20

Which one of these passages spoke to you today? What promise of God do you need to hold tight to?

The post 12 Scripture Promises for 12 Times of Trouble appeared first on Kathy Howard.

4 Ways to Pass Down a Spiritual Legacy

A legacy is inevitable. You will pass things down to the next generation. Even if you don’t have much materially to leave behind, you will instill character traits, talents, hobbies, skills and more in your children and grandchildren. But how valuable will your legacy be? Will you leave anything that has relevance and benefit for this life and eternity?

The most valuable legacy we can pass to our children, grandchildren, and other children in our lives is a spiritual legacy – the legacy of faith in Christ. Although every individual must make his or her own decision for Christ, there are things we can do to create an atmosphere where faith can thrive. When we consistently show them the value and relevancy of faith in Christ, that’s a legacy not easily tossed aside.

God knew the necessity of one generation passing the torch of faith to the next. He even laid out a plan for us in His Word. When Israel was poised to enter the Promised Land, God – through Moses – told them how vital it would be to not only model faith to their children, but to also purposefully teach them God’s Word. (See Deuteronomy 6:1-9.) Knowing and obeying God would keep them right in the center of His will and blessing.

Do you want to foster knowledge and obedience of God in the lives of your own children? Here are four principles right from Deuteronomy to help us do just that!

4 Ways to Leave a Spiritual Legacy

Start with yourself - The best way to prove to your children the value and relevance of faith in Christ is to be a living demonstration of that truth. If we compartmentalize our faith or allow our priorities to get out of whack, they’ll “learn” that Christ really isn’t all that important. But if we make Christ central in our lives, if we diligently foster our relationship with Him and imbed God’s Word in our hearts, they’ll learn that life is all about Jesus. Don’t be afraid to live your faith in front of your kids – all the great, exciting, difficult, and messy parts. They’ll see your faith is real. Authentic. Relevant.
Give them God’s Word – In a recent survey conducted by Barna, 24% of Millennials (adults 18-29), said they were “skeptical” of the Bible. Almost a quarter of America’s young adults believe the Bible is just a book written by men full of stories and advice. We can stop this growing trend by teaching our children to know and love God’s Word. We must be purposeful. We cannot leave it solely to the church. Make a plan – have family devotions, read Bible stories at bedtime, play worship music that comes straight from Scripture, develop a family Scripture memory program. Instill God’s truth in their hearts any way you can! And “as you walk along the road,” shine God’s Word on all the daily circumstances of their lives.
Tell Your Family’s Stories – Share the stories that tell of God’s miraculous activity around you and of His faithfulness to you and your family. Weave them into the fabric of your family history. Don’t let yourself or your children forget!
Stand Firm in Shaky Times -Trials not only work our faith, they can also prove our faith works. If you make the truth of God’s Word the bedrock for your life, when difficulty comes you will stand firm. An unshakeable faith in shaky times is the most effective testimony you can give your children.

Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, friends, you will impact the next generation. What kind of legacy will you leave?

What are you doing right now with your family to instill faith in Christ in them?

Video Bonus! I shared this “Hope of Legacy” message with my own church family recently! I would be honored for you to watch.

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The Celebrity of Sin

We live in a sinful world. No doubt. In fact, evil abounds. If you need proof, watch the news for 2 minutes. The recent tragedy of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls being kidnapped by terrorists is just one story that proves the pervasive and destructive nature of sin.

But I’ve noticed an old twist taken to a new level recently. While some sins remain mostly condemned by mainstream society – murder, theft, kidnapping, racism, rape – other sins have not only been made acceptable, some are even expected. In fact, some are even celebrated.

The most recent example involves Emily Letts, a 25-year-old abortion counselor who filmed her own abortion to provide women with a “positive abortion story.” In an essay written for Cosmopolitan magazine, Letts calls the abortion experience “birth-like.” In the video she declares she feels “in awe of the fact that I can make a baby; I can make a life.”

Maybe this statement is key to understanding how we humans can so easily rationalize sin. Letts thinks she created life. She has put herself in God’s place. She has made herself her own god. I actually feel sorry for Letts. She has bought into a delusion.

This problem certainly isn’t new. Paul wrote about this very thing in the first chapter of Romans. Although God’s existence, character, and ways are clearly revealed to us in creation and the Bible, we have exchanged His truth for “truth” of our own making. We worship created things instead of the Creator (Romans 1:20-25).

If we don’t want to change our sinful behavior, then let’s just glamorize it. Hold it up in our culture as something to emulate, a goal to attain. After all, the cool kids are doing it.

