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Hopelessness

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason
for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15, NKJV).

Hopeless. Can there be a more depressing word? When our situation is truly hopeless, why go on living? Hopelessness is the most common reason that suicide is contemplated, attempted, or achieved. What point is there to life if we have no hope?

I’ve been reading the prophets again lately, as I do so often, and I see two primary themes stretching throughout. First, God’s judgment on unrepentant sin. Though God called out time and again to His people, begging them to repent of their sin and return to Him, they ignored Him and continued on their own way. The results were disastrous. But the second theme is the hope of restoration. Despite the people’s willful and ongoing rejection of God, the faithful Father promised that restoration would follow judgment. Even in the most dire circumstances, there was still hope because God was greater than the circumstances!

Isn’t that what a world steeped in sin and mired in rejection of God needs to hear? Yes, judgment is coming…but restoration is the final result. And those of us who have already received God’s forgiveness must ALWAYS be ready to explain that fact to anyone who asks. If people living in hopeless situations see hope as the hallmark of our lives, they are going to be drawn to us—and sooner or later, they’re going to ask about the Source of our hope. What a privilege to be able to answer their questions! Will they respond by receiving that forgiveness and hope for themselves? Some will; many won’t. Some will even persecute us for it. But what is that to us? People’s reaction to the reason for our hope does not change the surety of that hope because our hope is not based on the stock market or the headlines or the election results. It is based on the One who cannot lie and whose promises never fail.

May we walk in such a way that our hope is obvious to all who see us—and may be ALWAYS be ready to offer an explanation (“give a defense”) of that glorious hope that is in us!

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Kathi Macias, all rights reserved. Used by permission.
Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 26 books. Her newest books are:
“Beyond Me. Living a You-first Life in a Me-first World”

and


“Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today”

Her new novels:

No Greater Love

More than Conquerors

The author can be reached at: http://www.kathimacias.com

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Posted in Ability to Overcome, Assurance, For Friends & Family of Dysfunctional People, General Recovery, Renewal, Step 2, Step 3, Things to Ponder, anxiety, attitudes, choices, new beginning, pain | No Comments »

Look up!

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

“I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

It is good always to look up. Thousands of people dwarf their lives, and hinder the possibilities of growth in their souls–by looking downward. They keep their eyes ever entangled in mere earthly sights, and miss the glories of the hills that pierce the clouds, and of the heavens that bend over them!

A story is told of a boy who one day found a gold coin on the street. Ever after this–he kept his eyes on the ground as he walked, watching for coins. During a long lifetime, he found a good number of coins–but meanwhile he never saw the flowers and the trees which grew in such wondrous beauty everywhere; he never saw the hills, the mountains, the sweet valleys, the picturesque landscapes; he never saw the blue sky. To him, this lovely world meant only a dusty road, dreary and unbeautiful, merely a place in which to look for coins.

This really is the story of the life of most people. They never lift their eyes off the earth! They live only to gather money, to add field to field, to scheme for power or to find pleasure. Or, if their quest is a little higher, it is still only for earthly things. They never lift up their eyes to God! There is no blue sky in their picture. They cherish no heavenly visions. They are without God in the world.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2

(J. R. Miller, “Unto the Hills!” A Meditation on Psalm 121)

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He Who Holds the Pruning-knife

Thursday, August 26th, 2010


“I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener.  . . . He prunes every branch that produces fruit–so that it will produce more fruit.” John 15:1-2

Our Father is the gardener; we are branches under His care. He watches over our lives. The painful afflictions which cut into our very souls, the taking from us of objects that are dear to us, as when the gardener with his sharp knife removes luxuriant branches from the vine–are our Father’s prunings! No hand but His–ever holds the knife! We are sure, then, that there is never any careless cutting, any unwise or mistaken pruning, any needless removing of rich branches or growths.

We really need to go no farther than this. A strong, abiding confidence that all the trials, sorrows and losses of our lives–are parts of our Father’s prunings–ought to silence every question, quiet every fear and give peace and restful assurance to our hearts, in all their pain. We cannot know the reason for the painful strokes–but we know that He who holds the pruning-knife is our Father! That is all we need to know.

The other thought in the Lord’s parable, is scarcely less full of comfort to a Christian. Jesus says, that it is the fruitful branches which the Father prunes: “He prunes every branch that produces fruit–so that it will produce more fruit.”

Afflictions are not, then, a mark of God’s anger or disapproval; rather, they are a mark of His favor. The branches into which He cuts, from which he trims away the luxuriant growths–are fruit-bearing already. He does not prune the fruitless branches–He cuts them off altogether as useless, as mere cumberers, absorbing life and yielding nothing of blessing or good.

