Southside's Blog

In studying for this article, I read and listened to many commentator’s views. I do not necessarily agree with all their opinions, but their writings cause me to reconfirm or to rethink my beliefs. One thing that most writers agree on is that there are many different views on God’s will. I apologize for the length of this article, but I found that the subject could not be covered in a couple of pages. The following is what I took away from the study.

Some writers believe that God’s will breaks down in two categories; his sovereign will or purpose and his moral will which is his command to conduct our lives by the teachings in the Bible. God does not intend for us to know most of his sovereign will ahead of time. Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may follow all the words of his law.” Acts 1:7 … “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority……” God’s will requires that we have complete faith and trust him.

The term “God’s will” is used with different implications in the Bible. It’s used to mean the plan of God, the counsel of God, the decrees of God, the disposition or attitude of God. It is also be looked at in the active tense as his conscious deciding, willing, and choosing to do something.

Philip H. Towner’s thought: “Obedience to the will of God challenges and supersedes legalistic obedience to religious rules which through concretization have become meaningless and even hinder the pursuit of a knowledge of God. Ultimately, the readiness of an individual to acknowledge and then do God’s will determines whether that person will be able to apprehend the truth of Jesus.” He uses John 17:7 as his reference: “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”

Think about God’s will as the plan by which everything is designed. He has laid out his blueprint for the entire world as well as for us individually. He expects us to align ourselves within that blueprint. Mr. Towner continues: “The will of God as a superstructure of God’s intervention in the affairs of humankind and for all of life was a belief that shaped much of the early church’s outlook on theology and life. Jesus’ own life, ministry, and teaching undoubtedly provided a formative influence.” The Bible is our resource for God’s blueprint to carefully study, understand and then execute his plan. It’s not a plan that God intends for us to pick and choose what we like and cast aside those portions we don’t like. We have a choice to make!

God’s will includes his plan of salvation. I Timothy 2:4 tells us that God’s global plan wants all men to be saved by coming to a knowledge of the truth. People disagree on exactly what God’s plan of salvation requires of us. I’m convinced many people’s religious beliefs are not based on their own search of the scriptures. They have accepted their parent’s beliefs, the beliefs of a minister or accepted the faith of their spouse. Understanding God’s will requires time spent in self-study. Do not set back with the idea of waiting on God to reveal his will to you by osmosis. There is not enough space or time in this article for me to share what I believe about God’s plan of salvation, but I will be happy to share with you at any time.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for us as individuals: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Psalms 57:2: “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me.” How do I determine God’s plan or his purpose for me?  

Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God --- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is --- his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

In the Old Testament, God’s people offered animals to him as sacrifices for their sins. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2 that given God’s enormous sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, his purpose is that he now wants us to be living sacrifices and give ourselves in service to him. We are no longer to allow the world to influence the way we live, but we are to have a renewed mind or change of heart to live for God. Some writers believe this change is influenced and led by the Holy Spirit. The word “test” used in the NIV was “prove” in the KJV. The word was used to mean the transformed person would demonstrate or show the will of God by the way he lives.

In some ways, God’s plan for me is a mystery. I don’t always fully understand his intent for me. Here are a few verses that give us an idea of God’s purpose for us:

• Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us that fearing God and keeping his commandments is my whole duty;
• Ephesians 2:8-10 says we were created in Jesus for good works;
• II Thessalonians 1:12 tells us that we are to glorify God in our lives;
• I Corinthians 12:7-11 and I Peter 4:10-11 says we each have gifts to serve God
• In John 15:12 Jesus commands that we love one another as he has loved us.

Boyd Bailey offers these thoughts on understanding God’s will:

• Search the scriptures for the basics of being a follower of Christ. If we follow Christ’s teachings, we will always be in God’s will.
• Find objective counsel. Proverbs 15:22 “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Listen to believers who will not just tell you what you want to hear. They can assist you in self-evaluation. If they tell you something is God’s will, ask for Bible references then study for yourself.
• Find peace. Psalms 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.” For me, this one is difficult. I’m impatient always trying to make things happen. If I can sit quietly “listening” to God, he usually “speaks” to me. No, I do not believe that God supernaturally talks to me, but somehow looking for his peace and guidance helps. Being patient and waiting on God helps you understand his will.
• Prayer should be a constant in trying to understand God’s will for our lives. Surrendering to God’s plan not asking him to match our plan is vital. It’s ok to ask God for his help with what we would like to see happen, but his plan comes first, always. Do not expect him to yield to your plan.

We should always keep these things in our heart as our purpose. The best way to determine what he expects of us is to study and determine what gift he has given us to serve him. Prayer is vital to discover our gift.

God’s counsel can be sought through study and prayer. If we are truly trying to seek and follow his will, he will bless our efforts. I John 5:14 tells that “if we ask God anything according to his will, he hears us.” What happens if I pray for something that is not in his will? God will not bless something that is evil or requests that are made with the wrong motive.

The decrees of God are his declarations and pronouncements that he has made within his plan. They declare his purposes under his will. They are also considered his counsel.

God’s disposition or attitude tells us God’s thinking and feelings on matters of morality and how he wants them handled. Once again, his disposition and attitude are in the Bible. They are found in the teachings of Christ as the inspired word of God.

God’s conscious deciding, willing, and choosing to do something maybe the concept of God’s will that people will discuss and disagree on the most. This happens especially when it’s used to decide whether God caused something to happen. When a tragic event happens, some people declare it God’s will and others will counter with God did not cause or make that happen. I do not doubt that God allows tragedy to come into our lives, but I have trouble believing that he caused that four-year-old child to be brutally beaten and killed. Some of the writers make an absolute statement that he will not cause events like this. Others believe that God will use anything to serve his purposes. My question is: What purpose did the death of that child serve? I don’t know!

How does God’s will and our free will work together? Scripture from the very beginning of time shows that humans have minds and wills of their own. Consider Adam and Eve. II Chronicles 12:14 points out that Rehoboam “did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord.” Luke 6 says that a good man brings out the good in his heart but that the evil man brings out evil things. God wants us to choose to do his will but is not going to shove it down our throats. That is free will.

Does God have a will over everything in my life? Here again, there are different answers to this question. I believe his will covers my entire life, but I cannot find his guidance to everything in the Bible. It’s estimated that the average person makes about 35,000 decisions each day. The answers for some of our decisions are not always found in the Bible. We decide about job changes, who to marry etc. and you cannot find a verse that gives a direct answer in the Bible. If you are seeking to find God’s will, pray for guidance and “be still and listen.”

Verses relating directly to morality are found in the Bible. Every question relating to our morality is there if you look for it. That part of God’s will is spelled out.

Kay and I made a decision ten years ago to retire and move from Memphis to Bell Buckle. We prayed long and often about the decision. Everything was fitting together for the relocation, so we believed it was God’s will. Why was it God’s will and what was his purpose? To this day we have no idea the answer to that question. Has his will already been served or is it still to happen? We may never know, but we have faith that our move was within his will.

How’s your faith in accepting God’s will? Mine is often weak and not what it should be. I pray to God about many things but still worry. I don’t worry because I doubt his power and abilities but what if his will does not match my request. Death visits each of us at one time or another. Hebrews 9:27 “Just as people are destined to die once….” Death is a part of God’s will. A few days ago eight children were shot at a school in Colorado with one 18-year-old dying. Why? Because bad people do bad things is the answer.

We have all prayed for the sick people in our lives with success and failure. The most difficult death is that of a child. There is no explanation that soothes our anguish. After the birth of his daughter four years ago, my son told me how difficult it would be for his relationship with God if something happened to Kinleigh. The reply to his comment is “have faith in God.” but that seems to be an easy answer at a very difficult time.

John Mark Hicks, a professor at Harding Graduate School and now at Lipscomb, advises not to tell someone after the death of a loved one “it’s God’s will.” He does not believe that offers the comfort intended and can offend. There is nothing we can say to remove the feeling of someone who has lost a loved one. Just being there for them and telling them you are sorry for their loss is the best we can do.

It’s time to close this study! There is no way this article answered all the questions you may have concerning God’s will. Hopefully, it helped you in your efforts to learn God’s will for your life. Study the Bible, pray for God’s guidance, and grow your faith!

Please share your beliefs on God’s will at mikeclement@ charter.net.

Thanks

Mike

God loves and cares about us. He wants us to be happy even though it may not always fell that way. He like any good parent is going to discipline us when we stray from the way he wants us to live. He does not discipline us out of anger but from love. We’ve sinned, and he wants us to repent and turn from our sins. Sometimes, he needs to get our attention.

Rick Warren writes: “God is more interested in your character than your comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.”

The following verses assure us of what God’s discipline means for us:

Job 5:17-18 – Blessed is the man who God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.

Proverbs 3:11-12 – My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.,

Proverbs 10:17 - He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Proverbs 12:1 – Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

Hebrews12:7 – Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.

Hebrews 12:10-11 – Our fathers discipline us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Revelations 3:19 – Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

The discipline I received as a child took on different forms, sometimes a spanking, other times being deprived of the TV, as I grew older grounding to the house was used. The discipline that I hated most was being told how disappointed my Mother was in me. The discipline was meant to be both punishment and character building. I believe I can feel God’s disappointment when I’ve sinned.

God’s discipline does not take the form of punishment! Billy Graham writes: “God does not discipline us to subdue us but to condition us for a life of usefulness and blessedness.  In his wisdom, he knows that an uncontrolled life is an unhappy life, so he puts reins on our wayward souls that they may be directed into the paths of righteousness.”    