Emily Letts pinged our culture’s cool meter. So did Gwyneth Paltrow and her “conscious uncoupling” from hubby Chris Martin. On her lifestyle website, where Paltrow announced the “uncoupling,”  not long ago, she said they would “always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been.” Really? So divorce is the secret to a healthy, happy marriage? Cool indeed.

I am not saying our lives should be perfect. That’s not possible this side of eternity. We will struggle with sin. Christians will fall to temptation. Sin will even mess up our lives when we’re trying to do everything we can to follow God.

I get that.

But what I don’t get is a world where sin is celebrated. Where there’s no longer any sorrow or conviction or grief or repentance when we fall short of the glory of God (James 4:4-10). Instead sin is a celebrity and God’s been removed from the stage.

The post The Celebrity of Sin appeared first on Kathy Howard.

Dear God, #BringBackOurGirls

On April 14, the terrorist group Boko Haram entered a Nigerian boarding school during the night, snatched more than 200 girls out of their beds, herded them into trucks and vans, then drove off into the night. A few escaped through the forest, but the rest have not been seen or heard from since. (Read more about the story.)

This has been on my heart and mind since I first heard about it. Every time it comes to mind I pray.

I saw one of the mothers on a news report. Through her tears she demanded action from her government to do something. To act. To bring home her daughter.

Since I’ve never lost a child to violence, I can only guess at what she must be going through. In my imagination it’s not pretty.

We don’t have much in common, that Nigerian mother and me. Nothing except a mother’s heart. I know that she would do anything to save her girl. She would even trade places with her if that were possible. If that would make her safe.

I don’t know if that mother knows Jesus or if before April 14 she even believed in God. But my guess is that now she is a pray-er. That for the last three weeks she’s been lifting her heart and her voice to the One that must BE. Yes, with the rest of the world, this mother is praying: “Dear God, bring back our girls.”

This violent act of inhumanity has caught the attention of the world. Twitter has blown up with the cry of #BringBackOurGirls. Leading nations from around the world are responding with assistance. You can send prayers and words of encouragement through the Christian ministry Open Doors.

But, where is God in all of this? Does He see? Does He know? Does He care? And if He does, why doesn’t He act?

I don’t have an easy answer for these questions. God has chosen to give mankind free will and we have abused it, chosen our own sinful way. But, we can cling to truths about God found in His Word and trust them to be true. Even when we do not understand. Even when we do not see what He’s doing.

God is all-powerful and in control of every situation. Psalm 77:14, Jeremiah, 32:17, Ephesians 1:18-21
God knows and cares about every aspect of our lives. Matthew 6:25-34, Hebrews 4:14; Philippians 4:19
God is always at work in His world. John 5:17
God is good, loving, and faithful. Psalm 145:17, 1 John 4:8, Lamentations 3:22-23
We are not alone in trouble; God is always with us. Isaiah 43:2, Psalm 23:4, John 14:16, Matthew 28:20
God will strengthen and comfort us in the midst of troubles. Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 40:27-31, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
God works through difficulties in our lives to accomplish His eternal purposes. James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 1:6-7; Romans 8:28-29.

When we see evil in the world, when we experience trouble and difficulty in our own lives, when we doubt that God sees or cares, we can stand on these truths and trust in His love and sovereignty. Even when things don’t turn out like we’d hoped.

Let’s continue to pray for the Nigerian schoolgirls. I’d love for you to share your prayers in the comment section. Dear God, bring back these girls.

 

 

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Are You Raising Skeptics or Lovers?

I came across some sad statistics this week. For the last four years, The Barna Group has conducted a survey on behalf of the American Bible Society to find out how Americans feel about the Bible.

One particular statistic really jumped out at me: 19% of Americans are “skeptical” of the Bible. This is up from 10% just three years ago.

“Skeptics,” as defined by Barna, believe the Bible is “just another book of teachings written by men, that it contains stories and advice.”

Think of the implications. If a fifth – up from a tenth just 3 years ago – of Americans reject the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, what does that mean for our society, future generations of Americans, and the American church?

More results from the survey help us sum it up: A growing number of Americans – particularly the younger generation – don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word, don’t read it, and don’t look to it for answers for life.

How did we get here and what can we do about it?

A host of factors probably contributed to Americans’ changing view of the Bible such as changing values and shifting worldviews. But a verse from Scripture popped into my mind as I thought about this.

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. Judges 2:10-11

There’s only one reason the new generation did not know about God and everything He had done for Israel. Their parents and grandparents did not tell them!