Some Christians have the impression that their many troubles indicate that God does not love them–that they cannot be true Christians, or they would not be so chastened. This teaching of Christ shows how mistaken they are. The much chastening shows that the Father is pruning His fruitful branch–to make it more fruitful! All whom the Father loves–He chastens!

It is the fruitless branch that is never pruned; the fruitful branch is pruned, and pruned–not by one without skill, not by an enemy–but by the wise Father! Thus we see how we may rejoice–even in our trials and afflictions!

One who was altogether ignorant of the art and purpose of pruning, who should see a man with a sharp knife cutting off branch after branch of a luxuriant vine, would at first suppose that the pruner was ruining the vine. So at the time it seems–but by and by, it appears that the prunings have made the vine more fruitful. In the season of vintage, the grapes are more luscious, with a richer flavor in them–because of the cutting away of the superfluous branches.

In like manner, if an angel who had never witnessed anything of human suffering, and who knew nothing of its object, were to see the Father causing pain and affliction to His children, it would seem to him that these experiences could be only destructive of happiness and blessing; but if the angel were to follow those chastened lives on to the end, he would see untold blessing coming out of the chastenings! The Father was but pruning the branches–that they might bear more and better fruit!

We should never lose sight of the divine purpose in all trials–to make our lives more fruitful.

(J. R. Miller, “Looking at the Right Side” 1888)

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Our Conception of Christian Living

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010


True religion is intensely practical. Only so far as it dominates one’s life–is it real. We must get the commandments out of God’s Word–and give them a place in the hard, dusty paths of our earthly toil and struggle. We must get them off the tables of stone–and have them written on the walls of our own hearts! We must bring the Golden Rule–into our daily, actual life.

We are too apt to imagine, that holiness consists in mere good feeling toward God. It does not! It consists in obedience in heart and life to the divine requirements. To be holy is, first, to be set apart for God and devoted to God’s service, and it necessarily follows that we must live for God.

Our hands are God’s–and can fitly be used only in doing His work; our feet are God’s–and may be employed only in walking in His ways and running His errands; our lips are God’s–and should speak words only that honor Him and bless others; our hearts are God’s–and must not be profaned by thoughts and affections that are not pure.

True holiness is no vague sentiment–it is intensely practical. It is nothing less than the bringing of every thought and feeling and act–into obedience to Christ! We are quite in danger of leaving out the element of obedience, in our conception of Christian living. If we do this, our religion loses its strength and grandeur–and becomes weak, nerveless and forceless.

Our religion must touch every part of our life–and transform it all into the beauty of holiness.

~ J. R. Miller, “Being Christians on Weekdays” 1888

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !

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What Is It You Want?

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Nehemiah: 2:4: “The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’”

When we start to rebuild our lives, relationships, jobs, finances or health, we need time and possibly materials or letters of recommendation. We may be like Nehemiah and look sad because of our need to rebuild. The king told Nehemiah, “This can be nothing but sadness of heart” (verse 2).

When we experience that sadness of heart, we can do as Nehemiah did. The king asked him what was wrong, and Nehemiah told him the truth, “Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” We can go before the King of Kings and pour out our hearts to him. God knows anyway. We can tell him about a recent diagnosis of cancer or heart trouble, our finances or whatever needs rebuilding.

Let’s go back to Nehemiah. The king asked, “What is it you want?” Nehemiah knew his list by heart. In verses 7-8, he asked the king for letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates for safe conduct to Judah and a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, for timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the city wall and for his own residence. Not only did the king provide the letters, he also sent some army officers and cavalry with Nehemiah.

Our heavenly Father is also generous with us. When we tell him what we need or the desires of our heart, he provides. Nehemiah moved forward on his rebuilding, but he faced mockery and ridicule from Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Gehsem the Arab. We will also face opposition. We need to remember that Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Nehemiah did not halt his rebuilding because of his enemies. In verse 20 he said, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding.” We can stand strong in our God who will also give us success and we too can start rebuilding.

Dear God, help me rebuild my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Application: When will I tell God what I need to rebuild my life?

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !

