I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
and here's the reason why...
I have a God who's mighty,
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
and I am on His team.
He is all wise and powerful,
Jesus is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.
My God knows all that's happening;
Beginning to the end,
His presence is my comfort,
He is my dearest friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me,
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten
to rob me from my peace;
He draws me close unto His breast,
Where all my strivings cease.
And when my heart melts within me,
and weakness takes control;
He gathers me into His arms,
He soothes my heart and soul.
The great "I AM" is with me,
My life is in His hand,
The "Son of the Lord" is my hope,
It's in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated,
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me,
as through this life I trod.
I'm looking past all my circumstances,
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God,
I'm resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything,
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the victory is mine;
He'll help me win the race.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) "I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Paying The Bills
A scraggly looking guy goes into a restaurant and
orders some food. The waiter, looks at the man’s appearance, and says: "No way.
I don't think you can pay for it."
The guy says, "You're right. I don't have any money, but if I show you something you haven't seen before, will you give me the food?"
"It's a Deal!" replies the waiter.
The guy reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a hamster. Then he places the hamster down and it immediately runs to the end of the counter, jumps down on the floor and runs across the room. Then it hops-up on the piano stool, and then up on the keyboard, and starts playing Gershwin songs. To everyone’s surprise, the hamster is really good.
The waiter says, WOW, "You're right. I've never seen anything like that before. That hamster is truly a good piano player." The guy downs the hamburger he ordered and asks the waiter for another.
"Money or another unique surprise," says the waiter.
The guy then reaches into his coat pocket again and pulls out a frog. He puts the frog on the counter, and the frog starts singing. Again, much to the surprise of everyone, the frog has a marvelous voice. Truly a very good singer. Suddenly, a stranger from the other end of the counter runs over to the guy and offers him $300 for the frog.
Without hesitation, the guy says, "It's a deal!" He takes the three hundred cash and gives the stranger the frog. The stranger runs out of the restaurant, shouting with joy.
The waiter says to the guy, "Are you crazy? You sold a singing frog for $300? That frog is probably worth over a million dollars."
"Not really," says the guy, "the hamster is also a ventriloquist."
The guy says, "You're right. I don't have any money, but if I show you something you haven't seen before, will you give me the food?"
"It's a Deal!" replies the waiter.
The guy reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a hamster. Then he places the hamster down and it immediately runs to the end of the counter, jumps down on the floor and runs across the room. Then it hops-up on the piano stool, and then up on the keyboard, and starts playing Gershwin songs. To everyone’s surprise, the hamster is really good.
The waiter says, WOW, "You're right. I've never seen anything like that before. That hamster is truly a good piano player." The guy downs the hamburger he ordered and asks the waiter for another.
"Money or another unique surprise," says the waiter.
The guy then reaches into his coat pocket again and pulls out a frog. He puts the frog on the counter, and the frog starts singing. Again, much to the surprise of everyone, the frog has a marvelous voice. Truly a very good singer. Suddenly, a stranger from the other end of the counter runs over to the guy and offers him $300 for the frog.
Without hesitation, the guy says, "It's a deal!" He takes the three hundred cash and gives the stranger the frog. The stranger runs out of the restaurant, shouting with joy.
The waiter says to the guy, "Are you crazy? You sold a singing frog for $300? That frog is probably worth over a million dollars."
"Not really," says the guy, "the hamster is also a ventriloquist."
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wal-Mart VS Heaven
I consider Wal-Mart to be God's gift to shoppers. Literally, here are the
similitudes I have noticed between the kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of
Everyday Low Prices.
- Heaven: St. Peter greets you at the gates.
Wal-Mart: Some old geezer named Peter greets you at the automatic doors.
- Heaven: Eternal.
Wal-Mart: Open 24 hours.
- Heaven: Where old people go when they expire.
Wal-Mart: Where old people go when they retire.
- Heaven: Plenty of Room for everyone who loves God.
Wal-Mart: Plenty of Parking for Everyone.
- Heaven: Golden-haired angels shouting the glory of God.
Wal Mart: Purple-haired obese women shouting for a price check on diapers.
- Heaven: Salvation and redemption no matter what your sin.
Wal-Mart: Full money refund on no matter what your complaint.
- Heaven: EDLP = Every Do-gooder lives peacefully.
Wal-Mart: EDLP = Every day low prices.
- Heaven: Sam Walton -- now a resident!
Wal-Mart: Sam's choice cola -- now on sale!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
"You Can Make It-Part 2-Five Keys For Living Right In These End Times"
Today’s world is fast becoming a very frustrating place to live and maintain any sense of security and comfort. But in Jesus we have hope, a hope that does not fade away.
I want to talk about how we has Christians can maintain our hope and certainty in a world where our sense of certainty in what this world has to offer is decaying rapidly.
(1) Hold fast to your confession of hope!
Through the Word of God we are given many promises of God’s provision for our lives. We must center our lives around what God’s Word says to us not what the conditions of the world are saying. The Word of God is the truth that we must align our confession and faith with.
2 Peter 1:3, 4 "…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."
James 2:5 "Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?"
1 John 5:4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith."
We must set the thermostat of our faith in the position that God has promised and hold it there till the temperature or the fulfillment of the promises rise to that point.
(2) Don’t Let Possessions Become Your Center of Focus.
We must not allow ourselves to get sucked into measuring our success and possessions according to worldly standards. God’s standards are altogether different. In the world, possessions are the center of most people’s focus. We cannot afford to be conformed to the world in this area otherwise our focus gets turned to what we don’t have rather than what God wants to pour into our lives through His promises.
1 Timothy 6:7 "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."
Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
(3) Live For God’s Will and Purpose.
James 4:13-15 "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
1 John 2:17 "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."
(4) Remain Loyal and Faithful To God No Matter What.
2 Peter 1:10, 11 "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Revelation 3:10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
(5)Keep Your Focus on Eternity.
1 Peter 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
If we are going to be a part of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, then we must endeavor to put these kingdom principles into practice in our lives. They will insure us of a life of certainty in the midst of a world that is drowning in uncertainty.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
A Little Laughter for the Soul’s Sake
Don't Say This To Police...
-Sorry, Officer, I didn't realize my radar detector wasn't
plugged in.
-Aren't you the guy from the Village People?
-Hey, you must've been doin' about 125 mph to keep up
with me. Good job!
-Are You Andy or Barney?
-I thought you had to be in good physical condition to
be a police officer.
-You're not gonna check the trunk, are you?
-I pay your salary!
-Gee, Officer! That's terrific. The last officer only
gave me a warning, too!
-Do you know why you pulled me over? Okay, just so one
of us does.
-I was trying to keep up with traffic. I know there
are no other cars around.
-That's how far ahead of me they are.
-When the Officer says "Gee Son... Your eyes look
red, have you been drinking?" You probably shouldn't respond with,
"Gee Officer your eyes look glazed, have you been eating doughnuts?"