A new generation of Americans is growing up not knowing the truth of the Bible or its Author because their parents and grandparents have failed to give testimony to its power.

The greatest thing we can do to stop this growing tide of skepticism is to follow Moses’ instruction to the Israelites – that generation before the Judges. The one who failed to heed Moses’ wise advice.

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

The principles found in these verses still apply today. If we treat the Word of God like Moses commanded the Israelites, then more of the next generation would know the LORD and believe His Word to be truth. Let’s consider what this looks like today:

Embed God’s Word in our hearts – We cannot give something that we don’t have. We must first read, know, and love God’s Word ourselves.
Impress them on our children – We must be purposeful in teaching them God’s Word. It won’t happen by osmosis and we can’t leave it solely to the church. Practice family devotions, bedtime Bible reading and prayer, Scripture memory!
Talk about God’s Word throughout our daily circumstances – Always be looking for opportunities to help your children view the happenings of life through the lens of the Bible. From problems with friends and loss of loved ones to entertainment and issues at school, help your kids prop them all up against God’s truth.
Make God’s Word the foundation of our lives – Tying God’s Word onto our bodies and writing in on our homes symbolizes a far greater need. God’s Word must permeate our thinking, guide the work of our hands, and be our guide for all of life. As we model this for our children, we must teach them to do the same.

Thankfully, the way society feels about the Bible or God does not change the truth. The Bible is God’s inspired Word, alive and active today, applicable to our lives, and the guide for all future hope.

Skepticism of the Bible does not have to continue to rise. As parents and grandparents, we can make a difference. We have truth on our side!

What will you do today to help your children embrace God’s Word?

 

 

 

 

One Click can Make a Difference for At-Risk Girls

When I grow up, I want to be like my friend Kimberly.

Envision a storyteller, evangelist, Bible teacher, momma bear, and dare devil all mixed together and wrapped up in a beautiful, gentile, southern package. That’s Kimberly Sowell.

Kimberly just doesn’t give, tell, and teach the Gospel, she also lives it. And she never misses an opportunity to share Jesus.

I’ve listened with awe as she seamlessly brought Jesus into a conversation with a shuttle driver on our way to the airport in Birmingham. I’ve watched her lead a Muslim man to Christ outside a prison in Bangladesh. And I’ve given prayer support as she boldly shared the truth about judgment and salvation with a Hindu man on his death bed.

Kimberly has an overwhelming passion for missions. She has been going herself and mobilizing teams for years. But not long ago, Kimberly asked God to use her in a new way.

I want you to hear the rest from Kimberly herself. Please hear her heart and respond as God leads:

A Prayer for a Gift

In 2013, I asked God for a gift. I asked Him to give me a burden for one people group, for one place where I could really dig in deeply to be an advocate for missions to this people. God answered that prayer. He gave me a love for Bangladesh.

Each year, heartbreaking numbers of young women are trafficked throughout the world, and the girls of Bangladesh are some of the most vulnerable on the planet. But God is changing lives through the ministry taking place at Light of Hope Learning Center (LOHLC provides education, like skills, and Bible teaching to at-risk girls in Chittagong, Bangladesh.)

I am grateful to be a part of BFF Ministries (Bangladesh: For Faith and Freedom), an advocacy ministry working to combat human trafficking through hope in Jesus Christ.

(BFF is an advocacy team here in the United States in partnership with the LHLC.

BFF works to raise awareness, rally prayer support, mobilize short-term volunteers, and host BFF parties where women can receive handmade crafts for donations.)

Some of the girls at Light of Hope Learning Center

An Important Decision

Several weeks ago, I asked God to teach me something new. I wanted to grow, and I asked God to challenge me in a new way. God brought me to begin studying 2 Corinthians.

At the same time, I became aware of several immediate needs through BFF Ministries. I asked God to meet these needs, and according to God’s perfect timing, I reached chapter 8, where Paul wrote about generously helping Christians in need. I thought about the ministry needs in Bangladesh. Paul pointed to Christ’s sacrifice as an example.

Then Paul wrote this about giving: “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has” (2 Cor. 8:12). I said, “Lord, I am willing mind, and what I have are books and the gift of writing.” Next I read in the Scripture, “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need” (v.14). I knew God was telling me to give to the ministry needs in Bangladesh through my books.

