Don’t Just Do Something

He was oblivious to the truth that our attempts to live for Jesus will succeed only if we have the power of the Holy Spirit released to us through prayer. The new community of Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem quickly multiplied and faced a series of potentially crippling crises. One of these crises involved widows, especially widows who didn’t speak the local language – Aramaic or Hebrew (Acts 6:1). The early believers from Pentecost had come from many different lands (Acts 2:5-11), and some had not returned home. Among these non-Jewish speaking folks were hungry widows, neglected by their fellow believers in the regular food distribution. People who didn’t speak the local language were upset. More than a few were angry. Many people in the predominant church culture hadn’t even noticed the problem because they spoke the “correct” language, and “their” widows were not being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. Prejudice and neglect threatened the fabric of a fellowship known for sharing life (Acts 2:44, 47, 4:32) and not having a needy person among them (Acts 2:45, 4:32-35). This failure could thwart their witness as followers of Jesus while their neglecting widows, the fatherless, and the foreigner among them was direct disobedience to the will and teaching of God (Deuteronomy 10:18-19; Isaiah 1:23; Psalm 68:5, 82:3). Women worthy of respect and needing care were forgotten and hungry. The neglect of these needy women undermined the disciples’ claim to live in harmony with a heart for the things of God (James 1:27; Deuteronomy 27:19). What did the apostles, Jesus’ hand-selected leaders for his new church, do in response to this crisis? They continued to devote themselves to a higher priority, “the word of God and prayer” (Acts 6:4). What? You read it correctly. Before doing something, the apostles reminded the people of their highest priorities as leaders: kneeling in prayer and sharing the good news of Jesus. In the face of a fellowship-threatening crisis, they prayed! More than three decades ago, as a young minister, I answered the knock on the door of the church leadership’s meeting room. When I stepped outside, I discovered a red-faced, angry, long-time friend of my parents – he knew them before I was born. He verbally pressed me to let him into that meeting. As firmly, but also with as much calm as I could muster under attack from a long-time family friend and someone twice my age, I refused. “It’s prayer night,” I reminded him. “The elders and ministry team are gathered for prayer. That is our only agenda. Our prayer time will take several hours. There is no other plan tonight other than prayer. No intrusions are allowed except in the direst of emergencies.” “I wish I had time just to sit around and pray,” my friend said impatiently. “This was an important matter about our missions program that I needed to get approved. Tonight!” He stormed away in an angry huff. Several weeks later, in one of his mission meetings, a fellow mission committee member quoted this frustrated brother’s hero when my friend recounted what he considered a waste of time by the church leadership. What was that significant quote my friend needed to hear? “I only get done what I pray for!” Over time, this family friend mellowed. He became a man of prayer. Our congregation raised up seventeen long-term missionaries that we supported in world missions, and over 600 of our members went on international mission trips. His zeal for mission work never dimmed, but he also learned that many missions missteps could have been prevented through prayer and waiting on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He experienced the power of prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and a clear sense of our specific call to world missions, which were essential. He realized he needed a new commitment to guide his life: “Don’t just do something; kneel and pray!” Today, many Christians fret, complain, post on social media, and stomp around, worried about what is happening in the world, their churches, and the dominant culture. They sense a decline in faith and righteous living. Most of all, they worry about the decrease in the number of people at their church services. These worried churchgoers press their church leaders to “do something” to fix the problems. They want something done immediately! “Don’t just sit there, do something!” they demand. All too often, desperate leaders respond in one of two ways: they either “just sit there” frozen and fearful or “they do something” to try to make things better. Those who “just do something” start trying all sorts of things they’ve heard about in other congregations. They reach for the latest fad. They push the newest quick fix. They copy other churches or follow the advice of the latest “how-to” article from a so-called expert. After several decades of oscillating between doing nothing (“just sit there”) and trying quick fixes (“do something”), most Christian groups find themselves in worse shape than when they started. Their churches have a much higher percentage of gray hair than ever and less patience for the slower-paced transformation based on a commitment to prayer and a focus on living on mission rather than trying new things for the sake of doing something. “Don’t just sit there, do something!” is not the answer. It wasn’t the answer to the problem of the neglected widows in the early days of the growing new Jesus movement. It certainly is not the answer to today’s congregation with genuine challenges. But, just sitting there while things continue to fall apart is not an answer. In reality, our problems today don’t approach the challenges of those first-century believers. Their politics were more brutal. Their culture was more extreme. Their travel, communication, and opposition were all much more problematic. Opposition and persecution were more pervasive. But, the commitment of their leaders was different. They chose to live by the value, “Don’t just do something; kneel and pray!” In the crisis