One commentator looks at God’s discipline as three forms: warning, disciplining and chastening which he believes are all somewhat different. I looked up the dictionary definition of disciplining and chastening.  They are very similar, but discipline can be used to mean training while chastening can be used to mean rebuking. Regardless, the outcome of God’s discipline is to create a change in us.

1 Peter 1 starting in verse 3 tells us that God has given us a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Verse 6: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith …. may be proved genuine….”

What trials does God use to discipline us? The commentators offer many different thoughts, but most agree that he will use anything to discipline us. The following is a collection of their thoughts:

+ Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he asked God three times to remove. God told Paul that his grace was sufficient and did not remove the thorn. Some believe that the thorn was a speech impediment while others believe it was some other physical problem. Some believe that Paul’s struggle with those who tried everything or anything to stop his ministry were his thorn causing him great stress. Most of them agree that it was due to Paul’s pride. God wanted him more humble.

+ One writer believes God uses financial burdens to discipline those that are not good stewards. A couple with a lot of debt came to him for counseling. His first question was the amount of their contribution to the church. They were not contributing anything to the collection plate on Sunday. This minister believes God was using the financial burden to get their attention. The couple gladly accepted his blessings, and he wanted better stewardship.

+ Another commentator believes God will use shattered relationships as a form of discipline. You may have a friend that’s hurting your relationship with God. It could be a spouse that’s causing you to turn from God. It seems extreme to think that divorce, breaking up a family, would be used but we must trust God’s discipline.

+ Will God use our health as a form to disciple us? Sometimes the disease is just a natural result of life, but writers do believe God will use poor health to get our attention.

Please forgive the personal reference but over the past four years, I have given a lot of thought to this question. The stroke could have killed me which Kay thought was going to be the result. Over the four days of the stroke, I got worse every day. It could have ended with me being an invalid. On day five, my speech was unintelligible; the only thing that I could swallow with difficulty was liquids, and I had no control over my right side. After a long period of inpatient and outpatient rehab, I can eat solid foods, about 80% of the use of my right side has returned, and my speech even though still difficult to understand is better. Was the stroke meant for a warning, discipline or chastening? I do not know. I will confess though; I’ve never been one to tell others about what God has done for me in my life. Now I freely share with people that I am blessed because of what could have happened. God rescued from death and from being an invalid! Maybe God’s intent was for me to share with others what a great God he is!

+ One thought offered is that God uses other people to administer his discipline. Proverbs 27:6 tells us that wounds from a friend can be trusted. Maybe we should listen carefully when friends try to counsel us. It could be God!

One of my favorite books is On The Anvil by Max Lucado. It compares discipline in our lives to the tools that a blacksmith creates and reshapes on the anvil to make them useful. God’s discipline is to make us useful in his kingdom. “Anvil time” is God’s discipline.

He writes: “Time on God’s anvil should clarify our mission and define our purpose. When a tool emerges from a blacksmith’s anvil, there is no question as to what is for. As a human being emerges from the anvil of God, the same should be true. Being tested by God reminds us that our function and task is to be about his business; that our purpose is to be an extension of his nature, an ambassador of his throne room, and a proclaimer of his message. We should exit the shop with no question as to why God made us. We know our purpose.”

“In a world of confused identity, in a world of wavering commitments and foggy futures, let us be firm in our role. Society is in dire need of a quorum of people whose task is clear and whose determination is unquenchable.”

Take time to consider the hardships you are enduring. Is God sending me a message that I need to make corrections in my life? Is he steering me to be more productive in his kingdom? Pray that you may clearly understand his discipline. Then ask for his guidance and strength to take his correction and direction. God is channeling our lives for his and our good!

Thanks

Mike

On The Anvil by Max Lucado

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Copyright 1985 - Max Lucado

Used by permission

When you think about Judas, probably the first thought is of a purely evil man who betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Thirty pieces of silver today would probably be worth $3,000 which does not seem like a huge amount to betray the Son of God.

There is not a great deal known about Judas. He was one of the twelve apostles chosen, so he had some redeeming qualities. He was given the same spiritual gifts as the other eleven apostles. Judas could drive out demons, cure disease and preach. When Jesus told the apostles one of them would betray him, the other apostles did not look at Judas in an accusing manner but hey begin asking one another which one it might be. Judas certainly did not admit to anything but played his part.

Judas was the treasurer for the apostles so you would think he was trustworthy. However, John12 relates the story of Mary pouring expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. Judas objected and wanted to know why the perfume was not sold and given to the poor. Verse six states: “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the bag, he used it to help himself to what was put into to it.” Wonder how many times he embezzled for his own use but continued to play his part as an apostle?

Judas spent three years of his apostleship with Jesus. Colin Smith writes: “Judas heard all the teaching of Jesus. He heard the Sermon on the Mount, so he knew there was a narrow road that leads to life and a broad road that leads to destruction. He heard the warnings Jesus spoke to the Pharisees, so he knew there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. He heard the parable of the prodigal son, so he knew God is ready to welcome and forgive those who wasted themselves in sin.”

So, what happened with Judas to make him betray Jesus? Smith continues: “Judas teaches us that even the best example, the most compelling evidences, and the finest teaching --- the ultimate environment for incubating faith --- cannot, in and of themselves, change the human heart.” Luke 22:3 reports that “Satan entered Judas.”    Judas did not simply sin, but he hid his sin of embezzlement. His sin to betray Jesus did not just happen but was well planned out. Judas freely opened his heart and invited Satan in. That’s what happened to Judas. Judas played his part as an apostle.

Some commentators believe that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus because of David’s writings in Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend, whom I have trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” They also point out in Acts 17 that Peter referred to David’s words about Judas’ betrayal. John 6:64 states that Jesus had known from the beginning Judas would betray him. John 17 records Jesus’ prayer for himself. In verse 12, he tells God that he has protected the apostles so that ”None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” These verses speak about foreknowledge, not predestination. Even after Jesus told the twelve one of them would betray him Judas asked, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” His heart was elsewhere. Judas was acting his part.

Max Lucado writes in his book, On The Anvil, “As Satan worked his way around the table in the Upper Room, he needed a special kind of man to betray our Lord. He needed a man who had seen Jesus but did not know him. He needed a man who knew the actions of Jesus but missed out on the mission of Jesus. Judas was the man. He knew the empire but had never known the Man.”

“We learn the timeless lesson from the betrayer. Satan’s best tools of destruction are not from outside the church; they are within the church. A church will never die from the immorality in Hollywood or the corruption in Washington. But it will die from corrosion within ---from those who bear the name of Jesus but have never met him, and from those who have religion, but no relationship. Judas bore the cloak of religion, but he never knew the heart of Jesus.”

Mr. Lucado is somewhat correct. While serving as an apostle, Judas did not relate to Jesus. But, when Judas realized that Jesus was condemned to die, the Bible records that he was “seized with remorse.” He then tried to return the silver and stated: “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.” Judas, because of his great remorse hanged himself. It appears all that he had heard and witnessed with Jesus affected him but too late.

Satan found in Judas a receptive heart to temptations. He understood Judas’ weaknesses and continued to bombard him just as he does us. Mr. Smith writes: “Satan doesn’t gain a foothold in the lives of people who are walking in the light with Jesus. He only gains access when we open the door.”

Klass Schilder, the author of Christ His Sufferings, writes: “It is the peculiar majesty of Jesus that he can conquer man without man’s first approaching him. But Satan’s frailty is provided by this, that he cannot approach a soul unless that soul has first turned to him.” I was not sure I agreed with the second part of Mr. Schilder’s premise, so I searched the scriptures and do not believe I can disprove him. James 1:14 says “but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed” seems to add validity to his belief.

Let’s not play the part of being religious as Judas did. Let’s be real, know the heart of Jesus and have an honest relationship. Let’s not be like Judas and open our hearts to Satan.

Mike – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thought from a church marquee: Time and money spent serving God are never wasted!

My kind of humor from FB: The next time you are in the checkout line, and the clerk asks if you found everything you were looking for. Reply, why, are you hiding some things?

Random Acts of Kindness

This book was published in 1993. It does not claim to be a Christian publication but gives good thoughts on how we as Christians can demonstrate kindness in our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 lays out the fruits of the spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If you are performing acts of kindness you are demonstrating love; you are in peace; it’s hard not to have joy as you show kindness, to be kind sometimes shows great patience; you are faithful as you serve others, and gentleness and self-control are part of kindness. Think about this as you read these thoughts on acts of kindness.

+ A small boy was struggling with leukemia, and when he was discouraged or particularly sick, a package would arrive with a little toy or book from the Magic Dragon to cheer him up. No one knew the identity of the Magic Dragon. After the little boy died the parents were sure the Dragon would reveal him or herself, but that never happened. The writer of this story vowed to become a Magic Dragon for some little child struggling with life. Who better to demonstrate Christian kindness to than a child?

+ ” I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no “brief candle” to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” George Bernard Shaw Read the statement again and insert “God” for “community”! Matthew 5:14-16 tells us to let our light shine that people may see our good works and praise God.

+One author wrote a story about while jogging every day he noticed an older woman sitting on the park bench with an even older dog. One day he noticed the dog was not with the woman, so he stopped to inquire about the dog and the woman begin to cry. The dog died the night before. The runner sat down to visit with her for over an hour. Each day the man and woman would greet one another, and he would stop on occasion to visit. The woman was very lonely but also very strong. Even though she was strong, she still needed someone to show her that she mattered. The author thinks about her when he is sad then smiles at the memory of her.

Taking the opportunity to show that people matter will bless us as much as the other person.

+ “Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.” Theodore Issac Rubin

+ ” For one week act on every single thought of generosity that arises spontaneously in your heart and notice what happens as a consequence.”