You Can Help Too

Beginning right now, all of the proceeds from my website bookstore and event book table sales will go directly to support the ministry in Bangladesh through the BFF Ministry. I am thrilled that God has given me this open door to support the work of the gospel in Bangladesh. My heart is singing! I always am grateful for women to pick up my books and Bible studies and grow in their walk with Christ, and now every time a book is purchased I can celebrate along with the reader that financial help is on the way to Bangladesh. Praise the Lord!

You can help the work in Bangladesh today by buying one of Kimberly’s books from her website. Visit her online store now.

If you want more information about Kimberly, BFF, or the work in Bangladesh, check out the links below.

Has God ever given you a burden for a specific people or a specific ministry? If so, I would love to hear about it!

BFF Ministries – Bangladesh: For Faith and Freedom

Kimberly Sowell’s online store

Kimberly’s Mission Advocacy for Bangladesh

Commission Stories – An Update on Light of Hope

One Life Matters

10 Characteristics of a Blameless Life

Have you ever wondered how to get close to God? I’m not talking about “getting saved.” That’s just the beginning of a relationship with God. I mean developing and deepening that relationship, building intimacy and fostering a real sense of His imminent presence.

Because God is a person, one of the best ways to develop our relationship with Him is just like we do with the people in our lives. We have to spend time with Him, talk to Him, listen to Him, and build a “history” of sharing life together.

However, the Bible also gives us some direction about specifically deepening our relationship with God. In Psalm 15:1, David asked God, “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” The Message translates it like this: “God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list?”

If I were asking that same question, I might say something like this: “Lord, who can hang out with You? Who gets to be in Your ‘inner circle’ of trusted friends?”

We get God’s answer in Psalm 15:2. “He whose walk is blameless.”

Well, I long to enter God’s presence, but I’m not sure I would describe myself as “blameless.” What does that even mean?

The Hebrew adjective translated as “blameless” in Psalm 15:2 in the NIV and “uprightly” in the KJV, means “entire, whole, complete, perfect, sound, faultless, upright in one’s conduct, especially toward God.” (Definition from The Complete Word Study Old Testament.)

Good definition, but that’s too general for me to get my head around.  I need a practical description. I need to know what “blameless” looks like in daily life?

Thankfully, the Bible tells us. Psalm 15 and 101 describe a “blameless” life (Read them now if you have time. They aren’t long.) The following list of characteristics is derived from these two psalms of David.

She practices praise (Ps 101:1) – Regularly contemplate the holy nature of God. Recognizing His worthiness will not only foster praise, we will also be moved to obedience.
She lives with integrity at home, in business, and in the world (Ps 15:5, Ps 101:7)– Sometimes we fail to purposefully watch our words and actions at home like we do other places. We tend to let our guard down; to allow our first, sinful instincts to rule. We need to be as careful at home as we are away from home.
She turns away from everything vile or vulgar (Ps 15:4; Ps 101:3)– “Blameless” women do not compromise with the sinful ways of the world. We don’t allow ourselves to become desensitized to immorality, crudeness, or risqué humor by watching it, reading it, or listening to it. Instead, we long to be holy. (For a sad example of how Christians can so easily slip into the culture, read my “Holiness is not a Shade of Grey.”)
She ruthlessly guards against evil thoughts and behavior (Ps 101:3-4) – We must proactively rid our lives of every thought and action contrary to the nature and character of God and work to live holy lives.
She does not use her words to tear others down (Ps 15:3)– Our speech should be edifying and encouraging. That doesn’t mean everything we need to say will be easy. But it does mean it will be helpful to the hearer.
She does not collaborate with ungodly, wicked people (Ps 15:5, Ps 101:3-4) – The only way to never encounter ungodly people is to leave this life and transfer to heaven. However, we can choose not to enter into agreements, projects, or business dealings with people whose worldview is not Christ-centered.
She embraces honesty (Ps 15:3, Ps 101:7) – Satan is the father of lies. Anytime we are less than honest we have yielded to the tempter! Let’s commit to total honesty in our own lives and conduct. We should also expect honesty from the people around us and distance ourselves from those who refuse to be honest.
She does not seek gain that brings harm to others (Ps 15:5) – God wants us to use our God-given skills, talents, and gifts to support the Kingdom, serve others, and provide for ourselves and our families. However, any effort for gain or advancement that takes advantage of others is sinful.
She squashes pride and conceit (Ps 101:5) – Pride fosters an abundance of sin. Those who want to live blameless before God will seek humility by keeping both God and herself in proper perspective.
She helps, encourages, and protects the godly (Ps 15:4) – God calls us to serve others and meet the needs of those who cannot help themselves. Do we respond when they cross our paths?