Dared to Hope

If only we would trust that the Lord can make us all grow! We paused to visit a tiny railway station that used to be a busy place on the southern line. It was now all but deserted. The Station Master’s office and the parcels’ office were silent. They were clothed in a dull brown that has become the mourning color of dying railway stations. We wandered along the tiny platform and saw the remnants of a garden outside the Station Master’s office. Now there was no running water, but there used to be competitions up and down the line for the best-kept garden. On this day, the old garden was just a dead square inside crumbling railway sleepers. Over in one corner stood a rusty drum, and barely alive in it was the commonest form of geranium. It was stunted and tired – nearly dead. I took a piece about as long as one finger. When we returned home, I dared to hope it would grow. So for old time’s sake, I planted it in the best pot in the best location. Feeling terribly foolish for even hoping for growth, I even said a prayer for the unknown hands that planted it long years ago. Today, this finger of planting is now a meter wide and half as tall. It is a joyful and lush plant, but too common to be prized by anyone else. It is valuable only to me because I sense its history in a harsh world where only hardy plants can grow. Do you sometimes feel like a common plant where only hardy plants can grow? God has a word for you. He says that He chose the foolish ones of us in this world, the most common of us, to shame those who are worldly-wise. (1 Corinthians 1:26-28) So say a prayer some time for the ones who planted you! Give thanks that they dared to hope that you would grow! While you’re at it, take a risk on plain ol’ common folks who seem tired, stunted, and nearly dead spiritually, and dare believe that the Lord can help them grow, too! About the author: Elizabeth is a team writer for “Just a Minute” e-zine.

His Peace

There have been many times in my life that I believed I would only find peace when… [Jesus said to his disciples,]“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus made several statements like this to remind us that there is peace amidst all the chaos we see going on around us. There have been many times in my life that I believed I would only find peace when: I had all the things I thought I needed. All the conflicts between nations ceased. Churches I served actually practice the teachings they say they believe. All turmoil within and around me had calmed. I had matured enough to consistently reflect the image of Jesus more than my own. Guess what? Those conditions haven’t happened! I still have days when I think I’ll only have peace when I reach a certain status, have acquired or accomplished enough, or we have less turmoil in the world. But on a deeper level, I have discovered the peace Jesus promised. Even when chaos and uncertainty directly impact me, I know that Jesus overcame the world, and that thought calms me. That assurance gives me peace. I’m pretty certain that each time I return that realization of peace, Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit must surely smile. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16). About the author: Tom Norvell is the author of “A Norvell Note” — Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately.