Monday, April 23, 2012
"You Can Make It-Part 1-Dealing with Changing Values In Today's World"
2 Timothy 3:1-3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good..."
There are many issues that are relevant to the changing times in which we live. How do we as Christians deal with the changing values that our
culture is going through?
It's time to focus on the importance of adhering to and remaining firm to Biblical values and convictions in a world whose values are constantly changing. Because we live in a world whose values are constantly changing makes it a more difficult and complex world in which to live our lives in harmony with God’s plan and purpose.
Aside from all of these areas, we are also living in an era when evil is being called good and good is being called evil. Sin is running rampant in our culture and society, which is why the values and morality of our culture are deteriorating before our eyes.
Isaiah 5:20 "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
As we can see, our cultural values have changed over the years. They have been eroding steadily and will probably continue to do so. The question is – How do we as Christians contend with these changing values? How do we keep from becoming desensitized? How do we keep our values simple and Biblical in today’s complex world? How do we overcome in a world that has gone awry?
-Is Christianity still the champion of purity and godly values or are we being swept along in the tide of cultural change as well?
Does Christianity still have the punch that it had twenty to twenty-five years ago in the realm of purity and values? It’s not that Christianity has begun to lose its punch over the past 20-25 years; it’s that more and more Christians (it seems) are now either compromising or opting for lower standards when confronted with the choice of living in a moral purity as set forth in the Scriptures.
The battle of choices is not new. Two sections of the New Testament, written in the first century describe the internal warfare quite vividly.
Romans 6:6 "...knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."
Romans 6:12, 13 "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."
Galatians 5:17 "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."
Yes, Christianity is still the champion of purity and morality, but the challenges and attacks against purity and morality have never been greater, and this complicates the problem and makes it more complex for us.
How then do we make it as Christians in a world that is constantly changing its values?
-We must believe the values given in God’s Word are still relevant in today’s culture.
Psalms 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."
There are those who say, “The Bible and its values and standards are outdated. We live in a progressive culture, the Bible is no longer relevant to the society in which we live.” The answer to that response is simple. As the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “There is nothing new under the sun.” There have been ancient cultures that have been just as corrupt as our culture. It was in the midst of some of these cultures that God’s word came forth.
Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10 "That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us."
As a people throughout the generations of time we have continuously moved through cycles. Nothing is new. Clothing styles are an example of this.
Our values and morals are molded by our belief system. If our belief system begins to decay, so will our morals. This is what has happened in our culture. As Christians we must come to a firm belief and adherence to God’s word and its relevancy for our lives.
For Christianity to retain its role as “the champion of purity,” the Christian is expected to be above reproach. The same is as true today as it was in the first century.
Philippians 2:15, 16 "...that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."
-We must determine values that are not so black and white.
There are many areas in which our societal values have simply become immoral and evil according to God’s Word, but there are other areas in which values have simply shifted to more self serving and pleasing. As Christians we are often able to discern when something is outright wrong and evil and is being promoted as good, but what about values that have become more self gratifying? How do we discern and make right choices when society’s values are constantly shifting and changing?
-We Must Consider The Consequences. Living right morally means living in ways that bring good things to people. Is my decision going to hurt them or help them? What really matters morally is whether we are adding to the goodness of people’s lives.
Philippians 2:3, 4 "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."
-We must choose to live in the realm of God’s grace rather than the permissible.
The more we adhere to and practice God’s Word in our lives, the more discernment we develop to discern the appropriate response in the many different situations that come up in our lives.
Discernment is often simply being awake and having a nose for what is going on beneath the surface, and having a sense for the more fitting response to it. This is what makes for a class act on the moral stage.
But like everything else, discernment takes practice; it doesn’t come easy. It is a gift, and like all personal gifts it comes only with exercise. It is not a gut reaction; it comes with using our eyes, our ears, our minds, our imaginations, our empathy and, yes, our intuition.
Discernment can be one of the most essential tools that we have when it comes to making good value judgments. What we have to be careful about is editing out the segments of reality that will cost us something. We have a tendency to whittle and chisel reality into nice shapes that fit our needs. We abridge our consciousness to protect ourselves.
-Our founding fathers declared that all people were created equal, but they screened out of their own consciousness the reality of thousands of black people living without freedom before their eyes.
-German citizens refused to discern the reality of Jewish people disappearing from their neighborhoods and villages, and thus refused to know that the Holocaust was happening just around the corner.
-A suburban mother refused to see the clear signs that her son is taking drugs; it would be too painful to let the reality inside her consciousness.
Because of our sensitivity to pain we distort the reality around us and we cannot give genuine responses to what is really going on around us and as a result we make the wrong moral decisions.
We are living in an era in which our values are constantly changing. But God’s Word never changes nor do His values. If we purpose to live our lives in accordance with His Word we will escape the corruption that is in this world. Christianity is still the champion of godly values.
Psalms 119:89 "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
God hasn't changed but we sure have!
I seem to remember when life here in America was simple. Sure we've always had problems here in the South, but they seem to have escalated to an all time high. I will be 59 in about 5 months and man the things I have seen change in my lifetime are frightening. It makes me wonder what my Grands will have to face in the future if we don't have a moral revival or the Lord doesn't come.
-Schools are different. I keep hearing this stuff about taking education seriously and all we seem to be worried about are test scores on achievement exams that qualify us for more federal/state assistance.
-Neighborhoods are different with latch-key kids, single parents, common law relationships, gay and lesbian couples, gang related activity, with no solid spiritual or moral teaching or upbringing.
-Jobs are different since the economic slump. They go something like this-more work=less pay; more volunteer hours+less benefits; You're too old, too young, or you are over-qualified.
-Family relationships are increasing in division, lack of destiny and desire for the future, and with the idea that everyone on the inside is disposable.
So when we Pastors talk about pastoring today being harder than it ever has, believe us. We deal with things affecting people today, trying to lead the to Christ, that some of our forefathers would have walked away from shaking their heads. They didn't have answers then because the truth would have gone against the teachings of the church, so that had to just shut the door on many who could have been saved with just a little bit of direction.
The church has to find it's identity again:
-It is not about buildings or properties. I agree those things should be nice and taken care off, but it's about more than material things.
-It's not about building a ministry on a man. Men have fallen and always will. According to the statistics the greatest danger facing the church is not the young people leaving us, but the older folks of my generation and the Bridge Builders of the generation before getting "soft"in the relationship with God. Paul never talks about coasting in to heaven, but fighting until it was time to lay his armor down. Too many who have built their relationship with God or with the church on a man are faltering in their latter years of the serving the Lord and it must stop.
-We must quit talking the game and start living the life. It's easy to talk about holiness and clean living, and then go out and cut your brother's heart with harsh words of bitterness. It's easier to lie about your relationship with God than it is to live like you should and let the world see who Christ is in you. It's time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences-be a child of God that the world can identify with daily.
The Bible says that God identifies Himself and makes a declarative statement:
"I am the Lord thy God...I change not!"