+ Ecclesiastes 11:6 “Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow---perhaps it all will.” The seed of kindness can work wonders.

+ In an Oakland, California, neighbors watched as Mary’s house and yard slowly decayed. Mary was an elderly, wheelchair-bound widow who could no longer take proper care of her house and yard. Two of Mary ’s neighbors went to the city’s Office of Community Development to get enough paint and supplies for her house. After painting the house, they took care of the yard. Performing this type of kindness takes a commitment and clearly shows the Christian spirit of a light shining for God.

+ “Little kindnesses will broaden your heart, and slowly you will habituate yourself to helping your fellow man in many ways.” Zadik

I’m not going to use any more examples of acts of kindness because we all know things we could do, but for whatever reason, we don’t. Maybe the reason is that we are so focused on ourselves we don't notice someone else’s needs. Maybe we don’t want to get involved. Could it be that we don’t want to take the time? Read the following quotes and think about the points these writers are making.

+ “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Mother Teresa

+ “Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind.” Henri Frederick Amiel

+ “No joy can equal the joy of serving others.” Sai Baba

+ “Kindness makes the difference between passion and caring. Kindness is tenderness; kindness is love, perhaps greater than love…kindness is goodwill, kindness says “I want you to be happy.” Kindness comes very close to the benevolence of God.” Randolf Ray

+ “If there is any kindness I can show or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.” William Penn

+ “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motive. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.” Mother Teresa

About 30 years ago Larry West*, a personal evangelist, came to our congregation in Memphis to hold a personal evangelism class. His approach was to ask a simple question, “ if you died today, do you have any doubts about where you would spend eternity?” That seemed easy enough, so I asked that question to a young man who came with his girlfriend to our young singles class. His answer was “yes” so I ask him to if we could study and again he said “yes.” He never came to church again. I offered the young lady and her mother an apology, but they insisted no apology was needed. They felt like the young man showed his true colors, but that left a terrible memory in my mind.

We have a responsibility to help people build a relationship with God and Christ. I am not comfortable with trying to act as a personal evangelist. Demonstrating kindness can others build a relationship with God. There is a saying, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” If you open the door with acts of kindness and don’t feel comfortable conducting a study, many other people will lead the study. You can be an evangelist through an act of kindness.

Max Lucado in his book, On The Anvil, writes about a conversation with God while in silent prayer in church. He tells God he wants to do great things for him by teaching millions, do TV and radio work and speak to Congress. God comes back to Max and tells him to notice the fellow sitting next to him. He needs a ride home from church. Also, an older lady sitting near him needs a refrigerator moved. Max says but God “what about the world”? God’s answer, “Think about it!”

Please share a story about your acts of kindness and their success at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

*Larry West is the father of Missy Robertson on Duck Dynasty.

When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of a storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

This song was written by Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rogers in 1945. Hammerstein wrote the words. There does not seem to be factual history as to why Hammerstein wrote the song. Some historians believe he wrote it to bring comfort to war-torn Europe. Some historians have referred to it as a hymn. Where do we find the “hope in your heart” that Hammerstein refers to? It’s got to be from God! Where else?

Matthew 28:20 … And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Hebrews 13:5 … Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.

*T. D. Jakes states in his sermon title referenced above that we have bought into the belief that if God were really with us, we would not have any storms. If God were really with us, everything would go smoothly, how could God be with us and we have financial problems or suffer through a divorce. How could God be with me when my child died. How could God be with me and I have cancer.

I’m not sure how people came to believe that as Christians we should expect a life that has no storms. There are no references in the Bible that even appear to give us that idea. If you trace the history of man back to Adam, you’ll see all men dealt with storms through time. Even Christ, the son of God, suffered through storms. He tried to teach people and was ridiculed, rejected and finally crucified. He suffered physically and mentally on the cross.

Job 8 - Job wants to know how all these terrible things could happen to him, and God was with him. Job looked for God everywhere but could not find God in his storms. Jakes says we cannot see in a storm; that’s why God tells us to walk by faith, not by sight. II Corinthians 5:7.

The fact that we are in a storm does not indicate the absence of God. Jakes believes that God will not make us comfortable in our storm. Psalm 46 tells us that God promises that he will be our ever-present help in trouble. We may not see God or sense God in any way, but we must rely on his promise that he’s there with us from beginning to end. Don’t be so aware of the storm that you lose awareness of God’s presence. God wants us to rely on his promise.

In Meeting God ln Quiet Places, LaGard Smith writes: “We should not be surprised when our own pain and suffering is accompanied by what seems to be an ominous silence from heaven. If we call for answers and don’t hear any, it doesn’t mean there are no answers. If we cry out for healing and healing never comes, it doesn’t mean that God is insensitive. Heart to heart, he suffers with us in silence.”

“God’s comfort does not always come in the form of healing. It doesn’t always take away the pain or change the circumstances. But just knowing that God is with us, whatever the circumstances, is enough for me.”

Mr. Smith’s words require a great amount of faith. You mean if I lose my home to bankruptcy, it’s alright. If my child dies, I'm supposed to be Ok with that? But, I don’t want God to suffer with me. I want him to stop the storm and make everything come out the way I want it! I want an outcome that will make me happy! He never promised us that everything would come out as we want. In II Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul talks about his “thorn in the flesh” or “his storm” and his pleading three times for God to remove the thorn. God told him that his grace was sufficient. Is God telling me the same thing during my storms? I believe the answer is a resounding “YES.”

Jakes asks a question: Are you steering your life on what you see or what you believe? He continues: I don’t know the details of how it will happen, but I will come out of this storm. I may have to wait, I may have to crawl, I may have to cry, I may have to suffer, but in the end, I will come out. He challenges people to make that statement in the face of Satan. Satan wants us to doubt God and to make that statement is a statement of faith!

I knew a preacher one time who would drift off his topic just a little, and he referred to it as “chasing a rabbit.” So let’s chase the rabbit.

Kay and I have been through our storms: a baby lost during pregnancy, our son experimenting with drugs as a college freshman, our daughter’s pregnancy just out of high school, the death of my sister in her mid-fifties, the suicide of Kay’s youngest brother and our health problems. Even though we might not have seen God as we went through these struggles, we can now look back and see that he was with us. You have had your storms as well. We all understand that we have had and will have storms and we came out of them OK.

Be ready to serve other people by being there for them during their storm. You cannot take away the storm for them so don’t even try! During our struggles, many people made gestures to encourage us. Many let us know that they were praying for us. An elder told us, “there but by the grace of God could be one of my children.” Don’t discount someone else’s storm by comparing it to yours. “Well, you think you have troubles but let me tell you what I went through!” Just a word of kindness like an expression of concern or “I will pray for you” is excellent.

When I’m studying a topic, the Bible is my main book, but I also use the thinking of religious writers to expand my thoughts. Some people believe the Bible is the only book you need, but I find the thoughts of others can give me a meaningful perspective. You’ve already read one from LeGard Smith so here are a few to close out on this study.

Max Lucado, On the Anvil, “God sees our life from the beginning to end. He may lead us through s storm at age thirty, so we can endure a hurricane at age sixty.”

Mike Cope and Rubel Shelley, What would Jesus Do Today? “Suffering, or the prospect of suffering, can throw our lives into confusion. It was the prospect of being separated from the Father and Holy Spirit on the cross that had Jesus in anguish in Gethsemane. Heaven sent an angel to minister to Jesus that night, and who is to say that he would do any less for you?”

God’s Little Devotional Book, “You should never let adversity get you down-except on your knees.”

Dan Stevers, Where is God in the Storm? – Dan Stevers Videos, paraphrased – “I know the storms that will come. You’ll feel helpless and abandoned and wonder where I am. I know this is not the way you thought our relationship would work. When you shout and ask where I am, know that I’m right behind you with my arms wrapped tightly around you whispering that I will never let go. There will come a day when I will quiet every storm and wipe away every tear, and that day there will be no pain or death, and I will be your anchor.”

God’s got your back!

Mike

QUESTIONS

+ Why don’t we fast or talk about fasting?

There are a number of Biblical references to fasting. Matthew 6:16-18 – Christ says “When you fast” which to me is an implication that we should practice fasting. Christ does not say “if you fast.” or, “if you think it’s a good idea.” but when. One commentator says Christ does not teach us that we should fast in this scripture because he assumes that we will fast, rather he is teaching us how to fast.

Some commentators point out that fasting is not meant to manipulate God but to show a heart that is humble and ready for guidance.

The following are other new testament examples of fasting:

Luke 4:2-4 - During the temptation of Christ he fasted for 40 days;

Acts 13:2-4 – Men in the church in Antioch prayed and fasted before sending Barnabas and Saul on the missionary journey;

Acts 14:23 – Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in Lystra, Iconium and Lystra with prayer and fasting;

Looking at these events surrounding the fasting and praying: Christ suffering through temptation, the beginning of a missionary journey and appointing elders leads me to believe that fasting and praying is the Biblical beginning to an undertaking.

I admit that I have never fasted. A friend of mine practices fasting and encouraged me to fast. I told Chuck that it’s not doing without food or drink for 24 hours, but it’s my short attention span that causes me a problem. Chuck responded that he does drink water during his fast. He does not read scripture and pray during the entire time. He takes the opportunity several times during the day of his fast to read a scripture that relates to a decision he needs to make, a problem he’s facing or a sin he’s struggling with then prays. He says that it’s remarkable the peace and guidance he feels he receives. Based on studying what the Bible says about fasting and Chuck’s peace I am going to choose a day for fasting.

If you have fasted, please share your method and the results. Sharing with others could be helpful.