Finding Beauty

So where can you go to find beautiful things? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2 NIV). Poetry. The book of John is pure poetry, especially the prologue (John 1:1-18). It’s one place I like to go when I need a dose of beauty. In a world of pop-culture, I need those doses regularly. Over the summer, my twenty-year-old daughter, Maddie, was lamenting all the pop-culture I was responsible for making her miss during her childhood. “Mom,” she said, “when people my age talk about ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ or ‘Strawberry Shortcake,’ I’m lost.” This made me laugh. “What was so bad about ‘Strawberry Shortcake’?” she asked. “What’s so bad about (fill in the blank)?” This is a question my children have asked me and I have asked myself hundreds of times over the years. We’ve asked it about all sorts of books, movies, and activities. It seems to me, we only have so much free time – time set up for no purpose other than enjoyment and we can choose things that are “not bad,” or we can choose things of value. Early in parenting I wanted to give my kids only value. So while other children were reading books about a babysitting club, mine were reading the “Wind in the Willows” and “Misty of Chincoteague.” I softened my stance somewhat as the years unfolded, so by the time my son was old enough, he saw all the “Star Wars” movies (I only liked the original three). Maddie laments this, too – how Spencer had it better. I try not to laugh. One of my favorite verses of the Bible was written by Paul in a very intimate portion of his letter to the Philippians as he seeks to instruct them how to live: Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things (Philippians 4:8 NIV). I’m not immune to pop-culture and I admit to watching things that are “not bad” and sometimes, even things I know veer straight into “bad.” These things don’t edify me in any way; in fact, if I’m not careful, they erode my convictions. But sometimes I watch them. That’s when I need a dose of “pure” or “lovely” or “admirable.” That’s when my husband and I trek to some beautiful part of God’s world, or I listen to “Pachebelle’s Cannon” or I read the poetry of the book of John. The other day, Maddie called to say she was tired of seeing little girls who dress too old for their age – that when she has children, she is going to pick “nice, age-appropriate clothes.” I was glad we were on the phone and she couldn’t see me smiling. Maybe I’ll surprise her the next time she comes home. I’ll put together a “Strawberry Shortcake Fest” complete with videos, shortcake, and balloons. Time spent with her laughing – that’s worthwhile. About the author: Lisa is a Christian, a wife and a mother of three. Lisa shares, “I know how my story began and Christ divulged the ending, so now I’m concentrating on developing the middle. May the setting, characterization and plot twists all work to His glory.” You can email Lisa using this link!

Strength and Help in Our Time of Need

Could you keep on coming after so many years and trips? We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:26-28) Brad Gaines spent Christmas this year in Russellville, Alabama. It’s the same place he has spent every Christmas since 1991. His wife would rather he be in Nashville, Tennessee, with their daughters, but Brad goes every Christmas just the same. “Everyone needs to be with someone during Christmas,” Brad always says by way of explanation. The person Brad goes to be with is Chucky Mullins, a man very different from Brad and someone Brad might never have known, but for a fall afternoon in 1989. They met on a football field in Oxford, Mississippi, on October 28th, 1989, when Chucky’s Ole Miss Rebels were playing Brad’s Vanderbilt Commodores. Brad was the leading receiver in the Southeastern Conference; Chucky one of the conference’s best defensive backs. On one particular play – as it turns out, the play that would change both men forever – Brad caught a pass in front of Chucky. Chucky did what he had done thousands of times as a college football player; he hit Gaines and knocked the ball loose. Both players went down. Gaines got up and started back to the Vanderbilt huddle. Chucky didn’t get up. Chucky never would get up normally again. Somehow, when Chucky Mullins hit Brad Gaines he fractured 4 vertebrae in his neck. As minutes ticked by and Mullins stayed on the ground, as trainers and doctors clustered around him, and as Ole Miss players began holding hands and shaking heads, Gaines asked the referee how Chucky was. “They think he can’t move,” came the reply. In fact, Chucky Mullins was paralyzed from the neck down. Brad actually spoke to Chucky for the first time in the hospital. About a hundred people were clustered outside Mullins’ room when Gaines arrived. They parted without a word to let him walk in. The first words out of Chucky’s mouth as Brad entered the room were, “It’s not your fault.” Of course it wasn’t, but Brad still carried the incident around with him. He lost all desire to play football. Even though he finished his college eligibility and played a year of pro ball in Canada, his career basically ended on that October afternoon in Mississippi. Brad Gaines made his first trip to Russellville, Alabama, Chucky’s hometown, on May 6, 1991. That was the day of Chucky’s funeral. Brad, the strong and tough football player, cried like a baby beside his casket. He went on with his life, but he never forgot. And every year since then, Brad makes the drive from Nashville to Russellville three times a year: on May 6, the anniversary of Chucky’s death, on October 28th, the anniversary of the game, and on Christmas. He spends a couple of hours at Chucky’s grave, cleaning each letter of his headstone, pulling away grass and weeds and leaves from around his marker, and then sitting and praying and reflecting before getting back into his car and driving back to Nashville. He has not missed a visit in thirteen years. He claims he never will. The years of reflection have given Brad a perspective on the terrible events that link him with Chucky. “It makes you appreciate life so much more,” he says. “It makes you appreciate relationships. Life is so fragile. It makes you value life.” Brad speaks often to schools and church youth groups about meeting and overcoming the challenges that life brings. He always leaves them with this message: “I don’t question why God does things,” he said. “I just know that some good comes of it, and that He gives me the strength I need.” It takes strength to live with the memory of such a tragic event without being devastated by it. Then again, many of us have to live with such memories. Brad Gaines just understands that the strength he needs doesn’t come from figuring out why his life took the turn it did. It comes from believing in a God who knows what we need even when we don’t know how to ask, and who brings something good from everything that happens to us. Maybe you know a little too well what Brad Gaines carries with him. Maybe you know what it’s like to live with tragic or difficult circumstances – to think every day of a person you wish you could see or an event you never anticipated or a mistake you wish you could take back. Maybe you’ve made a few pilgrimages of your own. If so, I hope you realize just as clearly as Brad Gaines that your strength does not come from demanding answers, but from trusting in the God who brings good out of what seem to be irredeemable events. And even if you don’t see it yet, the Cross and the empty tomb prove without a shadow of a doubt that God is not absent – not even from cemeteries. Surely you don’t imagine that the God who sent his Son for you would leave you alone and helpless. He will give you the strength you need. Even if it’s just a day at a time. About the author: Patrick Odum lives in Chicago, Illinois, with his wife, Laura and son, Joshua. He is one of the ministers at Northwest Church of Christ, and an avid Heartlight fan. He enjoys writing and maintains a website of his work called Faith Web where you can find all of his articles. Email Patrick