If you believe that can we somehow change back to what we used to be. I sure would fee good about it!
-Schools are different. I keep hearing this stuff about taking education seriously and all we seem to be worried about are test scores on achievement exams that qualify us for more federal/state assistance.
-Neighborhoods are different with latch-key kids, single parents, common law relationships, gay and lesbian couples, gang related activity, with no solid spiritual or moral teaching or upbringing.
-Jobs are different since the economic slump. They go something like this-more work=less pay; more volunteer hours+less benefits; You're too old, too young, or you are over-qualified.
-Family relationships are increasing in division, lack of destiny and desire for the future, and with the idea that everyone on the inside is disposable.
So when we Pastors talk about pastoring today being harder than it ever has, believe us. We deal with things affecting people today, trying to lead the to Christ, that some of our forefathers would have walked away from shaking their heads. They didn't have answers then because the truth would have gone against the teachings of the church, so that had to just shut the door on many who could have been saved with just a little bit of direction.
The church has to find it's identity again:
-It is not about buildings or properties. I agree those things should be nice and taken care off, but it's about more than material things.
-It's not about building a ministry on a man. Men have fallen and always will. According to the statistics the greatest danger facing the church is not the young people leaving us, but the older folks of my generation and the Bridge Builders of the generation before getting "soft"in the relationship with God. Paul never talks about coasting in to heaven, but fighting until it was time to lay his armor down. Too many who have built their relationship with God or with the church on a man are faltering in their latter years of the serving the Lord and it must stop.
-We must quit talking the game and start living the life. It's easy to talk about holiness and clean living, and then go out and cut your brother's heart with harsh words of bitterness. It's easier to lie about your relationship with God than it is to live like you should and let the world see who Christ is in you. It's time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences-be a child of God that the world can identify with daily.
The Bible says that God identifies Himself and makes a declarative statement:
"I am the Lord thy God...I change not!"
If you believe that can we somehow change back to what we used to be. I sure would fee good about it!
One of the Hardest Things To Deal with in Life
It takes courage and strength to face up to any type of addiction, whether it’s alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, the internet, or self-injury. But no matter how bad the addiction or how powerless you feel, there is hope and help available. Don’t give up, even if you’ve tried and failed before. You don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom; you can make a change at any time.
Learning how addiction develops—and why it can have such a powerful hold—will give you a better understanding of how to deal with the problem. Treatment success depends on developing a new way of living and addressing the reasons why you turned to your addiction in the first place. People often develop addictions in order to numb painful emotions, distract themselves, or cope with overwhelming experiences. In order to permanently end addiction, it's important to address the root emotional causes.
Addiction has two elements that must be understood to grasp the true nature of it. The first element is tolerance.
A person is drawn to an addictive behavior or substance because of the way it affects his or her emotions. It enhances some feelings and numbs out others. Emotional pain is reduced momentarily...and the hope is that it will not come back. Of course, it does. Tolerance means that over time more and more of the behavior or substance is required to produce the desired effect. More intense sex or more alcohol is required to numb out feelings, or more cocaine is needed to get the heightened sense of excitement and competence.
Eventually the intensity of the behavior or substance needed to produce the high become dangerous in and of itself. Not only does one become an impaired driver in the case of chemical addictions, but an overdose can occur or the liver can eventually fail. In the case of sex one runs the risk of an arrest, loss of a primary relationship or job, or becoming infected with HIV. And in the case of other behavioral addictions such as eating, spending, or gambling more and more intense experiences are required for satisfaction. Eventually even those fail.
The second element that is important to understand is withdrawal . Withdrawal means that an individual has a very painful physical and/or emotional reaction when the substance or behavior is stopped. Withdrawal happens in two phases: acute withdrawal and post-acute withdrawal. Acute withdrawal occurs within hours and days of the cessation of use. Alcohol withdrawal can be accompanied by hallucinations and delirium tremens. After a person has become adjusted to a certain level of the drug/experience removal of it affects the emotional/biochemical balance that has been established. The person then has to readjust to living without the previous level of stimulation, etc. Post acute withdrawal can last two years or more. It also has emotional and physiological aspects that are very difficult to endure.
As you can see, addiction is an ever-growing downward spiral which has NO pleasant ending. This is not a happy picture.
Recovery is a process, and there’s bound to be some bumps in the road. But you can overcome your addiction by learning how to cope in ways that are constructive rather than destructive to yourself and others. Here are some way that you can do just that:
(1) Seek spiritual and professional help.
(2) Improve your attitude about yourself and stop making excuses.
(3) Pray and meditate on good things.
(4) Watch the environment you expose yourself to.
Learning how addiction develops—and why it can have such a powerful hold—will give you a better understanding of how to deal with the problem. Treatment success depends on developing a new way of living and addressing the reasons why you turned to your addiction in the first place. People often develop addictions in order to numb painful emotions, distract themselves, or cope with overwhelming experiences. In order to permanently end addiction, it's important to address the root emotional causes.
Addiction has two elements that must be understood to grasp the true nature of it. The first element is tolerance.
A person is drawn to an addictive behavior or substance because of the way it affects his or her emotions. It enhances some feelings and numbs out others. Emotional pain is reduced momentarily...and the hope is that it will not come back. Of course, it does. Tolerance means that over time more and more of the behavior or substance is required to produce the desired effect. More intense sex or more alcohol is required to numb out feelings, or more cocaine is needed to get the heightened sense of excitement and competence.
Eventually the intensity of the behavior or substance needed to produce the high become dangerous in and of itself. Not only does one become an impaired driver in the case of chemical addictions, but an overdose can occur or the liver can eventually fail. In the case of sex one runs the risk of an arrest, loss of a primary relationship or job, or becoming infected with HIV. And in the case of other behavioral addictions such as eating, spending, or gambling more and more intense experiences are required for satisfaction. Eventually even those fail.
The second element that is important to understand is withdrawal . Withdrawal means that an individual has a very painful physical and/or emotional reaction when the substance or behavior is stopped. Withdrawal happens in two phases: acute withdrawal and post-acute withdrawal. Acute withdrawal occurs within hours and days of the cessation of use. Alcohol withdrawal can be accompanied by hallucinations and delirium tremens. After a person has become adjusted to a certain level of the drug/experience removal of it affects the emotional/biochemical balance that has been established. The person then has to readjust to living without the previous level of stimulation, etc. Post acute withdrawal can last two years or more. It also has emotional and physiological aspects that are very difficult to endure.
As you can see, addiction is an ever-growing downward spiral which has NO pleasant ending. This is not a happy picture.
Recovery is a process, and there’s bound to be some bumps in the road. But you can overcome your addiction by learning how to cope in ways that are constructive rather than destructive to yourself and others. Here are some way that you can do just that:
(1) Seek spiritual and professional help.
(2) Improve your attitude about yourself and stop making excuses.
(3) Pray and meditate on good things.