+ Questions on judgment day.

In Matt 12:36, Romans 14:12, and Hebrews 4:13, we are told that we must give an account of our lives on judgment day. God already knows everything about me and every sin I’ve committed whether I have confessed them or not. There’s absolutely nothing I can tell God that he doesn’t already know, so for what am I giving an accounting? There are a couple of questions that I dread if they are asked: who is a Christian because of you and who is not a Christian because of you?

Hopefully, I ‘ve had a positive influence on others. To think that something I’ve should have done and neglected to do so or something I’ve said or done would cause them to lose their sole is a horrible thought.

+ What’s my Christian responsibility in today’s government environment?

I believe like my grandparents and parents did as they became older. The world is going to the dogs! This article has nothing to do with any political party. We have allowed the government to declare that abortions can be performed in various number of circumstances. The rights of gays have been greatly expanded including marriage in some states. Some Christian businesses are punished because of denying gays marriage services that offend the business owners’ beliefs. Some liberalists are now pushing a socialist state. One of the beliefs in a socialist state is to provide each person an income whether or not they will work.

Jeremiah 1:5 says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…” For me, that tells me that I was a human being when conceived! What makes it OK to kill me?

I Corinthians 6 states that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. (I have Grammarly on my system to make corrections in my writing, and it just told me the word “homosexual” is outdated. Now, I’m aggravated. God’s word is not outdated!!) Kay and I have known many gay people through the antique business, and one niece practices a gay lifestyle. We do not condone the gay lifestyle, but we do care about and love these people. But, God’s word still stands!

II Thessalonians 3:10 says if a man will not work then he should not eat. This is a refusal to work not incapability to work.

Many religious leaders who believe in God and Christ have called us to action to turn things around. So, I repeat my question on my individual responsibility.

Many people insist that no one has the right to tell a woman when she can abort a baby. These same people assert that gay people should have the right to marry whomever they love. Paying all people an income will eliminate hunger, homelessness, etc. Their final word is “you have no right to force your religious beliefs on me.”

In Matthew 10, Jesus gave his disciples instructions as he sent them out: verse 14: “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” This verse means that the people have been taught but refused the teachings. If Jesus is telling the disciples not to “force” Christianity on anyone, should we try to legislate Christian beliefs?

Once again, what action do I personally take to this call to action? So far, I’ve voted for people who appear to take God’s word into consideration. I also pray for our elected officials each day, but I do not feel that’s enough.

Your thoughts, please!! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mike

Published

+ It’s been written that God needs absolutely nothing form us, but he wants our love, appreciation, and worship, etc. I know that without the sacrifice of Jesus body and his blood I would have no hope of heaven when death comes. It seems very little to ask that during the communion or Lord’s supper that I focus on just what the greatness of these actions means for me.

+ I’ve heard people express what they believe are the appropriate personal acts and thoughts during communion. Several years ago, a preacher stated that we could not pray during the taking of communion. His statement was a matter of fact, and he did not offer any scripture to support his statement nor any reasoning for his belief. I’ve never figured out his reasoning. Often, I do pray with very much thanksgiving for such an act of love. We each must use our own way of showing our sincere love for the sacrifice of Jesus’ body and his blood.

+ When our son, Chad, was 3 or 4 years old, his pediatrician thought he had allergies, so we took him to an allergist. The doctor wanted to test him for seasonal and food allergies. Each one of the tests needed about 20-30 needle pricks on his back then serum was placed on each prick site to determine what he made him allergic. He cried and cried while I held him down, but we both lived through it. Only the seasonal test was conducted on the first visit, so a second visit was required for food allergies. As we headed for the second visit, Chad soon figured out where we were going and begin to cry and beg me not to make him go through it again. My heart nearly broke. I think about what God’s agony the last few hours of His Son’s life.

He saw him as he fell to the ground and then heard his crying and pleading that he not have to suffer the things to come. God watched as the people begin to savagely beat him, spit on him, mock him and shove the crown of thorns on his head. God may have flinched as they drove the nails into Christ. As they pushed the cross into the hole, it bounced around before it finally settled, tearing Jesus’s flesh. As Jeff indicated, a few Sundays ago, the physiological aspect of the cross was for the victim to suffocate. As the upper body sagged, the lungs could not bring in enough air, so the victim would push up with his legs to take in enough air. Jesus suffered long hours on the cross as the crowds continued to mock him. Just before death, Jesus asked His Father, “My God, My God; why have you forsaken me?”. Could you bear to listen to that cry from your child? Could you stand to watch while your child suffered through his final hours on the cross? Sorry, I would not be able to put my own son through this torture and death to save the world. How can I not be grateful to a God who watched His son endure so much to rescue me from hell?

+ Peter denied Christ three times even swearing that he did not know him. After the rooster crowed the third time, Christ looked through the crowd of people right at Peter. One author asked in his book; what was the expression on Christ’s face, anger, frustration, or disappointment? The author believes that Christ expressed none of these but showed love and understanding for Peter. Peter wept bitterly at his denial of Christ. Sometimes when taking the bread and juice, I think about Christ looking at me because of my betrayal of him through my sins. I appreciate the same love he showed Peter.

+ We usually talk about Jesus’s sacrifice in a global sense, John 3:16. He died for the whole world, but sometimes I think about this hymn:

When He Was The Cross I Was On His Mind:

“He knew me, yet He loved me;

He whose glory makes the heavens shine;

I’m so unworthy of such mercy yet;

When He was on the cross, I was on His mind.”

+ In 1 Peter 3: 15, we are told: “always to be prepared to give the reason for the hope that we have.” While taking communion, I’m reminded that my hope is grounded in the sacrifice of Jesus’s body and blood, his death and resurrection. He’s the ONLY hope I have!

+ I want to close with some humor. LaGard Smith spends time in England writing. When there, he attends a small congregation who use one cup for the communion. He always tries to get there early, so fewer people have drunk from the cup. Some time ago during one particularly bad flu season, LaGard wondered about partaking of communion. Two older ladies were sitting down the pew from him, and when the cup reached them, they both reached into their purses and took out their straws and proceeded to take the juice.

Thanks, to God and Jesus!

YES, LORD, I HAVE SINNED, BUT I

HAVE SEVERAL EXCELLENT EXCUSES!

BOOK BY JAMES W. MOORE

Some people think their sins can be explained away with excuses. “Well, you see God. I really did not sin because……” This book addresses our attitude toward sin.

Mr. Moore writes the following: “In Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace, the main character Pierre is forced to face himself and make an honest analysis of his life. And he says it for all of us: Yes, Lord, I have sinned, but I have several excellent excuses!”

Mr. Moore continues: “I don’t know if you have noticed this, but we are living in very frank times! Nothing is kept under wraps anymore; we will admit to almost anything. We see people on national television laughing at their numerous marriage failures, admitting they are living together without being married, having children out of wedlock, openly telling of their use of drugs and alcohol. And are you ready for this? - the audience laughs and applauds! Our problem is not that we hesitate to admit anything; our problem is that we are learning how to justify everything! We have excellent excuses for anything we want to do!”

As human beings, we have an uncanny ability to rationalize anything. When I've had a good day, chocolate cookies are a good celebration, and likewise, when a bad day comes along, cookies are a good consolation. In the meantime, my weight continues to be a problem as I rationalize. We say that the circumstances justify or excuse our behavior. Read Luke 14: 15-23, Jesus’ parable of the banquet. Notice the excuses and justifications offered by those who were invited to the banquet but declined the invitation. I know a man who is self-employed and wants to be paid in cash, so the money he makes does not reduce his Social Security check. His justification, “I’ve worked long and hard for these benefits, so I do not want the government taking away some of my money”! He is a Christian and serves as a leader in his church but feels justified in lying to the government. Am I guilty of the same thing in other ways? I can see the sin in him but am I willing to examine myself closely and admit my sin to God?

In Romans 7:14-25, Paul describes the struggle we go through in life with good versus evil. The devil knows where we are weakest, and I believe we each have at least one sin in our lives that’s a struggle for us. It seems like the devil spends all his time throwing that temptation at us. I Peter 5:8 advises us to be on guard or to be alert for our enemy, Satan. Sometimes Satan’s assaults are head-on then other times he sneaks in and before we know it, we have sinned.

I Corinthians 10:13 tells us that when we are tempted that God will provide a way out. In I Thessalonian 5:17 we are told to pray without ceasing. The Greek word for “without ceasing” does not mean nonstop but means “constantly recurring.” When we recognize the temptation, a quick prayer for God’s help fits this verse.

Many people rationalize that the moral behavior outlined in the Bible may have been appropriate back then, but times have changed, and those principles don’t apply to the present day. Ethics is not controlled by the teachings in the Bible, but the situation controls ethics. Situation ethics allows us to come up with almost any excuse. Sometimes, I’m guilty. God in all his wisdom is trying to keep us away from the disasters in our lives because of the consequences of sin. The consequences were the same when he inspired the Bible as they are today.

Mr. Moore talks about leading a discussion centered around some of Jesus’s teachings; “Turn the other cheek”; “Love your enemies”; “Go the second mile”; and “Pray for those who persecute you.”

He wrote: “One young man said, The teachings of Jesus are difficult for me because I’m not sure I understand them.” Another young man said, “I see it just the other way around. They are difficult for me because I think I do understand them, but I’m not so sure I want to do them.” The latter young man was honest about his struggle. He did not try to justify nor make some excuse for his feelings.

In II Timothy 4:47-8, Paul says he has fought the good fight, kept the faith, and there is a crown waiting for him. He is addressing all the obstacles that interfered with his work to teach the gospel. Satan was at work against Paul the same that he works against us. He will try to steer us away from anything that is righteous!