When I Am Afraid

I’m thankful for the way the Lord teaches me about his character through the pitter patter of those little feet. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side (2 Chronicles 15:15). Every morning, I roll over to find a tiny body lying between my husband and me. Sometimes I remember how he got there. Sometimes it’s as if he magically appeared. Some nights I’m just lying there thinking about all the things I need to do the next day (or the things I forgot to do that day) when I hear the swishing of his pajama pants across the tile floor occasionally accompanied by a crash or two into a wall as he makes his way to us in his sleepy stupor. He pushes the door open and whispers, “I’m sca-yed. Can I way wiv you?” And because I’m putty in his hands, and because I’m too tired to care, I hoist that three-year-old up and over and under the quilt. I know it’s gotten to be a habit, and I know all the good moms out there would tell me I need to break it before it gets out of hand (#toolatebro). But he’s my last one. And there’s something about him knowing that when he’s “sca-yed” he knows exactly where to go to feel safe. I was thinking about it one night, while he was curled up next to me. He had just crawled in, yet was already asleep. It was as if he had never really been awake at all. He knows that path well now, the one from his room to ours because in the not-so-scary daylight he’s walked it over and over again. He’s worn a path to our room because he’s come here often. Not always because he needed something, but just because he loves to be near us. I love those who love me,and those who seek me find me (Proverbs 8:17). So at night, he follows that beaten path to our room. He knows all the turns, all the walls, all the furniture he needs to avoid. Even in the dark. Even when his eyes are half-open. Even when his brain is still snoozing away. It’s muscle memory. His feet just take him where they know he needs to be because he’s been there a thousand times before. It’s the place his little feet know leads to security and comfort. I wonder if I have worn a path to my Heavenly Father as our son has to us. Do I go to him often enough in the daytime, in the still, quiet, joyful moments, for my feet to blindly lead me there in the darkness? Or would I have a hard time finding him when I needed him because I haven’t visited in a while? Seek the LORD while he may be found;call on him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6) Am I seeking him enough in the daylight to find him in the night? Of course, God will meet us in our darkness. Of course, he’ll be there, waiting for us. He’s longing to hold us and carry us and lead us. But if we haven’t worn down that road to him, if we haven’t walked it back and forth and back and forth, we might have a harder time finding our way to him. We might run into a few walls, stub our toes on a few door frames, hit our head against a lamp or two before our weary bodies finally collapse into his waiting arms. I thought of all the times I’d neglected to walk that path just to spend time with my Father, how I’d waited until I needed him, until circumstances turned desperate and out of control, only to stumble my way around searching for Him. He was there all along, in the same place he’d always been. I’d just forgotten the path because I hadn’t been walking it every day. But the good news is we serve a God who sees us stuck in the corner banging our head against the wall in our lostness and throws down everything, leaves it all behind, and sprints to us. He looks at us not in frustration or disappointment but with JOY and COMPASSION. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20). I’m thankful for a son who knows how to find me even in the pitch dark with his eyes half-open. I’m thankful he knows how much I love him and want to protect him. And I’m thankful for the way the Lord teaches me about his character through the pitter patter of those little feet. I pray that I will grow to understand the heights and depths and lengths of his love for me. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