Copyright 2010, Yvonne Ortega, , LPC, LSATP, CCDVC
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Yvonne is a Speaker, Author, Counselor, Cancer Survivor and
serves on the Board of Directors of Christians in Recovery.
She is the author of Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer.
Visit her website: http://YvonneOrtega.com

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Seek First His Kingdom

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Matthew 6:33: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

When we start a new year, some of us make resolutions, such as “I’m going to lose the weight I gained over Christmas” or “I’m going to pay my credit card balances in full and not charge anything any more except emergencies.” What about priorities? Have we made a New Year’s resolution about them? Jesus told us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. I’ve made my resolution to seek his kingdom and his righteousness first. Please join me in that. Please seek personal revival with me.

Some of us may think we don’t need personal revival. However, if we go through our planner or calendar from the past year, will we find evidence that we sought the Lord first? Did we start or end our days in prayer and Bible study? Where did we spend our money? Did our checkbook indicate that God came first?

Perhaps last year we fell short of seeking his kingdom and his righteousness first, but we are still alive. It’s not too late to get our priorities in order. This week we can sit and figure out how much time we will allow for prayer, Bible study, praise and worship, Christian fellowship, meals, sleep, work, exercise, family, and friends. My experience has been that when I put God first, he multiplies my time and my money.

In the second half of Matthew 6:33 Jesus promises, “And all these things will be given to you as well.” What things does he mean? If we look at the context of Matthew 6:33, we see that Jesus told us not to worry about what we will eat or drink and what we will wear. He reminds us that our heavenly Father knows that we need these things.

We can decide to worry less and seek the Lord more. Instead of an endless search for power, position, and prestige, we can focus on a closer relationship with our heavenly Father. Rather than a race for more material possessions and the latest technological gadgets, we can devote our time and energy to make Matthew 6:33 a reality in our lives.

Dear God, help me seek first your kingdom and your righteousness . In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Application: What will I do today to make the Lord my first priority?

Copyright 2010, Yvonne Ortega, , LPC, LSATP, CCDVC
All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.
Yvonne is a Speaker, Author, Counselor, Cancer Survivor and
serves on the Board of Directors of Christians in Recovery.
She is the author of Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer.
Visit her website: http://YvonneOrtega.com

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Are You a Steward Of The Flame?

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Do you consider yourself a steward? What’s the gift with which you’ve been entrusted?

This week I’ve been writing about a story I heard a few weeks ago called Tending The Flame. Yesterday we looked at How To Combat Burnout, some practical ways to keep the flame alive and get it to its destination.

Today I want to look at two extremes I’ve encountered (and been) within the church.  The story tells us about Runner Without A Flame, so let’s contrast that guy with Perpetual Flame-Tender.

Runner Without A Flame

Have you ever wished you could sit with Jesus around the campfire at night? Ever wished you could ask those questions, experience that physical presence, be right there to hear first-hand everything He was saying?

Judas Iscariot received an amazing blessing, called as one of the chosen twelve who got to be closer to Jesus than anyone else.

And Judas had a plan. He knew—or thought he knew—exactly what Jesus should do to maximize His impact. He also had some selfish motives mixed in as well, so it’s difficult to know exactly what he was thinking.

But in the end, he did it his way. We’ll never know whether he was seeking only to profit from his relationship to Jesus or actually thought he could push Jesus into action. Either way, at least he didn’t just sit and wait. He pressed the issue.  He took a huge risk to get his plan down the road.

Problem was, he didn’t understand the mission. He was running his own race, but he forgot about the flame.

It’s easy to condemn Judas. He’s about the easiest target imaginable. I wonder if he and I have anything in common.

  • Opportunity to listen to Jesus’ teaching.
  • Chosen to assist in spreading the word.
  • Sometimes certain I see a better way than Jesus.
  • Mixed motives.
  • Tendency to insist on my own vision.
  • Occasionally compromises eternal principles for short-term results.
  • Gets caught up on doing the work, sometimes forgets whose work it really is.

Do you know anyone like that? Have you ever seen any of those characteristics in the mirror? Any places where you’re a Runner Without A Flame?

Perpetual Flame-Tender

  • A missionary friend once remarked about his frustration at having to frequently travel back to and within the U.S. in order to raise support, much of which had to be spent on the travel itself.
  • Another friend oversees a significant ministry whose board seems obsessed with achieving financial sustainability. When he presses them for a reason, they reply that sustainability is critical “so they don’t go out of business.”
  • I recently listened as a speaker told of leaving a well-known Christian organization that had become paralyzed by fear of taking risks. They turned inward, focusing entirely on existing, proven programs that had lost some relevance.
  • A denominational magazine to which I subscribe focuses almost exclusively on internal matters of governance, maintaining traditional church order, and political squabbles among factions. Entire sections are devoted to debating and compromising on fine points of theology. I read a number of similar publications, and this particular denomination isn’t unique.
  • I listen with despair as a pastor from a “traditional” denomination complains that a local community church grows at the expense of his struggling congregation.