(4) Watch the environment you expose yourself to.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
When Bad Things Happen
If you’ve gone through a traumatic experience or suffered repeated trauma, you may be struggling with upsetting emotions, frightening memories, or a sense of constant danger that you just can’t kick. Or the trauma may have left you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.
When bad things happen, it can take time to get over the pain and feel safe again. But with the right treatment, self-help strategies, and support from family and friends you can speed your recovery from emotional and psychological trauma. Whether the traumatic event happened years ago or yesterday, you can heal and move on.
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable in a dangerous world.
Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.
Emotional and psychological trauma can be caused by single-blow, one-time events, such as a horrible accident, a natural disaster, or a violent attack. Trauma can also stem from ongoing, relentless stress, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood or struggling with cancer.
Recovering from emotional and psychological trauma takes time. Give yourself time to heal and to mourn the losses you’ve experienced. Don’t try to force the healing process. Be patient with the pace of recovery. Finally, be prepared for difficult and volatile emotions. Allow yourself to feel whatever you’re feeling without judgment or guilt.
-Don’t isolate yourself.
Following a trauma, you may want to withdraw from others, but isolation makes things worse. Connecting to others will help you heal, so make an effort to maintain your relationships and avoid spending too much time alone.
-Stay grounded.
In order to stay grounded after a trauma, it helps to have a structured schedule to follow.
-Take care of your health.
A healthy body increases your ability to cope with stress from a trauma.
When bad things happen, it can take time to get over the pain and feel safe again. But with the right treatment, self-help strategies, and support from family and friends you can speed your recovery from emotional and psychological trauma. Whether the traumatic event happened years ago or yesterday, you can heal and move on.
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable in a dangerous world.
Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and alone can be traumatic, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective facts that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.
Emotional and psychological trauma can be caused by single-blow, one-time events, such as a horrible accident, a natural disaster, or a violent attack. Trauma can also stem from ongoing, relentless stress, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood or struggling with cancer.
Recovering from emotional and psychological trauma takes time. Give yourself time to heal and to mourn the losses you’ve experienced. Don’t try to force the healing process. Be patient with the pace of recovery. Finally, be prepared for difficult and volatile emotions. Allow yourself to feel whatever you’re feeling without judgment or guilt.
-Don’t isolate yourself.
Following a trauma, you may want to withdraw from others, but isolation makes things worse. Connecting to others will help you heal, so make an effort to maintain your relationships and avoid spending too much time alone.
-Stay grounded.
In order to stay grounded after a trauma, it helps to have a structured schedule to follow.
-Take care of your health.
A healthy body increases your ability to cope with stress from a trauma.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Enjoy Your Birthright
It actually takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. A genuine smile does wonders for the person smiling, and the person receiving it. A good hearty laugh is contagious and infectious, in a good way. It has often been said that laughter is the best medicine so go ahead and laugh.
-Laughter is a very powerful antidote. It is an excellent way to release and alleviate stress. Laughter quickly brings the body and mind back into balance and focus. It is a great way to relax tense muscles.
-Laughter releases endorphins which are chemicals in the body that make you feel good. These endorphins can help you feel better and even provide respite from pain.
-Laughter is good for the heart. Laughter improves blood flow and circulation which can help protect against heart diseases and heart attack. Laughter also boosts the body's immunity.
-Laughter will bring more joy to yourself and those around you. It can improve your love life, your mood, and conquer fear and anxiety.
-Laughter also will help you preform better at work and in school. It helps enhance relationships and bonding. Laughter makes us more approachable and likable.
Babies smile within their first weeks of life and laugh out loud just months afterwards. Laughter and happiness are your birthright, so take advantage of both.
-Laughter is a very powerful antidote. It is an excellent way to release and alleviate stress. Laughter quickly brings the body and mind back into balance and focus. It is a great way to relax tense muscles.
-Laughter releases endorphins which are chemicals in the body that make you feel good. These endorphins can help you feel better and even provide respite from pain.
-Laughter is good for the heart. Laughter improves blood flow and circulation which can help protect against heart diseases and heart attack. Laughter also boosts the body's immunity.
-Laughter will bring more joy to yourself and those around you. It can improve your love life, your mood, and conquer fear and anxiety.
-Laughter also will help you preform better at work and in school. It helps enhance relationships and bonding. Laughter makes us more approachable and likable.
Babies smile within their first weeks of life and laugh out loud just months afterwards. Laughter and happiness are your birthright, so take advantage of both.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Bran Muffins
They were 85 years old, and had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich, they managed to get by because they watched their pennies. Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last 2 decades.
One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane unfortunately crashed, sending them off to Heaven.
They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet. They gasped in astonishment when he said, "Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now."
The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost.
"Why, nothing," Peter replied; "remember, this is your reward in Heaven."
The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever-built on Earth. "What are the greens fees?" grumbled the old man.
"This is heaven," St. Peter replied "You can play for free, every day, any time of day that you want."
Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic desserts, and free flowing beverages. "Don't even ask," said St Peter to the man. "This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy."
The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife. "Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?" he asked.
"That's the best part," St. Peter replied. "You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!"
The old man inquired, "No gym to work out at?"
"Not unless you want to," was the answer.
"No testing my sugar or blood pressure or..."
"Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself."
The old man glared at his wife and said, "You and your bran muffins. We could have been here twenty years ago!"
One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane unfortunately crashed, sending them off to Heaven.
They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside. He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet. They gasped in astonishment when he said, "Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now."
The old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost.
"Why, nothing," Peter replied; "remember, this is your reward in Heaven."
The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever-built on Earth. "What are the greens fees?" grumbled the old man.
"This is heaven," St. Peter replied "You can play for free, every day, any time of day that you want."
Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic desserts, and free flowing beverages. "Don't even ask," said St Peter to the man. "This is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy."
The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife. "Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?" he asked.
"That's the best part," St. Peter replied. "You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!"
The old man inquired, "No gym to work out at?"
"Not unless you want to," was the answer.
"No testing my sugar or blood pressure or..."
"Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself."
The old man glared at his wife and said, "You and your bran muffins. We could have been here twenty years ago!"
Friday, April 13, 2012
"What Christians Are Supposed To Do" (Part 3)
(2) Helping the Hurting.
Verses 2-5 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”
The second ministry is a bit broader in that it includes restoring the fallen, but also ministering to those hurting for any reason. When we see a friend burdened with the problems, cares and pressures of life, we are to drop what we are doing and go to his aid.
-First, there is the need to bear the burdens of others: “Bear (carry) each other’s burdens”.