We are in a war with satan for our souls. He wants us to keep on sinning and making excuses so that he can drag us down to hell. God is not looking for our rationalization nor excuses to explain away our sins. He expects us to own up to our sins, confess them to Him and repent! There is no acceptable excuse for our sins, but if we confess them and ask for forgiveness, God will forgive. I John 1:9

Yea, but what if I sin and do not confess and plead for forgiveness? For me, that’s when grace takes over!

This edition was the book’s third printing in 1991. Here we are 28 years later, and the problems we face do not change all that much. People are still trying to explain away their sins.

Question: Does God have a hierarchy of sins? Our legal system has a hierarchy, but I cannot find one in the Bible. James 2:10 seems to teach that a sinner is a sinner.

If you have some “yes, buts” about this article, please send me your thoughts to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

GRACE

During a conversation with a person who knows you are a Christian, he/she wants to ask a personal question. You agree and the question is are you saved? What’s your answer? An emphatic “yes”, “I guess so”, “I hope so”, “I’m not sure”. If your answer is other than an emphatic “yes”, look deep into your heart and discover why that’s your answer.

I’ve been raised in the Church of Christ and it’s always seemed to me that we could not say “I’m saved”. Though there’s never been a sermon nor book that preaches it’s wrong, that belief exists. To declare yourself “saved” is overconfident, presumptuous, arrogant, replacing God’s authority. I strongly suspect it’s that we are hanging on to the thought that we are not good enough nor have we done enough. For me to doubt my salvation is a lack of faith in God’s promises.

For most of my church life, there have been very few sermons on grace. One evening some Christian friends were discussing sermons on grace and none of us really remembered very many. It has always seemed strange that we are saved by God’s grace, but we didn’t talk about it. The feeling of the leaders appeared to be “if we preach grace then the people will stop striving to be what they ought to be, keep on sinning and claim grace”. “These people just will not do enough work to earn God’s grace.” But it’s a gift not earned by works nor being good enough.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

I want to borrow thoughts from F. LaGard Smith’s book, Meeting God in Quiet Places.

Mr. Smith at one time was a law professor at Pepperdine University and spent six months of the year in England writing. Currently, he lives in Murfreesboro and still goes to England to write.

Chapter 6, he titles Snowfall. He writes about how beautiful the snowfall on the village of Buckland in England makes everything so clean and white. “Snow is a time of innocence long lost. Each flake brings freshness, renewal, purging.”

“How many times have you wished you could start over again --- to paint your life on a clean canvas, free of all the smudges that have hidden the beauty of the person you really are? I think it’s what I like best about the snow: It covers the ugliness and makes everything look clean again. It softens the harshest terrain and brings beauty to the unsightly. It hides the footsteps of the past and invites us to walk where we’ve never walked before.” That’s what grace does for us.

Mr. Smith points out that David pleaded for God’s forgiveness, saying “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. David’s sins were always before him. Do you know what it’s like to have your sins always before you? To be haunted by guilt? I dare say all of us have sins that haunt us – sins that are always before us, mirror-like, reminding us that we are not the person we want to be.”

Mr. Smith continues about the nature of God’s grace: “His love fills in the spiritual depths of my weakness in order to pave the way forward. His life fills my emptiness and makes the rough times smooth. None of us can undo the past; there are consequences from our sin that often linger beyond the sin. But God’s grace does what love does: Love covers!”

“No, grace is not a “cover-up,” as in some criminal conspiracy that guilty men are anxious to hide. God’s grace brings true forgiveness. And more than forgiveness, wonderful as that is, grace covers our heart in their brokenness. Grace is gentle and caring. It covers like a healing bandage to protect us from further harm. Most of all, his grace gives us hope that we can walk where we’ve never walked before – above the mud, above the muck, where a life lived in Christ is “white as snow.”

He closes with this thought: “As the Good Shepherd, the Lord of Grace feeds the hunger in my soul and keeps me going. For by God’s grace I am both covered and nourished, forgiven and sustained, innocent and secure”

Comments from Max Lucado’s book Grace: Max argues that “grace is God’s best idea.” “Yet it is an idea barely appreciated by a worn-out society. In the church we hear, “Serve more, pray more, attend more” and we comply because we want to be good Christians and do our bit for the Lord. The problem is, there’s no end in sight. No matter how much we do, more remains to be done.”

“Don’t you find it strange that we are driven to do good and be good, yet no one can answer the fundamental question, How good is good enough?”

“Bizarre. At stake is our eternal destination, yet we are more confident about lasagna recipes than the entrance requirements for heaven. God has a better idea: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). We contribute nothing. Zilch… Our merits merit nothing. God’s work merits everything.”

Thanks for grace in place of works! Yes, the Bible talks about faith and works but the end result is GRACE saves us! Can we fall from grace? Possibly, a future discussion.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on our salvation through grace. Please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GRACE

During a conversation with a person who knows you are a Christian, he/she wants to ask a personal question. You agree and the question is are you saved? What’s your answer? An emphatic “yes”, “I guess so”, “I hope so”, “I’m not sure”. If your answer is other than an emphatic “yes”, look deep into your heart and discover why that’s your answer.

I’ve been raised in the Church of Christ and it’s always seemed to me that we could not say “I’m saved”.  Though there’s never been a sermon nor book that preaches it’s wrong, that belief exists. To declare yourself “saved”  is overconfident, presumptuous, arrogant, replacing God’s authority. I strongly suspect it’s that we are hanging on to the thought that we are not good enough nor have we done enough. For me to doubt my salvation is a lack of faith in God’s promises.

For most of my church life, there have been very few sermons on grace. One evening some Christian friends were discussing sermons on grace and none of us really remembered very many. It has always seemed strange that we are saved by God’s grace, but we didn’t talk about it. The feeling of the leaders appeared to be “if we preach grace then the people will stop striving to be what they ought to be, keep on sinning and claim grace”. “These people just will not do enough work to earn God’s grace.” But it’s a gift not earned by works nor being good enough.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

I want to borrow thoughts from F. LaGard Smith’s book, Meeting God in Quiet Places.

Mr. Smith at one time was a law professor at Pepperdine University and spent six months of the year in England writing.  Currently, he lives in Murfreesboro and still goes to England to write.

Chapter 6, he titles Snowfall. He writes about how beautiful the snowfall on the village of Buckland in England makes everything so clean and white. “Snow is a time of innocence long lost. Each flake brings freshness, renewal, purging.”

“How many times have you wished you could start over again --- to paint your life on a clean canvas, free of all the smudges that have hidden the beauty of the person you really are? I think it’s what I like best about the snow: It covers the ugliness and makes everything look clean again. It softens the harshest terrain and brings beauty to the unsightly. It hides the footsteps of the past and invites us to walk where we’ve never walked before.” That’s what grace does for us.

Mr. Smith points out that David pleaded for God’s forgiveness, saying “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. David’s sins were always before him. Do you know what it’s like to have your sins always before you? To be haunted by guilt? I dare say all of us have sins that haunt us – sins that are always before us, mirror-like, reminding us that we are not the person we want to be.”

Mr. Smith continues about the nature of God’s grace: “His love fills in the spiritual depths of my weakness in order to pave the way forward. His life fills my emptiness and makes the rough times smooth. None of us can undo the past; there are consequences from our sin that often linger beyond the sin. But God’s grace does what love does: Love covers!”

“No, grace is not a “cover-up,” as in some criminal conspiracy that guilty men are anxious to hide. God’s grace brings true forgiveness. And more than forgiveness, wonderful as that is, grace covers our heart in their brokenness. Grace is gentle and caring. It covers like a healing bandage to protect us from further harm. Most of all, his grace gives us hope that we can walk where we’ve never walked before – above the mud, above the muck, where a life lived in Christ is “white as snow.”

He closes with this thought: “As the Good Shepherd, the Lord of Grace feeds the hunger in my soul and keeps me going. For by God’s grace I am both covered and nourished, forgiven and sustained, innocent and secure”

Comments from Max Lucado’s book Grace:  Max argues that “grace is God’s best idea.” “Yet it is an idea barely appreciated by a worn-out society. In the church we hear, “Serve more, pray more, attend more” and we comply because we want to be good Christians and do our bit for the Lord. The problem is, there’s no end in sight. No matter how much we do, more remains to be done.”

“Don’t you find it strange that we are driven to do good and be good, yet no one can answer the fundamental question, How good is good enough?”

“Bizarre. At stake is our eternal destination, yet we are more confident about lasagna recipes than the entrance requirements for heaven. God has a better idea: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). We contribute nothing. Zilch… Our merits merit nothing. God’s work merits everything.”

Thanks for grace in place of works! Yes, the Bible talks about faith and works but the end result is GRACE saves us! Can we fall from grace? Possibly, a future discussion.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on our salvation through grace. Please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[MC1]GRACE

During a conversation with a person who knows you are a Christian, he/she wants to ask a personal question. You agree and the question is are you saved? What’s your answer? An emphatic “yes”, “I guess so”, “I hope so”, “I’m not sure”. If your answer is other than an emphatic “yes”, look deep into your heart and discover why that’s your answer.

I’ve been raised in the Church of Christ and it’s always seemed to me that we could not say “I’m saved”.  Though there’s never been a sermon nor book that preaches it’s wrong, that belief exists. To declare yourself “saved”  is overconfident, presumptuous, arrogant, replacing God’s authority. I strongly suspect it’s that we are hanging on to the thought that we are not good enough nor have we done enough. For me to doubt my salvation is a lack of faith in God’s promises.