Is God Listening to My Prayers?

Prayer that the Father hears is directed to him in faith with an unselfish attitude, seeking to bless and honor God’s will because of our love for the Father. In Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Morte D’Authur,” he pens the famous line: More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Wherefore let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day. Most professing religions believe in prayer. The difficulty lies in knowing how to pray and to whom. The Christian world certainly believes that the LORD God answers prayers, though some may seek him through emissaries, “special saints,” or the Virgin Mary. Yet, even in Christian prayers, many have difficulty finding solid ground for what may be appropriate to request. Nevertheless, many still pray. Examples of prayer in both the Old and New Testaments give clear guidance to those who study them. The prime requirements are faith in the Father, unselfishness on the part of the one who prays, and a love for God and his will. Jesus promised: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8). Radio, online, and TV evangelists have sometimes promised great wealth and financial success to those who have the faith to pray while also requesting a little contribution for the evangelist. They have led their followers to pray for things that directly conflict with God’s Word. However, these kinds of promises have prompted many guarantees from interpreters that are unhelpful. However, some of these guarantees are couched in unscriptural terms and targets. Jesus’ half-brother, James, warned: When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God?(James 4:3-4) Selfish, greedy, and wrongly-motivated prayer is not answered! This principle about wrongly-motivated prayer does not mean that we should quit praying for God to heal a sick loved one or friend. Though such prayer might appear to be selfishly motivated, God sees these prayers as loving intercession. He wants us to pray for others to be healed, forgiven, and blessed (James 5:14-15). Unselfish prayer does not exclude one’s praying about ourselves (Matthew 6:9-13; James 5:13). Jesus himself prayed in the Garden shortly before his death: Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:35-36). Jesus did pray for personal relief from the ordeal he was about to face. However, notice his attitude – that characteristic by which God judges all of a person’s life. Jesus’ motive in praying was made clear by the phrase which Jesus attaches to his plea: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” While Jesus sought relief, he sought it within the will of God to fulfill the will of God because of his love for God. That is still the fundamental block on which to build one’s prayer life, as Paul’s famous promise of God’s work for good in our lives indicates: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 – Underline added for connection and emphasis.) Finally, for our prayers to be effective, they must be offered with the unwavering belief that God does hear and answer our prayers. James writes and warns us: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:6-8). Prayer that the Father hears is directed to him in faith with an unselfish attitude, seeking to bless and honor God’s will because of our love for the Father. It sounds simple, and it should be. Jesus made that clear in his model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). However, for those of us who feel our faith is small, we need to remember another promise of Jesus about prayer: Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:19-20). About the author: Bill is a long time minister in Nacogdoches, Texas who loves world missions. His passion for ministry has led him all over the world. In addition to his work as a minister, he is also a licensed professional counselor. Bill’s family is also involved in ministry and service to the world and community.