The burden of this verse refers to an overwhelming load, an impossibly huge boulder weighing you down as you stagger along the highway of life. The boulder may represent any number of things: sickness, sudden calamity, personal loss, financial difficulty, broken dreams, a failed marriage, family problems, career setbacks, or the death of a loved one. I find it significant that Paul does not focus on what the burden is or where it comes from. That doesn’t seem to matter. What matters is that when you see your brother or sister staggering under a heavy load, you drop what you are doing and go help them bear that load. Instead of judging them, you help them by doing whatever you can for as long as you can. Will this not slow you down? Assuredly it will, and if getting to the finish line first is your goal in life, then you won’t bother to bear very many burdens. But if helping the hurting is part of your vision of Christian discipleship, then for you bearing burdens isn’t a distraction, it’s at the heart and core of what it means to follow Jesus.
And that brings us to a crucial principle. In every situation, do what Jesus would do: “And so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Theologians debate this verse because Paul has said over and over again that we are not under the law, meaning keeping the Law of Moses as a way of gaining God’s favor. What is the “law of Christ?” It probably refers to Jesus’ call to love God supremely and to love our neighbor as ourselves. As you march through life, and as you see others falling around you, and as you come upon those suffering from various troubles, ask yourself the question that has become so famous in recent years: What would Jesus do? In almost every instance, the answer will not be, “Just keep on marching.” Almost every time, the answer will be, “Jesus would make a difference in this situation.” He would be there, he would care, and he would minister the love and grace and mercy of God.
It may help to imagine you as the person under such a heavy load. What would you wish that a friend would do for you? Go and do likewise. And when you “do unto others,” you will be doing the work of Jesus Christ. Soon after the terrorist attacks on September 11, Gordon and Gail MacDonald volunteered to work at Ground Zero where the World Trade Center once stood. They were part of a large team of Salvation Army workers who are ministering to the men who trudge into “the pit” to remove debris and carefully search for human remains. This week I’ve been reading Gordon MacDonald’s daily dispatches from that time. In his first one he talks about the clean uniforms of the men as they go into “the pit.” When they come out a few hours later, the workers are covered with a thick layer of dirt and grime. The smell of death is on them so strong that it takes rubbing alcohol to remove it. The work is physically dangerous and takes an enormous emotional toll. The Salvation Army workers offer water, encouragement, and a prayer when appropriate. The first dispatch ends with Gordon MacDonald talking about the heroism of the men and women who go into the “the pit” each day. Then he muses to himself, “This is where Jesus would most want to be.”
I think he is right. If you are looking for Jesus, don’t start by going to church on Sunday morning. I know the Lord is with us as we worship, for he is always with his people when they come together. But if you are looking for Jesus, look for those who give themselves to help hurting people. He is always present when Christian people carry the light of hope into the darkest corners of this very dark world.
-Paul next mentions a danger we should all consider. When you see your brother or your sister suffering, don’t be too proud to get involved.
“For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”
It’s very easy to look down your nose and say, “They deserve it.” “She’s so weak.” “He just can’t handle the pressure.” “I saw it coming.” “Maybe they’ll listen to me next time.” “I don’t want to get involved.” “I’m just glad it’s them and not me.” “I know I would never do something like that.” How quick we are to condemn, looking the other way, to pass by on the other side.
Paul puts his finger on the problem: personal pride. If you think you are something special, then you’ll find it easy to condemn. But if you think that you’re a nobody apart from the grace of God, then you’ll be quick to forgive and ready to help the hurting. Perhaps we can rephrase that a bit. The reason you find it easy to condemn is because you’ve got an inflated opinion of your own importance. If you were more conscious of your own sin, you’d be more forgiving of the weakness and failure of others. Aesop said that every man carries two bags over his shoulder. With one bag hanging in back he carries his sins; with the bag hanging in front, he carries his neighbor’s sins. If we were more aware of our own sins, the sins of our neighbor would bother us less than they do.
So before you condemn or criticize, take a good look in the mirror. You’re not as hot as you think you are, and your hurting friend isn’t as bad as you think he is.
-Finally, there is a test for all us: Am I doing my part?
“For each one shall bear his own load.”
In the older translations, the word “burden” was found in verses 2 and 5, leading some to think there was a contradiction in this passage. The NIV solves the problem by using “burden” in verse 2 and “load” in verse 5. That’s appropriate because Paul uses two different Greek words. The word in verse 2 refers to an overwhelming burden that we cannot carry by ourselves. The word in verse 5 describes a soldier’s backpack. It is something small and relatively light that every person can carry. It’s the difference between a backpack and a boulder. We all have our load we must carry, but as Jesus said, his burden was light in Matthew 11:30. One reason the backpack is light is so that as we travel, we have the strength to stop and help those struggling under enormous loads. If today your burden seems light to you, don’t think that God intends you to go skipping and singing all the way to heaven. Open your eyes. Look around you. Find someone who needs the help only you can give. And then lend a hand.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
What A Christian Is Supposed To Do (Part 2)
(1) Restoring the Fallen.
Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
Here’s the same verse from The Message Bible:
“If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out.”
Who are the “fallen” people and how can we help them? This verse gives us four answers to that question.
-First, they are trapped by sin. The word “caught” was sometimes used for a bird or an animal caught in a trap. It describes a believer who has been suddenly overcome by some temptation that came upon him unawares. A perfect example is Peter who, after boasting that he would never desert the Lord, denied him three times. It is the picture of a believer whose leg is caught in a trap of sin. The bone is broken and the person is trapped with no hope of escape. What will you do when you hear your brother, your sister, crying for help? Will you walk away? Or will you come and help them?
-Second, they require the help of spiritual people. The phrase “you who are spiritual” in this context describes those who are walking in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit, and keeping in step with the Spirit. Since this is not meant to describe a certain class of super-spiritual saints, it really applies to everyone who loves the Lord and wants to please him. One writer comments that truly spiritual Christians would never use that term to describe themselves. But the mark of their spirituality is that they are alarmed at what sin has done to a brother or sister in Christ, and instead of walking on by, they stop to help out.
-Third, they must be restored gently. The word “restore” was used for setting a broken bone and for mending fishing nets. If you’ve ever had a broken bone, you know how painful that can be. And if the doctor is rough, he can make your pain much worse even as he tries to help you heal. That’s why the work of spiritual restoration must be done “gently” or as the King James Version says, “meekly.” It has the idea of doing something quickly, quietly, and with enormous kindness. When a friend is down and hurt by sin, you don’t announce it to the world. You don’t try to ruin his reputation. No, you go to his aid and do what you can to help him recover.
-Fourth, they must be approached carefully. Here is a warning we all need to consider. Paul says that we should be careful in our helping lest we should fall into the same hole as our friend. Satan is tricky. He knows that if he can get one Christian trapped in sin, he may soon get another and then another. This is why doctors wash their hands so often. Not only must they avoid giving germs to their patients, they must also guard against receiving germs from their patients. In our attempts to help struggling Christians, we must be careful lest we start making excuses, offering rationalizations, avoiding confrontation, and letting sympathy replace truth.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
What Christians Are Supposed To Do (Part 1)
Galatians 6:1-5 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”
When General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was an old man, he was invited to address a large convention of Army workers and volunteers. When it was determined he was unable to attend, he was asked to send a greeting instead. The message he sent went like this:
“To the delegates of the Salvation Army convention:
Others.