In my mind, these are examples of excessive flame-tending. So much time, energy, and resources are invested in keeping the flame alive, but it’s almost an afterthought to keep the torch moving down the road.

Any places where you’re a Perpetual Flame-Tender?

Who Am I

I’m pretty messed up, so I make mistakes in a variety of directions. If you can think of a wrong turn, I’ve probably taken it a number of times.

So I sometimes find myself rushing madly down the road in pursuit of my own limited vision, carrying a darkened torch that’s not going to do much good for anyone. Suddenly I encounter myself sitting by the road, carefully guarding that part of the flame that’s safe and comfortable and doing okay.

So I’m a Runner Without A Flame with a propensity to trip over myself as Perpetual Flame-Tender.

Every organization seeks to perpetuate itself, but flame-tending isn’t the runner’s ultimate purpose. You need to nurture the flame as you run, but you can’t stop running to care for the flame. As I said yesterday, a torch-carrier sitting by the road, afraid to move, is as useless as one who arrives with an extinguished torch.

In The Parable of the Talents, Jesus teaches an important lesson about stewardship. The servant paralyzed by fear was chastised–too much flame-tending.

The torch-carrier is a steward, just as we’re each stewards of the gospel. Let’s not be afraid to share it.

Remember, the flame will continue to burn without you. God is in control. If you do what you can, He’ll help you do what you need to do.

Do you tend toward being a perpetual flame-tender or a runner without a flame? What’s something you can do today to find a better balance?

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !

Dixon
Copyright 2010 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:

Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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Could You Endure?

Friday, July 16th, 2010

If we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13, NKJV).

I’m a longtime supporter of Voice of the Martyrs and other such ministries. No doubt that connection fed my desire to write the Extreme Devotion fiction series, four novels loosely based on real-life events and individuals in other countries. As a result, when I hear others express their uncertainty and concern over how they would stand up under serious testing or persecution for their faith, I can reassure them by sharing what I’ve learned.

I too, particularly when I was a new Christian and just learning about what some believers endure for their faith, was apprehensive at what my response might be in such a situation. All I could focus on was my own feeble strength. But as my study of persecuted believers and Christian martyrs continued, I came to see a common thread in their lives—and deaths. None relied on his or her own strength. All recognized their frailties and weaknesses and instead clung to God’s strength and faithfulness to get them through.

I love that, don’t you? If I saw persecution on the horizon and knew I had to walk into it on my own, I’d probably just give up right now. But to know that the God who remains faithful, despite my own faithlessness, stands ready and eager to carry me through it enables me to sing with joy as the flames grow hot around me.

It doesn’t have to be a life-or-death choice that causes us to recognize our need to cling to the faithful One. We learn that reliance in the everyday choices of life. Will we compromise a biblical mandate for convenience…or throw ourselves on God’s mercy and ask for a changed heart to do the right thing? Will we deny Christ to impress the world…or willingly allow God’s Spirit to woo us into making the right choice?

It’s the little choices for righteousness that teach us to rely on God when the big decisions loom—and they will! Now is the time to put into practice the belief that even when “we are faithless, He remains faithful.” He will not leave or forsake us; He will carry us through to victory if we will climb into His arms and allow Him to do so.

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !
Kathi Macias, all rights reserved. Used by permission.
Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 26 books. Her newest books are:
“Beyond Me. Living a You-first Life in a Me-first World”

and


“Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today”

Her new novels:
No Greater Love
More than Conquerors
The author can be reached at: http://www.kathimacias.com

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Teach Me How to Pray

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010


“Lord, teach us to pray!” Luke 11:1

A little child missed her mother at a certain time every day. The mother’s habit was to slip away upstairs alone, and to be gone for some time. The child noticed that the mother was always gentler, quieter and sweeter after she came back. Her face had lost its weary look–and was shining! Her voice was gladder, more cheerful.

“Where do you go, mother,” the child said thoughtfully, “when you leave us every day?”

“I go upstairs to my room,” said the mother.

“Why do you go to your room?” continued the little questioner. “You always come back with your face shining. What makes it shine so?”

“I go to pray,” replied the mother reverently.

The child was silent for a little while, and then she said softly: “Teach me how to pray, mother!”