Because We Are Human

What is the purpose of God sending Jesus? Because we are human we cannot understand the things that happen in life. We do not understand why young people die. We cannot understand why good people suffer. We cannot understand why hurricanes destroy neighborhoods, why tornadoes blow away homes, and floods wash away dreams. We cannot understand why diseases shorten lives. Because we are human we struggle to make sense of the twists and turns, the ups and downs, and the ins and outs of life. Because we are human we cannot see the future. We do not know what lies ahead. We do not always understand or learn from the past. We see only a part of the picture. We often only hear what we want to hear. We forget that God has plans for us. Because we are human we cannot see God’s wisdom for taking us down a path filled with struggle, pain, and disappointment. We cannot imagine the blessings that God has in store for us when we trust Him to lead us. Because we are human we try to explain why God does what He does when He does and how He does it. We try, but we cannot explain it. Because we are human we complicate things that were intended to be simple. We complicate life, we complicate worship, and we complicate relationships. We complicate forgiveness, we complicate faith, and we complicate grace. Because we are human we cannot make ourselves holy. We cannot remove the sin in our life. We cannot get life right no matter how we try. We cannot do everything exactly right all the time. When we mess up we cannot make it right. Because we are human we cannot see God clearly. We are blinded by our sin. We are blinded by our lack of imagination. We are blinded by our determination to make God look like us. Because we are human we cannot fathom God’s love. We cannot imagine why God would want to rescue us from our sin. We cannot understand how God could love us. We cannot grasp a God who would love us so much that He would sacrifice His Son for our sins. Because we are human God sent His Son to dwell among us: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14 ESV). Because we are human God gave His one and only Son: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Because we are human God is preparing a place for us: [Jesus said] Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going (John 14:1-4). Because we are human God understands our need for a Savior. Because we are human … Jesus. About the author: Tom Norvell is the author of “A Norvell Note” — Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately.

When You Need Wisdom

With all the crazy stuff going on, how am I supposed to know what to do? If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:5-6 NLT) Father, give me wisdom as I begin this new day. Help me to use my time, the time You have allotted me, wisely, not wastefully. Father, give me wisdom as I write these words. Please put words into my mind and allow them to flow into thoughts that are good news to the poor, that announce pardon to the imprisoned, recovery of sight to the blind, words that set the burdened and battered free, and words that announce, “This is God’s year to act!” (Luke 4:18-19 MSG). Father, give me wisdom so that when I speak I will say things that are pure and clean and words that help and give life to those who listen. Father, give me wisdom to lead my family in ways that help them walk closer to You. Give me wisdom to be the husband that honors my wife and allows her to be respectful of me. Give me wisdom to be the father that understands my children and helps to give them the confidence they need to fulfill the dreams You have placed in their hearts. Give me wisdom to love my daughter-in-law so she can have peace in her heart as a wife and a mother. Give me wisdom to love and protect my granddaughter so that she will grow strong and feel Your presence every day of her life. Give me wisdom to share the wisdom You give me with these special people so that they can be the people You want them to be. Father, give me wisdom to counsel people who come to me for help. Give me the wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent, when to be bold and when to be gentle, when to instruct and when to listen. Father, give me the wisdom to know when to be angry, when to be sad, when to laugh, and when to cry. Give me the wisdom to know that forgiveness is always the right move. Give me the wisdom to always accept Your forgiveness and to realize I am worthless without it. Give me wisdom to depend on You as if my life depended on it, and the wisdom to realize that it does. Father, give me wisdom to lead others in their walk with You. Give me the wisdom to preach and teach in ways that illustrate Your great and amazing love for us, and the wisdom to help others understand the living sacrifice that is appropriate and brings You pleasure. Give me the wisdom to live the words that I proclaim. Father, give me wisdom to realize that when I ask for wisdom with confidence You will give it. And that unless I receive wisdom that comes from You I have no words worth hearing, no life worth imitating, and no wisdom worth sharing. Father, there is no wondering “if” I need wisdom. I need wisdom. I need YOUR wisdom. Father, please give me wisdom. About the author: Tom Norvell is the author of “A Norvell Note” — Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus. He has ministered with followers of Jesus for four decades and loves Jesus, his family, and those seeking Jesus, passionately.