For most of my church life, there have been very few sermons on grace. One evening some Christian friends were discussing sermons on grace and none of us really remembered very many. It has always seemed strange that we are saved by God’s grace, but we didn’t talk about it. The feeling of the leaders appeared to be “if we preach grace then the people will stop striving to be what they ought to be, keep on sinning and claim grace”. “These people just will not do enough work to earn God’s grace.” But it’s a gift not earned by works nor being good enough.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

I want to borrow thoughts from F. LaGard Smith’s book, Meeting God in Quiet Places.

Mr. Smith at one time was a law professor at Pepperdine University and spent six months of the year in England writing.  Currently, he lives in Murfreesboro and still goes to England to write.

Chapter 6, he titles Snowfall. He writes about how beautiful the snowfall on the village of Buckland in England makes everything so clean and white. “Snow is a time of innocence long lost. Each flake brings freshness, renewal, purging.”

“How many times have you wished you could start over again --- to paint your life on a clean canvas, free of all the smudges that have hidden the beauty of the person you really are? I think it’s what I like best about the snow: It covers the ugliness and makes everything look clean again. It softens the harshest terrain and brings beauty to the unsightly. It hides the footsteps of the past and invites us to walk where we’ve never walked before.” That’s what grace does for us.

Mr. Smith points out that David pleaded for God’s forgiveness, saying “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. David’s sins were always before him. Do you know what it’s like to have your sins always before you? To be haunted by guilt? I dare say all of us have sins that haunt us – sins that are always before us, mirror-like, reminding us that we are not the person we want to be.”

Mr. Smith continues about the nature of God’s grace: “His love fills in the spiritual depths of my weakness in order to pave the way forward. His life fills my emptiness and makes the rough times smooth. None of us can undo the past; there are consequences from our sin that often linger beyond the sin. But God’s grace does what love does: Love covers!”

“No, grace is not a “cover-up,” as in some criminal conspiracy that guilty men are anxious to hide. God’s grace brings true forgiveness. And more than forgiveness, wonderful as that is, grace covers our heart in their brokenness. Grace is gentle and caring. It covers like a healing bandage to protect us from further harm. Most of all, his grace gives us hope that we can walk where we’ve never walked before – above the mud, above the muck, where a life lived in Christ is “white as snow.”

He closes with this thought: “As the Good Shepherd, the Lord of Grace feeds the hunger in my soul and keeps me going. For by God’s grace I am both covered and nourished, forgiven and sustained, innocent and secure”

Comments from Max Lucado’s book Grace:  Max argues that “grace is God’s best idea.” “Yet it is an idea barely appreciated by a worn-out society. In the church we hear, “Serve more, pray more, attend more” and we comply because we want to be good Christians and do our bit for the Lord. The problem is, there’s no end in sight. No matter how much we do, more remains to be done.”

“Don’t you find it strange that we are driven to do good and be good, yet no one can answer the fundamental question, How good is good enough?”

“Bizarre. At stake is our eternal destination, yet we are more confident about lasagna recipes than the entrance requirements for heaven. God has a better idea: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). We contribute nothing. Zilch… Our merits merit nothing. God’s work merits everything.”

Thanks for grace in place of works! Yes, the Bible talks about faith and works but the end result is GRACE saves us! Can we fall from grace? Possibly, a future discussion.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on our salvation through grace. Please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

[MC1]GRACE

During a conversation with a person who knows you are a Christian, he/she wants to ask a personal question. You agree and the question is are you saved? What’s your answer? An emphatic “yes”, “I guess so”, “I hope so”, “I’m not sure”. If your answer is other than an emphatic “yes”, look deep into your heart and discover why that’s your answer.

I’ve been raised in the Church of Christ and it’s always seemed to me that we could not say “I’m saved”. Though there’s never been a sermon nor book that preaches it’s wrong, that belief exists. To declare yourself “saved” is overconfident, presumptuous, arrogant, replacing God’s authority. I strongly suspect it’s that we are hanging on to the thought that we are not good enough nor have we done enough. For me to doubt my salvation is a lack of faith in God’s promises.

For most of my church life, there have been very few sermons on grace. One evening some Christian friends were discussing sermons on grace and none of us really remembered very many. It has always seemed strange that we are saved by God’s grace, but we didn’t talk about it. The feeling of the leaders appeared to be “if we preach grace then the people will stop striving to be what they ought to be, keep on sinning and claim grace”. “These people just will not do enough work to earn God’s grace.” But it’s a gift not earned by works nor being good enough.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

I want to borrow thoughts from F. LaGard Smith’s book, Meeting God in Quiet Places.

Mr. Smith at one time was a law professor at Pepperdine University and spent six months of the year in England writing. Currently, he lives in Murfreesboro and still goes to England to write.

Chapter 6, he titles Snowfall. He writes about how beautiful the snowfall on the village of Buckland in England makes everything so clean and white. “Snow is a time of innocence long lost. Each flake brings freshness, renewal, purging.”

“How many times have you wished you could start over again --- to paint your life on a clean canvas, free of all the smudges that have hidden the beauty of the person you really are? I think it’s what I like best about the snow: It covers the ugliness and makes everything look clean again. It softens the harshest terrain and brings beauty to the unsightly. It hides the footsteps of the past and invites us to walk where we’ve never walked before.” That’s what grace does for us.

Mr. Smith points out that David pleaded for God’s forgiveness, saying “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. David’s sins were always before him. Do you know what it’s like to have your sins always before you? To be haunted by guilt? I dare say all of us have sins that haunt us – sins that are always before us, mirror-like, reminding us that we are not the person we want to be.”

Mr. Smith continues about the nature of God’s grace: “His love fills in the spiritual depths of my weakness in order to pave the way forward. His life fills my emptiness and makes the rough times smooth. None of us can undo the past; there are consequences from our sin that often linger beyond the sin. But God’s grace does what love does: Love covers!”

“No, grace is not a “cover-up,” as in some criminal conspiracy that guilty men are anxious to hide. God’s grace brings true forgiveness. And more than forgiveness, wonderful as that is, grace covers our heart in their brokenness. Grace is gentle and caring. It covers like a healing bandage to protect us from further harm. Most of all, his grace gives us hope that we can walk where we’ve never walked before – above the mud, above the muck, where a life lived in Christ is “white as snow.”

He closes with this thought: “As the Good Shepherd, the Lord of Grace feeds the hunger in my soul and keeps me going. For by God’s grace I am both covered and nourished, forgiven and sustained, innocent and secure”

Comments from Max Lucado’s book Grace: Max argues that “grace is God’s best idea.” “Yet it is an idea barely appreciated by a worn-out society. In the church we hear, “Serve more, pray more, attend more” and we comply because we want to be good Christians and do our bit for the Lord. The problem is, there’s no end in sight. No matter how much we do, more remains to be done.”

“Don’t you find it strange that we are driven to do good and be good, yet no one can answer the fundamental question, How good is good enough?”

“Bizarre. At stake is our eternal destination, yet we are more confident about lasagna recipes than the entrance requirements for heaven. God has a better idea: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). We contribute nothing. Zilch… Our merits merit nothing. God’s work merits everything.”

Thanks for grace in place of works! Yes, the Bible talks about faith and works but the end result is GRACE saves us! Can we fall from grace? Possibly, a future discussion.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on our salvation through grace. Please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I do not believe you can actually “give” someone else hope, but you can help them find hope. There must be some level of hope in them and you are helping restore it. If you personally are running low on hope, consider the following ideas.

This is written in hopes that I may learn the answer myself. You may remember in the post on Hope, Kay’s brother took his own life. We did not know he had lost hope but if we had known then how could we have helped Brian? That has haunted me for twenty years.

I also need the answer for volunteer work in which I’m involved. Court Appointed Special Advocate, CASA, works with children who have been placed in State custody because of abuse or abandonment. Most of these children are placed with foster parents and sometimes with relatives. Some of the older children are placed in State custody because they broke the law. These children are often placed in private institutions with lock down facilities. The State has an advocate, an attorney, and the parents sometimes have an attorney who is an advocate for them. Many juvinile court systems, including Tennessee, believe the child should also have an advocate, CASA.

If relatives are an option for the children, then we find out from the child their preference and why. If a foster home is the best option, then we monitor the child in that home. Discussions with the child are about how things are going wherever they are placed, proper behavior, doing their best in school, etc. We also assure they receive social services that are needed such as counseling.

Many times, one or both parents have a drug problem, alcohol dependency and have been in jail or prison. These children have watched mom’s and dad’s life style, so sometimes they tend to walk in their footprints. CASA volunteers are not mentors but at times act in that capacity. In one hundred percent of the cases, the children need HOPE for a brighter future. Very few have a relationship with God or have had any spiritual guidance. When asked if they believe in God the typical answer is “Yea, I guess so!” Although most CASA volunteers if not all of us are believers, we are not to be evangelists. It’s acceptable to let the children know we pray for them, but not to carry it further. I tell my children at every meeting that I’m praying for them and ask if they have any request. They just stare at me. God has very little meaning for them. I’m struggling with helping these children find hope.

One case is very difficult for me. When I first met JD, he was 17 and one of three brothers I was trying to help. He was housed in a lock down facility about one hundred miles from Bedford County. He came into the first meeting in shackles because he had run away so many times. JD was about to be released to foster parents who also housed his brothers. Six months later he ran away. He wound up in Rutherford County in a drug deal gone bad. One man was killed and another one wounded. JD was arrested in January of 2018 with charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and three other felony charges. He’s now been bound over to adult court. JD is claiming self-defense, but it seems no one is buying it including is former attorney. The district attorney is not seeking the death penalty, but his attorney informed me that he believes JD is “looking at many decades in prison”. The visitation at the jail is at a kiosk through a computer screen and the typical phone receiver. Written communication is limited to a page or two and copied to a computer screen for him to read. Any contact is very impersonal. His parents either can’t visit him because of their own prior convictions or choose not to visit. JD has some emotional issues. He’s attempted suicide twice that I’m aware of and has had to fight off inmates on two different occasions that wanted have sex with him.