Wow, seems like a tall order, doesn’t it? And this isn’t even an exhaustive list. But I’m sure you get the idea. “Blameless” is akin to “holy.” It doesn’t mean “perfection,” but it does mean we actively strive to obey God and continually grow in holiness. If we live like this we will be very different than many in our culture. We will be less like the world and more like Christ. In fact, that’s exactly God’s point!

The good news is, if you’re a believer, you have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to help you live a “blameless” life. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. As we walk blamelessly and strive to live holy lives, we will also enjoy the intimate, abundant presence of our holy God.

Which of these 10 characteristics do you struggle with the most? Why is that, do you think?

 

Is “Heaven is for Real,” for Real?

I’ve been asked multiple times recently what I think about “Heaven is for Real,” the new movie based on the NY Times best-seller. Specifically, people have asked me what I think about the validity of near-death visits to heaven.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure. So I did a little reading. Unfortunately, I still don’t have a solid conclusion on the “are heaven visits real or not real” debate. Many great biblical minds and trusted theologians continue to kick that one around. However, I would like to share a few strong “cautions” or guiding principles to consider as we prayerfully consider this issue.

1. We do not need the human testimony of near-death visits to heaven to prove that heaven, hell, or an afterlife is indeed real.

In an article on ChristianityToday.com, author Mark Gali said this:

“The silliest claim made in the current wave of books is that because of such experiences, we now know, as some of the titles suggest, that Heaven Is for Real or that there is Proof of Heaven. Christians believe that “heaven is for real” not because of the testimony of a 4-year-old boy or even of a neurosurgeon, but because Jesus Christ testified to such and rose from the grave to vindicate his testimony.”

Plus, we have the whole of Scripture as testimony to the truth of eternity. God’s inspired Word, from Genesis to Revelation, affirms the reality of a spiritual existence far greater – and more “real” – than this physical one. We must not point to a handful of human experiences and say, “See there, that proves it!”

2. We must not allow these experiences to shift the glory that solely belongs to God to a person.

While I was doing my brief reading “research,” something from an article from John MacArthur, hit me right between the eyes.

“We live in a narcissistic culture, and it shows in these accounts of people who claim they’ve been to heaven. They sound as if they viewed paradise in a mirror, keeping themselves in the foreground. They say comparatively little about God or His glory. But the glory of God is what the Bible says fills, illuminates, and defines heaven. Instead, the authors of these stories seem obsessed with details like how good they felt—how peaceful, how happy, how comforted they were; how they received privileges and accolades; how fun and enlightening their experience was; and how many things they think they now understand perfectly that could never be gleaned from Scripture alone. In short, they glorify self while barely noticing God’s glory. They highlight everything but what’s truly important about heaven.”

After I read this, I thought about two very familiar passages in the Bible that recount heaven “visits,” or perhaps – what many scholars feel is more likely – visions of heaven. The descriptions by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6) and the apostle John (Revelation 4) both entirely center on God and His glory.

3. We cannot allow these human experiences to change or “interpret” biblical doctrine.

Over the centuries, Christians, agnostics, atheists, and others from every “faith” imaginable have had near death experiences. Many of these heavenly visit stories directly conflict with biblical teaching on God, salvation, the afterlife, etc.

Whether these contradictions invalidate a story completely or simply reveals a misunderstanding of the events by the one who experienced them, it absolutely confirms we must be cautious. Jesus is the final revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). Human experience cannot add to or detract from the testimony of Christ or God’s inspired Word (Revelation 22:18-19).

So, what’s my conclusion? Honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about near-death visits to heaven. But I do know that no matter the incredible nature of the story, the faith claims of the witness, or the volume of sales of their book, I will look first and always to the eternal truth of the Bible and to the faithful testimony of Jesus Christ. And I will give God the glory for it all!

 

Yes, I’m Frustrated! So What?

Several unrelated circumstances mixed together earlier this week to create the “perfect storm.” People not following through with what they promised. Others getting something wrong that seemed so simple to me. Another needing my time when I wanted to be doing something else.

By the time I sat down to dinner, my frustration erupted in a tirade of words, self-righteously proclaiming to my family why I had the right to be so frustrated. Of course the rehearsal of it all only fed my frustration.

Raise your hands if you’ve been there. If you haven’t, no need to read further.

This morning I actually worked up the courage to ask myself – and God – how I got there. How did I allow myself to slip into that spiral of anger and indignation?