Broken: But NOT Forever!

Why did this brokenness, this pain, this shattering, come upon us if it is not God’s intention for us? We don’t have to look far in our world today to know that something is broken. The headlines, news teasers, social media posts, and our broken hearts shout from our pain: “Something’s wrong, deeply flawed, and irreparably broken with our world!” The following lyrics from long ago captured the emotions of our pain and frustration well: ShatteredLike a windowpaneBroken by a stoneEach tiny piece of me lies aloneAnd scatteredFar beyond repairAll my shiny dreamsJust lying there [NOTE] Our world, our bodies, and our hearts all get broken in the process of life. But, why? Why would a loving God allow our world to become so broken and his people to be so fragile? Why would a loving God create our world in a way that it is so broken and our hearts so breakable? Why did this brokenness, this pain, this shattering, come upon us if it is not God’s intention for us? James Nored reminds us in today’s video that the world we have now is NOT what God intended, and it is NOT the world that our Father’s children will inherit: If you can’t see the video, and you sure don’t want to miss it, view it online. For additional ideas to consider and some things to discuss with others, we encourage you to look at the Study Guide. The “Story of Redemption” reminds us that God’s children will inherit a better world. In fact, that better world depends upon the full adoption of God’s children when Jesus returns. In this glorious moment, both God’s children and our broken world will be made new. The apostle Paul said it this way: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21). If creation waits in eager expectation, shouldn’t we? Paul didn’t utter these words in the protective cocoon of religious safety or naïveté. In fact, as he awaited his own execution at the hands of a combination of murderous religious hate and political power, Paul reiterated a similar hope. In the face of death, he held this expectation with deep conviction and longing. The old and imprisoned apostle trusted that a time was coming when all the mess of our world, along with all of our pain, would end; both we, along with our broken world, would be reborn into our promised and glorious future in Jesus: As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me-the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8 NLT). Our redemption, our world’s redemption, is coming with our Redeemer, Jesus. A new future awaits. Yes, our worlds and our hearts are broken and shattered, but not irreparably because of the redemption that is ours in Jesus. What excites you about this hope? What do you long for most in this redemption of all things? Jesus is the goal of our journey. We hope you will continue the journey with us as we keep asking questions and looking for answers that lead us closer to the Creator’s destination for all of us. We want you to join us in finding our story caught up in God’s glorious “Story of Redemption”! Until next time, let’s stay the course and keep seeking lasting truth about God, life, and the meaning of our journey! [NOTE] Lyrics by Jimmy Webb lyrics, and sung by Linda Ronstadt. I share this link to help you hear Linda’s beautiful voice before Parkinson’s disease stole it from her. Our own bodies’ decay and vulnerability to diseases are poignantly and tragically illustrated in Linda’s life. Our prayers are with her and all who battle the fragility of their being with the determination of their wills and the faith in their hearts. About the author: In this series, James Nored and Phil Ware partner two pioneering ministries providing resources to reach coming generations. James is a minister, Executive Director of Next Generation for Christ, and author of the Story of Redemption Film Series, filmed in the Israel, U.S., and around the world. This series is designed to lead seekers to faith and strengthen the faith of believers. Divided into 5-6 minute video segments, it is great to use with social media, small groups, sermon series, families, and friends. Phil is President of Heartlight, Inc., a preacher for 40 years, author of five books along with hundreds of articles & 11 years of daily devotionals, coach for churches in transition, and a resource for missionary renewal. Phil’s verseoftheday.com devotionals are read by hundreds of thousands every day.