Signed,
General William Booth.”
Others.
Signed,
General William Booth.”
Verse 2 of our text says a similar thing: “Bear ye one another’s burdens.”
John Abruzzo is alive today because his friends took that verse literally. At 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, he was working on the 69th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. That’s when the first hijacked plane hit the north tower. Seeing the flames and debris filling the sky, everyone scrambled to evacuate the building. Everyone, that is, except John Abruzzo. A quadriplegic since a diving accident 17 years ago, there was no way he could make it down 69 flights of stairs by himself. Eight men and one woman stayed behind to help him. Easing his 6’ 4”, 250-pound frame into a special sleigh-like device that itself weighed 150 pounds, they began to take him to safety. It wasn’t an easy trip. After they had descended a few stories, the south tower shuddered when the second hijacked plane hit it. Soon the stairwell was filled with hot smoke and panicked workers racing to escape the doomed building. When they got to the 20th floor, after an hour, they heard a roar outside. It was the sound of the north tower collapsing. The lights in the stairwell went out. When they reached the lobby, it looked like a deserted war zone: broken windows, smoke, debris, doors on their hinges, furniture overturned, and no one in sight. As they exited the building, a fireman urged them to run for their lives. They followed the crowds to a high school three blocks away. Ten minutes after they left the south tower, it too collapsed.
Looking back on his experience, John Abruzzo hardly knows what to say. He is alive because his friends carried him to safety. If they hadn’t, he would be among the 6,000 still missing. “We all had our lives to lose,” he mused. “What they did … I don’t know. Do you just say thanks? I don’t know what to say to them.”
There is one ministry that any believer can perform and it doesn’t require special training. It’s called “bearing one another’s burdens.” If you have the heart, and the time, and the desire, you can be a burden-bearer for those in need.
In our text Paul explains two ways we can bear the burdens of those around us. As we study this text, keep in mind that these ministries are not reserved only for leaders or pastors or elders or teachers. If you love the Lord, and if you are willing to get involved, if you will take a risk, you can be a burden-bearer for Jesus.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Burning Bridges
How many of you wish you could burn some bridges that you have left behind and just start all over? I'm not talking about living with regrets or shame, but literally doing some things differently that could have made your life a little better along your journey. I think that I am writing to a lot of people that wish things would have gone in another direction than they have gone. That's why it is necessary to learn how to burn bridges you have already crossed and construct new ones for those that follow after us to be able to use.
I came across a story recently concerning General George Washington during the time of the birthing of this country.
General Washington was approaching one of the fiercest battles of his campaign. He and his troops had crossed over a bridge as they were nearing the battle when one of his officers came to him and asked whether or not to burn the bridge behind them.
It was customary to burn the bridges as they crossed over them to prevent the enemy from slipping up on them from behind and to prevent soldiers from running away from the battle when it became to hot to handle.
The great General Washington looked toward the battle and then looked back to where they had come from and then back toward the battle and then gave his answer:
“Burn the bridge; it is either victory or death.”
(1) The Bible lists many occasions when God was displeased with people desiring to go back to where they were before God delivered them.
-In Genesis 19:17 God instructed Lot and his wife to leave Sodom and not look back or they would die. Verse 26 says however, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Lot’s wife just couldn’t stand the thought of not looking back just one more time.
-In Luke 9:62 Jesus said, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
God has very clearly set the standard of not looking back with desires to go back to the old sinful ways of our past.
(2) There is a great tragedy in not burning bridges.
-When Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom she died in her tracks. Her forward progress stopped.
-Looking back to where we used to be erases our usefulness for the work of God’s kingdom.
-Looking back changes our direction. Taking your eyes off the road will cause you to change lanes.
-Looking back influences others around you.
-Looking back and desiring to go back shows where our hearts are.
We can never become what God has designed us to be with our chins hung over our shoulder.
(3) We have to learn to burn our bridges!
-God knew the road across the Red Sea had to be closed to discourage people from returning to Egypt and to keep the Egyptian enemy from continuing to pursue God’s people.
-People tend to want to go back to their old stomping grounds when the going gets tough.
Exodus 14:11 says, “What have you done Moses brought us out here in this desert for us to die?”
-The human part of us will want to go back when things get boring and they will get boring at times. The “Good Ole Days” can begin to look pretty good sometimes. (By the way, they weren’t really that good!)
-When we continue to visit the places we used to go to when we were in sin the bridge is left open for temptation to come and give us a visit.
Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” There’s no turning back in God. There’s no second-guessing. God is calling you to move forward, put the past to rest, and let that bridge burn!
I came across a story recently concerning General George Washington during the time of the birthing of this country.
General Washington was approaching one of the fiercest battles of his campaign. He and his troops had crossed over a bridge as they were nearing the battle when one of his officers came to him and asked whether or not to burn the bridge behind them.
It was customary to burn the bridges as they crossed over them to prevent the enemy from slipping up on them from behind and to prevent soldiers from running away from the battle when it became to hot to handle.
The great General Washington looked toward the battle and then looked back to where they had come from and then back toward the battle and then gave his answer:
“Burn the bridge; it is either victory or death.”
(1) The Bible lists many occasions when God was displeased with people desiring to go back to where they were before God delivered them.
-In Genesis 19:17 God instructed Lot and his wife to leave Sodom and not look back or they would die. Verse 26 says however, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Lot’s wife just couldn’t stand the thought of not looking back just one more time.
-In Luke 9:62 Jesus said, “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
God has very clearly set the standard of not looking back with desires to go back to the old sinful ways of our past.
(2) There is a great tragedy in not burning bridges.
-When Lot’s wife looked back at Sodom she died in her tracks. Her forward progress stopped.
-Looking back to where we used to be erases our usefulness for the work of God’s kingdom.
-Looking back changes our direction. Taking your eyes off the road will cause you to change lanes.
-Looking back influences others around you.
-Looking back and desiring to go back shows where our hearts are.
We can never become what God has designed us to be with our chins hung over our shoulder.
(3) We have to learn to burn our bridges!
-God knew the road across the Red Sea had to be closed to discourage people from returning to Egypt and to keep the Egyptian enemy from continuing to pursue God’s people.
-People tend to want to go back to their old stomping grounds when the going gets tough.
Exodus 14:11 says, “What have you done Moses brought us out here in this desert for us to die?”
-The human part of us will want to go back when things get boring and they will get boring at times. The “Good Ole Days” can begin to look pretty good sometimes. (By the way, they weren’t really that good!)
-When we continue to visit the places we used to go to when we were in sin the bridge is left open for temptation to come and give us a visit.
Jesus said in Luke 9:62, “No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” There’s no turning back in God. There’s no second-guessing. God is calling you to move forward, put the past to rest, and let that bridge burn!