You may be asking why I’m trying to help a murderer find hope and that’s not an unfair question. Years ago, there would not have been any effort on my part. I believe JD must deal with the legal system and take his punishment! He’s still a child of God and deserves an opportunity to have hope for the future days in prison and hope of salvation. He tells me he’s attending a Bible class every Monday, so I hope he’s finding direction there. Matthew 25:31-46 lays out Jesus’s return to earth and judging our works. One of the works listed in verse 36 is “visiting those in prison”. Some people believe that it only refers to visiting Christians imprisoned because they are Christians. I cannot reconcile that it refers to only Christians.

How do I help a 19-year-old possibly facing 50 years in prison or the child uncertain where his or her future with their parents find hope for daily life? The following are thoughts are from Christian writers.

From the ministerial point of view, Rick Warren believes that being in a small group of Christians is vital to helping others find hope. The prayers of a small group can achieve success with the following characteristics:

• Compassion from others who are not too preoccupied with their own problems.
• Faith- In Luke 5:20 a paralytic man’s friends took him up on the roof and let him down so Jesus could heal him. It was the faith of the friends that helped heal him.
• Willingness to intervene otherwise nothing may take place.
• Persistence to not give-up
• Innovative in a willingness to try different methods
• Cooperation with those who are helping
• Sacrificing one’s time, money or whatever to make the process work.

It seems this method can be helpful but the person struggling must be a willing active participant by allowing people into their lives. Some people will be willing to share with another individual but not in a group setting.

Dr. Larry Crabb and Dr. Dan B. Allender (I’ll refer to them as the Doctors) are Christians with PhD’s in Psychology. Their book, Hope When You’re Hurting, looks at psychological, medical and spiritual methods of addressing help. The docs say that when we struggle with life, we ask four basic questions:

• What’s wrong?
• Who can help?
• What will the helper do?
• What can I hope for if I do seek help?

“When we hurt, we ask these questions. And we insist that someone be able to answer them. How we answer those four questions determines what we do and where we go to find help when we hurt.”

The Doctors believe that, “We’re not nearly so bothered by the size of the problem as we are by it’s degree of mystery. It’s not knowing what’s wrong that arouses the worst terror. Mystery scares us because it puts us out of control and leaves us with an option we don’t naturally like---- to trust someone besides ourselves.”

The Doctors suggest six different explanations to what’s wrong:

• Spiritual warfare – The cause is demonic
• Dysfunctional background - The cause is psychological
• Personal sin – The cause is moral
• Biomedical disorder – The cause is medical
• Undisciplined living - The cause is weakness
• Deficient spirituality – The cause is distance from God

The book goes in deep detail about each of these causes. Some of their analysis is too deep for me and there is not enough room to write about it all. If you would like to borrow the book, let me know.

The doctors suggest four resources that may be useful:

• The individual – Responsibility for change falls largely on the individual’s shoulders
• Natural community – Support from family, friends, and ministers/elders might help
• God – The individual must tap into God’s sufficient power. He is all the individual needs.
• Professional help – Trained professionals may be necessary

They remind us that the way the individual answers the first question determines who we depend on for help.

As I researched helping people find hope, I was though there would be a much simpler answer. The following is what I took away from talks with others and reading.

A Christian man who is involved in prison ministry fulltime encouraged me to let JD know that I’m praying for him. He also believes the more people that write him the more encouraged he will be and hope can grow. An ex-inmate who attends Riverdale Church of Christ in Murfreesboro meets with inmates on a regular basis. Larry advises that JD must take it on his own shoulders for keeping hope. Praying for him and contact with him will help.

With the limited contact CASA volunteers have with the children, letting them know you are praying for them and offering encouragement seem to be the best course of action. Helping them make plans for a brighter future creates hope. They need to know someone cares about them! The power of prayer is not in the person praying but the power is in the one listening, God.

The Bedford County CASA received eight new appointments for families last month but I’m not sure how many children that includes. There aren’t enough volunteers! If you think you might have an interest in helping children through CASA, let me know. You do not have to be professionally trained, just have a heart for children. CASA staff will give you all the training initially and then hands on experience and God’s guidance will take over.

God Bless!

Mike

HOPE

Webster defines hope: Desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment, to expect with confidence. We often use hope as a wish as oppose to an expectation. “I hope everything comes out alright”.

The word for hope in Hebrew in the Old Testament is closely associated with trust. The Greek word in the New Testament is also associated with trust along with eager expectation.

In Max Lucado’s book: God Came Near, he describes hope as: “Hope is not what you expect, it is what you would never dream. Hope is not a granted wish or a favor performed; no, it is far greater than that. It’s a dependence on God who loves you.”

In his book, Hope Again, Charles Swindoll writes: “Hope isn’t merely a nice option that helps us temporarily clear a hurdle. It’s essential to our survival. Hope is a wonderful gift from God, a source of strength and courage in the face of life’s harshest trials. Put simply, when life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope. Hope plays a vital role in life.”

Mr. Swindoll continues with examples of trials where hope provides strength and courage:

• When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end.
• When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits
• When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.
• When we fear the worst, hope brings reminders that God is still in control.
• When we must endure the consequences of bad decisions, hope fuels our recovery.
• When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we are not alone…we will make it.
• When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief.

As I thought about his points, the words belief, relationship, trust, and faith kept coming into my mind. In order to have hope, we must believe in God, have a close relationship with him and place total trust and faith in him. But what is the source of hope for people who do not believe in God or have no relationship with him? Their hope is in themselves, other people, natural circumstances in the world, money, other possessions, and technologies like medicine. These play a part in hope but without God behind them, they are without certainty. We experience our own failures, people that we place hope in disappoint us, money and possessions are very uncertain, medicine sometimes fails us. Think about these verses and think about where your hope lies.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you …...to give you hope and a future

Psalm 42:5 - … Put your hope in God

Psalm 62:5 - …. My hope comes from him

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart…

Romans 12:12 – Be joyful in hope…

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope….

I Timothy 6:17 - …. not to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain but to put their hope in God

Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope form and certain of what we do not see.

God and Christ will always endure as our hope!

We all have hopes for a good life, a wonderful marriage, children and hopes for them, and for successful careers and so on, all earthly hopes. What about eternal hopes? Mr. Swindoll asks: “How can we concern ourselves that much over what happens on this temporary planet when we know that it is all leading us to our eternal destination?” The Bible has several verses that give hope for heaven.

I Ephesians 1:18 - … you may know the hope which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance …

Colossians 1:27 - ……which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Titus 2:13 - … While we wait for the blessed hope---the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ ….

Hebrews 6:19 - … We have this hope as an anchor for the soul….

I Peter:3-5 - … he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

I Peter 3:15 - … …Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone that asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Our lives hold hope for things both on earth and in heaven. What if my hope dims or I lose all hope? We all probably know people who have lost hope. Kay’s youngest brother, Brian, did. From an early age he struggled with what we now believe was bipolar. Brian tended to hear a different drummer. In his early twenties he rode a motorcycle from southern California to Memphis in the dead of winter. He was struggling with his way of life and what he thought Christianity demanded of him, so he was not around the family very much. Later, we found out he was an alcoholic, but when he graduated from the AA program things were looking up. He started working for a casino outside Memphis and soon became a highly respected backroom poker dealer for the rich customers. In the fall of 1998, Brian lost hope and took his own life. As we went through his personal things, we found liquor bottles stashed all over the house and learned from his girlfriend that he had a total relapse. She also informed us that he had a serious gambling problem. Brian could not reconcile his Christian up bringing with his failures and the expectation of others, so he lost hope of living the Christian life.

George Weinberg, psychologist, writes: “Hope never abandons you, you abandon it!”

Mr. Swindoll writes: “Two words will help you when you run low on hope: accept and trust. Accept the mystery of hardship, suffering, misfortune, or mistreatment. Don’t try to understand it or explain it. Accept it. Then, deliberately trust God to protect you by his power from this very moment to the drawing of eternity.”

What actions should I peruse if I or someone I know are struggling with hope?

• Double down on your prayer life.
• Pray with trust and expectation that God will recue you.
• Get a prayer partner who will pray with you and for you with the same trust and expectation.
• Pray with the elders, James 5:16 tells us the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
• The first answer therapist and counselors give is to seek professional help. That’s good but do not leave out the first four. Choose a Christian counselor!

The premise of God Came Near is that Jesus is always in our lives especially at our greatest times of need, if we look for him. To paraphrase: Jesus does his best work at moments when we face trials. “Just when the truth about life sinks in, his truth starts to surface. He takes us by the hand and dares us not to sweep the facts under the rug but to confront them with him at our side.”

“Funerals, divorces, illnesses, and stays in the hospital-----you can’t lie about life at such times. Maybe that’s why he’s always present at such moments.”

“The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don’t cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don’t turn up, the TV and pretend they aren’t there. Instead, stand still, whisper his name, and listen. He is nearer than you think.”    

Jesus is near so that’s HOPE!

Thanks!

Mike

Next: How can I help someone find hope?