“When you pray, say: Our Father . . .” Luke 11:2

That one word is the key to the whole mystery of prayer. When Jesus taught his disciples to speak to God, calling Him by that blessed name–He gave them the greatest of all lessons in prayer. When we can look into God’s face and honestly say ‘Father,’ it is easy to pray. God loves to be called ‘Father’. It opens His heart to hear all that we say–and to grant all that we ask.

Such power has the word ‘father’ spoken by a child, to open a human heart. Such power too, has the name ‘Father’ to find and open the heart of God! If we can sincerely say ‘Father’ when we come to the ‘gate of prayer’, we shall be sure to find entrance. If God is really our Father, we will no longer have any question as to whether we may pray to Him, or as to how to pray.

Some of us find life hard. It is full of cares and questions, of tasks and duties, of temptations and dangers. There are thorns and briers, among its roses. There are pitfalls in its sunniest paths. If we do not know how to pray–we can never get through the days. The privilege of prayer is always ours. The ‘gate of prayer’ is always open! Any moment we can look up and say ‘Father’, lay our need before the throne of mercy–and God will answer us as He desires!

J. R. Miller, “The Wider Life” 1908

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Just Tell Me The Rules

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” [John 14:4-7]


Have you ever been frustrated and said, “Just tell me the rules”?

Last time I gave Satan a little advice. If I wanted to mess up someone’s life, I’d get them to respond to fear. A great indicator of fear is the anger and frustration that demands a list of rules.

The enemy moves toward his goals when we focus on lists of rules. When we try to reduce complex aspects of life like relationships or faith to a set of absolutes, we reduce our own humanity. And that’s what the enemy desperately desires.

Some rules are good. If you’re using computer software, it’s a good idea to learn and follow the rules when you begin. You can break them later when you know what you’re doing.

See, that’s the thing about rules. They’re usually a place to begin. Nothing wrong with that, but we get in trouble when we substitute rules for understanding.

Rules are often intended for novices. Every parent of a three-year-old establishes absolutes like “never step in the street unless you’re holding my hand.” It’s a perfectly logical rule—for a three-year-old—but the kid’s life would be miserable if he turned it into a life-long barrier.

Many rules are meant to evolve or disappear with wisdom and experience. A great way to hinder growth is insisting on absolute compliance to an outdated rule.

Think about you own “rules” and see if any of them were established for particular circumstances that no longer exist. Do any of them need to be modified or eliminated?

Rules are often minimums. Drivers know the basic “rules of the road.” Does anyone believe that knowing and following those rules makes you a good driver? Laws and regulations are a starting point, but they can’t replace experience and judgment.

“Stay out of the street” doesn’t insulate that three-year-old from harm. That doesn’t make it a bad rule, but good parents teach their children to develop awareness and understanding that translate to other situations.

Are you settling for minimum expectations by following any of your personal rules?

Rules encourage a search for loopholes. Nearly any rule can be circumvented. Adhering to the “letter of the law” is rarely the same as doing the right thing, and the enemy wins when following the rules becomes the acceptable standard of behavior.

Children discover incredibly creative ways to endanger themselves. “Stay out of the street” doesn’t cover parking lots or driveways. Strict, ironclad rules can never cover all the possible exceptions.

Can you see places where you justify marginal choices by claiming that “you’re following the rules”?

Rules are often shortcuts. I don’t want to invest the time and energy to understand how it works. Just tell me the rules so I can get on with it.

That’s okay for low-level, algorithmic processes. I don’t need to know the science behind engine lubrication—I’ll just get the oil changed when it’s time. That’s enough.

The problem occurs when we turn relationships and interactions into rules. Anyone who’s married knows that a sure path to disaster is following a list of rules.

Are you using someone’s list of “ten ways to …” as a shortcut, to avoid the hard work of listening and caring and serving?

I’m not a big fan of rules and laws. I don’t advocate breaking them, but I don’t think they get us closer to doing right.

In John 14, Jesus was preparing His friends for His departure. In verse 4 He says, You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas replies that he doesn’t know. He wants a map and some directions.

And Jesus answers, “I am the way …”

We can’t know God by following the rules. There’s no system of laws that can get us where we were intended to be. Jesus didn’t give us a map, because it doesn’t work like that.

“I am the way.” Jesus gave us Himself as a compass to point the way. Rules won’t do it. I have to get to know Him.

Where are you using rules to substitute for authentic principles of love and respect? What can you do to move away from this tendency?

Don’t miss CIR’s Daily Article !

Dixon
Copyright 2010 by Rich Dixon, All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Rich is an author and speaker. He is the author of:
Relentless Grace: God’s Invitation To Give Hope Another Chance. Visit his web site www.relentlessgrace.com

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