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Family Matters
The last two weekends have been super special because I got to spend them with my family. As a pastor your church family is important, but there's nothing that beats being with your own family. I used to get so upset with my dad when I was a child because he would spend so much time with church people and not a whole lot of time with me. It wasn't until I got older and into the ministry myself that I realized the time you must invest in people just to keep them committed to church. Then before I knew it I was walking in my Father's shoes and doing my son the same way my dad did me. It wasn't intentional or on purpose, it was just the rigors of the job.
When my first grand was born 12 years ago I decided to change my philosophy of ministry. People still matter and I still do my job, but I've found that if you have to keep knocking on their door to get them to church there's something wrong with that equation. God is still my first priority and always will be, but my family has become more important to me than anything else except my relationship with God. If a person really loves the Lord he or she will honor their commitments and be faithful without coercion.
If you are a pastor today you will understand what I am about to write. People today are going to do what they want to do regardless of what you try to do to help or assist them. If they want to come to church, they will do so because they love God. If they want to stay home, they will no matter how many cards you send or calls you make. Times have changed tremendously and those that really love the Lord are rising to the top. It's not like the old days when church was at the top of the family activity list. Too many of our pastor's homes and families have suffered because they have exhausted themselves chasing down folks who are not committed to church with no results and then are too tired to help each other in their own personal struggles.
The family matters more today than ever before. I want my church to grow and be the best that it can be, but I realize that there are more factors involved in church growth than they teach you at a seminar or meeting. Our culture, demographics, and theology have changed in the past 10 years and I wonder if after 911 we will ever be the same nation again. But one thing hasn't changed, and that is the need for the family to be the most important thing in your life.
Somethings to remember:
-Your children will only be young once so enjoy them while you can.
-Guys, the grass isn't greener on the other side. Make your marriage work.
-Ladies, Prince Charming may have put on a few pounds (and so have you), but if he still treats you good hold on to him.
Yes, the family matters more than anything outside of your relationship with God. Just try to remember that the next time the enemy tries to sway your mind. Don't let go of the precious gift that God has invested with you.
When my first grand was born 12 years ago I decided to change my philosophy of ministry. People still matter and I still do my job, but I've found that if you have to keep knocking on their door to get them to church there's something wrong with that equation. God is still my first priority and always will be, but my family has become more important to me than anything else except my relationship with God. If a person really loves the Lord he or she will honor their commitments and be faithful without coercion.
If you are a pastor today you will understand what I am about to write. People today are going to do what they want to do regardless of what you try to do to help or assist them. If they want to come to church, they will do so because they love God. If they want to stay home, they will no matter how many cards you send or calls you make. Times have changed tremendously and those that really love the Lord are rising to the top. It's not like the old days when church was at the top of the family activity list. Too many of our pastor's homes and families have suffered because they have exhausted themselves chasing down folks who are not committed to church with no results and then are too tired to help each other in their own personal struggles.
The family matters more today than ever before. I want my church to grow and be the best that it can be, but I realize that there are more factors involved in church growth than they teach you at a seminar or meeting. Our culture, demographics, and theology have changed in the past 10 years and I wonder if after 911 we will ever be the same nation again. But one thing hasn't changed, and that is the need for the family to be the most important thing in your life.
Somethings to remember:
-Your children will only be young once so enjoy them while you can.
-Guys, the grass isn't greener on the other side. Make your marriage work.
-Ladies, Prince Charming may have put on a few pounds (and so have you), but if he still treats you good hold on to him.
Yes, the family matters more than anything outside of your relationship with God. Just try to remember that the next time the enemy tries to sway your mind. Don't let go of the precious gift that God has invested with you.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Look To The Cross
We celebrate the joy of Easter
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The shadow of the cross reminds us.
Of our Lord's great sacrifice.
Through Christ's death He saves us
By His life we are set free.
The blood He shed on Calvary cross
paid the sin debt for you and me.
We celebrate a resurrected Savior
for He is no longer dead.
Death and the grave couldn't hold Him.
He got up just as He said!
Hallelujah, Christ is risen!
and our sin debt has been paid.
He showed Himself alive to many
and some saw the grave where He was laid.
So look to the cross and be forgiven
and be cleansed from all your sins.
At the cross we'll find healing.
for His blood makes us whole again.
~ Lenora McWhorter ~Copyright © 2012
All Rights Reserved
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The Resurrection (Part 4)
(16) The disciples were utterly transformed. Whereas before that Sunday the disciples were unsure, timid, doubting, and in general a lackluster bunch, afterwards to a man they were utterly, radically and completely transformed. They were quite literally new men. Suddenly these timid souls were totally dedicated to spreading the good news to anyone who would listen. Persecution didn’t stop them, opposition didn’t faze them, hatred didn’t intimidate them, hardship didn’t slow them down, the threat of martyrdom didn’t intimidate them. To a man they became dynamos of Christian evangelism. In the words of the Bible, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. These were the men who turned the world upside down.
I submit that the only possible answer is that these men met the risen Christ and he changed their lives forever.
(17) The early Christians all believed he had been raised.
This is nothing more than a simple historical observation. All the early Christians without exception believed that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. The Jewish Christians believed, but so did the Gentiles. Wherever the gospel went, it produced converts who joined in proclaiming the risen Christ.
(18) The resurrection was the centerpiece of their preaching.
It’s interesting to read the accounts of the early Christian sermons from the book of Acts. They all centered on the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. We today tend to focus more on the death of Christ. But it was not so in the beginning. The first Christians understood that without the resurrection, the crucifixion had no meaning.
(19) They died testifying to the reality of the resurrection.
Church history tells us that of the eleven original disciples (not counting Judas) plus Paul, all died violent deaths for their faith in Jesus. The one exception was John, who spent his final years imprisoned on the island of Patmos. Beyond that, thousands of Christians died in the various Roman persecutions. Why would men and women die for a myth or a legend? Why would the apostles die for Christ if they knew he had not risen from the dead?
(20) For 2,000 years no one has produced a convincing answer to the question, “If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, what happened to his body?”
This is the ultimate unanswered question. Where is the body of Jesus? No one throughout 2,000 years of history has provided a credible answer to that question. In fact, I will go so far as to state that no one ever will. People have searched the Holy Land and I can tell you that you can start in the north and dig to the south or start in the east and dig to the west. You’ll find bones everywhere you dig. But you won’t find the bones of Jesus because they aren’t there.
(21) This weekend over one billion Christians plus unite to proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive and well.
This weekend we join with Christians around the world to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We stand in a long line of believers who proclaim with the angel, “He is not here, for he is risen, just as he said.”
I submit that the only possible answer is that these men met the risen Christ and he changed their lives forever.
(17) The early Christians all believed he had been raised.
This is nothing more than a simple historical observation. All the early Christians without exception believed that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. The Jewish Christians believed, but so did the Gentiles. Wherever the gospel went, it produced converts who joined in proclaiming the risen Christ.
(18) The resurrection was the centerpiece of their preaching.