Of course the quick answer is that I’m sinful. Although saved by the blood of Jesus, I will continue to battle sin until I die or until Christ returns and relieves me once and for all from this mortal flesh.

The longer – and more helpful – answer required a little more thought and prayer. Here’s a few things God reminded me of this morning:

I think too highly of myself – (See Romans 12:2-3 and Philippians 2:3.) Oh, pride! I just knew I could do it better, faster, and get greater results. I felt my time and my agenda were more important than the other person’s. I did not consciously think this in the moment, but looking back, I can see it.
I tend to be a selfish control freak – I want things done my way, in my time frame. I’ve been reading about David in my quiet time recently. This morning the passage was  from 2 Samuel chapters one and two where Saul dies and David is crowned king over Judah. There were a lot of years, pain, and uncertainty between God’s anointing and the crown being placed on David’s head. I realized once again that God rarely does things the way I would do them and when I would do them. I must continue to learn to trust His ways and His perfect timing, knowing that He is working all things for His glory, not mine.
I’m a poor listener – Oh, I’m really fast at giving directions and voicing my desires and concerns. But I very slow to listen to the other guy. And that causes all kinds of problems. (See James 1:19-20.)

Mix these things together, add other people and their own stuff, and you get a big, heaping mound of frustration. In the moment of the venting it almost seems justified. But afterwards… well, it becomes obvious it’s not.

So, what’s the answer? Jesus is the ultimate answer. I need Him desperately. However, I can also learn from God’s Word and apply His truths. For instance:

Practice humility. Maintain an accurate estimation of myself, by keeping my eyes on Jesus as my example.
Reflect on the sovereignty, faithfulness, and love of God.
Close my mouth more often and open my ears more quickly.

Frustration is an emotion and not necessarily sinful in and of itself. However, it can lead to all kinds of sinful thoughts, words, and actions. And it’s certainly not tasty. I’m praying I won’t be serving it up at dinner again anytime soon.

Okay, ya’ll. Don’t leave me hanging here. Am I the only one who succumbs to frustration? What has God taught you about yourself and how to deal with it? Let’s talk!

What Will You Do Today?

What do you plan to do today? Many of us will head to work. Or clean up after yesterday’s big family dinner. Or catch up after a long weekend.

But today isn’t simply Monday. Today is the day after Easter. The day after Jesus rose from the dead.

What do you think the disciples did the day after that first Easter?

On Sunday night, fearful of the Jewish leaders, they had huddled together behind locked doors, (John 20:19), when suddenly Jesus appeared in the room with them. He showed them His hands and feet to relieve all doubt. He helped them understand what the Scriptures taught about Him (Luke 24:40-45). And they were filled with joy!

So, what do you think they did on Monday?

Everything was different. Something miraculous and powerful and life altering had occurred. The whole world had shifted. And they knew it.

The lives of all 11 of the remaining apostles suddenly took off on a different trajectory. Fishermen and tax collectors became pastors and missionaries. They traveled the world and risked their lives to tell the news that Jesus died for our sins and rose to life for our eternity.

If Sunday never happened, Peter, James, and John would have spent the rest of their lives eking out a living on the Sea of Galilee. Matthew may have even gone back to over-taxing his fellow Jews.

Because a dead messiah changes nothing. But a resurrected Messiah changes everything.

Right now I’m reading a book called “The Insanity of God” by Nik Ripken. His real-life story demonstrates what can happen when a Christian takes Jesus’ Great Commission seriously. (By the way, I’m warning you, Ripkin also asks why any believer wouldn’t take it seriously.)

One spiritual experience Ripkin recounts happened during an Easter Sunday church service when he was eleven. The message of the resurrection hit him powerfully, but he wondered why everyone in the pews around him didn’t feel the same:

How in the world was it that these people managed to get so much more excited about what happened at a high school football field on Friday nights than they did about the resurrection of Jesus at church on Easter Sunday morning?

That statement hit me right between the eyes. Why aren’t we all jumping up and down with excitement and joy?  We should all be so overcome with the miraculous power of the resurrection and what Jesus has done for us that we leave our jobs and our homes to tell people all around the globe about the resurrected Lord.

Yet most of us don’t even go down the street. Or to the next office.

Look, I’m as guilty as anybody. I get caught up in my day-to-day life, thinking I will go. Tomorrow. But somehow tomorrow rarely comes around.

What difference will Easter make in my life? Right now. This very hour. What will I do differently today because my Savior died for the world and then ROSE FROM THE GRAVE!!?

What about you? How can you respond to the resurrection today?

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