My computer would not open last Tuesday so I took it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy. To keep it short, by Saturday the hard driven and flash drive were gone, and everything was lost including all my writings and outlines for the blog. The hard drive was sent off to retrieve what they can. Hopefully, I’ll have it all back in 2-3 weeks so I’m putting together some thoughts to post.

There are many people listed in the bulletin and in the announcements that are experiencing storms of one kind or another in their lives. There are others going through trying times that we do not know about. Extreme illness, death of a loved one, family problems, financial problems, etc. seem to always be with us. We have all been there in our lives. The following is from New CREEations Ministries:

You can be in peace in the middle of whatever storm life throws at you. The key is to keep your focus on God, because he truly is bigger than any storm. Peter was able to walk on the waves in the midst of the storm as long as he focused on Jesus. But when his focus shifted onto the raging sea he began to sink. Make God the center of your attention. Keep your focus on Him. Then you will pass through any storm in perfect peace.

I believe these words but putting them into practice is not always easy for me. Some of the difficulty speaks to my problem of accepting God’s decisions, my faith. This is attributable to satan attacking where he knows I’m weakest. Already troubled, concerned and even worried about the outcome of the storm, satan works at creating doubt by asking why God would let this happen and why he’s not changing it like my request in prayers.

The key is “pass through the storm”. We are not promised that everything will be changed to our satisfaction even though we diligently pray about the storm. The following verses speak to the fact that “God has got our backs”:

I Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I Peter 5:10 - …. after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious …. And the peace of God…. will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 41:13 – For I am the Lord your God…. Do not fear; I will help you.

Deuteronomy 31:6 – I will never leave you or forsake you.

For me, it comes down to sronger faith. I must trust God’s decisions even though the outcome is not what I prayed for.

How do you cope? Let me know.

Let me know if you need prayers. You’ll be in my prayers every morning. It will be private!

Mike

 Early in my career a boss gave me his philosophy of keeping a good relationship with his boss: “Whatever my boss thinks is important, I think is important. “ He practiced that faithfully and of course, he was giving me advice as to how to manage a good relationship with him. Another one of his philosophies was: “If your attitude is good, I can forgive mistakes.” I worked hard making sure that I understood what Bill thought was important and maintaining the right attitude.

I thought a lot about these philosophies in terms of my relationship with God. Generally, your boss has control over your future within that company, so you strive to make him/her happy with your performance. It plays a very important part in pay increases, promotions, benefits, etc. So, I worked to keep the boss happy, BUT did I give the same consideration and effort to my relationship with God? He created me, provides blessings, forgives my sins and decides where I will spend eternity which is far more important! Now that I’m older*, I’m pretty sure God did not get the same effort that Bill did. I went to church and went through the motions of being a Christian, looked the part, but did not give whole heart.

Conversations with folks I’ve known:

Q: How’s your relationship with God?

A: Yes, I believe in God.

Q: That’s great but how’s your relationship?

A: Everything is OK, I guess!

Q: Do you pray, read your Bible, go to church and serve Him to grow your relationship?

A: Well, no but I don’t believe you need all that to keep a good relationship with Him. Afterall, He loves me the way I am.

Q: How’s your relationship with God?

A: To be honest it’s not as good as it once was!

Q: You must have moved away because God didn’t move away from you. What happened?

A: Well, I had the following happen________________. I feel like God let me down!

The blank can be filled in with most any struggle in life we are experiencing now or have experienced. All of us have had our struggles, but we should not use those struggles as the excuse for the lack of our relationship with God.

For any relationship to thrive, attention must be paid to it. Typical answer is: “Yes, but we both are trying to move ahead in our careers, we have two kids and they are involved in school, sports and scouts, etc. I’m also involved with Rotary, Lions club (take your choice) and I’m serving people through them. GOD UNDERSTANDS!”

There is absolutely nothing God does not understand but he is a jealous God and expects to be our number one priority. Let’s see, God came in after careers, kids, school, sports, scouts and a civic club at best! He’s probably disappointed with the relationship!

Max Lucado is the author of On The Anvil. He describes the book as thoughts on being shaped into God’s image. He believes that our relationship with God is like a tool’s relationship with the blacksmith. There are several verses in Bible that refer to us as instruments/tools. Acts 9:15, John 15:16 and Romans 6:15. The best one for me is II Timothy 2:21 “… an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to do any good work”

Max writes: “We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are either on the scrap pile, on the anvil, in the Master’s hands or in the tool chest. (Some of us have been in all three.)”

“Anvil time reminds us of who we are and who God is. We should not try to escape it. God sees our life from beginning to end. He may lead us through a storm at thirty so we can endure a hurricane at age sixty. An instrument is useful only if it’s in the right shape. A dull ax or a bent screwdriver needs attention, and so do we. A good blacksmith keeps his tools in shape. So does God. Should God place you on his anvil, be thankful. It means he thinks you’re still worth reshaping.”

How do I know if I’m on the anvil? Read I Peter 1:6-7

I’m paraphrasing here: Time on God’s anvil clarifies and defines God’s evaluation of our relationship with Him. If you feel you are on the anvil, step back and take time to consider why you are there. I believe that much of our relationship with God is about carrying out His business.

*I do not use the term “elderly” to describe myself. Elderly is for those older than me!?!?

When I led Sunday School classes, its success depended on discussion from the class members. I would like for the blog to be as interactive as possible so please share your ideas and comments @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Need prayers for yourself or someone else, let me know. Know anyone that needs a short visit to be encouraged let me know.

Thanks

Mike

I was “raised” in the Church of Christ and baptized at age 12 plus a few months. Two friends, Monte and Gary were the same age and were baptized a little before age 12. People started to be concerned about the fact I had not come forward yet. The fixed age of accountability, 12, did not make sense to me. One day I’m not accountable and then twenty-four hours later I’m now accountable? I understood where the thinking came from but was troubled by it. In addition, I’m sometimes ornery and didn’t want to be pushed into an important decision that was only mine to make. One other thing was troubling, a Sunday School teacher taught us that repentance meant you would never commit that sin again. If you did repeat that sin again, then you did not truly repent and were not forgiven. Experience told me that I had a huge problem because I was a repeat offender and would be because of weakness to temptation.

 Please know that I believe baptism is essential but not because of an age attained but because you are a sinner and need forgiveness. It’s time to be baptized when you are mature and ready to commit  to a relationship with God and Christ. Baptism is not  the final act but should be a new beginning.  You will sin again, but you now have the only route to forgiveness. You will also have a relationship like no other you’ll ever know. After thinking through all this, I was ready for the commitment.  It’s OK to be seek advice and guidance but it’s very important that baptism be your decision.

 In Max Lucado’s book, When God Whispers Your Name,  he asks a question about people’s struggles with life and their relationship with God/Christ after their conversion:

 “Could it be you went to religion and you didn’t go to God? Could it be you went to a church, but never saw Christ?”

After reading the question, I was somewhat confused. The first reaction was well, I believe in God and that Christ is His Son and He died for my sins.  I believe in the religious teachings of the Church of Christ and the importance of the church itself. Does this not mean that I went to God and Christ both?

Max follows-up on Matthew 11:28-29: Jesus invites us to come to Him with our burdens. Jesus’s invitation is for a relationship with HIM and to accept HIS teachings. I believe we are to have a relationship with God’s people within the church but without a relationship with Jesus, it’s meaningless. We must  accept HIS teachings,  not the “doctrines” of any church.

Max concludes the chapter with these thoughts:

 “It’s not that you haven’t tried---you’ve tried for years to deal with your past. Alcohol. Affairs. Workaholism. Religion.

 Jesus says He is the solution for weariness of soul. Go to Him. Be honest with Him. Admit you have soul secrets you’ve never dealt with. He already knows what they are. He’s just waiting for you to ask Him to help. He’s just waiting for you to give Him your burdens.”

 I believe the vernacular with the younger generation is: God’s got this!

 How’s your relationship with God/Christ? Did you go to religion/church or to them?

From On The Anil by Max Lucado: his description of Judas, "those who bear the name of Jesus but have never met Him, and those who have religion but no relationship. Judas bore the cloak of religion but he never knew the heart of Christ. Let's make it our goal to know.....deeply"

 Remember to send me your thoughts at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 If you have a prayer request, let me know.  If you know of someone who would like a short visit, let’s talk.

 Thanks

 Mike

#1

Thanks to the Elders for allowing me to place some articles, comments and thoughts on the

Southside website. Hopefully, the writings will encourage you with your relationship with God.

You will note a number of quotes, comments and offerings from different authors that have influenced over the years.

It is intended that this be a “discussion” type of website. If you have comments or thoughts about the articles you want to share, please send them to my email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I will either respond directly to you or if you wish, I‘ll include them in a future post.

This first post will be a selection of thoughts that I have picked up over the years with credit given to the author or book. Some will have a scripture that relates to the thought.

 From the Eagleville Church of Christ marquee: “Love everybody! I’ll sort them out later!”

I believe this post really sums up our responsibility as a Christian but it’s not always easy. Sometimes we say surely “God does mean for me to love him/her.”

 This next one kinda fits our attitude about the previous one: “Most people wish to serve God – but only in an advisory capacity.”  God’s Little Devotion Book (GLDB)

 “Those who deserve love the least need it the most.”  Matthew 5:44.  GLDB

 Reading the bulletin every Sunday, you note that there are many prayer requests for different needs. Hopefully, some of the following comments from GLDB gives something to think about:

 “You should never let adversity get you down-except on your knees.”

 “God intervenes in the affairs of men by invitation only.” Revelation 3:20

 “The heart is the happiest when it beats for others.”

 If you have a prayer request, let me know and I’ll add your request to my prayer list.

 Thanks

 Mike