It’s interesting to read the accounts of the early Christian sermons from the book of Acts. They all centered on the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. We today tend to focus more on the death of Christ. But it was not so in the beginning. The first Christians understood that without the resurrection, the crucifixion had no meaning.
(19) They died testifying to the reality of the resurrection.
Church history tells us that of the eleven original disciples (not counting Judas) plus Paul, all died violent deaths for their faith in Jesus. The one exception was John, who spent his final years imprisoned on the island of Patmos. Beyond that, thousands of Christians died in the various Roman persecutions. Why would men and women die for a myth or a legend? Why would the apostles die for Christ if they knew he had not risen from the dead?
(20) For 2,000 years no one has produced a convincing answer to the question, “If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, what happened to his body?”
This is the ultimate unanswered question. Where is the body of Jesus? No one throughout 2,000 years of history has provided a credible answer to that question. In fact, I will go so far as to state that no one ever will. People have searched the Holy Land and I can tell you that you can start in the north and dig to the south or start in the east and dig to the west. You’ll find bones everywhere you dig. But you won’t find the bones of Jesus because they aren’t there.
(21) This weekend over one billion Christians plus unite to proclaim that Jesus Christ is alive and well.
This weekend we join with Christians around the world to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. We stand in a long line of believers who proclaim with the angel, “He is not here, for he is risen, just as he said.”
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Resurrection (Part 3)
(8) The angels testified to the resurrection.
To the Jews angels always signified a special message from God. In the Old Testament angels were sent by God to announce very important events. In this case the angels announced the most important event of all time which was the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(9) The graveclothes were still in place.
When John wrote his version of the Sunday morning events, he includes the fascinating note that when he and Peter entered the tomb, they found the graveclothes lying in place with the linen head cloth folded next to it. Evidently the spices and resins had hardened into the shape of Jesus’ body, leaving the appearance of a cocoon after the butterfly has escaped. How do you explain that fact? Grave robbers would have taken the body without unwrapping it or they would have unwrapped it and thrown the winding sheets to the side. No one steals a body and then rewraps the graveclothes.
I believe that when Jesus rose from the dead he literally passed right through the graveclothes leaving behind the linen wrappings just as John and Peter found them.
(10) The tomb was empty.
The disciples, the Jews, and the Romans all knew that the tomb was empty. It’s true that each group viewed that fact differently but no one disputed the basic assertion that on Easter Sunday morning Jesus was no longer in the tomb.
(11) No one ever found his body.
The Jews never produced his body. In fact, they concocted the first Easter conspiracy precisely because they didn’t know what happened to it. The Romans went along with the conspiracy because they didn’t know what happened either. If anyone had produced the dead body of Jesus, the entire Christian movement would have gone the way of so many other short-lived religions across the centuries.
No one has ever found the body of Jesus and no one ever will. The skeptics simply can’t answer the question, “What happened to his body?”
(12) He appeared to many people.
Taking the gospels together with 1 Corinthians, you get a list like this:
-First to the women.
-Then to Peter and John.
-Then the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
-Then to the disciples in the Upper Room.
-Then to the disciples and Thomas one week later.
-Then to the disciples in Galilee.
And somewhere along the way he appeared to 500 people at once. There were other appearances as well that we cannot date precisely. Taken together, the list is impressive enough that it cannot be cavalierly dismissed as wishful thinking. Writing some 30 years later, Paul commented that most of those who saw the risen Christ were still alive and ready to testify to what they had seen.
(13) He showed his wounds to Doubting Thomas.
When Jesus appeared to Thomas a week after the resurrection he offered the ultimate apologetic proof. Spreading forth his hands, he said, “Touch my wounds. See for yourself.” When Thomas saw the wounds, he knew at last that it must be true.
(14) He ate with the disciples
Luke 24:42, 43 tells us that Jesus ate broiled fish in the presence of the disciples. A ghost doesn’t eat fish. Neither does a dead man.
(15) He stayed with them for 40 days
Forty days is a long time. If Jesus had only appeared once or twice, we might be tempted to discount it as a hopeful vision. But Jesus “showed himself alive” according to Acts 1:1-3 by “many infallible proofs.” He stayed long enough to convince all his followers that he had indeed come back from the dead.
To the Jews angels always signified a special message from God. In the Old Testament angels were sent by God to announce very important events. In this case the angels announced the most important event of all time which was the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(9) The graveclothes were still in place.
When John wrote his version of the Sunday morning events, he includes the fascinating note that when he and Peter entered the tomb, they found the graveclothes lying in place with the linen head cloth folded next to it. Evidently the spices and resins had hardened into the shape of Jesus’ body, leaving the appearance of a cocoon after the butterfly has escaped. How do you explain that fact? Grave robbers would have taken the body without unwrapping it or they would have unwrapped it and thrown the winding sheets to the side. No one steals a body and then rewraps the graveclothes.
I believe that when Jesus rose from the dead he literally passed right through the graveclothes leaving behind the linen wrappings just as John and Peter found them.
(10) The tomb was empty.
The disciples, the Jews, and the Romans all knew that the tomb was empty. It’s true that each group viewed that fact differently but no one disputed the basic assertion that on Easter Sunday morning Jesus was no longer in the tomb.
(11) No one ever found his body.
The Jews never produced his body. In fact, they concocted the first Easter conspiracy precisely because they didn’t know what happened to it. The Romans went along with the conspiracy because they didn’t know what happened either. If anyone had produced the dead body of Jesus, the entire Christian movement would have gone the way of so many other short-lived religions across the centuries.
No one has ever found the body of Jesus and no one ever will. The skeptics simply can’t answer the question, “What happened to his body?”
(12) He appeared to many people.
Taking the gospels together with 1 Corinthians, you get a list like this:
-First to the women.
-Then to Peter and John.
-Then the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
-Then to the disciples in the Upper Room.
-Then to the disciples and Thomas one week later.
-Then to the disciples in Galilee.
And somewhere along the way he appeared to 500 people at once. There were other appearances as well that we cannot date precisely. Taken together, the list is impressive enough that it cannot be cavalierly dismissed as wishful thinking. Writing some 30 years later, Paul commented that most of those who saw the risen Christ were still alive and ready to testify to what they had seen.
(13) He showed his wounds to Doubting Thomas.
When Jesus appeared to Thomas a week after the resurrection he offered the ultimate apologetic proof. Spreading forth his hands, he said, “Touch my wounds. See for yourself.” When Thomas saw the wounds, he knew at last that it must be true.
(14) He ate with the disciples
Luke 24:42, 43 tells us that Jesus ate broiled fish in the presence of the disciples. A ghost doesn’t eat fish. Neither does a dead man.
(15) He stayed with them for 40 days
Forty days is a long time. If Jesus had only appeared once or twice, we might be tempted to discount it as a hopeful vision. But Jesus “showed himself alive” according to Acts 1:1-3 by “many infallible proofs.” He stayed long enough to convince all his followers that he had indeed come back from the dead.
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